Cetirizine

Our 10 year old daughter has been on Zyrtec for approximately 2 years for allergies and to control her asthma. She has had 3 injuries in the past 10 months with an increased sensation to pain. Could her unusual feeling of pain be related to her use of Zyrtec?

I recently had to take a generic Zyrtec for allergies. I stopped taking it a few days ago, when the pollen count went down. With other allergy meds, there were no after effects. This generic cetirizine seemed like a wonder drug to me. Until -- one day after I stopped taking it, I had itchy skin with small red bumps. I've never had hives, but I've heard about them, and I'm pretty sure that's what I have. I cannot sleep in my bed because lying down seems to make it worse. I itch twenty-four hours a day. After eliminating everything else I could think of, I thought about my new, wonderful allergy medicine. I did a search on the web to see if others had the same problem, and many posted comments that echoed my complaints. Some resumed the Zyrtec and their symptoms immediately disappeared. Have you heard anything about these withdrawal "pains" of Zyrtec and its generic equivalents? I used the Equate brand ceterizine from Walmart. Today is Day 4 since I stopped, and I'm still itching. I am determined not to go back on the medicine, but I am basically a miserable insomniac right now. I will be calling my doctor tomorrow to see if there is something other than Zyrtec that I can take to eliminate the symptoms. Please comment. Thank you.

I have been taking Zyrtec for years and recently bought the Walmart Equate equivalent. After taking this one time, I immediately noticed that the inside of my mouth felt like it had a coating and when I eat anything salty, my lips, inside and out seem to burn and the inside of my lips are red and covered with small bumps. I know the active ingredients are the same in this Equate brand as in Zyrtec but I'm wondering if whatever the Equate brand uses for fillers could be the culprit to causing my problems. I quit taking the Equate and am going to purchase Zyrtec today. The Zyrtec's a few more dollars but it's worth it to me to not have to deal with the side effects. Please email me with any thoughts regarding the issues I've discussed. Thank you.

I have had the same withdrawal symptoms from Zyrtec. I haven't been able to get past 36 hours without taking it again due to the extreme uncomfortableness of the itching and skin welts. I'm trying to ween myself off of it after years of daily use. I'm looking for any herbal remedies to assist with the withdrawal symptoms - someone HELP!!!

Found an awesome blog on this at http://zyrtecwithdrawal.blogspot.com/

I was told by my allergist that if you stop taking zyrtec "cold turkey" if you will, symptoms like that will occur. You need to ween yourself off of it.

I decided to stop taking Cetirizine 10mg on Friday 24th Apr 2009. by the end of the day my hands and fingers started to itch. I persevered through Saturday, after a sleepless night. I have now resumed taking this tablet on Sunday 26th Apr 2009, it is now 19.15 BST and I feel much better. The question is why can a tablet have this effect? In 1967 I was introduced to Librium et al this plus the other diazapim regime ruined my life. Who monitors this? posted 19.25 bst

I have been taking Zrytec for several days now and I am experiencing strange side effects. Besides the drowsiness, I wake up with severe back muscle pain. It started immediately after taking this medicine and I have not worked out in a week so I can isolate what caused it. I take it at night before going to bed hoping the drowsiness disappears but I still wake up and feel as if I had not slept the entire night.

The only good thing is that I have allergy induced asthma and it has helped me tremendously with that but the side effects make me so miserable I don't know which is worse. Is anyone experiencing muscle pain?

I took Zyrtec "as needed" - it cause me to sleep up to 12 hours so soundly that I would have died in a house fire - felt 1/2 comatose the next day. Mental and physical sluggishness were so extreme I felt I could die (no exaggeration!) Actually fell asleep at the wheel once at 2:00PM the next day - thankfully at a stoplight!!!!! Dr. suggested I try Children's Liquid at 1/10th dosage.

I was able to stay awake the next day (slept overly soundly with some wild dreams still), but found within 5 or 6 days that I suddenly became nearly incontinent! I'd have 15 seconds warning to be ON the toilet. I've never had ANY kidney or bladder problems in the past. The box only warns Older Persons who already have kidney disease, not the rest of us that it might CAUSE problems. I would recommend throwing this medicine out!! CANNOT get my Dr's to report these symptoms.

I made the same mistake as many of the readers here. Equate from Walmart is NOT the same as Zyrtec. It's the same as Claritin which keeps me up all night. I realized my mistake and bought the right generic and was able to sleep again.

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: IT IS IMPORTANT TO CHECK THE GENERIC NAME ON THE PACKAGE, EVEN FOR OTC DRUGS. CLARITIN IS "LORATIDINE." ZYRTEC IS "CETIRIZINE." THEY ARE DIFFICULT TO SPELL AND REMEMBER, SO IT MAY BE WORTHWHILE WRITING THEM DOWN. EQUATE IS WALMART'S HOUSE BRAND NAME FOR ALL ITS OTCS.

There is such a thing as Zyrtec withdrawal!!!! I'm having a hard time stopping this medication (extreme itchiness still after 11 days without Zyrtec) If you have problems go to www.fda.gov and post your symptoms/problems with certain medications. And check out this site, it's where I learned there are many other people out there experiencing the same thing I am and gives me hope this will pass: http://zyrtecwithdrawal.blogspot.com/

I'm so glad i found this, as I've been imagining all sorts!

I started taking cetirazine (zyrtec) 4 years ago, and have taken it daily ever since.
however, at the weekend, as my prescription was getting low, I decided to withdraw instead and cut the dose from 10mg to 5mg.

Initially, there were no apparent reactions, although I did notice that my elbows felt as if they had insect bites on them, which, if scratched, itched even worse.

Then last night, I got up in the middle of the night for a couple of hours and noticed I had a really itchy forehead, which I kept scratching. After doing this for a while, I suddenly felt these lumps, two of them, and began to panic! I went back to bed and when I woke, the lumps had become one big lump, both tender and itchy.

I called my GP as soon as it opened, but they wouldn't see me, so I went about my day trying to let my imagination run away with me.

I took the "zirtec" as soon as I began to suspect a connection, but am still waiting for it to work. Right now, my head and body feel as if they have things crawling over!

One of these days I want to completely stop this drug, but the thought of having to go through this again at some point is NOT a welcome one!!

Oh God, I'm so glad I found this. I've been imagining terrible things, like diabetes or RA. Several months ago I ran low on money and had to switch from brand-name Zyrtec to Target brand ceterizine. I have severe allergies and asthma, and have been on Zyrtec for years-it's been a lifesaver. Not as good as Seldane was, but far better than Claritin.

Anyway, within a day of taking the Target brand, I started having severe allergy attacks... just regular old allergy attacks with lots of sneezing and itchy eyes and post nasal drip, like I wasn't taking an antihistamine at all. Within a couple of days I was almost incapacitated. To start with, my skin didn't feel "right." No hives, but my skin felt like it was crawling with ants... I could not sleep, I was convinced there were fleas in the bed. I could feel them jumping from point to point on my legs. My eyes felt really weird, like there was sand in them.

This progressed to palms and feet itching so intensely that I ended up taking the back of a scrubby sponge to them to scratch them. I have never, ever experienced joint pain in my life, but after a few days I was in such severe pain that I could barely move. In tears, I finally told my husband that I thought I might have RA, and he essentially called me a hypochondriac (thanks, dude).

I was about to call the doctor anyway when I got paid and was able to get the name brand (I thought the Target brand wasn't working due to the sneezing and eye itching---not the other symptoms). Within a few hours the generic sneezing/itchy eyes were gone. It took a couple of days, but the rest of the symptoms also mysteriously disappeared, I forgot about them, and never did get to the doctor. Well, I ran low on money again a couple of days ago and was out of Zyrtec, but I found the bottle of the Target brand.

I thought it was a sweet score because it meant I wouldn't have beg my parents for money to buy Zyrtec. Yesterday I remembered why there was an almost-full bottle of Target brand left. I've been having terrible allergy attacks, my eyes are starting to feel weird, my fingers are aching and my palms are itching like crazy. I just went to the store and used my last 10 dollars to buy a 5 pack of Zyrtec which, thank God, will be enough to last me until I get paid again. I'm so going to report this to the FDA.

I am shocked to find this. I have been taking Zyrtec for years for chronic nonallergic rhinitis. I decided a few days ago that it is silly to take it year round and I wondered if I really needed it. So I quit. Today I started to itch and I have scratched until I am bruised. (I just took a Zyrtec before getting online and finding out I am not alone! I couldn't stand the itching a minute longer.) Now I realize that the past two times I had surgery and quit Zyrtec, I didn't itch because of the pain meds--it was Zyrtec withdrawal!

I have suffered from seasonal allergies my entire life, as well as minor eczema outbreaks (behind the knees and on the inside of the wrists). I have taken Zyrtec for about 5 years on and off but the last 2 years I have taken it every day. I started to experience unusual dry skin, and to be sure the zyrtec had no correlation I stopped taking it.

24 hours or so after stopping cold turkey from 10mg, I began to itch constantly in different places at different times throughout the day. I also began getting what appeared as a random hive in different places on my body with no perceived pattern (quarter sized slightly red, elevated bump, extremely itchy for about 15 minutes, then fades on its own without a trace after a couple hours).

The only thing I have figured out is that when I am exposed to an elevated level of allergens, I will get a much larger one than if not (ie. go to someones house with cats, etc.). I am at day 25 with no Zyrtec and for the most part the hives have subsided, and the itchiness all over is only noticeable when I work out. Working out is still almost unbearably itchy, and it has been driving me crazy cause I love going to the gym everyday.

I have already filed a complaint with the FDA. From what I can gather these symptoms are our bodies attempting to restore normal histamine levels, that it has not had to do with our every day dose of antihistamine. That's my theory, but there should at least be some sort of warning on the bottle....

I've got the itching too. Used Zyrtec every day for about 4 - 5 yrs and every time I missed a dose I'd get crazy-itchy. I thought it was my allergies coming out full blown. A few weeks ago I missed a dose and this time I wondered if it was from the Zyrtec and not my allergies. I googled "Zyrtec withdrawal symptoms" and wow! there are a million of us in the same situation.

I tried cutting my dose back slowly and after I was on 1/4 of a pill for several days, I stopped altogether. Well, Lord have mercy, I have been an itchy mess ever since. It was so intense after my shower that I nearly threw up - and I'm not a thrower-upper by nature. Different parts of my body are affected at different times - including my eyeballs, lips,tongue, and throat.

Each time I reduced the dose I experienced other awful symptoms - anxiety, insomnia, racing heart...it was hellish.

I am on day 3 being Zyrtec free and the itching is definitely interfering with my life. I'm wondering if the itching will ever completely go away...

Okay!! thank goodness. I feel like I am reading my own writing. I have tried stopping so many times and every time thought the itching was because my allergies were so bad. I am on day 2 of withdrawal after about 6 or 7 years of daily use, and am taking a homeopathic histamine comp every 15 minutes when the itching gets really bad which helps for a short time - after 3 or 4 doses every 15 minutes I am itch free for a couple of hours. My liver has played up for years, but seems to be less painful today. Don't know if it is related. I definitely already have more energy. Will check back in a couple of days to tell you if this works - apparently you should see results within a week. Good luck

I have been taking Zyrtec for years. Every time I tried to come off, I would get very light headed and somewhat anxious. I asked my Dr. if it were possible if I were going through withdrawal and was told no. But, I went on the medication because I then developed post nasal drip and a sore throat. Recently I ran out of the meds and didn't notice the usual feeling, so I thought I'd try to get off completely again. After two days, I started itching all over so I figured the histimine level must be all off and I started to take it again.

I mentioned to someone today and they said it sounded like withdrawal.I just googled withdrawal from Zyrtec and found this site. I am so glad to find out that it is not my imagination, but very disappointed to find out that others are experiencing the same issues. I have also had unexplainable damage to some nerves in my legs. Has anyone else experienced this?

I've been taking Zyrtec off and on for many years. Two and a half years ago I moved to another state and ended up taking much more Zyrtec than usual due to increased allergies in my new environment.

About six months ago noticed some periodic itching and rashes that seemed to be getting worse. I wasn't taking my Zyrtec, since my normal allergies weren't so bad at that time, so I promptly, took a dose and it seemed to relieve things. After that I began experiencing severe itching every time I went more than a few days without Zyrtec. Since then I seem to be more and more dependent on my Zyrtec.

I believed that my allergies had just gotten so bad that I simply needed the medication. Recently my symptoms have been worse including severe coughing fits when the itching spread to my throat. I caught myself saying aloud that I felt like I needed Zyrtec just to stay alive anymore and something about that statement made me suspicious.

Now I dread the thought that I might run out of my medication. I finally sat down today at a computer and ran a search for "Zyrtec withdrawal" due to my suspicions. I have to admit I am rather horrified by the sheer number of people reporting exactly what I am only just now beginning to suspect. The worst part is that these reports go back years and I had no idea.

It both scares me and gives me hope to realize that the very thing I was taking to alleviate my more recent symptoms is very likely the cause.

I have taken both Zyrtec Name Brand and the Wal-Mart Equate brand and found no difference, My Brother is very particular and had been taking only the Zyrtec Name Brand and ran out. I gave him some extra I had that was "Equate brand" in a "Zyrtec" Name Brand bottle.... He had been taking it for over a week or so when I asked him if he had noticed any thing different, he had not noticed any difference, I told him it was a generic brand from Wal-Mart. He now is buying the Equate brand and was glad since there were recalls on the childrens' version......

Craig

Just like many of the other entries, I have been taking Zyrtec for about 5 years. I usually stop taking Zyrtec when the allergy season is over, however during the past 3 years, quitting lead to severe itching. I thought my allergy has gotten worse and continued taking this drug. On and off the past 3 years, I've tried to quit and came to same conclusion.

Finally I decided to see an allergist again (June 2010). The first time I was tested was back in 2001 and the results were I was highly allergic to everything except feathers. My new results were very strange..... my allergy has actually improved greatly. I went from being positive to 60-70 things to only 6 allergens now (I think it's from my new diet, exercise, natural and organic products). It didn't make sense that my skin was itching like crazy after stopping Zyrtec, if I'm no longer allergic to the many allergens any more.

According to the testing, I shouldn't even need to take this medication any longer, and yet my body needs it to stop the withdraw symptoms. Thanks goodness for websites like this one that allows consumers compare their experiences with others. I thought I was going crazy!!! My daughter and I now are now 5 days cold turkey and it's been a tough ride, but thanks to all the information online it's helped us with great tips to get through this. I can't wait till we are totally clear of this horrible drug!!!

My husband is going threw withdraw symptoms of zyrtec D for the past 4 days. He as well is trying to battle insomnia. Can anyone tell me the time frames of this withdrawal? He seems to be going crazy without proper sleep, which brings on depression and anxiety.

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: WE HEAR THAT AFTER 3 TO 4 WEEKS THE ITCHING ASSOCIATED WITH ZYRTEC WITHDRAWAL SUBSIDES.

Since I stopped taking cetirizine (generic Zrytec / Piriteze / Benedryl 1 per day) I've been suffering severe attacks of hives and painful stinging itching all over my body about twice a day lasting about 2 hours. I was going cold turkey because that's meant to be the fasted way to get through it but I've had to resort to 1/2 a Piriton (chlorpheniramine maleate) at bedtime. It now Day 10 and I'm able to manage it but it's still very distressing. Does anyone know why there is no warning on the packing relating to this?

I am experiencing severe itching, hives, rashes, etc. and this is entirely due to not taking Zyrtec. Zyrtec and it's generics should be much more clearly labeled for this side effect, and I strongly question it being sold at all.

I also have some seasonal allergies, and thought to take this medication to help with that. However, the solution is FAR FAR worse than the "disease" and I wish I had never hear of Zyrtec.

I just wanted to provide an update. Since I found this site in April, and confirmed my fears that I was going through some type of withdrawal from Zyrtec, I have been weening myself off of it gradually. I tried only taking a tablet every few days after I couldn't stand the itching any more, but that wasn't working. So, I went from a tablet a day, to 1/2 a tablet for about a month and now I am on 1/4 of a tablet a day. I did not experience any itching during this process. I am going to now try 1/4 of a table every other day until I am eventually off completely. It's working for me... I hope this might help others as well. Good Luck to all!

Thank goodness I have stumbled on this site. Have been taking Zirtek (UK) for 5 years for non allergic rhinitis and decided to stop (or find out if I still needed to take it by stopping). Have been on half a tablet (half my usual dose) for one week and although I have no itching I have been remarkably low, not sleeping and very anxious and nervous and depressed (I am definitely not generally any of those!). I will persevere by staying on half tablets for some weeks before trying any further reduction.

Wished I had known this might happen as could have timed it better - this is ridiculous - like having to plan a cold turkey drug programme (not that I ever have)! Thanks all for hints and info.

I took prescription strength 20mg Zyrtec for only 30 days for a rash and I feel like I experienced side-effects that drove me crazy. I have never been so exhausted like I was this past month, some days I would sleep all day if I didn't have to work, so much for the "drowsiness" warning! It felt like I was dying, the fatigue was so bad. I experienced such strange symptoms that I strongly feel were related, such as increased appetite, all kinds of really intense muscle pain especially in my legs, restless legs (that kept me up all night!), very moody and nervous periods, and headaches. Is this even possible?

No way they are all unconnected to this drug. Now, after ONE night of not taking it, I could not fall asleep for the life of me. I didn't sleep AT ALL. Where are the warnings for such symptoms? Unbelievable. Glad I'm not the only one, thought I was going crazy. Dreading the thought that this apparent itch might be next :(

PEOPLE'S PHARMACY RESPONSE: GOOD LUCK WITH THE WITHDRAWAL. AFTER A WEEK OR TWO, YOUR SYSTEM SHOULD RE-ADAPT.

I have the same thing. I have taken zyrtec for over a year and decided to go off because we want another baby. I have stopped it before and have gotten severe hives and itch all day. I went back on it then and they stopped immediately. This time it is the same way, but I refuse to go back on it. It is like your body is going through withdrawals. They don't warn you about this on their bottles.

I went off Zyrtec for severe sinusitis and within 24hours I, too had unbearable itching on my hands and feet and other unmentionable places as well! I had never had hives before and had used other antihistamines on and off over the years with only the hayfever symptoms returning. I can't believe so many people have the same reaction to withdrawal from this drug. My allergist said it must be my allergy response to something in the environment. Don't think so. That itch made me into a crazy person-if only I'd known...Zyrtec gets the flick from me.

I have severe allergies. I was tested for allergies and was allergic to about everything on the test. I have rhinitis. I've been on several antihistamines for the last 3 years. I've taken zyrtec for about 3 months. I realized it wasn't helping me that much and decided to just quit it cold turkey. I've now been off the zyrtec for a little over three weeks.

I've been having terrible withdrawal reactions. I get itching on top of my feet and in between my toes. I have been having a lot of pain in my legs and have been coughing severely. I don't know how long these withdrawal symptoms will last, but I have no intentions of going back on zyrtec or any other antihistamine. Seems like things have got worse for me with my allergies since I was put on antihistamines.

I wish I had never started any antihistamine and would advise others not to go on them. Good luck to others who are going through these withdrawal symptoms.

I had a bout of hives around June-July 2010, and my doctor told me to try Zyrtec. I got a generic version of it, and it stopped the hives right away. After taking 10mg tablets every day for a month, I thought that the hives might have gone away by now, and stopped the drug. Roughly 48 hours later, I broke out in terrible itchy rashes, and my face swelled up horribly. I took a Zyrtec and the itching stopped, and the swelling went down as well.

It was quite frightening and I booked an appointment with my doctor as I was going overseas in a couple of days - he advised me to take sufficient supplies of Zyrtec. I found out that a 10mg tablet would last for about 48 hours, so I cut down the Zyrtec and took it only when the itchy spots started, which is roughly 48 hours after the last dose.

On my return from overseas, I continued taking Zyrtec every 48 hours. The I noticed my feet were swollen, and I seemed to be losing hair as well. A quick google showed these as "rare" side effects on some websites. I decided to stop Zyrtec again, but after 48 hours, the intense itching started, and I had to take Zyrtec again. It seemed like my body was dependent on the drug, and I went on the internet and found these sites describing the withdrawal symptoms.

Determined to get off the drug, I cut down the dose to 5mg by cutting the tablet in half. I did this just once, and stopped taking it after that. The horrible itching and rashes reappeared, and it was hell for 2 days. I persevered, and it is more bearable now and although it is now 12 days after my last 5mg of zyrtec, I still have the rashes and itches, though not as severe. My feet are still swollen. I get the worst rashes in the morning and evening, and swollen and tingling lips around midday. I read somewhere that it takes 14-28 days to get the drug out of the system. I am halfway there - I will report again after 2 weeks.

I have autoimmune chronic urticaria with other complications. I've been on antihistamines on a daily basis for about 15 years. When in a flare I am on numerous different potent meds and many are different histamine blockers. When in "remission" I will still take one non-drowsy antihistamine a day, consistently.

I've taken Claritin, Xyzal, and Zyrtec - also sometimes generics of Claritin and Zyrtec over the years. Recently, I decided to try to stop taking Zyrtec (that's what I've been taking for the last year and a half) to see if I really needed it or not - to see if I'm truly in remission. By the end of the first day without Zyrtec I became nauseated. That night I developed red swellings on my hands and fingers that were extremely itchy, hot and burning. The next day the welts were even worse so I took some Zyrtec and by the next morning the welts were gone and the nausea was gone.

I've tried to stop taking Zyrtec a few more times and had the same exact results. At first I thought it was my autoimmune disease flaring and I needed the Zyrtec but then I started to think that maybe there are withdrawal effects from getting off Zyrtec. Now I can see that I have had the same side effects as all these other folks on this website. We all have taken Zyrtec for different reasons but all have the same withdrawal side effects!

Another possibility is that these are not "side effects" but maybe the long use of Zyrtec has caused a change in the natural way your body produces certain needed things to function properly. Just a thought - I'm not a doctor but I know that some drugs can alter your normal way of functioning permanently.

Questions:
1) Does anybody know if these are withdrawal side effects or if we have been permanently changed?

2) Has anyone successfully withdrawn from Zyrtec? and if so, how long did it take before these side effects finally stopped?

3) How did you successfully get off Zyrtec? Was there any other drug or herb, etc that helped?

I am new to researching my issues online. I have been to several doctors about my muscle and joint pain. None of them seem to know what is causing this. I was driving alone today and all of a sudden thought it may be Zyrtec or generic causing my pain. The doctor's say that it's not but I am doubting that. Remember doctors admit that they too do not know everything! I have been on it for a year now. I am stopping immediately to see if my pain subsides. Thanks for sharing your experience!

I've been taking Zyrtec (usually the Target generic form) for several years and, every time I run out, within about 48 hours, I'm itching like crazy, primarily on my torso. I thought it was just proof that I still need it to keep histamines in check, but now I suspect that I, too, am having withdrawal issues. Lovely.

In desperation, I slathered myself with hydro-cortisone cream and that's helped a lot, at least temporarily. I have the same questions as JOR- does anyone know if this is side effects/withdrawal that will eventually run their course, or is this a permanent change to body chemistry? Until I found these posts, I was starting to think I was allergic to myself or something, the way the itching always started within just a couple days.

I think tomorrow I'll pick up some Claritin or another (non-Zyrtec) allergy medicine in hopes that it will help get past the worst. And, probably another bottle of Zyrtec in case I need to maintain sanity until I can talk to my doctor. While I've definitely found that Zyrtec does the best job for my allergies, I can't believe that it's still on the market with these kinds of effects.

I have gotten over the withdrawal symptoms of Zyrtec - it took about 6 weeks for the intense itching to subside. It is almost 12 weeks after I stopped Zyrtec, and now I have the original hive symptoms, which are nowhere as intense as the withdrawal symptoms. I usually ignore them when they appear, and they go after an hour or so. Sometimes when the hives flare up (eg after working in the garden) , I take 2.5mg (quarter of a 10mg tablet) of claratyne (loratadine), and this keeps me itch free for 2-3 days. Meanwhile, I am waiting for an appointment in 6 weeks for an allergy test.

I've been taking Zyrtec for a number of years. I typically stop taking the medicine annually when allergens cease in the winter time. Each time I experience consistent withdrawal symptoms. After 2 days, my skin itches like crazy, mostly on my hands, torso, upper thighs. After 2+ weeks, the itching subsides.

I recently decided to see an immunologist to get a skin test for allergens. They stated prior to the test, I needed to go off any allergy meds for 7 days; day of test I am to refrain from using my inhaler for 6 hours. This is the first time I've gone off Zyrtec "during" allergy season & I am so miserable with the itching. The Zyrtec withdrawal causes this problem and I never experienced an itching problem before Zyrtec, only when I stop using it. Meanwhile, I am waiting for an appointment in a few days for an allergy skin test.

I went off Zyrtec 4 or 5 days ago. I get regular massage & had my massage 2 days ago. Within 24 hours, I developed intense pain in my knees, low back, neck, & elbows, with generalized muscle aches all over. I had severe chills for about an hour, with no fever. A night's sleep and 18 hours later, I am still very achy and weak with mild nausea, though the joint pain has subsided a bit. I am left to believe that my symptoms are from going off this drug.

During my 1st week of taking it, I also remember feeling joint pain and general malaise.

I stopped taking an off brand Zyrtec from Kaiser (Cetirizine Hydrochloride 10mg) after over a year of use. I have extreme allergies and found this medicine the best one but ran out and ended up getting another one that was a bit cheaper.

I began to itchy REALLY bad on hands and feet, then the itching started in random places. I am in the middle of trying to figure out a few other health issues that have me very scared, then this issue started happening. I've been online trying to do my own research and I came across a few websites (after 2 days of trying to figure out what's wrong), I even went to a doctor and have no medical coverage.

Then this happened... and from an over the counter allergy medicine? I could not take the itch and I wanted to know if this was the actual issue, sure enough after a half tab the itch calmed down. As of this morning, hardly any itch. I cannot believe this. Can't this company be held responsible for this? VERY MAD
..... one other symptom..... hot flashes.

To anyone suffering from Zyrtec withdrawal symptoms (the incredible itching): I had the exact same reaction and tried for years to get off Zyrtec. (The first time I made it ten days but then broke out in hives and went back to taking it). It was so frustrating that I couldn't go a single night without taking Zyrtec without experiencing this unbearable itching.

I was lucky enough to come across a few blogs on the topic (for example the blog titled "Quit Zyrtec, Get Itchy!"). A few people on these message boards suggested cutting the tablets in half and weaning yourself off of the pills. I did this and it worked! I probably cut my pills in half for about six months or so. I tried cutting my pills into quarters, but the itching returned.

Then I tried taking half a pill every other night, and had no itching. Then after some time, I went cold turkey. I expected to have the 15-day detoxification period described on some of the blogs, but, to my pleasant surprise, I had only mild itching (and kind of a warmness in my face) for a couple of days, and then I was fine. (That was two years ago). I'm happy to answer questions about how the weaning process worked, or you can check out any of the other websites.

After months of trying to figure out why I started to itch ( first my hands and feet, then got worse all over, even my scalp) I found this information on the internet. I am grateful, I know why I am itching - yep same thing, after not taking Zyrtec for a day or two, it starts up, however, like everyone else, I am trying to figure out a way to stop the madness. I wonder what else this nasty drug is doing to my body.
So thanks to all who find ways to get off this and for posting your success. I can't even imagine trying to do this cold turkey.

My 16 yr old son has been on Zyrtec and Nasonex for the past 5 years. He recently (3months ago) stopped taking the Zyrtec as he felt he no longer needed it. He had switched to the generic form in the past year. Within about a week, he had developed a hive like rash under his arms and in his groin area. Some itching, but not unbearable.

First trip to the dermatologist diagnosed a type of Rosacea and prescribed sunlight and hydrocortisone cream. Rash got worse. Second opinion said it was some type of fungal infection- he is an athlete, in locker rooms etc-and put him on antibiotics, special soap and and antibacterial cream. After almost three months of no relief, third opinion immediately gave him a shot of steroids, put him on prednisone pills and prescribed another cream (can't recall name and son is out of town with the tube).

He has had some itching, but not totally unbearable. All three Dr.'s are dermatologists. After reading these posts- it really sounds like Zyrtec might be the culprit. He has taken a pill off on and on in the past 3 months for allergies- so how does he clear his system of it totally? Am going to email him and tell him to stop taking any Zyrtec and to just use benadryl as needed. I am thinking also that the generic form is maybe the culprit- that or the withdrawal? He is out of the country for a month- what can I tell him to do?

Update. I could not take the itch with quitting cold turkey. I began to use half a tab at night for a week, half a tab every other night for another week and so on. I still get itchiness here and there but will NEVER take this drug again and will def report this issue. Haven't been the same since.

I stopped taking zyrtec over a month ago. When I stopped, I started taking another brand as a back up, which I stopped about a week ago. I have not had any major withdrawal symptoms other than sneezing spells and I attribute this to having started chiropractic care 2 months ago. Thankfully, this treatment has had an awesome effect on my health, particularly my allergies.

I have used generic Zyrtec for about four or five months due to allergies. And while still on it, didn't miss a dose or anything, I started having terrible itching every night. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes, just terrible itch. Then my husband looked up the side effects of taking Zyrtec and there were all these other things that he found like gaining weight around the middle- this has happened to me - I thought I was just getting fat in my "old age" (I'm 40). I bought Claritin yesterday and took my first dose last night. So far, no itching. I hope I can get off the Zyrtec. Now I am going to research Claritin!

I have also found side effects from discontinuing cetirizine 10mg tabs, the itch in my hands and soles of my feet is unbearable when it starts, night time is the worst and scratch like mad. What has been helpful is applying aqueous cream to my skin and also using it as a cleanser when bathing. I have only stopped cetirizine for 5 day and hoping to tough it out until my bodies own histamines balance out. Thanks to all the previous comments as it has been good to know that others have experienced these withdrawal effect.

I have been using Zyrtec D on and off for years but I had been taking it with more frequency this past year. I stopped taking it cold turkey six days ago and on day two my blood sugar plummeted and I nearly passed out. By day 4 I was bedridden with an extreme headache and nausea. I just visited my Dr today who told me my blood pressure was through the roof and I will have to keep eating small meals throughout the day to keep blood sugar levels in check.

If I'm not better in two weeks I will have to see an endocrinologist. Scary scary drug. But no itching.

I started taking Zyrtec daily in March 2011 for seasonal allergies. Before this season, I was taking Allegra but it got too expensive. Zyrtec really worked well for me and I never noticed any withdrawal symptoms, but I noticed my hair was thinning a few weeks ago. I attributed it to stress or perhaps the fact that I wear my hair back tight in a ponytail almost everyday, but last week I really noticed that I'm several strands of hair away from a bald spot right above my forehead!

I have had thick hair all my life (I'm in my mid-30's) so this is not normal for me. I'm a nursing student and in my pharmacology class I just came across antihistamines (Zyrtec included) and a possible side effect is alopecia! Has anyone else experienced this? I've been taking Zyrtec almost daily for 7 months... and I'm praying that now that I stopped taking it my hair will grow back. I can't find any other info about this...

Two nights ago, I could not fall asleep. It took several hours before I finally dozed off--very unusual for me and very frustrating. Last night I also had a hard time falling asleep, and once I did, I was very restless. A couple hours later (3 a.m.-ish), I started getting very itchy. As the minutes went by, it got worse and worse until I could not go 2 seconds without itching somewhere! I was scratching welts into my skin and I was going nuts! I had no idea what was causing it, but thought to myself that I might have to take a benedryl or something, because I was obviously having some kind of allergy attack.

Then that reminded me--I had stopped taking my once-a-day 10 mg cetirizine pill 3 or 4 days earlier (I had been on it for about 5 or 6 months). It was the ONLY thing that had changed in my life.

At 5:30 a.m. this morning, I came home from my boyfriend's, found my cetirizine pills and immediately took one. Within 30 minutes the itching had decreased by about 50%. I fell back asleep (exhausted after 2 nights of little sleep) and woke up with very little itching. I had no idea itching would be a withdrawal symptom of an allergy medication!

BTW, I had also felt slightly nauseous and headachy last night. I think it is related.

I want to thank the people who reported that they were able to wean themselves off of cetirizine. I will try the same thing.

MY 15 year old daughter was told by her doctor to go off Zyrtec for 5 days before she see's her new allergist. On day 4 of no Zyrtec, she is starting to get itchy. My sister had the same thing happen when she went off. She had severe hives, and had to have several steroid shots. She never took it again. I called Zyrtec to inquire about the itching issues, and they said they've never heard of that. I told them its all over the internet. They don't have anything on file about itching after stopping zyrtec.

If you have itching after stopping Zyrtec, please call them, and tell them about your symptoms. They will forward it to their safety department, and maybe something will be done about this!

I have been taking citirizine for four months due to chronic hives, having read these comments I fear the time when I have to ditch these meds. Have since gained weight around the middle and hips, thought it was middle age spread, very unlike me as I have been slim all my life and it only started when I started the meds. Have at least two months to go before seeing allergist, your comments have been very helpful, going to try and wean myself off these meds. ASAP!

I've been taking the generic form of cetirizine 2 tsp liquid (children's formula) for several months now. I ran out two days ago, and had such a severe headache, pain behind my eyes, nausea yesterday. I was dizzy and lightheaded - almost passed out. After a restless night, I still have a severe headache and pressure/pain behind my eyes, lightheaded. I'm not going to continue with this med after reading all these comments! Yes, it could be something unrelated, but it's too coincidental and these symptoms are uncommon for me.

I have been taking Zyrtec for my allergies since 2000. I take 20 mgs/day, 365 days a year. Any time I ran out of the drug or had to go off for allergy testing, within 24 hours I experienced a stinging burning rash from head to toe. My lips would swell, I had shortness of breath and really unusual for me - insomnia!

On the positive side, I also experienced much more energy, a lift in mood and motivation and focus. Clearly the drug not only sedates me but also causes low grade chronic depression. In 2009, I began experiencing significant unexplained spontaneous bruising that would not heal. When I went to my PCP she ran the labs and showed my kidneys were not functioning properly.

I reduced the dose of Zyrtec and went to see a nephrologist and when he ran the labs, everything was back to normal. Due to severe itching, I returned to the 20/mg dose and about 6 months later had elevated liver enzymes. I was supposed to get retested but never followed up on it.

I have been experiencing marked fatigue, somnolence (literally could not keep my eyes open if I sat down even after a full night's sleep) and digestive issues and can no longer tolerate vitamins I used to take. In July my PCP showed my liver enzymes were elevated still. I lowered my dose of Zyrtec and the next test was better but still abnormal.

I have to go off Zyrtec as it appears it's damaging my liver, but the withdrawal is insane! Even at 10 mgs I'm itching like crazy! I am reporting all of this to the FDA and all of us should! This stuff is scary!

have been using zyrtec everyday for about 6 years, every time I run out the same thing happens, nausea, upset tummy, light headed, heavy eyes, headache, internal shaking all over, tired, generally feel like crap, have to have time off work, within hour of taking it again I start to feel better, I thought it was sinus/hay fever so starting taking them again, how bad is it to know it is withdrawals, then the doctor has told me it is totally safe to use long term, I think the Australian government needs to look into this.

I've been taking the generic versions of zyrtec for a few years now, for indoor and outdoor allergies. Last year after my outdoor allergy season ended I decided to go off zyrtec. By the third day off it I had such unbearable itching all over. Not breaking out in hives or anything like that, just excruciating itching. A couple days later I went back on it and within a few hours the itching completely stopped. So at the time I figured maybe I was still having allergies and still needed it. But I noticed when I went off it I didn't have any worsening hay fever symptoms like itchy eyes, runny nose, sneezing or postnasal drip. Just the itching.

I was a little confused by this because I figured if I'm having such severe itching from allergies, then my other symptoms should be flaring up as well, which they weren't. So I googled "zyrtec withdrawal" just for the heck of it to see if anything came up, and to my surprise I got tens of millions of hits, including a few blogs, as well as this site.

On one hand I'm so relieved to know that this is a real syndrome and that this isn't maybe just all in my head, nor is it a worsening of my allergies. On the other hand, I'm so upset that so many people are going through this, as well as the fact that neither the makers of zyrtec nor the FDA, or any official for that matter, has given any warning whatsoever that withdrawal itching may occur. Either the makers of zyrtec and the FDA have absolutely no clue how to make sure their drugs are safe and/or know what the major side effects are, and are totally ignorant and incompetent, or the zyrtec makers know full well what they're doing, which is, for all intents and purposes, causing people to become physically dependent on their drug to make sure we keep buying it.

I've never imagined that I would ever have to go through drug withdrawal in my life, especially since I've never done any illicit or addictive ones, and I'm sure none of you thought so either. I feel your pain.

I've been in the process of weaning off it for a couple months now. For one month I took half a pill per day(5 mg), the next month I took a quarter pill per day (2.5 mg), and this month I've been trying to take a quarter pill every other day. The first 2 months I had no problem, this month is a different story. So what I've decided to do is take a quarter pill of zyrtec every other day, and take a quarter pill of allegra on the off days. After this month I will then step down to just taking a quarter pill of allegra every other day for about 10 days or so. I'm hoping a quarter pill of allegra every other day should be just enough to keep the most severe withdrawal itching at bay, while not being a high enough dose to cause a dependency on that.

Does this sound like a good feasible plan to you guys? Or should I be going cold turkey sooner, or am I rushing the step down process? Is there anything that can be done or anything that you have done that can ease the withdrawal process? I would appreciate any feedback you might have. Thanks.

Dear SZ,
I know exactly what you are talking about! I went through a very similar reasoning process. My dermatologist and allergist told me that my allergies must just be really bad, but I thought that was strange since, as you mentioned, I didn't have rashes or eczema (it was almost an itching under the skin), or other allergy symptoms like itchy eyes, sneezing, or runny nose. Also, the itching didn't seem to worsen when I was exposed to my allergens.

Similarly, when I found blogs discussing the problem, I felt both glad to have my own understanding confirmed, and also overwhelmed by the possible difficulty of Zyrtec withdrawal and the accompanying itching.

I read about how different people tried alternating Zyrtec and another allergy medicine, but because I didn't think my itching was really allergy related (and I understand, from one pharmacist, that Zyrtec is a *much* stronger antihistamine than allegra or Benadryl), I decided not to try that route.

In case it helps, here is the weaning schedule I used: I took half a pill every other night for a couple months. I then /tried/ to cut down to a quarter pill every other night, but the itching resumed, so I went back to half a pill every other night. I took half a pill every other night for a while--it could have been as long as a year. (I kind of let myself forget about it, which I think was a good thing). I switched to a quarter pill every other night a few months (but not very long) before I went "cold turkey."

I had been quite anxious about how my body would react after I stopped taking it altogether. (I wondered, for example, if the itching would be so bad that I needed to schedule some sick days. In the past I had tried going "cold turkey," being very determined, and got to seven days before my skin actually did start becoming splotchy with hives). I decided to go "cold turkey" in October (2009) when it was just starting to get cold in my city, hoping the cool weather would make any itching more bearable, and I made a kit of lotion and green tea and other things recommended by people on this and other Zyrtec comment boards. THEN I was very pleasantly surprised to find that, because of the weaning process, my body reacted very little when I eliminated Zyrtec completely. I felt a little more "flushed" than normal for a few days, a little bit of tingling/very light itching, but NOTHING like I experienced before. Within a week I knew that my body was no longer chemically dependent on the anti-histamine. I was so glad that, because of the weaning process, there was none of the suffering or discomfort I'd experienced before when trying to go "cold turkey."

I hope you find a method that works for you. I felt really discouraged when I first started reading about this (in 2007), but I felt really accomplished and happy when, thanks to the posts of other people, I was able to wean my body off of it. Best of luck and health to you!

Thank you so much for this blog.

I have been taking Zyrtec now for a couple of years.

I decided to have allergy testing and the Doctor told me to go off of it 5 days before. No warnings or recommendations.

The night I went off it, I started to have slight hives.

The next day was hideous. They come in waves. It is actually not really like hives, but an internal itch that is in different areas and spreads.

Once that wave is over I have a break, but am physically exhausted.

I started to be unable to sleep, very restless and then wake up with these fits of itching that nothing helps. In addition I began to be very hyper. Also I have been progressively in pain in all my joints.

I have also been unable to lose weight and have been told that I seem to be retaining water, EVERYWHERE. I felt like I was so bloated and achy, but as soon as the itching had started the aches and pains went away almost suddenly.

Also my weight is falling off me as is the swelling in just the 3 days I have been off the Zyrtec. And I am eating the same.

The itching is hideous, it is in the ears, scalp, tingling on the lips almost like the feeling of pre anaphalactic shock and down my throat in addition to all the rest of my body. Mostly the torso and up, but it is happening a lot on my feet also.

That is when I found this blog and was just blown away by it. I went cold turkey and decided I will try to weather this and just leave this hideous medication behind, but I am hyper beyond belief. I have 2 kids on Allegra and I now have to deal with them and trying to get them off!

Thanks for all your postings and wish me luck. I am only in day 3!!!

I cannot believe this is so common yet so under reported! I've only taken Z for a year because of seasonal allergies after a move to a different climate. When I stopped because of the season, I've had EXACTLY the same symptoms. Ive even taken pictures of the welts and now bruises (from where I scratched too hard). I thought I was just nuts and the symptoms were pyschosymatic. I'm only on day 3 (of my 3rd attempt to quit). So I'll definitely go back on then ween off.

My biggest concern now is that my youngest has been on Z for three years now! I thought it was safer, less intrusive than allergy shots. Now I'm deeply concerned. Time to find an allergist (in our new city).

Hi DC
I'm just wondering - did your hair ever grow back? I too have been losing hair and assumed it was a thyroid problem but I have had my thyroid checked and re-checked and there is nothing there. But I have lost a lot of hair - and even most of my eyebrows! I've been on Zyrtec for at least 6 months (can't really recall when I started) but just started putting 2 and 2 together. Very curious to see if stopping it will mean my hair grows back. Also hoping the hives (which started the whole zyrtec thing) don't reappear....

Wow. I knew there were side effects from stopping Zyrtec because I tried to stop once a few months ago and was just miserable, so I happened upon all the others feeling the same way. My daughter had to get off of it because she was becoming seriously aggressive, so I wanted to stop it as well since my ears have rung horribly for the years I have been on it.

So I am on day 4 of taking Allegra instead, and I have a headache, light headed, and I was thinking my blood sugar must be off or something (no diabetes diagnosis) because of the trembling inside feeling I have. I'll stick it out since I am done with my ears ringing horribly, but wow... I feel like total crap. I'm exhausted, light-headed, trembling inside and get hungry as if my blood sugar is really low, shivery cold and then hot... this is just awful for an OTC drug that kids get too and that doesn't have warnings about it.

Hi! Did you ever find relief? I realize this is an old post. I just came upon this. I have been trying for years to stop my allergy meds that they put me on one year when there were some fires near by. Every time... I turn into a crazy person... itching everywhere. I always thought I had developed some new health problem and went to several doctors. It never dawned on me that the meds that take away the itching could be the cause of the itching. Now I am on day 3 and feel like all I do is scratch all day... until my skin hurts from all the welts. How long did it take for it to go away (please tell me it will go away!)
Thanks so much!
Cathy

Hi Ram

You mention in your comments that your ears rang horribly for years while taking Zyrtec. Did your ears ring BEFORE taking Zyrtec or did the Zyrtec cause your ringing to occur? Has the ringing since stopped? If so, how long did it take for the ringing to stop?

After taking the over the counter medication Zyrtec for 3 years, I decided to completely stop taking it 5 days ago. What I have been experiencing since then mad me worried that something was terribly wrong with me. I had no clue it could be from not taking Zyrtec until I looked it up online.

I felt nauseous, and light headed the first couple of days. That subsided for the most part, and then I started itching really bad mostly on my arms, scalp and upper Torso, having sneezing spells, as well as experiencing insomnia. This is miserable! I can't believe I am having to deal with withdrawals from an over the counter medication!

I have never taken drugs in my life, so having to deal with something like this from taking Zyrtec is absurd! I am going to continue to not take Zyrtec, and I really hope to have this drug out of my system soon! I will never take this medication again!

Hi
I am also a sufferer of the same itching syndrome. I have taken the drug for 18 months and tried once to withdraw. The itching commenced 4 days after my last pill. It was bad. But I incremented then the dosage due to a bad allergy and after two days the itching is horrendous. So it seems that breaking the habit is horrible.

I started yesterday my own golgotha of going cold turkey. From successful stories I have read they were able to manage the itching using iboprufen, Vitamin C, Sarna anti Itch Cream, Stinging Nettle extract and doing a detox. I think part of the itching has to do with the liver hormone so I am going to try to include whey protein and see if it works. Wish me luck. So it seems the first 7 days are ugly and though the other 7 days are bad too, people say you can get over it. The body doens't need it.

I started taking Zyrtec 10 years ago! I've taking 10mg every day since then. I was prescribed it to treat Urticaria, which is chronic hives! This is exactly what it would CAUSE when I tried to go off or forgot a dose. When I've run out or tried to go off (to see if I still needed it) my skin would go absolutely insane. The itching and burning and tingling of my skin would sometimes make me cry. I wouldn't be able to go anywhere or do anything or touch anything without terrible itching.

It always starts in my palms then everywhere else randomly. The itchy palms were my indicator that I had forgotten to take my Zyrtec. Weight gain has also been a part of my life since then, although there are many other aspects to gaining weight (Lifestyle change, stress, other medications). I am now on a journey to go off all meds and Zyrtec is my last one since it caused me the most grief when going off. Birth control was easier to quit (hormones can make a woman crazy!). It was also easier to quit my anti-depressants. For something that is now OTC, this is unacceptable in my book.

Nothing that is so freely available for all ages should cause this much dependency. I am trying cold turkey, but after reading all these (Thank God I found this) I am going to try weening myself off so I don't kill my poor husband and scrape all my skin off. I am thankful for the relief it brought me so many years ago, however, I am now certain there are better and healthier ways to deal with skin problems. I'm going natural and holistic.

Wow! All these comments are really hitting home. I have suffered from these same issues for the past 2 or 3 years. The itching is unbearable. I was wondering if anyone has tried taking a supplemental allergy pill while trying to eliminate the Zyrtec from your system or is it the same for all anti-histamines? Also, does anyone else seems to notice the itching and hives get worse while sweating/working out?

I beg you all to please go to FDA.gov - the website for the Food and Drug Administration - and report the problems you have. I've done it and it is very easy. Once you get to the home page, go to the search box on the top right and type in MEDWATCH. Click on the first choice that comes up, and go to the left hand column that says REPORT SERIOUS PROBLEMS. When that page comes up, click on SUBMIT YOUR REPORT ON LINE. On that page, in the right column click on BEGIN. Fill out the form and send it online. Very easy. The FDA MUST investigate this drug and the harm it is doing.