Now, Im on once a week. I think the worst areas were my palms, hands, chest, and forearms. The moment I would give in and take a pill, it would go away, until the next day. I called the manufacturer and was met with incredibly dumb answer center employees, who claim this is very unusual, and they really have not heard of it. Im hoping next week might bring some relief, but so far not much change. We have also heard from readers who experienced withdrawal itching when they stopped levocetirizine (Xyzal). Here is the link http://www.floodlawgroup.com/zyrtec-withdrawal-lawyers/ months to years) of cetirizine. Could it be due to seasonal allergies? Withdrawal from an allergy medication should NOT happen, should NOT take this long, and should NOT make a person miserable for WEEKS. Best of luck to you . 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. Zyrtec is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. After a week I felt wheezy and my tongue felt a bit swollen. I decided to try another antihistamin called fexofenydril. We now believe it is a Zyrtec withdrawal reaction. Take the medicine as soon as you can, but skip the missed dose if it is almost time for your next dose. No issues with those meds. Good luck to you! I asked the last expert what her education was and she said a medical assistant. I think I was allergic to this fexofenydril too. . This will increase your chances of success. In addition, FDA continues to monitor and assess serious adverse events for all approved products reported by healthcare providers, patients, and others. Be careful if you drive or do anything that requires you to be alert. This all began over two years ago when I began taking it daily. I do have a histamine intolerance Ive had it since I was a teenager and have been on allergy meds my entire adult life. Glad you got your hearing back! 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): FDA plans on publishing the results of the review in a peer-reviewed journal to further disseminate the information. Get Comfortable I made sure that anything that was touching my body was comfortable, so I wore long sleeved shirts, workout leggings, and cozy socks. Im not sure if the bath simply dried out my skin or if it brought too much histamine to the surface of my skin; whatever the reason, I never took another one. How long does it stay in the body? Im in week 2 of the anxiety and it is terrible. Sounds like a wonderful NP! Other drugs may interact with cetirizine, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. At first I thought that the bumpy hives were athletes foot because they started on my feet- three days after stopping Zyrtec, which I thought still could have been a coincidence at first. It also gave me something to share with my PCP, who is an open-minded FNP. Originally started taking it on my doctors recommendation for Chronic Urticaria possible brought on by menopause. Zyrtec vs Claritin: Which is more effective for allergies? Use the dosing syringe provided, or use a medicine dose-measuring device (not a kitchen spoon). Maybe 10? Other second-generation antihistamines include fexofenadine ( Allegra) and loratadine ( Claritin ). If desired, you may drink liquid to help swallow the dissolved tablet. Ask a doctor before using this medicine if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. It has helped make this hell of withdrawal worth it. The most common side effects, usually mild to moderate, are sleepiness, fatigue, pharyngitis, dry mouth and dizziness. I sure hope I can return to drinking red wine, as it is my favorite, but for now Im avoiding it with no regrets. Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur while taking cetirizine: Incidence not known At this point, I was getting depressed, mostly because I was sick of dealing with this sh*t. I figured Id suffer for a week, 10 days max. quertecin will help too. Maybe I ate something to hot or to spicy. I just wanted to follow up to my earlier post. 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. Ive been on Xyzal and Benadryl for years. It is also used to relieve itching and hives. Zombified, weight gain, joint and muscle pain, etc. We comply with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information. I talked to her about it and she acted like I was insane. On the occasion Ive taken an Allegra, I will itch again after 24 hours of the dose. So its a circle of constantly having to take it, and yet, I didnt have the slightest idea getting off Zyrtec was the direct cause. Seek emergency medical attention or call the Poison Help line at 1-800-222-1222. I am on day six of the itchy withdrawal slog and my hearing has begun to return in that ear. But every time I did, 24 hours from the last pill, like clockwork, I experienced horrible itching all over. He didnt even answer or seem interested, and he didnt seem to know about the withdrawal. Im glad you found remedies to help with the itch. Went to an allergist that did a blood allergen test. 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. When the heart cannot pump enough blood to meet the body's demands, this is called heart failure. 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. Cetirizine will start to work within one hour after you take it. I scratched. At first, Id break out in response to heat or severe stress. Nights were the worst. -Maximum dose: 10 mg/day Disclaimer:EscapingtheMidwest.comis a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Things will get better soon hang in there! Every time I took the THC, within hours I was much more comfortable and scratched less. Cetirizine is classed as a non-drowsy (non-sedating) antihistamine, but it does make some people drowsy. Since then, our website has become a place where people who experience this reaction can report their experiences. I eventually started back on the Zyrtec when the reflux drainage got worse. Many visitors to PeoplesPharmacy.com have reported dreadful itching upon withdrawal from Zyrtec. Its excruciating. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose. Finally! Let us know if you find a miracle treatment! Im thinking its because my appetite has decreased significantly, but I also read that Zyrtec from hinder fat burning. I was now a 6 on my itch scale. They learn from each other. After 3 days, I quit. Be sure to do it slowly. There are articles about how Zyrtec creates this addiction due to the itching also in the French press but again, NO study and NO WARNING on the labels in France either. Cold Water and Ice Packs Super cold water soothed my itchy hands. Take Benadryl at night to help get sleep. One of the few ways people can learn about such reactions are on this website. My hands looked ghastly, covered in sores and wounds, hiding them whenever out in public. Im not sure how many days Ive been without it, but its excruciating. What a drug! I started taking the Zyrtec about 8 years ago when I became itchy and a friend with dermatographia recommended it. "The later generation non-sedating antihistamines, such as loratadine, fexofenadine, and cetirizine are safe to take daily," says John Faraci, MD, an allergist and immunologist in Loma Linda, California. Scratching and scraping my body was the only thing that relieved the disturbing itch. Three nights of practically no sleep. Now I want to plan and get off this ridiculous medicine. I agree. I did it as I would most other long-term drugs: I tapered it back. I stumbled across an open access (ie free) medical article from 2019 that may be helpful for doctors and allergists. 5 to 10 mg orally once a day Draw up a plan for decreasing your dosage over time until youre barely taking any. since I quit in April. Taking my morning pill took the itch away but then my ear would hurt. To better understand and further investigate this adverse event, we analyzed cases of pruritus occurring after discontinuation of cetirizine in the FDA Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) database and medical literature.. There are no warnings or guidance with regard to this phenomenon. Ive been taking allergy medicine for over 20 years now. Can I take Allegra in the morning and Zyrtec in the evening? Required fields are marked *. Im taking the advice from this article, nothing but cold showers til this is overand Im going to make it to the finish line this time!! I really didnt want to use either so I just left them in the cupboard. Cetirizine ( Zyrtec) is an antihistamine often used to treat allergies, nasal congestion or hives. Zyrtec withdrawal is truly torture. Withdrawal from Zyrtec can cause a hypertensive crisis or myocardial infraction. I may get drowsy but I just deal with it. Antihistamines are a class of drugs that block the action of histamine and reduce these symptoms. Five milligrams was usually enough to get me through the bulk of the day, quieting the angry itch, but some evenings benefited from an additional dose. I tapered down to a 1/4 of a 10 mg tablet and then quit. Zyrtec-D has a higher incidence of the hypertension side effect 2. Q. I stopped taking Zyrtec last week and have been suffering extreme itchiness since then. He had developed a chronic itch while studying for exams, and his dermatologist suggested Zyrtec. . Using Zyrtec with other drugs that make you drowsy can worsen this effect. 1.9% of children aged 6 to 11 years experienced drowsiness with 5mg of cetirizine and 4.2% of children experienced drowsiness with 10mg of cetirizine. P eter, 27, who doesn't want his last name published for privacy reasons, first started taking Zyrtec when he was a 26-year-old student studying in Switzerland. I used to use this method for poison oak back when I was bad at avoiding it on hikes. In other words, it doesnt make you drowsy the way diphenhydramine (Benadryl) does. Using a Body Brush By the second week of withdrawal, I was carrying around a body brush to scratch every itch. An the full-blown itchiness is just.. torture. Its infuriating that the FDA has allowed these medications to be OTC with this kind of withdrawal mentioned almost no where. For about a week scalp, eyes, arms were itching a lot and all in all it took 2 weeks. At this time, I learned that some people actually have a histamine intolerance and have to avoid certain foods and medication. -Maximum dose: 10 mg/day It was torture that lasted over a month. I took Zyrtec for about 5 years, tapered my dose for about 6 weeks, until I was taking to 1/4 of a 10 mg pill (2.5 mg) and it still took a hard 2-3 weeks to break free. I never researched between 1st and 2nd generation back them. I am going through similar withdrawal symptoms, but its not from Zyrtec its from claritin. The bug feeling became a cold tingle. withdrawal when you have limited distractions, a pill that forced my body to become addicted to it, #joy Please help! The worst itching still came late, after 10 pm. Ask a doctor or pharmacist if it is safe for you to take cetirizine if you have any medical conditions. The itching has been terrible and I just wanted to warn people that are substituting Claritin for Zyrtec that they may want to reconsider, as they might be going through another withdrawal if they decide to stop taking the Claritin. OMG!!! Been taking for approximately 6 months. However allergy meds tend to give me a slight increase in BP and heart palpitations. These are the most commonly reported side effects of Zyrtec. Heart failure has many causes, including heart attack, uncontrolled blood pressure, metabolic abnormalities and drug effects. The itching and discomfort was intense, especially at night and the psychological effects were debilitating. Vitamin C is crucial during illness/ infection and most of us dont get enough in our daily diets. I wake up at night freaking out that bugs are crawling on me. And it clicked. I started weaning today (1/2 dose), and 5 hours later Im already feeling the itch. Hi I do get cough and slightly weezy a bit. I can recollect every detail and Im usually woken up by the nightmare aspects. I hope you can find a way off Zyrtec and then in time be completely itch free! #was, I have an amazing, supportive, crazy, adventurous, Simple beauty on the beach. So I went to a naturopath who recommended weaning off it, while taking quercetin, nettle tea and etc. Then about 4 weeks ago, I tried a new shampoo free from parabens and sulfates, supposedly natural and discovered I was allergic to one of its ingredients (cocamidopropolyl betaine). During these horrible seven days, I felt like insects were crawling all over my skin. How long did it take? Today was day 5 of going off cold turkey, because Im getting allergy skin testing done and it was a requirement to be off all allergy meds. Available for Android and iOS devices. My determination to conquer Zyrtec withdrawal was dwindling. Here is what we wrote: As you probably know, cetirizine (Zyrtec) and levocetirizine (Xyzal) are very popular OTC antihistamines. THC Yes, THC helped me. get a good brand. These tips have helped a ton. For some people, the itching lasted up to six weeks. When I tried to stop it I got very bad withdrawal symptoms, chills,heart racing, insomnia, itchy . Once the pollen season was over I stopped the Zyrtec with no side effects. You should not use Zyrtec if you are allergic to cetirizine or levocetirizine. Its miserable. She is a Fellow of the Society of Applied Anthropology. day 50 of slowly removing bits from the 10mg tablet. Fingers crossed that as the year progresses the histamine response lessens and Ill be Z free in 2023. Its just baffling. It was titled: Intense pruritus or itching emerging after discontinuation of cetirizine has been the subject of postmarketing reports submitted to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), published in the medical literature, and discussed on the internet. In France you need a prescription. I take Benadryl from time to time to help with allergies. Uses. They usually peak between days 3 and 5 and can last between 1 and 7 days. FDA plans on publishing the results of the review in a peer-reviewed journal to further disseminate the information. Finally, on July 5, 2019 an article appeared in the journal Therapeutic Advances in Drug Safety. Anyway, good luck to all who goes through this. Ive been trying to stop taking Zyrtec for many years. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. When possible, choose non-drowsy antihistamines, says Dr. Miller. Still itching.but Im super depressed and having the worst panic attacks ever. Initially it was Claritin, and eventually switched to Zyrtec when I felt that Claritin didnt work as well. Even the inside of my mouth itches I stopped cold turkey after almost 10 years of use. Thanks for sharing what worked for you! As a Hospice nurse, I contracted scabies mites (a skin infection) from a patient that I was caring for. I had my daughters and husband to help me around the house when necessary. Week 2 Upon starting my second week of withdrawal, the itching was still pretty constant, but the intensity had lowered. As my body finds homeostasis again in its histamine levels, I can confidently say I am free from Zyrtec and no longer dependent on a pill that forced my body to become addicted to it. If I take my last dose Monday morning at 8 AM Ill start sneezing uncontrollably by 8 PM on Tuesday. Ice packs help as well for general itching. Im kind of a PITA about taking meds, especially one that kills your immune system during flu season, so I opted to only use the topical. 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