Spring is here. For those with allergies, the warm weather and flowers are a sign of allergy symptoms to come.
Here are some tips that will help you lessen the symptoms of hay fever.
For the Itchy Eyes:
- Try anover-the-counter antihistamine eye drop like Zaditor or Alaway.
- See your doctor about prescription antihistamine eye drops like Pataday, Azelastine, or Patanol.
- See your doctor about a script for Singular, see #5 below.
For the Runny Nose, follow these steps:
- Start with a Nose spray like Flonase, Nasacort or Rhinocort.
- These actually do work better than over the counter allergy pills.
- In ages 3-12 years old you can do one squirt in each nostril daily
- In a person 12 and older do 2 squirts in each nostril daily
- It will take 1-2 weeks before you start to see results, so hang in there.
- Add on Allegra 180mg, or its generic Fexofenadine over the counter.
- This is the best over the counter antihistamine allergy pill, non-drowsy.
- If you take it long-term (more than a few months) it can lose its effectiveness, and if this happens try switching to another allergy pill instead (see #3)
- They have an over the counter formulation for kids 2-11
- Try Zyrtec (Cetirizine), Claritin (Loratadine), Xyzal, Benadryl, or their generics
- Zyrtec and Claritin have formulations for children over the counter
- Despite what the package says, you can take up to 4 tablets of Zyrtec and Claritin if one tab does not work, although you risk getting side effects of headache and drowsiness
- If you take it long-term (more than a few months) it can lose its effectiveness, and if this happens try switching to another allergy pill instead.
- Zyrtec and Benadryl may make you drowsy.
- You can try buying Allegra, Zyrtec, Claritin combined with a decongestant in them. These are behind the counter at the pharmacy. Don’t take these if you have high blood pressure.
- See your doctor about a script for Singular, a prescription pill that blocks the allergy pathway through a different mechanism than the over the counter antihistamines. When this medicine is combined with the above meds, you can get even more relief from the allergies.
- There is a cure for your allergies. Come see Dr. Beckstead for allergy skin tests to find out what you are allergic to. Once we find out what you are allergic to we can discuss either allergy shots or allergy drops under the tongue to cure you of your allergies for life.
