Severe Allergies - Hayfever Season Is A Nightmare.

[No Crust Racing]

My partner has been having increasingly bad reactions to various allergens year after year. Primarily, the main offenders are plant based.

We had an allergy test conducted and she's allergic to most native grasses so of course hay fever season knocks her for 6. Over the counter hay fever medications have zero effect, trying to come into hay fever season with a healthy immune system has had no affect in the past and was not possibly this year due to having a toddler. We also eat local honey, not just because it's great but because it was suggested consuming the local produce would help, it hasn't.

Her main symptom is an extremely blocked nose/sinuses so much so that she cannot sleep, as her mouth/tongue dries out, and in turn the lack of sleep depletes her immune system and she'll catch everything under the sun.

She has had minimal success with a nasal spray, I can't remember which specific pray but the advice from the Doctor was to use it sparingly, we've found the effectiveness is already waning.

We're going to look for some specialists in Melbourne who might be able to assist so anyone who has had success please feel free to chime in, whether that's from an allergen specialist or through another means. Let me hear it.

I will reiterate, we have tried every available HayFever medication a pharmacists can supply, trying all of the differing active ingredients without ANY success.

[MBS206]

My partner has a severe dust allergy, as well as a mild cat allergy.

Her allergies were to the point that just sitting in her house, I've had to guide her around the house as she just can't see.

She got in to see a specialist around May of this year, and they have turned everything around dramatically. While she now does take allergy meds morning and night, they've also had her on drops, which she takes morning and night. The purpose of the drops is to actually build her body up to being used to the dust/cats - One of the reasons she needs to be on allergy medication day and night (She takes a tablet in the morning, and a nasal spray morning and night).

The drops she is meant to be on for 18 to 24 months before it will be in full effect, BUT we've both noticed, even if she forgets to take her allergy meds these days her reactions are now 1/10th the severity.

Getting to the specialist, and doing the tests is a must do in my opinion.
Also the drops aren't overly expensive and you don't need to see the specialist every month (Her current appointment gap is 5 months), if you need more drops (Which a bottle lasts 2 months), you call up, and they send a bottle to you. (Well her specialist does) and the drops work out at just on $1 per day...

Unfortunately her specialist is in Sydney and might be a bit far for you to travel.

[No Crust Racing]

Appreciate the info. Good to hear.

We're on the VIC/NSW border so Sydney or Melbourne is possible, though Melbourne is a few hours closer.

[MBS206]

Let me know if you'd like the name of this doctor so you can get a referral if wanted.

My only gripe with going to this specialist... It near on costs just as much in parking as it does to see him! (Although the parking cost is out of his control).

I'll ask my partner tonight what allergy medication she's on, but she stays on it all the time, supposedly it helps build the strength of the drug up in the body.

[No Crust Racing]

Any info you're willing to share is appreciated.

PM if necessary.

[GTR-N1]

Same as Matt's g/f when I used to have allergic asthma > desensitisation meds every week > every fortnight over 2-3 yrs > problem went away.

Nowadays as you know, the doctors use preventative steroids as a quicker solution but I think that should be a med of last resort.

Still got rhinitis and felt miserable in grassy areas like Wagga and NZ whilst travelling there. Even got rheumatics with the allergies.

I think less meds of this sort are dispensed whilst living near the sea (with land/sea breezes oscillating).

[No Crust Racing]

Anything Matt?

[GH05T]

the only shit that works for me, need prescription
http://www.nasonex.com/nasx/index.jsp

[No Crust Racing]

How do you go with side effects?

Most sprays are pretty harsh on the nose lining.

[GTR-N1]

All steroids are; or will be. Maybe the newer ones less so?

[No Crust Racing]

Yeah just reading the list of side effects, pretty harsh stuff if you ended up with a few of them.

[GH05T]

never had a drama but yeah you always have to be carefull, some poeple will react some wont.

[Melly]

Sarah (Matt's G/F) takes Rhinocourt nose spray in a double dose and clarytine (loratadine).

[Melly]

She also said "My allergist told me to take the tablet at night before I go to sleep every night, and use the spray in the morning and at night, at twice the recommended dose. So 2 sprays up each side of the nose morning and night. After about 3 days I started feeling better and now if I forgot to take meds on a day it doesn't kill me because they are still built up in my system."

Her specialist is Dr Richard Baker. He is in Maquarie street in sydney. need a referral to see him, and need to get a new referral every 12 months to keep seeing him.

[No Crust Racing]

Thanks Mel.