Some hay fever tablets will make you feel drowsy, but newer antihistamines are designed to avoid this side effect.

If you’re looking for an allergy medicine that will be less likely to make you feel drowsy, we recommend products that contain cetirizine or loratadine.

These are available as generic medicines, and are also the active ingredients in brand name tablets including Benadryl and Clarityn.

Hay fever tablets are often suitable for children aged 6 and over.

However, you should check the packaging or patient information leaflet before giving any medicine to your child to be sure that it’s appropriate for their age.

If your child is too young to take hay fever tablets, there are allergy syrups available that are usually more appropriate for children, with some being available for kids aged 2 and up.

If you’re pregnant, then you should speak to your doctor or pharmacist before taking any medications, even if you’d usually take them for your hay fever when you’re not pregnant.

Doctors will usually recommend eye drops or a nasal spray as the first hay fever remedy to try while you’re pregnant.

However, if they don’t work, your doctor may recommend an antihistamine tablet, but make sure to only take the one your doctor recommends and read the patient information leaflet carefully before taking them.

Hay fever is a common allergy that many people suffer with over the Spring and Summer months.

Hay fever happens because you’re allergic to the pollen, which is created by plants as they grow.

So, as the weather gets warmer, the pollen count usually gets higher, triggering your allergic symptoms.

This is why many people start taking hay fever tablets over the warmer months, keeping their hay fever in check so they can enjoy the Summer without sneezing the whole time!

Different hayfever tablets contain different active ingredients. Remedies containing Chlorphenamine (Piriton), Promethazine (Phenergan) or Diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can be sold over the counter when their sale is reviewed by a pharmacist which is why we ask customers a few questions before they are able to purchase them. Over the counter hayfever tablets are not inherently "stronger" than those available on general sale. Tablets containing low doses of Cetirizine and Loratadine can be bought without pharmaceutical review and you may find that these are more effective for your particular symptoms. Read more about choosing the right hayfever treatment.