I have hay fever, and my allergy is caused by birch pollen, so at least my symptoms tend to be limited to April and May. The worst experience I had was when I worked in Sweden for 3 years. So many birch trees that when it rained during the season, the puddles had a yellow film of pollen on them. What a state I was in. I went to our Doctor, presented my tablets, nasal spray and eye drops, and as he could clearly see they weren't working, gave me a steroid injection that afternoon. By the following morning I was hay-fever clear, and it lasted me through the season. Not recommended as a regular treatment though, as steroids do have some serious side effects. Funny how hay fever seemed much less prevalent back in the 50's when I was a child. We had one woman in our street who "famously" had it.. Mrs. Newham.. yet it seems to be everywhere now.