Allergic to England!?

Growing up I never had any allergies at all, but it seems like since coming here I have developed some. I can't seem to wear my contacts for a full day during the summer anymore without them getting really dry and itchy, but I'm okay in the winter. More annoyingly, I get a rash every time I go outside for more than 15 or so minutes, again only in the spring/summer. If I'm not thinking and play with my son in the grass the rash is worse and comes up faster. It is just small, red, ITCHY! pin pricks on my arms. I suppose it might happen on other bits of exposed skin but I don't tend to have any other than my arms/face and my face is not generally effected.

I am working on the assumption that I have some sort of grass or pollen allergy and pop an antihistamine when I get in if it has come up, and either that settles it or just coming inside for a while does the trick.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

Do you think it is worth bothering the GP over something like this? WIll they do anything? It is annoying, especially since having a toddler who *always* wants to be outside, but I don't know if they can/will do anything other than what I am doing now.

Any advice appreciated  

I know we've had threads on this before and I think its quite a common thing to experience allergies in a place you didn't grow up different, pollens, grasses, insects, flowers, etc  

Either you're not allergic, or didn't get exposed to it and build small antibodies to or you're exposed to something you've never been to before an it turns out your allergic-  

You can certainly try some OTC allergy medicnes (cetirizine, loratadine, etc) and see if that helps you at all

Didn't happen to me with allergies but I noticed when I first moved here that I started getting tons of colds and other things started happening for the first time that never ever happened to me before (ear infections and ringworm amongst other things). Could be a coincidence, I suppose. I only get a couple of colds a year now so seem to be back to normal. But I was sick with something or other all the time when I first moved.

Has anyone experienced something similar?

Do you think it is worth bothering the GP over something like this? WIll they do anything? It is annoying, especially since having a toddler who *always* wants to be outside, but I don't know if they can/will do anything other than what I am doing now.

I haven't experienced anything as bad as you have, I just get itchy eyes and sneeze all of the time! However, I went to the GP when things started to get worse with my sinuses because of the allergies, and the GP had some really good suggestions. They suggested an over-the-counter nasal spray, changing my clothes immediately when I get inside (so the pollen isn't staying on me all day), and eye drops.

I haven't looked for it here, but I know that in the States there is a benedryl cream that helps skin rashes...I'm sure there is something similar at Boots!

If it doesn't get better, I think that it is perfectly ok to go to the GP. You shouldn't have to be miserable for half of the year!

I was brought up in England in a fairly rural location and became allergic to my home area after moving away to study.

Now when I return home for holidays I have to take an OTC antihistamine on waking, or suffer itchy eyes, runny nose etc. This, and occasional eye drops, means that I can wear my contact lenses for at least most of the day. As soon as the grass cutting and flower blooming season is over the symptoms disappear - I hope the same works for you!

I've read taking a teaspoon a day of LOCAL honey can help ease the symptoms of allergies. It will help build antibodies and help reduce your symptoms. I've not tried it personally, as A) I cant stomach honey and B) my allergies are deeper than seasonal.

If you do find a particular tablet works for you, your GP might be able to prescribe you it in bulk so you can get more than 24 tablets at once.

I have heard that about local honey as well