Cheapest hayfever remedies 2007

moneysaving_pharmacist

Just a few comments...

please, do not get prescriptions from your GP for antihistamines. Ok, it'll save you a small amount of money, but there are times when you have to think of the bigger picture. The NHS only has a finite amount of money, and GPs and pharmacists only have a finite amount of time. The NHS should not be wasting it's time and money on a minor condition like hayfever. I know it's not a pleasant condition (I suffer myself), but the majority of the time it can be managed with relatively cheap over the counter drugs. If you have tried OTC products and they don't work, fine, see your GP.

Aerius is a parallel import of Neo-clarityn (Desloratidine). It is prescription only, and offers few benefits over loratidine, the same story as levocetirizine and cetirizine.

Piriteze is just a branded version of cetirizine, and wasn't even the first to market.

OTC antihistamines are all about as effective as each other. The older ones, such as chlorphenamine (Piriton) and promethazine (Phenergan) can cause drowsiness, and can also cause problems for people with glaucoma or prostate problems. The newer antihistamines, loratidine, cetirizine and acrivastine, are non-drowsy, although cetirizine causes drowsiness in about 10% of people. It is also the slowest acting one (takes about 2 hrs). Acrivastine (Benadryl) works in about 15mins, which is the fastest. Benadryl Plus is a good product, which combines an antihistamine with a decongestant (and obviously you pay more).

With steroid nasal sprays I tend to steer people towards beclomethasone because it is cheaper than fluticasone and about as effective, although beclomethasone is twice daily and fluticasone only once daily. Sympathomimetic nasal drops, such as xylometzoline, oxymetazoline (Otrivine, Sudafed, Vicks Sinex) are very good for short term relief, but do not use them for more than a week at most. If you do, you will get congestion when you stop - so back to square one.

There is no difference between cetirizine hydrochloride and cetirizine dihydrochloride. There is one listing in the BNF, one listing in the drug tariff.

Finally, do not buy Sudafed for children liquid, buy standard sudafed liquid. They are both the same drug, in the same strength, with the same dosage instructions. Sudafed for children has a slightly cuter package... and costs about 50p more.

margerylavinia

While in Much Wenlock at the beginning of April I visited a local chemist there. On advice I bought 30 Loratadine 10 mg tablets for £2.95. I think this was a very good price. Hope I can do as well locally.:T

trainee_debt_buster

I get all year round hayfever-like symptoms, the only difference for me in summer is my eyes start getting itchy and it's hotter, nice! So I have to take Mizollen all year round, which doesn't have a generic brand with the same ingredient, and is it is the only hayfever remedy that works for me.

I don't have any other regular medicine so it's not worth me having an NHS pre-paid prescription voucher so what I have managed to do instead is ask my doctor to give me 60 tablets per prescription and he agreed, so I know get 60 pills for £6.85. Bargain!

If anyone is the same position, try asking for a double prescription. I actually did it to save time in going to the doctor's every month but it' saved me money as well. :dance:

Jafa_2

Having had hayfever since I was 10, and am now 48, I have tried a few remedies! Originaly most tablets made you sleepy and miserable and with limited relief such as piriton and Triludan. 20years ago I went to the Leicester Hayfever Clinic that did trials on new drugs and had the chance to use Flixonase nasal spray; sceptical at first as I had used I think beconase? with no relief. Wow was what I thought when I used Flixonase, it stopped practically all the sneezing and runny nose but only on severe days did it not prevent itchy eyes. It became available on prescription a year later and I've used every year since - and to the best of my knowledge no side effects! However! a couple of years ago the patent/protection ran out and I was given the generic version (on cost presumably) by the pharmacist saying that it was exactly the same - It might say that on the packet, but in my case it was definitely not as effective! I went back to the Dr and he wrote me out a new prescription for the genuine stuff - made the difference straight away, so be careful of what you think you might be taking. Now my only challenge is getting eye drops better than Opticrom, which on bad days only help marginally, even though I use them every day - also expensive for such little pots!

Have a pleasant summer!

KeithL_3

ciaron wrote: »

Its worth pointing out there is a difference between Zirtek and the Cetirizine generics, the active ingredient for Zirtek is Cetirizine Dihydrochloride whereas in most of the generics it is Cetirizine Hydrochloride. Without going into too much detail in the chemistry, this does actually make a fair bit of difference, and as with all allergy meds, you may find one works for you and one doesn't.
.

This is a very valid point, I have noticed the difference in effectiveness between the Hydrochloride and DIHydrochloride, at first I attributed it to differing pollutant strengths at the time but then I recalled I occasionally switched (due to wifes careful purchasing policy) from mostly using zirtek to occasionally using an Asda clone. As someone else said, Find out what works for you and stick with it if you can. I now find I have to take these throughout the whole year because I am becoming more sensitive to things in daily life which produce the "hay fever" symptoms.
Its now alcohol in most forms, including aftershaves, deodorants (and pubs naturally), cigarette smoke, some types of peanut. Most of which can be controlled using the right pill.
I really do wonder about the claims people make about the cheap own brands containing the same components as there does seem to be a lot of inconsistency in their effectiveness in my experience compared with the branded name.
Having said all that, the discovery that what I always assumed was a seasonal remedy could actually be applied throughout the year has been a great find for me. I am actually regaining a sense of smell as my nose was pretty much wiped out from so much sniffing and blowing.
If you haven't been there you won't understand.

caspainseamonster

mikeymonkey wrote: »

hi, you could of course get free prescriptions in Wales for your hayfever remedies !

Mike

Excellent previous correspondance and Martins work on all the costs etc in this weeks email but has anyone got similar info on Hayfever remedies for Children ( usually in Syrup form) as most, if not all, the tablets are for aged 12+

Maisie

587dan wrote: »

Telfast (Fexofenadine) is still prescription-only in the UK so the only way to get it is on a prescription (private or NHS)

Terfenadine (was Triludan) is no longer available in the UK - it is no longer recommended due to potentially dangerous side effects (alteration of the heart beat). If you have any of this left, please return it to your local pharmacy for destruction.

p.s. I'm another MSE Pharmacist

I take Telfast (Fexofenadine) for cholinergic urticaria! It helps more than any of the others. Doc said I can take 2 of those a day not like some of the others - one a day.
Doesn't make me drowsy either.

Reminds me I must go and see the doc again as this complaint is supposed only to last up to 2 years and I've had it for over 3!

synergy_3

Hi everyone!

Just for your interest...

I turned to natural alternatives to Hayfever remedies this year in the form of Pycnogenol/Pine Bark extract. Mainly due to cost, and personally don't like to keep using medicines.

I was quite sceptical of this @ first, but I've found them very effective, and would take these any day over others! Normally 1-2 a day, keeps my hayfever at bay! :T

You can purchase from health food shops, and the usual on-line health shops such as HealthSpan / ZipVit:

http://www.zipvit.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?shopingpage&cartnumber=13639c&currency=Pounds%20Sterling&swords=Pycnogenol%20and%20Pine%20Bark

http://www.healthspan.co.uk/shop/product.aspx?Id=PYCN&ct=true

I've been using the HealthSpan ones, but looks like the ZipVit are better value.

Just thought I'd let you all know anyways!

That's all folks!

P.S. Remember to look for discount codes in the forum if you do decide to try any of these!

nej

The only one that really works for me (and my wife) is Benadryl (not the "One-a-day" ones).

Are there any generics with that same active ingrediant?

grhm

I take Desloratidine for my solar uticaria, for which it works great, but it has almost no effect on my hayfever. I use Beconase nasal spray because a pharmicist told me it was OK to use in combination with the Desloratidine, and I took by implication that flixonase was not.

Loratidine was useless for the solar uticaria in my case.