YONKERS, NY — Sixty percent of allergy sufferers say they were unable to find ways to stamp out the seasonal misery that typically begins in March and reaches a crescendo in April and May, according to a recent survey from Consumer Reports National Research Center.  And 18 percent say they missed work due to allergies.  The survey found that none of the main strategies for coping with allergies were completely successful, but most people who saw a doctor said the visit helped a lot.  In fact 59 percent of those people said they had managed to rein in their symptoms.  Additional survey results and advice on dealing with allergies can be found at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org.   

“Seasonal allergies affect all parts of the upper respiratory system plus the eyes,” said Marvin Lipman, M.D., chief medical adviser, Consumer Reports.   “There’s usually no single magic bullet.”  Consumers might think otherwise due in part to the many millions of dollars spent yearly on direct-to-consumer advertising filled with promises that allergy symptoms can be vanquished.   But despite a bustling market for allergy medicines—in 2009, consumers are estimated to have spent at least $325 million on allergy prescription drugs alone—that magic bullet is far from reach.

The poll found that the average number of medicines used by respondents was three, with 26 percent taking five or more medications to treat their allergy symptoms.  Consumers may be moving from one medicine to the next for different reasons such as lack of overall effect or difficulty tolerating side effects.  Some people take two or more medications simultaneously to treat different symptoms.  Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65 percent) who used prescription together with OTC medications reported at least one side effect, with drowsiness and dry mouth being the worst offenders.  

The three main strategies for dealing with seasonal allergies include avoidance, prescription drugs, and OTC medicines.  Of the respondents who tried and succeeded at using these methods, the ones who were most successful at managing their misery were those who tried avoidance (84 percent), followed by prescription medications (68 percent) and OTC medicines (48 percent). 

According to the results of the Consumer Reports Health survey, available online at www.ConsumerReportsHealth.org, the prescription medicines allergy sufferers took the most were steroid nasal sprays fluticasone (Flonase and generic) and mometasone (Nasonex), as well as montelukast (Singulair), a leukotrine blocker.  In its treatment ratings, available online to subscribers of ConsumerReportsHealth.org, Consumer Reports Health gives the steroidal nasal sprays high marks for treating hay fever symptoms such as sneezing or a blocked or runny nose.   Possible side effects include nose irritation, nosebleeds, and septum damage (rare).  The leuoktrine blockers may also help people breathe more easily, but can cause headache, mood changes, and upset stomach.  

The OTC antihistamines most often taken by people with severe allergies include diphenhydramine (Benadryl Allergy and generic), loratadine (Claritin and generic), and cetirizine (Zyrtec and generic), all of which Consumer Reports Health rates as very likely to work for people who feel stuffed up and have a hard time breathing through their nose.  Possible side effects include dry mouth, headache, rapid heart rate, increased blood pressure, and sleep problems.

Survey Highlights:

• Ninety-percent of allergy sufferers experienced symptoms in April, making it the worst month, followed by May (87%) and March (74%), according to the Consumer Reports Health survey.
• People who suffer the most—experiencing a combination of eye, nose and head symptoms—encountered ten days of misery due to allergies. In fact, nearly one fifth (18%) of Americans missed at least one day of work over the course of a year because of their allergies.
• Pollen was cited by most people (79%) as the most common source of allergies, followed by grasses (59%), ragweed (54%), and trees (52%). One quarter of respondents reported allergies to each of these allergens. Outdoor irritants weren’t the only problem; thirty-nine percent reported allergies to cats while 21 percent said they were allergic to dogs.
• The most common symptoms of allergy sufferers include itchy eyes (87%), sneezing (80%), runny nose (77%), watery eyes (73%), and stuffed-up nose (69%).
• Nearly half (44%) of respondents said their allergy symptoms interfered a lot with one or more aspects of their daily lives. The ability to do outdoor activities (29 percent) was tops, followed by sleep interference (22 percent), mobility (19 percent), and daily routine (16 percent).
• Of respondents who had seen a doctor in the past two years, 56 percent walked away with either a new prescription (32%) or a prescription renewal (35%).
• Thirty-two percent of those polled said their health insurance made the cost of prescription medications for their allergies less expensive than OTC medications. Seventeen percent said their health insurance did not cover any allergy medications while 23 percent said their health insurance covered some medications.

SURVEY METHODOLOGY
A nationally representative online survey of allergy sufferers designed by the Consumer Reports National Research Center was fielded by Knowledge Networks April 6-20, 2009.  The final sample comprised of 1,814 US residents ages 18 or older who typically experience springtime reactions to outdoor allergens during one or more spring months (March, April, May, June).  Sampling error at the 95% confidence level was 2.98%.