Allegra for asthma?

[runcyclexcski]

I have recently moved from the UK to Germany/Switzerland; the halthcare is in Germany. Getting Xolair, anti-IL5 mAbs, prednisone, inhalers and other drugs was super-easy. But I still get very chest-tight due to the high pollen counts. I believe here the pollen-triggered asthma is worse, b.c. of the warmer climate and more vegetation.

When I mentioned to them 3 months later that I still get pollen-triggered asthma and have to wear an FFP2 mask everywhere and to sleep in a HEPA tent, they added Trimbow to my existing Seretide inhaler (may have helped a bit), montelucast to my pill regiment (montelucast never did anything for me), Talfast aka Allegra, and anti-reflux pills (again, these never did anything for me before).

Allegra seems like a particularly silly idea to me: I do not have any issues with allergic rhinitis and runny eyes from the pollen (the mAbs and 2 mg prednisone resolved that fully), all my symptoms are in the lungs. Does Allegra work for your asthma?

Should I take things that I know do not work just to look "cooperative" to them?

In Germany, they do allergen desensitization, and I am trying to convince them to do that (it helped in the past). It's quite frustrating to be put on drugs that I tell them do not work, while being ignored when I request things that worked in the past.

[Tdjacks]

Hi, I also have asthma and hay-fever every year. With me general antihistamines and taking my seretide inhaler twice in the morning if my breathing is affected. I have very little issues now with breathing or sneezing. I hope that helps. Tony.

[Chip_y2kuk]

Yes, I was actually given (fexofenadine, the brands telfast/allegra) it because I had allergic rhinitis... caused by a dust plume (not clever when your allergic to it) and it made my breathing better .... so I've been on it ever since

[Gwalltarian]

Is Allegra an antihistamine? I’ve taken a dose of Fexofenadine antihistamine this morning because in spite of montelukast I was getting hay fever symptoms. It’s cleared my nose and my breathing is easier - it was at the point of considering a dose of ventolin which I am trying to avoid at present.

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to Gwalltarian]

Yes allegra is the brand name for fexofenadine.... its also available without prescription... it is now also available in the UK without prescription but thats a new thing

[runcyclexcski]

Thank you all. I will give Allegra a shot. I do not have hayfever symptoms (no runny nose, no itchy eyes etc), all my symptoms are deep in the lungs. This is why I thought it was odd that they would prescribe it. Sort of like fixing a car engine with duct tape. I used to take antihistamines as a young person. They only dealt with the upper respiratory symptoms, and made me sleepy.

[Chip_y2kuk in reply to runcyclexcski]

No, the "classic" symptoms are as you describe itch eyes, runny nose etc.... my only symptoms are respiratory.... and my IGE shows allergies to pretty much everything airborne ..... I stopped taking fexofenadine recently (just to see if I still needed it) less than a week later I felt like I had been hit by a bus (as the fexofenadine wore off) ... but not once did I have itchy eyes or a runny nose

I also react to the adhesive in surgical tapes... however again the classic symptoms are localised however I end up with "food allergy" symptoms and its something to do with the adhesive breaking down and small amounts being absorbed into the skin .... which is a completely odd and unusual reaction.