Consumer Information

Clarinex-D 24 Hour

Generic Name: desloratadine and pseudoephedrine (des loe RAT a deen and soo doe e FED rin)
Brand Names: Clarinex-D 12 Hour, Clarinex-D 24 Hour

What is the most important information I should know about Clarinex-D 24 Hour?

Always ask a doctor before giving Clarinex-D 24 Hour to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Do not use any other over-the-counter cold, allergy, or sleep medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much of a certain drug. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains an antihistamine or decongestant. Do not use Clarinex-D 24 Hour if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take cough or cold medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body. Clarinex-D 24 Hour can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of Clarinex-D 24 Hour.

What is Clarinex-D 24 Hour?

Desloratadine is an antihistamine that reduces the natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose.

Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose).

The combination of desloratadine and pseudoephedrine is used to treat sneezing, cough, runny or stuffy nose, itchy or watery eyes, hives, skin rash, itching, and other symptoms of allergies and the common cold.

Clarinex-D 24 Hour may also be used for purposes other than those listed in this medication guide.

What should I discuss with my healthcare provider before taking Clarinex-D 24 Hour?

Do not use Clarinex-D 24 Hour if you have used an MAO inhibitor such as isocarboxazid (Marplan), phenelzine (Nardil), rasagiline (Azilect), selegiline (Eldepryl, Emsam), or tranylcypromine (Parnate) within the past 14 days. Serious, life-threatening side effects can occur if you take cough or cold medicine before the MAO inhibitor has cleared from your body.

Before taking Clarinex-D 24 Hour, tell your doctor if you are allergic to desloratadine, or pseudoephedrine, or if you have:

kidney disease;
diabetes;
glaucoma;
heart disease or high blood pressure;
diabetes;
a thyroid disorder;
an enlarged prostate; or
problems with urination.

If you have any of these conditions, you may not be able to use Clarinex-D 24 Hour, or you may need a dosage adjustment or special tests during treatment.

FDA pregnancy category C. Clarinex-D 24 Hour may be harmful to an unborn baby. Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant during treatment. Clarinex-D 24 Hour can pass into breast milk and may harm a nursing baby. Do not use Clarinex-D 24 Hour without telling your doctor if you are breast-feeding a baby.

How should I take Clarinex-D 24 Hour?

Take Clarinex-D 24 Hour exactly as it has been prescribed by your doctor. Do not use Clarinex-D 24 Hour in larger amounts, or use it for longer than recommended. Follow the directions on your prescription label. Clarinex-D 24 Hour is usually taken only for a short time until your symptoms clear up.

Always ask a doctor before giving Clarinex-D 24 Hour to a child. Death can occur from the misuse of cough and cold medicines in very young children. Take Clarinex-D 24 Hour with a full glass of water. Do not crush, chew, or break an extended-release tablet. Swallow the pill whole. It is specially made to release medicine slowly in the body. Breaking or opening the pill would cause too much of the drug to be released at one time. Talk with your doctor if your symptoms do not improve after 7 days of treatment, or if you have a fever with a headache, cough, or skin rash.

If you need to have any type of surgery, tell the surgeon ahead of time if you have taken Clarinex-D 24 Hour within the past few days.

Clarinex-D 24 Hour can cause you to have unusual results with allergy skin tests. Tell any doctor who treats you that you are taking an antihistamine.

Store the Clarinex-D 24 Hour at room temperature away from moisture and heat.

What happens if I miss a dose?

Since Clarinex-D 24 Hour is usually taken only as needed, you may not be on a dosing schedule. If you are taking the medication regularly, take the missed dose as soon as you remember. If it is almost time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and take the medicine at your next regularly scheduled time. Do not take extra Clarinex-D 24 Hour to make up the missed dose.

What happens if I overdose?

Seek emergency medical attention if you think you have used too much Clarinex-D 24 Hour.

Symptoms of an overdose may include feeling restless or nervous, nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, dizziness, drowsiness, dry mouth, warmth or tingly feeling, or seizure (convulsions).

What should I avoid while taking Clarinex-D 24 Hour?

Clarinex-D 24 Hour can cause side effects that may impair your thinking or reactions. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be awake and alert. Avoid drinking alcohol. It can increase some of the side effects of Clarinex-D 24 Hour.

Avoid using other medicines that make you sleepy (such as sleeping pills, pain medication, muscle relaxers, and medicine for seizures, depression or anxiety). They can add to sleepiness caused by Clarinex-D 24 Hour.

Avoid taking diet pills, caffeine pills, or other stimulants (such as ADHD medications) without your doctor's advice. Taking a stimulant together with a decongestant can increase your risk of unpleasant side effects.

Do not use any other over-the-counter cold, allergy, or sleep medication without first asking your doctor or pharmacist. If you take certain products together you may accidentally take too much of a certain drug. Read the label of any other medicine you are using to see if it contains an antihistamine or decongestant.

What are the possible side effects of Clarinex-D 24 Hour?

Get emergency medical help if you have any of these signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficulty breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. Stop using Clarinex-D 24 Hour and call your doctor at once if you have any of these serious side effects:

fast, pounding, or uneven heartbeat;
confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
severe dizziness, anxiety, restless feeling, or nervousness;
increased blood pressure (severe headache, blurred vision, trouble concentrating, chest pain, numbness, seizure);
confusion, hallucinations, unusual thoughts or behavior;
easy bruising or bleeding, unusual weakness, fever, chills, body aches, flu symptoms; or
urinating less than usual or not at all.

Keep taking the medication and talk to your doctor if you have any of these less serious side effects:

blurred vision;
dry mouth;
nausea, stomach pain, constipation;
mild loss of appetite, stomach upset;
warmth, tingling, or redness under your skin;
sleep problems (insomnia);
restless or excitability (especially in children);
skin rash or itching;
dizziness, drowsiness;
problems with memory or concentration; or
ringing in your ears.

Side effects other than those listed here may also occur. Talk to your doctor about any side effect that seems unusual or that is especially bothersome.

What other drugs will affect Clarinex-D 24 Hour?

Before taking Clarinex-D 24 Hour, tell your doctor if you are using any of the following drugs:

medicines to treat high blood pressure;
a diuretic (water pill);
medication to treat irritable bowel syndrome;
bladder or urinary medications such as oxybutynin (Ditropan, Oxytrol) or tolterodine (Detrol);
aspirin or salicylates (such as Disalcid, Doan's Pills, Dolobid, Salflex, Tricosal, and others);
a beta-blocker such as atenolol (Tenormin), carteolol (Cartrol), metoprolol (Lopressor, Toprol), nadolol (Corgard), propranolol (Inderal), sotalol (Betapace), timolol (Blocadren), and others; or
antidepressants such as amitriptyline (Elavil), clomipramine (Anafranil), imipramine (Janimine, Tofranil), and others.

If you are using any of these drugs, you may not be able to use Clarinex-D 24 Hour, or you may need dosage adjustments or special tests during treatment.

There may be other drugs not listed that can affect Clarinex-D 24 Hour. Tell your doctor about all the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use. This includes vitamins, minerals, herbal products, and drugs prescribed by other doctors. Do not start using a new medication without telling your doctor.

Where can I get more information?

Your pharmacist has information about Clarinex-D 24 Hour written for health professionals that you may read.

What does my medication look like?

Desloratadine and pseudoephedrine is available with a prescription under the brand name Clarinex-D. Other brand or generic formulations may also be available. Ask your pharmacist any questions you have about this Clarinex-D 24 Hour, especially if it is new to you.

Clarinex-D 12 hour extended release tablets are oval shaped, blue and white bilayer tablets with "D12" embossed in the blue layer
Clarinex-D 24 hour extended release tablets are light blue oval shaped coated tablets with "D 24" branded in black on oneside.

Remember, keep this and all other medicines out of the reach of children, never share your medicines with others, and use this Clarinex-D 24 Hour only for the indication prescribed.
Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Cerner Multum, Inc. ('Multum') is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Multum information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Multum does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Multum's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Multum's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners. The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Multum does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Multum provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.