Arrrhhh hayfeaver!

Frisbee · 09-06-2008 03:29PM

I used to use Zirtek and found them great.
But the gf works in a pharmacy and recommended I take Histex instead.
All the active ingredients are the same and their less than half the price

DenMan · 09-06-2008 03:34PM

Oh dear Hayfever!, I hate that word. Been suffering from it since childhood. When I was younger it used to affect me real bad. Eyes would be swollen and could hardly breath. It still affects me to his day albeit not as bad. Although I do spend a lot of time outdoors especially in the garden!! I am now using Baconase. Previously you would need a precsription to get it but now you can get it over the counter in all/most chemists. Works very good for me. Boots for 7/8 euro. Highly recommended. Works wonders.

gixerfixer · 09-06-2008 03:34PM

Jesus wish tablets worked for me.Ive tried everything and i mean everything.kenalog,tablets,sprays,natural cures,bee pollen tablets and nothing has ever worked for me.The only time in my whole life it hasnt flared up (last week May until mid July) is when i was living in New York for several years.Only when i went out of the city or to central park did it occur.Lack of grass in NY is great.Guess it would be the same in any concrete jungle.Been driven mad today and i see the pollen count is very high for the rest of the week:(

Sherifu · 09-06-2008 03:36PM

Survival of the fittest.

JerryHandbag · 09-06-2008 03:37PM

Yep I can honestly say this is the worst ever dose of hay fever ive had in my 30 yrs, and to think some people grow out of it, its everything it was before but now with added headaches and upset stomach....I may be the architect of my own downfall however as this summer i had decided to go treatment-free in an effort to prove that my hayfever this summer was no worse than before, and therefore that all the medicines etc are useless....what can I say, looks like Ive been proved wrong.....been housebound for a good 10 days now, and am about to ring the doc and beg him to give me the jab....screw the side effects

Is there such place on earth as a pollen-free zone!? The bottom of the ocean?

Dudess · 09-06-2008 03:39PM

Rb wrote: »

I live near Dundrum in the south Dublin suburbs, however the very worst hayfever attack I had was out at Fota in Cork which was pure hell.

My worst was in Lansdowne Road at a concert a few years ago - had to phone my brother to collect me long before the concert finished. I actually looked like I'd been beaten up. My eye make-up had an Alice Cooper/Kiss thing going on. Even had a temperature that night - it had flared up so badly that an infection developed. And I had taken anti-histamines in plenty of time before the concert.

Raytown Rocks · 09-06-2008 03:42PM

Off to the doc to get my injection tonight.
Tis all that works for me.
Plus I have a cold at the moment too, which just adds to my woes

Dudess · 09-06-2008 03:48PM

Apparently putting some Vaseline around your nostrils helps block the pollen particles.

gixerfixer · 09-06-2008 03:52PM

Dudess wrote: »

Apparently putting some Vaseline around your nostrils helps block the pollen particles.

I remember hearing that one when i was about 11 or so.I can hand on heart say it does not work:(

Mr Velo · 09-06-2008 04:00PM

I think you need to actually put the vaseline on a ear bud or something and then put it up your nose. Basically, just putting it on the outside of your nostril won't stop those pollen spores getting up there and causing anguish!

WoollyRedHat · 09-06-2008 04:06PM

I used to take the tablets but now use nasal spray because of sinusitis.

Did anybody get hayfever symtoms around last October?

My name is Mud · 09-06-2008 04:07PM

Rhinolast spray does the trick for me

Tastes a bit manky though

And yes, you can taste things when they are sprayed up your nose...

Clink · 09-06-2008 04:13PM

Dudess wrote: »

Apparently putting some Vaseline around your nostrils helps block the pollen particles.

You can get little tubs of vaseline like stuff in chemists now that you rub under your nose. Can't remember what it's called but you'll find it at the till of most chemists.

Also when the pollen count is high you shoudn't dry your bedclothes outside.

Hornswoggle · 09-06-2008 04:16PM

Word has it that if you put a huge lump of vaseline on the end of your nose it catches the pollen and stops you from getting hayfever. :pac:

ScumLord · 09-06-2008 04:32PM

You could wear a mask of bee's. They'll stop the pollen getting up your nose.

Jello · 09-06-2008 05:21PM

Just in from the back garden and it's hitting me now.

Hasn't been too bad this year so far though, but was in Austria last week and got it pretty bad at times. Zirtek usually sorts it though

Rb · 09-06-2008 05:36PM

Dudess wrote: »

My worst was in Lansdowne Road at a concert a few years ago - had to phone my brother to collect me long before the concert finished. I actually looked like I'd been beaten up. My eye make-up had an Alice Cooper/Kiss thing going on. Even had a temperature that night - it had flared up so badly that an infection developed. And I had taken anti-histamines in plenty of time before the concert.

Do you still get attacks that are that bad?

Those sort of attacks are the reason I started getting the injection, absolutely horrible thing to experience and can really ruin a day/event.

Such a bizarre condition though, the first inclination that I'm about to suffer is when my beard gets itchy, or if I've no beard then my head hair. From there it's downhill unless somethings done quick!

Dudess · 09-06-2008 05:52PM

ScumLord wrote: »

You could wear a mask of bee's. They'll stop the pollen getting up your nose.

LOL
Sometimes hayfever is so miserable the above would make a pleasant relief.

Rb wrote: »

Do you still get attacks that are that bad?

Yeah, but I'm just careful about where I go during the month of June and I'm vigilant with taking whatever medication needs to be taken. Plus, I do find nasal spray excellent - hadn't discovered its benefits that time. It doesn't work for everyone though. The only really bad attack I've had since discovering it works for me was summer two years ago - the really hot one. I was walking down Mobhi Road in Glasnevin, which is covered in trees. Again, looked like I'd been beaten up. But it didn't develop into an infection and the doc advised me that's thanks to the nasal spray.
I asked my mum if she'd sort out the injection for me a few years ago (she's a nurse in a GP and she specialises in asthma care). She refused - I left it at that cuz she's usually so pro science, pharmaceuticals etc.
Nasal spray does contain a level of steroid though. As I said, the Flixonaise with the tall green cap can only be purchased with prescription but it's worth it as it's far, far more effective than the one you get over the counter.

blorg · 09-06-2008 05:57PM

Ok, so where can we get cheap anti-histamines here? Cheapest I have seen was €2.49 for 7 generic Zirtek in Boots. This was a special offer, need to check if it is still on. Last two years I stocked up in the US with 100-tablet jars for $10 or something.

luckat · 09-06-2008 07:08PM

Shower every night so you take the pollen off your hair, eyelashes, eyebrows and facial down. Swimming helps too - in the sea, like.

But if you're seriously hayfevery the best dart is to find where you don't get affected and try to live there. For me, it's beside the sea.

The worst of it is, you never know what on earth's making you so sick for the first few days before you realise - oh, you again?

artanevilla · 09-06-2008 07:44PM

My God it was bad today.

Fall_Guy · 09-06-2008 07:45PM

I can officially state that I hate my life right now, all because of hayfever!! Anyone know what tablets are best? If I buy the cheapest will it prove a false economy in the long run? I'm a monetarily challenged student current searching for a job (but failing spectacularly) so I'm weary of shelling out for tablets that are going to have no effect on my soon-to-explode face!

Dudess · 09-06-2008 07:50PM

artanevilla wrote: »

My God it was bad today.

Yup, pollen count is very high at the mo.

Jimbo · 09-06-2008 07:58PM

artanevilla wrote: »

My God it was bad today.

Fall_Guy wrote: »

I can officially state that I hate my life right now, all because of hayfever!! Anyone know what tablets are best? If I buy the cheapest will it prove a false economy in the long run? I'm a monetarily challenged student current searching for a job (but failing spectacularly) so I'm weary of shelling out for tablets that are going to have no effect on my soon-to-explode face!

As I've said before. Talk to you doc. about getting the injection. Nothing is worse than that suffereing.
I had miserable Summers growing up, I've never met anyone who has hayfever as bad as I did . I actually used to dread the holidays. Since I've started getting the shots, I can't even tell anymore if the pollen's high. Unless a milder remedy works for you, nothing is worth that misery. I don't care what the side effects of the shot are.

mumhaabu · 09-06-2008 08:10PM

Oh the bane of Hayfever, I was very bad last week and then I got a 2MG Injection of Kenalog for the the first time, it really plagued me last year too. Since I took Kenalog I haven't had a peep from it since.

However I do tend to wake earlier and definitely have more energy, although I tend to want to go to bed before midnight and wake around 7ish. I guess as I spent most my night struggling to breathe and was all congested before, I now need less time to recharge.

I also suffer from asthma but haven't had an attack with two years, as my asthma receded it mutated into hayfever and I take an asthma preventetive at night even though I only rarely need it. Since I tightened up on my inhalers (ie. actually took them as prescribed) it beat my asthma for good.

Zaph · 09-06-2008 08:27PM

Got the injection last week, but my doctor told me it takes about a week for the effects to kick in, so hopefully should be ok in another couple of days. Was grand today until I got home and then my eyes started stinging like hell. Some Optrex and a Zirtek seem to have done the trick though.

As for the Vaseline around the nostrils, an old family friend who owned a plant nursery swore by that as the only thing that worked for him.

snickerpuss · 09-06-2008 08:44PM

I've always gotten really bad hayfever, I'm an asthmatic as well so pollen is not my friend.
I take Neo-Clarityn which is prescription cos the over the counter tablets do nothing. Those and some Flixonase sort me out although don't clear it completely.

Bit iffy about getting the injection because I have so many weird allergies.

Zaph · 09-06-2008 08:57PM

I'm asthmatic too, and take Symbicort, which contains steroids, twice daily. However my doctor is of the opinion that the injection is only a once a year thing and shouldn't cause any problems because of that. Apparently weakening of the bones is the most problematic side effect with steroids, but again because it's not a frequent thing he said that wouldn't be an issue either. He also mentioned that it may help my breathing in general. This is the first year I've ever gotten it, so I'm interested to see how well it works.

kraggy · 09-06-2008 08:57PM

Dudess wrote: »

LOL
Sometimes hayfever is so miserable the above would make a pleasant relief.

Yeah, but I'm just careful about where I go during the month of June and I'm vigilant with taking whatever medication needs to be taken. Plus, I do find nasal spray excellent - hadn't discovered its benefits that time. It doesn't work for everyone though. The only really bad attack I've had since discovering it works for me was summer two years ago - the really hot one. I was walking down Mobhi Road in Glasnevin, which is covered in trees. Again, looked like I'd been beaten up. But it didn't develop into an infection and the doc advised me that's thanks to the nasal spray.
I asked my mum if she'd sort out the injection for me a few years ago (she's a nurse in a GP and she specialises in asthma care). She refused - I left it at that cuz she's usually so pro science, pharmaceuticals etc.
Nasal spray does contain a level of steroid though. As I said, the Flixonaise with the tall green cap can only be purchased with prescription but it's worth it as it's far, far more effective than the one you get over the counter.

Have mentioned this before on another thread about hayfever that there are eyedrops called Opticrom that you can get over the counter in pharmacies.

I've always been sceptical certain medicines, partly because I've grown immune to antihistamines, nasal sprays and after 5 years of getting it, the steroid injection stopped working for me.

But Opticrom is the business. Only about 8 euro I think and like I said, over the counter.

Funnily enough, I don't get the nose too bad anymore but the eyes are killing me this year. But once i put in the drops, I'm sorted.

Marcus.Aurelius · 09-06-2008 08:59PM

dexarhinaspray is good for seasonal rhinitis (hayfever). The existing standard steroidal spray is Flixonase, very good for relief.

Both are, as you can imagine, prescription only.

Arrrhhh hayfeaver!

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