It's that time of year...

[rjnicholds]

it's that time of year again where is hay fever sufferers all start to sneeze and itch and man, is it hitting me hard.
I've always had sever hay fever and have recently been taking multiple antihistamines to try and control it with still no avail.

What are my options and what do you all recommend to ease itchiness? I'd really prefer not to take steroids to help me, but even 180mg Fexofenadine and Piriton mid-day isn't doing me any favours and as a diabetic steroids are definitely not a good idea!

 

[Prem51]

I used to get really severe rhinitis (hayfever/grass pollen allergy). Even with strong prescription meds high pollen days were terrible with watering eyes, a continuously running nose and itchy painful palate. I used to take Telfast, which is only available on prescription now, but even that didn't help much. There were days when I could hardly breathe, and lay in a darkened room with the windows closed, and a wet flannel over my face to try to filter out pollen. I couldn't walk through parks or in the countryside. Telfast is stronger than the over the counter hayfever remedies, but it did make me sleepy. I also took a painkiller like paracetomol or nurofen to ease the painful palate.

I used to volunteer for every hayfever treatment trial I saw advertised. About 7 years ago I did one where I took grass pollen tablets for 12 weeks before the grass pollen season and during it, which desensitises you. It was amazing, apart from an occasional sneeze, I had no symptoms that year, and my hayfever has been less severe since then, and I just use pharmacy pills (Loratadine) now.

The grass pollen pills are now available, called Grazax. But the NHS won't prescribe them as they cost £2 a day, though they might for children. If you take them continuously for 2 years they are supposed to desensitise you completely. I did consider getting them privately, but that costs £100 for a private consultation, and you have to take the first pill under medical supervision as it can cause anaphylactic shock in some people. It then costs around £250 a month. If my hayfever was still as severe as it used to be I would pay that, but as it's not so bad now I think that is more than I would be prepared to pay. If I could pay the NHS the £60 a month it costs them, I would happily pay that, but that is not possible.

Do you find your bs meter readings and HbA1c go up during the hayfever season?

 

[rjnicholds]

I used to get really severe rhinitis (hayfever/grass pollen allergy). Even with strong prescription meds high pollen days were terrible with watering eyes, a continuously running nose and itchy painful palate. I used to take Telfast, which is only available on prescription now, but even that didn't help much. There were days when I could hardly breathe, and lay in a darkened room with the windows closed, and a wet flannel over my face to try to filter out pollen. I couldn't walk through parks or in the countryside. Telfast is stronger than the over the counter hayfever remedies, but it did make me sleepy. I also took a painkiller like paracetomol or nurofen to ease the painful palate.

I used to volunteer for every hayfever treatment trial I saw advertised. About 7 years ago I did one where I took grass pollen tablets for 12 weeks before the grass pollen season and during it, which desensitises you. It was amazing, apart from an occasional sneeze, I had no symptoms that year, and my hayfever has been less severe since then, and I just use pharmacy pills (Loratadine) now.

The grass pollen pills are now available, called Grazax. But the NHS won't prescribe them as they cost £2 a day, though they might for children. If you take them continuously for 2 years they are supposed to desensitise you completely. I did consider getting them privately, but that costs £100 for a private consultation, and you have to take the first pill under medical supervision as it can cause anaphylactic shock in some people. It then costs around £250 a month. If my hayfever was still as severe as it used to be I would pay that, but as it's not so bad now I think that is more than I would be prepared to pay. If I could pay the NHS the £60 a month it costs them, I would happily pay that, but that is not possible.

Do you find your bs meter readings and HbA1c go up during the hayfever season?

Maybe something I could enquirer as I'm still in education for a year. Do wonder if it may be too late as I'm obviously already suffering the symptoms just as you've mentioned (constant nose and eye itching, watering etc).

In reply to my bs readings, I don't notice much of a change but my diabetes has been quite strange as long as I've had it, constantly changing regimes back and forth, but for as far as I'm aware it doesn't have an impact thankfully.

 

[noblehead]

What are my options and what do you all recommend to ease itchiness?

My wife and kids suffer from hay-fever, my youngest son especially so. They get prescribed a drug called Loratadine which helps to some degree, maybe worth asking your gp if you haven't tried the drug already.

 

[Diamum5972]

I used to take over the counter antihistamines but when I was diagnosed T2 last October I found they sent my BG into orbit! I now get loratidine on prescription and it's made a heck of a difference

 

[Prem51]

I get Loratadine on prescription as I get free prescriptions being over 60, but it is quite cheap in Boots and on buy 1 get 1 half price at this time of year. It's called Boots One-A-Day Allergy Relief.

@rjnicholdsIf your hayfever is due to grass pollen it is worth trying to get Grazax, it might be too late for it to be effective this year, but if you can get a continuous prescription it should desensitise you for next year. It is up to your local Area Health Authority whether they will agree to fund it.
I had a letter from the Consultant in charge of the drug trials saying it was the only medication which was effective for me, but my AHA still refused to fund it. You have to go through your GP, and you could try arguing that severe hayfever is likely to effect your studies and exam performance as exams are during the hayfever season.

Also I find nasal sprays helpful, and I put Vaseline in and under my nostrils to trap pollen.

 

[Diamum5972]

The magnificent and majestic magnolias just bloomed all over DC and unfortunately, avoidance is my only cure....

I'm the same with lavender, it sets me off every time

 

[superwoman1964]

As a life long hay fever sufferer the most effective anti-histamine I have ever used is Acrivistane. It used to only be available on prescription but is now sold as Benadryl. Be careful though to not buy the One a Day Benadryl as that contains a different anti-histamine. Acrivistane can be taken up to 3 times a day although it's only at its very worst that I need all three. Loratadine is fine but I don't find it lasts all day.


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