The Knowledge Board:
Hay Fever
Hi I'm Belinda I'm your community manager at The Patients Voice.
If you would like to leave a comment please click on link at the bottom of the page.
You can reach me at belinda.shale@healthcarelandscape.com.
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Hay Fever is so called because it involves some kind of allergic reaction to air born pollens. We are launching this blog in June because this is the high point in the number of suffers in the northern hemisphere.
We are running the ResBlog because we are interested in the opinions and experiences of people who suffer from Hay Fever.
In particular we are interested in exploring the following questions:-
• At what age did you start to suffer from Hay Fever and what are the symptoms?
• Has it gotten worse over the years? Does your location (i.e. town or county) affect the severity?
• What treatments do you use? Have you tried “alternative treatments”? If so which ones do you use and how effective are they?
• What impact if any has it had on your working life?
• What was the quality of support like from Healthcare Professionals such as physicians and nurses?
• If you had one piece of advice for a fellow sufferer what would it be?
• Would you be interested in contributing to an online encyclopaedia for other patients?
Thanks very much in advance for your help. Please feel free to check back on the blog to see what others have said and perhaps contribute further thoughts.
As with all our market research projects, of which this ResBlog is one example, the responses of people who participate are anonymous. This in line with market research codes of conduct. To participate all you need to do is scroll down to the comments area, type a nickname of your choice and then put your comments into the box. To find out more about what we do both in terms of work for our clients and our patient communities and resources please feel free to explore our web site further if you have not already done so.
I look forward to reading your comments and, of course, thank you very much for your input. Finally can I ask you to bear in mind when you blog that you comments will not just be read by other bloggers and The Patients’ Voice team but also , in some cases, the clients for whom we work.
Best wishes
Belinda
Moderator | 13/06/2007 13:00:00
Thanks for joining us. Tell us what you think! Best wishes Belinda
folklikeme | 13/06/2007 14:52:00
I suffer quite badly with full cold symptoms when Laurel comes into flower in April/M, and again in late July/ August when buddlea pollen is rife. I only use piriton, or the shop's own equivelant, as over the counter medicines are so expensive.
May cummings | 13/06/2007 15:19:00
I was aware that I suffered from Hay fever as a child but it has only returned in the 6 years or so. I am 39. My commom symptoms include sneezing, watery eyes, and itchy throat. I feel really tired and miserable following about. I usually use over the counter medication and the strange this is that if I use the one a day tablets for a two week period (providing I get the right one) then I do not need to take any medication for the rest of the summer.I also use self conditioning techniques to help me relax and this usually suppresses the condition. My advice would be to identify what causes your reaction amd try to avoid it (perhaps the wife or the husband - only joking), see what medication works for you and try as mucg as possible to relax. Lets face it winter will be here soon enough. Good luck.
Nostalgic | 13/06/2007 16:03:00
As a teenager I suffered terribly from hay fever - sneezing, itchy eyes and nosecontinually running. But I went overseas for my National Service at age 20 and spent nearly 2 years in hot conditions (Cyprus, North Africa and the Persian Gulf). Since my return I have hardly ever been bothered by hay fever.
Lisa | 13/06/2007 16:32:00
I first got hay fever in my early 20's (I'm now 30). I'm mainly affected by grass pollen and have suffered more than usual this year. I take benedryl but have recently been given an asthma inhaler as I have been very wheezy. My best tip is to avoid pollen as much as possible and relieve your symptoms with nasal spray/ eyedrops. . It's not very environmentally friendly but don't dry clothes/sheets outdoors and keep windows shut as much as possible. Also, take your anti histimine BEFORE you go to bed, so you don't have to wait for it's effects in the morning.
mary | 13/06/2007 16:37:00
as a child I took piriton, but eventually it stopped working. The first 2 weeks in June where always the worst, so bad that I took my annual holidays, so that I could stay indoors. 20 years ago I moved from Bristol to Bridgwater, and my GP gave me kenalogue injections and the end of April, and that helped for quite a long time. I now take cetirizine dihydrochloride tablets, when I really need them. I have also used New Era allergic rhinitis tablets, and I found that they really helped. Thankfully now I don't get too many attacks.
Fiona | 13/06/2007 16:51:00
I have suffered from hayfever for as long as i can remember!!I sneezed alot as a child and also suffered from bad eczema. My doctor tested me a couple of years ago and found i was allergic to dust mites cats and dogs.I was also found to have allergic rhinitis.I now take one cetirizine 10mg tablet daily and use Ipratropium br nasal spray three times a day.I no longer sneeze,have watery eyes and can now look forward to summer!!Having a good doctor helps too!To any other sufferers there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Fiona | 13/06/2007 16:54:00
I have suffered from hayfever for as long as i can remember!!I sneezed alot as a child and also suffered from bad eczema. My doctor tested me a couple of years ago and found i was allergic to dust mites cats and dogs.I was also found to have allergic rhinitis.I now take one cetirizine 10mg tablet daily and use Ipratropium br nasal spray three times a day.I no longer sneeze,have watery eyes and can now look forward to summer!!Having a good doctor helps too!To any other sufferers there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Jan thomas | 13/06/2007 16:57:00
I had eczema as a baby, hay-fever in my teens and by my twenties asthma. My allergens were established by skin tests - i had a series of injections which had littleor no effect. I suffer from sneezing, itchy eyes, runny nose, all the usual things. If I take antihitamines they make me feel sleepy and druggy, so I avoid them whenver possible. One of the worst triggers now is fields of oil seed rape, which also affect my asthma. Windy days when things are in flower are the worst conditions but overall i can live with hay-fever and tha a/c in the car deals with a lot of the muck in the sir if we're out and about.
Andrea Morrison | 13/06/2007 18:25:00
I have suffered with hayfever for most of my life. I was an adult before I was properly diagnosed. Since then I have taken Clarytin allergy tablets on prescription. I find that the tablets have not been working quite so well and I have to take one at night as well to stop the itching I get. I keep planning to speak to my GP about it, but it is too difficult to get an appointment. I work full time, so that surgery tends to be closed when I can get to them and we also have to make an appointment for the same day that we phone. I really think that I should try something new, but not sure when this will be.
Tara | 13/06/2007 18:43:00
I started suffering with hay fever in my late teens. When I worked at sea on a cruise ship for 6 months I didn't need to take any over the counter medicines. I think being around freshly cut grass makes my eyes itch worse. I shut all the house windows when lawns around are being mowed and shut my car windows if travelling past freshly cut grass. My symptoms usually start mid-may and continue through to august. I know use Beconase nasal spray twice a day to keep my symptoms manageable. It seems to completely get rid of the itchy throat but i still sneeze and have itchy eyes. good luck everyone! don't wish for winter too soon!
Pat | 13/06/2007 19:11:00
Piriton sends me to sleep and other antihistamines make me feel dull and lifeless. Avoidance I find is best. Agree with Lisa, never dry washing outside.
jacqui smith | 13/06/2007 19:12:00
I have been suffering with hayfever since i was 12/13,i am 38 now.i sneeze a lot, have a runny nose, itchy eyes, my eyeballs become covered by what can only be described as a filmy substance and also my eyes swell almost closed sometimes.the symptoms started early this year, round about april. i have tried various treatments but find they don't work very well, but do use an inhaler to help with the chest congestion.
Pat | 13/06/2007 19:15:00
I find Piriton sends me to sleep and other antihistamines make me feel so dull and lifeless that they are hardly worth taking. Avoidance, I find, is my best solution. Like Lisa, I never dry my washing outside. Other thing to remember is the amount of pollen which can collect on your hair. If possible, wash all your clothes as soon as you get home, have a shower and wash your hair.
Sniffy | 13/06/2007 19:51:00
I started suffering after a holiday in Tenerife where the apartment had an indoor terrarium full of exotic flowers and plants)(xotic compared with Newcastle shrubs!)I was about 20, now at 41 I suffer more or less April -Oct. I use one per day over the counter tablets but they can be so expensive as I need to take for the entire 6 month duration . Galpharm non drowsy works best for me and vary in price between 99p up to £3.49 depending on retailer- its a scandal.
Salty | 13/06/2007 20:05:00
I first had hay fever as a teenagaer but after a few years it disappeared. I started getting problems again post the menopause but don't get it every year. It is tree pollen that causes the problem, and this year was particularly bad I suspect due to the unseasonably high temperatures in April. I do not take any medication and put up with runny nose, eyes and sore throat usually for about 2/3 weeks.Sometimes have to use a ventolin inhaler for wheeziness and tight chest.Then I am not bothered again all summer.
alison | 13/06/2007 20:48:00
i have suffered from hayfever for about 15 years and i does seem to be getting a bit better.(i wont speak too soon) i found that remedies heral and pharmaceutical only worked for 1 season then they didn't work the next year. I had to get a prepayment certificate to pay for the mountains of eye drops for dryness and itchyness and nasel sprays which gave me nose bleeds and dry throat. roll on winter
Barbara | 13/06/2007 22:09:00
I have suffered allergic rhinitis for most of my life,I am especialy allergic to the may blossom, my GP has it under control I take 10mg cetirizine a day but had to up it to 20mg this week, I also use Dexa-Rhinasray and Nasacort nasal spray, I am lucky my eyes are rarely affected oilseed rape can be a problem if I go near it.
Carole | 14/06/2007 08:51:00
I started to suffer from hay fever in my 30's - I am now 48. It started when I got kittens and after 6 weeks my allergy was so bad - I felt like it was a severe case of the 'flu. I was bedridden and had no idea what was wrong with me. Doc advised me to get rid of my cats - but they are still living with me - 13 years later! I take Citirzen tablets - one every day of my life and have done for 13 years, and will continue to take them for the rest of my days! The best treatment is acupuncture, which I used to receive on the NHS. However, I have moved from London to Scarborough, North Yorkshire and cannot afford private acupuncture treatment. It lasts for approximately 6 months - so I may invest in it! I am always tired at work, at home, when I go out. But I push myself through it as my cats are a great source of pleasure to me and I will not give them up. I am also allergic to smoke, pollen, grass, dust, paper dust - you name it...So I can't give them up - I won't give my cats up!! Although, I hasten to add - I do not smoke! The healthcare professionals understand hayfever and are very supportive. The best advice I can give to other sufferers is to not let it interfere with your life - push through it and live your life as you would without hayfever. As far as I know - it is not life threatening! Oh, I also have asthma - which I take inhalers for and currently am on some amazing tablets - Singulair!!!
gary | 14/06/2007 09:25:00
I have suffered from hay fever quite badly on occasions,usually before and after the true hay fever season.I believe that I get hayfever from tree pollen in Spring and from fungal spores in November.I suffer from out of control rages when I take anti-histamines and I do not like nasal sprays.However,I discovered Lypholised quails eggs some years ago following press coverage which apparently works in a similar way to anti-histamines without,in my case,any side effects.You really neerd to start taking the capsules before the symptoms start but I have been really succesful in controlling my symptoms in this way.
Gillian | 14/06/2007 09:33:00
I didn't start to suffer from hayfever until my early twenties, although it is a family complaint. I tried then using nasal inhalers and an eye cream. I now suffer from sneezy nose and sore throats, eyes OK, maybe because I wear contacts now. I take loratadine which is great but often runs out by the evening. Symptoms are only normally for about 4 weeks in June (now!)
Martin | 14/06/2007 09:41:00
I first became aware about the age of 20. It used to be only the summer months but for the last 15years, I am affected most of the year. My main symtom is sneezing with itchy nose & eyes. I am also affected by bright sun light so I wear photocromatic glasses, looking at the sun can induce sneezing. At the moment I am using Citirzen tablets (1 daily), if I miss a tablet I will be sneezing on a regular basis throughout the day. The treatment manages my symtoms very well, I have no problem sleeping and apart from the about an hour after taking the tablet I have no other symtoms. I have always had a good response from the Medical Professionals - thank you. I don't allow the problem to rule my life - I find its best to enjoy each day as we never know how long we have.
MR ANDRE BEDEL | 14/06/2007 10:15:00
following a fire from heavy toxic fume inhalation containing carbon monoxide ans cyanide of potassium, my lung wase badly dammaged.since may 2002 I have allways running nose eatching nose, but my eyes are not affacted I take telfast "fexofenadine) who are useless,but the gp can be bother to change it anyway so dry weather make me bad , whit hay fever and C.O.P.D some day my inhaler are useless and if i take public transport I caugh a lot so combination of hay fever and c.o.p.d are not nice but life need to carry on , if you deal whit an oesophagus cancer in top of all other problems
Jean | 14/06/2007 10:25:00
Yes hayfever has got worse over the last few years. There are mornings when I cannot stop sneezing, my eyes water constantly throughout the summer and I feel foolish if someone looks at me closely because they probably think I am crying and my eyes get red and sore. My sinus cavities swell and it means that my face looks swolen down the sides of my nose. I have tried everykind of spray to relieve the problem but nothing works. My worst allergic reactions however are due to being bitten by anything that flies. Suddenly there are mosquito type creatures galore in the summer here and they love me, no matter what precautions I take. Once bitten my arms/legs/feet swell up and I feel unwell for three or four days. I use plug ins - the type of thing one buys for use abroad and use them both abroad and at home. I have a net around my bed. Climate change threatens to be a nightmare for me. The air is too polluted, my enemy (rape seed) has spread into the local park. I even have a small dog who is on piriton (vet prescribed) because she finds breathing hard on hot dusty days.
Liz H | 14/06/2007 10:31:00
Isuffer worse when visiting family in the south. If its reported that the pollen count is high i dont suffer muchbut if its low i suffer really bad. I get runny nose, ichy sore eyes, throat and ears. Eye drops help but are soo expensive. i find i have to alternate tablets each year for better results. this year im on piriton but still suffering bad
Susan Lindman | 14/06/2007 13:30:00
Ir started when I was in my early 20s. I find that flowers make me worse, i got to the point where i can't use flower based air fresheners as my eyes stream, my nose runs and I feel awful. Symptoms are always worse in the summer months.
JULIE | 14/06/2007 14:06:00
I STARTED WITH HAYFEVER WHEN I WAS 22, NOW I AM 38, I USED LOTS OF PRESCRIPTION THINGS AT FIRST (EG: TABLETS, EYE DROPS, NOSE SPRAY, INHALER) DID NOT SEEM TO GET MUCH RELIEF! THEN MOVED ONTO NATURAL STUFF AND WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL IN TREATING IT, ALSO TRIED LOCAL HONEY (1 SPOON PER DAY) SEEMS TO WORK FOR ME, LATERLY HAVE BEEN BACK ON JUST THE TABLETS, BOOTS OWN BRAND OF NON-DROWSY AND ONCE THEY ARE IN MY SYSTEM SEEM TO WORK QUITE WELL AND MAKE ME ABLE TO GET ON WITH THE DAY BETTER.
David Pyall | 14/06/2007 14:15:00
Suffered for years but for the last nine months I've been having a teaspoonful of local honey on my breakfast cereal. I read somewhere that this would build up a natural immunity to pollen. So far this year I've only had a couple of sneezy days, no runny eyes and nose, so I think it may work. Apparently it has to be local honey and takes about six months to build the resistance. Hope this might help someone!
john Squire | 14/06/2007 14:31:00
I discoverd hay fever when walking past a wheat crop being harvested age 12, had alergy tests at local hospital and was told I had too many alergies to be treated. Fortunatly the family G P thought differently, aranged tests with Write Flemming in paddington the first set of injections were administerd following spring for pollens dustand otherair born irritants, next summer came jabs for moulds and varius autom amd winter triggers. About 5 years later treatment three anything not coverd by previus two and any recurence of pollen regular use prescription medication interspaced with alternative medication. Now steroid nasal spray means only the neibourhood ashtrays being vented and anindolent council bugger up my breathing
Jo B | 14/06/2007 16:24:00
I suffer occasionally, different seasons it never seems to have a pattern to it. I used to start symptonswhen forsythia came into flower in April, but this year it didnt happen. But I ma sneezing, itchy throated and streaming eyed at the moment, usually I dont suffer early June. I have heard local honey is a good cure as the bees taking pollen locally builds up your immune system. Not sure what others think. My son is suffering for the first time ever he is 12 nad his twin sister has suffered for two years.
Jim Steele | 14/06/2007 16:50:00
I have had very bad symptoms this year and the tablets I bought didn't do a lot to help. I, like many other sufferers also think it is best to alternate the brand each year. I start mid tree pollen season but seem to be more severe when the fields are full of rape seed in bloom and definitely think that this crop makes hay fever a lot worse.
Kelly | 14/06/2007 17:11:00
I brought my 1st car when I was 20 and thats when my hay fever nightmare began (pollution maybe?).Every June was unbearable for me with constant sneezing and itchy eyes and I would get very run down and tired. I tried all sorts of tablets and sprays including homeopathic but nothing really helped except Benecol extra which costs over £8 a box and left me skint as well as ill. I remember my worst June in 1999 when I was 8 months pregnant and could,nt take any medication which left me near suicidal. Thankfully last summer my symptoms started to ease off a bit and this summer apart from itchy eyes that are relieved with boots eye drops I am nowhere near as bad.If I feel bunged up or start to sneeze a Zirtec tablet seems to do the trick. Maybe I am growing out of it I hope.
Ivan Skirton | 14/06/2007 18:20:00
I got hayfever from the age of 14 when it was relatively uncommon - I was sent to the eye hospital but they eventually got to hayfever and in my teens and early 20's I suffered badly . I had the skin tests and I was overpoweringly sensitive to grass pollen . As such I am out of action during the end of May until the 1st week of July . It has got better as I have got older and perhaps I learn how to cope with it - it is pointless being out in the fresh air with it and if you can't avoid that through work say then modern medication is best - when I started out the anti-histamines made you so drowsy that as a car driver you could n't take them . I don't bother now as all the systems I have used cause someside effects except when I had injections but I did n't know that there was the possibility of anaphylactic shock and that was why I was kept in the doctor's surgery for half an hour after the injection . The last couple of years have been worse and I am not sure why - when I was 19 years old I lived in the South of France for a year and did n't get it - I thought it had miraculously gone but the next summer back in England and it was back again - I guess it must have something to do with the type of grass . I am now 66 years old and have given up on ever growing out of it . My feeling is that I am happier without any pills or potions as I am never completely happy with the long term side effects . Showering helps as it gets the pollen out of your hair and then put different clothes on - air conditioning in your car is ace - if I am really bad I go out in the car and get a blast of filtered air.
Mary | 14/06/2007 18:23:00
my hay fever is getting worse my eyes are itchy cant wear contact lenses part of the day which makes life diffulcult because i need special lenses for kerataconus
Vix | 14/06/2007 19:00:00
I typically suffer with hay fever from June to September. I don't know what my trigger is. But Herbal Essences shampoos and conditioners give me mild symptoms! My main symptoms are sneezing, blocked nose, itchy nose, ears and roof of my mouth! I have been suffering with it for about 5 years (I'm 24) and despite trying everything on the market cannot find anything that eases my symptoms. This year I have decided to save my money and stop buying medication for it - they don't help me anyway. Worst I've found is Boots own brand, not only do they not work but they also make my drowsy to the point where I can barely hold a conversation - not great at work!!
Sadie | 14/06/2007 20:07:00
I suffer badly with my hayfever when the rape pollen starts 2 smell. Have suffered with it ever since i can remember. My eyes itch, sneeze constantly and my asthma gets worse. I have to take my inhalers more often. But i find that Galpharm Non-drowsy hayfever and allergy relief works wonders. Its available in the Savers store and only costs about £1 max so doesn't require remortgaging your house to but it.
Jayne | 14/06/2007 20:32:00
I started with the dreaded hayfever when I was 27 and pregnant with my youngest daughter, now 20 and so I felt lousy all the way through my pregnancy. As the years have passed my syptoms have worsened considerably no matter what I do. I have cetirizine, a nasal spray and eyedrops, but nothing touches the dry throat, itchy eyes and ears and runny nose. I find that sea air helps, on holiday in Gt Yarmouth neither me or my daughter (who suffers more than me) get any symptoms whatsoever!I do not let it rule my summer though, I refuse to stay indoors or have windows closed etc why shouldn't I enjoy the summer? As for advice, I can't comment, everyone has different symptoms and their body copes in different ways.I don't mind going in an encyclopedia at all!
Izzy | 14/06/2007 21:58:00
i tend to only get mild hayfever thankfully. Im not alwas sure what triggers it. But i do know that cut grass is definalty one of the culprits. I dont tend to use any kind of medication unless it is particually bad in which case i just use a over the counter anti hystamine.
Clazz | 14/06/2007 22:40:00
I have suffered from hay fever for as long as I can remember. When I was about 11, I was given Zirtek tablets and nasal spray to try, and it helped a lot. More recently, I have used hayfever and allergy relief tablets from Boots, and so far, they have worked alright, but I think the Zirtek tablets were better, especially with nasal spray. It hits me worst when I'm on my parents' farm, regardless of the time of year (although it's less common in the winter), usually when I'm around either hay or the horses. It sometimes randomly hits me, but those seem to be my main triggers.
kris | 14/06/2007 23:15:00
i always used to think i got a lot of summber colds until a dr at a hospital told me i had rhinitus and hay fever, by then i was in my 40's, i have had nasal sprays but they made my nose sore and i had to stop them, i am now on clarytin every day of the year,but i dont think it works as good as it should as my body is so used to it, iv never been given a allergy test so i dont know what is the cause but at this time of year i find it hard to breathe and all the usual hay fever symptoms, iv tried vaseline round the edges of my nostrils to try stop pollen going up my nose and allsorts of old rememdys.
Sylvia Stanway | 15/06/2007 08:42:00
Started suffering when i was about 6 yrs old. itchy eyes, running nose , itchy hard palate, sneezing. Gradually got worse until at its height from 14 - 25. Took my o'levels and a' levels surrounded by tissues, must have affected other peoples concentration.Since then has gradually got better but still suffer when pollen levels high in June, July. Used to take piriton on prescription but made me very sleepy. Now manage with over the counter remedies, sunglasses, avoiding going into countryside when pollen levels high. staying inside when grass being cut etc.I also avoid air freshners both spray and solid as they seem to make it worse. We have had both cats and dogs and they do not seem to bother me but other peoples do. I think i am immune to allergens from my own pets. There is a family history of eczema, hay fever and asthma although it only seems to affect the female line.
Chris | 15/06/2007 09:19:00
I have had mild hayfever for a few years now. It can sometimes start as early as February. it has been getting much worse over the last couple of years. I used to get symptoms from about Feb to May but now have problems for most of the summer. I get itchy eyes, sore throat, blocked nose, and a lot of cattarrh. I usually use eye drops and have taken Loratadine when it gets too bad.
John Evans | 15/06/2007 09:33:00
Started suffering when I was 5 years of age, pollens in gardens ,hay wheats affected me, had it very severe, as of last 5 years hardly ever suffer now. Used to use piriton tablets, and a nasal spray. both exceedingly good, at relieving symtoms.
paul w | 15/06/2007 10:23:00
i have had hatfever for 40 years,there is no real cure as tablets cannot stop dust getting in your eyes or up your nose ,when this happens to me ,which is really bad when wheat matures,i get a bowl of cold water,put my face right in ,keeping my eyes open and breath in the water through my nose ,its not a nice feeling BUT it cleans my eyes and nose,throat etc. and after a little discomfort i am as right as rain.if the eye itching gets out of control i have a stiff drink in a pub[the atmosphere is cleaner]then take a nap ....it works for me worth a try if nothing else works cheers
Sammy | 15/06/2007 11:53:00
When I moved to the country with my wife, after a few years, hayfever begane to affect me and it was worse each year. I took some homeopathic tablets for it and could even mow the lawn after taking them. Over the years, my hayfever was reasonably stable. The two dogs we had did not seem to make any difference. Upon us splitting up, after 23 years, I moved back to the city, it subsided without taking anything and now, a furthur 12 years on, apart from the odd few sneezes and occasional itchy eyes, I hardly have a sign of it.
Mandy | 15/06/2007 12:58:00
Wow as a child my hayfever was really bad just walking across a cut field laid me out for a whole week, but now I've found that since I've gotten older it has calmed down I get the odd itch every now and then or though saying that my nose still itches like mad which is embarrassing and i do have to buy hayfever tabs at £6 a box other then that its bearable now.
Plutonic-Coast | 15/06/2007 13:19:00
I have had hay fever from a very young age. At the moment I take Telefast tablets and Nasocort nasal spray. Later in the year my doctor tries various eye drops as my eyes become very wattery and inflamed due to hay fever. I feel my hayfever is getting worse and it triggers my asthma. This seems to be because as well as affecting my nose and eyes I get a runny discharge at the back of my throat. which makes me cough. My mouth is often very dry too. This all prevents me getting a good nights sleep and I am often very tiered. The Rape fields make everything much worse and I am so glad when the season is past.I find that the doctors etc while being simpathetic don't really understand hoow miserable it can make me feel. They just nod and agree that the hayfever is making things worse ie. Asthma give tell me to take the medication as normal or take steroids if my asthma is worse. Maybe there is no real help.
MARJORIE | 15/06/2007 14:14:00
I HAVE ONLY MILD HAY FEVER I DO NOT KNOW THE CAUSE I DO NOT TAKE ANY MEDICATION AS I AM ON INHALERS FOR ASTHMA
Becci B | 15/06/2007 14:57:00
I find that when I approach a doctor at this time of year I am always told the same thing: "It's your asthma". I have found Benedril has helped with my symptoms. I get an awful cough that makes my chest feel like it is going to explode usually at night, stopping me getting enough rest. My arms and legs get very itchy when I have been outside to the point I have been known to scratch skin off. I feel that doctors look for the obvious and cost effective diagnosis rather than the actual problems faced by the patients. I feel I no longer suffer asthma, just heyfever but I can not seem to convince my doctor. I know my doctor is not on the ball, as he told my partner that the symptoms he was experiencing were in his head and it turned out that my partner was actually suffering Poly Cystic Kidney disease that had been diagnosed 15 years before but my partner had never been informed (not the current doctors fault, although the diagnosis had been written in his medical notes). If my doctor can be so blase about something as serious as this I have no hope getting a decent remedy for my ailments.
Samantha | 15/06/2007 15:04:00
I have hay fever it is not too bad at the moment i can not take anything for it as i am allergic to the medication
Glen (Plymouth) | 15/06/2007 16:08:00
I had hayfever since I was in my teens - then it was a nightmare (and I mean nightmare). I eventually grew out of it but for some reason in the last few weeks its come back - not as bad as it has been but still is an annoyance. I find the shops own loratidine and the other one one that escapes my recall at the moment works just as good as the main brands.
Debbie | 15/06/2007 19:15:00
My hayfever is triggered by the rape seed in the fields around the town where I live. I sneeze, have runny nose, runny eyes which also puff up.The best treatment which works for me is Beconase nasal spray which is expensive but it works.
kerrylac | 15/06/2007 20:58:00
I have quite bad animal allergies and sneeze for about an hour after coming into contact with my sisters cat. In the summer i tend to walk around with big red eyes sneezing my head off if I don't take medication , I prefer the nasal spray as it seems to control my symptoms best.
Maggie | 16/06/2007 20:17:00
I didn't suffer from hayfever until I was 21. Since then I have tried various treatments including injections. As I've got older I seem to be building up more resistance. I used Beconase for several years, but have given up with nasal sprays, as I feel that there has been some damage to the lining in my nose. I now purchase over-the-counter tablet remedies which seem to work. I've been thinking about seeing my doctor, but I can wait up to 3 weeks to get an appointment when it is convenient to me!!
Gemma | 17/06/2007 18:09:00
I has terrible hayfever as a child, it started when i was about 7. Isuffered terribly through my teens & all the over the counter tablets weren't available then. I sneezed so hard that i used to have at least 1 nosebleed a day. However, since my early 30's I hardly suffer at all & no longer dread the summer!!
Linda (plymouth) | 17/06/2007 20:59:00
I have had hayfever for as long as I can remember. through school grass cuttings being left on the field and through my exams the constant sneezing and sore eyes. i now wear glasses which helps, my eyes still get "gritty" and sometimes extremely itchy. I take clarityn which seems to work. but I still have bad days when I sneeze continuously, have an itchy throat, a bad head and "face ache" (possilbly sinusitis) I have a real problem with cats and tree pollen, cats trigger my asthma. One thing that really helps is airways chewing gum any flavour.
Caroline | 18/06/2007 09:22:00
I was around 23 (35 now) when I suffered really badly after walking through a field since then it has been every summer, some years start earlier than others. This year has been particularly bad but we have moved to the countryside and have an overgrown field next to us. I can't keep windows and doors closed because I have a dog who is in and out alot and I have to walk her, I had hoped that by walking her as the pollen levels were building I would become immune, but my theory didn't work! My symptoms are usually runny or stuffy nose and itchy eyes but this year for the first time I am wheezy too. Last weekend I got bitten and my hand and arm swelled up for 3 days. I had to have 2 days sick leave as I couldn't drive or write with it. I went to the coast on Thursday overnight and had no symptoms! I take Galpharm usually but when I was bitten the Dr recommended Piriton but I was still experiencing severe hayfever symptoms. I am using a bit of both now, but still getting symptons. Wake up in the night with eyes stuck together. Work isn't too bad as I am in an office, but I feel woozy constantly and never far from a tissue. A few years ago I managed to get something on prescription (neoclarytin) after seeing a nurse about something else but it made me feel awful so I stopped and went back to the off the shelf ones- haven't really discussed with Dr apart from recently with swollen arm, but she didn't seem to want to investigate the hayfever, just deal with the current problem. I might have to go back if the wheezing continues. My advice would be to try off the shelf remedies and see if there is one that works and doesn't make you feel ill. I am going to try honey next year if I can find some locally. Happy to contribute to an online encyclopedia.
julie hutchisoon | 18/06/2007 10:35:00
i have recently been told i have hayfever or a dust allergy at about 36, i was really bad sometimes with itchy eyes,pallet ,sneezing and generaly miserable. the doctor prescribed these tablets which made me really drowsy which wasnt any good as i have 4 kids and i also drive!!!i now buy tesco anti allergy tablets,they work for me and i am a lot better so far this year. happy to do online encyclopedia if i can help.
Mags blog | 18/06/2007 10:36:00
I cant remember what age but if anyone knows when nivea was first launched, i was born in 1959 then you will know cos my mum thought i was allergic to the cream, know one had ever heard of hay fever back then, know one i knew had it, but my headmaster knew because he had suffered & he told me he had got it as he got older & to cheer me up he said that i would grow out of it & guess what he was right, i donot suffer as much now, but i was that bad, my eyes were streaming my nose was running, the back of my throat was, tickly, my eyes would shut tight, so that in the morning, i could not open them, i was coughing all the time, as i got older & the warmer the weather, i could not breath properly,thinking back it was probably a touch of asthma, then it was gone i never had trouble breathing again, there were no over the counter medicines you had to get a prescription the medicine made you drowsy, or you had to go to the docs at a certain time of the year to get an injection on your posteria. IT is no joke i had a very miserable time when i was young. I have tried every remedy under the sun, honey stopped my tickly throat or i used to get butter roll it in sugar & suck on it. I do wonder why many people now have this when i was young it wasnt so common. & thank god for over the counter medicine
Sarah | 18/06/2007 10:48:00
I never suffered with hay fever as a child, in fact my first bout of hay fever was in my late 30's. I bought antihistimine at the chemist. I didn't have another episode until I was 42, which was quite frightening as my chest tightened as well a itchy eyes and runny nose, I went to the Dr's and they gave me a puffer. Last year I suffered and this year I started with the symptoms at the end of May. I have a spray for my nose, a puffer for my chest and take Loratadine. I'm sure its grass seed and tree pollen that starts me off, but horse flys! dread them. I got bitten on my arm and leg and both swelled up terribly. I'm not allergic to anything else and love the outdoors. Whats with the 'local honey'? does this help? Do let us know, as I will try that rather than take strong medicinal sprays. Hope we don't suffer for too long this year guys, best of luck.
sharon robson | 18/06/2007 10:55:00
i suffer quite badly with hay fever, which is activated by grass, tree and flower pollen, giving me sore eyes runny nose, dry ear canals, dry skin, itching, amongst others. for this i am prescribed by my asthma specialist- opticrom eye drops, loratidine tablets and an aqueous nasal spray which i can't stand as the liquid drips down the back of my throat, making me vomit. the only thing i find that helps is wearing sunglasses when i go out during the day.
nadine | 18/06/2007 12:45:00
hay fever can be a real pain.mine first started when i was 12.very mild at first, but as the summers are becoming hotter,it seems to be getting worse.it was only in the summer, but now it starts march time until november. great fun, not! ichy eyes and a constent stuffy/runny nose.
Katie | 18/06/2007 14:04:00
I've suffered from (relatively) mild hayfever since I was a teenager, symptoms have varied from breaking a fever to swollen eyes and throat, wheezing, sneezing and blocked sinuses. The main culprit have been birch trees in May. I've only ever used over-the-counter medication to treat hay fever, such as nose sprays. Being indoors helps as well - but doesn't help your social life at all :(
Angie | 18/06/2007 16:45:00
I have suffered from allergies and asthma for most of my life. I am now 41 and regularly use Piriton. My doctor tried me on various other antihistamines as Piriton makes me very tired but nothing worked! I have tried the one-a-day tablets but these did not work for me and I found that towards the end of the day my eyes were running, I was sneezing and I was generally itchy and I could not take another antihistamine! The only relief I have had was when I was living in Canada from 1989 to 1994 where I was tested for what I was allergic to and had a special serum made up which was then injected once a week by my GP, within a month my symptoms were near enough gone. It was fantastic. However on our return to good old UK these were not available so back to the suffering. If Canada had the answer over 10 years ago why cant the UK keep up??
M&M | 18/06/2007 17:28:00
I first suffered from Hay Fever at the age of 8 and have had it continually since then, I am now 35. My main symptoms are sneezing and runny nose, itchy, watery and swollen eyes, itchy throat and inner ear cana and itchy rshes on my arms, hands and feetl. My season runs from April round till October as I amallergic to the majority of pollens it seems as well as the most common grass pollen. I have used pretty much every Hay fever remedy on the market and prescription. I started on Piriton as a child and have also used Trillidan, Clarityn, Zirtek and Benadril antihistamines. I was also given Kenalog injections in my teens but nothing really eases the symptoms very effectively. I now take, on prescription, Fexofenadine antihistamine tablets, Nasonex nasla spray and Rapitil eye drops. This combination of medication helps me manage the symptoms but is not always effective on days when the pollen count is very high. I stay inside when pollen counts are high if I can but interestingly often find if I've been out my symptoms worsen when I am indoors!
Julie | 18/06/2007 18:44:00
I have suffered with hayfever since childhood, I am now 40. My symptoms include tickly nose, sneezing, sore/ichy throat, watering/sore eyes and my skin sometimes feels itchy too. It can affect my asthma when it is bad, causing breathing diifculties and a cough. It tends to last from April to June, although it is worse the last couple of weeks of May and the first 2 in June. I take cetirizine dihydrochloride tablets and use eyedrops. I have tried other antihistamines over time but this seems to help more than the rest. My daughter also suffers with this and asthma but my son has not problems.
Emma | 18/06/2007 19:33:00
I get a stuffy nose and a sore throat with my hayfever. I find beconase is very beneficial and almost completely relieves my symptoms. I now have a permanent prescription from the GP. I have heard about the injection mentioned above but I do not feel it is necessary for me personally.
Roger | 19/06/2007 01:40:00
First time was when I was 12 in Louisanna,U.S.A. Running nose,sneezing,itchyeyes.Prescription from doctors.Start's March finishes October.Household dust,grass pollen tree pollen.get tested by hospital.Tried natural products,HayMax & Nasaleze from internet & both help ease it,carry three hankerchiefs & tissues in summer,am now 60yrs & still get it on high count days.
Amanda | 19/06/2007 15:52:00
I have had hayfever as long as I can remember, luckily I don't have any asthma or excema which I understand are all related illnesses. NOTHING works on my eyes, so have to put up with constantly fishing our eye bogeys (nice) and having big swollen closed eyes most of June. I take neo-clarityn (desloratadine) twice a day and nasonex nasal spray twice a day and this seems to calm down most of the other symptoms. hayfever starts in April and lasts until the end of July - I HATE it, but I know there are many illnesses that are a lot worse - it just ruins my summer, birthday, music festivals and everyone thinks I am a poser for constrantly wearing sunglasses especially at dusk! Have tried everything and the only things that really works is kenalog injection or living in Australia!
elaine | 19/06/2007 16:32:00
i have had hay fever since the age of 5, the constant itchy eyes,throat and nose, runny eyes and nose. from the end of may until the end of july i was on antihistamines, eye drops, nasal and throat spray.when i was 21, i had my first daughter and the symptoms eased off to just itch, running eyes and running nose, when i was 35 i had my second daughter and the symptoms are worse with itchy, running eyes, itchy, running nose and itchy throat, although i am only taking benadril now. it's a lot better now than when i was a child & teenager-doing my exams were a nightmare. i find it's worse late afternoon to early evening.
Ionium | 19/06/2007 17:00:00
At what age did you start to suffer from Hay Fever and what are the symptoms? Since I was born. • Has it gotten worse over the years? No seemed to have lessened but can be bad some years. Does your location (i.e. town or county) affect the severity? Country side makes it much much worse. Seems to be a lesser thing at the seaside though. When the local council cuts the grass (without warning) its a nightmare. • What treatments do you use? Have you tried “alternative treatments”? If so which ones do you use and how effective are they? Allereze seems to be the only thing that works but even then its 100% effective and whilst the meds claim to be non drowsy you know your on a ddrug. • What impact if any has it had on your working life? Can totally ruin my working life, rather hard to smile as you dial when your dribbling out of your nose 24/7. • What was the quality of support like from Healthcare Professionals such as physicians and nurses? Not a lot. Not considered a big issue. • If you had one piece of advice for a fellow sufferer what would it be? Find the right drug that works and stick to it but stay the hell away from Piriton as for me made me feel "stoned" for 8 hrs a day. • Would you be interested in contributing to an online encyclopaedia for other patients Yes
Ange | 19/06/2007 17:39:00
I have suffered from terrible hayfever (and mild asthma) since my childhood and it has increased in severity now for the last few years. The sneezing, headaches, runny puffy bloated eyes, itchy throat and sleeplessness can be utterly unbearable and it's for about 4 months of the year (May-Aug)! I've taken every type of anti-histamine available and three years ago began cetirazine hydrochloride (Zirtek). this worked for a year, last year I took two a day (against the guidelines) and that just about managed it. This year my hayfever has never been so bad! I rang my GP last Thursday after sneezing continually for 30 minutes and feeling suicidal! I have my third year dental exams beginning on Friday and my GP took pity and prescribed Prednisolone (high dose corticosteroid) and a nasal steroid spray (which I hate and smells like flowers). This has helped but sadly, it is a quick fix to get me through exam time - I anticipate the return of the symptoms next week. Why oh why isn't there an injection available for asthmatics?!
Carla St Clair | 19/06/2007 18:36:00
I have suffered from hayfever for about 20 years and am also asthmatic. The main trigger seems to be the rape seed which is grown in the fields around my home.I have tried several antihisthamines over the years and now use levotroterazine but still find that I need to take another tablet during the evening when the symptoms often worsen. i did try natural remedies but sadly none of them helped.I cannot tolerate nasal sprays so the months from May to September are thoroughly miserable for me. The strange and annoying thing is that most people seem to find hayfever symptoms really amusing which doesn't help at all.
Fee | 19/06/2007 18:55:00
I had no hayfever until the age of 19, when I spent 3 weeks in Cambridgeshire during the Rose Festival, away from my home in Central Scotland. Since then, it got steadily worse until it is now non-allergic rhinitis rather than hayfever. I manage to keep it mostly under control by permanent use of a beconase spray.
satwant | 19/06/2007 23:07:00
i have suffered from hayfever since i was 13yrs, for years it was passed of by my parents as a nasty cold i got eventually it was diagnosed as allergy i had to animals, feathers, dust pollen temperature etc, i sneezed, coughed. tickly throat and itchy eyes. now for god knows how many years i have been taking anti histamines all the year around plus nasal sprays and eye drops. i survive eachday with medication, but good to have a doctor who understands and gfive the right medication- then life is good.
Lesley | 19/06/2007 23:18:00
Boy do I suffer. From the very start of the season right through to the end. I also take Piriton, I have been on it so long that I am becoming immune to it. Must go to the doctor for something else. I have very itchy eyes and a very dry mouth which gets itchy at the back. I also get cold like symptoms. I have been told that if you can get hold of some local honey and you take a spoonful a day that you build up your immunity to the pollens. I am now in the process of trying to find a supplier of honey.
Jayne | 19/06/2007 23:43:00
I have had hayfever now for about 30 years despite the doctors saying i would 'grow out of it', i gave up waiting! It affected my school life, my social life and my working life. I tried homeopathic remedies, but because of the frequency, often struggled to remember, i now just use eye drops and the easiest and most comfortable, is a good smearing of vaseline swirled in each nostril with a cotton bud, from my Nan's advice and recommend it to everyone! it catches dust, pollen all sorts. Try it and prove me wrong! Mine is worse May to August, so sales of vaseline mst increase at this time! Worse symptom is that tickkle at the back of your throat and the roof of your mouth, drives me crazy! 10 years ago i was prescribed inhalers as i now have 'seasonal asthma' to go with it, oh joy! Good luck to us all, but try the vaseline!
Stef | 20/06/2007 10:10:00
I discovered I have hayfever when I was 8 (I'm 21 now) and grass seed is the worst for me but I seem to be allergic to all things summery! Most anti histamines do nothing but I keep trying. I get sore itchy watery eyes and sneeze to the point I have a nosebleed. Also in the mornings I can barely breathe which means I spend a lot of summer exhausted.
Steve Elliott | 20/06/2007 10:35:00
I have suffered with hayfever all my life. It usually lasts from end of May to August. The only remedy that works for me is Beconase. I can still feel the symptoms but the Beconase seems to hold it at bay.
Dawn | 20/06/2007 14:00:00
I have noticed that I often have a slightly running nose during the summer but thought nothing of that. Last year, at the age of 41, I started getting very bloodshot and itchy eyes for a few days. When I mentioned this to my doctor, they said it was hayfever. I have eyedrops for dry eye due to an underactive thyroid, so just use those when necessary. I cannot say when it is worse, or what affects it though.
Chris | 20/06/2007 14:08:00
I started suffering from hayfever when I was in my teens. It got to the stage where I could not open the curtains in a morning and my eyes were glued together. I tried anti-histamines of the time (1960s) but they gave me double-vision so I could not take them as I did a clerical job. Eventually our next door neighbour, who was a bee keeper, suggested honeycomb cappings, which I used - a teaspoonful a day. This eventually brought my symptoms to where they are today, 45/50 years later. I do not generally have a problem in going out in summer. I do not ask for trouble by running through fields of grass or grass-related crops but otherwise, I only have a problem if I go out in summer when the wind is blowing the dust and pollen about, when I get farily mild symptoms of sneezing and itchy eyes. I still eat local honey regularly.
Angie | 20/06/2007 16:39:00
I started suffering in my early 20's. I'm now 32. My symptoms are really itchy eyes which swell up throughout the day, sneezing and blocked nose. The times of year when I usually suffer most is springcoming into summer and end of summer going into autumn. The new leaves coming on trees and also when dropping. Flowering Privet also makes me suffer badly. We have just moved house and we've had to remove all the privet hedges as they are the flowering type. Mown grass/rape seed etc doesn't really affect me, Only after rain. I have used different forms of Clarityn since the one I first started taking was took off the market (cant remember the name only that it began with T). My hayfever had calmed down a bit a few weeks ago but since we've had all this rain it has come back with a vegenence. The tablets occasionally work but even the supposedly non-drowsy ones do make me drowsy so I have to be careful when I take them. Roll on Winter!!!!!!
Sally | 20/06/2007 18:56:00
I spend my childhood outdoors on a farm and never suffered once. Then at age 23 moved to a different area (while pregnant) and it hit me like a truck. I still live in same place and every year on 8 June (!!) it starts and lasts about 8 weeks. It's dreadful and includes, itchy eyes (feel like sand in them), dry throat, non stop sneezing, subsequent headache and tiredness. I am really grumpy and useless during this time and work is difficult. When it rains or the wind blows I become suddenly blinded by the influx of pollen and run for a cold wet flannel for my eyes. Last 2 years I have had steroid injection which seems to take the edge off it all. This said, not had it this year, and so far (touch wood) symptoms are hardly noticable. Tried natural remedies to no effect. Usually fall back to nasal spray, eye drops and prescription anti-histimine. It sounds a trivial complaint but I know how debilitating it actually is.
Janet Ford | 20/06/2007 19:51:00
I first started with hayfever after birth of my first child 22 years ago, and it has got worse in last few years. Have tried numerous antihistamines, the best one which name I've forgotton was banned as when taken with grapefruit had bad side effects. Have used nasal sprays and opticrom eyedrops in addition to cetirizine, although this year tablets don't seem to be making much difference to the eyes and nose, but does relieve the itchy throat.
Pat | 20/06/2007 22:13:00
I have suffered from hayfever since I was 40 (now 56) I take cirtirizine (prescribed by GP) and also use nasal spray when really bad. Never had (or been offered any tests to find out what I am allergic to but take tablets from March until at least October. Also allergic to birds (budgies had to go) and suffer from eczema. This is worse in the summer. Suffer usual symptoms of dry itchy throat and eyes and sneezing. Can't sleep with windows shut so especially bad in the mornings. Symptoms seem to have got worse as I have got older. I have always lived in the same city just moving round different areas. First started when I moved to a completely new area but now live very close to an area where I suffered no symptoms and it has got worse since I have been here (7 years)
Sandi | 20/06/2007 22:59:00
I started suffering from hayfever at 22 years, when I moved to Mersea Essex. I think grasses effect me most, though many other pollens effect me. I sometimes start symptoms as early as March right through to end of August. I have a full range of symptoms - sore itchy eyes, nose, throat, ears, very sensitive skin, tiredness and even a general feeling of being poorly. Symptoms have got better over the years, but this is because I changed my diet and keep out of environments that particularly set me off. If I must expose myself to pollen, i try to limit ther time I spend outside, avoiding early mornings and evenings when the pollen is 'rising and falling' and shower on return home. I try to clean the house regularly to keep dust/pollen out of the home environment. Most carpets at home have been replaced by polished wood floors. I try to cook fresh foods myself, as this reduces all the rubbish they add entering my system.. This helped the most of all the things I have tried. As to treatment, Doctors have been helpful, but in the end they can't do much more than I already do. I take clarityn and eye drops. I used to use a nasal spray, but it dried my nose and nasal passages too much. Hayfever does not prevent me from working, but does make my job hard to do as it saps my energy at times. Avoiding pollen is the best way to avoid hay fever.
judith | 21/06/2007 02:48:00
I've suffered with hay fever for many years on & off. It seems to be worse when its humid. I usually use piriton tablets when its really bad, a bit of vaseline under the nose helps and a nasal spray from the DR has helped quite a lot. My allergy is to cut grass pollen, and some tree pollen. It seems to be slightly better over the last couple of years, but this may be due to other illnesses that I've been diagnosed in the last couple of years....
caroline | 21/06/2007 03:22:00
I started getting HF when I was 9 years old and it really affected my chidhood. The symptoms seemed to peak during my teenage years, but I am now 28 and the symptoms seem to be less severe as I get older. My main problems are itchy, red, sore eyes, blocked nose and sneezing, itching in my throat and ear canals. I think the eyes are the biggest problem in some ways because I feel constantly drowsy, and like i want to close them and go to sleep! I use three products, cetirizine tablets, sodium cromoglycate (i.e. 'Opticrom') eye drops, and Flixonase nasal spray. I highly recommend the nasal spray, as it is actually a mild steroid and so it really takes down the swelling in the nose and sinuses. I've found it to be far more potent than Beconase. My tips are, TARGET your symptoms specifically. Tablets are useful as an addition to other treatments, but are nowhere near as effective as applying something directly to the affected tissues.
Matthew | 21/06/2007 15:04:00
I started suffering with hay fever when I was about 12. The main symptoms were itchy, runny eyes, which would puff up until almost closed. It always happened from May to August. Then as I got older it started to affect my nose (which became runny) and throat(which would get hot and itchy), followed by sneezing. I used to take a lot of different antihistamines (most of which only worked for a day or 2, then were completely useless), until I took Piriton, which worked a treat and didn't send me to sleep. This was great, until in my mid-20's they made me feel like I was a cast member of the Living Dead, so I stopped taking them. I now find that grass pollen doesn't affect me as much, but if I take a walk along a busy road, all the pollution and dust starts making my eyes itch. Another interesting fact is that I don't suffer from it when I'm abroad, and I've been to a few countries, even at harvest time. So why do I suffer in this country and nowhere else?
Jen | 21/06/2007 18:33:00
Never ever had hayfever until 3 years ago. I'm 35 and can't even cut my grass! (If I do my eyes constantly stream and itch, I can't stop sneezing and my nose runs so bad you would think I had a full blown cold. It has been awful so far this year, much worse than before. I take the one a day tablets and they help a bit- but do make me feel a bit of a zombie, despite being non drowsy.
Jackie | 23/06/2007 11:12:00
I have had hay fever most of my adult life, but it only really affects my nose. But the sneezing gets quite bad sometimes, and I have been using Beconase spray. Recently I have tried using Benadryl which seems to work quite quickly and effectively.
linda wray | 23/06/2007 12:27:00
my hayfever only started 12 years ago, at the same time as asthma. It mainly affects my eyes, which stream and people think I'm crying.I use a very stong anti hystamine, but it makes me very sluggish in the morning
Julie | 23/06/2007 18:42:00
Developed hay fever during my 2nd pregnancy and have sufffered since-20 years.It is milder now than it was then but this could be due to the fact i was not allowed medication.My eyes suffer the most,but my nose can be affected quite badly too-runny,stuffy or both at the same time.Take Zirtek,Beconase spray and Opticrom eye drops but sometimes they do not not completely remove symptoms.This is the worst time of year for me,so it must be grass pollen.
anne | 24/06/2007 17:47:00
I have had some form of hay fever allergies since I was an early teenager. I am now 68 and the symptoms are stiil as bad if not worse. Non-stop sneezing, watery itchy eyes, sore itchy throat-- sometimes sinus problems. and a cough. It is like having a permanent cold.I suffer all the year round with some symptoms, and my GP said if he tested for allegies it would affect the quality of my life. Some times white wine affects me. I use Piriton, Beconase, Opticrom, but never tried alternative medication. I have learnt to live with these unpleasant symptoms. Unfortunately both my daughters have inherited seasonal hayfever but do not suffer all year round as I do.
Mike M | 24/06/2007 20:05:00
I first experienced hay fever in the early 1980s. I was also diagnosed with asthma at the same time, I will be 55 this year. My symptoms are never consistent each year, eg, this year and 2006 I experienced seriously uncomfortable itchy eyes and nose, but not a lot of sneezing! Pills like Piriton don't help much, prescrived nose drops do help, but asthma seems for some reason to complicate the issue. I am the only one in my family EVER to suffer from asthma, my youngest brother also gets hay fever very badly, as well as psoriasis! When there is a bad year with rape seed and very high pollen counts, I sneeze constantly, get itchy eyes, nose and often sore throats. Mind you, we have yet to get anything like a decent summer, so I could yet, like thousands of others, be in for a bad time!
Patricia | 25/06/2007 13:59:00
I have suffered with hay fever for as long as I can remember.Some years ago I used to go to my GP in February and have injections to prevent it but they were not very satisfactory.My symptoms start in May and last until approximately August.I use Flixonase nasal spray which helps a lot. Also Benadryl tablets.On very bad days I could scratch my eyes out.
Lesley Clarke | 25/06/2007 14:29:00
Never had hayfever until pregnant with my eldest, he's now 31. Like having a premanent cold. I had a load of allergy tests and was allergic to loads of things. Lager was a particular trigger at one point, the yeast used I guess. These days I pretty much rely on Beconase pills and various nose sprays, usually just have to get on with it. It's lovely though when I get the 'Bless You Nanna'
Barry | 25/06/2007 15:31:00
I first experienced Hay fever in 1979. I was working 500 feet underground at the salt mine in Winsford, I believe it was caused by my having to dig out a blocked belt close to the air inlet shaft, where a gigantic fan blew the air around at a rapid rate. This shaft was located in the middle of a field of Oil sed rape, there was also a high level of deisel fumes and fine salt dust around. Since then I have suffered every spring, and summer, although it has eased over the last two years. I find that Piriton works well to reduce the symptoms, but makes me very drowsy, phenergan works, and doesn't make me as sleepy, but none of the other chemicals has any effect.
martha_fab | 25/06/2007 18:33:00
I don't really remember when I first experienced hayfever but it was probably in my teens (I'm now 24). I've never had it too bad but this year is definitely worse. It's still not particularly bad - I just get sneezy and my eyes itch. I'll occasionally take Benadryl or equivalent but because my symptoms aren't consistent I don't know whether the tablets work. I also don't know what sets me off. I'm pretty useless really!
Jackie | 25/06/2007 18:50:00
I have had hay fever for the last 10 years. I have to take Cetirizine all year round as I suffer from allergies aswell and if I stop taking it I itch all over, I also have Flixonase nasal spray as my nose is blocked most of the time I suffer most when the Buddlia is in flower but I think some of the grass pollens irritate me aswell.
Ehly | 25/06/2007 20:27:00
I first noticed my hayfever when I was about 21 yrs old, it was mainly itchy eyes and a sniffy nose, my GP told me to buy some antihistamines from the chemist and also prescribed me an inhaler. I still use the inhaler but not the pills as I find having a good intake of garlic seems to suppress the worse of the hayfever. In recent years I have noticed that Iam getting more thick heady migrains when the pollen is high and find it very hard to shake the headache.
Charlie | 25/06/2007 21:41:00
I have had Hay fever for over 30 years and i find that if I take my certec tablet before the season starts my attacks are quite mild
Dan | 25/06/2007 22:09:00
I've suffered hayfever for as long as I can remember, some 25 years now. Nothing seems to calm my itchy, running eyes and nose. I sneeze all day, often until my nose is red raw and my eyes literally feel as though I have grit in them. Not only am I allergic to pollen, I also suffer with dust, fur, aftershaves, deodorants and more. Piriton used to work to an extent but over the years it seems that I've built up some kind of immunity to them. Now, all I can do is sit back and suffer.
Clare Adams | 26/06/2007 00:22:00
I'm 34 and have suffered with hayfever every spring/summer since I was 7 or 8 years old and it sucks! I use prescription cetirizine (over the counter would be Zirtek) and find it quite effective but even more so since I have a teaspoon of bee pollen too. It's something my husband found online, sold by a beekeper, sweet-tasting granules and so far, I'd highly recommend it. I have asthma too, and it's not affected that at all.
PE Pembrokeshire | 26/06/2007 08:32:00
I have suffered quite badlywith hayfever since my late teens, despite growing up in the countryside and having no problems helping out during hay making time on local farms as a child. I tried all sorts of medication until I found clarityn which works really well for me. My GP worked with me to find something that helped including tablet, syrus, nose drops, etc. and now prescribes Clarityn although it has now become NeoClarityn for some reason. At the height of my hayfever I sufferred from April through to October but now I am in my late thirties and the symptoms are nowhere near as severe as they used to be.
Rick | 26/06/2007 15:49:00
I have suffered from hayfever since my teens. I seem to go a few years with minor sneezing followed by a terrible season,constant sneezing and eyes the size of golf balls. Medication doesnt seem to alleviate the problem, so just have to sneeze and bear it
Amanda | 26/06/2007 15:59:00
I first got hayfever when I was 12 - perhaps from starting to keep rabbits. I'm now 39 and the symptoms are no longer as severe. Symptoms usually commence a couple of weeks before Wimbledon starts and last for around 6 weeks. I take an over the counter medicine - Zirtec (I think!) once a day and this seems to do the trick.
Jill Hammersley | 26/06/2007 16:00:00
I started suffering from HayFever approximately 3 years ago for some reason. I found that I had trouble with oilseed rape, lime trees and also "the sun"! I tried over the counter remedies, nasal sprays etc. Piriton I could not tolerate but Clarityn seemed to ease the problem. I usually suffer from around the middle of April but when I travel up to Scotland for my holidays it just "disappears". My head clears and I lose my hoarse throat! The Midlands is notorious for chests and bronchial ailments. I suffer from all the classic symptoms of hayfever - runny nose, itchy eyes and ears, occasional nosebleeds abd feel generally unwell. I found relief quite by accident to the stuffed up nose I inadvertently ate half a teaspon of Horseradish Sauce and it had the effect of a strong sniff of smellling salts!!
Alex | 26/06/2007 16:14:00
Mine is so much worse this year! Feel constantly like I am about to come down with a throat infection. Sneezing is controlled by loratadine/clarityn although the one a day pills wear off about 3/4pm and so I tend to take 2-3 during the day. In recent weeks my eyes have been itching and I keep meaning to follow the Boots adverts and go and ask the pharmacist whether there is something extra I can do. Such a nuisance.
CD | 26/06/2007 16:17:00
I have suffered from hay fever all my life with severe eye and nose symptoms. It gradually got worse and about 5 years ago affected my asthma. I had to give up work and now I am virtually housebound from May to Sept due to the effect it has on my asthma. I have proven allergies to grass, tree and rape seed. I have seen a world known specialist and so far still on neoclarityn and piriton having tried other brands even at above liscenced doeses. The medical profession have been excellent but I am awaiting on funding to try new available medication which is extremely frustrating when companies are making medications that are of benefit yet the process to get them is so long and not always a positive outcome due to cost. The effects of this illness are underated by so many and I see many drug companies coming up with new ideas yet then once into the open market PCTs still being able to prevent the use of them. The one tiop that I would give to other sufferes is. If you want to try and have a small window open, place voile up at your window. Make sure it is a tightly woven pattern but it does catch some of the pollen and as long as it is washed frequently will help.
CD | 26/06/2007 16:17:00
I have suffered from hay fever all my life with severe eye and nose symptoms. It gradually got worse and about 5 years ago affected my asthma. I had to give up work and now I am virtually housebound from May to Sept due to the effect it has on my asthma. I have proven allergies to grass, tree and rape seed. I have seen a world known specialist and so far still on neoclarityn and piriton having tried other brands even at above liscenced doeses. The medical profession have been excellent but I am awaiting on funding to try new available medication which is extremely frustrating when companies are making medications that are of benefit yet the process to get them is so long and not always a positive outcome due to cost. The effects of this illness are underated by so many and I see many drug companies coming up with new ideas yet then once into the open market PCTs still being able to prevent the use of them. The one tiop that I would give to other sufferes is. If you want to try and have a small window open, place voile up at your window. Make sure it is a tightly woven pattern but it does catch some of the pollen and as long as it is washed frequently will help.
Sheri | 26/06/2007 16:39:00
I started hayfever symptoms in my mid teens, then they pretty much dissapeard until last year (I am 33). Last year in April I suffered terrible symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, itchy eyes (could hardly open them) sore throat, fever, lethergy, generally feeling very ill, as if i had the flu. It lasted forapprox 2 months, I think I must be allergic to tree pollen (birch?) I have had the same symptoms this year but they have all but gone now. I tried using tablets but they did not help much and as a singer, they dry up your thraot which is of no use to me. I use bendryl nasal spary and eat local honey. Have a prescription for eye drops but have a phobia about using them! I would love some alternative help and have looked into the nose wash bath thingummy. I am completely unable to function when the symptoms are bad - especially I cannot sing. The Dr just offered me a prescription for nasal spray and eye drops.
Chrissie | 26/06/2007 16:43:00
I have suffered with hayfever for may years. It started when I lived in the midlands and the farmers were planting fields of Rapeseed. I had to go past about a dozen of them twice a day. I used Loratadine tablets. I then moved away to the coast and it stopped. a few years ago the farmers down here started to plant it too though not too much round us. I started with the Loratadine again but have to use Flixonase as well now. I'm lucky that it only affects my nose. It runns for the whole time if I don't use the nasel spray.
Sam | 26/06/2007 17:12:00
I got hay fever aged 30 stuck in the lanes after a boiling hot Glastonbury Festival. Mine is classic - maddeningly itchy throat, ears, eyes, and sneezing. The ONLY thing that works is to hit it with all three - Zirtek pill, Flixonase nose spray, and Opticrom eye drops or whatever the generic names are......every day morning and sometimes evening if pollen count is high - this works! I also get really exhausted with it - lots of coffee helps.
tina | 26/06/2007 18:18:00
ive had hay fever since my early twenties.a neighbour was cutting her lawn and i started sneezing it has got worse through the years.i used to start in june but now start in may and go right through to the end of september.i have itchy eyes,ears,throat and sneeze alot with a runny nose.it can be uncomfortable breathing sometimes when im at my worst and i also feel like i have brain fog.i used to take neoclaratyn but have to take betahistine for other ailments which helps,nasal spray and eye drops.
Roz | 26/06/2007 20:39:00
I got hayfever at 12 I was visiting a local park as we did as a family every year when my eyes started to itch and began to swell I had to put on sunglasses to help ease the pain. The only thing that works for me is a tablet from my GP called Telfast
Rob de Nazar (world traveller) | 26/06/2007 20:59:00
I have always dealt with hay fever - from early childhood onwards. I remember retreating to a darkened room to gain relief from sneezing and streaming eyes. Since that time I have always worn dark glasses to reduce the effect of pollen, strong sunlight etc. If I remove my glasses at almost any time, even now, the sneezing returns. I do not use pills specifically for hay fever, but piriteze is useful for general allergies, inlcuding those I sometimes experience when living abroad.
Kirsty 26/06/2007 21:46 | 26/06/2007 21:47:00
Ive had my hayfever ever since my Dad died 17 years ago, I think Trauma set it off, I use homeopathic remedies and they work wonders and burn oils in the home. The worst time I get it is when the Rape fields are ready and when the blossoms are out. I have a runny nose, sneezing and really itchy red eyes.
Zeeny | 26/06/2007 21:53:00
I think I may have found a "miracle cure" for hayfever sufferers!!! My Grandmother first told me to try this a few years ago, and ever since doing it - my nasal hayfever symptoms have been tremenduosly reduced... Try to get some MUSTARD OIL, (can be found in most INDIAN grocery stores), and stick your finger firstly in the bottle neck of the oil, then, once your finger is adequetly coated in mustard oil, stick the same finger up your nostril and breathe in deeply... BE WARNED... It may sting/make your eyes water, but the benefit is truly astounding... just give it a try....I did & it helped me no end!!!
Dorothy | 26/06/2007 22:38:00
i suffered from hayfever since i was 16 year old anfd working in a crisp factory . when then pollen count is very high i'm very low energy andd didn't want to do much of anything. i was put on course of tablets,halers and injection of kenlogg which i had twice a year beore the athourize d put a stop to it now i'm on just tablets and inhalers . I keep a every close eye on the pollen count my getting Zirtek the pollen count straight to my mobile so i known which area to stay away from I start my Hayfever in February right thiough to november and if i'm lucky and don't get a cold i get to rest in December and January but as of yet I not managed to get a rest I always had i cold which leads to a chest infection and i us a Nebuliztor
diana | 26/06/2007 23:17:00
my hayfever , diagnosed by the Dr has got worse in the last few years. I'm 60 and fed up still having it. Steroid nasal sprays work best and relieve other symptons - throat , blocked ears, swollen eyelids ..... Receently have been told Imust take oral antihistamines all the time if it is ever to get better. I know I react badly to tree pollen especially plane trees. no have tried eating honey by the spoonful , tastes good but doesnt help. No telfast does not help my hayfever, but does clear urticaria
spidernan | 26/06/2007 23:29:00
Have suffered from hayfeaver since birth! Allergic to all kinds of animal fur, especially horses. Went on to become an accomplished horsewoman. My allergy to cats is controlled by Telfast at the moment although pollens do sometimes have an adverse effect even now.
tony.garrard | 27/06/2007 11:34:00
Hay ferver seems to be circular. I can go many years without suffering. This year it seems worse. Allergy relief is often very effective and within a few hours my congestion is alleviated
Natalie | 27/06/2007 18:29:00
I have suffered with hayfever since I was 14. It starts late May and usually goes through until the end of Juy. I have to take anti histamines, eye drops and nasal sprays. When it is really bad it sets off asthma and I have to use an inhaler. However if I travel to the coast my hayfever either completely or almost completely disappears.
Mel | 27/06/2007 21:51:00
I only started to suffer with hayfever when in my 40's and I didn't realise what it was for some time. I initially treated it with zirtek or somehting similar and sometimes had to use a spray too. It was an intermittent prolem and mainly gave me headaches and a cough but over the years the symptoms increased although they have never become very severe for any length of time. I now use alternative medicine to treat the problem and find this very effective and without nasty side effects. I use Magnesium Extra strength and it has made the problem much easier to deal with.
LAURA. | 28/06/2007 13:22:00
I have suffered from hay fever since i was 13 (I am now 28). My symptoms usually start in May time, i am constantly wearing dark glasses as my eyes are affected quite badly, usually they constantly water and are red and puffy. It does not help as i wear contact lenses and i usually have to take them out or just suffer. My nose constantly runs and i sneeze constantly, this will usually last 2 weeks and then it will go away for a couple of weeks. I take Piriton which i get on prescription, which helps with the cost as they give me a months supply. My symptoms usually go after i have taken about a weeks supply and then the tablets usually kick in. Unfortunately for me i think they take a bit of time to get into my system and start working. I have tried all different makes and i generally feel they all work the same and take the same amount of time to start releving my symtoms..
Jane Rimmer | 29/06/2007 12:53:00
I started to suffer from hayfever in my mid-twenties. I am most affected by grass pollen, I think, and get itchy throat, sore eyes, runny nose, etc. I use Benadryl, but I find that most antihistamines make me drowsy, so I only take medication at night. Previous years I have also used a Beconas nasal spray. My son suffered from hayfever from about 18 months old, although the doctors said he was too young to have it, I knew that's what it was, and he sufferes with it quite badly now (he's 16). He takes Telfast, which he has on prescription from the doctor, and a Beconase nasal spray, also on prescription. Neither of these seem really to deal with it, though. He suffers from about April, sometimes right through the summer. He is stoical, and just puts up with it most of the time, and doesn't let it spoil his life. The main problem is that he is a singer, and finds that sometimes it affects his voice.
Jill Tanner | 29/06/2007 15:12:00
I have had hayfever since I was at junior school. I remember going to have skin tests as a young teenager and then going on to have injections every other day at my doctors surgery; needless to say they didn't really work. The best treatmetn I ever had was a tablet called Pro-actidil, a slow release tablet taken I think the night before. I seem to have 'grown out' of it over the years but now find that my daughter has it, quite badly, too. I now know that I have allergic rhinitis so suffer all year round but generally only have to take an anti histamine when the tree pollen is bad.
dorothy | 29/06/2007 21:52:00
i suffer with hayfever and the symptoms can be quite bad i have itchy eyes with runny eyes and sneezing,i have pain in my sinusis and this can be awful at times.i tend to use piriton to help ease my symptoms.
Ray Percival | 30/06/2007 10:13:00
I suffer with hay fever that is brought on with the rape seed I started with it in 1991 when i was a night driver i get itchy eyes runny nose ,but i do not take anything i just ride it outbut must say i dont look faward to summer that much when the rape is out .
Tim | 30/06/2007 10:45:00
I have had sinus problems and have suffered from hayfever for as long as I can remember but now it seems to be getting worse. One of the side effects is snoring so I now use anti snoring strips at night. I have tried everything including Beconase. I find that Sudafed decongestant pump action spray is just as effective (and its on sale in "Superdrug" at the moment - BOGOF !) I also use Sinex pump action spray but find thats a bit like paint stripper and caused nose bleeds. I'm hoping to have surgery soon to widen the nasal cavities.
Caren | 02/07/2007 10:58:00
I suffered from hayefever severely as a child mainly itchy eyes and sneezing. At age 24 when I moved to a more industrial area I deveolped very severe asthma for which I was given ventolin tablets which turned me into a shaking wreck. I then moved onto a ventolin inhaler which helped slightly. However due to the constant coughing and tight feeling in my chest I was desperate to try anything that would help as my quality of life at that time was terrible due to lack of sleep etc. I tried chinese herbs which had to be boiled and reduced and drunk as a tea twice a day. This helped make the symptoms bearable but took up too much time. I then tried acupuncture which greatly reduced the symptoms and which I would definitely recommend. After having my children at age 30 and 33 I found my hayfever and asthma improved a lot (I have been told it can go either way with pregnancy) to a degree where I more or less stopped needing antihistamine or my inhaler. Now 5/6 years later it has got worse again and last year tried taking a spoonful of local honey each day. I have been told this has to be started a month before your hayfever usually begins. My symptoms were not too bad last year but don't know whether it just wasn't a bad year for hayfever or that the honey really did help but it is certainly worth a try. I now take neoclarityn twice a day, use a steroid and ventolin inhaler, haycrom eyedrops and flixonase nasal spray which make the symptoms bearable but leave me feeling sluggish especially in the mornings. I have a problem with not being able to wear contact lenses when suffering with itchy eyes and therefore cannot wear sunglasses which help protect. I haven't had support from my doctor but haven't really sought it for some years due to lack of interest in past. I am happy to be included in encyclopedia.
temple time | 02/07/2007 19:49:00
as a child i had the full works of asthma exma but no hayfever it was not untill i came to this country that my troubles realy started.my asthma and exma has dessepair.by this time i was 21 with my first son i must have being vonurable because my asthma has started up and i have hayfever at that time my dr was treating me for broncitice.i ended up in hospital the drs was wonderful they tested me for polin grass dogs cats house dust mite and every thing you can think of i was alergic to grass and pets but my lovely dog and i were not going to part the dr digonese me as asthamatic they gave me ventolin serevent beconase optecram eye drops i now take my medication every day before i go out and i am quite confident to travel where there is grass without snizeening my head off.my advice to any one go and discuss your symptons with your gp and they will give you all the help you need.
Pixie | 04/07/2007 10:30:00
I have suffeerd from hayfever all my life - my younger dys were blited by sneezing, runny nose & itchy eyes for at least 5 months of the year & it was miserable. Being at school & trying to do cookery was a nightmare having to kep washing my hands every time I blew my nose!! At some point, I was put on to an amazing drug, DIMOTANE LA, I took it once a day & if the pollen was high or it was windy twice a day - it solved most of my hayfever problems. Sadly someone decided that if while driving you had an accident & the police were involved & you were on Dimotane at the time you could be done for "driving while under the influence of drugs". Whoever thought that on up can't have hayfever very badly or suffer the symtoms very badly or they would have found an alternative which was effective. Now I take TELFAST once a day, usually am as it only lasts for so long & by the afternoon evening I am back to sneezing again.Again you can only take it once a day or the same problem arrises with driving. I have read about a new drug called GRAZLAX but my Dr says it has not been trialed here & ther are some potential problems with it - he seems not to be able to offer me an alternative but there must be something out there for those of us who really suffer with this problem.
Lynda | 06/07/2007 17:58:00
Have had hayfever on and off for last 30 yrs. Usually early in year.(april / may) This year suddenly had eyes and breathing changes in June. Luckily only usually lasts few weeks. Tho when it affects my breathing at night usually can be little uncomfortable. Needed to get an inhaler as breathing at night sometimes quite difficult. Only using neoclarytin, once a day and eyedrops when they are sore. I do always have manuka honey in the house as it can help with tightness and reduce the coughing in the night without the need for inhaler. For milder moments it usually works
Sarah Morris | 06/07/2007 22:08:00
I've suffered with hayfever since I was around 2 years old - I was playing in the garden and ran screaming into my mum who thought my eyes had been scratched out! My eyes are always worse affected - itchy, swollen, watery - sometimes they just close up completely - I've even been to casualty twice with severe symptons!
I also suffer with eczema and asthma (although this is generally very mild). I am allergic to grass - it sets my hayfever off and I can't sit on grass either as this gives me eczema on my legs/whatever has contact with grass.
I've found my symptoms do vary from year to year, but the last couple of years my symptoms have been very mild - I had heard that it runs in 7 year cycles, but I think this might be an 'old wives tale'.
I generally take certirizine now - I used to have it prescribed before it was available in the shops. I used to use piriton which was good but made me too drowsy.
susanxx | 08/07/2007 22:45:00
I have suffered since I was 8yo, I hated playing out as is was very bad with nosebleeds. I was prescibed the tablets still doing the rounds, the ever useless Piriton but they were and are a total waste of space. Sneezing was very bad for me, the eyes didn't really bother me but the itchy throat was painful and sore. I had many tablets over the years and then tried injections, I could not use a nasal spray as the nosebleeds came back if I did. I wnet thru a phase were I thought I had grown out of it, I'm now 52yo but I have just moved to the coast and to my horror I'm in trouble once more, sneezing and snotty, maybe I should move back to the polluted town I came from, at least I wasn't suffering like I am now!
Gary Barnes 13th July 2007 | 13/07/2007 15:28:00
Have suffered since a child and am 62 now, the symptoms got worse and reached a peak around the age of 25. It then levelled off and eased during my later years, I did have to move from one rural area as the cereal crops made me asthmatic during the summer.When I was young I was given injections but I still had to take other medicine, at the moment I take Mizollen which has been quite good but has not been as affective this year for some reason. I have tried Kinetic therapy but all that did was cost me money. My working life was affected considerably as sometimes the continual sneezing, steaming eyes and nose made working impossible.The healthcare offered is I feel quite poor as the Doctors only prescribe what is new as it comes up, I do not think that some take it very seriously at all, bit like a head cold" you'll be ok Tomorrow" My best advice is to coat your internal nostrils with Vic especially at night, I found this helped me breath better and eased the tickle in my throat that keeps me awake. My problem appears to be grass pollens but there are other things that get me to in some weeds.My best relief is when at the coast/seaside, my symptoms virtually disappear.
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