Tips for the Hayfever Sufferers

ChewChew wrote: »

ah ok. I'm usually at it in April. now I know it was a chilly one, but so far I've not had so much as a sneeze. I'm a little bit worried.. lol

Stingy eyes only so far - usually really hits in June though.

smccarrick wrote: »

Oddly enough- no problems here so far- I'm used to getting slaughtered with it, very pleased not to have to debate tablets versus the injection just yet.

My doctor, after about 13 years of giving me the injection, has convinced me against it this year. She wants me to try anti-histamines and leukotriene suppressants.

I'll give it a go....but after so many years of the injection, I feel quiet vulnerable

ChewChew wrote: »

I want the name of your GP!!! Mine would only give me 5 injections, so Last year was year 5. This year, she said no way! So I have my stash of Anti Histamines, hay max and drops on the ready.

You could start taking the anti-histamines etc. now instead of waiting for hayfever symptoms to surface. Your body will then build up a good anti-histamine response for when it needs it

The last few days have been the worst for me so far this year, though not a patch on previous years or particularly when I was a teenager. Helps that I'm not forced to mow the lawn (don't even have a lawn thankfully!) or go playing in freshly mowed fields anymore

ChewChew wrote: »

This last week has been a nightmare! I'm now taking lorat, clareeze and cetrine allergy 1 of each per day! My eyes, funnily enough, are not too bad this year but the itch in my ears, the roof of my mouth and my throat is unbearable. I wish my GP would continue giving me the injection but he won't! gah!

Have to say - I'm doing ok - Neoclarityn & Singulair daily. Dr. says I should take Neoclarityn daily forever. Eyes a bit ichy, few headaches, but not too bad, given the way I usually am.

Normally in June I have streaming eyes, running ichy nose, feel like I've a constant hangover etc and would be topping up the injection with Clarityn - so maybe it's the the Singulair that's working for me....which pains me 'cos it's shocking expensive.

Pippy1976 wrote: »

Oh Mother of God, hayfever is driving me demented this year.

I started getting the symptoms in my mid-20's when I was in Australia. I've tried everything from Clarityn, Piriton, Clareze, Zirtek, Prevalin, Beconase, Cetrizine Hydrochloride, Steroid injection, Telfast and numerous eye drops... NOTHING WORKS!

I'm using the will to live, guys. Honestly. It's really affecting me - I'm out of work at the moment & thank God, because some days I have to take to the bed to just be rid of it (at least when I'm asleep I can't notice it!). A shower helps but is there anything else? Please?

I'm so miserable with it this year, I really am. I look a right ol' mess!

you mentioned you were spending time in bed. feather duvets and pillows can make symptoms worse so try and avoid. I'm looking into getting a room purifier that is meant to clear particles that can aggravate hayfever

It seems like I'm not the only person having a tough summer with hayfever. Must be a bad year for it. I find Beconaze (not Flixonaze) spray absolutely brilliant. The only real trick I find helps is to nip it in the bud before it triggers. For example take nasal spray or tablets etc at home before exposing yourself to pollen. Once you start getting symptoms I find you're screwed for the day. It's difficult for me because I have to sleep with the window open so I wake up and start my day with the works, blocked nose, sneezing, itchy eyes/pallette

Long time sufferer of Allergic Rhinitis. The Kortozone and Kenilog injections stopped working for me. For about 3 years I wasn't affected at all but for the past 2 years it's back with a vengeance !! My problem is that I can get severe symptoms at any time of year. It could be snowing, raining or sun splitting the stones and I'll get it. I have tried in vain to keep track of things I eat and drink in an attempt to find a cause for it but failed.

My symptoms get so bad I cannot concentrate on the most menial of tasks, nose runs like a tap to the point I have to lie down with tissues stuffed in it to get some relief. Severe sneezing - and I mean severe !! A fit of it could last several minutes non stop ! This can continue on through the night making sleep difficult. I could have the symptoms for 2 to 4 days non stop regardless of weather conditions. It makes for a very poor quality of life. I have tried Piriton (makes me very drowsy) , Zyrtek (slight relief) , Clarytin (no effect) along with Boots own brands (some relief but hit and miss at best) with none to only slight relief.

After some reading I've found that prolonged use - more that three successive days - of antihistamines can have the opposite effect causing the sinuses to become irritated making the symptoms worse.

Someone recently suggested a Neti Pot. The science makes sense but has anyone here tried it with any success ? Have there been any side effects - Nose Bleeds etc. ?

Someone else suggested it might be nasal polyps. I do seem to have some of the symptoms. Snoring, sleep apnea, nasal tone in my voice and poor sense of smell. Any reason to think I'm on the wrong trail here ?

Sorry for the long post but I really am at the end of my tether with this Any help appreciated. Thanks

Ken

Thanks but as I said the steroid injections stopped working for me a few years back. The doctor also said it was not good to get it too often as it had severe side effects ?!

Ken

ZENER wrote: »

Long time sufferer of Allergic Rhinitis. The Kortozone and Kenilog injections stopped working for me. For about 3 years I wasn't affected at all but for the past 2 years it's back with a vengeance !! My problem is that I can get severe symptoms at any time of year. It could be snowing, raining or sun splitting the stones and I'll get it. I have tried in vain to keep track of things I eat and drink in an attempt to find a cause for it but failed.

My symptoms get so bad I cannot concentrate on the most menial of tasks, nose runs like a tap to the point I have to lie down with tissues stuffed in it to get some relief. Severe sneezing - and I mean severe !! A fit of it could last several minutes non stop ! This can continue on through the night making sleep difficult. I could have the symptoms for 2 to 4 days non stop regardless of weather conditions. It makes for a very poor quality of life. I have tried Piriton (makes me very drowsy) , Zyrtek (slight relief) , Clarytin (no effect) along with Boots own brands (some relief but hit and miss at best) with none to only slight relief.

After some reading I've found that prolonged use - more that three successive days - of antihistamines can have the opposite effect causing the sinuses to become irritated making the symptoms worse.

Someone recently suggested a Neti Pot. The science makes sense but has anyone here tried it with any success ? Have there been any side effects - Nose Bleeds etc. ?

Someone else suggested it might be nasal polyps. I do seem to have some of the symptoms. Snoring, sleep apnea, nasal tone in my voice and poor sense of smell. Any reason to think I'm on the wrong trail here ?

Sorry for the long post but I really am at the end of my tether with this Any help appreciated. Thanks

Ken

@Ken
I also suffer from bad allergic rhinitis, along with pretty bad hayfever (for some reason this 'summer' seems to be the worst ever for me in terms of pollen allergies).

I was prescribed 'Avamys' for my allergic rhinitis, which I took for a few months and found very good - but then I started getting worried about the long term use of steroid based nasal sprays so I went off it again. The weird thing is - when I decided to start using the Avamys again to help counteract the hayfever hell, I started reacting to the spray by breaking out in itchy hives on my arms, chest & legs, so needless to say I stopped using it again..

Regards the Neti Pot, I have been in the practice of using a neti pot now on and off for a couple of years. Overall I find it does help a bit, but it doesn't resolve everything of course. I think it would be best to use it at least once per day, but I usually only manage every few days. I find it gives me some relief immediately whilst using, and for some time after, but it feels as though when the nasal passage is cleaned out, it can in fact become more sensitive - so sometimes I get into a big bout of sneezing shortly after using the neti pot.

What I find the neti pot best for is for clearing a sinus infection (which I also get a lot). It does take time and persistence but it usually sorts out a sinus infection for me within 7-10 days of twice daily use (I have taken anti-biotics for sinus infections a good bit also, but the last couple of times I wanted to try to kick it purely through use of neti pot, drinking plenty of water and garlic capsules).

In any case, I would recommend at least giving the neti pot a try, it takes a while to get used to it, and when your passages are totally blocked it can sometimes feel like a waste of time while you are doing it, but can still give some relief. When using it now I also 'inhale' the salty water whilst pouring it through (and then you spit it back out through your mouth) - this really does help clear out a good bit of catarrh...

I couldnt have survived this summer without telfast and sudafed, was working on farms outdoors so the telfast got rid of all itches, sneezes and pain while sudafed kept me decongested so I could breathe while working. Im now off the telfast and it appears to be gone thank god, now just have to wean myself off sudafed, I took it for waaaay longer than recommended and now have rebound congestion!

Argos have the LED things now. €27.49
http://www.argos.ie/static/Product/partNumber/9049488/Trail/searchtext%3EALLERGY.htm

I got that same model online last week and it seems to be working for me pretty well so far.