Yes, some antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, do cause constipation as a side effect.
These medicines can cause constipation by blocking the movement of gut muscles. Examples include oxybutynin (Ditropan) and tolterodine (Detrol) for urinary incontinence and diphenhydramine (Benadryl), fexofenadine (Allegra), loratadine (Claritin), and cetirizine (Zyrtec) for allergies.
Drowsiness, tiredness, and dry mouth may occur. Stomach pain may also occur, especially in children. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.
The most commonly reported side effects include somnolence, dizziness, and headache. Use these dosage charts for infants and children under 12 years old: Zyrtec Dosage Charts (Infants & Children)
Is it safe to take Zyrtec every day? Yep. "When taken in the recommended doses, antihistamines can be taken daily. This is especially true with Zyrtec, since it doesn't show decreasing effectiveness if used daily," says Sima Patel, MD, an allergist at New York Allergy & Sinus Centers.
Cetirizine is unlikely to do you any harm if you take it for a long time. However it's best to take cetirizine only for as long as you need to. If you take it regularly over a long period there's a very small chance of severe itching if you stop treatment suddenly.
Antihistamines can be helpful when it comes to stomach acid problems, but they may also increase your risk for the Clostridium difficile infection.
Sandoz issued a voluntary recall of 1,023,430 units of Zyrtec (10 mg) capsules as a result of failed impurities and a specification being reported for impurity at the 21-month stability time point, according to an FDA Enforcement Report.
Zyrtec may interact with other medicines that make you sleepy (such as other cold or allergy medicine, narcotic pain medicine, sleeping pills, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression, or anxiety). Tell your doctor all medications and supplements you use.
Yes, some antihistamines, such as diphenhydramine, do cause constipation as a side effect.
by Drugs.com
The elimination half-life of Zyrtec is between 8 to 9 hours. It takes approximately 5.5 x elimination half-life for a medicine to be cleared from your system. For Zyrtec this is 5.5 x 9 hours which is about 2 days.
Seasonal Allergies
Allergens, such as pollen, can trigger an allergic reaction in the body that affects the digestive system. This can lead to stomach cramps, nausea, constipation, diarrhea, and GERD.
In general, anti-histamines do not cause kidney problems. Some, such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl) can cause retention of urine in your bladder. Others such as Claritin and Zyrtec are generally very safe.
While there's no set timeline for when someone should stop taking an antihistamine, one should speak to a doctor or drug rehabilitation specialist if they feel like they have become addicted to your antihistamine. The severity and length of an antihistamine withdrawal will depend on the specific drug.
First generation antihistamines, while very effective at controlling symptoms, are often associated with symptoms in older adults such as anxiety, confusion, sedation, blurred vision, reduced mental alertness, urinary retention and constipation.
The main withdrawal symptom is called pruritus— itching and burning sensations of the skin ranging from moderate to severe. Other antihistamine withdrawal symptoms include interruptions in sleep patterns.
Some patients have reported severe itching as a symptom of Zyrtec withdrawal. This itching may begin as soon as 12 hours after the last dose of Zyrtec and can affect every part of the body. Some patients report itching so severe that they cannot control scratching and have caused sores all over their bodies.
What's the best time of day to take ZYRTEC®? Any time of day works. And ZYRTEC® will continue to work for 24 hours.
Histamine plays a role in our appetite. When antihistamines block histamine, our appetite can increase. This, plus side effects like drowsiness, could lead to weight gain.
The H2-antihistamines block H2 histamine receptors that are found in the gastric acid producing parietal cells of the stomach. Therefore, these antihistamines will reduce the amount of gastric acid being secreted in the stomach.
These common side effects include sedation, impaired motor function, dizziness, dry mouth and throat, blurred vision, urinary retention and constipation. Antihistamines can worsen urinary retention and narrow angle glaucoma. The antihistamines rarely cause liver injury.