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 | seasonal allergies | Agitation & crankiness, with a small side of sadness. Started becoming cranky and noticed, then confirmed it didn't happen when I skipped a daily dose. Half a pill worked out better. | M | 45 | | 5/22/2009 | 2 | seasonal allergy | rage, anger, anxiety, panic attacks, headache, dizziness | F | 45 | 7 days 10 mg 1X day | 10/5/2014 | 2 | Allergies | I only take the tablets for a couple of days when allergies are unbearable. I noticed I felt very tired and drowsy the next morning after taking them and grumpy It’s the same every time I take them so I knew it was the tablets and it also made me google to see if anyone else had these symptoms which is how I found this page. Scary to think what would happen if I took them longer | M | 45 | 2 days 10mg | 10/24/2019 | 2 | Animal allergies | I took this for three days for my allergies to our new puppy. Claritin was not working. It seems to help my allergy symptoms a lot better than Claritin; however, I was dizzy and fell down the stairs the first day and feel like a zombie and not myself. My vision is blurry and eyes are filmy. I am. It taking any longer and am going to see an allergist. | F | 45 | 3 days 10mg 1X day | 10/1/2020 | 2 | allergies | drowsiness, loss of focus, feeling "out of it" | worked well but side effects caused me not to continue | F | 45 | 1X day | 11/7/2010 | 2 | allergies | increased hunger which lead to weight gain, some hair loss, panic attacks | It did help with my allergies but I found myself eating like a crazy person. I had panic attacks which prior I had completly under control. I never would have believed a allergy med. could have caused such side effects, thank goodness for this website I was scared I had lost my balanced over night. It is good to know this has happened to others on this same med. | F | 45 | 4 months | 6/24/2006 | 1 | allergies | high blood pressure, sleepy, depression, weight gain, water retention. | Docs were yelling at me for high blood pressure but I had to find out on my own that Zytec isn't suppose to be taken by people with high BP. I'm suffering from edema in my right leg. The sleepiness and depression weren't bad but am living better off the drug, I will not take this drug again. | M | 45 | 4.5 years | 1/21/2006 | 1 | allergies to pets | tired, disassociated, depressed, sad, insomnia | At first I was tired all the time. I took it at night and then drank strong coffee each morning. I seemed to be functioning well enough. Then I started getting more and more "spacey" during the day, and more tired. Then I would be so exhausted all day but not be able to sleep at night. I thought it was the coffee. Then I started getting very 'sad'. I just cried all the time until one day I had a total emotional breakdown and couldn't even go into the gorcery store because I couldn't stop crying. It dawned on me that I needed to research Zyrtec and I found this site. I think it quite literally may have saved my life. I haven't been taking it for several days now and feel better every day although I am itching everywhere. Of course my allergies are killing me! My 10 yr old had been on it but got very "crabby" so I took her off of it. A friend told me that her child hadn't handled it well, but that she loved it, so I thought it just wasn't good for children | F | 45 | 7 months | 10/11/2005 | 1 | Sinus allergies | Extreme dry mouth 3 minutes after taking, dizziness, sever onset of anxiety. Weak as if I had the flu. Severe stomach bloating and gas. Headache | It may work for some but never, ever again for me. I was a basket case. Had to pull into a parking lot and compose myself. Severe anxiety came over me and I felt I needed to go to the emergency room most of the day. I got home and immediately fell asleep for 3 hours. I woke up so weak that I couldn't hardly get up. I wasn't sure if it was the Zyrtec or that I was really ill. The anxiety had my mind thinking very bad thoughts of Impending doom. Beware if you take this. If you've ever experienced anxiety, I wouldn't even consider it ever!!! | M | 45 | 2 days Low 1X day | 8/9/2013 | 1 | Hives | Didn't realize they wew side effects until I went off it for allergy testing. Lethargy, weight gain, bloating, aches all over, reduced libido. I am in day 4 of withdrawal and it is so severe I cannot even begin to express. As someone with lifetime itching...hives..excema I have never had anything like this. Everywhere..not hives or excema but this horrible internal itch. Scalp, face, lips, down throat, ears, down yonder, hands and feet terribly and then spreading everywhere else. When I finally went online there are thousands and thousands of blogs by people saying the same thing. They say they can't get off it and many resume due to the extreme discomfort. Some say it takes weeks or months to withdraw. But only 4 days in and going absolutely nuts I can say that the bloating has stopped..the aches are gone!!! I have been like a 90 year old progressively over the last 2 years and the weight is dropping off although my diet is the same | Be warned...don't start the symptoms show up later and then the withdrawal is....... | F | 45 | 2 years 1X day | 12/9/2011 | 1 | Allergy (cypress pollen) | Took before going to sleep. Racing/pounding heart 1 minute after taking (and for several hours). Abdominal contractions (for 15-30 mins). Extremely dry mouth. Woke up in the middle of the night with vivid dreams and feeling strange. Second night I only took a 1/2 tablet but just as bad for the heart and sleep disturbance. I then stopped the treatment but the sleep disturbance continued every night for 15-20 days. Two months later I am still regularly waking up at 3 or 4 am (often in a anxious state) a couple of nights a week (maybe once a month before I took the ZYRTEC). I also seem to be having fluctuating blood pressure (rose to 184 / 72 during sleep in a 24 hour test). | After what I experienced I cannot understand how this drug is still on the open market. I took a generic made by Arrow (bought in France). | M | 45 | 2 days 10 mg 1X day | 6/5/2010 | 1 | Seasonal allergies | Most severe: Extreme fatigue, extremely severe dizziness, inability to remain asleep, vivid/disturbing dreams. Less severe: Mood swings (sad to angry and back), mild depression, inability to concentrate for long periods. | The fatigue and extreme dizziness were the most debilitating side effects. Upon rising from bed, I was so dizzy that I actually fell several times before making the connection to Zyrtec and stopping it. I slept poorly and no amount of sleep would reduce the severe fatigue. Dizziness was worst upon rising, but was persistent to a lesser degree throughout the day. Mood and concentration may have been a side effect of the drug and/or the poor sleep and fatigue. Sadly, it does seem to work better on my allergies than anything else I've taken, but the negative side effects FAR, FAR outweigh its benefits. Symptoms resolved themselves within 2-3 days of stopping the medication. I'll just have to buy tissues and suffer. My nose may run, but at least the room won't be spinning all the time. | M | 45 | 45 days 10 mg 1X day | 5/18/2010 | 1 | sinus drainage | burning and dry eyes, headach, fatigued and anxious, body felt heavy, depression, wanted to sleep more than usual, people noticed a change in my attitude and disposition | I thought something else was wrong with me until I read this link and realized my symptoms were validated by others taking this drug. I stopped taking Zyrtec 4 days ago and I'm experiencing withdrawal symptons of itchy skin mostly on the back of my neck and arms. Side effects of taking this drug are just not worth it. | F | 45 | 2 months | 8/7/2008 | 1 | allergies | I took zyrtec and starting get hives that looked like ringworm. They didn't itch but looked horrible -- huge, raised welts. I thought it was an allergic reaction to food. I was tested for food allergies and was negative. Then I thought it was the zyrtec; I quit taking it and and the hives went away. I'll get a few hives every now and then but I think they're stress-related. | Everyone I know who takes zyrtec loves it, but I'll stay with Benadryl. | F | 45 | 1 days | 10/2/2007 | 1 | allergies & chronic sinusitis | Hair Loss. Helped great w/allergies, but caused severe hair loss. Alopecia is listed as a side effect in PDR. | It was the only medicine I didn't stop when my hair started falling out because no doctor related the severe hair loss to this medicine. 2+ yrs later, I stopped taking Zyrtec and my hair loss stopped and hasn't resumed. PDR says alopecia can be a side effect. Not worth the risk. Use something else. | F | 45 | 3 years | 4/22/2005 | 1 | seasonal allergies | Oh my goodness! I read through the other side effects from people listed here and I thought they were writing about me. I have had unusual anger issues to the point that my husband didn't know me, depression, highs and lows, dry mouth, not necessarily suicidal but I didn't care if I lived or died. But the worst is stomach pain! I am going to stop taking this stuff to verify that this pain is truly coming from Zyrtec. I have had on and off stomach acid for several days, but after being up last night till 3am with unbearable stomach pain I decided to research symptoms and side effects of this drug. I take it with food so I dont think the pain is from taking it on an empty stomach. I have never experienced stomach acid problems. It's as though I have swallowed a red hot poker. I have breast tenderness much like a women's menstrual cycle might produce, puffiness, etc. Some of the side effects of this stuff are like having PMS from hell! I am going to stop taking it today and hope for bette | F | 45 | 2 weeks | 4/26/2008 | 1 | allergies and hives | insomnia, irritability, swelling of my body, especially my face (eyes and lips). I also experienced weight gain which I didn't notice until I abruptly stopped. After 24+ hours off the Zyrtec, I experienced stomach cramps and very loose bowels. This corrected itself after a day and I felt alive! Like a fog was lifted, however, the hives returned! My doctor didn't believe me, so I took another dose and experienced swelling of my hands, feet, face, especially my eyes and lips. I also became constipated. I feel terrible, but the hives are gone. I'm now frightened to take the medication, but don't know what to do! | F | 45 | 2 years | 5/11/2008 | 1 | itching would cause bumps | After having contact dermatitis itching for a year, I was amazed how it completely got rid of the skin irritation from my scalp to my feet. BUT, the trade off was not worth it. I had trouble with any complex tasks. I had trouble doing routine things I do with no problem. I couldn't recall basic things that I should've been able. I slept all day, seriously drowsey. I would rate it a 9 on a one to ten scale on how drowsey it made me. I soon began to ask why I was so unmotivated, lazy, sleepy, completely introverted, and with absolutely no energy. My co-workers were really taken and worried about my personality change. My competitors were overjoyed that I lost my motivation. I realized soon, very soon, that I would have to make a tough decision; stay on this stuff and turn into a mentally dumbed-down potato or go back to the itching and deal with it another way. I decided to go with the itching and get my life back. In my job, not being creative, energetic, and sharp (money market broker) | I have learned it's true what people say; that all-body itching can be a stress reaction. Just go ride a bike, play an instrument, talk to people. You'd be surprised how it helps. I think it's terrible how a zombie drug like this can go on the market. This drug will make you seriously dead to the world. All you want to do is sleep, all day, every day. You wouldn't believe how much I just slept through my days. How can a government allow it's citizens to become so zombie-like? I know several people that have the same thing I had, they both say the increased histamine response is from stress. It's stress, and should should be dealt with in a more healthy way, not just by taking yet another pill that takes all your fun away. Keep your life, ditch this drug. Find a better way. | M | 45 | 1 months | 9/5/2007 | 1 | Allergies | After only 5 days - Depression, total loss of self-worth, crying spells, loss of motivation. It took me 9 days and this site to realize it was the medicine. Depression is not listed as a possible side effect, but two weeks ago I was fine and now all I want to do is cry for NO REASON! Hopefully this med will be out of my system soon! | F | 45 | 9 days | 4/24/2007 | 1 | Alpha-gal and seasonal allergies | I experienced feelings of doom and hopelessness, thoughts of suicide, extreme sadness, crying multiple times a day, difficulty waking up, anger, inability to get up and go to work. | I've never felt feelings like this in my entire 45 years of life. I'll be taking allegra and claritin now. | F | 45 | 99 days 10mg 1X day | 7/15/2023 |