ZYRTEC Reviews (CETIRIZINE HYDROCHLORIDE)Average Rating: 2.0 (1820 Ratings)Filter ResultsCompare ZYRTEC with similar:
Type: Over-the-counter Drug
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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 |
| 2 | ALLERGIES | Drowsiness, lack of concentration, irritability, severe dizziness to the point of almost passing out and weight gain. My face was swelling due to seasonal allergies and the doctor put me on Zyrtec and instructed that I take it at night. I do but am still somewhat drowsy and disoriented during the day. | It did help with the seasonal allergies, which was a first for me. I thought initially that I had a sinus infection but not so. I might take these occasionally but don't want to stay on them continuously. | F | 53 | 2 weeks | 1/10/2007 | 3 | Cronic year round allergies | I have been on this drug for years to help treat my cronic allergies for mold and just about everything else. Over the last 2 years I have been having issues with heart palpitations, new sinus sensitivity and daily stomach distress. I have alway been in good health otherwise and take allergy shots for 1+ year as well. I tried the reflux otc drugs for my stomach with minimal improvement. I have been to the doctor about these problems with no answers yet. I now wonder if this may be a growing side effect from my years of zyrtec use. I take 10mg before bed. It works like a sleeping pill for me and I am use to the lower energy level. After reading many of the posts here. I believe it's time to get off this drug for several weeks and see what happens. I will post again with any results of my test. | This drug really does help stop post nasal drip problems better than any of the drugs that I have tried over the years. But it can dry you out to much and cause an accute sinus sensitivity and if compounded with a flonese spray can become what appears as a very painful sinus infection without any real virus involved. Doctors give you antibotics which have no effect. I learned that nitetime room humidity at(50%+) and nasal washes finally stopped this problem. | M | 54 | 10 years | 1/9/2007 | 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 | 1 | ALLERGY | Within three days of starting this medication, my child developed PINK EYE (a lesser known side effect of this medication). Within four days of starting this medication, my child developed a STUTTERING problem! We pulled him off this medication!!!! | Watch your child closely if they are prescribed this medication!!!! | M | 2.5 | 6 days | 1/8/2007 | 5 | Sinus Drainage Due To Sleep Apnea | Same as below! 5 Just to get your attention. Vivid Dreams, very tired during the day although taking Zyrtec at night, can hardly get moving in the morning (and I'm a morning person, I love a new morning!)I'm 47, male, 160 pounds and was disgnosed with sleep apnea during last summer. Went through labs and was placed on a CPAP breathing machine. Felt much, MUCH, better after getting use to the face mask. Had more energy, slept better and felt I was breathing fine. Dr. prescribed Zyrtec for sinus drainage that comes along with using a CPAP machine with moisture. Was getting use to that and just snorting and coughing in the mornings to clear my head. Have also been using Nasacort_CQ nasal spray once each morning (longer than using Zyrtec). After starting Zrytec (on it for over two months now) eventually began vivid dreaming, can hardly get moving in the morning, feels like sleep apnea all over again during the day due to being tired and just wanting to sleep. Also have been taking Lexapr | See to the left | M | 47 | 2 months | 1/5/2007 | 5 | hives and severe itching | LISTEN AND LISTEN GOOD......I PUT DOWN 5 JUST TO GET TO THE TOP SO YOU ALL CAN READ. THERE IS DEFINITELY A PROBLEM IN MY OPINION WITH SIDE EFFECTS WITH ZRYTEC. NOT ONLY DID SHARING ON THIS WEB SITE SUPPORT ME AND HELP ME, IT FINALLY BROUGHT ME MY QUALITY OF LIFE BACK.....PLEASE TRUST ME....I SUFFERED SEVERE HIVES AND ITCHING 15 MONTHS AGO AND WAS PUT ON ZYRTEC....YES IT HELPED ....BUT AT A HUGE PRICE......HEADACHES,PANIC ATTACKS,BREATHING PROBLEMS,CONFUSION,FOGGINESS,IRRITABILITY, ANGER,LOSS OF LIBIDO,UNAPPROACHABLE,DEPPRESSION,LARTHARGIC,SAD, AND......AND.....WHEN YOU TRY TO GET OFF THIS DRUG?....YOU GET SO ITCHY THAT YOU WANT TO CRY,TOTALLY UNBEARABLE, HIVES APPEAR WORSE THAN THE ONES YOU WERE TREATED FOR SO WHAT TO YOU DO?.....TAKE MORE ZRYTEC BECAUSE IT WILL RELIEVE YOU...BUT THIS IS A CYCLE THAT GOES ON WITHOUT FIXING THE PROBLEM......AND......WILL CAUSE NEW PROBLEMS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR DAY TO DAY LIVING....PLEASE BELIEVE ME...DOCTORS, PHARMACISTS AND OF COURSE PFIZER WILL NO | STOP TAKING THIS DRUG NOW!!!!! | M | 48 | 15 months | 1/5/2007 | 4 | Sinus Drainage Due To Sleep Apnea | Vivid Dreams, very tired during the day although taking Zyrtec at night, can hardly get moving in the morning (and I'm a morning person, I love a new morning!) | I'm 47, male, 160 pounds and was disgnosed with sleep apnea during last summer. Went through labs and was placed on a CPAP breathing machine. Felt much, MUCH, better after getting use to the face mask. Had more energy, slept better and felt I was breathing fine. Dr. prescribed Zyrtec for sinus drainage that comes along with using a CPAP machine with moisture. Was getting use to that and just snorting and coughing in the mornings to clear my head. Have also been using Nasacort_CQ nasal spray once each morning (longer than using Zyrtec). After starting Zrytec (on it for over two months now) eventually began vivid dreaming, can hardly get moving in the morning, feels like sleep apnea all over again during the day due to being tired and just wanting to sleep. Also have been taking Lexapro for over a year with no problems from it. Zyrtec did work great for the drying of the sinus' but to put up with all the other "new" affects is not worth it. Quit Zyrtec yesterday, had a sinus h | M | 47 | 2 months | 1/5/2007 | 4 | severe allergies | some depression, crying, agitation, bad dreams | It's been the most effective allergy medicine I've used. As soon as I started taking it I went from severe allergies to none at all. | F | 33 | 4 days | 1/5/2007 | 4 | chronic hives and itching | i have a hard time focusing and i am light sensitive when i take zyrtec. i now take only half(5mg)every two or three days after taking one a day. after 3 days my hives come back with a vengance. i definitely do not feel like myself on it, fatigued, but i can not live in my skin without it. would love to find a way to wean off but can not at this time....any answers? | definitely works but side effects for me have made me a a different person who has lost his edge.... | M | 48 | 15 months | 1/2/2007 | 5 | Pollens, Cats, Dogs, Molds, etc... | After reading through some of the responses I wonder if my side effects are greater than I had originally thought. I take a 10mg in the morning, usually with my coffee. I can be quite irratable during the day, but not always. At night if I sit down after work it's all I can do to stay awake. I have had significant weight gain. I think I might also be suffering from seriously dry sinuses. When I blow my nose it can be kind of bloody. | Despite these side effects I have nothing but praise for this drug. It is my miracle cure. My allergies and asthma are pretty severe throughout most of the year. Now taking Zyrtec and Advair. With the combination of these two I am virtually symptom free. I still sneeze occasionally but nothing like I used to. I also haven't missed any more work because of an allergy/asthma attack. Now as long as this drug doesn't lose it's potency I'll be happy! | M | 33 | 1 years | 12/30/2006 | 1 | Allergies | Possible side effects include drowiness, loss of sleep, dry mouth but the really nasty one is the highly addictive nature of this drug... | Please dont take this drug, its not even a remedy i feel at the cost of its addiction to u. I have always tried stopping to take this drug but it never happened it gives u itching all over ur body, rashes when u itch...and bloody hell they never go...i ruined a lil bit of my teenage life dont want anyone else ruin theirs...I WISH I CUD SUE THEM BUT MORE THAN THAT I WISH I GET RID OF THIS MEDICINE...:( | M | 19 | 1.5 years | 12/26/2006 | 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 | Allergies | My daughter was given this for her allergies and congestion. Her behavior was "off the charts" crazy. I became so afraid of the way she was acting last night that I almost called the after hours emergency line. She was very jittery and thirsty but mostly just very strange, agressive, angry behavior. She was throwing stuff, yelling, screaming, mumbling strange things to herself. It was like she suddenly became another child. It was very scary. I couldn't get her to go to sleep despite the fact that she had skipped her nap and she was exhausted. She is still in bed this morning after finally falling asleep around midnight. Hoping she will be back to herself when she gets up... we will certainly not be using this again for her allergies. That was horrifying. | I personally take Zyrtec for my allergies and it works great for me. Little or no side effects and really drys up my congestion. I cannot believe the difference in side effects for children taking this medication. I have two other friends who also give this to their children regulary (and have done so for years) and do not experience these same effects. So I personally think that it can vary quite a bit from child to child. I personally will not give it to my daughter again. | F | 3 | 1 days | 12/21/2006 | 1 | Allergies | At first, extreme increase in hunger; could only think about food! Later, abject depression, total loss of self-worth, crying spells, loss of motivation. When I stopped taking it, I developed a hypersensitivity to any antihistamine that caused extreme anxiety. | This drug literally ruined, and is still ruining, months of my life. I am now on Clonazepam and Abilify and still severely depressed; I can't seem to enjoy any of the things I used to and all I want to do is lie in bed. My sense of self-worth is still gone and everything seems hopeless. I used to be a very cheerful, positive, roll-with-the-punches sort of person, and now she has been replaced by a humorless wreck. I'm amazed that an antihistamine could do this, and that given the number of similar stories here, that the drug company denies that it could cause these problems. Obviously, it does, and more warning should be given to patients about the potential disaster this drug can make of your life. I so wish I could go back in time and never put this horrible substance into my system. | F | 29 | 2 months | 12/20/2006 | 4 | ALLERGIC TO POLLEN, MOLD,CATS | EXTREME WEIGHT GAIN.I STARTED TAKING ZYRTEC DAILY AFTER CLARITN STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 3 YEARS AGO. I HAVE GAINED 40 POUNDS IN THAT TIME. I AM STARVING ALL THE TIME AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH I EAT I'M NOT SATISFIED. I KEEP COMPLAINING TO MY DR. BUT HE SAYS ZYRTEC SHOULDN'T DO THIS. I'M GOING TO STOP TAKING IT RIGHT AWAY.MY WEIGHT GAIN STARTED WHEN I STARTED TAKING ZYRTEC.I WAS SKINNY ALL MY LIFE.AT 44,I'D RATHER SUFFER WITH ALLERGIES AND BE HOT THEN ALLERGY FREE AND FAT! | M | 44 | 3 years | 12/19/2006 | 2 | Allergies | Aggressive behavior, disorganized thinking, increased anxiety. When my son stopped taking it he developed hive like spots all over his back, which lasted for about 10 days. | Our son is diagnosed with a mood disorder, so at first we did not recognize that he was having a negative reaction to zyrtec. In retrospect we now realize that completely destabilized while taking this drug. Fortunately, the damage was not permanent though it took him about about two weeks without zyrtec to return to his prior state. The manufacturer appears to be aware that this type of reaction can occur. If you look at page 11 of the 14 page document issued by the manufacturer Pfizer you will see a list of psychiatric symptoms associated with this drug. The company states that zyrtec is unable to cross the blood-brain barrier and affect mental functions. This may be true but it appears to me that the drug affects the body's biochemistry in some other way that does extend to the brain. Bottom Line: NO ONE WITH A MOOD DISORDER SHOULD TAKE THIS DRUG. It may destabilize a person to such an extent that serious harm could occur. | M | 7 | 4 months | 12/16/2006 | 1 | allergies | My daughter started taking this for ecezma and allergies. She also has ashtma. I took her off the singulair and pulmicort too. She was a monster! My son who is 6 was on all these as well. I thought I was a bad mother and had mentally ill children.Then one day it occured to me to research these meds and was shocked to find out it was not just us. My kids are finally returning to normal.I worry about their ashtma but I couldn't take another day of it.I have tried to take my daughter off the zrtec before and the itching is unreal for her already bad eczema.Last night was her last dose!We will have to make it this time and get rid of it. What is wrong with these doctors giving this garbage? They should have to live with the kids that take it! | F | 3 | 9 months | 12/11/2006 | 1 | allergies | My daughter started taking this for ecezma and allergies. She also has ashtma. I took her off the singulair and pulmicort too. She was a monster! My son who is 6 was on all these as well. I thought I was a bad mother and had mentally ill children.Then one day it occured to me to research these meds and was shocked to find out it was not just us. My kids are finally returning to normal.I worry about their ashtma but I couldn't take another day of it.I have tried to take my daughter off the zrtec before and the itching is unreal for her already bad eczema.Last night was her last dose!We will have to make it this time and get rid of it. What is wrong with these doctors giving this garbage? They should have to live with the kids that take it! | She said she was hungry every second of the day even after eating a big meal. | F | 3 | 9 months | 12/11/2006 | 1 | Allergies | dry, sore throat; coughing; irritability. | My son was prescribed Zyrtec for "allergies", for one month he'd had a nighttime cough and his tonsils were enlarged. It did not help my son's sore throat and coughing, instead I believe it aggravated his throat further. His behavior changed for the worse, biting me and grinding his teeth in anger, which could be because he wasn't feeling well but after reading comments from other parents of young children, I wonder if the Zyrtec caused the change. I've taken him off the med, and he is sleeping much better and is acting better. | M | 3 | 1 months | 12/10/2006 | 2 | allergies | intense paranoia at night; hallucinations; drowsiness | I've only been taking this for two weeks, but it has helped the sneezing at night. However, for the last three days I've taken it, I wake up in the middle of the night feeling incredibly scared (which is unusual for me). It's freaking me out too much to continue, I think. | F | 31 | 2 weeks | 12/6/2006 |