Hayfever!

[chrisbainbridge]

I ache in every bone, my eyes are sore and swollen and my nose is running non-stop whilst being simultaneously blocked.  My weekend riding has disappeared as I cannot even find the energy to look at the bike.

I have taken, paracetamol, ibuprofen, steroid nose drops, eye drops and the lates thixotropic nose liner spray which stings in the nose when you spray it.

It is getting worse year on year.  I think I will have to look at desensitisation.

[Hot Flatus]

Have you tried Cetirizine?

[chrisbainbridge]

Thank you, All of the oral anti histamines cause the nasal secretions to become thick and tenacious.  This then leads inevitably to severe right sided maxillary sinusitis which then requires a course of strong antibiotics and many weeks of NSAIDS to get it under control.

I have also had the operation for my sinuses, performed by an acknowledged expert which has stopped the winter sinusitis but has left the hay fever sinusitis.

I think the choice is either leave the UK for the last 2 weeks of June/first week of July for the rest of my life or go down the desensitisation route.  My father had the same and had the desensitisation very successfully.  I thought about it when younger but the Committee of Safety of Medicines said it was very dangerous and it was essentially banned for many years.  However it now seems to be safe again.

[mcshroom]

The desensitisation therapy sounds interesting. I didn't realise it was available. I just about manage on a combination of cetirizine, loratadine, nasal spray and eye drops, but it tends to write of most off my cycling during June and early July unless the weathers rubbish.

I grew out of my hayfever for a few years but it seems to have come back with renewed vigour. I sympathise if you can't dose up on the tablets as well.

[Hot Flatus]

Thank you, .

Sounds horrendous. I was pretty much incapacitated by hayfever as a kid including very uncomfortable asthma. It backed off in my late 20s, and now I get really annoying symptoms if I don't take Cetirizine. Doesn't stop it altogether, but kills about 90%.

I'd hate to have to live my youth again, and I hope you find relief soon. It's a very underrated condition.

[chrisbainbridge]

My wife is now in full time employment and some distance away so I am on my own.  This has let me look at my life. Previously I would have doubled the NSAIDS and gone into work but I am not willing to do this any longer. I also want to enjoy my next 20-30years so either I emigrate for 2 months or I sort this.

[Pippa]

No longer a need for the allergy "shots" of yesteryear with many and repeat injections. For a few years now there has been Grazax and Oralair which are under the tongue (SLIT; sublingual immunotherapy) tablets for grass pollen allergy. I think the first tablet has to be taken in the physicians office, but after that done at home. Have to be taken for a long time (I think the recommendation is 3 years) and of course they don't work for everyone.

I believe the trick is to a) find a good allergist and b) be prepared to pay for them (don't think you can get easily get them on the NHS but that may have changed).

[chrisbainbridge]

Thanks Pippa, not heard of sublingual.

[T42]

You lucky buggers: at least for you it's seasonal.  I'm allergic to household dust, which is of course stirred up by hoovering & dusting, not to mention dogs lumping around. The only times I'm not red-eyed & sneezing are when I'm asleep or when I'm out of the house. Yesterday I came home from a ride during which I hadn't sneezed once, and within 5 minutes my nose began to prickle. Said to the missus that I'm in danger of nasal dehydration, I must blow a litre of snot per day. Bleh.