Best hayfever tablets?

My 44yr old Son has suffered with terrible hayfever since childhood. He now goes private and has an injection every 3 months. My DH also has a huge hayfever problem. The last couple of days have been really suffering despite taking Piriton and the one-a-day ones. The sprinkling of rain weve just had seems to help with getting rid of the pollen. I'm going to try and encourage DH to also go private and get the jab. It's worth it if you can afford it.

Luckily I don't suffer from hayfever, but my Father who is 99 suffered terribly from a child until he was 84.
Father was told to eat onions regularly, in stews or raw, drink orange juice of any sort and eat honey.
For the above to make any difference best to start well before the hayfever season and make the above part of your year round diet.

Yes don’t turn your nose up at own brand tablets such as in Wilko or the supermarkets, if you look at the ingredients they are exactly the same thing as the big brand names. Why pay 10x the cost or more!

I’ve had severe hay fever for over 40 years and would recommend seeing the doctor for prescription medication if the OTC ones aren’t working for you.

Loratadine worked best for me but it made my hair fall out. It took me some time to realise that that was what was causing it but it stopped as soon as I changed tablets.
Ceterizine makes me sleepy and is not particularly effective.
For me Benedryl Acrivistine is the best. It also makes me sleep but not immediately so it helps if I take it about an hour before I go to bed.

Cetrizine does make you feel sleepy , so I take it at night - so best it 2 worlds - you sleep well at night and you are sneeze free during the day.

I suffer badly each year. Loratadine, ceterlizine work fine, the one a day non drowsy type. I buy the cheapest I can find, all the high brand labels are ridiculously expensive, this year I have sourced online. Also have to use eye drops, and a nasal spray (Chemist own label) as the brands are so expensive. The eye drops and nasal spray last me a season. Wouldn't dream of going to my GP for a prescription unless perhaps I had underlying issues that hayfever could affect.

I wonder why too GrannySomerset. I only stared suffering about 3 years ago when I was in my late 50’s. Prior to that I couldn’t understand why people who suffered with it had a problem, boy I understand now.
I find Certirizine works best for me and I take them throughout the year. I think you just have to find the one that works for you and everyone I’d different.

Loratidin is really good, non drowsy. Cetirizine makes you drowsy not able to drive etc.
There are many Brand names on the market with different names, but the actual substance is Loratidin in most of these. Clarityn is much more expensive and is just Loratidine, dont buy the expensive brands they are all the same, Asdas is just as good its Loratidine!

I take Certirizine daily, all year, as I have a sinus problem which results in eye pain if I don't. I have also tried many antihistamines for annual hayfever but this one suits me best. It is trial and error as to which one will be best for any individual.

This was originally prescribed by my GP but is now OTC (over the counter, i.e. available to the public without prescription) so I buy my own.

Certirizine is one of the non-drowsy antihistamines but to be sure, I take it at night.

Certirizine is cheapest when bought by mail order. It is sold under many branded names but it is completely unnecessary to buy any of these, which could easily be many times the price of the generic product, (sometimes five times as much!).

For the first time I recently ordered Certirizine from an online pharmacy (Pharmacy First, if I can give the name) and whilst the order took some time to arrive (but this was in the first few days of the recent pandemonium), I was kept updated and my order did come. I will use them again as their price for Certirizine was amazing. I have seen this drug branded elsewhere at £6 for a month, whereas I paid £2.75 for a four-month supply.

I've had hay fever all my life and the only thing that works for me is Beconase nasal spray, which, at one time, you could only get on prescription but is now available in most supermarkets. I also use eye drops and otrivine antistine are very good.

Prevailin I think it’s called but not tabs, it’s a spray fantastic

Cetirizine but agree with loopyloo about researching best option for purchase. I found all tablets made me drowsy for first few days of use.

I can not use the ones with Cetirizine as they make me so sleepy so i use those with Loratidine. I find these ok and they stop my eyes from being so itchy too.

Cetirizine but look for the cheapest way to buy it Boots Tesco or Super drug. Although at the moment whichever involves one trip.

GrannySomerset my DH says he must be allergic to the house, as his started when he retired! And he could be right as dusting is not my favourite activity!

Interesting how many of us have developed hay fever quite late in life. Would like to know why! Piriton once a day usually works, though this year the problem seems to be earlier and worse than previously.

All the over counter ones make me so tired even though their supposed to be non drowsy, I’ve tried taking them at different times of the day too, maybe I need to try prescription ones.

Definitely the prescription one combined with nasal spray. My DH developed bad hayfever/allergy late in life and the OTC tablets didn't touch it. You might even need to take it on a regular basis.

I use Loratidine which seem to be quite fast acting but dont work for DG who has Certirazine.

Thank you. I don't want bother my GP right now with a prescription before I've tried the over the counter ones first. But if I really start suffering I will see. Sure I can manage till everything goes back to 'normal'. Thanks for the advice. I'll do some research now I have a few names to look into.

DiscoPa suffers and uses Loratadine. The other type is called Cetirizine but they don't seem to work as well for him.
I bulk buy from Chemist direct annually as a rule, but this year Amazon was cheaper (other on line suppliers are available). Also Beconase nose spray helps.

DH was really bad the day before yesterday. Apparently the tree pollen count was and is high. He swears by Piriton one a day tablets. He also finds the spray that you spray onto your eyelids helps him feel more comfortable.

The best are on prescription.
I have had serious hayfever and other allergies all my life.
I take fexophenadine also known as Allegra.
This combined with a nasal spray clears all my symptoms without any side effects.
I would highly recommend phoning your surgery, prescription drugs for hay fever are far superior to the over the counter ones.

I'm similarly afflicted. Finding it difficult to source antihistamine at the moment, but luckily have some in every handbag (as well as hayfever, I have a drastic reaction to Bee or Wasp stings so always have AHs with me.

I find that any kind works as well as the other so usually buy whatever is cheapest in the supermarket, often own brand.