Cetirizine and Tiredness: What Users Say

• Sid...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2020

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Zyrtec is one strange drug. I've taken it and gotten allergy relief, other times it causes major mood swings. Today is the worst. I took it before bed and woke up feeling exhausted. Then had a minor problem but got totally enraged. I've already eaten breakfast and lunch, taken two naps, but I have no energy and still feel like anything and everything will set me off. I don't take anything else, I've had no alcohol. The only factor is the Zyrtec. This medication is dangerous and needs to be removed or have more clear warnings."

• Sid...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 2, 2020

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Zyrtec is one strange drug. I've taken it and gotten allergy relief, other times it causes major mood swings. Today is the worst. I took it before bed and woke up feeling exhausted. Then had a minor problem but got totally enraged. I've already eaten breakfast and lunch, taken two naps, but I have no energy and still feel like anything and everything will set me off. I don't take anything else, I've had no alcohol. The only factor is the Zyrtec. This medication is dangerous and needs to be removed or have more clear warnings."

• Jas...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• November 4, 2020

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "I have been taking Zyrtec daily for allergies for a year or more. I have tried to stop, and like many others, I get extreme and intense itching. Scratching does not help and makes large red spots. It does not stop and is a horrible feeling. I also had chest and back pain after stopping. It's horrible, and you should not take it. Crazy that they allow this drug. Others posted about weight gain and being tired. This is also something that I have and may have been caused by this drug. Anyway, I have been off it for 3 days. I am hoping this nightmare stops soon because it is a horrible feeling."

• Aan...
• March 13, 2021

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "I started taking Zyrtec for seasonal allergies. It seemed to help after a day or two, so I kept taking it. But then I ran out and didn’t take any for a couple of days, and that night became severely itchy all over my hands, head, and chest. I thought I must be allergic to my new cats. I got a new bottle and started right back up the next day, no more itching. I was sure I was allergic to the cats! Then fast forward a few months and I’m consistently feeling very tired, irritable, have horrible headaches, jittery, plus other symptoms, so I looked up the side effects of the medication, and sure enough, they are all listed. I then stumbled upon people talking about the severe itching when stopping taking Zyrtec, and I realized I’m not allergic to my cats, it’s a VERY common thing when you stop taking the drug. I was shocked. I quit cold turkey and am on day 10 without it and am still itchy. It’s been awful, especially on my hands, chest, and scalp. My body feels like it’s burning all over at times."

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2016

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Zyrtec knocks me out. Period. I took a pill at noon, and by 2:00 pm, I lay down, virtually passed out. I slept for two hours straight. In the middle of the day. When I awoke, I could barely function. Brain fog, lethargy, no energy. To tell the truth, I was so spaced out for so long that I couldn't tell if it helped my sinus condition or not. I wouldn't dream of taking it if I had to drive. It would make a great sleeping pill."

• Dar...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• August 21, 2016

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Zyrtec knocks me out. Period. I took a pill at noon, and by 2:00 pm, I lay down, virtually passed out. I slept for two hours straight. In the middle of the day. When I awoke, I could barely function. Brain fog, lethargy, no energy. To tell the truth, I was so spaced out for so long that I couldn't tell if it helped my sinus condition or not. I wouldn't dream of taking it if I had to drive. It would make a great sleeping pill."

• Mal...
• June 27, 2017

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "My eyes had been bothering me so much, they are constantly red and irritated, gritty feeling no matter what I do from the moment I wake up until I go to bed. I decided to try Zyrtec because my eyes were so bothersome, and antihistamine eye drops didn't work. I've been taking it for 2 weeks, and I have never seen my eyes so white and feeling so good. I don't have to use eye drops at all now. However, there is one downside: Zyrtec makes me feel exhausted. It's not like when you take Benadryl and you feel like you could fall asleep standing up, it's more of a foggy feeling, and you just feel like you could go for a nap, but the feeling never goes away even if you do nap."

• Liz...
• December 1, 2018

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Three years ago, I started taking Zyrtec for nasal allergies that included sneezing and a stuffy nose. I was previously on Claritin, but it wasn't giving me all-day relief, so the doc switched me to Zyrtec. The full dose made me very tired, so I started taking a half dose at bedtime. I have had sleep issues, and taking this medication solved that and relieved my allergy symptoms. A winner, right? The problem is, I became dependent on this med to get that sleepy feeling. I ignored that I was waking up very groggy and not functioning without a strong cup of coffee. I also developed severe mood swings. I convinced a doc to give me allergy skin testing. I stopped the Zyrtec for 5 days prior. The first day, I could hardly get out of bed, but by day three, I noticed a huge difference in my mental clarity. I told the doc, no more Zyrtec for me. Turns out I am allergic to cats and dogs, not trees. I am going to practice avoidance and stay off this drug!"

• Pir...
• July 20, 2016

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 my 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!"

• Pir...
• July 20, 2016

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 my 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!"

• All...
• January 26, 2018

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Stayed at my friend's house who had a cat. I knew I was allergic, so I stayed far away from 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 10 mg Zyrtec. 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 an 8.5-hour 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."

• sme...
• April 1, 2010

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."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 22, 2020

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 couldn'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."

• 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!"

• Be ...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 1, 2022

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "Don’t take!!!! I started taking Zyrtec at the end of February due to fluid in my ears. My medical provider recommended taking it every day through spring. I started feeling very sad and thought I was just because of the long, cold winter. I was also feeling tired all the time and napping more than usual. I thought it was from starting work earlier at my new job. I had my annual physical yesterday, and my MD noticed I had an irregular heart rate, and an EKG verified this. She is referring me to a cardiologist. When I got home from my appointment, I remembered that the only thing that has changed is that I started taking Zyrtec, so I didn’t take it today, and I swear that I feel 10 years younger. My joints don’t ache, I have energy, and I feel less anxious…. I plan to see the cardiologist, but I would bet my house that my heart rate is back to normal without the Zyrtec…."

• HBa...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 7, 2019

For Allergic Rhinitis "I took one standard dose of cetirizine in the evening to combat hay fever symptoms. I felt really drowsy and sedated within an hour and had to go to bed. I then slept for 9 hours. When the alarm woke me, I could not get out of bed, I was dizzy, my eyes couldn't focus, and I felt so tired I couldn't think straight. I went back to bed and slept with crazy dreams until lunchtime. I forced myself to get up at lunchtime, but I feel dreadful, mind fog, and so, so tired. I would rather have hay fever symptoms than this."

• sym...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 15, 2020

For Allergic Rhinitis "I got prescribed cetirizine 20 mg for seasonal allergies, and I find that it really helps with itchy eyes, throat, and sneezing. It doesn't help so much with congestion, but it's not really expected to. I don't find it too sedating, it makes me a little more tired than usual, but nothing compared to a first-generation antihistamine."

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

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "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."

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

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "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."

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

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "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. :("

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

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "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. :("

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

For Allergic Rhinitis "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
• August 26, 2021

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "The worst drug that I ever took. Took it only twice, I wished I had read all the reviews before I took it. Made me so tired, all my body hurts for the whole week, exhausted that I had to call off from work. Gave me so much anxiety. Worst drug on the market, please don’t take it. Just handle your allergies in a natural way. This one helps a little bit, but you have to pay the price with all side effects."

• Anonymous
• August 26, 2021

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "The worst drug that I ever took. Took it only twice, I wished I had read all the reviews before I took it. Made me so tired, all my body hurts for the whole week, exhausted that I had to call off from work. Gave me so much anxiety. Worst drug on the market, please don’t take it. Just handle your allergies in a natural way. This one helps a little bit, but you have to pay the price with all side effects."

• jon...
• April 11, 2009

Cetirizine for Allergic Rhinitis "The only thing it did for me was make me so tired that I could not function. I had to wait 24 hours before it wore off."