Summer spells hay fever hell for Northsider

WHILE most of us have been able to enjoy the recent spells of good weather, summer is not a season Ciara Tunstead from Finglas usually looks forward to.

Ciara (21) suffers from severe hay fever symptoms that persist right through the summer months and endures irritating itchiness, stinging and streaming eyes and a blocked nose when the pollen count is high.

Her eyes can stream so bad that sometimes she can’t even see and during her Leaving Cert the hay fever was so severe she had trouble in the exam hall.

“When I was doing my exams, I found it really hard because of the drowsy side-effect of the anti-histamines I was taking,

? she says.

“Because of the gorgeous weather we had, the examiner opened the doors and windows of the hall, which exacerbated my symptoms.

“Once my eyes started to stream or my sneezes began they were uncontrollable, and I felt bad because I didn’t want to be disturbing the other students by blowing my nose the whole time.

?

Ciara did well in the mock exams taken before the summer but didn’t perform as good in the real Leaving Cert because of her symptoms. Her relationships with family, friends and boyfriend can also become strained during summer because of her hay fever.

“My symptoms have prevented me from going to parks and barbecues with my friends, and even going to the gym was difficult as the air conditioning would cause my symptoms to flare up,

? she explains.

Ciara has tried different hay fever treatments including antihistamine tablets and nose balms, but while some worked they worked inconsistently, and others caused drowsiness.

Ciara isn’t alone in her suffering. A recent survey of Dubliners with hay fever carried out earlier this year found that 79 per cent of sufferers said that their symptoms affected their daily lives.

The survey, conducted by the makers of Prevalin, a new treatment now available in Ireland, also found that more than one in four (27 per cent) sufferers admit to being irritable when hay fever strikes.

This summer has brought little joy for anybody with hay fever. Irish Pharmacist John O’Meara from Procare Pharmacy says there’s been a significant increase in the sale of treatments.

“Sufferer’s symptoms have become more severe and treatments that may have worked in previous years are no longer easing the symptoms,

? he continues.

“We are seeing lots of eye conditions caused by pollen, including itchy and streaming eyes, along with a lot of summer colds.

“In addition to using a product such as Prevalin Allergy, I would advise sufferers to stay indoors with the windows closed when the pollen count is high.

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Ciara has tried Prevalin Allergy and found it brings welcome relief from her symptoms and allows her to live a more normal life during the summer.

“It’s a natural nasal spray, which suits me better than antihistamines as there are no drowsy side-effects that stop me from studying,

? she says.

“I can also enjoy the outdoors and evenings out with friends again.

?