Hay fever onset today (Bank Holiday Monday 7 May)

[green bean]

Suddenly developed symptoms today having never suffered before - started with streaming eye (one only!) then followed by bunged up nose)... Am in my late forties (on googling have discovered it may be peri menopausal onset)!

Will pop in to chemists in the coming days. Just wondered if anyone knows what type of pollen may have set it off now (in SE22 postcode, close to Dulwich Library / the Plough area). Also how long the season might last?! Any tips to ease symptoms welcome! Thanks!

[Quia Differt]

green bean Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Suddenly developed symptoms today having never

> suffered before - started with streaming eye (one

> only!) then followed by bunged up nose)... Am in

> my late forties (on googling have discovered it

> may be peri menopausal onset)!

>

> Will pop in to chemists in the coming days. Just

> wondered if anyone knows what type of pollen may

> have set it off now (in SE22 postcode, close to

> Dulwich Library / the Plough area). Also how long

> the season might last?! Any tips to ease symptoms

> welcome! Thanks!

Yes mine has started today, as well.

That is unusual because it normally begins in the evening on the first day of the weekend...

[Robert Poste's Child]

According to the news a lot of people have come down with it this weekend. I'm still kind of OK and mine is grass pollen, which generally starts early to mid June for me, so if you're getting it now it could be tree (silver birch is a problem for some people but that's usually Feb-March when the catkins drop) or maybe just increased air pollution plus dust flying around as it's dry and breezy. Mildew and molds can also set me off but they're less likely to be the cause in this weather.

When oil seed rape was subsidised twenty or so years ago I was streaming from early April to end of September, so I'm grateful only to have it for three to four months of the year now.

[Lisa Taylor]

I've been exactly the same green bean. Never suffered before yet the last few days I can barely breathe out of 1 nostril & eyes are very itchy. My nose seems to be worse at night so extremely tired as I can't sleep properly.. Hope it eases up soon for all our sakes : (

[FightingFit]

Atishoo

[Quia Differt]

When I lived in the heart of South East London I never had Hay Fever but the moment I moved 10 miles away and was surrounded by fields,meadows,woods and parks I started to get it most Summers though constantly splashing my face seems to alleviate it. Apart from Paracetamol once every decade I refuse to take anything for my body.

[intexasatthe moment]

I have heard that it more effective to take anti histamines daily throughout the /whichever pollen season .

So prophylactically as opposed to popping one when in the throes of itchyness .

[Robert Poste's Child]

In the last week the horse chestnuts, planes and (not so many around) beeches have been flowering and dropping stuff all over the place so they could be culprits. I guess the good news is that if it's just one type of tree setting you off it'll be over in a couple of weeks.

[malumbu]

Things change as you age. Mine started as a teenager and was very acute, I would write June off, gone by the middle of July. Now my season is twice as long - getting early indications but not medicating yet - but far milder. The introduction of the cheap over the counter non-drowsy antihistamines was a revolution/revelation

[uncleglen]

Alcohol worsens hay fever because of the histamine content of alcoholic drinks!

[edcam]

I've had it since I was a kid and it's usually trees for me. I once read that London is one of the worst places for it because if the plane trees but I've had it in random places in this country and in others. Around now is a pretty normal time for it to kick in.

I find Beconase helps a lot. I've tried most things at some stage...

[green bean]

Many thanks everyone for your comments - relieved to report that, apart from a slightly stuffy nose, I've not had a recurrence of my symptoms since Monday. I'll remain vigilant!