Hay Fever - is April too early?

Tree pollen allergy causes symptoms at this time of year. I start taking loratadine in February

There are loads of of trees around us. They still look pretty bare but I guess they’re gearing up for spring. It sounds as though I’m going to have to take an A/H regularly, then. How long into the spring do you continue, Merlotgran?

I'm also taking antihistamines. I get at this time every year, I feel as if someone is sitting on my face and I've had a headache for days.
It usually morphs into an asthma flare up, so I'm trying to keep on top of it. ?

Sue my DH too first developed hay fever in his early sixties. It recently got worse and he has symptoms most of the year despite prescription medication.

That’s bad, Marydoll. My ds used to have severe asthma, some of which was related to allergies like birch pollen and moulds. Strangely, he never had hay fever itself.

That’s miserable for your Dh, Bluesky.

I was going to ask this question. We moved house last year, so this is our first spring here. The lounge overlooks the garden where there are two trees, I’ve never had hay fever before, but now have itchy eyes and sneezing especially early evening? Will it ease as it gets warmer, or should I take something now?

I’m on the antihistamine already this spring. It starts when the daffodils flower. For years I suffered from sinusitis at this time of year, and post nasal drip which kept me awake at night, coughing.

Than a friend suggested it might be hay fever. I was sceptical but I tried antihistamine - and it helped. I’m taking one Piriton in the morning and one at night (you can take up to six a day) and that does the job. Far safer than the Sudafed and other remedies I was taking for the pain and congestion.

The only thing that works well for me is good old fashioned Piriton. I've had allergies since childhood.

Tree pollen starts here early in March. It drifts a very long way on the breeze, too.

I wash my face frequently with cold water and even wear safety glasses (meant for DIY) indoors.

A word of advice if you care to try....don’t dry pillow cases outside.

I àm exactly like Marydoll. I dread another allergic Ashma attack.

The problem I had is when I read the instructions leaflet on some of my medication it said that there were contraindications with antihistamines.

As I'm on a 12 week lockdown, I was worried about having a reaction. However, my GP had phoned me about something else and I asked his advice.
He said to take them, as having an asthma flare up and chest infection in the present situation was downright dangerous!

I did find some improvement once I started

I am glad i have seen this post. What with working in the garden a lot over the last week and doing some long walks i have developed a really itchy eye and i thought i had an infection but thinking about it i had the same thing last year. I took piriton then so will restart myself on some right away, must be some lurking in the medical box somewhere.

Coincidentally I had a conversation with my daughter, who's a nurse, about this yesterday when I mentioned that I've got hay fever and she remarked 'it's a bit early for that mum'...but like others here, I didn't start getting it until I was in my 60's, but back then it didn't start until April. Now the joys of hay fever - itchy skin, sneezing, sore eyes, etc, starts in the middle of March, and antihistamines are the only thing that stops it.

I have been suffering because the weather has been dry and windy here blowing the pollen in through the windows. We have them open to air the house.
I think the mild winter is to blame. I am also sensitive to dust and certain chemicals, so the extra cleaning we've been doing isn't doing me any favours.
My bedding is one thing that never gets line dried.

My resident GD has always suffered,hers starts in february,this year it was earlier,at the beginning,eye drops used since,always her eyes affected.

I have very severe hay fever and take fexophenadine a nasal spray and eye drops daily. If I go near rape seed then I will often have an asthma attack. I cannot remember ever not having hay fever!

The tree pollen is March/April this can bring about different reactions to other pollens, for me it seems to get my eyes the most.

I would suggest trying the nasal sprays and drops before OTC drugs.
Piriton, Claritin and similar drugs can carry a lot of side effects.
The prescription drugs tend to be a bit more sophisticated,I don’t have a single side effect.
There are many old wives tales such as eating comb honey, Vaseline on the nose etc.
None of them have ever worked for me!
Although the meds give me huge relief it’s never total, my only true respite is on holiday abroad by the sea.

My watery eyes and runny nose usually start around the end of March and is worst if I am at DS's home as he has a field and hedges behind the house.
I did some research and I think mine is caused by the Hawthorn.

I take antihistamines right through the summer, SueDonim although my symptoms change from tickly cough and stuffed up nose to runny nose and itchy eyes once grass pollen becomes an issue.

I spend most of my life in the garden so I just have to put up with it.

Sorry SueDonim i have hayfever from January through to the end of October/early November. Didnt have hayfever until i was in my early 30s and moved to the S.E England.

It could be birch pollen as that is one of the earliest to cause a problem or other tree pollen.
DD is a sufferer; she used to get into a dreadful state as a child. We tried everything from local honey (it has to be very local to you) through homeopathy but only prescription eye drops, nasal spray and antihistamine worked.
She was better when she lived on the coast.

I was a late developer of Hay fever as well. The posts about tree pollen are accurate. Some people advocate using anti-histamines all year around.

As Callistemon says, birch tree pollen can be a real problem at this time of year as it is wind-borne ( I have a large one in my garden). I suffered dreadfully from hay fever as a child, but grew out of it in my teens, and rarely seem to suffer much now, but I know how miserable it is.

Does anyone else get an itchy nose this time of year? It drives me crazy. I also sneeze a lot and my eyes get irritated - mainly in the evening. I will take a 1 a day Clarityn - we have them for the dog when she gets itchy (on vets advice as cheaper) but I think I need them now!
Thank you for all the posts and I have just bought (brought?) my pillow cases in from the line - only been out there a few minutes!

I didn't test positive for hay fever because I'm not affected by the grasses but I'm allergic to tree and bush pollen which starts in early Spring.