Hayfever

[Cuban Pete]

Hello everyone!

First thread I've started, I suffer terribly from hayfever and last year was pretty horrendous, does anybody have any recommendations?

I'm contemplating going to the Doctors and seeing if they can prescribe me stronger antihistamines maybe. (If I ring up now I'll probably just about be able to get in

Edited May 9, 2014 by Cuban Pete

[Whynot66]

I suffer pretty bad, this is my first glastonbury, docs won't help unless you can talk them into giving you a jab a week before. It works very well but they won't dish it out, my suggestion is (also my plan) would be a good antihistamine like Clarityn 1 a day or Piriton ( take around 4 am if possible, works better if your clear of pollen). then on top of that pack a nasal decongestant like otravine for the stuffy nose ( don't spray any more than the bottles says or it will run like a bitch) also an eye wash like Optrex Multi Action for the itchy eyes , I'd also recommend if you don't already have one an asthma inhaler like bricanil in case you get wheezy.

This is all key to me, did you know lack of sleep, too much alcohol and a crappy diet make hayfever worse?? Lol how convenient

[MrsRookin]

There are plenty of antihistamines available on prescription stronger that those you can buy over the counter. Depending on your symptoms then a steroid nasal spray and eye drops such as Opticrom may be useful in addition.

Re above post: the injections are not available in most areas (certainly not available here), and with the above options should be able to get reasonable control without this.

[frostypaw]

If you have hayfever and take antihistamines then do remember to be careful with your drinking

Most (or maybe all, MrsRookin could tell us) keep your liver rather busy and you can easily get dangerously drunk, not drunk-drunk but alcohol-poisoning drunk.

[Cuban Pete]

There are plenty of antihistamines available on prescription stronger that those you can buy over the counter. Depending on your symptoms then a steroid nasal spray and eye drops such as Opticrom may be useful in addition.

Re above post: the injections are not available in most areas (certainly not available here), and with the above options should be able to get reasonable control without this.

Edited May 10, 2014 by Cuban Pete

[Cuban Pete]

If you have hayfever and take antihistamines then do remember to be careful with your drinking

Most (or maybe all, MrsRookin could tell us) keep your liver rather busy and you can easily get dangerously drunk, not drunk-drunk but alcohol-poisoning drunk.

[Phil-itfc]

I've started using an allergy reliever bought from Lloyds Pharmacy for £15. It's basically a hand held device with 2 prongs which you stick up your nose, the prongs have infrared lights in them you stick it up your nose for about 3 minutes and it helps relieve the symptoms.

It sounds ridiculous, but it does work. I've used just that this year with no medications.

[Divein]

I ended up with an infected eyelash/eyelid last year due to rubbing my eyes too much. I tend to suffer really bad when I wake up and I struggle to sleep.

If anyone has any good tip or medication for hay fever I'm all ears so to speak.

I had the device thing that is mentioned above but it did nothing for me. I'll be taking tablets, nose spray and eye drops this year as always. I tend to find I suffer more when the weather is overcast or if the atomosphere changes. Like high and low pressure. In 2010 I was fine, really strange.

[frostypaw]

Divein - have you been to an opticians lately? Just a thought

If you're an eye rubber you're better off with soap+water than the handgels as that stuff is pretty nasty for eyes. mine get bleary in the evening, have to be a bit careful not to use the stuff

[wilko8]

I've got some fexofenadine prescribed by my gp, does the trick much better than over the counter stuff

[Divein]

Divein - have you been to an opticians lately? Just a thought

If you're an eye rubber you're better off with soap+water than the handgels as that stuff is pretty nasty for eyes. mine get bleary in the evening, have to be a bit careful not to use the stuff

[frostypaw]

just i had similar symptoms, finally told not hayfever but sheer bright light and more specifically high UV especially when normal light was a bit dimmer i.e. overcast

then they checked me for any glaucoma, but was alright, just a thought with what you said

[D-Low]

Suffer pretty bad myself too. I usually only get it in June (typical) and July but I've found Opticrom eyedrops the best. Completely stop all itching in the eyes for me.

I usually start using Beconase about a month before it usually comes on too as it helps to build up a resistance. Everyone is different though and I think we all react differently to certain treatments. I've been through all tablets and nose sprays but have found only these 2 work for me.

[Rosstitute]

I find Beconase and citirizine hydrochloride tablets help keep the hayfever at bay

[phil the shrew]

I find Beconase and citirizine hydrochloride tablets help keep the hayfever at bay

[dip]

Loratadine works better that citirizine hydrochloride IMO

[joe_bee]

My allergy got so bad one year I had to spend 4 hours recovering in the medical tent. Since then I've learned that some of the simplest methods work the best. Not tried the Vaseline one but that makes sense.

I find it really helps to wear a hat and sunglasses and most importantly, to make sure you wash your hands and face whenever you pass a water point. The pollen grains and dust are floating around in the air landing on you all the time. Your hands and face are totally coated in them. By rubbing your eyes, you're taking all the stuff that's coating your hands and rubbing it into your eyes. Wearing sunglasses will prevent some pollen from going in your eyes which reduces the urge to itch.

If you do feel like rubbing your eyes or nose, try to resist until you can wash the pollen off your hands first. Then rinsing your face will not only wash away the pollen round your nose and out of your eyes, it will also be really refreshing in the baking hot sunshine.

By wearing a hat, you prevent the pollen settling in your hair and coming off onto your pillow at night which should help a bit too.

Last Glasto, I didn't need any antihistamine (I did still have it with me just in case).

[geoffboycott]

I've started using an allergy reliever bought from Lloyds Pharmacy for £15. It's basically a hand held device with 2 prongs which you stick up your nose, the prongs have infrared lights in them you stick it up your nose for about 3 minutes and it helps relieve the symptoms.

It sounds ridiculous, but it does work. I've used just that this year with no medications.

[Rosstitute]

Loratadine works better that citirizine hydrochloride IMO

[SeaShells]

2 Loratadine and Beconase nasal spray all summer for me.

[Migraine]

My doctor prescribed fexofenadine and Avamsys

I suffer pretty badly during June with hayfever at the best of times so Glastonbury exasperates this. They worked pretty well last year I can't remember if I was bad on the Saturday or Sunday but there was one day where I double dosed on at least the nose spray, took it in the morning as prescribed and again in the afternoon I can't remember if I took a second tablet or not.

I am going to go down to my GP this week to see if there is anything else I can have this year to avoid the double dosing or at least to find out whether it's a problem doing that for a short period.

[MrsRookin]

Thanks, I think I've probably got some steroid nasal spray, I've also got some seriously strong antihistamines from having an allergic reaction, but not enough for the whole weekend, so may see if I can get some on prescription as I suffer pretty much all the time not just at glasto so maybe that may work in my favour.

Edit:

Sorry MrsRookin I remember seeing in a previous post you're a GP, is there a likely chance my doctor would prescribe based on those factors alone?

Edited May 12, 2014 by MrsRookin

[r0cky]

Often hayfever hits me really badly on the first day or so at Glastonbury. After a couple of days of 150,000+ people stomping on the grass, things improve.

I've been surviving Glastonbury on a combination of cetirizine and loratadine - luckily the onsite pharmacy sells these in packs of 30 (or 28).

I'm going to ask my GP about fexofenadine though now...

[rocks1ar]

Think I'm finally growing out of my hay fever after 21 years of hell...

[internetjef]

I always seem to get one day of savage hay fever each glasto. Al the antihistamines on earth cant suppress it on that day

Weird thing is it inst always the Wednesday. Last year (decent weather) it hit me on Saturday for some reason.

Was ok till then but the eyes completely closed up and nose was flooding for whole afternoon. Startled to settle down by 8ish then was fine again by back end of the Stones set. so strange

Appreciate that boozing and tiredness apparently makes it worse but so odd how it only seems to flare up once for me each time (even though dropping 1/2 loratadine a day and some beconase)

is this local honey shout a load of nonsense then?