Cheapest hayfever remedies 2007

GotEverything

quote:
"minor condition like hayfever"

Don't you just love people who have sneezed twice one summer and tell you have a minor condition.

Hay fever is perfect for the drug companies and pharmacies - the best creation of twentieth century life, they must adore it.

It's a condition that they do not need to cure. Just provide a selection of half-effective tablets, sprays and liquids which will do no more than contain the symptoms for a short period of time.

Don't give up the struggle to beat hay fever and try to use the medicines as the last resort. It's not easy but that's the best way to keep the costs down.

whaleshome2

I bought these earlier this year.

These are not 1 a day, but they are still very cheap, and work well.

http://www.chemist-4-u.com/eshop/product.php?productid=16457&cat=318&page=2

Chemist 4 U sells off it's hayfever stocks after peak season and so I got generic version of Beconase (200 sprays) for less the £2 each late last year.

WhalesHome2.

Buckko

I suffer from Oral Alergy Syndrome, basically it is Hayfever gone mad. So I need to take tablets 365 days a year. I have tried all types and agree that the generic brands are easily as good as the named brands. I am currently taking Loratadine 10mg tablets. My consultant just happened to mention how cheap they were from the States and so i gave it a try from a reputable supplier. They cost just over $17 for 300. that is less than £9 and includes P&P. I also buy generic Ibruprophen from the same place, and always had great service. if you combine postage etc, you can get 500 Ibruprophen and the 300 Loratadine for less than £15. Posting the link here
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/LORATADINE-10MG-NON-DROWSY-ANTIHISTAMINE-300-TABS_W0QQitemZ140118945184QQihZ004QQcategoryZ75037QQtcZphotoQQcmdZViewItem
Can certainly recommend as my general health relies on these tablets.

Wolf_Mum

I was breastfeeding last summer and couldn't take any hayfever remedies so I tried hypnotherapy. It worked and I didn't have one sneeze, snivel or itchy eye all summer. So far this year I am clear as well. £50 and looks like I'm cured! Will save me a fortune over the years and also means fewer chemicals in my body! Worth a try!

MSE_Martin wrote: »

What's it about?

The hayfever season's upon us and it's harsh on pocket as well as the nose. Yet it's possible to substantially cut the cost of hayfever and allergy drugs, and this is a full list of the cheapest.

Why do prices vary so much?

Simple, we tend to buy branded medicines where most of the cost goes to packaging, sugar coating, building the brand and profits. Whereas, actually the key is to buy generic (unbranded) products with the same 'active' ingredient - the bit that does all the work.

The pharmaceutical industry is heavily regulated, so the same active ingredient, in the same dose, should do the same thing; even if its not a famous brand name, read the Cheaper Medications and Prescriptions article for more on how this works.

How to find the right tablets for you.

Different hayfever drugs work in different ways and thus have different active ingredients. Here are the four major brands and their active ingredients (which will be listed in the table of cheapest generics below).

• Zirtek. Active ingredient, Cetirizine dihydrocholride (CD)
• Claritin. Active ingredient, Loratadine (LR)
• Benadryl. Active ingredient, Acrivastine (A)
• Piriton. Active ingredient, Chlorophenamine (CP)

The Cheapest Hayfever Tablets

I'm going to list the cheapest generics first and then the cheapest branded; I'm concentrating on high street stores, though there is one cracking online deal I've included and it's also worth checking your local pharmacist.

WARNING! Always double check the active ingredient on the packet is the correct one for you before taking any tablet! Plus if you've food/medicine allergies take care in case the non-active ingredients have changed from what you're used to.

Cheapest Generic 7 Tablets packs (for full store by store list see appendix below)

• Cetirizine dihydrocholride (like Zirtec): Tesco, ASDA 87p nationwide, or 69p in-store at HomeBargains (TJ Morris Ltd, Midlands only)
• Loratadine (like Claratin): Tesco, ASDA 87p nationwide, or 69p in-store at HomeBargains (TJ Morris Ltd, Midlands only)
• Acrivastine (like Benadryl): Difficult to source so see branded section below
• Chlorophenamine (like Piriton): Sainsburys pharmacy 30 pack £1.99
• £1.79 for a pack of 30, if you'll buy online in bulk. Online pharmacist Chemist-4-u is selling generic Cetirizine dihydrocholride and Loratadine in packs of 30 packs for £1.29 plus postage. Unfortunately you need to buy six packs to get this price; so including £3 postage, 180 tablets work out at £10.74 (equal to £1.79 for 30). Chemist-4-u is registered with the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and has received good feedback.

Cheapest Main Brand tablets on the high st:

• Zirtek (CD) 7 pack £2.72 (currently 2 for 1) at Tesco
• Clarityn (LR) 7 pack £2 at Tesco
• Benadryl (A) 12 pack £3.99 (currently 2 for £6) at Morrisons
• Piriton (CP) 30 pack £3.15 at Boots and Morrisons
• It's cheaper online if you buy in bulk. Again you can cut the price online at Chemist-4-u

Eye Drops

• In-store: Boots: Own brand Sodium Cromoglicate drops 10ml £4.79, or Opticrom branded £4.99.
• Online: Generic Sodium Cromoglicate drops 10ml £1.69, Allomide lodoxamide drops 5ml £3.49 (min. order 2) from Chemist-4-u

Do check whether an in-bulk prescription will be cheaper.

Its often possible to get a prescription for hayfever tablets, so if your doctor gives you a prescription for a three months supply then as its £6.85 this is the cheapest way to get branded tablets (unless you live in Wales of course, where it's totally free).

IF YOU SPOT ANY CHEAPER (AND LEGIT) PLEASE CLICK REPLY TO REPORT THEM. Found any legit and cheaper?

Please report your finds below by clicking reply. If possible put the price, the source and the active ingredient.

Martin

APPENDIX: Full Current High Street Price 7 Tablets Listing By Store

Aldi:

LD & CD Generic 89p

ASDA:

Zirtek 7s £3
Piriteze 1 A Day 7 pack £3
Own Brand CD/LR 7s 87p
Galpharm CD/LR 7s £1.17

Boots:

Benadryl A £3.98(12's)
Benadryl CD £2.99/7 tabs
Zirtek £2.71/7 tabs
Own Brand LR/CD £2.69/7 tabs or £7.79/30 tabs (currently 2 for 1)
Value health LR 98p/7 tabs CD 99p/7 tabs

Morrisons:

Clarityn £2.99/7 tabs (currently 2 for £4)
Zirtek £2.99/7 tabs
Benadryl £3.99/12 tabs (currently 2 for £6)
Own Brand Loratadine LR or CD 99p/7 tabs

Savers:

Galpharm LR or CD 97p

Superdrug:

Benadryl 12's 2 for £6
piriteze (CD) 2 for £5.50 7 tabs
Zirtek £2.99/7 tabs
Own Brand £1.99/7 tabs (currently 2 for £3)
Galpharm CD/LR £1.59 (currently 2 for £2)

Tesco:

Benadryl Cetirizine 7s £2.80 (currently 2 for 1)
Zirtek 7s £2.72 (currently 2 for 1)
Clarityn 7s £2.97 (currently 2 for 1)
Piriteze 1 A Day 7 pack £2.77 (currently 2 for 1)
Own Brand CD/LR 7s 87p

Sainsburys:

Generic/own brand (CD)x 7 £0.98p
Generic/own brand (CD) x30 £3.99
Generic/own brand (LR)x 7 £0.98p
Generic/own brand (LR)x 30 £3.99
Generic/own brand (CP)x 30 £1.99

Wilkinsons:

Own-brand LD around same price as own-brand above yet sometimes 2 for 1

nemo183

Just a quick post to say that last year, in France, I had hayfever like I've never had it before. I had taken with me a selection of the latest drugs - none of which worked. At the end of my tether I went to a French doctor who gave me Piriton tablets - very old-fashioned - but at 6x the UK dose. They worked at once.....

richardwert

I saw on This Morning a product called HayMax pollen barrier ,a natural balm which was voted BEST PRODUCT ORGANIC at the Natural Trade Show in Brighton 2006.
Normally £6.95 for 1 pot, but the 3 for 2 offer is good value. You can choose either pure,lavender or Frankincense.
http://www.natural-alternative-products.co.uk

shabbadoof13

hey all.

Can i just recommend an excellent resource, The Hayfever Forum , People there rate and talk about normal over the counter remedies but also natural remedies to hayfever as well

Well worth a Look

moneysaving_pharmacist

GotEverything wrote: »

quote:
"minor condition like hayfever"

Don't you just love people who have sneezed twice one summer and tell you have a minor condition.

Hay fever is perfect for the drug companies and pharmacies - the best creation of twentieth century life, they must adore it.

It's a condition that they do not need to cure. Just provide a selection of half-effective tablets, sprays and liquids which will do no more than contain the symptoms for a short period of time.

Don't give up the struggle to beat hay fever and try to use the medicines as the last resort. It's not easy but that's the best way to keep the costs down.

Hayfever IS a minor condition - you are not going to die from straightforward hayfever. It is not a pleasant condition; I know, I suffer from it myself. I used to have standard symptoms - congestion, sneezing, itchy eyes. The last few years I have been wheezing during the start of the hayfever season, so I am now on Symbicort to control that.

Hayfever treatments are effective, although lifestyle changes can help (don't go and roll in a field of oil seed rape....). Hayfever would be very difficult to cure. The immune system is a complicated thing. If you supress it you leave yourself open to nasty opportunistic infections.

klusher

Thanks for the tip on Chemist-4-u.com re Loratadine. Unfortunately your article is a little misleading. Whilst the Cetirizine dihydrocholride does work out at £1.79 for 30, the Loratadine works out at £1.99. 20p is not worth worrying about but I know you always like to give accurate information. Even if you can persuade a GP to prescribe 3 months' worth of Clarityn, this works out cheaper! Thanks again for the tip.

sandy98uk

Ali_UK wrote: »

Ummm...yes! We got them from our vet at first but he then told us we could get them cheaper at the pharmacy - infact buying branded over the counter was cheaper than the vet!!

This may be a stupid question but do you know if these are the same tablets for humans as well as dogs? I have to take Chloraphenamine every night thoughout the year and buying in bulk would suit me perfectly!!