Hay fever - Lisa's story

Lisa Miles, from Kent, tried a number of different treatments before she found the right one for her. She describes how she relieves her hay fever symptoms.

“When I first got hay fever, I already had asthma and I just thought my symptoms were connected to this. My head and nose felt very congested. My eyes would feel very sore, red and itchy, especially when I was near flowers. It was during a routine check with my GP that my hay fever was diagnosed.

“My symptoms tend to flare up from February until September. Hay fever can make my asthma worse and I used to have problems sleeping too. It’s like trying to go to sleep with a bad cold. Luckily, the medication I take has helped me get to sleep.

“I take antihistamines prescribed by my doctor regularly throughout the hay fever season. These are non-drowsy so they don’t affect my day-to-day life. I also use eye drops. I find that this treatment helps a lot. It doesn’t get rid of my symptoms completely, but it makes them manageable.

“I’ve also had to make a few lifestyle changes. I now avoid cutting the grass. If I really have to, I do it late in the evening when pollen counts are lower. I always keep my windows shut too. I try not to sit outside when pollen counts are high in the morning and late afternoon. Taking medication before the hay fever season starts has really helped as well.

“My advice to anyone with hay fever is to try a different antihistamine if the one prescribed isn't effective. I tried several antihistamines before I found one that really helped my symptoms. Don’t feel shy about going back to your doctor and asking for a different one if your symptoms aren’t relieved.”