Can anything be taken in addition to Zyrtec for seasonal allergies?

[Pegasus]

DD14 has year-round allergies and takes a daily Zyrtec.  Even so, her symptoms spike in the spring and fall seasons.  Is there anything else that she can take/use in addition to the Zyrtec during these times?

 

If you have found one of the nasal sprays to be helpful, please share.  She tried a nasal spray that the pediatrician prescribed a few years ago and HATED it and wouldn't use it after the first couple of times.  She is a little older now and may be willing to try again if it would really provide relief.

 

I guess I'm also wondering if giving her a Benedryl at bedtime is ok while she is also taking Zyrtec.

[Miss Peregrine]

We tried Allerplex for my daughters allergies. SO much better! It is hard to find but totally worth it.

[Jean in Newcastle]

You can take Flonase or Astelin (both prescribed nasal sprays) for allergies.  I have finally taken ds to an allergist and we are going to do allergy shots.  I really wish that I had done this for him long ago.  

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

I take Benadryl on top of Zyrtec, my doctor said it's okay occasionally.

[Joker]

My dd takes Zyrtec and Flonase year round and it helps a great deal. My dd has to take the Zyrtec because it's the only thing that helps her hives (heat allergy) and the Flonase is for her other allergies.

[Forget-Me-Not]

Singulair. I use it for exactly that reason. I like nasal steroids too. Veramyst is my current favorite.

[PinkyandtheBrains.]

Singulair. I use it for exactly that reason. I like nasal steroids too. Veramyst is my current favorite.

 

Singulair worked great for me but was too expensive, one of my boys had hallucinations on it.

[HollyDay]

Nasal steroids have helped a bunch.

[Plink]

DH swears by Nasalcrom nasal spray - He has been using it since it was a prescription, but it is now available over the counter.

[Mommyfaithe]

I take a Claritin in the morning and a Zyrtec at night. That has been the only thing that works for me.

[Wheres Toto]

I've always taken Benedryl on top of whatever other allergy medicine I take (Allegra, Singulair, Sudafed at different times).  I only take 1/2 dose and it's enough to give that extra little bit of help.  My gp and allergist have both been okay with it.

[sbgrace]

One of mine uses prescription azelastine (an anthistamine nasal spray) if things flair.

 

However, he has been using Naslacrom, which is OTC, going into this spring season, and he's doing much better than he normally does this time of year. He hasn't needed the antihistmine spray at all. It has to be in the system ahead of time to work. That son takes Singulair in addition to the Zyrtec too, and it seems to be a big help. My other son had problems with Singulair (major emotional stuff). That son takes Zyrtec and a steroid nasal spray instead.

[Sara in AZ]

Singulair. I use it for exactly that reason. I like nasal steroids too. Veramyst is my current favorite.

DD takes Singulair with her Zyrtech, too. Works well for her.

[almondbutterandjelly]

I second the nosespray.  My dd uses nasonex (prescription).  Also, you might look into better air filters for your a/c, and consider getting a good air purifier for her bedroom.  We find those helpful.

[Upward Journey]

When my allergies are really bad I take Claratin and 1/2 a sudafed (the kind you have to sign for).

[Seasider]

I use Veramyst, a nasal corticosteroid spray. It is the only thing that will unplug my ear during tough allergy seasons. I sometimes take a claritin or Zyrtec on top, but I have borderline dry eyes and the systemic antihistamine dries out more than my nose.

 

One of my sons had to layer Zyrtec and singulair (along with eye drops) following one hurricane that downed century oaks all around us, filling the air with oak pollen. The double medications were the only thing that worked. The next year, however, we began to hear reports of singulair causing emotional reactions in youth around the age of puberty, so we consciously decided to not give it anymore. By that time we had moved into a new house with no large trees near and ds's allergies have never been that bad since.

[mhaddon]

Have you tried lavender essential oil? It has worked wonders on my son that has terrible allergies. We dab it on his forehead a few times a day and it helps him so much!

[Mrs Mungo]

I love Flonase!

 

Singulair worked great for me but was too expensive, one of my boys had hallucinations on it.

Singulair caused my son to have mood issues. His doctors keep saying that reactions are rare, but I seem to know a lot of kids who have had issues with it.

[kitten18]

Careful, some people get addicted to the nasal sprays. My MIL relies on it and I don't think she can stop.

I don't think that is the kind of nasal sprays that people here are talking about. I think most people are suggesting a prescription corticosteroid.

[kitten18]

Ah ok. She uses Afrin, which is over-the-counter. I didn't really know the difference in the sprays.

Yeah, I keep a generic Afrin spray in the house but don't use it more than a couple times a year and not more than 2 days in a row.

[KrissiK]

When my allergies are bad I take... Allegra in the morning, along with both Nasonex and Astelin. I also have a spray for post-nasal drip. At night I'll take a Zyrtec and in between times, I'll take a swig of Benadryl elixir if I feel an acute attack coming on. And I've been taking allergy shots for the past 10 years.

[Katy]

This is one area that I really recommend you talk to a doctor about.  A pharmacist might also be helpful.  I was told that you can combine allergy medicines that work in different pathways, and sometimes the prescription dose is much higher than the over the counter dose. But mixing medicines can be toxic to your liver, and prescription doses are often calculated by the patient's weight.  Seriously, see a doctor.

[Unicorn.]

Ah ok. She uses Afrin, which is over-the-counter. I didn't really know the difference in the sprays.

 

You need to be careful w/ Afrin.  Using it on a reg basis actually causes problems.  It stops working, and makes you feel like you need it more and more, which is why people become "addicted" to it.

 

OP- yes you can give Benadryl on top of Zyrtec.  Our doc told me to do this for one of the dc last year when allergies were a big problem.  You aren't supposed to take zyrtec and clariton though.

[StephanieZ]

Yes, benadryl at bed time should be OK. I have been told/prescribed to do that many times with Claritin (same general class as Zyrtec), and advised that they are safe together. I often take benadryl at bed and claritin in the morning. 

 

My allergist has told me that the nasal spray -- flonase -- is much more important and effective than anything else. I take it at bed time. It feels funny the first few times, but it really does make a huge difference for me, and my allergist tells me that it is more important than the antihistamine.

 

Beyond those, there is Singulair, if appropriate. It is generally considered an asthma med, but I've seen it repeatedly prescribe for folks with seasonal or year round allergies (without asthma). 

 

Oh, the other thing that makes a HUGE difference is running a HEPA filter in the bedroom 24/7. They are really, truly worth it IME.

 

Oh, and if she has long hair and spends time outside and pollens/etc are an issue, then washing hair before bed might help. 

 

Both flonase and singulair are generic now, so shouldn't be terribly expensive.

 

HTH

[foxbridgeacademy]

We use Flonase (had to go look) it has a "flowery" smell/taste, the drip is not bad.  It is the only thing that helps the swelling in my nasal passages.  I only use it when absolutely needed because I hate sprays, this one is not that bad.  DH and DD swear by nasal rinses (NOT neti pots).  Add in Sudafed when we get really stuffy, and Musinex pills if we get lots of chest congestion (the liquid is horrible, I'd rather be sick).  One thing that helps me is to turn on the hot tap in the sink and hang my head above it with a towel to hold in the steam.  Gives me some temporary relief.

[Pegasus]

Wow. Thanks. I appreciate all the input.  Seems like a lot of folks suffer from allergies!  I've considered adding a HEPA air filter to her bedroom but get discouraged when I research consumer reviews. How much do you need to spend to get one that really works well?

[kbutton]

Keep in mind that people respond to antihistamines differently. Zyrtec seems to be given to kids as a first line med, but it does NOTHING for me except make me want to sleep. Claritin does nothing for hubby. Allegra helps both of us. The kids have good luck with a couple of things. You might try to switch if you haven't done that before, and you might ask the pediatrician about a bigger effective dose. It seems like different docs have different doses they are willing to give with particularly severe allergies. I would see an allergist at some point if you haven't already. An allergist is often going to have a different approach than a ped or GP (my GP told me that I couldn't take Allegra and Claritin together, but my allergist mandated that I take both).

 

If your daughter has indoor allergies, I would do everything possible to help with that, particularly in her room. Sleeping in an allergy friendly room is a HUGE help, but a lot of folks neglect that. There are some great threads about this if you search. Just cleaning bedding effectively (in a way that kills dust mites and does so often enough) can help some folks tremendously. Also, watch herbal products--some herbs are common allergens or in the same family with them. They can trigger responses too (chamomile is a big one). Be sure she's changing clothes if she's been outside on a high pollen count day, and be sure she washes her hair at bed time if she's been in pollen too. Showering at night is a good idea in general if you have allergies--you aren't dragging them to bed with you that way.

 

I also always recommend a good quality fish oil, and as someone else mentioned, vitamin C (esp. time release). Both have helped me a lot. I ended up getting shots for several years as well.

 

 

[Tap]

Here is a basic run down of options out there. These are not the only options and I could be missing some major ones, this is just off the top of my head and I am trying to touch on a few that were mentioned here as well.  Do realize that medications have different side effects for different people, so my comments here are just what I see by working in pharmacy. 

 

 

Claritin (loratadine) : 24 hour, non-drowsy antihistamine.  Cheapest, since it has been on the market the longest.  Is approved for use in very young children.  Common first step, but often not as effective as Zyrtec/ Allegra.  BUT, if someone has side effects to Zyrtec or Allegra, it is often the one that is recommended to stick with. Very small tablet so it is also nice for those who have a hard time swallowing pills.

 

Zyrtec (cetirizine) : 24 hour, non-drowsy antihistamine. 2nd cheapest of the non-drowsy options. Has several formulas and is also found in 12 hour formulas.  Small/mid size pill. Very common option that works for a lot of people.

 

Allegra (fexofenadine) . 24 hour non-drowsy antihistamine. Most expensive and largest size pill. Often the last one tried due to cost, but works the best for people with severe allergies.

 

Chlor-trimeton (Chlorpheneramine): 4 hour generic formula is pretty cheap, 12 hour is pretty expensive. Works better than 24-hour non-drowsy formulas but isn't as convenient.   Less drowsy that Benadryl but doesn't work quite as well as Benadryl either.  Often given to animals LOL. 

 

Benadryl (diphenhydramine): 4-6 hour formula and 12 hour.  Cheap.  Considered the most effective for severe allergies, but is also the active ingredient in sleep aides because it makes most people very sleepy. 

 

---------

Nasal sprays:

 

Nasalcrom: OTC non-drowsy/non-stimulant.  Must be taken every day because it doesn't treat allergies as much as it protects the cells from breaking down, which are the cause of allergy symptoms.  Localized treatment, so it predominately protects the nasal cells.  Used for nasal allergies like sneezing/itchy nose.

 

Nasacort - Just went OTC  about $20-30 per month, but still available as a prescriptions on some insurance plans- a steroid spray. 24hour (some extreme suffers use it more often if their doctors recommend it) non-drowsy.  It treats the symptoms like itchiness, and sneezing but also helps relieve congestion since it shrinks the tissues.   If you use a steroid nasal spray, make sure to point the tip of the bottle away from the septum.  it can dry the delicate tissues out and lead to nose bleeds.

 

Afrin, 4way, or other OTC decongestants.  Multiple generics. The pretty much just shrink the tissues, so work to relieve the congestion and do not treat allergy symptoms.    4-12 hour. only used for 3 days max because of rebound effect.  Work great to relieve severe, immediate congestion.  Work good for  short situations that may leave a person very congested like a common cold, mowing the lawn, sitting at a ball game, fishing, etc that a person doesn't do every day, but leaves them very congested.

 

Flonase (fluticasone): Nasal steroid.  Like Nasacort but prescription only. Available in generic.  This is the most common allergy nose spray dispensed in the pharmacy.  Used for both allergy relief and congestion/post nasal drip related to illness like colds. Has a slight floral smell. Some people find that it also helps with migraines related to congestion and eye issues.

 

Asetlin (azelastine): used 1-2x a day. Rx only. treats the histamine reaction.  Helps with allergy symptoms like sneezing, post nasal drip, and minor cold symptoms. 

 

Veramyst (similar to Flonase ---form of fluticasone) see Flonase for comments. Brand name only.

 

----

 

Eye drops:  just a few-there are lots of OTC options, these are just a few that I get asked about the most.

 

Azelastine: Rx only. 2-4x per day. treats the histamine reaction in the eyes.

 

Zatitor or Alaway -both ketotifen.  OTC.  2x per day. antihistamine eye drop. Treats eye allergy issues like itchy eyes. Most common eye drop I see used for allergies.

 

Visine AC- astringent/redness reliever.  Helps to clear the allergens off the eye, makes them less red, but doesn't treat the issue in fact the redness reliever can make it worse.  Not usually recommended by the pharmacist.

 

Opcon-A- was the go-to eye drop for years.  Still a good option but most people are switching to Ketotifen around here as it seems to work a bit better.  Has an antihistamine and a redness reliever.

 

Similasan allergy eye drops- homeopathic.  Effective for minor reactions.  Worth a try if you prefer natural products, but I live in a very bad area for pollen allergies and most people don't find them strong enough here.

 

Naphcon-A- antihistamine and decongestant.  good eye drop, but again, ketotifen seems to be more effective for allergies.

 

 

---

netti pots/sinus rinse/ocean nasal spray....all are great options to rinse the pollen or offending material off of the nasal passages.  Some people find that this makes a huge difference, some don't think it makes a difference at all.  The salt added to the water helps it to keep the water from stinging the passage ways, like pool water/shower water etc.  I think they are a great option for people to try, but not everyone is comfortable with the idea.

 

---

 

Mucinex-  Many different formulas, so  pay attention to the letters after the name like DM, D to know what you are getting.   Read the back of the box for the active ingredients to understand what you are buying or ask the pharmacist. The basic Mucinex is guaifenesin. and helps loosen mucous.  It draws moisture into the tissues which helps loosen the dried/thick mucous that is just hanging around collecting more mucous and clogging the passageways. You can also get Mucinex with a cough suppressant and a decongestant.  It works great to add to your other meds if you get dry nasal passageways due to antihistamines or decongestants.  It helps to clear mucous in stubborn conditions like sinus infections/wet coughs.  Generic options are often cheaper but have to be taken more often.  Pay attention to the number of times per day this needs to be taken if you are comparing prices. 

 

---

Decongestants:  This one is tricky because there are 2 main decongestant pills on the market.  They can both affect blood presser, make a person jittery, affect sleep, or.....have no side effects other than the wonderful feeling of being able to breath! LOL Talk to the pharmacist if you have blood pressure issues before taking them.

 

Phenylephrine with is available everywhere OTC and it what you will find in the cough and cold aisle under the new Sudafed brand and in all the 'decongestant' pills.

 

Pseudoephedrine is the old Sudafed.  This one is much more effective.  It is the med used to make methamphetamines, so some states have moved it behind the pharmacy counter and you only need to sign for it.  Some states made a prescription.  It is still sold as Sudafed and generics, so it is important to under stand which one you are getting.  

 

___

 

A more atypical approach to allergies that result in hives, which can't be controlled another way, is to add ranitidine (zantac- for stomach acid) to the med list.  It is an H2 blocker and affects allergic reactions. It doesn't seem to affect swelling of the airways or anaphylaxis.

 

 

[Tap]

DD15 gets allergy shots and still has reactions so here is what we do for severe allergies in our home. Different times of year, have different symptoms so she used an antihistamine all year long and adds a medication to it, that specifically targets her main symptoms as well. 

 

She used to take Claritin as a young child. Moved to Zyrtec in her teens as her allergies worsened but moved to Allegra after Zyrtec seemed to loose effectiveness for her.

 

Generic Zaditor eye drops when certain plants pollinate and her eyes start itching.  Without this, if she is around pollinating juniper, her eyes swell almost completely shut.  :0(

 

Mucinex D.  which is a med that loosens congestion, and a decongestant mixed together.  She takes the 12 hour formula but only takes in the morning if her nasal allergies are what are bothering her at the time. She doesn't take it at night. 

 

When her allergies are extreme, she also takes Benadryl on top of everything else, up to 50mg per 4-6 hours.  This is not a recommended dose and is very high.  But her allergies can result in extreme symptoms quite unexpectedly sometimes. 

 

When she was attending a school that was in the country, full of fields with her allergens in them, we also bought a HEPA filter for her classroom.  It really did seem to help to reduce her symptoms to a manageable level. 

 

 

 

 

 

Her boyfriend gets a lot of post nasal drip and was always coughing up mucous. He didn't have the common advertised symptoms of itchy eyes/nose/sneezing, and he never knew his mucous was allergy related.  So I give him:

 

Allegra

Mucinex with Decongestant

 

He feels so much better on these meds and is much more civilized since he isn't having to go get rid or mouths full of mucous all the time.  When he first started coming to my house, he was anti meds.  After he realized what this combination does for him, he now comes into my kitchen every morning looking for his pills.  LOL  

 

 

 

 

DD7 had allergies as a baby so she got Stinging Nettles and Eyebright Tincture.  I also gave her a probiotic since her allergies resulted in diarrhea/vomiting   and we weren't sure if they were food based and causing the GI issues or post nasal drip. 

 

When she was 4yo, she moved to Singulair.  It didn't seem to help and she has other behavior issues, so we took her off just incase.

 

We moved her to Claritin, then Zyrtec and found that Allegra works the best for her as well.  She no longer has GI issues (milk reaction) but she wakes up more at night with out an antihistamine due to congestion still.

 

 

 

 

I take Mucinex D, because antihistamines flare my dry mouth/dry nose/dry eyes issue (I have sjogrens- and autoimmune issue).  The Mucinex doesn't treat my allergies, but only treats the uncomfortable symptoms of having a constant sinus headache.  I still have an itchy nose, but my eyes actually feel better without the antihistamine (they feel like they have sand in them when I take an antihistamine). If I seem to be having more sever allergy symptoms than usual, I make sure to shower at night to rinse off the pollen and rinse my nose with water. 

 

 

 

 

[Rebel]

I see an allergist regularly and she has me on the following daily combo.  In the morning - Allegra (the 180mg dose), Flonase, Astepro, a 12 hour Sudafed, and Elestat eye drops. At bedtime - Claritin, Flonase, and Astepro  This keeps me pretty much in control and not too drowsy.

[Rose in BC]

My dd takes singular with her antihistamine which she changes between Claritin and Allegra. Also nasonex (or similar).

[KarenC]

Dd takes zyrtec and singulair daily and nasonex spray as needed.

[lea1]

You can take Flonase or Astelin (both prescribed nasal sprays) for allergies.  I have finally taken ds to an allergist and we are going to do allergy shots.  I really wish that I had done this for him long ago.  

 

I tried both of these and hated them so much I refused to use nasal sprays for a long time.  I finally tried nasocort and stuck with it because the taste is not nearly as strong as the other two.  It is also over the counter now.

 

I take Zyrtec year round aliso.  In the spring, summer and fall I add Singulair and it seems to really help me a lot.  Singulair words differently than Zyrtec, although I can't explain how.  These three things seem to make a difference for me.

 

Good luck finding something that works.  Allergies can be miserable.

[Trilliums]

Here is a DIY air purifier w/HEPA furnace filters.  I haven't made one yet, but have been considering it.

http://inhabitat.com/diy-make-your-own-hepa-air-filtration-system-for-just-30/

[rmtzc2009]

I use flonase and benedryl on top of my daily allergy medication.  During high allergy times I need the extra medications to make the day manageable.