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Topic split - hay fever medication (Read 4284 times)

Bradders

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Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 03:41:03 pm
I'm constantly exhausted due to hayfever and the meds I have to take for it.

This is probably really basic advice but have you tried switching drugs? There’s Loratadine and Cetirizine- either will sort your symptoms out to some degree but one of them will also make you constantly tired- which one that is seems to vary from person to person.

Yeah, have also tried Fexofenadine which once made me pass out at work. All seem to have varying levels of effectiveness and all leave me feeling exhausted.


I really hate this time of year for bouldering, it's always too hot or humid and I'm constantly exhausted due to hayfever and the meds I have to take for it. Really frustrating. Cannot understand how other people just seem to be able to carry on functioning.

I've always wondered this. Even if I didn't sport climb during the summer, I wouldn't even contemplate bouldering in the heat. Good effort sticking with it.

Ha, it's not great, going to try and do some sport I think.

Stu Littlefair

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#1 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 03:48:45 pm
The hay fever thing this time of year is a nightmare for some of us. As well as feeling tired my joints get puffy and my knuckles sore, which isn't conducive to climbing hard.

I've found the fluticasone propionate nasal sprays to be a partial fix...

tomtom

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#2 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 04:23:03 pm
The hay fever thing this time of year is a nightmare for some of us. As well as feeling tired my joints get puffy and my knuckles sore, which isn't conducive to climbing hard.

I've found the fluticasone propionate nasal sprays to be a partial fix...

Stu - is that the one branded as Pirinase? If so that’s what I switched to a couple of years back (been a 40 year plus sufferer..).

Otherwise the Zirtek (citrizide?) and beconase combo works ok.

Even if the drugs mediate the symptoms - on bad pollen days I feel really whacked out... as if my body is still fighting it even though my nose and eyes are not streaming.

Stu Littlefair

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#3 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 05:02:25 pm
Stu - is that the one branded as Pirinase? If so that’s what I switched to a couple of years back (been a 40 year plus sufferer..).

Otherwise the Zirtek (citrizide?) and beconase combo works ok.

That's the badger

cheque

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#4 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 05:08:34 pm
While we’re on hay fever meds, I used to think that getting boxes of 30 Loratadine pills from Wilkos for £1.50 each was the smart move- it certainly is compared to £3.50 for 7 Clarityn from my local Tesco.

But with lockdown and not walking past Wilkos twice a week on my way home from work I looked online and got 240 hits (so more than a year’s supply) for less than four fuckalls from here:greed:

Stabbsy

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#5 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 05:11:48 pm
Stu - is that the one branded as Pirinase? If so that’s what I switched to a couple of years back (been a 40 year plus sufferer..).

Otherwise the Zirtek (citrizide?) and beconase combo works ok.

That's the badger
Apologies for keeping this OT, but Zirtek/Beconase (or unbranded equivalent) is my combo of choice. Interesting that you mention feeling whacked out, I'd noticed my hayfever had been bad this year but just assumed the tiredness was having a 15-month old and still trying to run/climb.

tomtom

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#6 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 08:36:32 pm
Try pirinase stabbsy - seems to work about as well - and with less zonking side effects. Though 7.50 for 2-3 weeks supply...

The things that have helped me most through are (a) cars with pollen filters and AC (b) pollen filter fan air purifier things for the bedroom.

cheque

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#7 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 09:32:33 pm
I'd noticed my hayfever had been bad this year

Bear in mind that it can change throughout your life as well. I used to suffer with it terribly when I was a kid (my first memory is of having hay fever!) and had really bad symptoms despite using pills, nasal sprays, eye drops etc. but at some point in my early twenties my symptoms got far milder and these days I’m OK with just one pill a day no matter what- I get some symptoms, particularly at this time of year, but nothing I can’t manage and very little in my eyes, which is what I used to suffer with the most. I know a few people who’ve picked it up later in life and/ or lost it again.

Stabbsy

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#8 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 22, 2020, 09:52:52 pm
Yep, was aware of the variation over life - my dad developed it in his fifties having never suffered before. Mine’s varied a fair amount, but I think a lot of it has been to do with location and whatever crops were grown in that area. I think rapeseed is one of the things that sets it off - I suffered in Arapiles and that was the main crops there. Not sure what it is in Sheffield that’s triggered it.

JohnM

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#9 Re: Topic split - hay fever medication
June 23, 2020, 09:10:04 am
Another option to drugs is just moving to another country! I have barely had any hayfever since I moved to Austria but I used to suffer terribly in the UK. Some days it felt like my whole head was blocked and I couldn't even think properly or concentrate at work. Here the tree pollen was so bad in spring you could see it in green clouds swirling above the trees and the surfaces of the lakes turned yellow/green. However, my body didn't seem to give a shit about this pollen (although it affected my girlfriend badly), but a little bit of rapeseed and it brings me down. I used to buy the pills with loratidine and cetirizine but in reality these were not very effective for me, it was only because they were cheap. The only effective pills were Benadryl that contains acrivastine. These are pricey but admittedly I didn't explore any cheaper options online. Nasal sprays could also be effective but they take a while to build up and I was a bit slack taking it regularly.

 

tomtom

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Or move to the coast (possibly a less drastic option!)... when I lived in Aberystwyth if I was having a bad hayfever day a quick stroll by the sea would clear things up quickly.

rich d

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Or move to the coast (possibly a less drastic option!)... when I lived in Aberystwyth
that sounds more drastic than Austria!

nai

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And not guaranteed to work.  Having only experienced it once previously I had it bad* in Pembroke and the Gower last year.

edit: * obviously only having had it once it probably wasn't that bad, I could still finction but with a constant bastard in the temples, cheeks and gums. 
« Last Edit: June 23, 2020, 10:43:03 am by nai »

tomtom

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Ha! I used to cut the grass (1/4 acre) then jump in the car to the beach for detox...

jwi

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The only allergy medicine that has worked somewhat well for me is https://www.parafarmacia-online.com/rino-ebastel-10-120-mg-7-capsulas

As it contains pseudoephedrine, a very good precursor if you want to cook up some amphetamine in your garage, Spain is the only country in Europe where you can get it over the counter, afaik. I usually buy a year's worth of it when going to Spain for climbing -- as it is quite expensive pharmacies rarely carry more than one or two packs.

JohnM

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Do you not get any side effects from the pseudoephedrine? I think I have had that stuff from Spain and it definitely works in clearing your head but the side effects of the pseudoepherdrine are too much for me so I avoid it in all medications if possible. I get heart palpitations and feel on edge!

Bradders

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You wouldn't notice your symptoms anymore I suppose  :lol:

Mine has definitely improved over the years. I used to wake up in the morning and have to peel my eyelids apart due to the crust that formed overnight  :sick: but nowadays it seems to have changed to a more consistent low level irritation and this constant fatigue. I'm now just addressing it with more coffee than I would normally have.

Nasal sprays also definitely help; using Beconase morning and night which makes a noticeable difference.

Paul B

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Yep, was aware of the variation over life - my dad developed it in his fifties having never suffered before. Mine’s varied a fair amount, but I think a lot of it has been to do with location and whatever crops were grown in that area. I think rapeseed is one of the things that sets it off

I've been suffering recently and I'm putting it down to spending a lot more time (hrs) outside where I live (which is pretty rural). It was fairly bad last week as I was asked to "open my eye" sat on the sofa and it was already fully open! I've got two boxes of tablets, both seem to do nothing (Sainsbury's Cetirizine hydochloride) although one does nothing plus makes me unsafe to do anything (Boots' Chlorphenamine maleate).

Pirinase sounds worth a go, so thanks.

tomtom

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Beconase (or equivalent) is worth a shout too Paul. Though its cumulative - I used to start taking it a week or two before the season started.

SA Chris

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Do you not get any side effects from the pseudoephedrine? I think I have had that stuff from Spain and it definitely works in clearing your head but the side effects of the pseudoepherdrine are too much for me so I avoid it in all medications if possible. I get heart palpitations and feel on edge!

It's in many OTC cold remedies. https://www.lemsip.co.uk/collections/pharmacy-only-products I can't take them, due to the side effects you mention, as well as insomnia, but it's almost impossible to buy cold remedies without it or phenylephrine these days.

jwi

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Do you not get any side effects from the pseudoephedrine? I think I have had that stuff from Spain and it definitely works in clearing your head but the side effects of the pseudoepherdrine are too much for me so I avoid it in all medications if possible. I get heart palpitations and feel on edge!

No, luckily I have not experienced any side effects at all. I can even take them just before going to bed and sleep normal.

Bradders

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It's that time of year once again.

One thing I'm noticing at the moment is my scores on the fingerboard. Since March I've been consistently doing two sessions per week (one in rest weeks), so I've been able to track the weight used. In theory training with that consistency and frequency should lead to gains right? But on a total load basis I'm currently about 10-15% off where I was in March!

I'm wondering whether the general sense of fatigue also translates through to an impact on the central nervous system, and your ability to recruit maximally. Anyone else had any experience with similar?

teestub

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I don’t think you can underestimate the effect of conditions on fingerboarding, even on a bigger hold with 8 fans blowing, 25 degrees and 80% humidity is always going to lead to poorer results!

My performance consistently gets worse in the summer then improves again in autumn, I don’t think this is due to being doped up on Loratadine!

lagerstarfish

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I'm fairly new to hayfever, developed in late 40s.

Fexofenodine and Pirinase doing an alright job, but got bad again this week

anyone tried the jab - Kenalog?

I've spoken to a couple of people recently who swear by it

lagerstarfish

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pseudoephedrine HCL is still available OTC in UK

Boots own brand basic non-drowsy decongestant is 60mg of the good stuff - I can only handle half a pill at a time


tk421a

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Triple combo of fexofenadine, nasal spray (beclomethasone) and eyedrops (sodium cromoglicate) works for me.
If you're using nasal spray are you using it right? https://www.allergycliniclondon.co.uk/allergy-treatments/nasal-spray/

peewee

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I've suffered with hayfever all my life but since i had what was technically a nose job to open up my left nostril so i could breathe through due  to it being blocked by scar tissue from my hair lip/cleft palate. After the op i was prescribed Avamys nasal spray to be used everyday all year round due to the range of allergies my genetics have give me. I've found it to be amazing at controlling the symptoms although it doesn't complete stop the irritation from the eyes. I don't think its something you can get over the counter but if you can get it its by far the best thing I've used over the years

 

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