Oh no! High pollen count today!

So glad to see this thread because I thought it was just me.... I rarely suffer from hay fever (just have a few notable days of "extreme snuffle", each summer) but I definitely have it today. My commiserations to all GNs who are snuffling & suffering.

I have become very sensitive in the past 10 years never having hayfever before then. I use the usual one a day antihistamines, nasal spray and eye drops otherwise I cannot function and feel so tired. I used to laugh at my cousin when we were little as she couldn't tolerate cats, dogs anything hairy or furry and she carried a toilet roll with her for the snotty nose. I now have huge respect for her!

I've had hayfever since I was a child and the only thing which really makes a difference for me is Beconase nasal spray. I also use eye drops which really help to stop them feeling itchy all the time. I can't cope with Piriton as it makes me too drowsy and, although Zirtek is, I think, supposed to be non-drowsy it makes me feel like a zombie!

I use cetirizine. The once a day dose, but buy it cheaply from Tesco or somewhere. The trick is to take it before symptoms really get bad. Take a nasal spray in top if necessary. Don't open your bedroom windows. And wash hair frequently.
And avoid really aggravating it by going out in grass in hot sun.

My daughter wears some of band on her elbow and I don't hear her complain anywhere near as much about hayfever as she used to. You will have to google it as I have no idea what it's called- I guess it's a pressure point thing.

She had an annual injection for years at the beginning of each season, which helped enormously too, but when she got a new doctor, he refused to let her continue with that treatment.

I use a nasal spray ( dymista ) which an ENT consultant recommended and fexofenadine 180mg prescribed by my doctor. I take both all year as I have a dust mite allergy and asthma . Both really help . I developed hay fever I’m my 40s and these are the only medications that have worked properly for me .

Some or all of the above may help! I too am a late sufferer from hay fever - my children had it very badly when young and I finally turned to a homeopath. We went to see the homeopath out of the hay fever season and the children had remedies which were meant to be longer term, not just 'first aid'. They improved dramatically next hay fever season - not altogether free of it, but much much better. I know some people think homeopathy doesn't work, but it has worked for my children and for me at other times.

I was about to suggest exactly what Theoddbird Sayed about local honey. You may not find this in the supermarket, but may have to go to local health shops, farmers’ markets
or delis to find it.

Honey from local hives... a teaspoon a day will help for next year. Your body gets used to the local pollen so you build up immunity to them.

I got hay fever later in life too. I have a theory it may be linked to air pollution as well as pollen, as I started to get it when the nearby oil refinery was cleaning out their chimneys in January - long before the emergence of any tree or grass pollen. I used not to be able to see when I had it, as my eye lids swelled up and the irritation was severe.
I personally recommend Neoclarityn. But you may need a prescription. Worth the extra bother, though.

Oh now that is a 'problem' I would love to have once in a while Cold - I generally sleep so badly, it would be wonderful ?

But of course, I do appreciate it is actually a problem - don't mean to appear flippant!

I am really suffering with silver birch pollen here in Sweden and have been using eye drops and nose spray several times a day,

It is a problem that I cannot take the tablets . a few years ago I took some at lunchtime only to wake up at 3pm ... the next day!

Do you find it helps anno?

I use fexofenadine and take it at night in case it makes me drowsy though it's supposed not to do that.

I've mostly been using Tesco's brand of Cetirizine or Loratadine. Neither seem to have much impact. I've used Piriton in the past for other issues - prickly heat, nettle rash and so on and for general itchiness (from which I suffer a lot ?). I've been put off by the much higher price as compared to 'own brands', though. Is it really any different Maw?

Pittcity, I hadn't thought of that. My bedding is happily blowing in the garden at the moment. My consultant told me not to take antihistamine because they would dry my lungs out too much.

I swear by “full fat” Piriton.
Drowsy? Moi? Just resting my eyes!

“Big” brands !!

It’s worth noting that there are quite a few different over the counter pills that have varying ingredients. I reckon I’ve now tried most! My current choice is a Superdrug “One A Day” Cetirizine hydrochloride. I usually find the twice per day ones offer me little relief.
I’ve recently tried Benadryl Acrivastine and although they worked OK, they only last 8 hours, so I’d find myself sniffling and sneezing whilst away from home.
Antihistamine ingredients can include:
Brompheniramine
Cetirizine
Chlorpheniramine
Clemastine
Diphenhydramine
Fexofenadine
Loratadine
So it’s worth trialling the different ones until you find one that suits. You can also get a prescription but would still have to trial, them. Boots, Superdrug and many others do their own versions which are sometimes half the price of the bog brands.

I think it's to do with our immune systems not being as they used to be. I was never allergic to anything but the Rowan tree blossom near my front door sets me off. I don't take anything as warfarin restricts certain medications so I just sneeze myself to exhaustion pitch

To think that mum used to take brother and me through fields of rape to give our immune systems a boost. I'd probably be carted off on a stretcher now.Though it's only certain blossoms/trees. Grass doesn't irritate.

Oh that’s a good point pittcity, though DH will have a good old moan if I use the dryer for my bedding, haha! Well he’ll have to lump it - he doesn’t have HF!

Don't dry your bedding outdoors. It catches pollen and you sleep on it and wake feeling rotten. Keep the bedroom windows shut too.