[West Ender]

.....or, to be more precise, pollen allergy.

I'm not a sufferer, myself, but my daughter has been since the age of 10 (she's now 32). She has tried everything, she had injections a few years ago (didn't do much) but they are no longer available, she has had local honey, nasal sprays, lozenges, antihystemine tablets, she now has a little machine that works by electricity (you stick the little prongs up your nose and switch on - it alleviates the symptoms - a little). Nothing really helps.

Every year it starts about the beginning of April and it gradually gets worse until now - June - when she is horrendously affected. Her eyes are itchy and sore, her throat is raw and she sneezes constantly. On top of all that she feels quite poorly.

Come the middle of July she will start to improve and by the end of that month she'll be fine, it's been the same pattern for 22 years. She was also unaffected in Malta, in May 3 years ago, but was dreadful in Zakynthos a few years before that. We haven't worked out what plants/grass are absent in Malta. I think you've got to either suffer from it, or live with someone who does, to appreciate how debilitating this allergy is.

Anyone got any cures or remedies to recommend? Has anything worked for you?