What Other Medicines Contain Chlorphenamine
Chlorphenamine is widely available under various brand names, including:
- Allercalm allergy relief tablets
- Lloyds pharmacy allergy relief syrup
- Numark antihistamine tablets and liquid
- Pollenase antihistamine tablets
Chlorphenamine tablets, oral solution and injection are also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine.
Last medically reviewed: 15-06-2020
Who Can And Can’t Take Cetirizine
Cetirizine tablets and liquid that you buy from pharmacies and supermarkets can be taken by adults and children aged 6 and older.
Children over the age of 2 can also take liquid cetirizine for hay fever and skin allergies.
Cetirizine can also be taken under medical supervision by children aged 1 year and older.
Cetirizine isn’t suitable for some people. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you:
- have had an allergic reaction to cetirizine or any other medicines in the past
- have an allergy to the food additives E218 or E216
- have an intolerance to or can’t absorb some sugars, such as lactose or sorbitol
- have liver or kidney failure
- have epilepsy or another health problem that puts you at risk of fits
- have a condition that means you have difficulty peeing
- are booked to have an allergy test taking cetirizine may affect the results, so you might need to stop taking it a few days before the test
What Happens If You Take Too Many Antihistamines
Some side effects of taking antihistamines can mimic symptoms of an overdose. These include mild nausea, dizziness, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain. These symptoms dont usually require medical treatment, and may subside as your body adjusts to the medication. Even so, check with a doctor if you have side effects.
Recommended Reading: Robitussin For Allergies
How Much Benadryl Can I Take For An Allergic Reaction
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
Ask U.S. doctors your own question and get educational, text answers â it’s anonymous and free!
HealthTap doctors are based in the U.S., board certified, and available by text or video.
Best Overall: Allegra Adult Non
-
Better for those under their 60s
-
Can cause drowsiness
No matter how much you love your furry friends, life isnt going to be easy if youre allergic to them. You can give yourself some relief by taking the Xyzal Allergy Relief Tablets that were made to alleviate symptoms associated with animal dander allergies.
Unless youre willing to get rid of your pet, many say this is the only thing that works. Additionally, Parikh suggests keeping the pet out of your bedroom and getting a HEPA air purifier.
Recommended Reading: Can You Take Allergy Medicine With Antibiotics
What Antihistamine Is Right For You
You can buy many different brands and forms of antihistamines without a prescription.
- Some work for only 4 to 6 hours, while others last for 12 to 24 hours.
- Some are combined with a decongestant, a drug that dries up your nasal passages.
Ask your health care provider what type of antihistamine and what exact dosage is right for you or your child. Make sure you understand how much to use and how many times a day to use it. Be sure to read the label carefully. Or ask your pharmacist if you have questions.
- Some antihistamines cause less sleepiness than others. These include cetirizine , desloratadine , fexofenadine , and loratadine .
- Do not drink alcohol when you are taking antihistamines.
Also, remember:
- Store antihistamines at room temperature, away from heat, direct light, and moisture.
- Do not freeze antihistamines.
- Keep all medicines where children cannot reach them.
Preventing Allergy Symptoms: Environmental Control And Allergy Shots
While medicines are important, donât forget about environmental control. If you can limit your exposure to an allergen, you can prevent or dampen your bodyâs allergic reaction.
âI think too many allergists donât bother talking to patients about environmental control,â says Bernstein. âThey donât give their patients enough credit and just prescribe them medicines.â Bernstein says that environmental control should be a crucial part of treatment.
Donât wait until after allergy symptoms start before making changes to your environment and behavior. As the pollen season approaches, get in the habit of keeping your windows closed. In the spring, install your air conditioners early, since theyâre ideal for filtering the outside air that comes into your home.
While most allergy treatments are only temporary fixes, allergy shots — or immunotherapy — can offer a more or less permanent solution. By exposing your body to regular, small doses of an allergen — by injections under the skin — your immune system can learn to cope without triggering an allergic reaction. Gradually, the doses are increased. Eventually — and in most cases — even a large amount of the allergen wonât cause allergy symptoms.
âIn correctly chosen patients, the success rate of immunotherapy is over 95%,â says Pramod S. Kelkar, MD, chair of the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma, and Immunologyâs Cough Taskforce.
Also Check: Claritin Reditabs Review
How Does This Medication Work What Will It Do For Me
Cetirizine belongs to the class of medications called second-generation antihistamines, specifically the class known as histamine receptor antagonists. For adults and children 2 years of age and older, it is used for the relief of symptoms associated with seasonal allergies including sneezing itchy nose and throat stuffy and runny nose and tearing, red, or itchy eyes. It is also used for the relief of symptoms associated with allergic skin conditions such as itchy skin and hives. For adults and children over the age of 12 years, it is also used for the relief of symptoms associated with year-round allergies and hives.
Cetirizine works by blocking the actions of one of the bodys natural chemicals known as histamine. Histamine is responsible for many of the symptoms caused by allergies.
Cetirizine usually starts to relieve allergy symptoms within 20 minutes and lasts for 24 hours.
This medication may be available under multiple brand names and/or in several different forms. Any specific brand name of this medication may not be available in all of the forms or approved for all of the conditions discussed here. As well, some forms of this medication may not be used for all of the conditions discussed here.
Do not give this medication to anyone else, even if they have the same symptoms as you do. It can be harmful for people to take this medication if their doctor has not prescribed it.
What If I Forget To Take It
Take your forgotten dose as soon as you remember, unless it’s nearly time for your next dose. Do not take a double dose to make up for a forgotten dose.
If you forget to give a dose to a child who is taking cetirizine twice a day, you can give the dose if it’s within 4 hours of when they should have had it.
If you remember more than 4 hours after, do not give the missed dose. Instead, wait until the next dose and carry on as normal.
If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.
Don’t Miss: Developing Food Allergies In 20s
What Other Treatments Can I Try For Allergies
If you are concerned about side effects or drug interactions, there are alternative treatments.
Allergy sprays can be an effective treatment option. Nasal corticosteroids are safe for daily use, and dont cause systemic side effects or interactions that daily pills can.
Certain supplements may alleviate symptoms. Research suggests quercetin, a bioflavonoid derived from plant sources, helps inhibit histamine release. works best when started 2-3 weeks prior to allergy season. Continue to take it throughout the season, says , a holistic health practitioner and naturologist. Vitamin C, bromelain, butterbur, and apple cider vinegar may also help to boost your immune system so it can better respond to allergens.
Lifestyle changes such as reducing your exposure to allergy triggers or using a HEPA air filter can help to reduce your reaction during peak allergy season.
What Questions Should I Ask My Healthcare Provider
- What type of antihistamine would work best for me?
- How do I proper take the prescribed antihistamine?
- What side effects might occur with the recommended medication?
- What antihistamine wont interfere with the current medications I am taking?
- When, or for what conditions, does taking an antihistamine that would make me drowsy make sense?
- Can I live my life normally while using this medication? Can I drive? Can I operate heavy machinery?
- Can I take antihistamines if I am pregnant, planning to become pregnancy or am breastfeeding?
- Can antihistamines be safely given to my child?
- What are the consequences if I dont take an antihistamine to help with my allergies?
A note from Cleveland Clinic
Histamine is on your side. The chemical does its best to regulate help your heart and lungs and protect your body from foreign allergens, among other roles. But it can be oversensitive, and it can overreact, and thats where antihistamines can help. If youre have allergies, stomach symptoms or any of the other conditions and symptoms mentioned in this article, talk to your healthcare provider about your options. Your symptoms may be able to be treated.
Always check with your healthcare provider and your pharmacist if you have concerns about antihistamines, and always follow the directions on the labels!
Recommended Reading: What Allergy Medicine Is Stronger Than Zyrtec
Before Taking This Medicine
You should not use Singulair if you are allergic to montelukast.
To make sure Singulair is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have ever had:
-
mental illness or psychosis or
-
asthma, or a history of severe allergic reaction after taking aspirin or another NSAID.
The chewable tablet may contain phenylalanine and could be harmful if you have phenylketonuria .
Tell your doctor if you are pregnant or breastfeeding.
Do not give Singulair to a child without a doctor’s advice.
Who Can And Can’t Take Piriton
Piriton can be taken by most people. The tablets are suitable for adults and children aged six years and over, while the syrup is suitable for adults and children aged one year and over.
Piriton syrup is not licensed for babies under one year of age. Doctors do sometimes prescribe chlorphenamine for babies aged one month or over, however you must not give Piriton syrup to babies aged under one year unless instructed to by your doctor.
Piriton tablets and syrup are not suitable for:
- People who have taken a type of antidepressant called a monoamine oxidase inhibitor in the last 14 days.
- People with an allergy to any ingredient of Piriton.
- Piriton tablets and Piriton allergy tablets contain lactose and are not suitable for people with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.
- Piriton syrup contains sucrose and is not suitable for people with rare hereditary problems of fructose intolerance, glucose-galactose malabsorption or sucrose-isomaltase insufficiency.
Some people should get medical advice before taking Piriton. Check with your doctor or pharmacist if you or your child:
You May Like: What Allergy Medicine Is Stronger Than Zyrtec
Is There Anyone Who Should Not Take Zyrtec
Zyrtec is safe for most people, but there are some populations that should stay away from it. Children under 2, anyone with a history of allergic reaction to Zyrtec or hydroxyzine/piperazine derivatives, and people with severe renal impairment are all people who probably shouldnt take Zyrtec, says Dr. Patel. For people with these conditions, Zyrtec can cause adverse health effects.
If you are pregnant and breastfeeding, Dr. Patel recommends speaking to your doctor before using it, since some women have experienced side effects. Dr. Eitches suggests taking it with caution if youre on other medications or take some kind of sleeping aid to help you go to bed.
When in doubt, its best to go to your doctor with any questions before you take Zyrtec as an allergy medicine. All things considered though, youre likely to be fine when using Zyrtec, as side effects arent terribly common, Boomershine notes. Still, its best to be aware of potential Zyrtec side effectsespecially if youre planning on popping the stuff on the reg over the next few months.
Other Medicines With Similar Side Effects
Youre more likely to get side effects such as dry mouth, blurred vision, difficulty passing urine or constipation if you take Piriton with other medicines that can cause these type of side effects, such as:
- antimuscarinic medicines for Parkinsons symptoms, eg procyclidine, orphenadrine, trihexiphenidyl
- antimuscarinic medicines for urinary incontinence, eg oxybutynin, flavoxate, tolterodine, propiverine, trospium
- some antipsychotics, eg chlorpromazine, clozapine
- antispasmodics, eg hyoscine, atropine
- tricyclic antidepressants, eg amitriptyline, imipramine
Chlorphenamine may increase the blood level of the antiepileptic medicine phenytoin.
You May Like: Signs Of Seasonal Allergies In Toddlers
Recommended Reading: What Allergy Medicine Is Stronger Than Zyrtec
What Is Allergy Pretreatment
Allergy pretreatment is simple: start taking your medicine a few weeks before the allergy season starts. While they might vary by a week or so from year to year, the pollen seasons are really quite predictable, says Hugh H. Windom, MD, associate clinical professor of immunology at the University of South Florida. So if you know the allergens that trigger your allergies, getting a jump on them should be easy.
âThe sooner you get on your medicine, the better,â Windom says. What type of medicine works best for pretreatment of allergies? That depends on your case.
âThereâs no ideal drug for preventing allergy symptoms,â Windom says. âChoosing the best drug depends a lot on what worked for you in the past.â
Any allergy medicine can work as pretreatment, more or less. Antihistamines are an excellent choice, experts say. Examples of over-the-counter antihistamines are Benadryl or Claritin. Prescription antihistamines, like the nasal spray Astelin, are another option. Other allergy medicines that work in different ways, such as steroids — like Flonase, Nasonex, or Veramyst — can also help.
What if you donât take the medicine before your symptoms start? Donât despair. âBeing off by a day or two is not a big deal,â Windom tells WebMD. âBut donât wait a whole week, since by then you might already have a cough, and congestion, or worse.â
If youâre pretreating every year, how will you know if youâve outgrown your allergies?
Other Antihistamines Or Allergy Medicines
You should not use Piriton in combination with other antihistamines. However, it’s fine to use it with other types of medicine for allergies, for example steroid nasal sprays or cromoglicate eye drops, assuming these are appropriate – always get advice from your pharmacist.
Be aware that some cough, cold and travel sickness medicines contain antihistamines, so always check with your pharmacist before using Piriton with any other medicines.
Read Also: Can Allergies Make You Throw Up
Health Solutions From Our Sponsors
round, white, imprinted with C35, M
round, white, imprinted with M, C37
rectangular, white, imprinted with APO, 10MG
rectangular, white, imprinted with APO, 10 MG
oblong, white, imprinted with CTN, 10
capsule, white, imprinted with S 521
oval, white, imprinted with 4H2
rectangular, white, imprinted with APO, 10 MG
oval, white, imprinted with 4H2
rectangular, white, imprinted with ZYRTEC, 10
rectangular, white, imprinted with ZYRTEC, 5
What Are Antihistamines
Antihistamines are a class of drugs used to control the bodys production of histamine, a chemical made by your immune system in response to common allergens like mold, dust, pollen, ragweed, pets, insect bites/stings, latex, and food. The release of too much histamine spurs bothersome symptoms like itchy eyes, coughing, sneezing, runny nose, congestion, itchy throat, itchy skin, rashes, wheezing, shortness of breath, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, and fatigue.
Antihistamines are classified into two groups:
Seasonal allergies are typically limited to the spring, summer, and early fall, but perennial allergies can occur year-round. If its not possible to eliminate exposure to your allergy trigger, you may keep daily symptoms under control with an antihistamine.
Read Also: How To Know If You Have Dust Allergies
How Allergy Drugs Work
Much of the confusion regarding the loss of a drug effect stems from the misuse of the terms immunity and resistance.
Immunity is the bodys defense against a harmful substance. Resistance describes the process wherein a bacteria, virus, or other disease-causing agent changes and is able to overcome the effects of the drug. Neither of these processes applies to changes in how certain allergy medications work.
With an allergy, the immune system overreacts to an otherwise harmless substance and floods the body with a chemical known as histamine. The main function of histamine is to trigger inflammation, the bodys natural response to injury. It does so by dilating blood vessels so that immune cells can get closer to the site of an injury or infection.
In the absence of injury or infection, histamine can trigger an array of adverse symptoms, including itching, rash, sneezing, runny nose, stomach ache, nausea, and vomiting. Allergy medications are used to counter these effects because they are able to block the inflammatory process.
Among them:
In none of these instances does a substance mutate or the immune system alters its natural response. What happens instead is that the body develops a tolerance to the drug, particularly if overused.
Read Also: Reading Allergy Test Results
