Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis User Reviews (Page 5)

• Vio...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 24, 2023

Cetirizine "I only take it when I feel itchy and have watery eyes, an itchy nose and throat, and sneezing mostly due to seasonal allergies. I try not to take it on a daily basis but only if I feel hay fever symptoms are coming. I feel the effect within an hour and for the rest of the day, I’m allergy-free, which is great. However, the next day I’m exhausted, lethargic, find it hard to concentrate, I get a headache, and I feel like my head is super cloudy. If I have no more allergies that day, I won’t take it again, and the next day I’m back to having normal energy. I’ve sometimes had to take it for days and weeks in a row when the pollen levels are very high, and I get the same low energy lethargic feeling every day I take it, but it does prevent a sinus infection, which I am prone to, and stops me from ending up having to take antibiotics."

• Kan...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• June 27, 2021

Cetirizine "I've been frustrated, in pain, and experiencing irritating skin with an uncontrollable itch over my entire body for the last two weeks. I stopped taking the medicine to prepare for an allergy test. A few days later, I'm itching all over; it's affecting me mentally. It was so bad I took Benadryl daily. Guess what? I wasn't able to take my allergy test. When I told my doctor about the uncontrollable itch, they never mentioned this being a withdrawal symptom from Zyrtec; how is it possible they wouldn't be aware of this? I feel like I'm going crazy. The doctor prescribed prednisone to help, but it's not. My scalp, soles, palms, and entire body are irritated and itching. I've cried. Why is this medicine still on the shelf and doctors not warning their patients?"

• Joh...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• February 12, 2023

Cetirizine "I have chronic allergies. From all the drugs I've tried over the years, this one worked the best for me. That's not to say it really worked great. Just better than others. But it's a funny one, some days it worked, some days it didn't. Often I was taking up to 30 mg a day (3 tabs), the effect was fairly mild but better than nothing. About 6 months ago, I decided to stop, so I did, and nothing happened, no withdrawals, etc. I simply decided to try a natural way like Neti Pot, healthier food, and indeed I'm getting better results. Only a strange thing is, after I stopped Zyrtec, I've started to have arthritis problems. Not sure if this drug caused it or my age, but the arthritis has been getting much worse over the past 6 months. On the contrary, I read reports that antihistamines can help arthritis pain, so I'm going to try taking it again for a few days and see what happens."

• Car...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• December 21, 2017

"It works, no more sinuses, but... after reading the side effects, I'm slowly pulling back from taking them. I'm experiencing dry mouth, aches in my hands, hot flashes, and headaches. So I'm decreasing dosage to 1 pill every other day. I've been literally taking them every day for about 4 months. Side effects gradually started happening."

• Anonymous
• November 13, 2008

Cetirizine "The best OTC antihistamine. Relieves sneezing and that stuffy feeling in your nose. Doesn't seem to do much about the post-nasal drip or the coughing, though. A bit of a stimulant for me, it makes me a bit energetic and hyper, even with just 5 mg."

• Ray...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 10, 2021

Cetirizine "I began taking Zyrtec on a daily basis around 1.5 years ago. For allergy testing, I stopped Zyrtec cold turkey. One day off Zyrtec, I was dealing with intensely itchy hands and fingers, and some dizziness. After 2 days, I was miserable with the itchiness on my arms, neck, chest, stomach, and hands. I have never felt anything like it before. Even the intensity of mosquito and ant bites pales in comparison. Three days off, I was in bed for 5 hours because I was so dizzy I couldn't stand up, and my whole torso was on fire with itch. I called my allergist, who told me to take Benadryl. Thirty minutes after taking the Benadryl, the itchiness and dizziness was completely gone. The next day, I started taking Zyrtec again. I thought that it was all because I was allergic to something in my environment, but I have never had those symptoms occur like that due to seasonal allergies before stopping the Zyrtec."

• swi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 28, 2015

"Have had a cough since last Christmas. Went to V.A. (finally), and the doctor prescribed cetirizine, 10 mg. Been taking (just before bed) for about 2 weeks and see an improvement. Get drowsy every now and then, but anything is better than that lousy cough. Thank you."

• Ska...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• May 26, 2017

Cetirizine "This product has worked well for me overall. I use it in conjunction with Dymista, and the two together are great. If I miss a dose, then I'm itchy all over, so I take it every day religiously. The main side effect I've experienced (and this is common with Claritin and other similar products) is dry eye, but I simply use some Refresh Plus once a day and it's not a problem."

• Tim...
• April 5, 2017

"Took 20 mg during a summer of very bad allergies when Claritin and other meds were not helping sufficiently. Worked excellently for me. Only side effects I experienced were mild drowsiness the first few weeks on it and drying of skin and mouth, nothing extra water didn't fix."

• Rey...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 12, 2019

"I love this cetirizine allergy med! I have no side effects, and I can function through the day. Without it, I am groggy, have a runny nose, and I feel like I am sick... sore throat. Thankful for this med ;)"

• ela...
• July 8, 2009

Cetirizine "My child cannot swallow pills, so the chewable Zyrtec is wonderful. Quick tip: to avoid drowsiness the next morning, take your dosage by early evening (don't wait until bedtime). By doing so, you'll get a comfortable night's sleep while breathing easily, too."

• Cat...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• March 28, 2019

"It really works well for nasal problems, but it makes very sleepy. Now I was on benzodiazepine for partial epilepsy and tension, which made me sleepless at night. I stopped that because I needed cetirizine for my allergic rhinitis, which makes me sleep great, but I never take cetirizine every day. 30 minutes before going to bed and can get minimum 8 hours sleep. I feel a little slow the next day, but actually gives an almost similar effect to my epilepsy as benzodiazepine. For me, it is a winner in all ways, but I am careful with it. It is great for allergies, and the side effect of sleepiness, etc. can be good or bad depending on the individual and its brain function. Cetirizine, if used sparingly, is quite harmless unless you are allergic to it."

• itc...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• January 13, 2016

"My D.O. and I worked for years to find something that would stop my daily hives and stuffy, runny nose without much success until I tried cetirizine. My hives and extreme itchiness disappeared after the first dose, and I've been on it since. For this, I rate it a 10. Unfortunately, it didn't help my sinus situation at all. I can't take a decongestant because every time I take one, I get bronchitis. Silly, I know, but that's my body. Because cetirizine doesn't help my sinus situation at all, it rates a zero in this category, giving the drug an effectiveness rating of five."

• gnj...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• July 15, 2013

"It worked great on my seasonal allergies. I've had a real problem with insomnia. Decided to check for causes, and here I am. I've been extremely sleepy during the day, but chalk that up to the lack of sleep. I can't sleep more than 2 hours nightly. It's killing me! After reading all these reviews, I'm going to skip it today. I hope I don't begin to itch like so many of you did. It's a shame. It made a world of difference to my head and sinuses."

• Leo...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 20, 2024

"I took this medication 10-20 mg a day. I had clear fluid coming out of my nose for most of my life and considered that normal. My allergist noticed this and gave me this to try. I finally was able to have actual congealed boogers in my nose instead of just clear liquid. Not only did it help my nose, it helped reduce my eczema attacks. I haven't had a flare-up in a while. Stopping this drug caused a lot of it to come back full force with intense eczema, but it evened out over a few days. Side effects were minimal, only some sleepiness in the first few days of taking the drug."

• Bel...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 25, 2020

"The side effects of cetirizine are horrible and not worth taking, it made me drowsy, nauseous, and I could not go to work. I threw it in the trash and would not recommend it. It did nothing for the hay fever symptoms."

• bar...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• May 8, 2022

"I have been reading all the reviews about ZYRTEC (commercial name of Cetirizine), and I am 100% with all of them: If you haven't started it yet, DO NOT EVER START. I have been taking 1 a day for over 10 years and have tried twice to wean myself off it, reading advice in various forums. Always ended up taking it again, as the rebound itching was unbearable. Tried cold turkey several times, after 3 days, the itching starts. Slowly decreasing intake, taking vitamins, never worked. I am trying today with Pollinosan Hayfever tablets from Vogel, see if it might help. At the moment, May 2022, I have to take 2 Cetirizines a day, and I still itch. I don't know what's in the air, but it's really bad. So I am rating this 5 because it really worked against allergies, but I would give a 0 for the addiction and side effects it creates. Should be FORBIDDEN."

• ace...
• October 1, 2009

"I have seasonal allergies, I realized several years ago when I started getting headaches and got stuffy drinking beer and certain other foods/drinks. So, I tried various medications, but all had some side effects that limited my use. Cetirizine is now available as a generic. The trick with this drug is to take it at around 4-6 in the afternoon. It takes a while to work for me, like the next day. By taking it in the early evening, you miss the getting tired side effect, which many have noted because it takes a while to react, and you are already relaxing after work/school/kids to bed, etc. By the next day, it is in your system, but your body can adjust to it. The best drug."

• Mom...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 12, 2021

Cetirizine "I have taken this for the first time ever and feel absolutely awful. I lost all appetite, am so tired and lethargic, and have been so itchy tonight that I cannot sleep. I will never take this ever again. I just hope it leaves my body very soon. It did not even seem to help my allergies at all. I was so moody and depressed from this medicine on top of everything else. Never again. :("

• Mhd...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 2, 2021

"I started using cetirizine about one year ago. I tried to come off this drug, but like others, my skin became so itchy that I had to use it again. It was like I was addicted to it. I even used corticosteroids, and they didn't help at all. But finally, I found a way to discontinue it, and I want to share it with others that have the same problem. First, you have to cut the pills in half (which will cut the 10 mg dose into 5 mg) and use it for one month. Then cut the half pill again into half (which the quarter of the pill will contain 2.5 mg) and take it for another month. Now you are able to discontinue the drug without any itch. It's important that every time you cut the dose in half, you have to take it for a whole month before moving to the next level so your body can adjust to the new dose."

• hol...
• April 24, 2016

"Started taking this medicine for itching after being given it by my doctor. Worked for 1 day and after it didn't. Made me feel so sleepy but couldn't sleep and made my itching worse, couldn't sleep at night. Wouldn't recommend."

• Wed...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• July 8, 2019

"Pruritus is real, and trying to quit Zyrtec is the cause. I’m disappointed that more is not known or being done - there must be some powerful drug lobbyists behind this company. I’m just glad to know I’m not crazy and that some people have had success weaning themselves off of this garbage. I hope that I’m one of them."

• Fun...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• November 16, 2021

Cetirizine "I take this daily as it helps my cat allergies, (I live with two cats), helps my mood swings (I am autistic), and generally just makes me feel a lot better due to decreasing all the inflammation in my body from all my health issues. Or maybe it's just a placebo effect."

• toa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2017

"It works. I don't take it every day, it makes me feel out of it and pretty tired. Not as strong as Benadryl, which knocks me out cold, but still, it's pretty strong. If any of these OTC medicines had any type of euphoria, they honestly wouldn't be that bad, lol, but they just make you feel like you haven't slept in 2 days. I wish I could find an allergy medicine that didn't make me feel tired and weird. I've tried non-drowsy Claritin, but it doesn't do anything at all."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 11, 2023

"Cetirizine works really well and it starts working relatively fast. The only downside is that it makes me a bit sleepy if I take it every day. I recommend you take it before going to sleep. I only use it during the spring and after spring is over, I take Cetirizine as needed."