Are you sure it's hay fever?

[Guest guest]

Are you sure it's hay fever? 10 people blamed grass pollen for their sniffles,

but a simple allergy test changed their lives

By Lucy Elkins, Mail Online, Associated Newspapers Ltd.

Last updated at 9:20 AM on 29th June 2010

From dogs to dust mites and pollen to latex, it's thought that 40 per cent of us

suffer from an allergy. But tracking down the source can be as aggravating as

the condition itself.

Millions of us are unable to access allergy specialists to get a correct

diagnosis and treatment, according to a report last week from the royal College

of Physicians and the royal College of Pathologists.

'There's a huge misconception that if someone sneezes a lot then they must have

hay fever,' says Dr of the Surrey Allergy Clinic.

PR account executive Tessa Cuniffe, 27, lives in Fulham, south-west London, with

her boyfriend , 30, who works in as set management.

SYMPTOMS: Severe nasal congestion, an itchy nose, catarrh and headaches.

Tessa has been taking antihistamines on prescription from her doctor for the

past two months and avoids going outside in the summer months. She thought she

had a pollen allergy.

RESULTS: A medium reaction to mould, but nothing to any other inhaled allergen.

Because of her symptoms, a separate test was done for food intolerances and she

tested positive to dairy and gluten, a protein found in rye, wheat and barley.

REACTION: 'I didn't realise food intolerances could cause nasal congestion. I

suspected I had a problem with dairy, as milk makes me feel sick, but didn't

connect it to a blocked nose and I had no idea I was sensitive to gluten.

'I'm definitely going to try to reduce my exposure to mould. There was mould in

the bathroom when we moved into our house two years ago, but we had it tiled

over.

'But the mould spores can linger, so we now have a humidifier. I am also cutting

dairy and gluten out of my diet - although it is really hard.'

CATS AND DUST MITES

Personal assistant Pearce, 26, is single and lives in Poole, Dorset.

SYMPTOMS: For the past four years she has had a continually itchy throat, which

her doctor has told her is hay fever. She also sneezes and gets an itchy nose.

takes anti-histamine pills all year round and thought she was allergic to

grass and other pollens.

RYSULTS: did not have a strong allergy to any of the 12 airborne

allergens. She had a medium reaction to stinging nettles and birch pollen, as

well as the moulds alternaria alternate and cladosporium herbarum, which is

often found in houses with poor ventilation and in low, damp areas. This is the

most common cause of mould allergy. It peaks in late summer and autumn. She had

no allergy to grass.

REACTION: 'I have spent years avoiding grassy places, as it turns out,

unnecessarily. It looks like birch pollen must be causing my symptoms. I am

disappointed, because there are trees everywhere, so there is not much I can do

about it.'

GRASS AND LATEX

Fox, 31, runs own cupcake business. She lives with her boyfriend

, 37, who has his own recruitment firm in Birmingham.

SYMPTOMS: Since was 20, from March until September, has suffered from a

blocked, runny nose, itchy eyes and nose. She also gets a tickly throat when

eats apples and pears, but thought she was allergic to grass. She uses nasal

sprays and antihistamine tablets from the chemist, which help.

RESULTS: is allergic to grass and birch pollen. She is also sensitive to

house dust mites, hazelnut pollen, the moulds cladosporium herbarum and

alternaria alternata.

REACTION: 'My hay fever would always come on earlier than other people's, which

made me wonder if I had another allergy.

'However, now I've discovered that birch pollen is released from March, which

explains it. It also explains why my throat gets tickly when I eat apples, as a

birch pollen allergy can cause a cross reaction with fruit.'

EVERYTHING

Public affairs consultant Mclauchlin, 27, is married to , 27, who

is a wooden floor specialist. They live in Oldham, Manchester.

SYMPTOMS: Sneezing, nose bleeds, itchy ears and face, and watery eyes. Symptoms

began when was 15 and peak between June and August. She needs three

antihistamines a day during the summer.

She once required an antihistamine shot in hospital when her throat started to

close while holidaying at a country cottage in Wales. She thought she was

allergic to grass and pollen.

RESULTS: is allergic to grass pollen and the mould alternaria alternata.

REACTION: 'My symptoms are so bad, I thought I had another allergy. If, for some

reason, I forget to take an antihistamine and go outside in the summer, I have

to quickly come back inside. My eyes will start to water instantly. The mould

allergy is interesting as when I recently visited a friend's house, which was a

bit damp, I became wheezy and was struggling to breathe. I'm about to move house

and was thinking of having my patio grassed over - now I'm not going to.'

DUST MITES

Full-time mum Acratopulo, 38, is married to Mike, 41, a banker. They have

two children, Isabel, five, and , seven, and live in , south-west

London.

SYMPTOMS: Since her mid-20s she has sneezed all year, the symptoms being

particularly bad from April until June. also has a runny nose and sore

watery eyes. She takes anti-histamine tablets, nasal spray and eye drops. She

thought she was allergic to dust mites.

RESULTS: is strongly allergic to birch and grass pollen, with lighter

reactions to hazelnut pollen and the moulds cladosporium herbarum and alternaria

alternata.

REACTION: 'Bizarrely, I didn't come up positive to dust mites even though I

start sneezing as soon as I wake up. Maybe the mould is to blame - although I am

not aware that there is any mould around my house. The birch pollen allergy

makes sense, as I develop a red rash around my mouth if I eat apples and there's

a known cross-reaction with fruit.'

....AND THE 'COLD' THAT WAS ACTUALLY HAY FEVER

Stringer is acting managing director of Leith's School of Food and Wine.

She is married to , 38, who runs an insurance business and has two

children, , five, and Ben, three. They live in Bromley, Kent.

SYMPTOMS: Itchy nose and throat, sneezing and watery eyes in the spring and

summer. The symptoms came on in 's late 20s, but as they were not severe,

she put it down to summer colds and took nothing for it.

RESULTS: is allergic to grass pollen and has medium reactions to stinging

nettles, hazelnut and birch pollen, as well as alternaria alternata. This is

found in soils, food, composts and forest plants and is most prevalent during

warm conditions.

REACTION: 'As a working mum I've never had time to think " this might not be hay

fever " . I was in denial, even though the symptoms are inconvenient. My job

entails tasting students' cooking. During exam time, my blocked, itchy nose made

it hard to concentrate. Since the test, I've been taking Beconase nasal spray

and anti-histamine tablets, which really work.'