How Was Your Experience With Allegra
Allegra is a prescription medication used to relieve the following:
- symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis in patients 2 years of age and older
- symptoms of urticaria such as red, itchy raised areas of the skin, including itching and rash, in patients 6 months of age and older.
This medication may be prescribed for other uses. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for more information.
Is Zyrtec Safe During Pregnancy
It may be OK to continue taking many allergy medications while you are pregnant nevertheless, you should talk to your doctor about this to give yourself some piece of mind. Antihistamines that are taken by mouth, such as cetirizine , chlorpheniramine , diphenhydramine , fexofenadine , and loratadine , appear to be risk-free.
What Medications Are Never Safe During Pregnancy
Common medications that you should avoid during pregnancy are aspirin, ibuprofen, opioids, Xanax, and Valium.
- Aspirin and ibuprofen: Part of a class of drugs called NSAIDs, these are associated with a higher risk of heart defects.
- Opioids: Opioid use during pregnancy is associated with severe, catastrophic birth defects.
- Xanax and Valium: These sedatives are both associated with an increased risk of certain birth defects.
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How To Reduce Your Symptoms While Pregnant
Unfortunately, one of best ways to reduce allergy symptoms is to avoid your triggers, but thats often easier said than done. You cant just lock yourself inside your house during ragweed season!
But there are a few alternative remedies for cutting down on your exposure to allergens, says Dr. Jones. You can:
- Change your clothes after spending time outside or exposed to allergy triggers.
- Run a humidifier to remove allergens and impurities from the air.
- Stay hydrated.
- Use nasal saline irrigation.
- Utilize air conditioning in your car and home instead of keeping the windows open.
Of course, if youre still struggling with your allergy symptoms, you should reach out for additional help.
Don’t hesitate to chat with your physician or midwife regarding your symptoms and seek their expert advice what can be done, says Dr. Jones.
Which Drugs Are Safe Or Unsafe
Violetta Shamilova, PharmD, is a board-certified pharmacist and assistant professor at Touro College in New York.
You may need to keep taking prescription drugs during pregnancy. Stopping a medically necessary medication could endanger both you and your baby. Still, it’s smart to be concerned about how a drug might affect a growing fetus.
Different drugs carry different risks. Your comfort is also an important thing to consider. Allergies can be miserable, and medication can help keep allergy symptoms at bay.
This article looks at the safety and use of different allergy medications during pregnancy.
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Can You Take Claritin And Benadryl
Taking Claritin and Benadryl together is not recommended.
Combining them can increase the risk of adverse effects since they have similar side effects.
Claritin has a long half-life, so taking Benadryl 12 hours after Claritin may not be a safe idea.
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Allegra During Pregnancy And Breastfeeding
Generic Name: FexofenadineFDA Drug Category: CSummary Recommendations: Allegra is an over-the-counter allergy medication once available only by prescription. The medication is commonly used as a preventative treatment for seasonal allergies, but may be suggested to some patients for off-label treatment of other medical conditions. Allegra falls into the pregnancy category C, which means risk to pregnant women and the fetus has not been ruled out. If you are taking Allegra and you test positive for pregnancy, contact your allergist or obstetrician immediately for advice on how to proceed with your allergy treatment.
General Precautions: Allegra is generally considered safe, but there are some medications, medical conditions and precautions patients need to consider before taking Allegra. Patients with a history of drug allergies should talk with a physician or pharmacist before starting Allegra. It is also important to tell your physician about all drugs, both prescription and over-the-counter, you are currently taking as some drugs may interact with Allegra. Two drugs known to interact with Allegra are Nizoral and erythromycin.
Allegra should never be taken with fruit juices, including apple, grapefruit and orange. If you have kidney disease, or any other medical condition, talk with your physician before taking Allegra.
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Allergy Medicine While Pregnant
Loratadine
Loratadine is an antihistamine for treating symptoms like watery eyes, runny nose, itching, sneezing from hay fever, and other allergic symptoms. In addition, it is used to alleviate hives itching.
This medication does not prevent hives or treat a severe allergic reaction .
No side effects are known to associate with this allergy medicine while pregnant. It is rare for this drug to cause a severe allergic reaction.
However, you may notice any symptoms of a severe allergic reaction, including severe dizziness, itching/swelling of the face/tongue/throat, breathing problems, and rash.
This drug usually has no side effects. Loratadine rarely causes drowsiness when taken at recommended doses. However, you should not drive, operate machinery, or engage in any activity that requires alertness until you are sure it is safe.
Pregnant women should only take this allergy medication if it is clearly necessary.
Contact your doctor or pharmacist promptly if you have any unusual effects or are concerned about the risks and benefits.
Cetirizine
Cetirizine allergy medicine is an antihistamine that helps relieve allergy symptoms like runny nose, watery eyes, itching eyes/nose, and sneezing, hives.
Your body produces histamine when it reacts to an allergen, and this medication blocks it.
Cetirizine wont prevent hives or treat a severe allergic reaction .
Fexofenadine
The drug blocks a natural substance produced by your body during an allergic reaction.
Diphenhydramine
Drug Safety During Pregnancy
The Food and Drug Administration does not consider any drug completely safe during pregnancy. This is because of the ethical problems with testing drugs in pregnant women.
Instead, the FDA has created pregnancy registries. These are studies that help doctors understand how safe certain drugs might be. They contain information that doctors have gained while observing pregnant patients who take medications. You and your doctor can use this information to decide if a drug is right for you.
It is your doctor’s responsibility to talk to you about drug risks and benefits. This includes continuing, stopping, or starting a medication while pregnant. Every person is different, so the decision is always based on individual needs.
Every pregnancy is different. Talk to your doctor about medication risks and benefits and how they might apply to you.
Drugs used to be put into categories labeled A, B, C, D, and X. For example, low-risk drugs were in category A those proven harmful were in category X. Today, a new prescription labeling system has replaced the old one. These new labels provide more detailed information about the risks to mothers, fetuses, and breastfeeding babies.
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What About Supplements
Some nutritional or herbal supplements may help ease allergy symptoms. But don’t assume they’re safe just because they’re natural. Plenty of natural products can harm you and your baby. Always check with your healthcare provider before starting supplements.
Also, do what you can to limit contact with allergens:
- Use dust-proof covers on bedding
- Wash bedding frequently
- Shower after spending time outside
- Keep damp areas of the home clean and well aired
It’s a bad idea to let your allergy symptoms go unchecked. If these methods don’t work, safeguard your health by knowing what you can take when symptoms crop up.
Is Allegra Or Allegra
Both Allegra and Allegra-D are effective medications for treating allergy symptoms. However, Allegra-D is more suitable for relieving congestion and sinus pressure because of the added pseudoephedrine. Currently, there are no head-to-head trials comparing Allegra and Allegra-D.
Compared to first-generation antihistamines like Benadryl , Allegra has less sedating side effects. In this regard, Allegra can be considered safer than older antihistamines.
According to a review of second-generation antihistamines, Allegra was found to be comparable to drugs like Zyrtec and Claritin for treating allergic rhinitis. But, Zyrtec may be more effective than Allegra for treating hives.
The best seasonal allergy medicine is the one that works best for you and your specific symptoms. Consult with your healthcare provider to find the most effective allergy drug for you. One drug may be better depending on your overall health and other drugs you may be taking.
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Is Immunotherapy Safe For Pregnant Women
If you get pregnant while undergoing immunotherapy treatment, theres no need to pause your shots or allergy drops. Immunotherapy is considered safe during pregnancy, and your allergist will continue to monitor you after you receive each dose to ensure that you arent experiencing any unexpected side effects.
However, allergists often stop increasing dosages of immunotherapy treatments when a patient gets pregnant, waiting until after delivery to resume treatment progression. If you are already taking a maintenance dose of your immunotherapy treatment, your dosages will remain unchanged throughout your pregnancy.
If youve been considering starting immunotherapy treatment for your allergies, its best to wait until your baby is born. After the delivery, you can begin exploring the treatment options for immunotherapy with the help of an allergist.
Choosing An Allergy Medication
Once you know which medications are safe to take, youll have to figure out which one will work the best for you. If your allergies are chronic or environmental , you may want to find an antihistamine you can take every day, such as Claritin or Zyrtec.
Seasonal allergies can also be treated this way, but if your symptoms are very infrequent, Benadryl is a good, super-safe choice.
Benadryl can make you excessively drowsy, so be careful of when you take it if youre not sure how it will affect you, dont take a dose before driving. If it makes you sleepy, save your dose for the evening hours, before bedtime.
If you suffer from sinus pain or pressure during allergies, one of the nasal steroid sprays can be a good option. Pregnant women often end up with excess nasal congestion anyway, thanks to an increase in fluid and blood volume a nasal steroid can help relieve some of these additional symptoms.
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What Can I Do For My Allergies While Pregnant
Step-by-Step Care:
Cough Cold And Allergy
It is very common for women to experience cough, cold, or allergy symptoms during pregnancy. The use of multiple OTC medications to treat these symptoms increases from the first to the third trimester. According to one study, 92.6% of the obstetric population interviewed self-medicated with OTC medications. The common cold is typically caused by numerous viruses and, therefore, is usually self-limiting. Pregnant women should be advised to first try nonpharmacologic treatments such as a saline nasal spray, the use of a humidifier, and increased hydration. The most commonly used cough, cold, and allergy products include antihistamines, decongestants, antitussives, and expectorants .
It appears that the older sedating antihistamines, also known as first-generation agents, are safe in pregnancy. The recommended first-line agent is chlorpheniramine , which is Category B. According to the Collaborative Perinatal Project, chlorpheniramine use during pregnancy was not associated with an increased risk of malformations. Diphenhydramine is also an option in patients who need symptomatic relief from allergy or cold symptoms. It is also Category B and was not associated with an increased risk of malformations however, it can cross the placenta and has been reported to have possible oxytocin-like effects at high doses when used during labor.
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What Should I Avoid
Avoid using antacids within 15 minutes before or after taking a medication that contains Allegra. Antacids can make it harder for your body to absorb this medication.
Fruit juices and certain antacids can make it harder for your body to absorb fexofenadine. Do not take Allegra with fruit juice .
Avoid taking any other cold or allergy medicines unless your doctor has told you to.
What Pain Medications Are Safe During Pregnancy
The safest pain medication during pregnancy is acetaminophen, which is sold over-the-counter as Tylenol . Acetaminophen can also be prescribed by your doctor.
However, recent studies have indicated that acetaminophen use may be linked to certain birth defects. Talk to your doctor to assess the risks and benefits of taking pain medication.
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Is Claritin D Safe During Pregnancy
Im wondering if taking Claritin-D while Im pregnant is safe. Claritin-D should not be taken during pregnancy unless the potential benefits outweigh the possible dangers to the developing fetus. If you are pregnant, you should discuss beginning this medicine with your healthcare professional before you do so.
Immunotherapy And Influenza Vaccine
Allergen immunotherapy is often effective for those patients in whom symptoms persist despite optimal environmental control and proper drug therapy. Allergen immunotherapy can be carefully continued during pregnancy in patients who are benefiting and not experiencing adverse reactions. Due to the greater risk of anaphylaxis with increasing doses of immunotherapy and a delay of several months before it becomes effective, it is generally recommended that this therapy not be started during pregnancy.
Patients receiving immunotherapy during pregnancy should be carefully evaluated. It may be appropriate to lower the dosage in order to further reduce the chance of an allergic reaction to the injections.
Influenza vaccine is recommended for all patients with moderate and severe asthma. There is no evidence of associated risk to the mother or fetus.
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Cold Medications To Avoid
- Alka-Seltzer : There is some evidence this can cause unsafe fluid buildup during pregnancy. Also, Alka-Seltzer Plus, which is developed for cold and flu symptoms, contains phenylephrine, which may carry an increased risk of birth defects.
- Any cold relief medication that includes aspirin or ibuprofen: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a category that includes aspirin and ibuprofen. Studies have shown that women who took these drugs are more likely to give birth to babies with heart defects.
- Sudafed during the first trimester: Some studies have shown an increased risk of birth defects associated with use of pseudoephedrine during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Herbals And Dietary Supplements
During pregnancy, herbal remedies are used for nausea, respiratory symptoms, urinary tract infections, pain, and other nonspecific issues.40 However, there are few human data on the safety of herbal remedies in pregnancy. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act of 1994 requires manufacturers to ensure the safety of supplements before marketing. However, there is no registration process with the FDA, which takes action only if a supplement is found to be unsafe after marketing.41 Herbals were not included in the NBDPS until the year 2000. According to a subanalysis of the NBDPS, 10.9% of women use herbals during pregnancy, most commonly peppermint, cranberry extract, herbal teas, ginger, chamomile, Echinacea, ginseng, raspberry leaf, and ephedra products.42
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Is Benadryl Safe While Pregnant
In most cases, taking Benadryl while pregnant is not risky at all. According to the Food and Drug Administration, it is a drug that falls under the Category B category . According to this categorization, the medicine is thought to pose no harm to expectant mothers who take the prescription, as well as no risk to the infant being carried by those expecting mothers.
Do Allergies Get Worse With Pregnancy
During pregnancy, allergy symptoms can become more severe for around one-third of women who are expecting mothers. Another one-third of people report that their allergy symptoms do not change. And still another one-third of people report that their allergy problems go better while they are pregnant.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Allegra
Is Allegra-D available by prescription?
While you can get Allegra-D from behind the pharmacy counter in most states, a few states require a prescription. Allegra-D is also considered a controlled substance in states like Oregon.
How long does it take for Allegra-D to work?
This medication starts working within an hour of taking it.
Can I take Allegra-D with juice?
Taking this medication with apple, grapefruit or orange juice can affect the absorption of this medication. Its recommended to take this medication with only water.
Can pregnant women take Allegra-D ?
Allegra-D should only be used during pregnancy if the benefit justifies the potential risk to the unborn baby. Talk to your provider before starting this medication if you are pregnant.
Can I drink alcohol while using Allegra-D ?
Drinking alcohol while taking Allegra-D can raise your risk of side effects, especially dizziness and drowsiness. It is best to avoid alcohol or limit your intake when taking this medication.
Pain Medications To Avoid
- NSAIDs including aspirin and ibuprofen: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are a category that includes aspirin and ibuprofen. Studies have shown that women who take these drugs are more likely to give birth to babies with heart defects.
- Opioid pain medications such as codeine, oxycodone, hydrocodone, and morphine: Taking these medications is associated with severe birth defects affecting the brain, heart, and intestines, as well as withdrawal symptoms in newborns.
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