Drug Ratings for ZYRTECAverage Rating: 2.1 (1508 Ratings)
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Results are sorted by length of time drug was taken from longest to shortest 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 |
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ZYRTEC | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
  | F M | | | | |||
| 1 | Year round allergies | Drowsiness, headaches, nosebleeds, weight gain, diarrhea, constipation, cramps, flu like symptoms, blurred vision, upset stomach, numbness, shakiness, hair loss | I did not connect all of the side effects until I found this web site today. I even talked to my pharmacist two days ago. She said it was no side effect from the medications I use and the nosebleeds, headache, etc. may be due to a sinus infection. What a pant load! After reading the feedback here, I will not take Zyrtec any longer. I will immediately begin with my old standbys, i.e. Claritan or Dexchlor. I had used Zyrtec before (about 3 years ago for 1 year) and never connected the dots. I will definitely ask my doctor to add this as do not use to my medical record. I watch my diet, drink about 80 oz. of water per day, etc. Go figure? | M | 50 | 8 months | 8/3/2007 | 1 | allergies | My daughter had increased negativity and low mood while taking this. When prescribed low dose of SSRI -- Major depression, Mood changes, irritability, sleepiness, inability to concentrate, personality change, PLEASE SEE RESEARCH ABOUT gene CYP2D6 which affects metabolism of this drug. | Please read up on CYP2D6 before taking Zyrtec or giving this to your children! It is the main pathway for the metabolism of zyrtec and if a person has a certain genetic variation, side effects may come on gradually and a large number of medications can cause serious drug interactions with it. About 6-10% of our population has this genetic variation which has do with the channels the medications are metabolized in the liver. Funny thing is, a side effect of one medication may lead to the prescription of the second .... and the downward spiral begins. Beware in children and adolescents! If you suspect you may fall into this genetic profile, please look to alternative allergy medications. A frightening experience. Thank goodness for good doctors, a caring therapist, and the internet. | F | 16 | 8 months | 11/2/2008 | 1 | hives daily | sore joints, I wake up in the night with panic attacks, severe depression I feel like i have lost myself | I am so glad I found this web page I was totaly to a point that I just want to lay down and die. No pills worked on my hives, and I thought this was it when zyrtec worked, but the side effects are not worth it I don't get out of bed because I am so tired and depressed when i do interact with my children I am usually screaming and irritable. Befor zyrtec I was not this way and was starting to think I was loosing my mind I didn't take one today and I don't plan on it either I would rather itch and swell up everywhere | F | 33 | 8 months | 2/7/2008 | 1 | Dust mite and mild cat allergies | Erratic behavior without recall, irritability, WEIGHT GAIN (25 lbs in 8 months — with regular, vigorous exercise and healthy eating habits). N | I have never had problem losing weight if I happened to gain any for any reason. I have been struggling for months to lose and have in fact continued to gain instead. My wife and i have been arguing over meaningless issues. We thought b/c we have a baby coming and the stress of our first child coming, but this makes no sense b/c we're both thrilled and excited about it... I stopped taking Zyrtec Thursday and we haven't even so much as disagreed about anything, much less argued to any degree since. I have had a few episodes of erratic behavior. One night my wife asked me for an ice pack. I brought her a wet paper towel and was insisted that's what she asked for — then went straight to bed without getting her ice! This is EXCEPTIONALLY ATYPICAL behavior for me. **I did not remember this the next day. It was like I was acting in my sleep. Another time she asked me for ice and I brought her a bowl of soy milk, hoping that she could explai | M | 35 | 8 months | 3/9/2008 | 1 | allergies to nearly everything | Severe agitation & depression. Felt like waking up in a haze ever day & the smallest things would set me off. Stopped taking it & within a week I felt happy & calm again. | I'll fight the allergies rather than struggle through the way this medicine makes me feel. | F | 26 | 8 months 10MG 1X D | 7/29/2011 | 1 | Allergies | My 7yr. old son had been taking this for his allergies. He has been very hard to deal with. Very angry, hateful wanting to hurt himself, trying to hurt others. He has said he wants to kill himself a few times over the last month. Lots of crying every day over nothing. I did not know that it was this drug doing this to him. He has been off it for three months now and is doing wonderful. He came to me and said he does not feel mean anymore. Mom, I'm back to my old self again. I was so happy to hear this. He has not had any crying, mornings have been great. He does take Advair 115/21 still now I'm wondering if this is doing something to him also. | M | 7 | 8 months 10mg 1X D | 2/10/2010 | 1 | hives, itching, seasonal allergies | While I was on zrytec my appetite increased a lot. I gained over 20 pounds even though I exercised 5 days a week. I had always been very athletic and skinny and I am careful with my diet. Even on very healthy meals and with high levels of excercise I gained tremendous weight. I looked swollen and bloated. I also had high blood pressure and during doses I would get severe itching making me think I needed the zyrtec to stop the itching. I did not think it could have been the zyrtec that was causing or exacerbating it. I was always tired and sleepy. My mind seemed foggy. I thought these were symptoms of my allergies and that zyrtec was helping. Quite the contrary, zyrtec was in fact the culprit! | I came off zyrtec 7 months ago. I told everyone that I would write back if coming off helped. IT DID! The severe itching went away, my weight dropped off me almost immediately. My high blood pressure returned to normal. Clarity came back. Looking back on the experience, I could not believe that zyrtec could cause so much damage. No amount of exercise or diet would have prevented or reduced the tremendous weight gain. The other side effects (itching, feeling dreamy, sleepy) were due to zyrtec. As allergy sufferers we do not need these extra complications. Those symptoms are so close to your allergy symptoms you may not even realize they are side effects of the medication you are taking. Zyrtec is a dangerous drug. Ask your doctor to switch to something else. The relief from seasonal allergies is NOT WORTH the side effects of zyrtec. It should be taken off the market. It is a dangerous drug. | F | 31 | 8 months | 3/11/2007 | 1 | enviromental allergies | Mood swings, aggressiveness, tearful, negative, abdominal pain, extreme loss of appetite | After 7 months of successful zyrtec use my 4 yr old began to exhibit changes in his mood/personality. He was very negative, at times aggressive and yet tearful, emotionally unstable. We thought it was a phase, growing pains, etc. He began to complain of stomach pain and had no appetite. He was on the verge of weight loss. His grandmother questioned whether the Zyrtec was upsetting his stomach. Prompted by her theory I searched the internet and found this site. The comments here blew us away. We stopped the Zyrtec immediately and the there was a dramatic change the following day. We had our son back. I have been told by our dr. that Zyrtec, unlike Claritin, crosses over to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM. Please consult with your pediatrician about other options. DO NOT ASSUME that your child is just going thru a phase. PLease talk to everyone about this - our info has already benefitted someone third hand thru my son's pre-k teacher ! | M | 5 | 8 months | 3/3/2006 | 1 | Pet Dander & Seasonal Allergies | Weight gain, Hair loss, Depression, Suicidal ideation, Inability to maintain focus, these are just the major side effects. The minor ones I can deal with. | Upon finding Zyrtec, I truly believed I had found a 'miracle drug' for my year round allergies I combat with. Sadly and regretably I am painfully so very wrong. I have tried Claritin and Allegra in the past before coming across Zyrtec. However they do not relieve my allergy symptoms anywhere near to what the Zyrtec does. I am a 38 year old female and I have no children. I have always been pretty active in exercise and a very very happy go lucky girl. The somewhat tragic side effects this medication has caused me has literally changed my life. What sucks is I didn't realize it was the Zyrtec until these last few days. I have put on well over 20 pounds that I tell you is IMPOSSIBLE to get off. I have been basically starving myself on a thousand calorie a day diet and wondering why I keep putting on weight. Or at least not losing one single ounce no matter what I do. My depression level is the greatest its ever been. I have suicidal thoughts. I also have little to no motivation. Thee other lovely, oh so lovely side effect that is past the point of unbearable is the hair loss. It comes out in clumps when I wash it. It is so very disheartening. Id rather have itchy skin and watery eyes than FAT, BALD & DEPRESSED!! I stopped Zyrtec this morning. NEVER AGAIN!!! | F | 38 | 8 months 1X D | 11/19/2012 | 4 | Food Allergies | Weight gain - Stretching and bending exercises become difficult because the omentum packs on pounds. My belly has gained girth, but not my chin or any extremities. Frankly I have to stop because I need to breathe. Antihistamines in general seem to make people pack on pounds. I know very few habitual hayfever sufferers. Threshold itchiness - it can feel like you're about to get hives all the time, but you never do. It feels like electricity to some people I've talked to. Lethargy - While I don't feel tired, I notice that my day ends considerably sooner than it did before I started taking Zyrtec. My already considerably short attention span is even shorter, and I find that my attention to detail is easily side tracked, and end up doing stupid things of little use or consequence. Ironically, I fall asleep as soon as I take Zyrtec at night, but find myself staring at the ceiling with my mind racing | I started taking this because everything I ate was causing me to break out in hives and fall asleep. Zyrtec stopped that enough so that I could function during the day, but the beneficial effects are wearing off now. I'm tired again after I eat and am beginning to get itchier. After ceasing Zyrtec for a few days, I've noticed that I feel pretty itchy all the time, so I try not to scratch. I am wondering if this particular antihistamine might have been blocking some itchiness it would have been better to be aware of. In fooling the body into not reacting for some things, it may fool the body into not reacting for important things - like yeast infections. This is not good. Frankly, I don't think this should be given to children. It seems to make me not care about some important things. Childrens' bodies are too formative to be exposed to something that could have lasting or permanent effects on their bodies, brain chemistry and social wiring. | M | 42 | 7 months | 4/1/2007 | 3 | Cat Allergies | After reading this forum, I am now completely convinced that my fatigue every day is being caused by this medication. I am also finding it hard to lose weight, and also find myself more irritable than usual. I started taking it daily because my boyfriend has 2 cats and whenever I go over to his house, I have a rediculous allergy attack. I will probably just take this medication when i know I will be going to his house and not daily like I usually do. | It works but the side effects are not worth it. | F | 36 | 7 months 10mg 1X D | 2/16/2012 | 3 | Allergies | Fatigue, nightmares, visual side effects, urologic problems. | I was taking Zyrtec for my allergies. It worked on my allergies fabulously. I started having problems controlling when I would go to the bathroom. I found out antihistamines can cause that. I stopped taking it and found I had more side effects than I had realized. Stopping it caused really bad withdrawal side effects as well. Those are horrible itching, fatigue, bad headaches, and inability to sleep. I won't ever take this again. Way too many side effects. | F | 31 | 7 months | 1/9/2009 | 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 D | 11/1/2012 | 2 | year round allergies | Usually would sleep a max of 6 hours. Started sleeping 10. No problem with falling asleep at night. Usually bounce out of bed ready to go in morning but not after taking this drug. Allergist insisted I take it at night and I see why. Also take Singulair. Don't like the fuzzy feeling and lack of focus with inability to start any projects. Just feel lost. | Stopped taking this two days ago. Shaky and weird feeling yesterday, and noticed hunger pangs which I haven't had for awhile and have been forcing myself to eat. Was never hungry. Great diet drug? I got two hours sleep last night. Could not fall asleep! 4:30 a.m. and woke up at 6:30. I had taken Allegra last night per my Dr and realized it's a drug I have to take in the morning. Clarinex is what we try next if Allegra doesn't work. Zyrtec had my nose running and drainage in back of throat so was it working on allergies or not?? My husband took Zyrtec and could not function, and my step-daughter tried it and can't function either. I have a two yr old granddtr on it and printed out these comments of parents who used it for children. Hope she quits giving it to her! | F | 57 | 7 months | 5/21/2008 | 1 | Allergies | I posted here almost a year ago that my son was experiencing horrible bi-polar type violent episodes since taking Zyrtec. We took him off Zyrtec the day I found this site. At first the behaviors subsided within 24 hours of stopping the medication. Slowly, over time and now a year later, the same behaviors are back in full force again and he is on NO allergy meds, except for occasional Benedryl. He's has been recently diagnosed with ADHD and is on Ritalin, that's not helping much. He is soon to be tested for bipolar disorder and oppositional defiant disorder. He's not had any Zyrtec in almost a year. My 6 year old, first grade son has said he wanted to kill himself. He's been in therapy over a year. | I firmly believe that the Zyrtec did permanent damage to my sweet bright, little boy's brain. He is now classified as "special needs". DON'T GIVE THIS DRUG TO YOUR CHILD, AND TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW DO NOT GIVE THIS TO THEIR CHILD! I fear my son will never be the same. I believe Zyrtec poisoned him. | M | 6 | 7 months | 8/10/2008 | 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 | allergies | visual, auditory and tactile hallucinations | My 9 year old son was on Zyrtec for 7 months. When placed on Amoxicillan for two weeks for a sinus infection, he began to experience hallucinations. The doctor thought it might be the penicillan and never mentioned the zyrtec. Had an EEG which was normal. When I realized the side effects of zyrtec I took him off immediately (5 days ago). However, he just had an "episode" again tonight (lasts about 10 minutes). Has anyone had a child experience this??? How long before the side effects go away? | M | 9 | 7 months | 4/17/2007 | 1 | Severe allergies | allergies cleared, weight gain | This year my allergies flared to the point where my skin was swelling up so bad that I was in physical pain. My allergist's solution? Shots with my allergens in them and...ZYRTEC!!! Of course it worked like a charm but I noticed weight gain and it wasn't until now that I realized zyrtec was the problem. I've always been skinny and, let me tell you, I gained 20 pounds in 7 months. I refuse to take this junk. Now I have to work off 20 pounds. G I'd rather stay inside all day next to my air cleaner than take zyrtec and gain MORE weight. Thanks a ton (literally), Zyrtec. | F | 18 | 7 months 1X D | 9/11/2011 | 1 | Allergies | See comments re: CYP 2D6 from November 2008. My daughter had adverse reactions | Correction -- there is no published information about the exact metabolic pathway for Zyrtec (cetirizine) so I cannot assert a definite link. However, given our experience, I strongly recommend treating this medication as falling in the category of problem medications for "poor metabolizers". I think the odds are the link between pharmagenetics (individual reactions to medications) and zyrtec problems will be found eventually. Until then, watch this drug! | F | 16 | 7 months | 12/28/2008 | 5 | allergies | No side effects. | This is the best allergy med I have taken. No side effects and very effective. I had a problem with the generic not working, but the name brand is excellent! | F | 28 | 6 months | 1/26/2009 | 5 | Allergies / Sinus Problems | Dry mouth, and sleepiness. | ZYRTEC has been a wonder drug for me. Since taking I haven't had any breathing problems, respritory infections, or sinus infections. I have experienced dry mouth and sleepiness, but no less than I ever have with Benadryl. The dry mouth can be pretty wicked at times, I generally take it before bed because it does make me sleepy, but I've actually found it to regulate my sleeping; I can now sleep a full 8 hours instead of my old 4-5 hours a night. When I wake up in the morning the first thing I do is run for a glass of water. | M | 28 | 6 months | 8/18/2007 | 5 | hives | need to take at bedtime because it causes severe drowiness | F | 31 | 6 months | 9/26/2002 | 5 | animal allergies | none | Zyrtec has changed my life. I have been allergic to all animals all my life. Now we have 3 dogs and I am doing great!!! | F | 55 | 6 months 10mg 1X D | 8/27/2011 | 5 | Chronic Hives | I didnt relialize ther were any symptomes | My 3yr.daughter has been suffering with very puffy and itchy hives all over her body since last summer , I didnt know what to do or to give her. So we went to her doctor and she just gave her benyadryl and said it was a allergic reaction from something she ate. But they got worst evey day ,changing in size ,in color and in size. So they finally recomended me to a allergist but he just made me write a diary for 4weeks to see what she eats ,what type of soap she uses ,etc. And made me give her more benadryal but 4 times a day this time but the hives got 2 times worst , knowing something is wrong I stopped the medican realizing that she is allergic to benadryal ! (Long story short) - We finally switched her to zyrtec amd I really thanked God for this medican Because since the first.time she took it the hives completely stopped. BUT..... The last few months she has been going through the same thing that everyone else is going through on this site : Being out of control angry ! , can't sleep , night mares when she does , does not listen, . rapid weight gain . ( 5lbs in 1 month thats alot for a toddler) I thought it was just a faze she was going through a toddler stage maybe. But I recently stopped her from it, now knowing it was the carpet she was allergic to. And now I know that it was the zyrtec that made her act that way . I feel so bad that my baby had to go through this. Thanks for the site. But dont rule zyrtec out yet it did work fast just make sure you m | F | 29 | 6 months 10 1X D | 3/17/2011 | 5 | hives | Drowsiness, fatigue. I don't take zyrtec regulary, but whenever I take this med, I would have to stay home for 24 hours because I am very sleepy, tired and would want to stay in bed. I tried taking only half of the 10mg, but it doesn't work very well. | I only take zyrtec when I have a really bad allergy. | F | 51 | 6 months | 8/21/2006 | 5 | Allergies and skin rash | None | The first day I started taking this once a day (10mg) I felt like a million bucks and had tried Claritin and other pills/liquids. Now I can be around fur for up to 10 hours where as before with the other drugs I would break out within 2 hours. | M | 29 | 6 months | 12/22/2005 | 5 | Asthma, respiratory issues | My 11 year old takes this medication. No side effects at all when she takes it at night. Some slight drowsiness when she takes it in the morning. | This medication has been a blessing. My daughter used to miss school all the time becuase of respiratory issues. Her asthma was getting worse and lasted longer. Our doctor first suggested inhaled steroids but we tried zyrtec first and it has been a miracle for her. NO asthma for 6 months so far. This is unheard of for us. I have seen no negative behavior changes. If anything her behavior, mood, and concentration have improved significantly. I can only attribute that to the better health this drug has given her. | F | 11 | 6 months | 12/17/2009 | 4 | HIVES/DERMAGRAPHISM | WEIGHT GAIN!! | I WAS IN CHICAGO JULY 2005 WHEN I FIRST HAD MY HIVE OUTBREAK. IT WAS 100 DEGREES OUTSIDE AND I CAN FEEL MY BACK ITCHING. BY THE TIME I CAME BACK TO CALIFORNIA THAT NIGHT I CAN SEE WHAT SEEMED TO BE WELT MARKS. IT WAS ALL OVER MY BODY (MAINLY BACK, ARMS, LEGS AND OCCASIONALLY FACE). IT WAS BURNING, ITCHING AND MY FEET AND HANDS WERE SWELLED UP. I WAS PRESCRIBED CLARITIN AND THE DR GAVE ME A SAMPLE OF ZYRTEC. THE OVER-THE-COUNTER ALLERGY MEDS DID NOTHING FOR MY HIVES. ZYRTEC WAS THE ONLY MEDS THAT SUPRESSED THE ITCH, BUT THE WELT MARKS WOULD STILL SHOW. I'VE BEEN ON ZYRTEC FOR 6 MONTHS NOW. I HAVE TO TAKE IT DAILY AND WHEN I MISS A DOSE MY HIVES WOULD FLARE UP. SINCE THEN I'VE GAINED WEIGHT. I AM AT THE HEAVIEST I'VE EVER BEEN. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S BECAUSE I TURNED 30(AUGUST) AND MY METABOLISM HAVE SLOWED DOWN OR IF IT'S ZYRTEC. BUT I RATHER FACE THIS WEIGHT GAIN THAN THE UNCONTROLLABLE ITCH OF THE HIVES. I DIDN'T HAVE A NAME FOR THIS BUT AFTER READING THIS SITE, I KNOW NOW I | F | 30 | 6 months | 1/3/2006 | 4 | severe hayfever | Significant weight gain & rage. My weight gain & rage came on so suddenly & severely that I went to see my doctor. He said I was perimenopausal which made sense but these symptoms all started around the time I started Zyrtec so it seems a little more than coincidental. | My allergies were so bad before zyrtec that right now I'm willing to live with the side effects unless I find something else that won't make me drowsy. I can actually tell when it's time to take the zyrtec because my nose starts pouring & I get what I call "snot induced asthma" because my nose runs so terribly that it flows back into my airway & causes wheezing. I felt like I was choking constantly. Even my coworkers worried about me. Truly impossible to function. I hate the weight gain & anger I have, but now I can go outside & jog because I can breathe & the jogging helps get out some of that rage so I guess it has forced me into a healthier lifestyle. | F | 40 | 6 months 1X D | 8/8/2011 | 4 | chronic allergies/sinusitis | Extreme sleepiness during the day. | The medication is more efective than Claritin or Allegra for treating my allergies, but the side effects make it impossible for me to function. I get so sleepy that I can't safely drive a car, which I need to do regularly for work. It took about two months of regular use for the drowsiness to appear. I now use the drug only on occasions when my allergies are at their worst. The drowsiness does not seem to be nearly as bad with occasional use. | M | 46 | 6 months | 5/6/2004 | 4 | occasional seasonal allergies | Side effects: Feeling a little "out of it", sleepy, dry mouth, typical "old school" allergy side effects. Also, this weird thing with my heart that seems to skip a little when I go off the med - but that may be because I take Zyrtec-D (has pseudoephedrine in it) | Zyrtec-D works for me for about 3 days at a time - I generally don't take it for longer than that and not very often (maybe 3 days out of a month I'm having sinus and allergy issues, like now). I think it is a strong medication. I wouldn't give it to children. | F | 41 | 6 months | 10/19/2007 | 4 | Seasonal Allergies | No noticable side effects when I am taking Zyrtec, but when I stop taking it or skip too many doses, I get a light skin rash that covers almost my entire body. This typically clears up in a few days (or when I restart the Zyrtec) and is not so bothersome that it would cause me to stop taking Zyrtec altogether. It has been a miracle drug for my seasonal allergies. | F | 25 | 6 months | 4/10/2007 | 3 | Hives | Weight Gain! | I have been taking zyrtec for six months and was wondering why I was gaining weight so fast. Weight gain was not listed as a side effect. I put on 20 pounds in six months and I was trying to lose weight (exercise and low calorie). This drug was great for the hives but now I have to fix another problem...the weight. I wish I was aware of this before taking this drug. | F | 33 | 6 months | 6/27/2007 | 3 | Hives/food allergies | Anger, mood swings, fatigue, irritability, depression. | I started taking Zyrtec about 6 months ago for chronic urticaria (hives). Prior to this medication, I was taking Claritan, which doesn't work at all, Zyrtec completely helped with hives...but I had other symptoms...extreme aggression, mood swings, headaches, panic attacks. I now am on anxiety medication because it affected me so bad. I stopped taking Zyrtex for about a month and I felt so great, but unfortunately, my hives came back so I started to take it again and I became so tired and angry again. This could just be how my body responded to it, I am not sure. | F | 24 | 6 months | 12/18/2008 | 3 | allergys | fatigue, drugged feeling | F | 23 | 6 months | 11/28/2001 | 3 | headaches from allergies | I came to this site to see if others are having the problem that I am -- and i see that they are: very sleepy in the morning, irritable, and hungry all the time. i've gained about 5 pounds already. also, when i stopped (for the above reasons) SERIOUS allergy symptoms like i've never had before -- 3 days of sneezing, migrane headache for the first time. i'm hoping to find another drug. | 6 months | 5/20/2005 | 3 | allergies | tiredness | F | 26 | 6 months | 2/22/2005 | 3 | Hives and allergies | Weight Gain, vivid dreams with fitful sleep, dizziness, lack of conentration, lethergy | I have gained 12 pounds in the six months I have taken zyrtec. I eat well and exercise regulary and couldn't figure out why I keep gaining weight. After reading other comments here I am pretty sure that my weight gain is a result of the zyrtec. I also have vivid dreams all night long that keep me waking up on and off throughout the night and ultimately leave me exhausted in the morning. I lack focus and concertration at work. Like others, I have tried to stop taking Zyrtec and break out in hives ( the reason I began taking it to begin with) and feel itchy all over, especially at night. I'm at a point where the weight gain lack of sleep, and concentration problems have me seriously considering stopping the medication. The side effects I am experiencing are just as bad, if not worse than my hive out breaks and allergies! | F | 34 | 6 months | 1/9/2007 | 3 | bad allergies/prevent ear infection | My son is having rapid cycling mood changes, to the point of non-provoked violent outbursts, anger and not being able to get him up in the morning, to at the snap of a finger, sweet as pie. He also is ravenously hungry all the time. Eyes dialated, says no one loves him, says he hears "a bear growling in his head". We are trying get him assessed by a psychiatric doctor for bipolar disorder or some other explanation for his extreme behavior and moods and help. After reading this forum, I am taking him off TODAY, however he suffers from chronic painful ear infections. This medicine is the only one that has helped him and we've tried them all. His doctors say it can't be the Zrtec that is doing this to him. I don't know what to do now...:-( | M | 5.5 | 6 months | 10/16/2007 | 3 | Allergies | No side effects while on drug. Terrible after-effects. If I'm one hour late (over 24 hours) taking the pill I get severe itching/burning over entire body. I've tried to stop taking it and have had these symptoms continuous for a number of days now. Based on what I've read, it may be many more days until I'm over it. Complete misery. | Best drug I've found for relieving allergy symptoms. Too bad you can't stop taking it without major suffering. | M | 35 | 6 months | 10/9/2007 | 3 | Year round allergies | Unexplained drowsiness, need for caffeine, unfocused, dispirited, easily prone to confrontations with loved ones, bouts of depression | I started back as a cashier with a grocery store about 2 1/2 months ago- everything has been great but one of the things we are measured on is how quickly you ring the customers through your line. I was at the bottom of the heap since the start. Just this week I STOPPED taking zyrtec and instantly I have jumped to being the middle of the pack, on my way to being way above average. And drinking LESS caffeine at work also. Yes, it had to be the zyrtec, thank goodness I figured that out! | M | 47 | 6 months | 6/26/2009 | 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 | 2 | Allergies and Asthma | My 12 year-old daughter has been taking zyrtec off and on for 6 months. She is a lovable, creative kid who gets along well with others. She was having some trouble with her asthma this summer and having a feeling that she was not getting enough air in. We've had two episodes this summer where her anxiety was so bad she was in an uncontrolable state of crying and fear. She felt like she was going to die and wanted to go to the hospital. She's experienced feelings of despair and anxiety that I can't help her come out of. She's become constantly afraid and worried about dying. Not her usual Shirley Temple self. I'm taking her off zyrtec forever. I think it has really produced all of her anxiety. Many thanks to all who have posted their stories. | F | 12 | 6 months | 8/22/2009 | 2 | Environmental allergies | Noticed a weight gain first. Mentioned it to others and they thought I was crazy. I've been the same weight for 25 years and in the 5-6 months I've been taking Zyrtec I've gained 15 lbs! Despite working out and running more. Also noticed that I'm EXHAUSTED in the mornings despite being a "morning person". I haven't noticed any mood swings or anything though. I just googled Zyrtec and weight gain and found this website. Now I KNOW I'm not crazy! Can anyone tell me once they stopped the medication when their symptoms went away? Did you go back to your previous weight? Any alternative for this drug?? | I'm never taking this drug again. Although it worked wonderful for my allergies, the side effects are terrible. | F | 37 | 6 months | 8/31/2008 | 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 | Hay fever | loss of smell, decreased effectiveness over time. Rebound effect when discontinued | Worked well for a few months, then decreased in effectiveness. When I stopped taking it, I had a terrible rebound effect for a few days, but after about a week I was okay. I realized later that my allergies off the medication are no worse then when it stopped being effective. Maybe I should only take it for acute symptoms. Also, realized after a couple of weeks that my sense smell is coming back. Had not realized it was gone until I started smelling again. That may explain me being heavy-handed with my seasonings when I cooked the last few months. | F | 37 | 6 months 10 mg 1X D | 12/6/2011 | 2 | allergies | fits of intense anger | I've been taking zyrtec for a while and it works alright with my allergies - nothing ever gets rid of all my symptoms. But the symptoms were bearable. I began getting really upset about things and having boughts of anger where I would yell, slam and hit things - not usual for me. My boyfriend said I needed to stop taking whatever "drugs" I was on and the only things I'm on is my birth control - same for the last decade - and the Zyrtec. It only then occurred to me that maybe the Zyrtec is the problem so I am going to stop taking it for a while. | F | 29 | 6 months | 10/2/2007 | 2 | food and environmental allergies | Screaming fits similar to night terrors that lasted an hour at night, wouldn't look anyone in the eye, defiant(would constantly run into the street,screaming if you changed his diaper), hyperactive, lost speech ability, a nurse said he might have autism, fell down constantly, seemed in a fog. | Worked great at first- he slept better for a few weeks. Then after a few months the side effects set in. I don't want to put my kids on any drugs again. I'm looking into holistic and homepathetic cures now. | M | 1 | 6 months | 11/21/2008 | 1 | Seasonal Allergies | Excessive Weight gain, lethargy, depression, sadness, mood swings | It only occured to me this morning that my allergy medicine migh be the cause of my 10-15 lb. inexplicable weight gain over the last 6 months. It was a stretch, in my mind, but worth a google search, nevertheless. I was amazed that so many others had the same symptoms. I have had multiple blood tests for anything that can explain my ballooning weight and sudden onset of depression, fatigue and uncurable bad mood. One dr thought it was a thyroid problem. Another thought it was my birth control pill. Maybe I am just crazy and fat and looking for something to blame it on, but I can't wait to see if going off zyrtec will help. I mean, I run marathons for Christ's sake. I don't eat junk as a rule. I have never gained more than a few lbs since I was 15. God, I hope it's the zyrtec. | F | 33 | 6 months | 11/17/2008 | 1 | seasonal allergies | fatigue, vivid dreams, stomach pain, diarrhea | I am so glad to be off of this medication. I didn't have the withdrawls that some mentioned, but I couldn't believe how much better I felt after I stopped the meds. I was so refreshed in the morning and didn't feel like a zombie! I was worried I had irritable bowel syndrome or an ulcer, but the stomach pain and diarrhea stopped a week after I stopped taking Zyrtec. I'll stick with Claritan and Sudafed. | F | 40 | 6 months | 4/8/2008 | 1 | Seasonal Allergies | Nightmares, daytime hallucinations, hyper activity at times, lethargic at other, anti social behavior, depression, voices. | My son took this drug for 6 months when he was 8 years old. It did help his sneezing, coughing. But the side effects were bizarre. He talked about seeing a 'devil boy' inside a 'ghost boy' who sat in his class in his place while he watched. He talked about hearing voices in his head telling him to do bad things. He talked about having dreams during class. And the nightmares were very vivid. My son always has been such a happy go lucky kid, his sudden dark mood swings and aggressive behavior were really out of character. If he were older I would have been looking for some sort of substance abuse issue. As it is, the 'substance' might have been actually provided for him by us unwittingly. Once we took him off the med he is doing much better at home. His nightmares are gone and he is 'singing' around the house again. Unfortunately his cough and sneezing are back, BUT we'll take that over the nightmare the family went through | M | 8 | 6 months | 7/25/2007 | 1 | Daughter Eczema & Food Allergies | rash all over body, night terrors, relentless whining, hitting, stubborn fits, crying spells over small things, would not play well with others, circle around eyes, fear issues, and became very clingy | My daughter has extreme Eczema in the creases of her body (inner elbow, back of knees) which is the worse during the winter months. At first it did a great job of taking her itching away and I was relieved. Her skin went from scabs to normal. Then it came back with a vengeance. I gave her Zyrtec again but, this time it was as if she had become immune. I had to increase the amount given to her to work. She became a totally different little girl. The thing that was most concerning was the night terror which is as is half awake and someone was killing her. Screaming, kicking, crying but not really awake. Then she started hitting her little brother all the time and would not share at all. She use to adore him and pamper him. Instead of making it better she slowly got itchy bumps all over her body. The hard part is watching her itch all over now due the prolonged use of Zyrtec. I am taking her off immediately and looking at diet options instead like Gluten free diets. I am glad t | F | 3 | 6 months | 10/15/2008 | 1 | allergies | extreme itchiness when trying to get off of zyrtec. | please don't start taking it. you don't want to risk the side effect once you try to get off of it. | F | 30 | 6 months | 10/17/2008 | 1 | allergies | weight gain | my son started taking it 6 months ago and gained a lot of weight. Initially I thought I would just give it to him for a month in spring to help him with his allergies. Then when he stopped taking zyrtec, he suffered and was very irritable. But now I am going to take him off of it any way. I wish he never took it. | M | 8 | 6 months | 8/18/2005 | 1 | allergies | severe stuttering | I am a Speech Pathologist working with young children. I have a student who had sudden onset of severe stuttering. I tried every method of therapy with no real change. I met with parents and they noted that they started Zyrtec around time of stuttering onset. They took him off it and stuttering was GONE, completely GONE. The family did a couple trials and we are all convinced it was the medication. | M | 3 | 6 months 1X D | 4/12/2012 | 1 | Stop reactions to allergy shots | Extreme itchiness that lasted for months after taking the medication. Jittery when not taking the drug. | M | 42 | 6 months | 7/8/2012 | 1 | Allergies | Hugely increased appetite and consequent WEIGHT GAIN. | I had to go off of this medication after gaining over 10 pounds in 6 months. I was always hungry, even shortly after eating. It was crazy and although the medicine helped my allergies, it wasn't worth constantly feeling hungry and gaining all that weight. It should be added as a warning on the label. Also major headache the first couple days off the medication. | F | 35 | 6 months | 7/5/2006 | 1 | Hives (colinurgic urticaria) | DEPRESSION, inability to think straight, lethargy, cognitive problems (unable to easily learn things), social withdrawl, general feeling of helplessness, | about 6 months ago i started getting inexplicably itchy and uncomfortable hives on random parts of my body. i went to see my doctor, and she told me it was a condition called "colinurgic urticaria", in other words, scattered hives caused by contact and body temperature, among other things. she put me on claritin, but it wasnt working, so i was written a prescription for zyrtec. after taking some samples i wsa overjoyed at how well it worked! just like that...no more hives! but after about 2 weeks i began to feel very depressed and anxious about absolutely NOTHING. i am a first year college student, so i assumed i was just reacting to the stresses of school and the so called "real world". but i have recently realized that this was not the case. the medicine was the cause for my anxiety and depression. i have been off zyrtec for about 3 days, and already i am feeling much more lively, energetic, motivated, enthusiastic, and generally HAPPY. THIS DRUG IS TERRIBLE. i ha | M | 19 | 6 months | 12/25/2006 | 1 | sinusitis | dissociation, abnormal thinking, nervousness, depression, rage, hallucinations, apathy (basically i felt crazy and maybe i was) | zyrtec was pure hell for me. my thinking became extremely obsessive and i was really tense all the time. i felt emotionally detached. after a few months i lost my motivation, and became depressed. then something really scary happened... auditory hallucinations. i heard a voice in my head. STAY OFF THIS DRUG IF YOU WANT TO KEEP YOUR SANITY it ruined my life! | F | 20 | 6 months | 11/17/2005 | 1 | Environmental allergies | I am both relieved and horrified that I am not alone in dealing with the side effects with our six year old son. He was recently increased to two tsp....coincindentally his anger and aggression doubled at this time. We took him off, only to deal with hives but I don't care. The change is so positive, we have a bright, happy, loving child instead of a crazy screaming irritable one. Some one should do something, esp. since so many ADHD and autistic children might be having symptoms aggrivated with this drug. | Anyone know how to get the word out on possible side effects for our little ones? | F | 42 | 6 months | 3/26/2007 |