GP shares best time to take antihistamines to prevent hay fever symptoms

A GP has shared the best time to take antihistamines to help prevent hay fever symptoms as red pollen warnings come into force. The Met Office pollen forecast shows red warnings for ‘very high’ levels of birch and ash pollen across the whole of England and Wales on Wednesday, April 8, while amber ‘high’ warnings are in force for Northern Ireland and parts of Scotland.

Levels are forecast to remain ‘very high’ for much of England until Saturday, when pollen counts will drop as temperatures cool. The pollen warnings come as temperatures of up to 26C are forecast in parts of the UK on Wednesday, with warm and sunny conditions on the cards for most, particularly across central and south east England.

But with very high pollen levels in the air for much of the country, hay fever sufferers can expect symptoms to be triggered in the coming days. Unfortunately there’s no cure for hay fever, but symptoms can be managed with over-the-counter treatments like antihistamine drops, tables or nasal sprays - and according to a GP, there is an ideal time of day in which to take them.

GP Dr Aarthi Sinha, from Church Crescent Medical and Aesthetic Practice in Whetstone, says antihistamines should be taken “well before” you are exposed to pollen and before your symptoms start, so ideally they should be taken either first thing in the morning before you go outside, or last thing in the evening before going to bed.

She told the Express: “Hay fever and nasal symptoms are something I see very frequently, particularly in the spring and summer, in practice.

“The best time to take antihistamines is well before your body is fully exposed to pollen and before symptoms start. For most people this usually means taking them first thing in the morning or even the night before on a regular basis in peak season or on days of high pollen counts.

“If you take your antihistamine too late — once symptoms like sneezing, itching and congestion have already started — it can feel like it’s ‘not working as well’. That’s because histamine has already been released in the body, and the medication is then trying to catch up rather than prevent the reaction.”

Most antihistamine tablets work within 30 minutes and will reach peak effectiveness within one to two hours, according to Chemist4U, so you need to take them early enough to allow the medication to kick in before heading out to enjoy the sunshine.

Some antihistamines can make you feel drowsy so the NHS recommends going for a non-drowsy option, such as acrivastine, cetirizine, fexofenadine or loratadine, but if symptoms are stopping you from sleeping you may want to try a different type.

An alternative to antihistamines is nasal cleansing, which some GPs argue is a more effective treatment as the nose is the main place where allergens enter your body.

According to Dr Gustavo Ferrer, by cleansing the nose you can boost immunity, prevent congestion, and suppress allergies before they enter the upper respiratory tract.

He said: “Studies show that sinus cleansing effectively rinses the sinuses of allergens, inhibiting their effect on the body and decreasing symptoms. Additional studies show that a saline rinse with xylitol, such as Xlear Nasal Spray, has an even greater effect to wash the nose.

“Irrigating the sinuses with a xylitol solution enhances the body’s natural defences by pulling extra moisture out of swollen tissues and thinning the mucus."

If you do suffer from hay fever, Allevia is available in a 30-pack on Amazon for £8, or the same packet can be picked up at Boots for £12.49.

If you're unsure about what will help, always speak to a doctor or a pharmacist first. Other options to help with symptoms include nasal sprays like Pirinase Hayfever Relief for adults at £9.09, Xlear Nasal Spray on Amazon for £11.43, and eye drops like Optrex Hayfever Relief drops for £6.69.