When a person stops taking their medication, their body will produce more histamine to make up for the lack of antihistamine. This results in extreme itching. It's common for someone who's addicted to an antihistamine to scratch until they're raw and bleeding.
Dr Grant confirms that many people can suffer withdrawal symptoms if they stop taking antihistamines suddenly. Dr Grant recommends the patient resume taking the antihistamines and then slowly reduce the dose to wean off slowly.
Zyrtec Withdrawal: Severe Itching & Hives
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.
"Itching can occur within one-two days of stopping Zyrtec or Xyzal after long term daily use (months to years). It usually lasts a few days and then resolves. The intensity of the itching can be from mild to severe. Occasionally, a brief burst of oral steroids may be needed to help the patient get off the drug.
Withdrawal symptoms are usually mild (e.g. nausea, vomiting, headache, sweating, anxiety, dizziness), highly variable and can last up to 6-8 weeks.
Some people report that if they stop such antihistamines suddenly, they can experience levocetirizine (Xyzal) and cetirizine (Zyrtec) withdrawal itching.
When people become addicted to antihistamines, they experience withdrawal symptoms when the source of the drug is discontinued. The severity and duration of the symptoms vary from person to person. Most commonly abused antihistamines include Benadryl, Zyrtec, and Allegra.
“There are nearly no long-term concerns at all with those allergy medications,” Dr. Frank says. Most allergy sufferers rely on a daily antihistamine pill or corticosteroid spray, and Dr. Frank says they are all safe to use without fear of forming a habit or building up a tolerance.
Some people have found that switching to a different antihistamine such as fexofenadine (Allegra) or loratadine (Claritin) can ease the itching from cetirizine withdrawal.
When antihistamines block histamine, our appetite can increase. This, plus side effects like drowsiness, could lead to weight gain. Your risk of gaining weight from antihistamines may depend on many factors. But a healthy diet, physical activity, and other lifestyle factors can help you manage your risk.
Is it okay to take ZYRTEC® over a long period of time? The ZYRTEC® package label doesn't state a limit on how long you can take ZYRTEC®. Talk to your doctor if you have any questions, especially if you're taking other medicines or being treated for any other conditions.
Claritin and Zyrtec are popular over-the-counter antihistamines. Doctors consider them safe and effective treatments for minor allergies. Both are second-generation antihistamines. These cause less drowsiness than first-generation antihistamines.
People with allergies may find relief by using natural plant extracts and foods that act as antihistamines. Examples include vitamin C, butterbur, and probiotics, but there are many possible options.
Allegra (fexofenadine), Claritin (loratadine), and Zyrtec (cetirizine) are over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines used to treat allergies. All of them are considered non-drowsy medications and one is not preferred over the other.
Common medications like Zyrtec, Allegra, Flonase, and Claritin don't usually stop working. It's time to check for new allergies if your nose is still stuffy and you can't stop sneezing after taking your regular allergy medicine. You may need a new treatment plan, not just more medication.
If you're someone for whom the benefits of regular antihistamine use far outweighs the occasional minor side effect, longterm use is safe for most adults and children, he adds.
Answer: Yes, it is ok to take the medication for an extended period of time. However, the "D" formulation has a decongestant (which is what the 'D' represents in the name) and this can raise your blood pressure.
Likewise, as the pollen counts decline, you can decide when it is time to decrease or stop taking your allergy medicines. Finally, if it feels like your allergy medications are no longer helping, this could be due to changes in the environment, new allergies, or even age and stress.
Many people using this medication do not have serious side effects. Tell your doctor right away if you have any serious side effects, including: difficulty urinating, fast/irregular/pounding heartbeat, shaking (tremor), mental/mood changes (such as anxiety, confusion, nervousness, restlessness), weakness.
Adults and children 6 years and over:
One 10 mg tablet once daily; do not take more than one 10 mg tablet in 24 hours. A 5 mg product may be appropriate for less severe symptoms.
That amounts to 209,256 cartons of blister packs of cetirizine HCl 10-mg tablets. While it is just now showing up in the FDA Enforcement report, Perrigo initiated the recall of the antihistamine in late September after it found that the products potentially contained an impurity.
In some cases, over the counter allergy meds stop working because your body has built up a resistance to your usual remedy. However, it is far more common for other changes in your life or your body to be the culprit behind the change and your OTC allergy relief not giving you the results you are used to.
There are some potential side effects and there are some cases where long-term antihistamine use can worsen urinary retention or narrow angle glaucoma.
“Claritin is a 24-hour antihistamine that works in the same way as Zyrtec, however, research has found that Claritin may be less potent than Zyrtec and therefore less effective,” explains Dr. Parikh. Although potential side effects may also be minimized as a result, she adds.