Itchy Sneezy Days of Summer (Lloyds Pharmacy Hayfever/Allergy Reliever)

Member Name: kerrypanda

Product:	Lloyds Pharmacy Hayfever/Allergy Reliever
Date:	16/06/09 (2199 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Amusing spectacle for offspring.

Disadvantages: Potential nosebleeds?

I bought the Lloyds pharmacy allergy/hay fever reliever and ioniser together, but have reviewed them separately.

I have been using antihistamines, a nasal spray and eye drops but I'm still getting hayfever symptoms, a runny nose, itchy eyes and nose, sneezing.

I went to Lloyds chemist to pick up more eye drops and saw their 'Prevent hay fever from ruining your summer' promotion.

They are offering a Lloydspharmacy Hayfever Reliever for £14.99 reduced from £29.99 and Ionising Air Purifier £13.99 down from £27.99. They are reduced even further to £21.99 if you buy both (buy one get second one half price), and the 9V battery for the hay fever reliever was just £1 but £3.99 on the Lloyds website. The poster announces 'As Seen On TV' but doesn't mention which programme.

I got home from my walk to town feeling like I wanted to scratch my eyes out they were so itchy so I had my fingers crossed hoping for instant and dramatic results.

The Lloydspharmacy Hayfever Reliever (HFR from now on!) is packaged in a smallish gold box with a 7 page instruction manual.

The manual says that the product is a medical device and has undergone clinical trials to test its effectiveness.

The HFR is an innovative and effective treatment for the relief of those irritating symptoms associated with allergic rhinitis - for example, watery eyes, runny nose and sneezing. It is safe, quick and easy to use and some people may feel an improvement after just a few treatments.

It works by using phototherapy of two different wavelengths. One promotes increased blood flow and circulation, and the second uses red light therapy to suppress the cells that release histamine and reduce inflammation.

I have seen light therapy on TV before, I saw it being used to treat an elephants cracked heels!

Children under 16 must be supervised by a responsible adult.
It's not suitable for use with a pacemaker or other implanted medical devices.
It's also unsuitable for people with Nasal Polyposis, sensitive skin in the nose or with poor circulation.

It was very easy to install the battery, no screwdriver needed, and then all I had to do was put it up my nose!

I pinched the clamp arms to open the nasal probes out a bit, and squeamishly manoeuvred the probes up my nose. It felt a bit uncomfortable at first, but it doesn't hurt.

I pressed the on/off button and I could see the red light, at first I thought I was actually seeing the lights in my eyes, which probably isn't possible!

After three minutes(one treatment cycle)it turns itself off and bleeps to let you know. You can use it 3-4 times a day, and obviously wash after each use!

For the first three days I sometimes had a feeling that I was about to have a nosebleed, I don't quite know how to describe it, like a sensitive burn-y sensation?! It seems to have stopped now.

I have been using it for six days, three times a day and I am cautiously optimistic that it's doing something. I can't really know for certain as I am using several products simultaneously but it does seem that my symptoms have slightly lessened and it's still my first week of using it. Even if it's just a placebo effect it's good enough for me so I am going to carry on.

I would be interested to know of anyone else's experiences with these products.

(By the way I've used the same introduction on the Ioniser review. I blame my lack of imagination on my hay fever symptoms!)

UPDATE: I have been putting this up my nose faithfully three times a day for about a month now, and I have to say that my hayfever symptoms seem to be under control. I have been out and about every day and the occasional sneeze is about the extent of it, compared to when I wrote this review and I had a runny nose and itchy crusty eyes(sorry!), every symptom going really.
Now I use this gadget, with a daily antihistamine and an ioniser in the evenings. I don't really use my inhaler or eye drops anymore. So, for me it's a keeper!

Summary: Worth a try.