Best hayfever tablets?

Katyj I'm the same with over the counter ones. They make me feel so horrible I'd rather have the hayfever!! I used to just get stuff to help with individual symptoms eg eye and nasal drops, but I now cant have anything with a decongestant due to other medicstion I take so nasal drops are out. Practice nurse suggested some prescribed ones to take all year round so when things are back to normal I'll ask the doctor if I can try them.

I have fexofenadine on prescription and use Dymista nasal spray, prescribed by an ENT consultant who did a test to see what caused my allergy - tree pollen, particularly birch. At the moment, the tree pollens seem to be worse than last year.

Granny23 I buy antihistamines from Amazon ,my OH takes one every day for cat allergies(we have 2 cats) I get a whole years worth for under £10 ,he wont hear of re homing his "girls"

I think some people need Larotodine (sp?) and others need Cetirizine, it just depends on you. In our family most of us us one but my granddaughter uses the other.

My daughter has suffered with hay fever ever since she was small. At the last visit, she was told they had stopped doing her medication on prescription and she should now go to the chemist and buy over the counter. It seems it depends where you live whether you can still get a prescription.

As said above, cetirizine and loratidine are both readily available from pharmacies. They work best if you take them regularly, daily- even when pollen count is low for a couple if days. Although they say once a day, both can be safely taken up to x4 daily. Consider nose spray and eyedrops if nose or eye symptoms are most troublesome. The most effective eye drops are only available on prescription.
Fexofenadine is a tablet only available on prescription and isn't any better for most people.

Have had this all my life since about 12.
Piriton is fine for me but if I have to see a doctor for any reason during the season I get Cetirizine from him on prescription.

Loratadine worked for me too, but I also read about it making your hair fall out so no longer take anything. All the others make me drowsy, particularly piriton, though I've never had any of those prescribed by a GP. My hayfever has improved over recent years, particularly when I spend more time indoors.
I thought there was something about not taking antihistamines whilst there was a risk of coronavirus?

Loratadine definitely! Recommended by my GP last year as Cetirizine not helping the constant sneezing. So cheap and available in supermarkets.......added advantage is that you can consume alcohol safely with these! Not recommended with Cetirizine. Cheers!

Supermarket own brands of common medications (antihistamine, paracetamol, ibuprofen, cold remedies etc.) contain exactly the same active ingredients in the same therapeutic dose as the mega expensive branded ones. Look for non-drowsy Loratadine or Cetirizine and buy the biggest pack quantity. Boots often has deals on its own brand too. It's the same for over the counter pain relief. Sixteen supermarket paracetamol tablets cost pennies.

Another vote for Beconase nasal spray here. All the tablets make me drowsy whatever the label says, but this spray seems to be doing the trick for me without any side effects. Currently available from Amazon for £3.

If you don't want to bother your GP, you will need to ask the advice of your chemist.

Some anti-histimes suit one person and don't cause drowsiness and do combat the allergy, others suit other people, so I doubt asking other hay fever sufferers what they use will help.

I tried various of the over the counter anti-histimes before finding the one that worked for me.

I take Cetirizine and have done for years. You dont need it on prescription as its the same ingredient wherever you buy it from. I am using sainsburys own at the moment but i usually buy the cheap brand in home bargains. You can try loratadine to see if that works for you. It never did for me.

I take Loratadine tablets and Beconase nasal spray all year round. Prescribed by the doctor since I got allergies in 1994.
These are brilliant in my case but I do tend to have a runny nose in the spring and summer.

As another "late life" hayfever sufferer who also has developed asthma, I found HayMax at a local chemist and am now never without one. It is an ointment which is smeared on the nostrils and acts to "catch" the pollen before it can cause problems. I like the fact that it is innocious and can't conflict with any of the prescription drugs I have to take. Only about £1 per pot. Even works at the allotment.

I have suffered with allergies all my life and for me the only thing that works is Becodefence previously known as Prevalin.

I have had asthma, excezma and hayfever all my life with hayfever being the worst. No over the counter remedies would touch it. Finally l was prescribed the strongest dose of Fenofexadine combined with a nasal spray. I take this every day of the year and it has been a life changer. Zirtek, Loretadine, Piriteze and Certrazine work for most people, though as can Beconase nasal spray. I agree it seems to have started earlier than usual this year; my asthma symptoms have been rearing their ugly head. I do remember three times in my life when the hayfever symptoms were suppressed - when l was pregnant and breastfeeding. A somewhat drastic cure and, l fear, too late for virtually all of us here!

as an annual rhinitis sufferer ( 52 weeks of the year hayfever) I find the nasal sprays and eye drops are more effective for itchy eyes and a runny nose, Chemist will see you them without a prescription if you tell them what it is for. I also use the sterimar and spray it and blow my nose before the nasal spray goes in. To get the best angle and most effective results spray your right nostril with your left hand and vice versa, a bit awkward to start with but you do get use to it.
But need to use nose spray twice a day and eyes drops 4 times for best build up effect not just when you are suffering

I too started with hay fever later in life, about ten years ago. I now use Beconase nasal spray as the loretidine /cetridine once a day tablets gave my head a stuffy feeling, the spray does not. I use optrex eye drops when my eyes get itchy.

I can't take loratadine, it gives me nightmares. I thought it was a bit odd and then read that it can be a side-effect in the leaflet. I have cetirizine on prescription here, but I buy piriton when I am in England as it is not available in France. I prefer piriton when my hay fever is at its worst. I also have cromabak for my eyes and use a saline spray after mowing or strimming. It is really bad this year and the rapeseed crops are everywhere round here.

If your eyes are itchy and antihistamine don't help, look for antihistamine eye drops. You can get them in the supermarket or ask your pharmacist.

Regarding antihistamine tablets
Chloramphnamine is an antihistamine active ingredient. And
Diphenhydramine (brand name Benadryl). As others on gransnet have mentioned there are loratidine and cititizine too. Brand names cane be so expensive. I usually get my antihistamines in the supermarket or wilkos, etc. Recently I have started getting 6 months supplies on the internet, if the price works out cheaper than the supermarket.
If it is an ongoing problem in summer time, start taking antihistamines in April already and keep taking them through until the end of summer. Each person reacts differently. E.g cititizine may cause drowsiness for some people, including me, but other people (including DH) are not affected.

Sometimes if my hayfever is too bad to manage, my GP will prescribe me something stronger, only available on prescription. Ditto stronger antihistamine eye drops.

All the best.

Jaycee5 I bought some Acravistine online after you mentioned it.It says not suitable for over 65 years old.Do you have any idea why thats the case and are you over 65 and taking it ? My OH's hayfever /allergy is really bad and I thought this might help

paddyanne I hadn't noticed that. I am 67. I haven't had any adverse affects. I have just checked and it does say under 65.
I have looked it up and Dr. Google says that it is 'because very little research has been done in this age group'.
Other sites say that you shouldn't take it if you are over 65 if you have certain conditions including glaucoma, and that it can cause side affects in older people like confusion or dizziness. I haven't had any of these and I find the effects of insomnia worse. I very rarely take more than one tablet at night so that might make a difference.

My GP suggested a Netti Pot. This works really well. You can get them on Amazon. I like the fact that I don't need to take any tablets. As my hayfever seems to last several months, I worry about taking antihistamines and nasal sprays for too long. It took me a day or two to get used to it but now I find it more effective than any of the tablets or sprays. Always use pure sea salt. I f you use ordinary cooking salt it stings because of the chemicals that they add to make it free flowing.

Thanks for all the advice, fellow sufferers! I'm another who's started with hayfever late, just a couple of years ago. My main symptom is sore eyes - I've had to come in from the garden today with them streaming and red. I do take loratidine, which helps to some extent, but I must say I'm concerned about the hair loss some have reported, as I have little enough hair at the best of times. Having read all the above I've added a Beconase spray to the Sainsburys order that's coming tomorrow. It's actually half price at the moment, so fingers crossed it turns up!