Hay Fever - is April too early?

I suffered terribly from hay fever in my teens and twenties, it wasn't taken seriously back in the 1960s and 1970s. Now I only get it at this time of the year, not too badly, and I take Loritidine tablets (once a day) which seem to keep it under control. It's tree pollen that does it for me, and we have a lovely birch tree and hazel tree in the garden just laden with dear little catkins (or Captains, as DH misheard me say yesterday).

Definitely - Have been suffering for the past 3 weeks.. Took Claritin during the day and benadryl at night which also helps me sleep as I tend to worry a bit.. Both help! By summer I am usually fine… I sleep with the windows open which may not help..

I went to the chemist to buy antihistamine eye drops yesterday. When I got home I found they’d only given me ‘soothing’ eye drops, with witch hazel in them, but they seem to have done the job of soothing, so I hope I’ll be more comfortable now.

No-pollen for other sufferers.

Another late onset of hay fever.
Never in my life have I ever been bothered, but there's a rowan tree not far from my front door and each year mid to end of March onwards when leaves and buds show, the nose runs like a tap and my eyes get a bit crispy round the edges.

Can't do anything about it medication wise as it'll interfere with the warfarin so I just have to have a fistful of tissues when/if I'm out or I'll have dewdrops on the end of my nose all the time. I'm glad I don't have bladder problems as well !

Not much rapeseed this year, insect attack cleared many fields, mostly tree pollen at present, my sympathy to those who suffer.
If nothing else works, try a homeopathic remedy, one daughter uses “Mixed Pollen” it works for her, no explanation why or how, it just does.

DGD 20 tells me she has hay fever already.

Itchy eyes. Runny nose. Scratchy throat and headache. Every ruddy April ☹️

These posts have been very illuminating on the subject so thank you everyone! I feel as though I’ve learnt a lot. I’m going to check out all the different remedies you’ve recommended and try them out.

Coincidentally, I had a virtual book group meeting this morning and my friend is suffering from exactly the same thing, which also began yesterday.

I've tested positive for birch pollen. I must have been allergic 60 years ago when I noticed that I was snuffly when I took my parents' dog out for a night walk in the park, but nobody told me about tree pollens then. There's an immense birch tree the other side of the brook at the end of my garden and when the wind comes from the west, there's no escaping the pollen.

I didn't test positive for hay fever because I'm not affected by the grasses but I'm allergic to tree and bush pollen which starts in early Spring.

Does anyone else get an itchy nose this time of year? It drives me crazy. I also sneeze a lot and my eyes get irritated - mainly in the evening. I will take a 1 a day Clarityn - we have them for the dog when she gets itchy (on vets advice as cheaper) but I think I need them now!
Thank you for all the posts and I have just bought (brought?) my pillow cases in from the line - only been out there a few minutes!

As Callistemon says, birch tree pollen can be a real problem at this time of year as it is wind-borne ( I have a large one in my garden). I suffered dreadfully from hay fever as a child, but grew out of it in my teens, and rarely seem to suffer much now, but I know how miserable it is.

I was a late developer of Hay fever as well. The posts about tree pollen are accurate. Some people advocate using anti-histamines all year around.

It could be birch pollen as that is one of the earliest to cause a problem or other tree pollen.
DD is a sufferer; she used to get into a dreadful state as a child. We tried everything from local honey (it has to be very local to you) through homeopathy but only prescription eye drops, nasal spray and antihistamine worked.
She was better when she lived on the coast.

Sorry SueDonim i have hayfever from January through to the end of October/early November. Didnt have hayfever until i was in my early 30s and moved to the S.E England.

I take antihistamines right through the summer, SueDonim although my symptoms change from tickly cough and stuffed up nose to runny nose and itchy eyes once grass pollen becomes an issue.

I spend most of my life in the garden so I just have to put up with it.

My watery eyes and runny nose usually start around the end of March and is worst if I am at DS's home as he has a field and hedges behind the house.
I did some research and I think mine is caused by the Hawthorn.

I have very severe hay fever and take fexophenadine a nasal spray and eye drops daily. If I go near rape seed then I will often have an asthma attack. I cannot remember ever not having hay fever!

The tree pollen is March/April this can bring about different reactions to other pollens, for me it seems to get my eyes the most.

I would suggest trying the nasal sprays and drops before OTC drugs.
Piriton, Claritin and similar drugs can carry a lot of side effects.
The prescription drugs tend to be a bit more sophisticated,I don’t have a single side effect.
There are many old wives tales such as eating comb honey, Vaseline on the nose etc.
None of them have ever worked for me!
Although the meds give me huge relief it’s never total, my only true respite is on holiday abroad by the sea.

My resident GD has always suffered,hers starts in february,this year it was earlier,at the beginning,eye drops used since,always her eyes affected.

I have been suffering because the weather has been dry and windy here blowing the pollen in through the windows. We have them open to air the house.
I think the mild winter is to blame. I am also sensitive to dust and certain chemicals, so the extra cleaning we've been doing isn't doing me any favours.
My bedding is one thing that never gets line dried.

Coincidentally I had a conversation with my daughter, who's a nurse, about this yesterday when I mentioned that I've got hay fever and she remarked 'it's a bit early for that mum'...but like others here, I didn't start getting it until I was in my 60's, but back then it didn't start until April. Now the joys of hay fever - itchy skin, sneezing, sore eyes, etc, starts in the middle of March, and antihistamines are the only thing that stops it.

I am glad i have seen this post. What with working in the garden a lot over the last week and doing some long walks i have developed a really itchy eye and i thought i had an infection but thinking about it i had the same thing last year. I took piriton then so will restart myself on some right away, must be some lurking in the medical box somewhere.

The problem I had is when I read the instructions leaflet on some of my medication it said that there were contraindications with antihistamines.

As I'm on a 12 week lockdown, I was worried about having a reaction. However, my GP had phoned me about something else and I asked his advice.
He said to take them, as having an asthma flare up and chest infection in the present situation was downright dangerous!

I did find some improvement once I started

I àm exactly like Marydoll. I dread another allergic Ashma attack.

A word of advice if you care to try....don’t dry pillow cases outside.