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Zyrtec Withdrawal


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I've been on this stuff since October. This allergy season has been really bad for me, the worst ever. In the past, I took Claritin only as needed during the fall and winter. Except that Claritin did nothing for me this year so I ended up with Zyrtec.

 

Now that it is summer (well, you might believe it is summer if you don't look outside at the rain), I want to quit until I need it again. Only I'm having that wonderfully common, if you believe everyone complaining about all over the internet, withdrawal symptom...all over itchiness. It's AWFUL! My scalp has been itching uncontrollably all week. Today, my pubic area (hair area) was itching uncontrollably, and I really don't want to be itching and squirming in public THERE! Then I realized that my arms, legs, tummy, shoulders, face, back, etc. were all itching way more than normal. I'm normally itchy and fidgety, but this was just intolerable. So, I took a Zyrtec...and it's almost gone now just thirty minutes later.

 

From my reading, it takes 14-15 days to get through the withdrawal if you quit cold turkey and take no other anti-histamine to counteract it. Apparently, that makes it take longer.

 

I'm not sure what I want to do. I know I'll just have to go back on it come October anyway. WWYD?

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I take Zyrtec daily as well. If I forget I also itch like crazy. I've been taking it daily for over a year now. I'm not sure what I will do when I quit. I've thought of using a more natural method to controlling allergies. :confused: I guess I'm not much help!

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:grouphug:

 

Allegra?

 

I used to switch back and forth between Allegra and Claratin.

 

Since getting allergy shots, I only need 1/2 a Claritin except when pollen is very high, then I take the 2nd half in the evening. I haven't needed to switch since getting the allergy shots and needing a lower dose.

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Have you tried tapering your dose instead of cutting it out cold turkey? Going to a 1/2 tablet morning and night for a day, then 1/2 tab morning OR night for a couple of days, then 1/4 tab....then off.

 

Or try the claritin for a few days, then try to go off of that.....

 

Or replace it with stinging nettles and eyebright?

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I'm not sure if I could handle the itching of withdrawal. If I decided to quit, I would probably have to taper it down to see if that would work. By the time I'm off of it though, I wouldn't be off of it long before I'd be taking it again. Is it even worth getting off of it?

 

Allegra is the only thing that I know of that I haven't tried (of the convention meds). It's awfully expensive. If Costco had a giant cheap generic, I would have tried it before Zyrtec. I was really leery of Zyrtec after what it did to my son (severe mood swings between rage and crying).

 

I can't do allergy shots. First, I have don't have insurance, nor do I have the money to pay for it out of pocket. Second, according to allergy testing I had several years ago, I'm not allergic to anything except for a mild reaction to soy. I wish my body got that message. I KNOW that too much dust makes me stuff up, sneeze, and have itchy eyes. I KNOW that mold on my windows (in this house) makes me dizzy.

 

Kalanamak, I don't know what sarna is. I think I would have to cover my fingers and toes at night so I couldn't itch. I tend to scratch in my sleep until I bleed when I'm flaring up.

 

Tap, I don't know anything about eyebright. I've always been afraid of nettles because I react pretty strongly to contact with the plant. The one time I came in contact with them, everyone else I was with was fine within a couple of hours. I was in the nurses office three days later still suffering. She ended up calling the poison control center for help. Do think I'd react to them when taking them?

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fwiw.... i have to take various meds for chronic conditions. they have side effects that get worse over time. so whenever i have the chance to go even a few weeks without one, i do.

 

i taper just about everything.... and that seems to mostly work well. i reckon you don't have much to lose if you taper and it works...... but i so get the wondering if its all worth it in the end. for me, it is.

 

:grouphug:

ann

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Tap, I don't know anything about eyebright. I've always been afraid of nettles because I react pretty strongly to contact with the plant. The one time I came in contact with them, everyone else I was with was fine within a couple of hours. I was in the nurses office three days later still suffering. She ended up calling the poison control center for help. Do think I'd react to them when taking them?

 

I don't know....maybe ask Peela or one of the naturopaths on the board. I have just enough knowledge to be dangerous LOL :001_unsure:

Edited by Tap, tap, tap
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