First decent weekend for a while and the sniffles and runny eyes start, despite the anti-histamine.
Any sufferers suggest any good control measures or medicines/sprays?

you are going to get a barrage of information on this as everyone is different, use the search forum as there have been numerous threads on this before.

I find nasal sprays don’t work, eye drops do and the only anti=histamine for me is 20mg of Cetirizine a day which on the packet sint’ recommended, btu my Dr said it was fine (to control my issues) and is one of the safest drugs out there so I could take it every day of the year as a preventative or just as treatment.

Have gone from having summers of misery to virtually no problems by using beckenase nasal spray and opticrom eyedrops. Apart from the odd day when i need to use the eyedrops for a second time…ive been fine. Hardly ever take tablets aswell now…as long as you always follow a routine ie even if you dont have symptoms, it seems to sort it all out…(father in laws a GP and he advises the throw everything at it approach…)

Loratadine tablets for the runny nose and sneezing. Sodium Cromoglicate eye drops to stop itchy, sore eyes. The eye drops were a revelation when I started using them.

Desloratadine (neoClarityn) made me drowsy so I tend to prefer Cetirizine tablets.
Just started using nasal sprays this year as well and I’ve been impressed. Seems to help me a lot.

nothing, had it like stink since i was 4 or 5, used to get sent home from school cus i couldnt see. used everything over the years in every conceivable combination, they all work a bit and then you need to change over.your best bet is to take nothing at all and let your body get better at dealing with it….virtually all medications list the exact possible side effects the same as the allergy itself. took me 35 years to realise that in the long term you are better off taking nothing…

I just throw any of the cheap non drowsy antihistamines at it – and in significant doses (up to 4 times the daily dose) That keeps it at bay for me. However, I did have major problem with my eyes over the w/e which I’m certain is related to the massive growth spurt brought on by all this rain. Will get the eyedrops referred to above and see if that helps…

Can’t say I would advocate beannierippers approach. I did SFA for the best part of two decades and my body singularly failed to do anything about “dealing with it.”

I use Beconase – it’s the only thing that works for me.

I’ve heard that if you eat honey produced local to your area it may help? Nectar + bee magic = hayfever relief?

Cetirizine Hydrochloride tablets and Beconase if the nose is really bad.

Cetirizine + sunglasses. There’s nothing better for runny eyes than a physical barrier IME.

Honey

I kid you not. I was very, very sceptical, but I dont mind the taste of it anyhow.

Last autumn I bought some local honey and used it over the winter. This summer I’ve had no hayfever at all.

I still can’t beleive its worked, but it has.

i tried the honey idea didnt like the taste of it at first so i started puting a spoonfull in my cups of tea instead of sugar ive got used to the taste now but dont think its helped the hayfever.

As above Cetirizine combined with Beconase nasal spray does the trick for me.

Tried Loratadine and it didn’t work as well for me.

Desloratadine – neoClarityn. Works great for me,

Like a few of those above, i’ve had hay fever for many years, with limited success managing it…
I got completely lucky this ‘summer’ – grabbed some tablets from the chemists, turns out they were not the usual Cetirizine or Loratadine active ingredients but acrivastine.
Tablets are Benadryl Relief (note, they use ‘relief’ on a lot of packaging so do check the active ingredient bit)
They promise to work in about 10 mins and they do. I use them with eye drops and, rarely (for me) the odd spray of beconase.
Thus far i’ve had just the one really bad day (the ‘just been pepper sprayed’ look…)

Last autumn I bought some local honey and used it over the winter. This summer I’ve had no hayfever at all.

Nothing to do with the rather rubbish weather? I’ve had no hayfever symptoms either this year and I have consumed no honey whatsoever. As honey is made from Netar and hayfever is caused by pollen, I can’t even see a mechanism by which it might actually help

Only Bendryl (acrivastine) is working for me this year, which is a pain as it’s not generic yet so have to spend way more than the others.

Worth trying loratadine, ceterizine, etc first – they’re cheap (as long as you don’t go for the branded ones) and move on if they don’t work.

Loritadine isn’t working so I’ve switched to Citrizine. Which eye drops are people using? I’ve bought some optrex, 10ml for £3!!!!! Haven’t had to use it yet, the Citrizine seems to be working

The past week has been really bad for me. Normally, 10mg of either Loratadine or cetrizine (supermarket own label) every other day would do me, but this last week, one of each once a day is just about keeping me snuffle free. Apart from a leaking right nostril. And tight lungs. And jack-all sleep last night.

I should stop taking them, if nothing more than I have no idea what the side effects are.

Gin.

Loratadine does the lot for me.

Everyone’s different so try a few things yourself.

Which eye drops are people using? I’ve bought some optrex, 10ml for £3!!!!!

The stuff that I use (although not this year!) is the Boots own brand version of the opticrom. The active ingredient is Sodium Crymoglycate and is normally found behind the counter rather than on the shelves and it cost much more than £3. N.B. if you wear soft contact lenses you can’t use them.

Staying clear of gluten and dairy has stopped mine completely.

If you like it eat local honey, must be a locally produced one as made from the same pollen giving you the reraction, so builds your immunity reducing symptoms…….from someone who used to really suffer, this really works

Avoiding refined sugar is the key for me… which is easy as I’m not much of a cake muncher but I do have to take care with certain foods that have a hidden/surprise high sugar content.

Beer/alcohol on a nice day is my downfall sometimes causing near instant sneezing fits and red dripping eyes… sometimes I just have to MTFU and live with the risk.

must be a locally produced one as made from the same pollen giving you the reraction

Honey is made from Nectar, not pollen.

so builds your immunity reducing symptoms

An allergic reaction is your immune system responding to an otherwise harmless substance. Given that your immune system is in effect “over-reacting” the last thing that you would want to do is is build it up.