Zyrtec for Allergic Rhinitis User Reviews (Page 3)

• Cha...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• November 12, 2018

"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."

• sme...
• April 1, 2010

"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."

• Cur...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 18, 2016

"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."

• Cli...
• February 21, 2017

"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."

• Zyr...
• June 9, 2011

"Make the itching stop. I took this for hay fever, 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)."

• Unk...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 17, 2023

"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."

• Anonymous
• April 16, 2008

"I have used Zyrtec for a couple of 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!"

• the...
• July 28, 2009

"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 three days, so the best way to get used to it is to take half a pill daily for three days, then the whole pill daily. Also, it may increase urination. But as I say, it is very effective."

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

"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."

• flo...
• February 10, 2012

"All day I have had a 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 3:00 pm, it's now 3:18. I am starting to feel the effects of Zyrtec, I have not sneezed as of yet. My watery nose and eyes are starting to clear up. I'm beginning to breathe easier."

• Cap...
• June 6, 2011

"I have just decided to stop taking Zyrtec. It worked well on my allergies. However, I have had an increase in back and joint pain, i.e., knee and hip, the past two weeks. Not sure it's Zyrtec, but felt I'd eliminate it to see if symptoms resolve."

• Den...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• October 13, 2019

"Doc put me on ciprofloxacin antibiotic. Had an allergic reaction - head-to-toe rash and hives. Per doc's 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."

• Anonymous
• February 28, 2012

"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."

• Anonymous
• September 5, 2011

"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

"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."

• Anonymous
• June 11, 2008

"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."

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

"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

"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."

• lif...
• April 30, 2008

"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."

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

"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."

• bob...
• October 3, 2012

"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."

• Ju-...
• July 7, 2008

"I have been taking Zyrtec for about 3 months now, and one side effect that I have noticed is I sound like I have laryngitis all the time. My throat is too dry and scratchy. Other than that, it works great, no itchy eyes, sneezing, and such!"

• Sne...
• January 14, 2009

"I have been using Zyrtec for the last three years with great results. I am back to running outdoors without the urticaria, sneezing, and itchy eyes. Also, I can visit friends who have pets without needing to leave after five minutes."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• April 12, 2022

"It sucks if you quit taking it. I had been taking it for 2 years. Just be prepared for your skin to itch and crawl like you have bugs all over you. Don’t take it because if you stop, it’s miserable."

• Can...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• April 5, 2021

"I used Zyrtec for indoor allergies (dust and pet dander) for 2 months. I was directed by my allergist to quit taking it 2 weeks prior to allergy tests, and within 2-3 days of stopping the once-daily Zyrtec, I broke out in hives from the top of my head to the bottoms of my feet (I've never had hives in my life). The hives lasted about 10 days, with the first 3 days being the worst. After doing more research on Zyrtec, I found that withdrawal hives is VERY common. I will never use Zyrtec again!"