Spring/pollen allergies - what's your go to med?

[Anonymous]

Trees are the big issue for me, which sucks because I LOVE being outside. But in general, I'm allergic to spring.

My symptoms are: eyes so itchy that I feel like I want to remove them and rinse them under cold water. Itchy nose and sneezing. Itchy ears, sometimes itchy throat.

Allegra has worked ok, but I'm wondering if I ought to try something different this year. If you're a springtime sufferer, what's your allergy med protocol?

[Anonymous]

I’m the same way OP. I love spring, but spring does not love me. I used to take generic Claritin every morning, but this year it hasn’t doe the trick. I’ve switched to taking a generic Zyrtec before bed. It makes me drowsy which helps the normal crappy perimenopause sleep that I usually get. So far, the Zyrtec has lasted all day.

[Anonymous]

Flonase sensimist, plus decontamination— shower & change when you get home! Don’t let pollen covered clothes in your bedroom. Plus use an air purifier.

[Anonymous]

Meds: Flonase, twice a day if necessary. It does take a little while to build up to full effectiveness. Azelastine (a different spray) in the morning, this one doesn't need to build up. Simply Saline rinsing daily. I've found the nasal sprays are really the key for me, I hate how Zyrtec makes me feel plus it doesn't work as well.

Other: Air purifier in main living space and bedroom. Shower when I get home if possible. Keep bedroom windows closed as much as possible.

[Anonymous]

Rhinocort. Until that kicks in after a week, Claritin + Boiron Allium Cepa. The Boiron might be better than Claritin.

And Numi Jasmine green tea. or any green tea.

[Anonymous]

Fluticasone nasal spray for the whole family.
Due to physical proximity, it treats our itchy eyes as well. When I was a teen, I was on Zyrtec and steroid eye drops, and it was more of a hassle - the steroid nasal spray is better.

We are also careful indoors. No open windows. Frequent cleanings, and no shaking dust everywhere while doing it. Vacuum and moist careful wiping. No lying down on beds in street clothes. We're a shoeless house to begin with, and we wipe our dog's paws when he comes in.

[Anonymous]

Aren’t you guys worried about long term flonase use?

[Anonymous]

Allegra works for me except if the pollen is super high for weeks in a row. Then not much works.

[Anonymous]

Like others I use and oral (Zyrtec) and fluticasone. I also use Pataday (olopatadine) eye drops.

Avoid sleeping with your windows open b/c ragweed blooms at 2 or 3 am.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Aren’t you guys worried about long term flonase use?

It's considered safe if used less than 6 months continuously. We use it just for the spring season, and my son does another shorter round sometimes in the fall because of ragweed.

[Anonymous]

Astepro. It works in under 30 minutes. Claritin and Allegra each worked extremely well — until one day they didn’t.

[Anonymous]

Zaditor eye drops

[Anonymous]

Flonase makes me jittery.

I use Zyrtec and saline spray.

[Anonymous]

Much as I’m excited for spring, I can feel my allergies starting up already. For some reason, they got much worse last spring and just using Flonase wasn’t enough. I hadn’t realized I could also take Allegra with it and that helped. Last spring, my ears were itching like crazy inside, which never happened before. I also use an air purifier in the bedroom.

[Anonymous]

Shower before going to bed.
Change your bedsheets, especially the pillowcases, as often as possible.
Use eyewash every day.