People taking a common hay fever tablet to ease their allergy symptoms are being urged to avoid certain foods and drinks while on the medication. NHS GP and health expert Dr Punam Krishan explained what patients need to know during a recent episode of BBC Morning Live.
High Pollen Levels Expected
On Saturday, the pollen count is forecast to reach 'Very High' for many western parts of the UK, including Wales, north-east England and Northern Ireland. Levels will remain 'High' for the majority of the country on Sunday. In the UK, nearly 10 million people in England suffer from hay fever, which includes people of all ages, according to the Met Office. This means that almost one in four adults and one in ten children are affected, and studies show that the number of people dealing with this condition is increasing every year.
What Is Hay Fever?
Hay fever, also known as seasonal allergic rhinitis, brings on symptoms that feel like a cold, such as sneezing, coughing, itchy or watery eyes, and a runny or stuffy nose. However, it can persist for weeks or even months. These symptoms are caused by pollen and tend to worsen from March to September when pollen levels are high, and they can sometimes cause fatigue and sinus pain. According to the NHS, hay fever cannot be cured, but there are ways to manage symptoms, including non-drowsy antihistamine tablets such as cetirizine, loratadine, and fexofenadine.
Warning About Fexofenadine and Fruit Juices
In a fresh warning issued to viewers, Dr Punam urged those taking fexofenadine to avoid certain fruits and fruit juices that many people consume at breakfast. When asked by host Gaby Roslin what to avoid, Dr Punam explained a "lesser known" issue that can interfere with how well the tablet works. She stated: "There is a transporter in the gut that fexofenadine is absorbed via. Now, there are certain fruit juices like orange juice, grapefruit juice and apple juice that can actually block that transporter, so it means that the absorption of fexofenadine is affected and significantly reduced by about 70%."
Dr Punam advised taking the tablet with water and avoiding any fruit juices a few hours before or after. She also reminded that antihistamines can interact with other medications and substances, such as alcohol. "Alcohol could increase histamine in the body, which can make your hay fever symptoms worse. But it can also, alcohol is a sedative. So if you're combining that with antihistamines, it can potentially make you feel more drowsy. It affects your alertness, your reaction times, etc. So just be wary of that."
On the NHS website, a statement about fexofenadine reads: "Do not drink grapefruit juice, apple juice or orange juice while you're taking fexofenadine as the medicine may not work as well. It's best not to drink alcohol while you're taking fexofenadine as it can make you feel sleepy."
Additional Advice
Sharing another piece of advice, Dr Punam said: "The NHS website has got the NHS look-up tool. In that, you type in whatever antihistamine you're on, and it will go through everything that it interacts with, what you can and cannot take it with." People can find out more about antihistamines on the NHS website, including extra information about fexofenadine. Most antihistamines can be bought from pharmacies and shops, but some are only available on prescription.
