Hay fever

Loratadine, plus a steroid nasal spray (beclometasone or fluticasone) plus cromoglicate eye drops. All available OTC; use them all regularly, rather than just when your symptoms are worst, and you should start to see a difference.

If they don't work then your GP can prescribe stronger stuff.

I have been fine for months up until Saturday when l was really bad. Normally l have Benadryl but it doesn't seem to be working that well at the moment

I always used loratadine (never an expensive brand, just supermarket own) and take one a day. Then opticrom eye drops if my eyes get too itchy and a nasal spray. As I can't take anything this year I'm giving that new steroid/antihistamine free stuff a go. It's helping although not completely itch free. I've also got some haymax which helps stop the pollen getting in the first place. Dry sheets indoors and take plenty of showers.

I swear by the Benadryl tablets containing Acrivastine. Loritadine and Cetrizine Hydrochloride don't work for me. Unfortunately, as Benadryl are the only brand that do Acrivastine at the moment, they aren't cheap but you can have up to 3 per day (usually I'm ok on 1 or 2 per day). Of course different things work for different people so whether it'll work for you I can't say.

I also use Beconase nasal spray if I'm particularly bunged up. I can't use eye drops for hayfever as they're not suitable for contact lens wearers apparently. If anyone knows of any that are suitable I'd love to know!

Tablets work fine for me, and I'm pretty terrible without them. Try different tablets, like others have said it's the ingredients you want to look out for.

My brother is on the stronger stuff from GP and it works for all of two hours and then he is back to a snotty red eyed mess! He's suffering really badly this year..he's so fed up!

I'm suffering this year too loratadine (sp?) helps me a fair bit but you have to take it daily for it to work (not just when you feel the symptoms coming on)

if you suffer during the night try washing your hair before bed (pollen sticks to hair) and sleeping with the bedroom window closed (if you don't already)

I have allergies all year round, and I use Pirinase nasal spray every day, which keeps most of the symptoms at bay. I always carry Piriton tablets in case of a sudden flare up, but I don't need them often, which is good as they do make me drowsy.

Thank you for all the advice everyone. I think having a convertible makes it worse for me as well!

Been up since 4.30 unable to sleep so just taken some Benadryl for the first time. The piriton I had before just wasn't doing anything for me and apparently this one is faster acting plus I can take it more than once a day.

When it gets to the point that it's interfering with sleep, I often just get a wet cloth/flannel and put it across my eyes. It seems to cool everything down and of course stops any more pollen getting in, so it helps me relax and sleep.

Tablet wise fexofenadine is the best I have ever tried, and I have tried a lot of remedies for all kinds of allergies, but always had dreadful hay fever in the spring/summer.

I always thought the honey thing was an urban myth, but as it turned out it worked for me.just make sure the honey is local and give in a couple of months to start working. Source honey from a hive as close to your home as possible, it neds to be local, not just any old honey to work. Eat some every day and most of your hayfever will be cured. The honey alows your body to ingest the pollen in a way your body can metsbolise it and build a tolerance to its presence, thats why you need local honey, you need to build immunity to the pollens directly in your area for it to work.

We now have a bee hive in our garden and for the last couple of years I eat a teaspoon of honey containing the pollen from our immediste surroundings daily. I haven't had hay fever for over 18 months. Even when we go away from home it's nowhere near as bad.