[Closed] STW Doctors - a hayfever injection Q

Is there any truth in what i'm told by a friend (pharmacist) that a big reason for some GP's not prescribing the injection is cost?

Not a doctor, but I would imagine cost would certainly be a factor.
Turns out the NHS doesn't have an infinite amount of money.

Turns out the NHS doesn't have an infinite amount of money.

Okay. Never heard of it to be honest.

Have you tried nasal sprays (either steroid or antihistamine) - work well for me after I noticed antihistamine tablets didn't seem to be quite cutting it.

limits on prescribing hayfever injections? a raft of info on that internet.

took me about a minute to find a doctor who'd give injections on the private down there in englandshire. £200 (inc consultation) for grazax, £100 (inc consultation) for kenalog. ker-ching.

From what I was told a long time ago by a doctor, in the past the injections weren't really done in a safe way, and several people had adverse ( terminally so ? ) reactions and the whole thing was rather discouraged.

Tablets (having finally stumbled on the one that worked for me) and, from this morning (and therefore, from experience, the next 6+weeks) on nasal spray and eyedrops....
My 'misery' is much < than sweet fanny adams compared to much out there - I would just love to know why I cannot have the injection... like I say - I would pay for it....
(Guess I could find somewhere to do it 'privately' but i'm not one for going against 'doctors advice')

ah, as I typed I see Swiss01 found that private is an option...

cranberry - i had the injection many moons ago, + 20 years or so, worked fine... fully appreciate my body has changed in the interim though...

I used to get one at the start of every summer. The army/navy aren't shy about giving them out. It worked an absolute treat every time.
If I get bad this year, I'll probably go private and get some kenalog goodness injected into my arse. £100 is a bargain. It's apretty big needle though (you'll have two holes in your arse for a while)

I get it really badly, it makes my nose bleed and my eyes go completely bloodshot or swell so much they close completely at it's worst. If this injection is something I can pay for then i'd love to have it! I had it one year on the NHS when I was a kid. Best summer ever.

I take it (the OP) is referring to Triamcinolone (Kenalog) injections?

The official reason for the discontinuation of routine administration of Triamcinolone injections for seasonal allergies is that its previous (fairly widespread) use ran counter to guidelines for restricting the use of steroids to only the most serious of conditions. This is due to the complications that can arise from using steroids.

The cost implication is fairly likely to be a red herring as the BNF list price in the edition I have in front of me for Triamcinolone is 40mg/mL, 1mL vial = £1.70, fairly cheap compared to some of the stronger antihistamines.

it makes my nose bleed and my eyes go completely bloodshot or swell so much they close completely at it's worst.

It's apretty big needle though (you'll have two holes in your arse for a while)

The army/navy aren't shy about giving them out. It worked an absolute treat every time.

Wrecker - Being ex-RAF and a hay fever sufferer I'd say the opposite is true in my experience.

On joining the RAF I had no problems at all getting Triamcinolone injections but as the issues relating to use of steroids became more publicised it became increasingly difficult to convince a doctor to prescribe it. Eventually this lead up to the farce that I faced the last time I has a Triamcinolone, having to travel (at MOD expense) to RAF St Mawgan from my base in the Midlands because the only doctor the RAF medical services knew who would still prescribe it was based there.

Luckily (touch wood) ageing has been kind to me and the effects of my hay fever have diminished.

I had the injection in 2004 and although it cured my hayfever I then got a really bad dose of chest and facial acne( at 36)
Although I cannot pin point this directly to the steroid injection it was the only thing I had different in that year
BTW it was REALLY bad and took a further two years to clear
I still have the scars on my chest
Buyer beware

My hay fever is just finishing off for the year. Tree pollen gets me, so once the blossom goes, I'm fine.

Nasal spray is the way to go. i was told the allergy is a reaction in your sinuses to pollen. Nasal spray treats your sinuses, so is a lot more effective and direct than any medication.

Strange. They were too keen to get it in (I was convinced they'd have forced me to have it even with relatively mild hayfever)
This was a RM barracks though, so maybe they understood the implications of sneezing whilst setting an ambush.

Yeah this is a picture from the med tent at Glastonbury a few years ago...

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While we're on the subject of this... does anybody else not get a reaction when you're in a different country?

i was told the allergy is a reaction in your sinuses to pollen.

There are various ways the hay fever affects individuals but most commonly it is the same as any other allergy. The body's immune response to an allergen (in this case pollen) causes a release of histamines into the blood causing vasodilation and a release of other chemicals that cause irritation throughout the body. It is this vasodilation and release of chemicals that in turn causes issues such as wheezing, itchiness, sensitively of the sinuses (more sneezing) and sensitive eyes (more itchiness and runny eyes).

This was a RM barracks though, so maybe they understood the implications of sneezing whilst setting an ambush.

Whilst I wasn't a pilot I can imagine the implications of having a sneezing fit whist flying bloody fast at low level is fairly serious!

And yes, whilst you can't join the RAF (or any of the smaller flying military branches) with hay fever late onset hay fever would not ground someone already in post.

Whilst I wasn't a pilot I can imagine the implications of having a sneezing fit whist flying bloody fast at low level is fairly serious!

does anybody else not get a reaction when you're in a different country?

I'd always imagined that Pilots get what Pilots want!

The implications of giving something that is arguably 'off label' to a pilot is slightly more serious than giving it to a booty if things go wrong, especially as a pilot's medical records are one of the first things pulled if an aircraft makes like a tent peg.

Hell of a call to make in these increasingly risk-adverse days.

Hell of a call to make in these increasingly risk-adverse days.

To clarify - I was thinking of immunotherapy injections, not steroids.

Mainly it's about side effects not cost (I'm a GP).

If you're talking about the steroid injections people used to get - they work but corticosteroids are nasty long-term. If you're talking about desensitisation injections then they're specialist clinic only as occasionally people have severe (even fatal) reactions. The injections are given in the clinic. We're normally not allowed to refer to those specialist clinics as they're 'tertiary referral only' (though it does vary between regions) - so you have to go see a consultant who then makes sure you've tried all the standard treatments and if s/he deems your case severe enough they refer you on. Then the allergy consultant assess you and sees if your case is severe enough. Most people's hayfever isn't deemed severe enough.

Most of the time with the NHS - if you need something you get it, even if it's expensive. If there's a cheaper alternative that's just as effective then we try prescribe that to save some money. The obvious exceptions are the higher profile drugs and procedures but they get rationed at a higher level.

Private clinics offer it of course.

Had terrible hayfever throughout childhood, itchy eyes (so bad they closed up) and associated eczema (seeping bloody sores on ankles/wrists) being the worst symptoms. Tried everything, but nothing worked and tablets (Piriton and Triludan) just made me drowsy. Exams were a write-off right through my education. Was refused the mythical injections.

Didn't get at all in SE Asia, did get badly in South of France.

Now late 30's and I've either largely grown out of it or found a partial solution in Beconase spray and Opticrom eye drop, office work with a fan.

Last week was terrible for hayfever eyes though, and yesterday one eye got so itchy (and it's sooooo good to rub them) that I got what I can only describe as a mushy eyeball. Admitted to eye-hospital today, and they said was allergic conjunctivitis.

Must be bad pollen counts at the moment I guess?

I think the 'rain easing hayfever' thing is a myth too, seems to give me bad evenings sometimes.

Roll on July.

Have you tried local honey? I was completely sceptical about it but a local shop was selling some last year and I thought id give it a go, more because it tasted nice than I thought it would do anything.

This year so far I've had nearly zero hay fever symptoms apart from the occasional sneeze which is amazing, I normally suffer every year

CSB I was always told rain makes it worse as the rain throws pollen up into air, I notice I get it significantly worse after rain. Hayfever very individual I get chronic hayfever including facial swellings, nasal sprays don't work but cetirizine does.

Many years ago I was having these. When I changed GP he told me that he didn't like them as they caused muscle wastage over time. Being pre internet days I could not easily verify this claim so never challenged the ascertain.

I had one once and came out all spotty on chest. Didn't sneeze through.
I've happily grown out of it since and on the very odd days it does strike cigarettes, chocolate and strong coffee keep it under tabs. Whilst sitting in the bath. Works for me!

Thanks for all the replies - especially dr bonjye.

Tablets, eye drops and nasal spray appear to have things mostly under control.. I'd like to think i'm 'growing out of it' after 25+ years of it but, i'm not too sure....

Whilst sitting in the bath