It’s been a glorious week of hot, sunny weather and it’s only going to get hotter into the weekend – the perfect conditions for everyone but hayfever sufferers.
For those allergic to pollen, it’s not all good news and in fact the Met Office has issued a ‘very high’ pollen forecast every day between now and Saturday. The sunnier days are bringing pollen chaos with them as sufferers battle sneezing, streaming eyes and blocked noses, with another six months of misery on the way all summer long.
But there is a ‘miracle cure’ that is now available over the counter, and hayfever sufferers swear by it as it works much more effectively than traditional hayfever tablets. Fexofenadine hydrochloride, often sold under brand names like Allevia and Treathay, used to be available only on prescription.
But now, high strength tablets can be bought from high street chemists and from supermarkets like Boots, Superdrug, Tesco and Asda as well as Amazon, starting from about £6-8 for a box of 30 tablets.
That would make them roughly 25p to 27p per pill.
Hayfever sufferers say the tablets are so good they completely stop their symptoms. They described the tablets – which are stronger than traditional tablets like Cetirizine Hydrochloride and Loratadine – as making them feel like they don’t even have hayfever at all any more.
One hayfever sufferer posting on Reddit said: “I’m 43 and have suffered with hayfever every year for as long as I can remember, trying every non-prescription medication going to keep it under control. As other sufferers will know, even non-drowsy medication has a tendency to make you feel sluggish and I’ve only ever found them moderately effective.
“Recently, tablets containing fexofenadine have become widely available and, my god, hayfever is no longer an issue. It’s not as cheap as the other stuff but it really, really works, no drowsy side effects… I can finally enjoy the outdoors without streaming eyes/nose. Cannot recommend it enough.”
Other hayfever sufferers agree with how good the tablets are.
Matty Ester said: “I have gone from having the worst hayfever you will ever see anyone have in your whole life, to feeling like I’ve never had it. Allevia, you have cured me.”
Ben Newmark said: “Hayfever sufferers, Allevia is now available over the counter and I haven’t felt this good in the summer for a decade.”
And @Nikk1noodles said: “Fexofenadine aka Allevia 120mg over the counter at Boots. Took a couple of days to kick in but this week I’ve been hayfever-free. No itching, no eye drops, no nasal sprays. 10/10, would recommend.”
