Withdrawal from Zyrtec was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. After a week I felt wheezy and my tongue felt a bit swollen. You may report them to the FDA. Here are a few of their reports: I took Zyrtec at bedtime for two years for allergies. Read, Varicose veins arent just unsightly they can be detrimental to your health. Im so itchy all over. A. Ive been eliminating foods for months trying to figure out what was causing the itch. I refuse to go back on any oral allergy medications again. The bottom line. Feels like there is glass inside my eyes. Decided 4 months ago to come off it. Although patient-generated data from social media has limitations in postmarketing drug safety surveillance, it may have contributed to reporting of adverse events to the FDA. Despite my dermatologist downplaying my experience and symptoms, I feel encouraged after reading this blog, as I now understand why Im having these symptoms. Best of luck everyone! Still itching.but Im super depressed and having the worst panic attacks ever. I often dug my fingernails into irritated skin, activating pain signals and temporarily blocking the itch. Got any tips for others? get a good brand. I think the worst areas were my palms, hands, chest, and forearms. I think THC has some great anti inflammatory properties. Taper Your Dosage The second most important piece of advice is to taper your dose. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Scratching and scraping my body was the only thing that relieved the disturbing itch. Older adults may need to take a lower than normal dose. Allow the tablet to dissolve in your mouth without chewing. My tongue felt about the same. (I found this method on a Google search) I stopped the Claritin after 3 days, and there was no itching! It sucks but it feels so good to be Zyrtec free! Should cetirizine be taken at bedtime or upon awakening? -Maximum dose: 10 mg/day But every time I did, 24 hours from the last pill, like clockwork, I experienced horrible itching all over. Wanted to stop Zyrtec/Allertec/Xyzal because it would make me feel fatigued and clouded all day. Unfortunately, I am in the UK. Use these dosage charts for infants and children under 12 years old: prednisone, fluticasone nasal, montelukast, loratadine, cetirizine, promethazine, Benadryl, diphenhydramine, Xolair. Day 4 was the worst, and since I had read that, I tried to be patient, and the hives did finally go away, not to return. There are no warnings or guidance with regard to this phenomenon. Thank you for your email of May 15, 2018 to Dr. Janet Woodcock regarding cetirizine (Zyrtec) and levocetirizine (Xyzal) and withdrawal reactions (pruritus). Plus I take Vitamin D. They all help a bit. These include antihistamines such as loratadine (Alavert, Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra), cetirizine (Zyrtec), levocetirizine (Xyzal), and diphenhydramine (Benadryl), as well as steroid nasal . -Initial dose: 2.5 mg orally once a day I developed Urticaria for unknown reasons and was advised by my Allergist to take Zyrtec increasing the dose up to 60mg a day. Local lotions and creams dont help. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Zyrtec. I stayed up late at night to be sure Id fall asleep quickly and didnt spend hours itching in bed, but the itching came anyway. Withdrawal from an allergy medication should NOT happen, should NOT take this long, and should NOT make a person miserable for WEEKS. This continued for a good year. After 3 days, I quit. That it was more of a withdrawal. They relieve allergy symptoms with a minimal risk of side effects. Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. No issues with those meds. -Initial dose: 2.5 mg orally once a day Keep us updated on that paper! I talked to her about it and she acted like I was insane. And for about a week, the hives didnt return. Hang in there! Uses. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2042098619859996. Im going off Zytec for the second time as it was the only allergy medication that did not make me sleepy. What has helped a LOT was the meditation. I have been taking Cetirizine (Zyrtec) for at least 10 years now. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. I really didnt want to use either so I just left them in the cupboard. I am only at approx. Finding this article makes me feel saneno one around me can feel how this feels, even though they see the red blotches, it doesnt look as bad as it feels. This needs to get researched! dose every 2-3h at roughly 500mg at a time. Id itch a lot in the morning, then have a decent afternoon with only slight discomfort, and at night the the itch would intensify. First generation antihistamines like Benadryl, dont cross the blood-brain barrier. About 7 years ago, I decided to quit cold turkey. (I am a healthy 37 y/o male). "Zyrtec Products." But then they started only working for 5 days, 3 days, 2 days, until I was taking one a day. Cetirizine does not increase blood pressure and blood pressure is not listed as a side effect in the product information. The next year, I took one twice a week. Some recommend taking antihistamines like Benadryl, Allegra, or Claritin when you stop taking Zyrtec since these drugs will get rid of the itch and not complicate withdrawal. Histamine is a substance produced by the body in response to allergic reactions that triggers immune response symptoms such as watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing. The FDA strives to keep drug prescribing information (labeling) up to date with important safety information so that health care professionals and patients can make informed treatment decisions. If you are experiencing serious medical symptoms, seek emergency treatment immediately. The itch was a 3 out of 10, but still flared up to a 4-5 at night. McNeil - PPC, Inc. 2009. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. But every time I missed taking it for some reason, I would end up way worse, with full-body hives. And then I started still breaking out on one a day. Her work has appeared in "Infection and Immunity," "American Review of Respiratory Diseases," "Inflammation" and "Circulation." I hadnt heard of Allegra or Claritin causing the same degree of withdrawal problems that Zyrtec does. When possible, choose non-drowsy antihistamines, says Dr. Miller. Note: This document contains side effect information about cetirizine. Several years back, my MD switched me over to Xyzal because my body had now built up an immunity to all of the other standard medicinal histamine treatments. Ive been on Xyzal and Benadryl for years. Best of luck to you! increased sensitivity of the skin to the sun. FDA plans on publishing the results of the review in a peer-reviewed journal to further disseminate the information. I did purchase some lotions that help to numb the skin, including Sarna Anti-Itch Lotion, Bengay with Lidocaine, and I bought hydrocortisone cream to relieve the itch. Side effects of albuterol include nervousness or shakiness, headache, throat or nasal irritation, and muscle aches. Youre not! Zyrtec really messed me up. Other second-generation antihistamines include fexofenadine ( Allegra) and loratadine ( Claritin ). They really should stop selling Zyrtec, or have this printed on the box. My symptoms are a runny nose/marathon sneezing, itchy eyes (only if I rubbed them after petting a cat) and a sore throat. In clinical trials, this side effect appeared to be related to the dose of cetirizine, with higher dosages increasing the risk of feeling drowsy. Definitely clinging to Philippians 1:19 that the living God will see me through. The itching was there, but not unbearable. The itch was constantly moving and I was scratching (which I knew was making it worse), so I really tried to ignore it. Ive been taking Zyrtec for almost a year now because of my cat allergies. Been to doctors and hospital. I still itch a little every night (I wonder if I have a histamine intolerance) and I do fine with an Allegra or Benadryl. -Maximum dose: 10 mg/day It has been terrible! Ice packs help as well for general itching. So no new meds recently and I had stopped my zyrtec. I found two: both on Youtube, Allergy Relief Hypnosis for Allergies by Jay Corbett and this one https://youtu.be/knweG6OLtQg Meditation to Heal Allergies: Based on the teachings of Joe Dispenza, its shorter so I did it every morning and every time I couldnt overcome the itching. - It does get easier. Weird places itched like my ears and even my eyeballs! So I went to a naturopath who recommended weaning off it, while taking quercetin, nettle tea and etc. I have tried many times to get off it bc I hate taking a pill everyday when I dont know if its helping anything.Every time I made it to 24 hours I would get rashy and itchy, which made me believe that I must have horrible allergies and so Id pop a Zyrtec and then be fine! She was not very knowledgeable, particularly about histamine at the cellular level (Zyrtec is a type of antihistamine).. I was taking 30mg am and 1 Allegra at night for the past month. Peppermint Soap and Shampoo If youve ever used peppermint soap or shampoo, you know that they cause a tingling sensation. Glad to see it ended for you. Glad you found some helpful tips in this post. Ive tried that before without knowing, and always switched back to Zyrtec because I thought it worked better due to the itchy skin issue. In the winter when my allergies are non-existent, I resigned myself to just taking 1/2 tablet daily, but would someday like to quit completely. #nofilter #nofilterneeded The next time, I cut one in half for 3 days. During this fourth and final week of documenting my withdrawal, I was more or less itch free. In addition to treatment with Permethrin, a limited course of steroids and Ivermectin, I was prescribed double doses of various oral antihistamines (Allegre, Zyzal, Zyrtec) to relieve the symptoms of what is known as post-scabies, which was basically more intense itching and hives! And the fact that it lasts so long (at least for me) is a true test of strength. My doctor put me on it about five years ago for itching. . Claritin, Zyrtec, and Allegra are all considered second-generation antihistamines. We suspect that is substantially more than the FDAs MedWatch program. . Receiving antibiotics, I decided to stop the zyrtec while taking the antibiotic.24 hours off zyrtec and hadnt started the antibiotics. Other drugs may interact with cetirizine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. I have no idea if this helped, but I took it everyday. . Zyrtec (Cetirizine Orally Disintegrating Tablets). I have been weaning myself off for about nine months! -Maintenance dose: 2.5 mg orally once to 2 times a day I noticed that within an hour or so of taking it that I would feel intense pressure in that ear and the whole area would become a hard knot. We searched high and low for the article that Dr. Dal Pan alluded to in his response. zyrtec. Thats why we need to know how many people have done well stopping this antihistamine. I didnt want to make withdrawal any longer, harder, or impede the process. Im taking the advice from this article, nothing but cold showers til this is overand Im going to make it to the finish line this time!! In France you need a prescription. I can mentally handle the itchiness that occurs all over my body when Im sedentary, however, when I exercise at all and begin to work up a sweat, my skin gets flooded with histamines and the itch is so painful that it feels like my skin is literally burning off. Then, it dawned on me that I had run out of Zyrtec when I was filling my pill minder last week. #hikingwithmyman #colchucklake #washington, When the smoke finally cleared.. During my third week off Zyrtec, my skin was healing from all the trauma I inflicted on it from scratching constantly. indigestion. Tylenol takes the edge off a little but doesnt last. Cold Water and Ice Packs Super cold water soothed my itchy hands. Getting treatment for varicose veins is a medical necessity its not simply cosmetic. Usual Pediatric Dose for Allergic Rhinitis: 6 months to 2 years: Best of luck to you! Thanks for sharing your experience and helping me confirm its real and Im not crazy! Information providedon thisweb site is for general information purposes only. We have also heard from readers who experienced withdrawal itching when they stopped levocetirizine (Xyzal). Drug class: Antihistamines. I was really angry as Im so uncomfortable and there was nothing about this in the medical literature. I tried 1/2 every 2 days but last night I gave in and took a whole Zyrtec. Ive tried Quertecin in the past but might not have taken enough of it to feel the benefits. Palpitations and tachycardia can occur with both normal and abnormal heart rhythms and have been reported in conjunction with the use of Zyrtec 23. I was told by an allergist to take 2 Zrtyec a day from May to August where i went down to one pill and then in September, i was told to stop. It is created by eHealthMe based on reports of 45,241 people who have side effects when taking . Good call to wait on withdrawal until after your surgery and to do it slowly! Ive tried googling this and it seems these dreams are a common side effect of taking Zyrtec but nothing about experiencing it only as a withdrawal symptom. . For a year (yes, a year), I took a Z every other day. Zyrtec has been linked to cases of heart failure through an unknown mechanism in a very small number of patients 2. I didnt want to introduce ANY antihistamines into my body because I wanted to body to go back to normal and back to its normal histamine levels. What Are Side Effects of Zyrtec? Q. I stopped taking Zyrtec last week and have been suffering extreme itchiness since then. The easiest way to lookup drug information, identify pills, check interactions and set up your own personal medication records. The withdrawal signs usually begin between 48 and 96 hours after the last dose. Ive done the tapering down process to quit each time, and the crawling bugs always arrive by Day 2. Sure, every now and then something makes the itching flare up, but its nothing like it was before. After two years of taking the allergy drug daily, Peter decided he wanted to stop, only to realize how dependent he had become on it. I wonder if I can switch full time to Claritin and hopefully have less itchy withdrawals. rhythm problems (palpitations), or . Your email address will not be published. Palpitations are described as an unpleasant awareness of the heart beating or a fast heart rate, called tachycardia 3. Depression. So glad for you Barbara! I am going through similar withdrawal symptoms, but its not from Zyrtec its from claritin. Readers reported relentless itching within a few days of stopping this antihistamine. -Some experts recommend: Patients over 65 years of age should start with 5 mg orally once a day. Im on day 6 of no Zyrtec after a couple weeks of tapering. 1. Call your doctor if your symptoms do not improve, if they get worse, or if you also have a fever. What I dont get is WHY doctors are not aware of this. The hives are the worst. The antihistamine withdrawal timeline depends on the specific drug. In other words, it doesnt make you drowsy the way diphenhydramine (Benadryl) does. Get Comfortable I made sure that anything that was touching my body was comfortable, so I wore long sleeved shirts, workout leggings, and cozy socks. However, it was always lurking in the background. I had tried to quit taking Zyrtec cold turkey, and that went terrible. I want to take him off of it but I dont know how to manage environmental and seasonal allergies without it. Hot showers makes it worse while cold compression/showers are magic. Sounds like a wonderful NP! Stimulants, including caffeine, nicotine, cocaine, amphetamines, and cold and cough medications that contain pseudoephedrine. The moment I would give in and take a pill, it would go away, until the next day. Five milligrams was usually enough to get me through the bulk of the day, quieting the angry itch, but some evenings benefited from an additional dose. Alternatives to oral decongestants are available. As I mentioned in myprevious post, the first days after discontinuing Zyrtec were the worst. Cetirizine is classed as a non-drowsy (non-sedating) antihistamine, but it does make some people drowsy. Cerner Multum, Inc. "UK Summary of Product Characteristics." I started weaning today (1/2 dose), and 5 hours later Im already feeling the itch. I know for some people the heat made things worse, but I find that if I bring the area to the point of pain without burning it provides a couple hours of relief. More-serious though less common side effects include a rapid heart rate (tachycardia) or feelings of fluttering or a pounding heart (palpitations). An the full-blown itchiness is just.. torture. However, antihistamines that include a decongestant could cause problems. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. The typical daily dose of Claritin for adults and children who are 6 years and older is 10 mg per day. The itching and discomfort was intense, especially at night and the psychological effects were debilitating. I feel so much better mentally now. After deciding to go to an allergist and being told to go off any antihistamines for 7 days before testing, I quit cold turkey, not expecting much more than stuffy nose and watery eyes. Thanks for the tip. Here we are a month later and my body looks mostly healed. Once the pollen season was over I stopped the Zyrtec with no side effects. THC just made me not care as much that I itched but didnt take it away. Recently though, I was reading up about chronic urticaria and an article mentioned the typical duration is less than a year, so this eight year itch situation didnt make much sense to me. Had a tough time over Christmas with anxiety which is somewhat better now, maybe the tapering of the drug has brought it on. Medically reviewed by Sophia Entringer, PharmD. #lakewenatch, Wildfire It is considered a second-generation non-sedating antihistamine. I feel my body is detoxing, I have been more stressed and have had spots (acne?) Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. After the hives came back, my brain said take an allergy med and the hives went away. Also, I found a free meditation(if you are into that) that has helped me: Allergy Relief Hypnosis for Allergies by Jay Corbett on YouTube. Withdrawal from Zyrtec can cause a hypertensive crisis or myocardial infraction. Most commonly abused antihistamines include Benadryl, Zyrtec, and Allegra. One night I learned this the hard way, as I laid in bed til 3 am scratching. Benadryl should not be taken at the same time as cetirizine because it can increase side effects such as dizziness, drowsiness, and difficulty concentrating. Every time I took the THC, within hours I was much more comfortable and scratched less. We appreciate your interest and perspective regarding this issue. Thank you for this blog. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. All rights reserved. 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