I've been having seasonal allergy problems pretty badly this past week. The only relief was with Benadryl, but i can't afford to be drowsy all the time. The long-expired Claritin, one a day, controls my eyes tearing and rhinitis, but I think it's making me confused- like, I'm having trouble organizing stuff and thinking deeply. Also, I'm very easily exhausted, and my muscles all feel harder to move than usual, and there's a post nasal drip.
Is this from the allergy or the Claritin, and what else can I do? (especially to clear my head.)

sounds like the meds. Typical side effects of both. Have you tried allegra?

No. Is it OTC?

Go to an allergist.

I did at the beginning of this summer when my allergies spiraled out of control. I haven't suffered allergy symptoms since. (I was prescribed Nasonex.)

Thanks. I'm going tomorrow.

Btw, chlorpheniramine was what I used to use to control the symptoms. It does make you drowsy but the twelve hour extended release tablet was never debilitating for me.



Although I suppose it's possible for anyone to react in any way to any given drug, my understanding of loratadine is that it's extremely mild. I've never had any kind of side effect from taking it and I've never known anyone who has.

And what do you mean by "long-expired"? If you mean that they're old, by all means go to walmart and buy some more.

Maybe Flonase.

The Claritin definitely didn't make me drowsy, I woke up this morning feeling this way. But I've been on Claritin for a few days already, so perhaps it built up.
It's been working but maybe there is increased risk of side effects because it expired years ago. Then again, maybe it's just part of the allergic reaction.

(Even if I would, I can't take it until tomorrow, when I'll have been at the allergist.)

It's generally unwise to take expired meds.

I've taken loratadine for weeks or months at a time and never felt a "drowsiness buildup."

OK.

I forgot to mention I took Zyrtec last night- had no noticeable affect, but it doesn't cross the blood-brain barrier so it shouldn't have this side effect.

both my son and my husband get very disoriented when taking zyrtec. It makes them VERY drowsy, and they have a hard time waking up when taking it. I would ask the allergist about allegra, My four year old was swiched to it about two months ago, and improved 100%. Zyrtec, has many annoying side effects.

I was prescribed something that is supposed to be similar to zyrtec but makes you less drowsy. I never filled the prescription because of the cost (and I didn't need it) so I don't know if that's true. I just checked, it's called Xyzal.

Thank you so much. Now I know what happened.

I can't believe that I forgot that I took it last night until the middle of this thread. That stuff is really dangerous.

The one thing I don't get is, that Zyrtec is not supposed to cross the BBB. So how does it cause this side effect?

Neti Pot

OK, so I went to the Dr. today, he gave me a shot and prescribed Allegra.

please at least try the neti pot. many are enabled to forgo such types of medicine by using it regularly.