ZYRTEC Reviews (CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 2.0 (1820 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ZYRTEC with similar:
Type: Over-the-counter Drug
|
Results are sorted by Date added. 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 | FDA Adverse Event Summary
| RATING | REASON | SIDE EFFECTS FOR ZYRTEC | COMMENTS | SEX | AGE | DURATION/ DOSAGE | DATE ADDED |
| 1 | hayfever | She-devil; off-the-charts mood swings | It cleared up my allergies, hands down better than any other I'd ever taken. I took it one day, and was a raving lunatic. I didn't know what my problem was, but I didn't take the pill again the next day and I was fine. A week later, I took another dose. I was ready to kill someone, literally. I will never take another one of these pills. | F | 52 | 2 days | 4/4/2008 | 5 | Allergies | mild fatigue doesn't even compare to the fatigue and nausea that would result if not taking Zyrtec | PLEASE DO NOT CONFUSE ZYRTEC-D WITH ZYRTEC. Zyrtec-D contains a decongestant which shouldn't even be available by perscription because it causes hyperactivity, anxiety and sleeplessness in almost everyone who takes it even short term. My daughter has seasonal allergies, and allergies to dust mites, which essentially means she's allergic all year. She has been taking Zyrtec for 7 years with no noticeable side effects. Before taking Zyrtec she would wake up every morning with an upset stomach from the drainage going into her stomach. Zyrtec absolutely stopped this. It may have have a mild effect of drowsiness, but without it she would be facing nausea every morning, sinus infections every spring and bronchitus or pneunomia every fall. She had to get off of Zyrtec for a week to undergo allergy testing and she was so nausiated she couldn't go to school. She developed a sinus infection that required two antibiotics to clear it up. Long term studies show this drug is SAFE. If your side ef | F | 14 | 7 years | 4/3/2008 | 1 | Eczema, seasonal allergies | Extreme mood swings, anger, inability to cope with even the slightest disagreement, screaming, drowsiness. General insanity. | DO NOT give this evil stuff to your child. My daughter experiences both a chronic eczema as well as hive like breakouts made worse during allergy season. I have tried Zyrtec on 2 occasions and experienced the same side effects both times. I can't even believe I tried it a 2nd time. I am even more galled that it is now available OTC. Have you noticed that when looking through the list of antihistamines here that Zyrtec has the most responses??? This is why. I believe it's just too strong for kids. Stick with good old Benadryl at night. | F | 4 | 3 months | 4/3/2008 | 1 | Seasonal allergies | My 4 yr old daughter has experienced many of the same side effects as everyone else. | She was on Zyrtec about 2 years ago for about a year and started having terrible temper tantrums and they escalated over time. You could not reason with her at all and it was like she didn't even hear you (exorcist-like). The smallest thing would set her off. We stopped giving it to her because we didn't really see any benefit. Her mood changed dramatically but we just attributed it to getting out of the terrible twos and threes. We just started giving it to her again about a month ago and the violent behavior came back about a week ago. We never made the connection to Zyrtec until now. The light bulb went off on Tuesday that it might be the problem because her diet hadn't changed and nothing else had really changed. I found this website and was blown away at the postings. I looked at the side effects listed on the pamphlet from the pharmacy and the only thing it says related to behavior is possible change in mental status. I can't believe this medicine is now sold over the co | F | 39 | 30 days | 4/3/2008 | 1 | Allergic outburst to pennicillin | My allergic hives seemed to worsen after I took zyrtec, my mouth and lips were dry ans sore and my feet and hands had swollen to the point where I didn't fit my shoes. So the doctor switched me to something else which represses my immune system so it will stop fighting the pennicillin which has already left my body days ago?? I also suddenly craved snacks and food, I ate two tubs of Ben&Jerry's in three days, I usually never eat that. The night after I stopped taking Zyrtec the hives I alreay had from the allergic reaction had become far itchier than they had ever been and I couldn't sleep all night. I took another pill just before stubmbling upon this site because I thought it might help the itch. I'm regretting that, but the itch is still not gone hours after taking the Zyrtec eventhough I hear others speak of immediate itch-relief. | After reading all of these comments I am quitting zyrtec immediately, I will take benedryl against the itch and just tough this thing out. Hopefully, since I have only taken zyrtec for a few days I will not experience the weeks of itching others talk about. in teh past I have taken zyrtec twice over a few weeks with no problems, although the allergy, just as it does now, took a ridiculously long time to disappear. I have hives from my neck to my feet, but reading your alarming itch-accounts and seeing how my itch already dramatically worsened after just 4 10mg pills I am far too afraid to continue this drug. So glad I found this site so soon. | F | 25 | 4 days | 4/3/2008 | 3 | adult onset spring allergies | lethargy, weight gain, rash on my neck, low libido | It has worked better than Claritin for my adult onset spring allergies; I originally tried "natural" remedies, which did nothing to help the sneezing, dripping and achy eyes. However since starting Zyrtec about 2 months ago, I have been needing 9-10 hours of sleep, and still have a hard time getting out of bed. And I have been gaining weight for no apparent reason, about 5 pounds in the last 2 months since I began Zyrtec this year. And a reduction in sex drive the last couple of months. And a mild itchy rash on my neck the last few weeks. As my allergies are seasonal, and they usually subside around now, I stopped Zyrtec 3 days ago and have been having trouble sleeping. Last night I lay awake most of the night. I am very happy to have found this web site and now know that these changes are because of Zyrtec. However, I would take it again next year, maybe try taking less, and taking it at night, or maybe try Claritin again because the constant sneezing and dripping and sore | F | 58 | 60 days | 4/2/2008 | 4 | seasonal, envt., & indoor allergies | Never thought I had any until now; all of these horrible reviews are crazy to read. I wonder how many of you were/are suspect of medication to begin with, as many of these symptoms sound psychosomatic. And kids? Kids are, by virtue of being learning machines, always changing, and are thus frequently unruly, unpredictable, or difficult. That said, they are also extra-sensitive to the mental (side-) effects of any drug (or food, for that matter. Hippocrates himself said, "Let your medicine be your food, and your food your medicine.") for related reasons - developing brains, fast metabolisms, and little organs. So... think hard before feeding your kids pills, and don't expect a magically perfect cure devoid of any side-effects; modern Western medicine is still all about treating symptoms, be they proximal or fundamental. (Until there are several more generations of advances in genetics, treating causes is nigh impossible.) Like everything else in life, it's a careful cost/benefi | My father's a well-respected M.D. who has always relied on Zyrtec when the traditionally weaker antihistamines (Benadryl, Claritin, Allegra) aren't strong enough but courses of antihistemic shots are too difficult or involved. And his endorsement is NOT motivated by arrangements with any HMO or drug company, as he continued to proscribe/recommend it to me and other family and close friends, at full out-of-pocket cost, after it was dropped by my health insurer (yet months before it was available OTC). | M | 24 | 7 years | 4/1/2008 | 2 | SKIN ALLERGIES | vERY TIRE, LACK OF ENERGY | LIKE TO KNOW IF OTHER USER OF THIS MEDICATION HAD ANY EXPERIENCE WITH ZYRTEC BEING A DRUG-INDUCED PARKINSONISM. CETIRIZINE AND CINNARIZINE A KNOWN DRUG-INDUCER OF PD AND BOTH ARE DERIVATIVES OF PIPERAZINE SEE BELOW Piperazine derivatives Buclizine • Cetirizine • Chlorcyclizine • Cinnarizine • Cyclizine • Hydroxyzine • Levocetirizine • Meclizine • Niaprazine • Oxatomide | M | 60 | 5 years | 4/1/2008 | 3 | Allergies | I have taken Zyrtec probably since about 1996. I noticed whenever I tried to stop taking it I would get itchy. If I take it then it stops. I always thought that was why I was taking it to stop the itching. Now after reading other people's ratings, I am finding out that trying to stop it is what is causing the itching. I always take it at night, because at first it did make my sleepy. If I don't take one at night by morning I am starting to itch, palms of hands and feet, head, arms. I am going to see if I can get off of it and the itching goes away. Claritin just doesn't stop the itching. | I am shocked that what I might actually be experiencing is withdrawal from this medicine. Another way the pharmaceuticals get you hooked. I didn't notice a weight gain that I would blame on that, but maybe if I start losing then I'll know. | F | 50 | 12 years | 3/31/2008 | 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 | 1 | sinus, coughing, congestion | My 5 year old son has been on both Zyrtec and Singulair for about 2 years now and has MAJOR behavior issues. They have become worse as he's gotten older and we've been baffled as to what could be the cause. We recently saw a psycologist who almost diagnosed him with ODD. Our house has become a battle zone and every day we walk on eggshells hoping nothing sets him off. | I'm astounded that so many other families are experiencing the same problems! I wouldn't have thought these medications would have been the cause of such anger. I am taking him off of both medications and am hoping for the best. It's unfortunate that we've lost out on so much because we were mis-informed. It's really up to us as parents to read read read and always question our health-care professionals. | F | 32 | | 3/31/2008 | 3 | allergies | Drowsiness, stomach upset, next-day headaches, dry mouth, lethargy | After reading other posts, I realized the loss of mental focus I had may not have been all stress - sure enough, when I go off meds, my energy is better. But then, my allergies flare and I'm heartbroken if think I'll have to give up my cat. I am trying natural products, with small effectiveness, and taking Zyrtec only when I'm having an awful sneezy-itchy attack. Otherwise, I am so discouraged by all the side effects of allergy meds I wonder if they are worse than the allergies themselves. My natural plan includes quercitin, nettle and the OTC "seasonal relief" airborne allergy mix - it does seem to help a bit, with no side effects (even a little burst of energy). Interestingly, I've also gained weight, again I blame school stress but it does happen to coincide with my reliance on Zyrtec. | F | 42 | 1 years | 3/29/2008 | 1 | Dr. recommended for sinus problems | change in mood, sleepyness | I took this drug at 6 in the evening and I had a hard time waking up in the morning. I also was yelling a lot at people, to me I seemed to be extremely angry. I took Zytec for 2 days, when it was time for my next dose I did not take it. Within 24 hours my mood was back to normal. I felt like I had been possessed. | F | 51 | 2 days | 3/28/2008 | 1 | pollen allergy | high level of irritability!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | If I could have given this drug a negative rating I would. About 5 days ago, I started taking OTc Zyrtec-D for my spring allergies. Helped with sneezing during the day, , did nothign for itchy eyes, increased itchiness in throat, did nothing for congestion, and yet I was still left with a drippy nose. Incredibly uncomfortable since I now have blisters forming on my nose from where I've rubbed a tissue all day. Was really irritable this week which has culminated in several arguments with my wife. Not sure if the irritability is a side effect of the medicine or just a result of paying over $1 per pill and still being left with most of my symptoms. FYI, I am writing a complaint to the makers of this drug. Probably won't do any good but it will at least make me feel better. | M | 27 | 5 days | 3/28/2008 | 1 | allerigies | a fast feeling of nausea, lightheadness, shaking, just generally not feeling right | F | 46 | 7 days | 3/27/2008 | 1 | CHRONIC COUGH FROM POST NASAL DRIP | THIS STUFF IS AWFUL! THE FIRST PILL KEPT ME UP ALL NIGHT. THE THIRD PILL GAVE ME HORRIBLE ITCHY WELTS ON MY FACE & CHEST. MY HEAD FEELS WEIRD. ITCHY ALL OVER & ACHEY--I'VE NEVER FELT LIKE THIS IN MY LIFE. I'D RATHER HAVE THE FLU ANYDAY. | DO NOT TAKE THIS DRUG! I GOOGLED THE SIDE EFFECTS AFTER I GOT THE ITCHING & WELTS. WISH I'D KNOWN SOONER. I'VE NEVER FELT SO ROTTEN IN MY LIFE. HOPE SOMEBODY OUT THERE PUTS THE COMPANY OUT OF BUSINESS. | M | 56 | 2 days | 3/27/2008 | 1 | allergies | Dizziness, shortness of breath, hives, high anxiety, rapid heartbeat, tremors....just about every side effect listed. | I tried OTC Claritin for allergies, but it didn't help. My doctor gave me a week's supply of Allegra, and it worked great. When that ran out, I tried OTC Zyrtec, with disastrous results. I called 911 after suffering nearly every side effect. I would NOT recommend that anyone take this drug, especially children. | M | 39 | 1 days | 3/22/2008 | 2 | allergies - severe sinus | mood swings, irritability, frustration and anger, painful swelling in neck, lethargia, heaviness of limbs and difficulty moving, insomnia | the side effects were very noticible to others. my boyfriend was very concerned about me and begged me to stop taking it. | F | 34 | 1 days | 3/18/2008 | 1 | Sesonal Allergies | Fatigue, Lack of motivation and concentration, muscle fatigue, heart adding a beat off and on, and nervousness feeling. | I have been taking zyrtec for about 7 years and have taken it off and on each year for allergies. I have never put two and two together before, but I have always lost my energy and motivation after taking zyrtec. I always thought my lack of energy was from the allergies. Its been getting worse and worse year after year, so i finally did research and look what i found; looks like i am not the only person with this side effect. I have stopped using zyrtec for a week now and still am not feeling myself and am wondering how long it took before people felt like it was totally out of their system. I am stopping zyrtec all together and I hope my allergy shots will be enough to get me through the seasons. I am not using any other medicines - only saline nose spray and the occasional IBprofin. | M | 33 | 7 years | 3/18/2008 |