Cetirizine User Reviews & Ratings (Page 4)

Brand names: Zyrtec, Aller-Tec, Equate Allergy Relief, Quzyttir, Zyrtec Hives, All Day Allergy, PediaCare Children's 24-Hour Allergy, All Day Allergy Children's, Children's Allergy Relief, Alleroff Aller-Tec Children's …show all brand names

Cetirizine has an average rating of 5.8 out of 10 from a total of 283 reviews on Drugs.com. 46% of reviewers reported a positive experience, while 36% reported a negative experience.

Reviews for Cetirizine

The...
Taken for 1 to 2 years
January 4, 2020

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Urticaria "I have been using Zyrtec for about a year now for my allergies and hives. I have gotten no relief from my allergies or the hives when taking Zyrtec, basically it does nothing for me at all. I was even told by my doctor during an allergy attack to take it twice a day and I still got no relief."

1 / 10

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Darling
Taken for 1 to 6 months
July 6, 2021

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Urticaria "Reviewing for my 5 year old son. Chronic hives of unknown cause. Allergist said he was to take 10mg Zyrtec daily. His hives are finally under control. No side effects. We tried Claritin, benadryl, hydroxyzine, pepcid and prednisone prior and none of these worked but zyrtec worked."

10 / 10

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10 Report

SMari...
June 15, 2016

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "I have firstly severe seasonal allergies, and I purchased Zyrtec in hopes that it would be superior to Allegra. The allergy symptoms improved slightly, but the fatigue was terrible. It was so bad that I thought I was coming down with the flu. I slept for five hours straight in the middle of the day after my second dose. This is not acceptable."

3 / 10

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21 Report

Frequently asked questions

DennisP
Taken for 5 to 10 years
October 13, 2019

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "Doc put me on ciprofloxacin antibiotic. Had an allergic reaction- head to toe rash and hives. Per docs instructions, stopped the ciprofloxacin and took Zyrtec. Rash was gone within 24 hours. Also cleared up my chronic sinusitis that I had used Claritin for with little success. Still take Zyrtec generic for seasonal allergies and have had adverse side effects."

9 / 10

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14 Report

Itch-...
April 17, 2017

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Urticaria "Just writing this in case it helps another person to know what their "trigger" was. I was given a cup of Artichoke Tea for the first time. Several hours later (during the night) started scratching shoulders and upper body. Itching stopped for few hours during the next day and re-occurred later that evening and spread to many other areas of body as I took myself to emergency dept of hospital. Was given one Prednisolone and two Zyrtec tabs in the very early hours of morning. Now, six hours later and (after great sleep) have awoken to no visible hives and no itching at all. Will get script for Zyrtec later on today just in case it comes back. But, fingers crossed it will not do so."

10 / 10

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19 Report

Are you taking this medicine?

Pirene
July 20, 2016

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "I have been trying to deal with drippy eyes and nose (saturating multiple tissues in a couple of hours), and upon awakening clearing throat for over 20 years since moving from the east coast to CA. I finally decided that I had enough and the doctor told me to try Zyrtec. I started it a few days ago...yep, the drips improved, BUT, I feel exhausted, falling asleep, no energy. I think I may have to deal with the drippy symptoms and tell Zyrtec to take a hike!"

7 / 10

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Chan
Taken for 1 to 6 months
November 12, 2018

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "Works alright on getting rid of allergies I guess but every time I’ve taken it it’s made my throat extremely sore and my voice hurts. It gets so bad it hurts to talk while taking it so I’m finding something else."

3 / 10

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15 Report

More FAQ

What OTC drugs relieve tripledemic symptoms in kids?

Anonymous
Taken for less than 1 month
March 22, 2020

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "The winds started up 3 weeks ago and my nose from my allergies was just stuffed with sticky phlegm and severe lethargy. I bought the generic brand of Zyrtec and it alleviated the problem somewhat. Today I went to buy more and could't find any so I bought the Zyrtec brand and it is sooooo much more effective. Not just clear breathing, but my usual hyperactive self once more."

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Dani
Taken for 1 to 6 months
September 11, 2020

For Allergic Rhinitis "I'm a 21 year old female. The worst allergy medicine I've ever taken, next to Levocetirizine. Besides being sedated and anxious, I most recently have been waking up with hives, shortness of breath, swollen eyelids and top lip, itching and burning skin, and panic attacks. I discontinued this medicine after like 3 months of taking it almost daily, I was absolutely miserable. I will never take this garbage again. I'm on day 2 of not taking it and I'm starting to feel better."

1 / 10

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smell...
April 1, 2010

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "Zyrtec is the only medicine that controls my allergy symptoms, but it makes me so tired, sleepy and I always seem to be "zoning out". I even passed a red light at an intersection a few days ago...thankfully no one was hurt."

9 / 10

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30 Report

Allergy...
January 26, 2018

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "Stayed at my friend's house who had a cat. I knew I was allergic so I stayed far away for it. It still got to me enough to where the symptoms bothered me. Sore and itchy throat, itchy watery eyes, coughing, etc. I decided to take a 10mg Zyertec. I normally don't like taking pills. This one said non drowsy so I thought it would be safer. BIG mistake. I was so drained that after I woke up from a 8.5 hr night sleep, I was so tired, I couldn't keep my eyes open. It was so scary that I ended up going to the ER. They gave me fluids to flush it faster but I still suffered the rest of the day. Never again. Although it did help my symptoms, the side effects were not worth it."

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Rose...
Taken for less than 1 month
November 17, 2021

For Allergic Rhinitis "I tried ceterizine for possible dust mite allergies as I have a few friends who use it daily for environmental allergies and swear by it. Unfortunately, the side effects were intolerable for me. I had a CRAZY amount of anxiety and really dark thoughts while I was on it. I was super irrationally angry as well. I do have GAD but this made it about 100x worse within a couple hours of taking it. I don’t think it helped the allergies much either. I was worried it would make me drowsy, but weirdly I slept maybe 1-2 hours a night for the few days I was on it! It was a pretty intense experience, would not do it again."

1 / 10

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Anonymous
April 16, 2008

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "I have used Zyrtec for a couple years to reduce my allergy symptoms and avoid asthma flares. I have a dog that causes symptoms if I play too much, or if I touch my eyes. We got a cat about 1 year ago! Zyrtec met the challenge, the cat sometimes sleeps on my pillow. I am still careful about touching my eyes, but Zyrtec has done a great job. Now that Z is OTC, my doctor switched me to Clarinex, but after a few days I am experiencing symptoms again, swollen lips, eyes, etc.I'm going back to Z!"

9 / 10

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32 Report

florida...
February 10, 2012

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "All day I have had runny nose, itchy watery eyes, sneezing, throat closing. I finally could not take it anymore I did some research online to determine the best OTC medication to use, Zyrtec stood out the most. I figured that it must be pretty strong due to the fact that at one time you needed a script to get it. I took my first tab at 3:00pm its now 3:18. I am starting to feel the effects of Zyrtec I have not sneezed as of yet my watery nose and eye's are starting to clear up. I'm beginning to breathe easier."

8 / 10

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26 Report

Cures...
Taken for less than 1 month
July 18, 2016

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "Have always had severe allergies since a child, I first used Zyrtec about 14 years ago, worked great but I could barely stay awake at work, it was bad, I'm a dental assistant and I actually fell asleep while assisting(sitting on the assistant chair!) I could barely drive, I confided in a co-worker and she asked me if I was taking anything, I told her just allergy pills, she asked which ones and she said her daughter takes them but she has to take them a couple of hours before bed. I could have easily had a car accident. Anyhow now i'm researching what to take for mango skin allergy, I have Allegra which isn't as good and since I don't work now I'm going to take Zyrtec for it after reading the reviews on it."

5 / 10

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Click...
February 21, 2017

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "I used Zyrtec for years, not because I wanted to, but because if you stop taking Zyrtec you itch all over constantly. You don't just itch for 3 days like you do when ceasing other allergy meds, it doesn't stop ever. I was finally able to kick it by decreasing the quantity very gradually for a few months while also taking Benadryl. It can be done."

7 / 10

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MomMa...
May 21, 2017

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Urticaria "Hives is directly linked to autoimmune disorders such as Hashimoto's- a thyroid disease. Chronic hives can't be treated with Zyrtec if this is the case. I give Zyrtec 8 stars BC it is a great otc fix for allergies. However if you are suffering from chronic hives and find nothing helping, perhaps you need to research ... I am experiencing this first hand. I have found oatmeal baths and coconut oil with essential oils to sooth my chronic hives- specifically lavender, lemon, Meleluca, and peppermint. My next step is getting a full blood panel done to confirm Hashimoto's. ...Zyrtec can't fix that but is good for common allergies."

7 / 10

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Zyrtec...
June 9, 2011

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "Make the itching stop. I took this for Hayfever and it worked. BUT, it then caused me to have head to toe bumps and itchiness even after stopping taking it. The itching is keeping me up at night. I am hoping to wait it out and never take it again. Also while I was taking it my eyes and face got really, really swollen. I am still not sure if this was from an unusually bad allergy season or the Zyrtec, but I am going to guess it is the Zyrtec because my allergies have never caused this before (usually I just have sinus and itchy eyes). "

3 / 10

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theun...
July 28, 2009

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "Two of us have used Zyrtec for many years because it is stronger than the other so-called non-drowsy antihistamines such as Allegra and Claritin. We need relief mostly for sinus itching, throbbing, pressure, and discomfort; also useful for itchy allergic skin. This medicine will usually cause pronounced drowsiness for the first 3 days, so the best way to get used to it is: take 1/2 a pill daily for 3 days, then the whole pill daily. Also, it may increase urination. But as I say, it is very effective."

9 / 10

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27 Report

Hivey...
Taken for 1 to 6 months
November 25, 2019

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Urticaria "I began with getting a swollen lip one day, then the next day it was a part of my lip that was swollen. Then came the hives episodes. No blood test could figure it out for me. I just gave up. Until my dr. Said to take 2 zyrtec in the morning and 2 at night when they are really bad. Then take one in the morning one at night. This has saved my sanity. I don't get more than the occasional single hive once every few days with a strict zyrtec regimen."

10 / 10

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Tampa...
Taken for 5 to 10 years
November 24, 2021

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Urticaria "I'm absolutely miserable right now... I've been using Zyrtec for almost 10 years because when I was younger I developed a condition called Dermatographia. When I would lightly scratch my skin it puffed up and create hives. The doctor told me to take Zyrtec and sure enough, my skin wouldn't puff up anymore. I continued to blindly take Zyrtec for almost a decade. Periodically, I would miss a day or two and would get very itchy, I thought this was my Dermatographia coming back. What I didn't realize is that the itchiness was a withdrawal symptom of Cetirizine. I probably could have stopped taking Zyrtec YEARS ago. It's been 4 days since I stopped and I have EXTREME itchiness everywhere on my body, even inside my mouth. I'm so sad to read this is a problem for others as well. I want the itchiness to STOP. If anyone is going through the same struggle, write a comment. I'm so upset that there is no warning to this miserable side effect anywhere...."

1 / 10

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Pat
June 23, 2019

For Allergic Rhinitis "I agree with the comments about making you drowsy and sleepy. Seemed to be ok-ish with half a tablet but as soon as I started taking a full tablet as the high grass pollen season approached, it left me a complete mess. Sleeping for 9 hours a night with 2 hours naps in the day. In work I had to have power naps in the bog so I wouldn’t collapse at my desk. My brain was foggy & it’s drains and sucks the life out of you, to a point that I almost felt depressed."

3 / 10

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Anonymous
February 28, 2012

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "It works better than any other medicine I have tried. Down side is the itching, which is caused by its negative effect on the liver. Therefore, I do not take it everyday. I have to wait a day or so in between."

9 / 10

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Unknown
Taken for 1 to 2 years
June 17, 2023

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "This medication has its ups and downs for me. I was originally prescribed this medication because of congestion, the pressure I would feel in my ears, and a lack of appetite. I felt like the product worked for a while. It cleared up my allergic rhinitis issues and gave me the appetite I never had. Except for the fact that it came with side effects. I started to have extremely painful muscles in my legs and arms. For some reason, I responded that way to this medication. On the flip side, I was underweight and diagnosed as anorexic, and my white/red blood cell count was very low as a result of my lack of appetite. This medication gave me a strong appetite! As a 6’10 male, it allowed me to bulk up to a healthy 270 lbs. My most recent lab work came back healthy and I feel really great! I just couldn’t continue this medication due to the intense muscle pain I would get. The pain quickly subsided after a few days of not taking Zyrtec. Do not go cold turkey, I got intense itchy skin when I did."

6 / 10

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3 Report

bobbyx
October 3, 2012

Zyrtec (cetirizine) for Allergic Rhinitis "It really did not work for me. My eyes itched a bit less, but my nose just kept itching and running. Also sneezed multiple time after 1st dose. Tried a 2nd tablet 4 hours later with no noticeable results. This may work for some people but I get better relief from Benadryl, which works well but causes drowsiness."

2 / 10

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20 Report

Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or to remove inappropriate language and content. Reviews that appear to be created by parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any particular medication. While these reviews may be helpful, they are not a substitute for the expertise, knowledge, and judgement of healthcare professionals.