Hay Fever and cycling......any advice

torydiver

Hi folks
I am a Long term hay fever sufferer
Was out for couple of hours last evening, eyes were streaming for latter part of ride, no sneezing thank god,
It took a lot of the enjoyment away from the ride,
I already take anti-histamines and wear sunglasses,
Any hay fever sufferers on here with advice on reducing symptoms when cycling,
Would be really interested if anyone can suggest a pair of sunglasses that might be better at keeping pollen away from the eyes...
Thanks

ashleey

I got bad hay fever yesterday too and it was just a bad day for pollen. Hotter, more humid, everyone cutting their lawn and farmers going at it before it rains again.

Not much to do other than all the usual hay fever avoidance. Wrap around sunglasses are better but most pollen will be breathed in when cycling.

I feel your pain

cormie

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7ktK49rTdo

Try use good salt, Himalayan Crystal Salt if possible. Get a second bottle carrier and you should have on the go instant treatment! They work great by the way!

torydiver

cormie wrote: »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z7ktK49rTdo

Try use good salt, Himalayan Crystal Salt if possible. Get a second bottle carrier and you should have on the go instant treatment! They work great by the way!

thanks,
Wouldn't need to get the bottles mixed about....:p

monkeyslayer

don't scratch your eyes if you can, once you start...

dastardly00

I'm a hayfever sufferer too and although I have my symptoms generally under control, I do find that cycling doesn't do me any favours.
Obviously, as said already, wear tight wrap-around sunglasses.
Another tip that I have read about is to rub some Vaseline on the lower ends of your nostrils. It can trap the pollen and prevent you from breathing it in.
Another idea would be to buy some eye drops that are designed for hayfever symptoms.

As I mentioned already, I'm a hayfever suffer. I currently take generic anti-histamine tablets and a nasal spray and that keeps my symptoms at bay.
Hope this helps!

vistafinder

I have it aswell but its not as bad with the last few years and im not realy sure what to put it down to. I used to have to take tablets for it every year but not this year and only a couple of times last year. I have cut a lot of dairy products out of my diet since i started cycling and have got alot more healthy in general. I read some where local honey can help with it so thats what I use instead of sugar but dont go over board with it. Might be worth a try. It could also be the bad weather keeping it down. I still get a few fits of it but nowhere as severe as it was when I was younger. Its worth a try anyway.

dave2pvd

What works for one may not work for another. Especially when you might all be suffering from different allergies.

To solve the problem, the allergy(ies) needs to be identified. The way to do that is have your doc do allergy tests. Once the results come in, only then can the (temporary) cure be determined - whether its anti-histamine, nasal steroids, avoiding certain foods, or whatever.

michael196

hay fever took me out for a month last year. used nasal spray and anti hists. only a weekend attack so far this year, but taking honey regularily in porridge this year.

so far minimal symptoms. ??

jimbo28

It seems very bad this year.It didnt seem to affect me much last year but the last 2 weeks have been terrible.Between spitting, sneezing, itchy eyes and runny nose its like im smokin 20 a day again and have a cold! at least the bit of rain will keep it down today.

funkyjebus

Mine has been fine the last few years, but has acted up again this year. The last few days have been especially bad for me.

Zirtek and beconase do the job for me.

cormie

Would be interested to hear feedback on the netty pot method above from those who are sufferers of hay fever and haven't used it before. I've used it before for dust allergies and it works great but know a few people with hay fever and would like to hear any feedback

iregk

Zirtek is the only tab that seems to work for me. Yesterday though was especially bad. I happened to be off work so was out and about with the wee man. Vaseline in the nose, eye drops, nasal spray, zirtek and sunglasses. I was in an absolute jock. Didn't stop sneezing until 8pm last night and the eyes are only now recovering.

Yesterday was just a bad day.

jaqian

iregk wrote: »

Zirtek is the only tab that seems to work for me. Yesterday though was especially bad. I happened to be off work so was out and about with the wee man. Vaseline in the nose, eye drops, nasal spray, zirtek and sunglasses. I was in an absolute jock. Didn't stop sneezing until 8pm last night and the eyes are only now recovering.

Yesterday was just a bad day.

Was out cycling yesterday as well. Took a citrine before going out but near the end of 40km trip hayfeverhit me, when I got home I was so zonked I fell asleep and was late for work. Don't know if it was the Citrine or hayfever but I was wrecked. On xysal today and seems to be working. Fingers crossed it lasts as going for 50km cycle later.

DeviantD

Hi guys,
You must use local honey, i.e. from where you live or work. There is no point buying honey from new zealand or cork, if you can get some with the honey comb still in it all the better. I take it every day for about 2 weeks when symptons start to build up my system but I do top up with a tablet when its really bad out.

Yesterday was particulary bad for hay fever. I went to the chemist on way to work in the morning at 9.30 and i was the 4th person in for tablets.
Hope it helps

granda

as a long term hayfever sufferer and a bad one at that this year has'nt been as bad and i put this down to using perscription(telfast) tablets all through the winter as well as hayfever season plus nasel sprays and eyedrops are very good at keeping symptoms at bay.as for the honey thing i was told by my doctor its an old wives tale as the honey has no pollen in it to build up resistance as people claim the only effect it has could be the antiseptic effect on the throat.use good sunglasses and a shower after your spin to remove any pollen from your hair and body are also helpful but in the end you'll probably just have to suffer with it for a bit

crumliniano

DeviantD wrote: »

Hi guys,
You must use local honey, i.e. from where you live or work. There is no point buying honey from new zealand or cork, if you can get some with the honey comb still in it all the better.

I've heard that before alright. Try getting local Dublin honey though!

buffalo

ugh. My nose has been running since Sunday.

dave2pvd

I'll say it in a different way:

There's no such thing as 'hay fever'.

You have allergies. Asking others what works for them is almost pointless.

vistafinder

Red eyes,sneezing,running nose during the summer months = hay fever

Raam

The lady on the radio said this morning that it was gonna be a high pollen count for the day.

dave2pvd

Red eyes,sneezing,running nose during the summer months = allergies

Hay does not cause fever.

Chartsengrafs

True, but I think what you mean is there's no such thing as a "fever caused by hay".
"Hay fever" is what the airborne pollen allergy is called. Therefore it does exist, even if you disagree with the name.

FWIW I've been grand all year (for once) but been in a heap the last few days. I think it's worst when all the perennial ryegrasses go into seed and a cloud of pollen engulfs the country. Well, that's when I'm worst affected anyway.

Dr.Millah

I find that when i get pollen allergies that I can temporally get rid of all the symptoms with exercise. I was cycling in France for the last few weeks and was getting very bad hay fever in Brittany, however once i got onto the bike I was absolutely perfect, stop for 10 minutes and its back again! Unfortunately I cant cycle 24/7.

dave2pvd

Basster wrote: »

True, but I think what you mean is there's no such thing as a "fever caused by hay".
"Hay fever" is what the airborne pollen allergy is called. Therefore it does exist, even if you disagree with the name.

That's it exactly. The term hay fever is a great mis-nomer, and comes from a time when little was understood about allergies.

Grouping all kinds of allergic reactions into one catchall term leads to people on threads like this thinking that they are all suffering from the same thing. They are most likely not! There a multitude of triggers that can cause the different allergic reactions and resultant symptoms. So, sharing 'cures' is a relatively pointless exercise. Although, I did find the local honey prescription interesting!

By the way, where I live, the pollen count exceeded 8,000 parts per cubic metre a couple of months back.

dastardly00

dave2pvd wrote: »

That's it exactly. The term hay fever is a great mis-nomer, and comes from a time when little was understood about allergies.

Grouping all kinds of allergic reactions into one catchall term leads to people on threads like this thinking that they are all suffering from the same thing. They are most likely not! There a multitude of triggers that can cause the different allergic reactions and resultant symptoms. So, sharing 'cures' is a relatively pointless exercise. Although, I did find the local honey prescription interesting!

By the way, where I live, the pollen count exceeded 8,000 parts per cubic metre a couple of months back.

Anti-histamines are designed to combat a lot of allergic reactions, not just hayfever. So regardless if a person has hayfever, or some other type of allergy with similar symptoms, suggesting a certain type of anti-histamine or similar medication is not pointless at all imo.

dave2pvd

dastardly00 wrote: »

Anti-histamines are designed to combat a lot of allergic reactions, not just hayfever. So regardless if a person has hayfever, or some other type of allergy with similar symptoms, suggesting a certain type of anti-histamine or similar medication is not pointless at all imo.

I agree. Anti-histamines do help treat symptoms/reactions. Not sure which is worse, the side effects from anti-histamine or the symptoms caused by allergies!

dastardly00

dave2pvd wrote: »

I agree. Anti-histamines do help treat symptoms/reactions. Not sure which is worse, the side effects from anti-histamine or the symptoms caused by allergies!

Thankfully I don't appear to suffer from any side effects from the anti-histamines

dave2pvd

dastardly00 wrote: »

Thankfully I don't appear to suffer from any side effects from the anti-histamines

The mere mention of them makes me sleepy.....zzzzzzzzzz

dastardly00

dave2pvd wrote: »

The mere mention of them makes me sleepy.....zzzzzzzzzz

Better not take them before a spin! :pac: