Surely you can’t have hay fever ALL YEAR ROUND!

Ruth Holroyd's hay fever used to start in March but all of a sudden March has become January, before her Christmas dust allergy was even over!

BBQThis year my hayfever started in January. Yes that’s right. After the Christmas period spent inside with the joys of the dust allergy, the New Year brought swollen eyes and I mean proper full on hay fever eyes.

First of all I assumed I’d touched something and got it in my eyes.

I’ve been on a health kick. So starting the day with a 3 mile walk has been rejuvenating. Getting out with nature; very mild weather and frosty mornings and with the blood pumping works wonders for the skin, breathing and general positive outlook.

What I wasn’t banking on was weeping, streaming, itching golf balls for eyes …. IN JANUARY!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RUTH!

It took me a few weeks to realise this was an allergic reaction. I know, stupid doesn’t get much more stupid.

So antihistamines every morning does really help but what are the health implications of prolonged use of this drug?

But seriously? Already? Is this global warming? Are the trees pollination earlier?

So you can guess what I did. I googled it. Was hay fever in January a real thing? It would seem very much yes. But this is most definitely the first year I’ve experienced it.

People were asking me what was wrong with my eyes. They were such a mess. Allergy UK website explained that trees like hazel, alder, ash, willow and elm could all be giving off pollen in January.

Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

This is bad. Usually my hay fever begins in March. This year there has been no break. The tree mould and dust pretty much took me through winter so now all these trees that I love so much are leaving me blind with gummed up eyes, constant weeping and to control it… all year round antihistamine use.

Is this normal? Or a new phenomenon? Or am I becoming allergic to yet more and more allergens? It’s fun being on the allergic march… NOT!

So how does this affect me?

  • I have to carry tissues everywhere. Cotton hankies are better, softer and less aggressive on my skin
  • When I’m driving I need a tissue on my lap because often the streaming eyes create a sort of film and seriously affecting my vision… not great when you’re in control of a moving vehicle.
  • People think I’ve been punched in the face. Swollen bruised eyes are not a good look.
  • People think I’m crying so I have to keep saying, “No I’m not crying, it’s just hayfever…” to which they reply. “Hay fever? In winter?”

So it’s actually not so bad to be writing this in March, when my hay fever normally starts. But I may have to rewrite my favourite hay fever poem... ‘In March, its starts…’

Spring betrayal
By Ruth Holroyd, March 2014

In March, it starts.
The sniffs and smarts.
My eyes are streaming
And I am dreaming
Of winter
And arctic winds,
To cool my burning cheeks
And weeks and weeks
Of snow
And rain
With no release, until
At last, the snowdrops
Peek their delicate heads
To meet the early dawn.
And I am won.
I am undone.
Willing on the coming Spring.
Feeling warmth upon my skin.
The first weak rays
Of tender sun and then,
In March, it starts...

March 2015

If you found this article interesting, there are many more articles on hay fever here, many more articles on allergy in general here and many more entries in Ruth's Allergy Diary here.
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