Hay Fever and training

sonny73

I am off to Dr today to confirm I have hay fever.
Thought I've had a cold for a week or 2 so laid off training (off to Alps in 3 weeks) but in the last 2 or 3 days I realised I only have to go in to my garden and my symptoms erupt; so just wondering do the same rules apply for training with hay fever as with a cold?

The rules apply as in with a cold of symptoms above the neck ok, but below the neck no?
I get confused here as hay fever gives me a cough, but from the throat, not the chest in my case.
Just trying to calm myself I'm still going to be able to ride in the Alps, with only just under 3 weeks to go, I put the miles in for the last 4 months or so, so fingers crossed.

Be interested to see how others cope with hay fever.
Cheers

est.1984

I feel your pain!

Went out riding on a hilly 30 mile loop on Sunday evening and was down on power and sluggish. Struggled to sleep the last 2 nights and felt a bit spaced out, have taken a clarityn today and feel 100% better.

I have always got hafever before, but symptoms have been confined to sneezing and itchy eyes. This has been totally different though, my lungs on Sunday felt like I had been off the bike for a year! I was convinced I was coming down with something until a couple of hours ago.

On the plus side, if it is hayfever you should be good to go as soon as you take a remedy.

Steve Tcp

I've suffered with hayfever for as long as I can remember, but find that it doesn't affect my cycling. I can ride for hours without any symptoms, but a few minutes after I stop the throat and eyes start itching. I'd love to know why that is, but I'm certainly glad of it. So, in my experience, you don't need to treat training in the hayfever season any differently to at any other time of the year, just brace yourself when you've finished (unless you've found a really effective HF remedy)

Woolfie

As Steve says I've had hayfever since I was little and I find it affects me mostly after I have finished riding when I can get sneezes, eye itching and rashes. Can't take the drugs they just completely whack me out. When I was racing a few years back I did notice that I had a little dip in form (but not dramatic) from end of May to early July then I would be fine again. I know that the season has started when I get a summer cold in May for a few days - now that does normally affect the riding because it gets on my chest etc. Not much I can do except get on with it because I don't want to stop riding - always wear sunglasses to help stop airflow (and pollen) directly into the eyes.

Richard891

+1 on no symptoms when exercising. It seems exercise supresses the symptoms (hooray!), then like you guys a few minutes after I stop the nose is running, the itching throat returns and sneezing starts...

Currently taking Clarityn for it but it doesn't seem to help much... one thing I find that helps is to shower and rinse out my eyes with Optrex before bed time, seems to help me sleep without as many symptoms. I also find a spoon of honey eases the scratchy throat.

Steve Tcp

I started another thread recently called "Piriton and cramp" because I was, and still am, convinced that Piriton was causing me to suffer cramp after 50 miles amongst other "drawbacks". Anyway, I've often tried Clarityn, Beconase etc over the years, and always went back to Piriton because it was the best hayfever remedy FOR ME, and because I could take 4 (or even 6) a day - the one a day ones always seem to run out about mid afternoon. Anyway, Aguillar posted this;

I believe that Piriton is one of the very early anti-histamines and blocks a broad range of biological processes including the histamine reaction. This is why it had side effects like drowsiness. The more recent drugs such as cetirizine and levocetirizine amongst a number of others are much more targeted than piriton and have less side effects. Keep trying different ones

After that I decided to give the "newer" drugs a chance and plumped for the Boots own brand Cetirizine Hydrochloride (don't know what brand name this is marketed under), and I'm geeting close to 24 hour protection from symptoms, no drowsiness, NO CRAMP and it's suppressing the symptoms way better than any other hayfever remedy I've ever tried. Now cetirizine won't work for everybody, it seems that with antihistamine one man's miracle cure is another man's poison, so my point is that it really is worth continuing to experiment with this stuff, because one of these drugs might really free you from the curse of hayfever - or we could just cycle 24/7 :shock:

bigmat

Steve Tcp wrote:

I started another thread recently called "Piriton and cramp" because I was, and still am, convinced that Piriton was causing me to suffer cramp after 50 miles amongst other "drawbacks". Anyway, I've often tried Clarityn, Beconase etc over the years, and always went back to Piriton because it was the best hayfever remedy FOR ME, and because I could take 4 (or even 6) a day - the one a day ones always seem to run out about mid afternoon. Anyway, Aguillar posted this;

I believe that Piriton is one of the very early anti-histamines and blocks a broad range of biological processes including the histamine reaction. This is why it had side effects like drowsiness. The more recent drugs such as cetirizine and levocetirizine amongst a number of others are much more targeted than piriton and have less side effects. Keep trying different ones

After that I decided to give the "newer" drugs a chance and plumped for the Boots own brand Cetirizine Hydrochloride (don't know what brand name this is marketed under), and I'm geeting close to 24 hour protection from symptoms, no drowsiness, NO CRAMP and it's suppressing the symptoms way better than any other hayfever remedy I've ever tried. Now cetirizine won't work for everybody, it seems that with antihistamine one man's miracle cure is another man's poison, so my point is that it really is worth continuing to experiment with this stuff, because one of these drugs might really free you from the curse of hayfever - or we could just cycle 24/7 :shock:

I think cetirizine is marketed as Zirtek, its what I use (but an unbranded generic version) on prescription. Non drowsy, which is good, although hasn't been up to the job the last week or two (I think its pretty bad out there at the moment!)

jonnycon

Best to get checked out, I have suffered from Hay fever for a number of years but this year has been horrendous !!! When training recently I noticed I had a really dry hacking cough during riding, didn't think anything of it. Raced a crit at the weekend and fell of the back almost immediately, tried to get back on and couldn't so sat up slightly to wait for the pack to lap me and get back on, on doing this my chest packed up completely, I stopped and couldn't breath properly for about 5 minutes (very frightening), then my chest felt like I had a chest infection, went to GP's who told me I had suffered (& was still suffering) an asthma attack, listened to my chest and told me it was bubbling like a witches cauldron, now on a weeks course of steroids and have an inhaler. Don't know why the hay fever has been so bad this year but that's me knackered for a couple of weeks.

vorsprung

My hayefever is much less severe since I got cycling fit a few years ago

Sheptastic

I found that in a recent RR i became extremely breathless ( and no, not cus i was being hammered) and was forced to stop when my throat started to close up and i couldnt breathe.

I raced a crit on friday night after taking Benadryll (contains ceterizine) and although i did get hammered I felt no symptoms.

Forgot to take it for a tri on sunday and felt the original symptoms, luckily without the same result as in the RR.

sonny73

Interesting to read your experiences chaps, I have been to the Dr and indeed diagnosed with hay fever, which is sort of a result I guess in terms of getting back on it.
I have been given some Fexofenadine to harness the bugger then crack on with over the counter jobs there after.
Fingers crossed after tomorrow I’m back to normal and the Dr said I could hammer it straight away if that’s the case, Alp ready (I hope ).

ScottieP

I've been struggling with Hay Fever worse than normal this year. Normally I get a couple of weeks where it makes my eyes really sensitive and riding is a nightmare as pollen etc gets in my eyes even with sunglasses and I have to stop every half hour to sort out my contact lenses. This year it's been giving me cold like symptoms and asthma (I'm an asthmatic too) but it hasn't been affecting my speed and improvements. As long as I have an inhaler with me, I can take a puff or two when needed. For today I took an anti-histamine last night (Clarityn) and couple of puffs of the inhaler before I left the house. I did 65km and at a record (for me) speed. That being said I am sick of the hayfever this year - it's been dragging on longer than normal and I don't usually have it give me asthma.

Daan Hammond

I use Loratadine based products these days as they are marketed "non-drowsy". The cetirizine based type such as Zirtek are not marketed as such and the ever authoritative Wiki states:

"Cetirizine crosses the blood-brain barrier only slightly, eliminating the sedative side-effect common with older antihistamines; however it still causes mild drowsiness."

I suppose it is a question of "whatever works for you best.." When things get bad I also opt for a nasal spray to take the itchiness out of the back of my mouth and do away with the running nose.

Apparently in some countries Claritin D exists which has ephidrine in it so might be worth checking before dosing up if competing!

Steve Tcp

ScottieP - when I first went for contacts the optician told me it was advisable not to wear them during the hayfever season, presumably for the reasons you have found difficulty with them.

Daan Hammond - I have been led to believe (although I would not claim authoritatively) that any of these hayfever remedies would result in a failed dope tests. That's why (I am told again) the likes of Savoldelli suffered bad days as a result of hayfever - they couldn't take a remedy in the same way that after being stung on the eyelid Vaughters had to abandon the TDF as he wasn't allowed to use an over the counter eye cream to ease the swelling.

Daan Hammond

http://www.globaldro.com/uk-en/search/I ... arch=false

Got me thinking so I checked this site - both are clear for UK use at least. May have been steroid based inhalers that Savoldelli and Tony Rominger were looking to use. I think these two are relatively recent treatments.

ScottieP

Steve Tcp wrote:

ScottieP - when I first went for contacts the optician told me it was advisable not to wear them during the hayfever season, presumably for the reasons you have found difficulty with them.

Yep, I'd say so - I'm blind as a bat without them so don't have the choice - but they are a nightmare in the hayfever season - really sensitive and painful. Usually it's only really bad for a couple of weeks - but its been a bit longer this year. Seems to be fine now though.

Steve Tcp

Daan Hammond wrote:

http://www.globaldro.com/uk-en/search/IngredientStatus.aspx?ingid=2981&countryid=2&sportid=32&exact=1&searchid=151377&userid=1&show=All&search=cetirizine&newSearch=false

Got me thinking so I checked this site - both are clear for UK use at least. May have been steroid based inhalers that Savoldelli and Tony Rominger were looking to use. I think these two are relatively recent treatments.

Ha, glad I added the "not authoratative" bit in my post - that's a fallacy I won't state again. Thanks Daan.

ScottieP wrote:

Steve Tcp wrote:

ScottieP - when I first went for contacts the optician told me it was advisable not to wear them during the hayfever season, presumably for the reasons you have found difficulty with them.

Yep, I'd say so - I'm blind as a bat without them so don't have the choice - but they are a nightmare in the hayfever season - really sensitive and painful. Usually it's only really bad for a couple of weeks - but its been a bit longer this year. Seems to be fine now though.

I prefer cycling with contacts - for some reason I always feel taller/ higher off the ground - but have now deferred to Rudy Rydons with a prescription insert which never give me discomfort. I'd hate to start getting those "time to change the lenses" sore eyes 80 miles into a century ride for example.

brettjmcc

I use the Sainsburys Hayfever tablets. They have the same amount of active component as Benadryl etc.

For the eyes, I like to wear a pair of Oakley M Frames, as they give total wrap. I haven't suffered any itchiness this year.

Pokerface

I use a prescription spray called Nasacort AQ. One spray in each nostril each morning and my havfever symptoms go bye-bye. Non-drowsy and legal for cycling (if you get tested for doping, etc).

And I was told that it may be available over the counter now.

Gav888

I have suffered with so many colds this year ive basically lost 6 months worth of cycling and 3 weeks ago I thought I was over it, but since then ive been suffering with an allergy I think, I find my nose is blocked every morning possbily giving me a chesty cough but the snot is clear.

From what ive read clear snot is an allergy, green snot is a cold as its fighting an infection.

brettjmcc

Gav888,
Not your usual recommendation, but my consultant currently has me washing my sinuses out twice a day. Has worked very well for me, though I still may have to have the Dewalt job done in a few weeks.

If you are in a large Boots, look for something called NeilMed sinus riunse. May help.

Gav888

brettjmcc wrote:

Gav888,
Not your usual recommendation, but my consultant currently has me washing my sinuses out twice a day. Has worked very well for me, though I still may have to have the Dewalt job done in a few weeks.

If you are in a large Boots, look for something called NeilMed sinus riunse. May help.

Cheers, I will have a look into that next time im in town. Must feel weird though washing your sinuses!

sonny73

Out of interest those of you that suffer with hay fever, do your symptoms evolve with a bout? The reason I ask is that having taken antihistamine my nose and throat have cleared up but since taking the drugs my chest is sore and aching, when it wasn't before.
Spoke to the Dr and he said unless I wanted an inhaler I have to get on with it, yet the durgs state chest pain as a side effect :?

love2ride

I'm quite lucky! I get hayfever off the bike, but when I get on it I am absolutely fine. No runny nose, no itchy eyes, even without glasses. My breathing even frees up a bit. Any one with a likely explanation?

ut_och_cykla

You'll probably be ok near Alpe Dhuez as the grass pollen season is slightly earlier in France by my experience - but be careful as you might be a bit 'over sensitive' to other things that you dont usually react to - dont stop the medicines just becuase you think you are ok.....
and good luck!

Zachariah

+1 For Nasacort. It was recommended to me in Boots when I asked for something new, as I've suffered for years and tried pretty much everything short of the steroid injections.

That plus a daily Loratadin pill (cheapo generic version) has almost eliminated all symptoms this year, with no detectable side effects except slight dryness in the throat.

And like everyone else, I notice that exercise suppresses the symptoms. I've always suspected adrenaline.