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Zyrtec Addicts Survey

Have you had Zyrtec withdrawal itch?

  • Yes

  • No, took it for an extended period of time (like >= 2 months) and no itch when stopping

  • Never took it for an extended period.

  • Never tried to stop.

Results are only viewable after voting.
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G

glugglug

Diamond Member
According to the product literature and most doctors, Zyrtec and other antihistamines are non-addictive, and any "withdrawal symptoms" you may have are actually just your allergies when you stop taking them.

After searching online and seeing hundreds if not thousands of people complaining with the exact same symptoms, I am quite certain this is wrong.

The primary withdrawal symptom of Zyrtec is an unbearable hot crawling itch, especially on the hands and feet. People have ended up in the ER from this itch, we aren't talking about something like from a bug bite here. From the blood work they did to see why I had this itch when I went off Zyrtec for a week for more allergy testing, the doctors actually told me the itch was from elevated liver hormones, and they kept asking if I was an alchoholic. (most people are apparently told it is an allergy), which makes me wonder how dangerous the withdrawal could be. Gradually stopping it now using the children's liquid version to get smaller doses instead of going cold turkey.

I've also been getting migraines from the withdrawal. Never had itching or migraine problems before taking it, my allergies are all nasal/sinus.

From the # of people saying the same thing online, I think there is no way in hell that this didn't come up during testing, and there is definitely a cover-up. I'm wondering just how common this is, so creating this survey.
 
glugglug said:
The primary withdrawal symptom of Zyrtec is an unbearable hot crawling itch
Click to expand...

I took Zyrtec when I was younger and experienced this a few times. I had stopped taking the stuff twice to get an allergy test done and then finally just decided to stop taking it altogether. The itching was almost unbearable on the inside of my thighs and my abdomen. Crazy itching! Never touching those allergy medicines again.

IIRC, the itching lasted 2-3 days.
 
my allergies get worse than they would had I not been taking it if I forget. However, they're better when I'm taking it so I take it.
 
I used it as needed for a while, maybe a few times a week, and never had any of that. I don't take it any more, I don't think it was very effective. If I have some allergy that I really can't just deal with, I'm taking benadryl. Nuclear option or nothing.
 
I take Zyrtec all the time in the spring/summer/fall, and stop for the winter since I don't need it anymore. Never had that happen to me.
 
My wife takes it off and on as needed and has from quite a while... she used to get it by prescription, now buys it over the counter. No problems, but she doesn't take it every day either.

And we can't elect Ron Paul in 2008, OP. 😛

*edit - I e-mailed this to the wife, she said that she has actually had symptoms similar to what you are describing, OP. She gets a feeling of swelling (though there isn't any actual swelling) in her hands and feet sometimes, as well as a warm itchy feeling. Also, like you she just assumed that it was her allergies, so she took some Zyrtec and went away. So, not sure if it's a whithdrawl symptom or truely just her allergies, but for what it's worth it would appear she's had similar issues.
 
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acheron said:
I take Zyrtec all the time in the spring/summer/fall, and stop for the winter since I don't need it anymore. Never had that happen to me.
Click to expand...

same here, but i only take it during fall / spring... AND i alternate between zyrtec and clariton.

no withdrawal.... i'm, however, addicted to ambien....psychologically....
 
I take it daily.

If I miss a day...my normal symptoms will come back immediately. These symptoms do not include itching on hands and feet though.
 
I used to take it all the time 10mg, then It stopped working so I got bumped to 20mg, then I decided to stop taking it since I feel it would keep going up in mg. So I just take it when needed.
 
Hmmm...interesting. I've been taking it in the fall and spring for years. I never thought about it before, but I do get some itching on the backs of my hands and feet for a bit when I go off. Usually it's minor, but I remember it being uncomfortable at times.
 
The hot crawling itch sounds similar to a problem I have called prickly heats. It's like a hundred burning needles poking you in a specific area of your body.
 
sounds like you are blaming menopausal hot flashes on Zyrtec


and no. but zyrtec is what I take when I run out of clariton
 
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