Hay fever season in Maharastra?

Noodle

Hi all!

I'm not sure but I might have hay fever. I have been sneezing violently for the past 5 days with a stuffed yet runny nose, and feel generally a bit off. My eyes also itch a little which is why I'm becoming suspicious

It might just be a normal cold (and I hope it is) but I was wondering, are there typical hay fever seasons in Maharastra, does anyone know?

In the West you get pollen count in the news in Spring and Summer to help sufferers to avoid exposure, but I suspect this kind of thing is not available in India?

I've never had a hay fever attack before in my life. How long does this usually last? Like days or rather weeks or even longer? And what medication does one take? I'm getting quite annoyed right now by this constant tickling in my nose

Any info is appreciated!

Thanks, Noodle (the current sneezing champion )

__________________
If in hole
stop digging.

Indian saying

capt_mahajan

I have had hay fever attacks regularly.. very regularly as a teenager. (Deviated nasal septum, ie bent nose cartilage). It comes and goes. A dozen sneezes which scare the cat in the house, and I am usually done . Else and very rarely nowadays, 24 hours.

Higher humidity, pollution, dust, smoke, pet hair... anything can set it off.

In Mumbai, where I lived for 17 years, it was often the humidity. Pune is drier, so it can't be that. Also wrong season.

I was on homeopathic medicines for a long time.

But, these days chances are high that it may be an allergic reaction to the usual city pollution. I would see a doctor if it persists. Off the counter anti allergy medicines are available, but it's better not to self medicate, though I often do.


Never heard of pollen count announcements in India.


PS Hot tea with ginger and cardamom helps, so does hot soup, or a rum and coke or better a cognac , so does taking in water through your nose and out through your mouth.. a yoga thing discussed elsewhere on indiamike, IIRC.

Noodle

Oh poor you! It must be hard to suffer from this regularly.

Would you then say that 5 days of sneezing isn't a typical hay fever attack, since you had it for much shorter periods? Or does that differ from person to person and from situation to situation?

Did the homeopathic treatment help you?

I will see a doctor if it persists, it's bothering me far too much to stick it out alone.

Aarrrggghh, those sound yummi!

capt_mahajan

5 days sounds like a cold or an allergy to me. The maximum I had for was 2 days, I think. And not all the time, every five minutes or so.

Irritating at night.

The homeopathic treatment helped me a bit, I think. Lot of food restrictions, including things like onions, chocolates and stuff. And no alcohol, which didn't bother me then, but would now. . Went on for 3 years.

Noodle

Wow, food restrictions, how I love them!

Not too bad then?

So, I went to the pharmacy. They didn't know the term hay fever. Hearing 'fever' they offered some cold meds. I asked for allergy meds and they offered Avil and cetirizine. I have taken the latter before once when I had a bad (and completely unexplicable) bout of skin allergy, and they helped well without too bad side effects. Wikipedia lists it as one of the substances to relieve hay fever, so I might try that one tonight. Avil makes me drowsy.

Oh, dear, I hope it's just a stupid cold. Food restrictions are not at all for me

ColinT

Noodle, I've been getting severe hayfever since I was a kid. Sneezing, watering and itchy eyes... lasting all day long and for six weeks in the British summer. Its bloody awful without medication, which tends to work (if you keep away from greenery/fields that is!). I'm sure they'll have something at the pharmacy in India. Just ask. The only time I had it in India (only very mildly) was in Goa a year or two back (August I think, perhaps September).

Just saw your last post... seems you've been to the pharmacy!

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capt_mahajan

Anti allergy/Antihistamines is what I take, and what pharmacies know.

And most of them make you drowsy; though I believe you do get ones which don't sedate.

Noodle

I remember once taking Avil and after that I really could only lie down and wait, I was so drowsy. I did not have this with cetirizine.

That's awful, Colin! Which meds do you usually take?

Does someone now which trees and plants are blossoming now?

ColinT

I've just been rooting around the various pills and tablets that I have from India. It is Certicad, which contains cetirizine. I've used this in the UK in recent times and it was fine.

On Google, I found this -Ceticad (Cetirizine) is an antihistamine used to treat both seasonal and perennial allergy symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose (rhinitis), itching eyes, and sneezing. Cetirizine is also used to treat hives.

Noodle

Yes, I used it for hives once, and it was good.

Does Certicad contain anything else next to cetirizine?

Thanks for the bother, Colin!

ColinT

The only other thing it contains (apart from colouring) is 10mg per tablet of dihydrochloride.

Noodle

That is exactly what I just bought! Thank you Colin for you help.

Now let's see if it makes me feel better - and I hope it doesn't because then I have only a normal cold!

I will report tomorrow.

ColinT

Yes, I'd opt for a normal cold over hayfever anyday!

m.bhattacharya

Hay fever is not uncommon in India during the spring time, when the days are warm and the nights are cool. I would sugest Cetrizine (Cetzine) or Loratidine (Lorfast). If it is a 'Cold' you will have some malaise with it, may feel unwell and may have a temperature. Do see a local doctor it that case.

If the hay fever persists despite antihistamines, try a nasal steroid spray. I use Beconase or Flixonase, but am not sure if they are available over the counter in India.

Milan

Noodle

Thank you Milan!

Do you happen to know what are the ingredients in Beconase and Flixonase?