Hay fever?

Unless you're willing to take Chlor-Trimeton or Benadryl and be dopey/snoozy, or upgrade to advanced prescription meds that take days or weeks to build effectiveness, you've got few options. But I've cobbled together a strategy that works.

My town is festooned with lovely purple-blossoming trees which, every Spring, turns the populace into sneezing, crying, coughing maniacs. Tough allergy conditions! The following shuts down the problem more effectively than I even expected. And it seems to create a flywheel effect - over time, it works better, and if you skip a dose or two, you'll retain a certain momentum. Note that there is no science to back that particular claim; it's strictly my personal experience.

The trick is to apply antihistamines locally, rather than internally, to avoid side effects. And since sinuses, eyes, and throat are interconnected, anything applied in that region affects the whole shebang. So this is a multi-pronged program of local antihistamines, plus gentle non-controversial boosters:

Bausch + Lomb Alaway Antihistamine Eye Drops, one drop per eye, just before you go out in the morning, and just before bed. Accompany bedtime with a single shot of propolis spray to the throat (available from health food stores and beekeepers) to avoid nighttime itchy throat. Propolis is safe (beekeepers have relied on it for millennia, though if you have issues with bee products, obviously avoid it), but very strong. Don't overdo it.

Azelastine antihistamine nasal spray (typical brand name: Astelin) 2x/day, preceded by saline nose spray (buy generic in any pharmacy) 1-2 mins prior. Blow your nose very gently after the saline—just enough to clear, not empty, the nasal passages. Ideally, time the spray more or less 6 hours before/after the eye drops (the goal is to punch from multiple angles in evenly-spaced increments; it's all about layering and timing).

Quercetin tablets, 250mg twice daily, taken with food. Look for a pure supplement (some added Vitamin C is ok; in fact, if the pill doesn't contain it, you may want to add a mild dose concurrently).

I find that the eye drops help with the sneezing, and the nose spray helps with the itchy eyes, and the whole regimen self-reinforces in mysterious and delightful ways. See if it works for you.