Cetirizine User Reviews & Ratings (Page 5)

• Anonymous
• February 28, 2012

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

• Ham...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 4, 2022

Cetirizine for Urticaria "I am currently suffering from Zyrtec withdrawal. I have been taking Zyrtec for about 2 years. I never used to take this drug as much as I do now. But because I noticed that I would need to retake the pill after 2-3 days after the last dose, I decided that something didn't add up. I started to believe that it had to be dependency. I am grateful for this forum that it confirmed my suspicion. I started quitting Zyrtec, and I am now on my 5th day... The itching/burning still continues, affecting my hands/neck/scalp/back/chest/legs/feet, pretty much everywhere. I take Benadryl to help relieve the itch before I sleep. Hopefully, my body recovers from the withdrawal from cetirizine, so that my body doesn't start to grow a dependence on the Benadryl!"

• Anonymous
• September 5, 2011

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "This is the only medication that has worked for me so far (besides Benadryl), but it gives me horrible dry mouth and eyes after using it for a few days, and if I take it for longer than that, my tongue starts to hurt because of the dryness. I would give it a 10 if it weren't for those symptoms."

• Ble...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• March 10, 2021

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "I have been on Zyrtec D for about 10 years. I take this once a day. I have tried to go off this medicine numerous times in order to have allergy testing done, but I can’t get past the itching and horrible withdrawal symptoms. This is currently the longest I’ve been off of it, and I’m on day 3 and in misery. After 24 hours, the itching started. The palms of my hands, feet, legs, and even inside of my mouth are itching. I wish there would have been a warning on their medication because I would not have ever started it. This is horrible. Completely miserable, and all I want to do is take a pill to stop this itching. I have been taking Benadryl, which is helping to make the itching not as intense, but it doesn’t make it go completely away, and the Benadryl makes me so sleepy. Hopefully, not too many more days of this because it is absolutely horrible."

• Kha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• December 31, 2018

For Allergic Rhinitis "Started taking this for my dust allergy, worked great for that! Except at the same time, I started experiencing severe dizzy spells and a really heavy head throughout the day. I had no clue it was related to Zyrtec, when I visited the doc today, he suggested stopping taking it, and that's when it hit me that these symptoms only started when I started these pills! Terrible medication that sucks the life out of you and sends your brain into a haze!"

• Pet...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 14, 2020

Cetirizine for Urticaria "So, suddenly when I was 29, I started getting terrible itchy times, scratching myself till I bleed, swollen skin. Doctors failed to diagnose anything, but I asked them to at least give me something, and the doc made me try Zyrtec. I take one every 2 to 3 days, and I can't keep going without it. I just did an experiment and lasted 5 days without it, but the 4th and 5th were horrible. Zyrtec is, in my opinion, not addictive, if you had itchiness and rash before, then of course it will come back when you stop taking it. It has some pretty nasty side effects for me, though: - drowsiness - horrible realistic nightmares - mood swings, anger issues. I am right now looking for better alternatives."

• Sar...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 30, 2016

For Allergic Rhinitis "I would just like to add a positive review in the midst of all the bad ones. I realize that everybody reacts differently to each medicine, so I would like to say that I'm one of the people that had no symptoms whatsoever upon taking this medicine. I have severe rhinitis allergy and have been taking lots of other antihistamines. Cetirizine has worked really well for me, all of the others literally made me sleep in the middle of the day! Minimal drowsiness and very effective, except for some days where my allergy is so severe, I had to take the medication twice because the first one didn't work, but this is a very rare case. So please don't hesitate to try it, it might work really well for you too!"

• Mom...
• May 21, 2017

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 because 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 firsthand. I have found oatmeal baths and coconut oil with essential oils to soothe my chronic hives, specifically lavender, lemon, Melaleuca, 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."

• Hat...
• December 23, 2008

Cetirizine "It was one of my worst days ever with hay fever. Ten sodden handkerchiefs and still fluids literally pouring from my nose and eyes. My throat felt like it was closing, and I was choking and coughing. I just had to go to the pharmacy for something or risk collapsing. For the first time, I decided to try Zyrtec. Wow, it was like magic. Within a minute or two, the coughing stopped, the fluid loss stopped, and I felt normal again. This stuff is sensationally effective! That night I slept like a baby with no nasal obstruction at all. I awoke refreshed and free from symptoms. It remained so all the next day. I then took another Zyrtec 24 hours later and will do so until the pack is empty. A big, big thank you to the person who discovered it."

• Deb...
• October 10, 2019

Cetirizine for Urticaria "I have had chronic urticaria for 1 year. Been to my own GP, an allergist, a dermatologist, and a rheumatologist. I was taking Zyrtec, Zantac, and Xyzal twice a day, sometimes 3 times when hives were really bad. Also several doses of prednisone. It has been a horrible year. But the Zyrtec did help, and I still take it now once a day. Rheumatologist recently prescribed Singulair, and finally I have not had any hives or angioedema now since I started taking it 2 full weeks with no symptoms. One Zyrtec in the morning, one Singulair at night."

• Anonymous
• June 11, 2008

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "I have had side effects with every single allergy drug I've tried-prescription and none-ranging from sleepy to practically comatose. Zyrtec is the only medicine that helps me and positively impacts my quality of life."

• Bet...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 9, 2022

For Allergic Rhinitis "Okay, I had three days of intense hay fever, my right eye was really itchy, and my husband gave me a Zyrtec before I went to bed. The next day I felt really off. I got up at my usual time and did some chores, but my arms and legs felt heavy, and even after a few cups of coffee, I felt bleah... but the worst of it was everything made me ANGRY. I was super irritable about petty things that wouldn't normally upset me. I was hot and uncomfortable. I knew this was not ME--today I feel much better. I decided to look up Zyrtec to see if anyone else had a similar reaction--wow, I am so glad I did--I really had a bad reaction to this drug, and I am glad I had the sense to figure out what had set off the rage. But the sad thing is my husband has been taking one of these a day for over 4 years. During this time, he has had so many sinus infections and problems with urinating that he attributed to getting up there in years and some other psych issues that now make me think that it is the Zyrtec."

• bas...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• February 16, 2019

For Urticaria "Very effective, but way too many side effects. Cetirizine is noticeably sedating, and it gives me headaches. I prefer other antihistamines to control my symptoms (fexofenadine or loratadine). Cetirizine is very effective for hives and itching, but it will ruin my day because of the sedation and headaches."

• ter...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• July 1, 2014

For Allergic Rhinitis "I have taken Zyrtec since it came out years ago. It is the only thing that works for me. And believe me, over the last 45 years, I have tried everything! I have year-round allergies and dog allergies. Once in a while (when the pollen count hits the roof, as it does in Missouri), I have to also take an over-the-counter medication with it."

• AZJ...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• May 21, 2022

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "I had been using this several times a week for years. At the same time, I had strange gut pain, mild nausea, and generally, days where I just felt lousy. Many days with anxiety and fatigue. My eyes get extremely dry overnight too. I tried so many things, including many doctor visits, leading to CT scans and ultrasounds, nothing found. I would sometimes have some pretty good days, never realizing that the bad days occurred when I took Zyrtec. I use this site often, as I am very sensitive to all drugs and supplements, but never dreamed that Zyrtec could be the source of most of my issues. After reading the negative comments, I stopped taking it, and my gut pain went away almost immediately, as did the general malaise and anxiety. I had thought these popular OTC antihistamines were harmless! I tried Claritin and Allegra and they are no bargain either, but not nearly as bad as this nasty drug. Good old Benadryl works fine, but is not recommended for daily use."

• Anonymous
• August 20, 2009

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "I just took Zyrtec for the first time last night. I slept great, but now that I am awake, I feel so tired. I am not experiencing any of my allergy symptoms, but I am on Nasonex too. Nasonex and Zyrtec work great together, the Zyrtec is the antihistamine, and the Nasonex is just a generic allergy medication. I am very sluggish, but people have said that it wears off within a couple of days. I am a little drawn back though, people have been saying it causes problems with their moods, but I trust my doctor who prescribed it to me. Hope you all feel better soon."

• tri...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 17, 2015

Cetirizine for Urticaria "I have been getting viral hives over the last 6 months. I went and saw an allergist (who diagnosed me), and he recommends this instead of Benadryl. For me, it hasn't helped. I guess I'm not as lucky as the others here."

• lif...
• April 30, 2008

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Zyrtec has been a wonder drug. All of my life I have suffered from allergies. It's affected every aspect of my life, from relationships to pets and school. Anyone with allergies knows when you wake up in the morning, and as soon as you walk out the door, you start feeling like you have the flu. I've been using Zyrtec for 6 months now, and I feel wonderful!!! I can play in the yard with my kids and stay outside as long as I'd like to."

• New...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 29, 2021

Cetirizine for Urticaria "I am having hives for the first time in my life, I am 40. This started soon after I gave birth a few months ago. Blood tests don’t say anything, but I am just sad to know if there is going to be an end to this ever. I take Zyrtec every two days. I was never on any medication, and my hive disease has not shown any improvement on days without Zyrtec. Any advice is welcome. One of the things I want to know: will I get addicted to Zyrtec (prescribed)?"

• Old...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 31, 2017

For Urticaria "In my 40s, I started getting contact hives when lifting heavy objects on my arms. As I got older, it started getting worse, and I often would also get rashes. After multiple visits to various doctors, one finally took a biopsy of one of the rashes. It turns out I was allergic to the sun, a form of lupus. I basically lived outdoors in shorts and a T-shirt, and the hives and rashes did not correspond to where the sun hit my body. I take one to two cetirizine pills per day (day/night) and also one ranitidine 150 mg (another histamine inhibitor) and stay out of the sun. I cover up at all times, and the hives are mostly gone. Before this, I would get thick large hives from any pressure, even sitting."

• Hiv...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 25, 2019

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 doctor 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."

• Miy...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• July 31, 2022

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "I started taking Zyrtec many years ago, on and off only when I suffered seasonal allergies, and it worked fine. However, a little over a year ago, when it came to the end of the spring allergy season and I got off Zyrtec, I started getting pruritus all over my hands and palms, arms, feet, and buttocks. I thought I was having an allergic reaction from another medication I was taking at the time, so I kept on taking Zyrtec to relieve the symptoms. Thankfully, my health improved, and I was able to stop taking other medications recently, so I also stopped taking Zyrtec, thinking that I wouldn't need it anymore. This is how I found out that this severe pruritus was from withdrawal itching due to Zyrtec! The withdrawal itching is really severe, and although I can barely stand it during the day, I cannot sleep at night. I get hives all over my body, from the top of my head to the bottom of my feet, including my private parts. It is an absolute nightmare. Don't use Zyrtec if you haven't yet or switch to another kind."

• rub...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• March 18, 2024

Cetirizine for Allergies "One of my favorite oral antihistamines, I've been switching between a few for a while once I build up a tolerance for one and have to use a different one. Overall effective but I wish I could only take it instead of finding out it doesn't work and have to sit in misery for 24 hours until I can take a different one."

• No...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• January 3, 2013

For Urticaria "Good for my runny nose, sneezing, and watery eyes and itchy eyes due to the allergy with dust, pollen, or any other thing like dog and cat fur, even chemicals and food, especially nuts. But doctors give 10 mg a day, and it's been good since; although I am taking it less and less as and when I catch those allergies. Causes me some drowsiness and constant yawning!"

• bob...
• October 3, 2012

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 times after the 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."