Hayfever at Glastonbury

[The Red Telephone]

Any fellow sufferers out there?

Mine has kicked in for the first day today 

Tends to peak for me around the last week of June, which is really convenient. Remember last year visiting the new Wood area - that triggered a horrendous sneezing fit, which lasted about 4hours! Other parts of the site didn't seem to affect me as much...will definitely avoid that area if I go this year!

How do you manage it? I had a 80mg steroid injection yesterday, which will last a few months (although takes a week or so to kick in)...then I take 2 (one a day)180mg Fexofenadine tablets and 1 regular antihistamine per day. This, coupled with booze and other goodies, is a great cocktail!

Considering ordereding some Pilton honey to get me used to Glastonbury pollen...although the honey thing has never worked for much before.

 

[Joshuwarr]

Yup! One ceritizine tablet a day seems to do the trick for me. Sometimes it can be pretty unbearable for months on end

[BlackHole2006]

I suffer from it pretty badly and it makes my eyes water more than anything and my hearing goes a bit funny. I always find that if I take a pyraton at the start of each day then I'm absolutely fine. Last year I washed it down with booze in the morning and that worked a treat.

In 2015 I used nasal spray leading up to the festival and that worked out perfectly too.

[The Red Telephone]

Nasal sprays have never done zilch for me, unfortunately!

If your eyes are bad, I heartily recommend Opticrom drops...by far the best (and most expensive!)

[Mezhyp1]

Complete bastard 

[shuttlep]

mine is worse some year than others.

 

it's my nose that is bad so as long as I have something to clear it I am usually ok 

[ohvienna]

Mine was god awful last year, I remember sitting up by the stone circle on Wednesday and as it got a bit later, I ended up not being able to breathe at all, non-stop sneezing and wanting to claw my eyes up. Over the rest of the fest I did nasal spray/eye spray/tablet in the morning, then went back to the tent in the afternoon and repeat. The double dosage of antihistamine definitely helped but it was a struggle last year.

I started taking my tablets a week or two ago in the hope of getting ahead of it but I'm absolutely dreading hayfever season!

[themuel]

Get yourself some honey made as close to Worthy farm as you can. Have a teaspoon a day and build up a local pollen resistance. 

While you're at it get a honey local to where you live and do the same. 

Its an over-winter preventative remedy but better late than never I guess. 

[Wilfko]

Never heard of this band, will be sure to check them out on spotify.

 

Edit: well colour me sideways there is an artist called Hayfever on Spotify.

Edited May 3, 2017 by Wilfko

[geoffboycott]

Awful suffering with Hayfever, sympathies to all.

I go with standard antihist tablet, poss an extra half in the eve if I'm feeling crazy  Plus nasal spray and eye drops.  

But a kind friend bought me one of these several years ago and I was sceptical until I tried it and I don't know why, but it works, you can feel the symptoms dropping whilst it's on.  Could be placebo, I don't know, but it seems to work for me.  It makes your nose look like ET's finger, so probably best for tent use in the AM and then again in the PM before heading out for the night.

http://www.lloydspharmacy.com/en/lloydspharmacy-allergy-reliever

[Icewulf]

One Loratadine a day, and Beconase spray morning and evening sees me through alright. It's much worse when it's super sunny (like this year will be), but so far I've managed to keep it in check. Wearing contacts instead of glasses helps with my eyes as well.

[daisylane]

My hayfever is worse in Spring but I heard a rumour that because alcohol is a histamine, if you take tablets then drink, it renders the tablet useless :-o I've no evidence whether this rumour is true though !

Edited May 3, 2017 by daisylane

[The Red Telephone]

2 minutes ago, daisylane said:

My hayfever is worse in Spring but I heard a rumour that because alcohol is a histamine, if you take tablets then drink, it renders the tablet useless:-o I've no evidence whether this rumour is true though !

I often think i should lay off the booze during hayfever season...but some sneezy days the prospect a glass or two of something nice in the evening is the only thing that gets me through!

 

However, I have not had a drink for 6 weeks and it's still hit me as hard today!

[shuttlep]

you'd hope any drug dealer /  maker worth hi salt would cut his gear with antihistamine in the summer

[Diva Sam]

Never had hay fever till 5 years ago. 

No antihistamines worked for me strongly. Couldn't even wear contact lenses. 

Then I went to the doctors - they prescribed me fexofenadine tablets. You take one a day. They are the fucking best. Seriously. 

Now they are available over the counter and you don't need a doctors prescription. I recommend getting these beasts and your hayfever issues will disappear. I could rub hay and dry grass in my eyes and and wouldn't even have a problem. 

[Divein]

The last few times I've been it seemed to be bad on the 1st day and then completely fine for the rest of the weekend.

i find my tends to be bad when it becomes really humid and close. 

I have a piriteze nasal spray this year which is I really recommend.

my biggest tip is to wash your face and with cold water every few hours especially before bed as it gets rid of the pollen and your face and stops it rubbing into your eyes.

 

I

[alien]

The things that really save me are a gentle breeze and resisting the urge to touch my eyes, nose and face in general.

Plus if you suffer with your eyes, wearing sun glasses 24/7 really does help by acting as a barrier.

If its one of those muggy hot days with absolutely no breeze though, game over man, game over.

[CaledonianGonzo]

Alcohol, genuinely, seems to remove the sensitivity in my membranes and whatnot (missus) so I find that after a couple of ciders I'm ok.

I also use Beconase, and find the trick is to start using it weeks in advance of when you're likely to need it to build up a good 'base layer' of the stuff.  Basically, I'd start using it now in advance of late June.

[Icewulf]

52 minutes ago, Diva Sam said:

I could rub hay and dry grass in my eyes and and wouldn't even have a problem. 

I feel a very unscientific experiment coming on...

[sime]

I use Beconase nose spray and also wash my face and eyes a few times during the day/night to wash away pollen. My hay fever is worse during spring and eases of a bit in summer but I never take any chances. I want my eyes wet for only one reason during Radiohead...!

[mario man]

I always get hay fever pretty bad from mid-May to end of June, so always have it during Glasto. 

I usually go with one tablet & nose spray which helps, start building tolerance early (i.e. now)

The strength of it varies according to the weather but needless to say 2010 was pretty grim! Saying that I'll take that weather any day over a wet one, I'm happy to accept the inconvenience in order to have dry conditions underfoot! 

[alibear]

Mine is usually done by June, I tend to suffer earlier in the year, though it's playing up a bit at the moment. I find a Lotradine (or two) a day does the trick for me, well, the symptoms never go completely but they take the edge off.. I remember my GP telling me a few years ago that it's basically trial and error when it comes to which antihistamine works for you.

Sudafed or similar works well for blocked sinuses too, something which I've experienced far more this year...

[Drabod]

1 hour ago, Diva Sam said:

Never had hay fever till 5 years ago. 

No antihistamines worked for me strongly. Couldn't even wear contact lenses. 

Then I went to the doctors - they prescribed me fexofenadine tablets. You take one a day. They are the fucking best. Seriously. 

Now they are available over the counter and you don't need a doctors prescription. I recommend getting these beasts and your hayfever issues will disappear. I could rub hay and dry grass in my eyes and and wouldn't even have a problem. 

I Also vouch for Fexofenadine after my doc prescribed me these. My life has honestly got better in the summer months. There was days that i couldnt leave the house. 

I took them throughout Glasto year and was perfectly fine. Unlike my friend who was suffering quite badly. I think it is key to take them on the run up months before hand too.

[e2p2]

Although using sprays before never affected me, I tried Avamys 3 months ago. It was (and still) life changing!