Hayfever

[Heather]

Anyone else finding it really bad at the moment?

My eyes are only a little itchy, and I don't really get all congested, but I can sneeze and sneeze. Sometimes when out riding I can have a massive sneezing fit, but its mainly just after I stop, I can sneeze like, a million times.

Particularly bad in the evenings for me, even in the house I'm having sneezing fits.

I take the usual clarityn/piriton type stuff but doesn't work!

Anyone else get the weird post-ride sneezes?

 

[corshamjim]

My worse period for itchy eyes is much earlier in the year (must be some sort of tree pollen). I find wearing wrap-around glasses helps, and sodium cromoglicate eye drops 2 or 3 times a day.

I don't sneeze so much except if I've been drinking beer for a few evenings on the trot.

 

[Adasta]

Anyone else get the weird post-ride sneezes?

Yes. It's bizarre how this doesn't affect me during the ride, only when I stop cycling. Has it got something to do with the speed, perhaps?

 

[Nufab]

Yes. It's bizarre how this doesn't affect me during the ride, only when I stop cycling. Has it got something to do with the speed, perhaps?

I'm the same... it doesn't bother me during a ride, but afterwards my girlfriend will always say I've got red eyes. I generally find it worst in the evenings and during the night. As I was sick of paying for prescriptions or buying extortionately priced branded antihistamines, I bought a job lot off the internet.. I think it was about a tenner for nine packets of 30 tablets, which is just as well as I'm on about four a day at the moment! Its bad enough that I for the past week I've been woken up by it at about 2am and have to take one then too.

(before anyone suggests the internet-sourced pills are crap, I have to take just as many prescribed ones on a bad day....)

 

[abo]

Yes. It's bizarre how this doesn't affect me during the ride, only when I stop cycling. Has it got something to do with the speed, perhaps?

Same here, strange innit!

 

[Chilternrides]

Fingers crossed, I've been very lucky over the last couple of years; hardly been troubled at all - however for about the last (cough) years before that, I've struggled terribly to the point where my eyelids would swell and close completely, my shnozzle would become solidly blocked, and the soft palate at the back of my mouth would itch intensley - awful, awful feeling. My sympathies go to anyone suffering severe hayfever, it's bloody rotten.

I never found anything medicinally that really worked; eye drops were ok for temporary respite, but the best thing for me was to have a spicy meal - I don't know whether it was the ginger or garlic or any of the other spices, possibly a combination, but I do know my itchy mouth and blocked konk were soothed by this particular remedy.

Oh yes, no matter how much you are tempted try not to rub your eyes - it feels bloomin' grand while you do, but it's a lot worse when you stop - try to stick it out until the irritation passes, or whack some eye drops a bit smartish, but DON'T RUB!
Good luck, and I hope all you sufferers out there have a very short season

 

[Globalti]

My hayfever started when I was about 14 and thank God, has been dying out over the last five years (I'm 55 now).

I wouldn't wish hayfever on anybody, it's awful.

 

[Heather]

Not just me then!

I feel lucky I don't get all blocked up etc, just wish I could stop the sneezing

 

[calibanzwei]

Forget the brand and concentrate on the type of medication - most are cetirizine hydrochloride, but only loratadine (found out recently) works for me. I think there's only a third type available over the counter which is azelastine - they'll be mentioned on the box.

I was really bad the other week on the cetirizine - out in the middle of a wildflower meadow (with college), I was in a state - but the cycle back home I was (almost) fine. Sneezes and snot commences as soon as I got home. Bizarre.

Anyone else finding it really bad at the moment?

My eyes are only a little itchy, and I don't really get all congested, but I can sneeze and sneeze. Sometimes when out riding I can have a massive sneezing fit, but its mainly just after I stop, I can sneeze like, a million times.

Particularly bad in the evenings for me, even in the house I'm having sneezing fits.

I take the usual clarityn/piriton type stuff but doesn't work!

Anyone else get the weird post-ride sneezes?

 

[Highfire]

YES!!! Yesterday I was fine out riding early morning, but after I got home and had showered, the sneezing started and wouldn't let up nearly all day.

Come yesterday evening I was good for nothing, absoultely exhausted. Luckily today has been alot better and I've not felt anywhere near as lowsy.

 

[Seigi]

Hayfever has been pretty bad for me today, granted we were at a park just relaxing, took some piriton and my eyes were still a little bloodshot, having seasonal allergies suck :3

 

[The Dwaff Family]

My son suffers badly with hayfever, found he is worse normally from April, but the past few days he has had quite itchy/dry eyes but not as bad nasaly. Takes cetirizine daily each morning and Avamys nasal spray which has been a godsend as far as i'm concerned.

Sunglasses really help him if it is bad.

 

[gavroche]

Feel sorry for you lot. I don't suffer from anything and am very thankful for that.

 

[Cardiac]

The last couple of days (Sun-Mon) have been very bad here (Cambridgeshire), mainly due to the elevated temperatures I think. The rain today has cleared the air significantly.

For what it's worth - my hayfever started when I was 25 in 1983, then I've had it every June & July. The past couple of years it has been much less bad and I get the impression that it is going away at last.

 

[lulubel]

Forget the brand and concentrate on the type of medication - most are cetirizine hydrochloride, but only loratadine (found out recently) works for me. I think there's only a third type available over the counter which is azelastine - they'll be mentioned on the box.

It's the other way round for me. Cetirizine works better than loratadine. Anything that's "non-drowsy" never does anything for me. I've never heard of the 3rd one you listed, but the other one that's available over the counter in the UK is chlorphenamine maleate (Piriton, and Boots do an own brand equivalent that's slightly cheaper) - available from pharmacies only. It's the only thing that works for me if I'm really suffering, and I haven't managed to get it here in Spain.

The worst time for me here is May when a lot of the trees are flowering, but it's flaring up a bit again now.