Hay Fever and A Summer Easterly

[Timmytour]

I'm not a hay fever sufferer myself but my wife is. the past week or so she seemed to have had it particularly bad. She went to the doctor and got some new medicine and it has improved somewhat.

But I was wondering...would the easterly flow of air at this time have made it worse? And could it be that rather than attribute the improvement to the new medicine, might it just be the coincidence of the change in the direction of the wind that is to thank?

She often cites the roses coming out as something which exacerbates the problems and sure enough it's that time of year. But I'm wondering just what impact the wind direction had, and has in general. I know different things affect different sufferers, but has anyone else experienced a change in the severity of their hay fever over the past few days?

[The PIT]

I think it's more of case of plants responding to the recent rain and getting the pollen into air after the recent rain. I noticed a lot people sneezing though but it's not effecting me though.

[Snowyowl9]

Its earlier this year perhaps the warm east/SE wind of early may has brought it forward.

Last year was the least I`ve ever had hayfever just a few odd days in mid-June then a couple of days in september all thanks to the heavy rain.

[SnOwFeSt]

Remarkably, my hayfever is the best it has ever been this year (for some odd reason!) Although I'm still needing nasal spray + eye drops, I've laid off the tablets + I'm getting undisturbed sleep, not suffering from lungs/ nasal passages swollen + full of phlem (as is usual at this time of year) etc!

Might just be my immune system (finally) seeing sense rather than weather conditions though!

[wkdboy1]

I have hayfever, but I usually take hayfever pills and they work, but recently they just dont seem to be working, and i have no idea why, anyone else know?

[Andy Bown]

How recently have you had worse symptoms? Even the strongest pills won't stop all symptoms when the pollen count is high. It's certainly high here now with grass pollen responding to several days of warm sunshine after all the rain earlier in the week and a breeze is blowing the pollen around too.

[Cookie]

my hay fever have got worse in past week

[J07]

Try smearing vaseline around your eyes and nostrils, when all else fails this helps me a hell of a lot. Especially around the eyes.

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Interesting some people are later or earlier this year. For me its later, but going on theory, its likely to be dependant on which plant(s) pollen you are allergic too.

Went to the docs about 2 weeks ago and got some tablets, which are working, but i'm having to compliment them (like last year) with some decongestants.

Regarding tablets not working, I had this conversation with my GP last year. What I didnt realise is that tablets may work one year, but may fail the next. I dont think I had an explanation why, but it just the case. I've flipped to new tablets this year, and they seem to be ok, but the ones last year worked also (but I started off on the ones last year from the year before, and they didnt work last year).

My understanding of it is that an antihystimine (sp?) is generic, and there arent specific chemical versions that block the reaction to specific pollens. If only they could invent that, then it would be a relief to so many suffers

But hey ho, it could be worse.

[Bobby]

Mine is bad lately. The tablets have got rid of the most of the symptoms but the pollen is still irritating my eyes. Roll on autumn.

[Paul]

Grass pollen is pretty high at the moment, I think it was quite slow to get going this year with the first week or so of the season having fairly low values.

Don't forget you can see the pollen forecast here:

http://www.netweather.tv/index.cgi?action=pollen;sess=

[Cookie]

not to be critical or anything but, england gets 8 boxes for the pollen and Scotland only gets 2, would ti be possible to get more?

[Greyowl]

For anyone who buys hayfever meds.

Seems to be a bit of a price war between some internet suppliers.

http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/

http://www.chemist-4-u.com/home.php

[Shiny_Bottom_1]

Interesting GO. Although my only concern on the first link is to some 39p hayfever tablets. The packaging says citrizine dihydrochloride, yet the description uses citrizine hydrochloride. Its small things like that that make me a little dubious (as although the active is the same, chemically it should be different and may work in the body at a different rate/way).

Also interesting, as i'm currently supplimenting my hayfever tablets with decongestants...more expensive by over 10% on the online pharmacy.

Just call me extra cautious....

[Azores Hi]

Interesting GO. Although my only concern on the first link is to some 39p hayfever tablets. The packaging says citrizine dihydrochloride, yet the description uses citrizine hydrochloride. Its small things like that that make me a little dubious (as although the active is the same, chemically it should be different and may work in the body at a different rate/way).

Also interesting, as i'm currently supplimenting my hayfever tablets with decongestants...more expensive by over 10% on the online pharmacy.

Just call me extra cautious....

I get mine on prescription, I trust the quality and it's about 1/4 the price of the named brand in high street. I tried supermarket own brands and they didn't control my symptoms as well as the named brand.

[Paul]

not to be critical or anything but, england gets 8 boxes for the pollen and Scotland only gets 2, would ti be possible to get more?

It's not under our control, we have the data supplied to us by the National Pollen and Aerobiology Research Unit (NPARU) and they are all the regions that cover.

[Cookie]

oh right sorry I didn't know that I TAKE THAT BACK.