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When I was a kid I used to get very bad hay fever. Over the years this has faded and now I hardly notice it, just the odd sneeze. Recently I have developed another problem with pollen. This time of year running through grass I get a very bad itching on my legs where I have come into contact with the pollen. Anyone else suffer from this? Any suggestions regarding possible solutions, apart from full leggings, just running on roads or giving up for 2 months?
Antihistamine might work?
Pollen makes my life miserable :(
Me too!
Finished tonights run with blotchy legs - fortunately a shower improves things.
Antihistamine - cheapest is http://www.chemistdirect.co.uk/ - and that does help
Time! :p After running through long grass etc at this time of year I get all sorts of skin irritations. Get back, shower and a cup o' tea. Within an hour I've forgotten about it and the rash has receeded somewhat.
Have suffered likewise from chronic hayfever for most of my life until I discovered 'Rinocort' (budesonide) nasal spray. Since then I can lead a normal summer life. :)
Antihistamines may be the answer, was hoping to do without if possible. I still have some of the marks from Monday. unfortunately a cup of tea and a quick shower doesn't get rid:mad:
Same for me I'm afraid. Been for club run tonight, partly over moorland and grassy hills and my legs are itching at the moment and I had a prolonged sneezing fit earlier on too. Ugh. Happened last week as well. I thought I was going to get away with it this year but I think I'll have to be more selective about my runs until the monsoon season kicks in :D
I suffer from this as well, and sometimes the reaction can take up to a week to clear completley. My legs are still itching slightly from running last Friday night.:(
I find the worst types of grass for causing a reaction are long meadow grasses, rye grasses, cocksfoot and hemlocks. The sort of wild grasses you find in hedgerows. The hardier and more reedlike moorland grasses you find higher up in the hills don't seem to bother me so much.
Wheat fields are the absolute worst, avoid these like the plague. The reaction I get from this causes all the skin on my legs from ankles to thighs to swell in a massive blotches, when I put my hand on them they feel hot to the touch.
I've tried antihistamine and a few other herbal remedies but the only thing that works for me is to cover the legs. As for hayfever I use tissue salts (which dissolve on the tongue in a few minutes) before running and have found these keep hayfever at bay better than all the antihistamine type tablets, etc. that I've tried.:)
cheers - that certainly strikes a chord with me; on the last two Thursday night runs we have been through several acres of what I would describe as long meadow grasses (Sorry I don't know their names). I've had the blotchy legs/hot to the touch thing as well, its now 14 hours since I was out and I can still feel the skin on my legs tingling, though the blotchiness has gone down. Yet.. running on the nearby hills, & fields where sheep have been doesnt seem to be a problem at all, nor does running through the rape seed oil fields nearby (though they're very "pungent" :p - actually they have finished now). Might have a look at tissue salts because I'm not keen on antihistamines, or maybe just keep away from the grass for a while longer!
Yes your symptoms sound very similar to mine. Oilseed rape doesn't seem to bother me either, yet some people can't go anywhere near it without getting a reaction.
Tissue salts work for me (prevention rather than cure) and there appears to be no side effects with them such as drowziness etc.
I get the red, itchy, blotchy legs as well. Sticking to routes that have paths helps, as it's much, much worse if I'm running through stuff that's brushing against my legs. The hayfever has been really bad this year. Antihistamines take the edge off the itching, but only the edge... Cold shower helps, I sit on the edge of the bath and run the shower over my legs until they're cold enough that I can't feel the itching anymore :).