ZYRTEC Reviews (CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 2.0 (1816 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ZYRTEC with similar:
Type: Over-the-counter Drug
|
Results are sorted by Age from youngest to oldest (reviews with no age reported listed first). Key to Ratings: 1=LOW (I would not recommend taking this medicine.) Page: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 66 67 68 69 70 71 72 73 74 75 76 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 85 86 87 88 89 90 91 |
More on ZYRTEC: Reviews Summary | Drug Safety Information
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ZYRTEC | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | seasonal allergies | violent dreams | I am a 22 year old male and have had severe seasonal allergies my whole life. I use to take Allegra D for my allergies, however, after taking it for a while I need to switch my allergy medicene. First, my doctor gave me Singular which worked but I would have very violent dreams, so I stopped taking it. Then I tried some generic that didn't work for me. This past week I bought Zytec over the counter, which does work, but I am back to having very violent dreams, that honestly make me feel like a bad person when I wake up. Mostly these dreams include some type of extreme fighting, but sometimes they exceed that. | M | 22 | 1 weeks | 5/30/2009 | 1 | Puritis | Suicidal itching EVERYWHERE!!! | SO I’VE FOUND A CURE!!! (Cyproheptadine) Sooooo I have been struggling with puritis since taking cetirizine for steroid withdrawal symptoms, basically went from frying to fire. I had been dealing with my Cetirizine issue for just about a year, forcefully having to take it every 1-2 days. I have tried Loratidine, B12, everything you name it. I spent at least 9 months researching a cure once I realised my body was addicted to Cetirizine, and that the puritis I was experiencing was a withdrawal symptom. I stumbled across Cyproheptadine Hydrocloride by accident, it is basically an anti-histamine like Loratidine & Cetirizine except Cyproheptadine doesn’t have any withdrawal symptoms. Cyproheptadine is specifically designed to treat skin allergic reactions, such as puritis, hives and so. From what it looks like, Cyproheptadine Hydrocloride can only be purchased online not in stores, however it is very very cheap and almost all online pharmacies have it worldwide. I first took Cyproheptadine early March this year (2018), and to my surprise it worked extremely quickly. I stopped itching! I had been withdrawing from Cetirizine for 2 days and was dancing around my bedroom (itching) and decided to take Cyproheptadine instead. I didn’t feel the need to itch again for at least 2 weeks, and by that time it wasn’t a Cetirizine itch, it was a normal itch. I was very skeptical at first so I decided to take another pill of Cyproheptadine the day after, to see if it | F | 22 | 1 years 10mg | 7/15/2018 | 5 | Hives | None | EVERYONE PLEASE READ!!! I tried every medication for my hives and nothing worked. whole body would break out in hives every day. lips and eyes will swell and could also start to have breathing problems. i started to feel like i'd rather be dead til i tried zyrtec. zyrtec kept me free of hives for 24 hours and this is a very serious allergy that i have because my doctors still cant figure out whats causing it. you can put me in a allergy free bubble in outter space and i'll still break out. now the reason im writing this is to clarify something, prescription zyrtec is not the same product as the over the counter. prescriptioned zyrtec is made by a company named pfeizer and the over the counter is made by mcneil PPC, INC. which is a company contracted to make a cheap OFFBRAND of the real product, which is also why it has the name ZYRTEC. The real zyrtec cost $90 - $100 without insurance for 30 tablets as the over the counter is around $20 for 30 tablets. so i want everybody to know that | M | 23 | 8 years | 12/4/2008 | 5 | Allergies | None | I have taken Zyrtec intermittently for almost seven years now and have never had a problem w/it. It does its job (dries my sinuses and allows me to move away from the tissue box) and has never caused any noticeable side effects. | F | 23 | 7 years | 5/14/2005 | 5 | A ton of Allergies & Asthma | Drowsiness...didn't realize why I was always tired until I actually added on a new medication called Topamax for epilepsy this March (about 5 months ago) & combined the two meds and was really really tired and was almost falling alseep while driving...& then read the side effects of zyrtec and said to myself..."oh that's why I was always tired." | Zyrtec was my LIFE SAVOR!!! Saved me from going to an allergist. It is sad to say though I just got new Health insurance b/c I switched jobs and now my health insurance won't cover it...(I was dumb enough not to look into that) now I am worried that the new medicine won't work as well. (Claritin, also known as Loratadine) I was also on Allegra for 3 years but my body actually got immune to it, and wouldn't work anymore. I have felt that zyrtec works the best for me. It helped with the worst cases of itchy eyes, hives, runny nose, congestion etc. | F | 23 | 2.5 years | 8/11/2006 | 4 | hives induced by allergy to latex | Weight gain and extreme increase in appetite | For months now i have been trying to figure out why i have been putting on weight and why i am so tired! I have only gained about 6 pounds but that is alot for me because i used to have a very fast metabolism and never had cravings. Now i am ALWAYS hungry and can't go as long as i used to in the gym. My hives were crazy and they would last for days until i took a zyrtec pill, at which point it would provide me with immediate relief- i even used to call it a miracle drug. It truely is amazing how effective it is for allergies but the way i am becomming i almost prefer the itching and swelling :( No more zyrtec for me :( | F | 23 | | 4/17/2007 | 4 | cold | not bad | good | F | 23 | 233 months | 1/24/2009 | 3 | Severe allergies | I have been depressed since I began taking Zyrtec, but because my girlfriend and I broke up around the same time that I started taking the medicine, I assumed that the termination of the relationship was the cause. After frustrations with being tired all of the time and remembering the same effects when taking diphenhydramine, I decided to utilize the internet to research common side effects of Zyrtec. It all makes sense now. Being down about the termination of a relationship is one thing, but not wanting to move or do anything is something else entirely. I would imagine that the medication increases one's susceptibility to depression, and when one is forced to deal with a difficult situation, depression is more likely to ensue. I have also experienced the insomnia and withdrawal headaches described on this website: http://zyrtecsideeffects.blogspot.com/. | As an antihistamine, it performed wonderfully; my allergy symptoms were almost completely eradicated. However, I would caution users to be aware of potential side effects and be observant of any changes in one's behavior. | M | 23 | 2.5 months | 1/5/2009 | 3 | allergies | I was taking zyrtec-d and the decongestant raised my blood pressure, giving me migraines. Stopped the med, much fewer migraines (I already had migraines to begin with). Plus, when I stopped taking it, I was sooo itchy for weeks that I had to take other histamines periodically just to stand it. You need to wean yourself off. | The antihistamine worked. I stopped taking the zyrtec-d and my allergies have been okay since it's not the season, but I wouldn't hesitate to try regular zyrtec as needed for my allergies. | F | 23 | 3 months | 12/3/2006 | 3 | allergys | fatigue, drugged feeling | F | 23 | 6 months | 11/28/2001 | 3 | Hives | Itchiness after quitting the medicine. | I began breaking out in hives about 1 yr. ago I have had 4 episodes... the cause of which is guessed to be heat/anxiety. My Dr. put me on Zyrtec and told me to see an allergist. The allergist said I didn't need to be on it every day, just the days I break out (which has been once every 4-5 mo.) I am now off Zyrtec (for one week) and am itching like crazy. My scalp itches, if I sit on my leg or put pressure on my arms they get hot itchy spots. I called the pharm. and she said it is not a withdrawal from zyrtec that the medicine must have been hiding some other illness. (Which from reading these posts I don't believe) I have called the first Dr. and his secretary told me the same as the pharm. I am now waiting on a call back from my allergist. I just wondered if anyone knows how long this itchiness spell will last. I assume since the zyrtec has been blocking all histamines for the last three months that my body is not used to them now. If anyone has any info. it would be appreciated! | F | 23 | 3 months | 4/10/2007 | 3 | allergies | short-term memory loss, fatigue, bad mood, mood swings, lack of concentration, decreased balance and motor skills, insomnia, anxiety, increased appetite with sugar cravings, constipation, bloody nose when dry or running. | It got rid of my severe mold(?) allergy symptoms quickly, but I felt like a zombie. The worse being lack of mental clarity and fatigue. | F | 23 | 5 days | 3/31/2008 | 3 | allergies | when I was taking it: drowsiness, eventually lost effectiveness. when I stopped taking it: trouble sleeping, bad dreams, depression, trouble concentrating, a few days of bad allergy symptoms (which cleared up) | I took Zyrtec daily for about 5 years. Worked really well at first. Had a little drowsiness when I first started taking it, but that subsided once I got used to it. I decided to go off it a few months ago because it didn't seem to be working as well as it used to, and because I suspected that I was dependent on it for sleeping. The trouble started when I stopped taking it. I had trouble sleeping for about two weeks, felt really depressed, had terrible dreams, and scary thoughts. Also, for the first few days after stopping, my allergies were really awful--itching, sinus pressure, headache--but then they actually started getting better. Now I just use Simply Saline, and occasionally Benedryl. | F | 23 | 5 years | 3/31/2008 | 2 | seasonal allergies | Difficulty swallowing, depression, panic attacks, dry mouth and nose, itchy prickly skin, headache, numbness in left arm and chest. Tingly feeling in hands and feet, numbness and soreness in back, aches and flu like symptoms. | I first started taking this drug to relieve summer allergies to pollen and dust. I would have a itchy throat, tight chest, stuffy nose, and a persistant cough due to post nasal drip. At first this drug was wonderful. It helped relieve the tight chest and helped with the cough. But eventually I noticed I had a very dry mouth and nose and even had a little trouble swallowing at night. I also was depressed and had feelings of hopelessness. I read about other side effects that people were experiencing with this drug and tried to start lowering my intake to 10mg one night, 5mg the next for a few nights but because of handling some hay for the horses, I ended back on 10mg a night. Then I switched to 5mg a night for a week and am having nasty aches, pain in my chest and arm, and panic attacks. I even have a migraine. I thought I had some weird disease or a heart attack, feels like there's pressure inside. I went to the Dr and had an EKG. It was normal. My blood pressure was up some though. The Dr said I was depressed and gave me some antidepressants which I did not take. After reading all this other comments, I am so happy to find out that what I am feeling is not totally strange. I am doing my best to stop Zyrtec completely and can't wait until I don't take it at all! | F | 23 | 7 months 10 MG 1X day | 11/1/2012 | 2 | dizziness, restlessness, lethargy, drowsiness | Zyrtec worked great at solving my allergies issues (including stuffy/itchy nose and dry eyes) however, the side effects have not been as kind. In the past two months, I've taken the pill two or three times a week right before I go to bed. While I sleep through the night, the next day I always feel dizzy and restless, as well as can barely keep my eyes open. This only happens after taking the medicine (otherwise I'm fine). the final straw with the meds, was my inability to keep my eyes open while on the road. Having an hour and a half commute home, I found it extremely hard to stay awake. This was scary because I have never had this issue before. I don't know if I would recommend this to anyone. | M | 23 | 2 months 1X day | 5/27/2010 | 2 | Allergies & Hay Fever | Zyrtec worked well to cure my allergies and drip. However, I had HORRIBLE side effects, that I didn't fully realize until I stopped taking the drug. Every time I would consistently take the drug I'd gain weight. I'm 5'2" and weighed ~120 forever. After taking zyrtec for 2+ years, I got up to ~133lb. Finally I quit taking it - cold turkey, and within a week of stopping I'm already down to 126lb. Thank goodness! Mentally, I feel so much better since quitting. I'm HAPPY and clear headed, which starkly contrasts the moody self I'd been for years prior. | I actually tried to quit taking it several times. Whenever I'd stop I'd get horrible headaches and feel very dizzy. Finally, I was out west where it is very dry for spring break. I quit while I was out there, and had no problems. I think it was easier because it kept me dry while I transitioned off of it. I'll post more as my progress progresses. | F | 23 | 3 years 10 mg 1X day | 3/30/2010 | 2 | Allegies | Extreme fatigue (cannot stress this enough). With Benadryl, you can at least sleep it off. With Zyrtec, the fatigue does NOT wear off; it lasts all day. It does help with allergies, but I don't think I will be taking any more of it unless I plan to lay in bed all day. | My Zyrtec is over-the-counter. | M | 23 | 6 days | 5/9/2008 | 2 | Cold-like symptoms | Cottonmouth, dehydration | I took a single dose in the evening, and kept waking up every couple hours during the night with a mouth like a desert. It was like it turned off my salivary glands or something. It may work for you, but this was a problem for me. | F | 23 | 1 days | 6/18/2009 | 2 | allergies, including scratching | Took it once and had a very weird dream. It didn't help alleviate general allergy symptoms of rash & scratching, and didn't help even with oral allergies as much as other antihistamines do. Won't take it again. | Somehow I don't buy the fact that the medicine doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier. I mean this was tested on mice, maybe human blood-brain interaction is different. If people have weird dreams after taking this, it's gotta be brain, what else can it be:-) | M | 23 | 1 days | 9/3/2009 | 1 | Seasonal/Persistant Allergies | Anger, severe irritability, irrational fighting, inability to control emotions, hostility, bizarre sleeping patterns, picking arguments that turned into violent rageful combative arguments, anxiety, increase in migraines and panic attacks. | Good god, where do I start? I started taking this in mid June for allergies that sucked, the kind with the itchy eyes, runny nose, sore throat, you know. Basically, i turned into an angry aggressive, angry, hostile, combative, miserable monster woman. My boyfriend (who I had been with over a year) called me a spiteful angry bitch. I would pick fights over comments such as "You seem tired today, take a nap maybe you'll feel better." "Do you need help with (insert action here)?". I cant believe I let this go on this long... My mother asked me if anything on this planet made me happy, because apparently, i was a miserable person. I cried over nothing. Honestly, i cant even remember I time in the past month I cried over something rational. Come to think of it, I cant remember the last time this month that I fought over something rational. I honestly thought I was just a basically bad person. I'm never taking this medication EVER again, and it was this website that made me realize how awful it was before it dawned on me that my symptoms all started last month. I'm starting to with draw though (according to other people on the site saying that they did too, with the same symptoms. Dizzy, restless, headaches...). Id rather deal with the seasonal allergies than with these behavioral issues ever again. | F | 23 | 2 months | 7/30/2009 |