If you too suffer from allergies, then I have some good news for you: the hay fever injection works – I’m living proof!
Ever since I was about 20 I was plagued by severe hay fever and sinus (I posted here about the hearing loss I have as a result). Nothing seemed to work – I was desperate to find out how to get rid of hay fever.
Thankfully, about ten years ago I found out about the hay fever injection …
Desperate for a Cure
I used to get serious hay fever. Whenever it struck, I could barely see out of my swollen, watery eyes; nor could I manage to speak or do anything, due to number of sneezes that convulsed my whole body.
Not to mention the nasty side effects – when I was pregnant I once sneezed so hard I put my jaw out!
Often, the violent sneezing meant I had to run to the bathroom (darn pelvic floors); and my sinuses would get blocked and then infected, which meant I then had to see the doctor and take antibiotics. This in turn led to me getting yeast infections … it was ruining my life!
For years, I couldn’t wear perfume of any type. I had so many sick days and missed so many important or fun events because of it; all I could do when an attack hit was retire to bed, pinch the bridge of my nose to try and soothe it, and hopefully sleep it off.
I could never be sure when it would strike. I even had artificial flowers in my wedding bouquet for this very reason!
Hay Fever Treatments that Didn’t Work
I tried everything in my quest to get rid of hay fever – medicinal and natural.
All those products that claim to be non-drowsy? THEY LIED. Everything knocked me out! I was using a steroid nasal spray every night as a preventative measure, and while that helped, it certainly wasn’t a cure.
I went the more natural route and tried saline nose drops; eating pineapple; taking garlic and horseradish tablets; and so many other herbs and special foods that I lost count.
None of them helped.
I’d basically accepted my fate, until my sister told me that she’d been to an allergy specialist for a hay fever injection – and hadn’t had hay fever in nearly five years!
I went to see my doctor the next week.
Hay Fever Injection – Relief at Last!
It took some time to actually see the allergy specialist – would you believe there are only two serving the entire Brisbane region?!
When I was tested, it turned out I reacted to just about all of the common allergens – dust, cat and dog hair, grass and pollen, tobacco – everything except mould. (The test also confirmed my suspicions that I was allergic to bananas – and seafood also, which I’ve never liked!).
However, treatment was not as simple as just the one hay fever injection.
Instead, what followed was six months of weekly injections (administered by my local GP). This is normally enough for most people, but what can I say, I’m not normal 😉 .
In the end, I had nearly two years of treatment (although the injections decreased to once a month in the second year).
Did the hay fever injection treatment work? Hell yeah!!!
I’ve found that I still need to use my steroid spray every night as a preventative measure (if I don’t, I still get attacks).
But other than that, I’ve had maybe one or two severe hay fever attacks per year at most since I had the hay fever injection – about ten years ago!
Instead, I will occasionally get REALLY itchy eyes. Lying down for five minutes with a cool wet cloth over my eyes usually fixes it.
Was it worth it? YES. Because it gave me my life back!
So if you too suffer from severe hay fever, and are desperate to find out how to get rid of hay fever – I urge you to see your doctor about the hay fever injection.
wow, that is a long treatment process but so glad it worked and was worth it! I (knock on wood) don’t suffer too badly here on the Gold Coast, but after living in Atlanta for 4 years, it started knocking me about TERRIBLY every spring! The pollen count in Atlanta is always off the charts. I was miserable, so understand! So glad you’re “cured” or at least have it under control now! x Aroha
I wish I knew what pollen set me off so I could avoid it. All I know is that when there is a south westerly wind it tends to get worse.
I understand how horrible you must have felt. As I get older, my sinus issues get worse. Although I will say moving out of Brisbane helped!
My hay fever only started after I moved to the southside of Brisbane (from the north)!!!!
I suffer from frequent sinus infections which are shockers! I get them every August when it’s wet and cold. It makes me want to migrate north to avoid them!
They suck! I don’t know if moving north would help though …
I sympathize with you Janet. I started suffering from hayfever when I was about 11, and back then there were no over the counter products, so was pretty miserable when it hit.
Thankfully, as I’ve got older, it’s reduced dramatically.
I’m so glad you found a treatment that works for you 🙂
My Mum used to get it bad when I was a kid. I started getting it when I was going through a very stressful period in my life and it didn’t want to go … but I showed it the door with all those needles!
It’s crap isn’t it! I used to suffer horrendously – wasn’t able to function with it and missed several days of work. Funnily enough, since I cut out wheat, it is almost non-existent – go figure !!!!!!
Glad you found a cure that works for you! X
Wheat eh? Intriguing!
I loathe getting a cold, let alone hay fever. You poor thing Janet. What an ordeal. But so glad the treatment helped. Hope this Spring isn’t too hard on you. 😉
So far so good Miss Bec. The photo above was taken on our wedding anniversary, we’d just been to the Sheraton Mirage on the Gold Coast for lunch, and for some stupid reason I started getting hay fever on the way home. It was a bit of a bummer, but I was glad that at least we’d had a nice lunch before it hit.
I never heard of this treatment before, it’s quite interesting. I also suffer from hay fever but not as strong as you. But, I experience headache, sneeze, etc.
Yeah – there’s hay fever, and then there’s HAY FEVER. Unfortunately I got the latter!
I do suffer a bit, only the blocked sinuses, but never had an infection, that must be hell. You really did suffer extremely. Great advice and help for severe sufferers 🙂
Wish I’d done it years ago!
Ow, you suffered dreadfully. I have lost count of the years that I have been using a daily steroid spray. Now for the first time that I can remember I have stopped using it, it’s been a month now. So far so good, I am waiting for something to hit me though. xxx Rae
Ooo fingers crossed for you. It’s a really bad hay fever season here in SE Qld at the moment 🙁
Yuck! A lot of people seem to be suffering this year. Bad season for it. I’ve never heard of that injection treatment before though. Interesting!
You’d have to be desperate to do it. And I was!
Oh that sounds awful!
Yep I get it. In fact just last saturday I arrived at our pastors house for a child’s birthday party with blood shot eyes, saying I wasn’t a wino, I just had hay fever! Embarrassing and awful
It is mega embarrassing isn’t it? Sniffling and needing to blow your nose so people worry they’re going to get your germs – but it’s only hay fever!
I totally hear what you are saying !!!! I used to suffer so badly – I can remember some days I would go through a whole box of tissues when I was at school.
I had those injections in South Africa and then when we arrived here my hayfever flared up again really badly – and I went to an immunologist in Brisbane for those injections too. I went for just on two years as well (a real pain having to travel up from GC all the time). I too have tried just about every medicine/natural remedy that I could find – what I did find is that when I was in areas where there was less humidity, my hay fever wasn’t as bad – when we were in a drought situation, my hay fever isn’t that bad – when we have lots of rain and wind – my eyes water, my nose runs, my throat itches, my ears itch and I drive everyone nuts trying to scratch the itches !!!!!
I have been taking an anti-histamine every night to cope with the menopausal itches – can’t say it has helped my hay fever, but at least it keeps most of the menopausal itches at bay !!!
From one sufferer to another – sending heaps of hugs (and tissues) your way !
Me
Oh big hugs, it sucks so bad. I find the dry south westerly winds make mine worse. Mind you, when we were first married every time we went to Mackay to visit hubster’s relatives I’d get it BAD. Don’t know what triggered it – humidity? Sugar cane?! Luckily I only had to go to my local GP for the injections and he very kindly bulk billed as I was going EVERY WEEK!
Hayfever. Is. The. Worst. I have suffered my whole life and am allergic to pollen, fur, grass and dust. I have missed days of work and had bosses say, “its just hayfever.” Gr! Happy to say, I have jumoed on the desensitization program too and this Spring has been much more bearable. Good luck with getting yours undercontrol.
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Oh you poor woman, you look miserable in your pic. I’m glad that you were able to find something that helped you long term, I couldn’t even begin to imagine feeling like that all of the time.
I know exactly what you’re saying Janet. I’d have to stand at the sink and just let what was like water flow from my nose. My eyes are itching as we speak. My really bad attacks seemed to stop after I had my daughter but two of my boys get it really badly. The worst part of that is tissues left in pockets going through the washing!
Wow you poor thing, that is a major!! I have bad sinus problems also but not as bad as this, I just constantly like blocked up and it has effected by ears and hearing also. I also always have a runny nose, it’s all connected I’m sure – bet you can’t wait for this season to be over xx