Cetirizine

The need-to-know information for Cetirizine (Zyrtec)

Ceterizine

Pearls and Fun Nuggets

1. Side effects are minimal 👍 Cetirizine crosses the blood–brain barrier only slightly, and for this reason, it produces minimal sedation compared to many other antihistamines.[19]

2. It’s often combined with decongestants 👃Like many other antihistamine medications, cetirizine is commonly prescribed in combination with pseudoephedrine, a decongestant. These combinations are often marketed using the same brand name as the cetirizine with a “-D” suffix (Zyrtec-D, Virlix-D, etc.)

3. Ceterizine comes in variable doses💊  Cetirizine is available over-the-counter in the US in the form of 5 and 10 mg tablets. A 20 mg strength is available by prescription only.[1]

Patient Perspectives

“I am a nurse who has been taking this for seasonal allergies and I wanted to write my review on Zyrtec. I noticed depression in mood, weight gain, sluggish bowels and some urinary retention. All my seasonal allergy symptoms did not subside to my satisfaction. When getting off Zyrtec you may experience uncontrollable itching that you didn’t have before taking the med, I’ll tell you how to get off it without the itch. Start taking 10mg Claritin each night for two nights, then cut Claritin in half to 5mg and take for three more nights then stop taking Claritin, that takes the itch away and Claritin doesn’t have the withdrawal itch. Once you stop Claritin and Zyrtec you will quickly lose any weight you gained and mood should improve. Hope that helps.”

 

“I would like to share my experience using zyrtec, to make anyone who may consider stopping it that it can cause severe itching when stopped. Although taking zyrtec most definitely relieves my allergy symptoms, when I had to stop it because of allergy testing, within a couple days of stopping zyrtec I broke out into an itchy rash that drove me crazy for days and nights. It caused me a lack of sleep for awhile. So please for anyone considering using zyrtec as your choice of allergy relief medicine, be aware stopping it could cause severe itching and discomfort.”

 

“It is soothing and comforting during urticaria agony by stopping the itch and new hives. They must come out with citzene 24 hour tablet”

Brandon Simpson, PA-C
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