ZYRTEC Reviews (CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 2.0 (1816 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ZYRTEC with similar:
Type: Over-the-counter Drug
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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 |
| 3 | Environmental Allergies | Itching, skin irritation the day following taking the medication | Seems to work fairly well on the runny nose. I take it sporadically based on when I need it. I noticed that consistanty the day after I take it, I have get itchy all over, which is not a symptom I have experienced with my allergies. | F | 30 | 6 months | 10/1/2008 | 3 | Seasonal Allergies | I took Zyrtec for 2 months and I started experiencing knee pain. I stopped it and the pain was coming down. After a week I had to take it again and the pain increased. Now, I am completely off of it and have no pain at all. | F | 30 | 60 days | 7/10/2009 | 2 | dust/pollen allergies | Uncontrollable itching for days after stopping zyrtec. | Don't quit abruptly. If you do, you may have uncontrollable itching all over your body. If that is the case, you have two options: 1) take a half dose of zyrtec for about 10 days. Or better yet, 2) take claritin for about 10 days to relieve the itching. Most people can then quit taking the claritin with no side effects. | M | 30 | 6 months | 10/20/2009 | 2 | seasonal allergies, itching, hives | WEIGHT GAIN!!! My gosh, it finally dawned on me yesterday...I haven't been eating a lot and since being on zrytec I have gained over 15 pounds. I have been exercising like crazy, nothing..and the weight was also in my face...I just looked bloated, like a puffed up fish. I didn't suspect zyrtec because there was nothing...repeat NOTHING in the insert that said anything about weight gain...now I will see. I will continue exercising and re-post if the weight has dropped. Dry mouth, high blood pressure, feeling dreamy, swollen and loss of concentration. | By the way, I always felt I was in a dream. AND my blood pressure was higher than usual. I have stopped taking zyrtec now for only one day and my head feels clearer, my body doesn't feel foreign and my dreamy state is evaporating. I have to admit I am nervous about the allergies returning. I will take my chances though. To anyone about to take zyrtec, I would say be very careful. | F | 30 | 8 months | 7/12/2006 | 2 | Allergies | I was alert and awake the day before I started taking this. I slep t very well, but the next day I felt like I needed more sleep. On my second day I feel like I haven't slept right in over a week. I feel sleep deprived, but I have zero allergies. I don't think it's worth it. | I'd rather take Benadryl. Zyrtec makes me feel exhausted. Benadryl makes me drowsy, but not to such an extreme. | F | 30 | 2 days | 3/21/2007 | 2 | Sinus problems, Allergies to Dander | After about the 3rd week I started to notice that it was getting harder and harder for me to stay awake. Also, I seemed to be more depresses and unmotivated. Noticed during the third week my tongue swelling. Also found that I can't focus. | On the plus, I don't have major allergic reactions to dander. But found that it would be better to take benydril before going to a friends house with pets. | M | 30 | 22 days | 6/23/2004 | 2 | Allergies | Sleepiness | It made me sleepy, drowsy; going back to Claritin, even though Zyrtec prevented allergy symptoms better | M | 30 | 3 days 10 MG 1X day | 4/23/2010 | 2 | Sinus and throat allergies | TERRIBLE WITHDRAWAL - If I ever missed a dose (36+ hours), I experienced terrible itching. My solution was always to take another dose. Before long I was not taking the Zyrtec for my allergies, but rather to prevent the itching. I was told by a counselor friend of mine that it sounded like I was experiencing withdrawal. I researched, found this site, and have read that others have experienced similar withdrawal symptoms. I quit taking Zyrtec cold turkey and am experiencing frequent fits of INTENSE itching all over my body. I'm told that this should last about two weeks. So far it's one of the worst things I've ever experienced. A typical itching episode lasts from 45 minutes to 2 hours (of nonstop scratching)! I then usually get 30 minutes to an hour of no itching before it starts back up. | I gave a rating of 2 because I'm not satisfied with the withdrawal symptoms. However, when I first began taking Zyrtec, it relieved my sinus and throat allergies wonderfully. But all the allergy relief in the world is not worth what I'm going through. I would stay far, far away from Zyrtec. | M | 30 | 3 years | 9/3/2006 | 1 | pet allerigies | extreme lethargy, insomnia, weight gain, "foggy feeling", dizziness, irregular menstrual cycle, depression, anxiety, irritability | Stopped taking this drug 1 week ago. My brother was battling with severe seasonal allergies and I recommended that he take Zyrtec daily because it works very well for my allergy symptoms. 2 doses later he started complaining of all these symptoms that I had been battling with for years. Since quitting I have lost 4 pounds, have way more energy and I actually feel like I am happy again. The itchiness is uncomfortable and my allergies are bothersome but I would trade that for feeling happy again anyday. | F | 30 | 3 years 10mg 1X day | 6/9/2012 | 1 | Allergies | My doctor had prescribed this for me to help with my allergies. Shortly after I developed a hacking cough that I've had for 4 days straight. The cough is making me not want to eat as well and I have a weird taste in my mouth. | Never taking this again!!!!! | M | 30 | 1 days 20mg 1X day | 3/17/2012 | 1 | allergies | The problem starts when you stop taking it. I get very itchy, recently I even got hives and I'm wondering if it's also a side effect from stopping Zyrtec. It goes away when I take another dose. Zyrtec helps w. my asthma & allergies but this uncontrollable itching is enough to drive someone mad! It's insane. I will try to wean myself off slowly. I was able to last year but then went back to using Zyrtec because it's the only thing that works. I will work on weaning off again slowly. I'm taking the liquid version now so I can easily control the dose. | Please contact if you have any other tips of getting off this drug! Every single person I know seems to have this effect as well and no one is willing to stop it. Even my friends' kids are on it! Awful. | F | 30 | 2 months 10mg 1X day | 7/6/2012 | 1 | seasonal allergies | shortened sleep cycles, lethargy, irritability, insomnia, disorientation, rapid/irregular heart beat | Like many others, seasonal allergies that have never been a real issue before are knocking me out this year. Zyrtec was great for the first couple weeks, then started losing it's effectiveness at night. I will be symptom free for an hour, then suffer allergies for an hour. I skate in and out of sleep, confused and disoriented, and in the morning I never feel like I've gotten any rest. Go through the day like a cranky robot. Now that I know other people are having these problems I am pitching this stuff and making an appointment with an allergist first thing on Monday. | F | 30 | 2 months 120 1X day | 4/18/2010 | 1 | allergies | extreme exhaustion. starving. confusion. mood changes. irritability. LETHARGY. | i cannot believe an antihistamine could have this affect on me. i am usually able to overcome any lethargy caused by benadryl, for example, but the exhaustion from zyrtec is disabling. plus i can't think straight. i feel crazy and like nothing is real. maybe this forum isn't even real. i am sad. usually i am happy no matter what. i am annoyed with the universe. i would rather feel ANYTHING than this. i will never take this drug again. | F | 30 | 4 days 10 mg 1X day | 5/21/2010 | 1 | Seasonal allergies | Extreme fatigue, restlessness, general anxiety, depression | Ironic that the latest Zyrtec commercials show allergy sufferers getting ready to go golfing and bicycling after taking the drug since just one dose left me beyond exhausted within an hour. i cannot over-emphasize how tired Zyrtec makes me feel; I knew something was wrong because I never sleep during the day but I felt myself drifting off while driving, reading, watching TV and working. I could tell that if I actually let myself fall asleep, it would be the kind of deep sleep that goes on for hours but leaves you feeling groggy and disoriented upon waking. I don't know too many people who can take 12 hours out of their day to sleep! Luckily I bought the box with five pills because I will never take this drug again. I would rather sneeze 100 times per day than ever feel this low again. | F | 30 | 5 days 10 mg 1X day | 5/8/2010 | 1 | All year allergy and astma | Non expect a bit drowsy | After taking zyrtec over 15 years (first 5 years seasonal afterwards all year long) it doesn't seem to help anymore. It used to work really good. But now still sniffing and sneezing all day long. But if I don't take it, (I tried to quit zyrtec) I'll be itchy all over and can't sleep. Can't go walking with the dogs 'cause my legs start to itch unbearably. However reading all these comments I will quit this evil Zyrtec.... | F | 30 | 15 years 10 mg 1X day | 5/12/2010 | 1 | allergies | Night Sweats, fatigue | When I moved to Spain they switched me from using Xyzal to Zyrtec because they didn't carry Xyzal, and after the first few months I started noticing horrible night sweats. The sheets are wet, my clothes are soaked! I'm more tired than usual as well. It worked for the allergies but I'm losing sleep from being soaked half way through the night. | F | 30 | 90 days 10 mg 1X day | 2/24/2011 | 1 | Allergies | extreme anxiety, extreme depression, rage, anger, violent dreams, hopelessness, sleeplessness, paranoia, fatigue, increased appetite, weight gain, mood changes, irritability, inability to concentrate, personality change, and suicidal thoughts. | I have been living in hell because of Zyrtec, it drained the life out of me and i had no idea what was going on, I have been off for about 12 days and have been so much more at peace, all the symptoms are slowly going away, within 48 hours no depression no anxiety, the only thing now is the itch that lasts for 2-3 weeks called zyrtec withdrawal | M | 30 | 7 years 10MG 1X day | 2/18/2011 | 1 | Allergies | Horrible nightmares, tightness and swelling of tongue and throat, scratchy throat, hoarseness, tiredness. | I decided to try Zyrtec because Claritin doesn't do anything for me, and Benadryl gives me panic attacks. The first day was okay, but I did not notice any side effects. The second day, I had a strange dream where my father came on to me sexually. I have never been abused or molested ever in my life, so there was no reason to have such a nightmare. Then last night, I had a dream where my body was covered in an awful rash, my throat swelled up and I could hardly breathe, and I was losing vision and consciousness and I couldn't see anything but knew I needed to put on my clothes and go to the ER. I was also screaming my husband's name in the dream, but he couldn't hear me because the bathroom fan was on. I woke up in tears, relieved it was a nightmare, but still very disturbed. I haven't taken the Zyrtec in 2 days... hopefully it is out of my system now and the nightmares will stop. My throat and tongue still feel swollen. My stepdaughter is 6 and so far has no problems with the zyrtec - she takes a 5 mg dose every day. | F | 30 | 3 days 10 mg 1X day | 12/1/2010 | 1 | seasonal / pet allergies | Dizzeyness, Confusion, Out of it feeling. SCARY irregular hartbeats, laziness, cough, | I was given the perscription about 2 months ago for trial because of severy allergies at the start of pollen season. It worked great at first and still does. I just started to notice Im not myself all the time. I turned into evil kenivel on the highway and no logical sense while doing it. I go through mood swings that dip real low to the point of why not just end it now. I have never been or have i ever experienced such crazy thoughts. I keep gaining weight although I have no appetite. I don't even eat that much yet can't loose a pound. 175lbs. for reference. Was usually 165-170. The past couple days I took myself of cause I just figured I was falling apart cause of zyrtec. Anything that makes your heart feel anyother way than normal is no good. DO NOT TAKE IT! | M | 30 | 2 months | 5/6/2005 | 1 | sinus issuses | My son started this med about 2 weeks... he was JUMPING off the walls....so hyper...wouldnt calm down... I didnt understand why... Now, my son is peeing blood? Possible side effect of this med? PLEASE let me know if anyone has gone through the same problem? Im so worried about my son.... going for more tests tomorrow... OFF THE ZYRTEC! | F | 30 | 2 weeks | 4/16/2007 |