An the full-blown itchiness is just.. torture. I will for sure report back because these comment threads of fellow sufferers are the only things that give me hope. In the last year I would wake up in the middle of the night itching intensely. By day two I was experiencing the expected allergic reactions to cat dander and my other pollen and mold allergies. Vitamin C is crucial during illness/ infection and most of us dont get enough in our daily diets. Do not take two doses at one time. Withdrawal from an allergy medication should NOT happen, should NOT take this long, and should NOT make a person miserable for WEEKS. I was now a 6 on my itch scale. Draw up a plan for decreasing your dosage over time until youre barely taking any. Finally, on July 5, 2019 an article appeared in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety. I began reading that Zyrtec could be the cause, so I have decided to quit once and for all. Yeah, this itch is ungodly but everyday is a step closer to the end. I am only at approx. I was able to get an urgent appointment with the allergy doc and he immediately recognized my symptoms as Zyrtec withdrawal. Yes, I did itch every now and then, but staying away from alcohol and being well-hydrated was the combination that worked for me. Days 3-4 were the worst. #nofilter #nofilterneeded Coincidentally, I am scheduled for knee replacement surgery in 5 weeks, so have decided to continue taking 2 tabs of Zyrtec 10 mg every night until after the surgery and subsequent PT. Some say to taper with childrens liquid Zyrtec because you can dial in the dose reduction more accurately, until you are hardly taking any. Sounds like a wonderful NP! I have no idea if this helped, but I took it everyday. Some dosage forms listed on this page may not apply to the brand name Zyrtec. After reading some of the stories on your site about Zyrtec, my experience started to make sense in retrospect. I am pretty sure its my body getting rid of those chemicals. Ive done the tapering down process to quit each time, and the crawling bugs always arrive by Day 2. Thanks! Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take cetirizine if you have any medical conditions. 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. -Treatment of uncomplicated skin manifestations of chronic idiopathic urticaria in patients 6 months and older. Zyrtec-D has a higher incidence of the hypertension side effect 2. leg cramps. After I read the Peoples Pharmacy article on Zyrtec, I threw my pills away. This calculation is based on the half-life of cetirizine, which is 8.3 hours, and experts say it takes 4 to 5 half-lives for a drug to fully leave your body which works out to 33 to 40 hours. constipation. I started a very slow wean. you have to do frequent dosing. Ice packs help as well for general itching. Some have also reported other withdrawal symptoms. Maybe I ate something to hot or to spicy. For Zyrtec, it's 5 mg or 10 mg. As it spread, I thought maybe poison ivy. Still holding on taking the antibiotic. Ive been taking Zyrtec daily for almost 10 years. Im currently on week 1 of 1/4 tablet, but I already feel itchy. The itch was a 3 out of 10, but still flared up to a 4-5 at night. I mentioned the theory that it was a response to stopping Zyrtec and she read through all of the medical literature at her disposal, said there was nothing out there suggesting that was a thing and then hastened to add that the first rule of medicine is to never discount an idea or a too-coincidental situation. Some nights Id use an ice pack on my hands or keep my hands in super cold water, which tamed the itch. One vacation I forgot to take it for three daysand experienced terrible, incessant itching. Its not easy but it will get better! Why are there no warnings on these medications? ), and the doctors dont know what caused the weight gain. The withdrawal signs usually begin between 48 and 96 hours after the last dose. Im glad it worked out for you, but my question for you and other allergy sufferers out there, is that once you are off Zyrtec, what are you doing now, or planning to do to alleviate the other allergies problems that we suffered before Zyrtec? -Relief of symptoms associated with perennial allergic rhinitis due to allergens (e.g., sneezing, rhinorrhea, postnasal discharge, nasal pruritus, ocular pruritus, tearing) in patients 2 years and older -Some experts recommend: Patients over 65 years of age should start with 5 mg orally once a day. In 2007, the FDA approved Zyrtec, or cetirizine, as an over-the-counter drug to treat allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria, a skin condition characterized by recurrent hives 2. dizziness. I started weaning today (1/2 dose), and 5 hours later Im already feeling the itch. If you take it long term you will experience the following : 1- weight gain 2- sleepiness 3-irritability 4-heart palpitations 5-svre anxiety 6-muscle twitches 7- hypertension 8-bloating 9- IBS Those are serious side effects. If I take my last dose Monday morning at 8 AM Ill start sneezing uncontrollably by 8 PM on Tuesday. Some will have it better, others worse. Best of luck to you! Claritin is active in the body for at least 24 hours. Even my ears, face, throat, and feet are itchy. - I feel overwhelmed because I started taking vistaril first place as a bridge to opioid withdrawal, as it put me in deep inssomnia. It will take days and weeks for your body to get used to not being on the drug and regulating your histamine levels. Swallow several times as the tablet dissolves. I cried. -Treatment of uncomplicated skin manifestations of chronic idiopathic urticaria. Pretty much came back for negative except for very little grasses/pollen and dogs. THC just made me not care as much that I itched but didnt take it away. Using Zyrtec with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. I was incredibly relieved to be through the worst of it! I think I was allergic to this fexofenydril too. When should one stop taking antihistamine medication? Medical professionals have no clue. It is created by eHealthMe based on reports of 45,241 people who have side effects when taking . I am taking 3/4 at the moment. I have taken Zyrtec for years for hay fever every spring. Finally! I started Zyrtec at my doctors recommendation for itchy skin on my hands. In addition, FDA continues to monitor and assess serious adverse events for all approved products reported by healthcare providers, patients, and others. Worth looking at it? Then about 4 weeks ago, I tried a new shampoo free from parabens and sulfates, supposedly natural and discovered I was allergic to one of its ingredients (cocamidopropolyl betaine). I am trying the weaning route. Just try to withdrawal when things are slower or easier with work or school and dont try this during busy months. Other second-generation antihistamines include fexofenadine (Allegra) and loratadine (Claritin). Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! "The later generation non-sedating antihistamines, such as loratadine, fexofenadine, and cetirizine are safe to take daily," says John Faraci, MD, an allergist and immunologist in Loma Linda, California. Are you going through Zyrtec withdrawal? I used to use this method for poison oak back when I was bad at avoiding it on hikes. Last updated on Oct 29, 2022. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Zyrtec: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. What has helped a LOT was the meditation. Ive been zyrtec free for almost a week now and the itching is horrid. I realize I was lucky because I could do this at home with minimal obligations. Always consult your healthcare provider to ensure the information displayed on this page applies to your personal circumstances. Despite my dermatologist downplaying my experience and symptoms, I feel encouraged after reading this blog, as I now understand why Im having these symptoms. The hard painful areas have begun to soften and I have a very foul taste in my mouth, but I can hear again. Once again, I got back on Zyrtec (Ugh), and have been on it daily for the last 4 years. These include antihistamines such as loratadine (Alavert, Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra), cetirizine (Zyrtec), levocetirizine (Xyzal), and diphenhydramine (Benadryl), as well as steroid nasal . Then I did an online search that turned up Zyrtec withdrawal. She prescribed me an oral and topical steroid. -Initial dose: 2.5 mg orally once a day I hope this approach helps someone else! Weight gain was my reason to stop Zyrtec. Medically reviewed by Sophia Entringer, PharmD. Thank you so much for sharing this! Zyrtec (Cetirizine Orally Disintegrating Tablets), Zyrtec Dosage Charts (Infants & Children). My allergist then started to wean me from Zyrtec by halving the dose. Palpitations are described as an unpleasant awareness of the heart beating or a fast heart rate, called tachycardia 3. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. Some people may also find it difficult to think or make good judgements. I was prescribed Zyrtec a few years ago for allergies. Since that time, I have steadily gained about 30 lbs, and have constant tiredness and brain fog. since I quit in April. Its just baffling. Along with its needed effects, cetirizine (the active ingredient contained in Zyrtec) may cause some unwanted effects. Best of luck to you. As I was desperate to not feel an itch, I used Dr. Bronners Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap for shampoo and body soap. And my doctor just looked at me blankly as I reported this outcome. 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. As stated on the FDA website Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety Information Identified from the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System FAERS, the potential safety issue of rebound pruritus [itching] with cetirizine, levocetirizine, and hydroxyzine was posted July September 2017, prompting evaluation to determine the need for regulatory action. Cant wait to finally be rid of this once and for all. I hope you can find a way off Zyrtec and then in time be completely itch free! As stated on the FDA website Potential Signals of Serious Risks/New Safety Information Identified from the FDA Adverse Events Reporting System FAERS, the potential safety issue of rebound pruritus [itching] with cetirizine, levocetirizine, and hydroxyzine was posted July September 2017, prompting evaluation to determine the need for regulatory action. These tips have helped a ton. Finally, as nothing was working to treat either, my husband said it looked like hives. Im not sure if the bath simply dried out my skin or if it brought too much histamine to the surface of my skin; whatever the reason, I never took another one. Some side effects may not be reported. it also feels like when my heart pauses for 1-2 second and resumes normal beating,all these palpitations and skipped heart beat symptoms happen to me about 5,6 times a day.i cant explain it properly. Uses. Im hoping that it wont last long, and I will be able to see if the Zyrtec has contributed to the unexplained weight gain! Claritin, on the other hand, is known by the generic name of loratadine. During my third week off Zyrtec, my skin was healing from all the trauma I inflicted on it from scratching constantly. But every time I missed taking it for some reason, I would end up way worse, with full-body hives. So, by and large, on this 4th week I considered myself completely free of Zyrtec withdrawal symptoms. Drugs.com provides accurate and independent information on more than 24,000 prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines and natural products. Zyrtec is used in adults and children to treat cold or allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, watery eyes, or runny nose. Really dont know what to do. Im glad you found remedies to help with the itch. I was incredibly relieved to be through the worst of it! Never dreamed it was a withdrawal from zyrtec. Cetirizine (Zyrtec) is an antihistamine often used to treat allergies, nasal congestion or hives. I just pushed through and tried not to think about it. 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. I have tried numerous times to rid myself of that medication as I highly suspect that all of the histamine blockers are the culprit for my constant weight gain over the past 5 years or so (naturally, Ive completed thorough testing to ensure nothing else could be the reason). In clinical trials, this side effect appeared to be related to the dose of cetirizine, with higher dosages increasing the risk of feeling drowsy. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. #stuc, Lost Cove Creek - We got very familiar with this c, One of four cars from the 20s and 30s that w, Atop Lookout Mountain, Chattanooga, home of an imp, Dr. Bronners Hemp Peppermint Pure Castile Soap, My Journey Through Varicose Vein Treatment, What Women Need to Know about Varicose Veins, http://www.floodlawgroup.com/zyrtec-withdrawal-lawyers/, https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/2042098619859996. I decided to stop taking them and after 2 or 3 days I was in hell, covered in hives and also experiencing a newer symptom, localized swelling. Im kind of a PITA about taking meds, especially one that kills your immune system during flu season, so I opted to only use the topical. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. I earn a small commission if you make a purchase.). Day 6 of withdrawal severe itching. At two weeks of life without Zyrtec, itching was not the focus of my day. 5 to 10 mg orally once a day It also gave me something to share with my PCP, who is an open-minded FNP. For the last two days, Ive been incredibly itchy and have felt like bugs are crawling all over my skin and I couldnt figure out why. Zyrtec theory still held strong. I refuse to go back on any oral allergy medications again. Relieved to be through the worst of it the itching is horrid about 30 lbs, and not. 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