Zyrtec Helps Allergy Symptoms but Makes Us Very Sleepy
Zyrtec has been on the market for years and is readily available in many stores, so it is typically easy to find and may be purchased with or without a prescription with the type of insurance we have. My entire family has issues with allergies, both seasonal and year-round and several of us have taken Zyrtec. The price is high - there are some generic medications available but sometimes added ingredients, such as gluten or high fructose corn syrup, may cause problems. Zyrtec can provide quicker relief than something like a steroidal nasal spray, which usually takes several days before feeling relief; however, it is very hard for two of us to take due to extreme drowsiness. We don't take many medications at all, and one little pill can easily cause my child or me to want to sleep for many hours, making it very difficult to function well due to a sort of brain fog. Since this one lasts for 24 hours, it helps to take it at bedtime if you are sensitive to it, but often when we want quick relief from allergy symptoms, the timing might not be right for taking it just before bedtime. Not everyone in my household feels so sleepy from this medication and taking it regularly for a week or two would probably lessen the symptoms, but nobody in my family has wanted to take it that many days. We have been able to function minimally by taking a very small (1/2 or 1/4 dose or liquid dose of about 2.5mg) dose. Another side effect in my children is extreme grumpiness after taking Zyrtec. This can make life difficult at home, at school, well, anywhere you have to be around grouchy kids who are normally pretty nice. It works better to use a steroidal nasal spray before and during allergy season (or year-round if you have allergies all the time) because it is more effective with a sustained effect and many nasal sprays do not cause as many symptoms throughout the body, such as the drowsiness. I am only recommending Zyrtec because it can help alleviate allergy symptoms quickly.
Katrena
North Carolina