A woman had to miss her brother's wedding due to suffering from extreme , which causes her serious breathing problems. The allergy, which typically flares up during the summer months, made her eyes ‘red raw’ and drove her to become sleep-deprived.

Jasmine Lowdon was devastated when she was unable to attend her brother’s nuptials because her symptoms were so severe. Suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis - commonly known as hay fever - since the age of 25, Jasmine was left with a congested nose, severe sneezing, coughing, and sleepless nights.

Although hoping to make his big day at a hotel in Plymouth, in June 2018, Jasmine had to miss out on the whole event and be sent images and videos throughout the day from family members. Determined to take control of her health, the 35-year-old sought medical help in February 2024.

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It comes as research commissioned by explored how well is for hay fever symptoms when intranasal antihistamines or corticosteroids are insufficient. The study of 1,000 hay fever sufferers also revealed that 55 per cent said their symptoms have caused them to miss personal life milestones and celebrations, professional commitments or watching and playing sports.

Jasmine, from Northampton, said: "Hay fever ruined my life - no matter what I tried, nothing seemed to work. I was beyond devastated when I had to miss my brother's wedding - it's a special event, and I wanted to be there to support my brother and his new bride.

"Thankfully, he understood my reasons, but it didn't make it any easier not to be there. Being there vicariously through photos and videos wasn't the same.

"The sleepless nights, congested nose, and constant streaming eyes and nose - it takes over your life. It affected my work and social life as I wouldn't want to meet up with the girls after work."

Suffering from seasonal allergic rhinitis since the age of 25, Jasmine was left with a swollen nasal passage, severe sneezing, congestion, and a constant feeling of exhaustion. These are common symptoms that many will get if they suffer with hay fever, .

Seasonal allergic rhinitis is a condition that causes inflammation of the nose caused by breathing in pollen. The pollen season normally runs from March to November in the UK, with the summer months often being the peak.

Jasmine added: "It got so bad, I couldn't sleep at night, and worst of all, my nose would swell so much at times that I felt like I could barely breathe. I tried everything to pinpoint the trigger - changing my diet, deep-cleaning my home, even avoiding flowers and perfumes - but nothing made a difference."

The survey findings, conducted via OnePoll.com, also revealed that in the last 12 months, respondents had missed an average of two days of work as a result. During peak seasons, 35 per cent have to cancel plans monthly or more due to their symptoms—with one in 10 saying it’s a weekly occurrence.

To get the latest pollen forecast, . It provides a UK forecast of the pollen count and can give any hay fever sufferers an early warning about spikes.