How early in the year do you start taking anti-histamines?

I've bought some nasal spray called Poliinosan and it seems to be helping. Not saying it's definitely that, as it could just be easing anyway because of the rainy weather, but my gut feeling is good about this.

Having said that I'm the 'placebo effect' queen!

It hadn't occurred to me that my antihistamine might be thinning my hair - I take Fexofenadine. It's thinner on the side I invariably sleep on!

I actually take them all the time. I'm affected mainly by tree pollen, but also by fungus and mould in the Autumn, and I get a nasty reaction if bitten.
Bamm interesting that you talk about thinning hair, mine is thinning, but I think that it is probably age!

Thank you Jaycee5, I will try these. Hair loss is mentioned on the patient leaflet of loratadine and search on Google says especially for woman over 60 !

Bamm I found that cetirizine didn't but it made me very groggy. I use acravistine now. My hair is still thinning but not coming out at the rate it was with loratadine. I don't know if it is the medicine or just age.

Jaycee 5 I have found that my hair thinned with Loratadine. Do you know of another anti histamine that doesn't do this? I don't think I can get through the summer without any !

I am so lucky, i only have to take them from January to December

I take 10mg Cetirizine Hydrochloride regularly but not daily. I'm allergic to dust, pet dander and pollen.

I too have noticed my hair thinning slightly but I just put it down to getting older, never connected it to antihistamines.

Bamm Loratadine caused a big problem for me. My hair was falling out in handfuls and it took ages before I connected it to the tablets. It stopped immediately I stopped the tablets and grew back a bit but left me with a thinned patch behind my fringe. I'm keep meaning to give Regaine a try or I'm going to end up channelling Trump's hairstyle.

Oh gosh sorry about the typos above, that will teach me to preview before posting!

Hello,
I am new to gransnet, although I have been having a read of the posts for some time. I felt I would like to add my two penneth to this one. Blackthorn, and May( Hawthorn) get me started. I cannot take any antihistamines thoug, even the so called non drowsy ones seem to knowck me for six. I take honey every day throughout the year, just a teaspoon, and if you are able to get one specific to the things that bother you then so much the better. I also get Pollena tablets from the health shop. You don't have to take these all of the time, just suck one or two if you feel your hayfever coming on. They work for me, although I did recommend them to a friend, and she had an allergic reaction to the tablets! So take care as I guess they don't work for everyone. I hope this helps . I would send flowers but maybe for this thread it isn't a good idea

I take an anti histamine on prescription every day all year round now - never had problems with allergies until the age of 55. I now seem to react to everything in the atmosphere!
I think it is in part due to age and the body working less efficiently - but also the poorer air quality we all suffer from in most of the UK these days.
And it's always worse, or so it seems (for me and others I know who suffer from the same thing and live in the same county) at cleaning out time at the oil refinery (which is less than 10 miles away from us)...

If you can find honey from a really , really local source it is said a tsp each day will help.

My DHs hay fever season is getting longer, just starting now and will continue until Oct when he stops antihistamines. He has headaches and feels woozy (grumpy too!)

Things have gone wrong, my message didnt get sent, so ignore that remark.
I had written I take Loratadine antihistamine, "non drowsy" tablet for my dust allergy, and when the grass starts and the pollen arrives, I take regularly, my Doctor assures me, there is no harm in taking these regularly.

Mistake:there is no harm, it should read!

Does anyone find that anti histamines causes their hair to thin if taken for sometime?

I think it's the two birches near us that do it for me, as before moving here I never had problems!

I have to take them all the time but still start suffering more from about now when the sap is rising in the trees.

There is no set time of the year for taking anti histamines. When ever you experience a physical discomfort and told by your doctor it is an allergy to something or other and he /she prescribes an anti histamine that's the time to take it .

What Nipsmum said - exactly.

The only reason not to, is if you hold shares in Kleenex tissues!?

It's probably the catkins. I am allergic to birch pollen and am quite chuffed my eyes haven't started itching yet but they will..... If you find eating certain raw fruits makes your throat itchy too it is related to birch pollen allergy.

Take antihistamines when you need them there is no specific time of year. If you have an allergic reaction to something take the tablets when you need them.

I take them year-round. I'm not sure if cats affect me, but as both my sons' families have them, I don't take any chances. I'm certainly allergic to tree pollens - hazels and willows at present but there are several birch trees just beyond my garden which will make my life a misery in a month or so. The ENT consultant I've been seeing for another issue has arranged an allergen test next time I go to outpatients - hopefully next month.

I took a hay fever tablet and some vitamins yesterday to see if they'd help with my incredibly itchy, dry, winter, sun deprived skin. I reckon half an hour in the sun would sort it but there is no sun!