What is the Difference between Xyzal and Zyrtec? What is the Levo?
Question posted by wvdustbunny on 23 Oct 2009
Last updated on 27 October 2016
Answers
Official Answer
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Oct 26, 2020.
Xyzal tablets contain 5 mg levocetirizine, which corresponds Zyrtec tablets which contain 10 mg cetirizine.
Cetirizine is a second generation antihistamine made up equally of two molecules that are the mirror images of each other, one is levocetirizine the other is dextrocetirizine. It is thought that the levocetirizine has the most active pharmaceutical effect.
Xyzal was developed to contain only the active form of the molecule which levocetirizine.
So, in layman's terms, Xyzal is only one part of zyrtec. So, if Xyzal works for me, then zyrtec should also work and zyrtec is over the counter, right? Thank you for your help.
Levocetirizine is non drowsy as per other websites is that really true in users experiences?
Levocetirizine (as levocetirizine dihydrochloride) is a third-generation non-sedative antihistamine, developed from the second-generation antihistamine Cetirizine
You say Levocetirizine is non-sedative, so why do the instructions say to take at bedtime? My doctor prescribed 1-2 per day, so I took one during the day and one at bedtime, and I fell asleep driving several times!
My reason for visiting your site was to compare cetirizine and levocetirizine. I have chronic hives (CIU) and have found that mixing antihistamines and taking them throughout the day helps. I am taking loratadine morning and early evening, cetirizine at lunch and levocetirizine at bedtime. Wondering if I should continue to buy cetirizine when I have a prescription for levocetirizine?
Related topics
Further information
Similar questions
Search for questions
Still looking for answers? Try searching for what you seek or ask your own question.
