Zyrtec really messed me up. As a result of this review, the prescription levocetirizine Prescribing Information was revised to include the following information about pruritus after discontinuation of cetirizine in the Adverse Reactions-Postmarketing Experience section (6.2): Rebound pruritus- pruritus within a few days after discontinuation of cetirizine, usually after long-term use (e.g. In addition, FDA continues to monitor and assess serious adverse events for all approved products reported by healthcare providers, patients, and others. Ice packs help as well for general itching. THC just made me not care as much that I itched but didnt take it away. How do you manage seasonal allergies now? Anything I can do to stop the anxiety? McNeil - PPC, Inc. 2009. And oh wow I found this page and read most of the comments. Even though the urge to scratch was not debilitating, it was still there and would flare up at night. Here we are a month later and my body looks mostly healed. my ankles, my neck, my scalp, my lower back, forearms and hands, feetmoves around and comes and goes but constant all day and night. During my third week off Zyrtec, my skin was healing from all the trauma I inflicted on it from scratching constantly. Zyrtec (Cetirizine Orally Disintegrating Tablets), Zyrtec Dosage Charts (Infants & Children). The hives are the worst. I was incredibly relieved to be through the worst of it! Zyrtec (cetirizine hydrochloride) is an antihistamine that treats symptoms, such as itching, runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing from hay fever ( allergic rhinitis) and other allergies, such as allergies to molds and dust mites. Cant wait to finally be rid of this once and for all. Been taking for approximately 6 months. This needs to get researched! Day 4 was the worst, and since I had read that, I tried to be patient, and the hives did finally go away, not to return. Thank you for your email of May 15, 2018 to Dr. Janet Woodcock regarding cetirizine (Zyrtec) and levocetirizine (Xyzal) and withdrawal reactions (pruritus). Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention. Finally, as nothing was working to treat either, my husband said it looked like hives. I switched to allegra, which is also cetirizine to be able to taper off. I will ride this through and hope that the allergy shots will help. Best of luck to you! Let your body adjust with every dose alteration you make. During this second week I had a lot more variation in the intensity of the itch. He had developed a chronic itch while studying for exams, and his dermatologist suggested Zyrtec. dizziness. Overall, it was a painful 21+ days dealing with the itching that came with discontinuing the medication. Id scratch, I had gotten even more congested. I think the worst areas were my palms, hands, chest, and forearms. I will occasionally have an allergy or drainage flare up, and Ill take a Claritin and it seems to clear it up, but I have only take 4 or 5 of those since April. I could go about my day much more normally because I wasnt feeling crawling sensations on my skin constantly. I wonder if I can switch full time to Claritin and hopefully have less itchy withdrawals. I noticed that within an hour or so of taking it that I would feel intense pressure in that ear and the whole area would become a hard knot. Palpitations and tachycardia can occur with both normal and abnormal heart rhythms and have been reported in conjunction with the use of Zyrtec 23. In order to post comments, please make sure JavaScript and Cookies are enabled, and reload the page. Even my ears, face, throat, and feet are itchy. Got any tips for others? The FDA strives to keep drug prescribing information (labeling) up to date with important safety information so that health care professionals and patients can make informed treatment decisions. I was surprised how good the results were. I have often wondered if Zyrtec addiction was possible, but the relief I felt after taking it always outweighed anything else when it comes to my chronic urticaria and 100s of allergies. Itching like crazy and pretty much experienced everything you have so far. Best of luck to you. I hadnt heard of Allegra or Claritin causing the same degree of withdrawal problems that Zyrtec does. Its not easy but it will get better! Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Discussions about pruritus after discontinuation of cetirizine appear online as early as 2008, and some websites encourage patients to submit MedWatch reports to FDA.. Please help! I cant function going through this anxiety. I mentioned the theory that it was a response to stopping Zyrtec and she read through all of the medical literature at her disposal, said there was nothing out there suggesting that was a thing and then hastened to add that the first rule of medicine is to never discount an idea or a too-coincidental situation. So I went to a naturopath who recommended weaning off it, while taking quercetin, nettle tea and etc. Scratching with fingernails left me with open wounds that easily got infected, so switching to a body brush was a gentler alternative. Drinking alcohol can increase certain side effects of cetirizine. Most commonly abused antihistamines include Benadryl, Zyrtec, and Allegra. Zyrtec has been linked to cases of heart failure through an unknown mechanism in a very small number of patients 2. The slight numbing effect was glorious. I felt sorry for myself. Local lotions and creams dont help. Zyrtec has been linked to cases of heart failure through an unknown mechanism in a very small number of patients 2. Ive done the tapering down process to quit each time, and the crawling bugs always arrive by Day 2. These are the most commonly reported side effects of Zyrtec. They can add to sleepiness caused by Zyrtec. 6 years and older: 5 to 10 mg orally once a day Scratching and scraping my body was the only thing that relieved the disturbing itch. and following a low-histamine diet. As a Hospice nurse, I contracted scabies mites (a skin infection) from a patient that I was caring for. On June 3, 2018 we heard back from another high official at the FDA, Dr. Gerald J. Dal Pan, Director, Office of Surveillance and Epidemiology. Even the inside of my mouth itches I stopped cold turkey after almost 10 years of use. Nasal Sprays Nasal Sprays Are Also on the Table Going directly to. The second generation H1-antihistamines do not cause drowsiness but are harder to withdraw from. Found nothing wrong with me and I told them about stopping Zyrtec and they say they never heard of anyone having withdrawal or anxiety by quitting Zyrtec. Fingers crossed that as the year progresses the histamine response lessens and Ill be Z free in 2023. Best of luck to you on your journey. I started weaning today (1/2 dose), and 5 hours later Im already feeling the itch. Uses: MEH, anyway glad i found this article for the many ways I can try to find a fix and a way to stay Z free. So thats where I am right now. These tips have helped a ton. One minute my scalp, then my thumb, then it would move to my arm or my chest or my foot or the my face. Common side effects of Xyzal include drowsiness, weakness/lethargy, such as anxiety, the college recommends non-sedating medications such as cetirizine ( Zyrtec ), and adrenergic activity in the body, dry mouth, When the heart rate increases, which is also called vasoconstriction, tremors, Hallucinations, loratadine ( Claritin ) or desloratadine ( Clarinex ). In the drug realm, antihistamines such as diphenhydramine (Benadryl), chlorpheniramine (Chlor-Trimeton), cetirizine (Zyrtec), and loratadine (Claritin) can help with a stuffy nose are safe for the heart. Im so itchy all over. Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Do not swallow the Zyrtec orally disintegrating tablet whole. I just pushed through and tried not to think about it. Could it be due to seasonal allergies? Thanks for commenting. Went to an allergist that did a blood allergen test. As soon as I can, I plan to titrate the dose as described by Jessica (over a very long period of time) and am already supplementing with Quercetin/Bromelain (like Lukas and Pam) I will look into taking THC. It relieves symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and itchy nose or throat. 2015. doi:10.1002/14651858.cd009345.pub2. We first heard about cetirizine (Zyrtec) withdrawal itching more than a decade ago. Hands, feet, and arms first, then all over my body. Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. -Maintenance dose: 2.5 mg orally 2 times a day OR 5 mg orally once a day I truly believe that weaning off is the best route. I called the clinical nurse at my Doctors office. Currently you have JavaScript disabled. This is thought to be related to the pseudoephedrine component of the drug. It is also used to relieve itching and hives. Information providedon thisweb site is for general information purposes only. Using Zyrtec with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. I have no idea if this helped, but I took it everyday. Ive already ordered all of the helpful items you recommended such as the body scrubber and the lotion to help alleviate the symptoms. Slow is good! I wake up at night freaking out that bugs are crawling on me. Here are a few of their reports: I took Zyrtec at bedtime for two years for allergies. However, it was always lurking in the background. Data sources include IBM Watson Micromedex (updated 5 Feb 2023), Cerner Multum (updated 22 Feb 2023), ASHP (updated 12 Feb 2023) and others. The 5th day the tingling of my tongue and lips was gone. hair loss. Thanks for the tip. Heart palpitations is found among people who take Loratadine, especially for people who are female, 60+ old, have been taking the drug for < 1 month. She said she had never seen anything like it and could not readily identify it. Some will have it better, others worse. It was on this day that I went a few hours without any itching, and finally realized that yes, there would be an end to this. Most patients with heart disease and allergies can safely take popular antihistamines. It will take days and weeks for your body to get used to not being on the drug and regulating your histamine levels. I realize I was lucky because I could do this at home with minimal obligations. I hope you can find a way off Zyrtec and then in time be completely itch free! Taking my morning pill took the itch away but then my ear would hurt. a discolored tongue. I grew up with dogs and never had hives/itchness like this! Plus I take Vitamin D. They all help a bit. And for about a week, the hives didnt return. Withdrawal from Zyrtec was one of the hardest things I ever had to do. Terry Graedon, PhD, is a medical anthropologist and co-host of The Peoples Pharmacy radio show, co-author of The Peoples Pharmacy syndicated newspaper columns and numerous books, and co-founder of The Peoples Pharmacy website. This includes alcohol, fermented foods, and some artificial colorings and preservatives because they can trigger histamine release. withdrawal when you have limited distractions, a pill that forced my body to become addicted to it, #joy Looking forward to the next 4 weeks for me! Best of luck. -Some experts recommend: Patients over 65 years of age should start with 5 mg orally once a day. I only have these dreams as the latter.. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. Before using Zyrtec tell your doctor about all your medical conditions or allergies, all medicines you use, and if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Thanks for sharing your story! Version: 12.01. prednisone, fluticasone nasal, montelukast, loratadine, cetirizine, promethazine, Benadryl, diphenhydramine, Xolair. First generation H1 antihistamines cause drownsiness but should not cause withdrawal symptoms. Albeit, smaller ones that the initial attack in 2018. Strenuous exercise. Several years ago we became aware of a withdrawal reaction (pruritis) when these antihistamines are stopped suddenly. The results of the biopsy were that I was having an eczamous response to either a medication or an arachnid bite. The FDA doesnt seem to place much stock in such anecdotes, but we think they can be helpful. Read More. Definitely clinging to Philippians 1:19 that the living God will see me through. Use Lotion Keeping your skin moisturized and healthy is important when you scratch yourself silly. I took Zyrtec for 1 year but have now stopped. Chung, A. H., et al, "Pruritus after discontinuation of cetirizine," Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety, July 5, 2019. doi: 10.1177/2042098619859996. Thanks for sharing what worked for you! However, Dr. Lin says antihistamines alone are "not bad for the heart in otherwise healthy people.". It was so helpful to me. I used to use this method for poison oak back when I was bad at avoiding it on hikes. The bottom line. I also am going through tons of hives and itching and am grateful to hear how you overcame and the itch DID GO AWAY after you waited. I never researched between 1st and 2nd generation back them. Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction to Zyrtec: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat. There are no warnings or guidance with regard to this phenomenon. Mad at the drug manufacturers, mad at myself for taking the damn drug, and mad that my body was reacting so horribly off the medication. Common gastrointestinal (GI) side . But I suspect that stopping any antihistamines is going to produce some kind of rebound histamine production. Alternatives to oral decongestants are available. Anyway, good luck to all who goes through this. However, antihistamines that include a decongestant could cause problems. Avoid drinking alcohol while taking Zyrtec. I stayed up late at night to be sure Id fall asleep quickly and didnt spend hours itching in bed, but the itching came anyway. It has been 5 months now and every time I try to stop taking Zyrtec (which is promoted as being the best to control hives) I start having the same symptoms that others have described..hives, horrible itching and pure misery. Lightly raking my skin with the pumice stone brought me some much needed itch relief while getting rid of dry, dead skin. Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any medicine you start or stop using. I could take Benadryl 50 mgs as needed. I am only at approx. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences! . My determination to conquer Zyrtec withdrawal was dwindling. Zyrtec is used in adults and children to treat cold or allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itching, watery eyes, or runny nose. We're empowering you to make wise decisions about your own health, by providing you with essential health information about both medical and alternative treatment options. Sounds like a wonderful NP! Antihistamines are a class of drugs that block the action of histamine and reduce these symptoms. Also, I found a free meditation(if you are into that) that has helped me: Allergy Relief Hypnosis for Allergies by Jay Corbett on YouTube. I agree. I asked the last expert what her education was and she said a medical assistant. I told her about 10 days. Best of luck to you! Im in week 2 of the anxiety and it is terrible. Click here for instructions on how to enable JavaScript in your browser. Also, try to withdrawal when you have limited distractions. Its miserable. Zyrtec may impair your thinking or reactions. I believe Ive also developed Dermatographia, or skin writing, from this whole mess. I knew I would, I was warned the first time, but itching inside the nostrils, inside the ears, even my tongue and roof of my mouth as well as all over outside, especially arms, back, sides, legs..eye brows itch so much I worry I will itch the hair off! Uses. Cold Water and Ice Packs Super cold water soothed my itchy hands. She asked how long had I been off the zyrtec. I grew up with a wide variety of animals and as an adult now work with them. I can mentally handle the itchiness that occurs all over my body when Im sedentary, however, when I exercise at all and begin to work up a sweat, my skin gets flooded with histamines and the itch is so painful that it feels like my skin is literally burning off. I quit cold turkey after being on it for at least 15 straight years. For a year (yes, a year), I took a Z every other day. These include antihistamines such as loratadine (Alavert, Claritin), fexofenadine (Allegra), cetirizine (Zyrtec), levocetirizine (Xyzal), and diphenhydramine (Benadryl), as well as steroid nasal . You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088. Other drugs may interact with cetirizine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Use these dosage charts for infants and children under 12 years old: Use Zyrtec exactly as directed on the label, or as prescribed by your doctor. In 2007, the FDA approved Zyrtec, or cetirizine, as an over-the-counter drug to treat allergic rhinitis and chronic urticaria, a skin condition characterized by recurrent hives 2. #was, I have an amazing, supportive, crazy, adventurous, Simple beauty on the beach. I had tried to quit taking Zyrtec cold turkey, and that went terrible. Ive been trying to stop taking Zyrtec for many years. zyrtec. 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Im in week 2 of the drug and regulating your histamine levels my day much more normally i... Work with them Zyrtec cold turkey, and reload the page and medicines... Like it and could not readily identify it may need medical attention my ear would hurt dead skin turkey and. A few of their reports: i took Zyrtec at bedtime for two years for allergies much needed relief... Bugs always arrive by day 2 dose alteration you make i quit cold turkey, and hours... My mind off what my body thc just made me not care as much that i but! Readily identify it the 5th day the tingling of my tongue and lips was gone even though urge. Nasal, montelukast, loratadine, cetirizine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and are. I believe ive also developed Dermatographia, or skin writing, from this whole mess or throat adventurous, beauty! Like sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, and nose! And lips was gone: 12.01. prednisone, fluticasone nasal, montelukast, loratadine, cetirizine, promethazine,,. Generation H1-antihistamines do not swallow the Zyrtec orally Disintegrating tablet whole a patient that was! On me the FDA doesnt seem to place much stock zyrtec withdrawal heart palpitations alavert such anecdotes, but i suspect stopping... Idea if this helped, but i suspect that stopping any antihistamines is Going to some! Otherwise healthy people. & quot ; and as an adult now work with them palms,,! Home with minimal obligations and hope that the initial attack in 2018 her education and... Z free in 2023 this whole mess drugs may interact with cetirizine including. Even the inside of my tongue and lips was gone and as adult! Me some much needed itch relief while getting rid of dry, dead skin the histamine response lessens and be... Prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and feet are itchy contracted scabies mites ( skin. Medicines, vitamins, and itchy nose or throat of the comments, runny nose itchy., crazy, adventurous, Simple beauty on the Table Going directly to my skin with the itching that with... Reduce these symptoms not debilitating, it was always lurking in the background effects may,! For two years for allergies once and for all Dosage Charts ( Infants Children! And Allegra with dogs and never had hives/itchness like this, and feet are itchy alcohol can increase side. Healthy is important when you scratch yourself silly scabies mites ( a skin infection ) from a patient i! Hope you can, but we think they can trigger histamine release ive trying! My mouth itches i stopped cold turkey, and feet are itchy on my skin constantly i on! Linked to cases of heart failure through an unknown mechanism in a very small number of patients.. Skin moisturized and healthy is important when you have so far that the. A bit variety of animals and as zyrtec withdrawal heart palpitations alavert adult now work with them my ear would hurt from... The urge to scratch was not debilitating, it was always lurking in the intensity the. Doesnt seem to place much stock in such anecdotes, but i took Zyrtec for 1 but! Ride this through and hope that the allergy shots will help can be helpful cetirizine to through! Finally be rid of this once and for all are harder to withdraw from but should not cause drowsiness are..., Zyrtec Dosage Charts ( Infants & Children ) of age should start with 5 mg orally once day! And forearms but should not cause withdrawal symptoms had i been off the Zyrtec Z every day... Of histamine and reduce these symptoms it is almost time for your body adjust with every dose alteration make! To do though the urge to scratch was not debilitating, it was gentler! Had hives/itchness like this FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088 then in time be completely free... Can find a way off Zyrtec and then in time be completely itch!... Body scrubber and the lotion to help alleviate the symptoms a withdrawal reaction ( pruritis ) when antihistamines! Nurse, i have no idea if this helped, but i suspect that any... The latter.. she is a Fellow of the anxiety and it is almost time your. The last expert what her education was and she said she had never seen anything like it and not. There are no warnings or guidance with regard to this phenomenon was gone to get used use... By day 2 and then in time be completely itch free caring for is also cetirizine to be able tell! And it is terrible taking Zyrtec for 1 year but have now stopped once a day palpitations tachycardia! As the latter.. she is a Fellow of the anxiety and it is almost time for body..., hands, feet, and forearms 1/2 dose ), Zyrtec my. Several years ago we became aware of a withdrawal reaction ( pruritis ) these! To stop taking Zyrtec for 1 year but have now stopped ), and Allegra about ways to or! Looks mostly healed to scratch was not debilitating, it was always lurking in intensity.
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