GREENSBORO, N.C. — Allergy sufferers, we are in the thick of it. The allergy/pollen forecast for this week is high in everything, from trees to weeds to grasses.
Consumer Reports looks at the three steps of allergy medicines.
#1 ORAL ANTIHISTAMINES
You buy oral antihistamines over the counter. We're talking Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, and their generics.
These are known as second-generation antihistamines because they're less likely to cause sleepiness like Benadryl, Dimetapp, and Chlor-Trimeton.
Here's the thing, there's not one better than the other. Doctors say to try one and if it doesn't work for you just try another.
What you don't want to do, is use an antihistamine paired with a decongestant for too long. Here's why.
“Definitely want to make sure you're not getting the Zyrtec-D the Claritin-Dd, Afrin is a huge one I see people pick that up. If you stay on them for too long your nose quits doing what it’s supposed to do, decongesting,” said Dr. Erin Dennis, Allergy and Asthma Center of NC, Cone Health.
And get this, you may find an antihistamine that's worked for you in the past, but all of a sudden stops working. Then what do you do?
“I do warn my patients that if they feel better, it becomes less effective than to just go ahead and switch every two to three months, just get whatever is on sale, that that time that you go to the drugstore essentially,” said Dr. Joe Gallagher, Cone Health Allergy-Immunology.
#2 STEROID NASAL SPRAY
The next step is to add a daily steroid nasal spray.
We're talking about Flonase, Nasacort, and their generics. The spray can take a week or two to reach maximum effectiveness.
#3 RX ANTIHISTAMINE NASAL SPRAY
If you're still miserable several weeks out from trying steps #1 and steps #2, Consumer Reports health experts to say you should ask for a prescription antihistamine nasal spray. These work more effectively than oral antihistamines.