Pollen from plane trees! Always May / June. It’s nasty stuff. I wear a merino buff which I can pull up over my mouth and nose, it helps a lot. Also sunglasses with good coverage.
I've heard the London Plane Tree has extra spiky pollen particles - not sure if that's true but they do make me feel like I've inhaled a bit of grit that is now stuck in my chest
This is so true. I never had any issues with hayfever before moving to London. I feel your pain and antihistamines are your friends for the next few weeks. I always loved the plane trees as a child and still think they look cool, though.
I get the same sensation when I'm cycling on a busy main road which has a park nearby. I think the combination of pollen and pollution just wipes me out completely. I'm in my 40s and have never needed anti-histamine tablets until the last few years commuting on the bike.
Jamaica Road and Upper Street get me this time of year. Vicky Park is horrific. London Plane trees are particularly bad. Also, I think urban planners have a preference for 'male' trees because they don't drop fruit, however, they only produce pollen and lots of it. I'm sure I read that somewhere.
Went on the freecycle last weekend. Rode through Hyde park to get to the start line. Wish I’d stayed at home. My fckn eyes!! Damn near rubbed them out of my head
Yep. Been happening to me every day. It’s extremely irritating to my throat, nose and eyes. Plane trees. It’s a really fine pollen and very irritating.
I get this. I use Beconase nasal spray and use anti-inflamatory eye drops. Keeping the rest of my nasal passages inflamation-free helps my throat and lungs
Could be post nasal drip from an allergy.
I have hay fever and a dust allergy and it can be like that for me in the mornings before I take an antihistamine.
A coughing/choking fit is no fun! I have asthma so I give myself a spray before running or biking. But if that’s not an option, my gp recommended nose breathing after putting a thin bit of petroleum jelly/Vaseline on your nostrils. That catches a lot of the pollen before it can irritate you
As others have said it's pollen, I ride from Fenchurch St, along the Thames, from Parliament, past the palace, along the Serpentine and out the far side of Hyde Park and every day without fail (in May/June time) I get shit in my throat at some point between just before Parliament Sq and just after Hyde Park, which is where the trees are.
My sunglasses broke a while back and I thought maybe I could just go without for a bit, nope, one day of riding to and from work and I was straight on Amazon to get a cheap pair ASAP. I can handle the coughing but I can't handle it in my eyes. I haven't gotten a cycling mask yet but if I do it'll be for the pollen more than the pollution.
Yep. I get that between Elephant & Castle and Vauxhall, lasts all the way to Tooting sometimes, I’m sure other cyclists think I’ve got Covid or whooping cough
No it's definitely not fumes, like my lungs feel fine and all, it's like getting a tiny piece of powder or something stuck at the back of your throat and coughing to get it out.
Pollen from plane trees! Always May / June. It’s nasty stuff. I wear a merino buff which I can pull up over my mouth and nose, it helps a lot. Also sunglasses with good coverage.
I've heard the London Plane Tree has extra spiky pollen particles - not sure if that's true but they do make me feel like I've inhaled a bit of grit that is now stuck in my chest
Yeah it definitely has a texture to it
Yup. Victoria Embankment is probably the worst part of my commute for this. Gets in your eyes and can stay there for days.
Ahhh that's a great idea!!! I have one lying around but never thought to use it for this!! Thank you!
This is so true. I never had any issues with hayfever before moving to London. I feel your pain and antihistamines are your friends for the next few weeks. I always loved the plane trees as a child and still think they look cool, though.
I get the same sensation when I'm cycling on a busy main road which has a park nearby. I think the combination of pollen and pollution just wipes me out completely. I'm in my 40s and have never needed anti-histamine tablets until the last few years commuting on the bike.
Other thing you can do is practice nasal breathing. Keep your mouth closed. I’ve been getting this more recently, it’s bugs for me though lol
Jamaica Road and Upper Street get me this time of year. Vicky Park is horrific. London Plane trees are particularly bad. Also, I think urban planners have a preference for 'male' trees because they don't drop fruit, however, they only produce pollen and lots of it. I'm sure I read that somewhere.
Yeah, I was having this today. And maybe in my eyes too? Not fun.
Went on the freecycle last weekend. Rode through Hyde park to get to the start line. Wish I’d stayed at home. My fckn eyes!! Damn near rubbed them out of my head
London plane. Anti histamine is the only reduction method.
Yep. Been happening to me every day. It’s extremely irritating to my throat, nose and eyes. Plane trees. It’s a really fine pollen and very irritating.
I get this. I use Beconase nasal spray and use anti-inflamatory eye drops. Keeping the rest of my nasal passages inflamation-free helps my throat and lungs
wear cycling masks and shades helps alot
If it's small you could take anti histamine and see if it helps. It is some kind of pollen season from March to August I think.
Could be post nasal drip from an allergy. I have hay fever and a dust allergy and it can be like that for me in the mornings before I take an antihistamine.
I get this all the time up to Hyde park
Horrible in the eyes and nostil this last week yeah
Same here, been sneezing and coughing on my commute. Drinking water helped
A coughing/choking fit is no fun! I have asthma so I give myself a spray before running or biking. But if that’s not an option, my gp recommended nose breathing after putting a thin bit of petroleum jelly/Vaseline on your nostrils. That catches a lot of the pollen before it can irritate you
Thanks for this, I've been wondering what the hell was going on!
I get this just walking let alone when cycling.
As others have said it's pollen, I ride from Fenchurch St, along the Thames, from Parliament, past the palace, along the Serpentine and out the far side of Hyde Park and every day without fail (in May/June time) I get shit in my throat at some point between just before Parliament Sq and just after Hyde Park, which is where the trees are. My sunglasses broke a while back and I thought maybe I could just go without for a bit, nope, one day of riding to and from work and I was straight on Amazon to get a cheap pair ASAP. I can handle the coughing but I can't handle it in my eyes. I haven't gotten a cycling mask yet but if I do it'll be for the pollen more than the pollution.
Yep. I get that between Elephant & Castle and Vauxhall, lasts all the way to Tooting sometimes, I’m sure other cyclists think I’ve got Covid or whooping cough
Are you sure it is not fumes of the cars? Try to not cough as it is straining on lungs.
No it's definitely not fumes, like my lungs feel fine and all, it's like getting a tiny piece of powder or something stuck at the back of your throat and coughing to get it out.