Hayfever advice?

Nibble · Jun 23, 2014

I have never suffered from hayfever or allergies in my life but the last few days I think I may have it for the first time. Red, painful eyes, hurts to blink, hurts to look at light. Excruciating eyeballs. It is really affecting my work and other things. Anyone got any advice please? Thank you in advance.

brakespear · Jun 23, 2014

Nibble said:
I have never suffered from hayfever or allergies in my life but the last few days I think I may have it for the first time. Red, painful eyes, hurts to blink, hurts to look at light. Excruciating eyeballs. It is really affecting my work and other things. Anyone got any advice please? Thank you in advance.

I started getting hayfever for the first time in my late twenties and get it every year now, although not as bad sounding as yours. One thing I avoid is Benadryl as it sends me to sleep, and I know others who have said the same. I use Tesco own brand hayfever tablets, (I think they're loratedine but the box is missing

) and they work for me.

TWOCHOICEStom · Jun 23, 2014

Got it for the first time when I was about 24. Just take the cheapest allergy tablets you can find every single day. They haven't once made me drowsy.

Loratedine seems to do the job for me

Westdene Seagull · Jun 23, 2014

Local honey - take a teaspoon of local honey ( and it must be local ) a day and it solves the problem.

beorhthelm · Jun 23, 2014

Loratadine or chlorphenamine, aka known as Claritin or Piriton respectivly. dont buy the branded ones at £3-4, the own brands for £1 pack are exactly the same thing. i don't know the difference and some people find one or the other better for their reaction. Loratadine is less prone to drowsy side effects.

deletebeepbeepbeep · Jun 23, 2014

I used to get terrible hayfever when I was much younger then barely suffered it between 16 - now (31) and this year has been the absolute worst, it has been pretty debilitating for me but you can't exactly sack off work for hayfever but there are days where I may as well have.

I have taken some off the shelf pills but none of them seem effective, might go to the doctors to see if they can prescribe anything harder.

Although, hayfever shouldn't cause an aversion to light as far as I'm aware.

Nibble · Jun 23, 2014

Okay, thanks chaps. Will get some tablets and I have heard the honey thing so I will try that too.

Ludensian Gull · Jun 23, 2014

TWOCHOICEStom said:
Got it for the first time when I was about 24. Just take the cheapest allergy tablets you can find every single day. They haven't once made me drowsy.

Loratedine seems to do the job for me

Get these on prescription every year they work well for me

Westdene Seagull · Jun 23, 2014

deletebeepbeepbeep said:
Although, hayfever shouldn't cause an aversion to light as far as I'm aware.

It can affect the eyes so badly that you can get this issue. I used to get it in my teenage years.

El Presidente · Jun 23, 2014

Nibble said:
Anyone got any advice please?

Don't live next door to a Romanian?

Notters · Jun 23, 2014

Have taken loratadine / ceterizine for several years, but although non-drowsy can make you feel a bit dozy and completely knock me out if I have any alcohol. This year I'm trying a steroid nasal spray for the first time (pirinase) and it's bloody fantastic, just two quick sprays a day and my hayfever has virtually disappeared.

Having said all this, there's a growing theory that alergic reactions such as hayfever are actually caused by stress (related to TMS) and therefore may be treatable by purely psychological means (as my back pain has been)... But I think it's early doors on that one.

Thunder Bolt · Jun 23, 2014

I found I could only get any benefit from the 'drowsy' ones, which made me feel sluggish the following morning.
I had a word with my doctor who prescribed a nasal spray which works much better. It's called Avamys.

Justice · Jun 23, 2014

Piriton Syrup is much better and cheaper than tablets, also works faster.

perseus · Jun 23, 2014

Dreaded Summer Lurgy

Nibble said:
I have never suffered from hayfever or allergies in my life but the last few days I think I may have it for the first time. Red, painful eyes, hurts to blink, hurts to look at light. Excruciating eyeballs. It is really affecting my work and other things. Anyone got any advice please? Thank you in advance.

I've got the lurgy as well. Never get it bad like this year in summer. I have a good reason to think it is a pathogen though. Blocked nose is the main effect.

Energy sapping. Boots decongestant tablets (pseudoephedrine) help if you something important to do. Otherwise, they have a rebound effect. Ibuprofen is a small improvement. The theory why Ibuprofen works is that it reduces the inflammation and unblocks the inflamed nasal bit.

Doctor prescribed Avamys which was about as good as I would imagine snuff would be.

Notters · Jun 23, 2014

Justice said:
Piriton Syrup is much better and cheaper than tablets, also works faster.

Still far more expensive than generic/supermarket tablets/syrup with the same ingredients.

edna krabappel · Jun 23, 2014

Nibble said:
Okay, thanks chaps. Will get some tablets and I have heard the honey thing so I will try that too.

The theory behind the local honey thing is to do with building up your immunity to the local pollen, so don't expect miracles. Most experts say you need to be taking it from the start of the pollen season (March/April for tree pollen, June/July for grass) to have any impact.

I've had hay fever every summer since childhood, and it's normally bloody annoying. But this year, since the grass pollen season kicked in at the start of June, has been by far the worst I can remember. I normally get all the usual symptoms- itchy/ streaming eyes, blocked nose, sneezing etc- but on several occasions this month, my eyes have puffed up to the point of almost being closed. I've woken up with my eyelids stuck together because they've been irritated all night when I've been sleeping and the resultant goo glues your eyelashes together :ohmy:

I've also had days of being covered all over in hives. It's been an utter *******.

I've probably overdosed on all the usual over-the-counter stuff to absolutely no effect- tablets, eye drops, nasal sprays. Eventually I gave in and went to see my GP last week, who's prescribed some sort of elephant-tranquilliser strength anti-histamines, which thankfully appear to be having some impact. I've still got most of the standard hay fever symptoms, but at least I'm not waking up in the morning looking like the Elephant Man any more, which is nice. And I can actually drive a car, which has been impossible at times recently.

Top tip, as I think has been pointed out above, is to steer clear of the brand names if you're buying from a chemist, and pick up the generic stuff, as branded medicine is a massive rip off. The main ones are loratidine (Clarityn), cetirizine (Benadryl/Zirtek/Piriteze) and chlorphenamine (I think that's its proper name, it's usually sold as Piriton). Chlorphenamine is the one that can make you drowsy, it's occasionally offered to people to help them sleep, so if the hay fever is keeping you awake at night, it's a good bet.

As an example of the cost rip-off, Boots sell a box of 7 Clarityn tablets for £3.49, which will last you a week. Their own brand Loratidine is on the website for £4.49 for 14. Even that strikes me as a con, however- if you have a local independent pharmacy, they'll often do you a far better deal. I can get a month's supply from the chemist near me for £1.99.

Oh, and get some Vaseline and stick a bit around the inside of your nose, it may not feel all that attractive but it does stop some of the pollen from getting inside

edna krabappel · Jun 23, 2014

Nibble said:
I have never suffered from hayfever or allergies in my life but the last few days I think I may have it for the first time. Red, painful eyes, hurts to blink, hurts to look at light. Excruciating eyeballs. It is really affecting my work and other things. Anyone got any advice please? Thank you in advance.

By the way: have you got any other symptoms, ie sneezing, runny nose, blocked nose etc?

If not, you might have conjunctivitis, in which case you need to see your GP pronto, and steer clear of others, as it's highly contagious :thumbsup:

Nibble · Jun 23, 2014

Thanks guys, good to get some names of stuff.

On the stress strand, I have had just about the stressiest year of my life and have had more illnesses etc in this one year than in my life put together.

edna krabappel · Jun 23, 2014

Nibble said:
Thanks guys, good to get some names of stuff.

On the stress strand, I have had just about the stressiest year of my life and have had more illnesses etc in this one year than in my life put together.

Probably doesn't help. Stress can make most things worse.

Also may be worth avoiding alcohol :ohmy:

Beer, wine & spirits contain histamines, which is what causes hay fever symptoms in the first place. Life is cruel, isn't it?

Pollen levels are at their highest in the early mornings and early evenings, as this is when the malevolent plants release clouds of the stuff into the air, just for a laugh, so try and be indoors at those times.

Justice · Jun 23, 2014

Notters said:
Still far more expensive than generic/supermarket tablets/syrup with the same ingredients.

Its only £3.50 from boots

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