Itching Withdrawal From Cetirizine Or Zyrtec (Page 27)

I want to know how many are suffering from withdrawal from this drug that causes itching all over the body. At the people's pharmacy there is an article about this very problem, yet Zyrtec doesn't list the information on their web site. This is my third attempt to get off of this med and I'm going crazy from the itching.

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So I did try the quercetin for a week or so, but didn't notice that it alleviated any Zyrtec withdrawal symptoms. And I read that it hasn't been approved for use during pregnancy, for what that's worth. So, I took another user's advice and ordered the children's liquid cetirizine and some syringes on Amazon. I have been tapering very gradually (now at 2.9 ml) and experiencing just a tiny bit of discomfort (such as one hive or a random itch on my foot at night). I'm hopeful that in a few months I'll be nearly off it. Even if I have to keep taking trace amounts for a long time, I think it's better than taking a full dosage daily.

If you're struggling to get of Zyrtec, definitely consider gradually tapering off using the liquid form. It seems to be the best way!

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Please see posting 497. I have been Zyrtec free over three months and loving it. I feel so good! And my overall allergies are essentially gone. In retrospect, I think Zyrtec was making me hyper-sensitive to environmental allergens. I think it is addictive so that you have to continue taking it not only to avoid withdrawal but to manage even minor allergies. In any case stopping it is a process. It will take a few months. You can do it. The key is the SLOW TAPER. Also, I felt that the other meds listed in my post really helped me during the taper. I no longer need them, but I keep a bottle of the LES labs sinus and seasonal pills handy in the rare case I feel my allergies are about to act up. Good stuff and not addictive at all. Good luck.

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Thank you post 497!! I'm not off it completely yet but I'm down to 0.25 ml of children's Zyrtec per day. That's one pill every 40 days. I am taking D-Hist two pills theee times a day. It contains q

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Sorry, I accidentally hit enter on my phone before I was finished with post below. Continuing - The Natural D-Hist contains:Vitamin C, Quercetin, Stinging Nettles Leaf
Bromelain and N-Acetyl-L-Cysteine. I started taking this once I went below 5 mg a day of Zyrtec. For the Zytect taper, I went down every four days on the following amounts 5 mg, (switched to liquid) 2.5 ml. 1.25 ml, 1 ml, .75 ml, .5 ml and finally .25 ml where I am today. (That is the equivalent of 1 pill every 40 days) I am still on the Natural D-Hist loading directions of 2 pills 3x a day. I have itched some, especially at night, but I didn't get the itch until I hit the 1.25 ml. I have found that heat is my best friend when it hits. Either hot bath, shower, or my newest friend- a heated corn bag. Just hold it where it itches for a few minutes and it clears. At this point, I have yet to hit the itch level I had when I would forget to take it a day. After taking Zyrtec for over 12 years, I am happy to say I am going to win this battle. I will have my last dose this week (It may have even been last night if I convince myself I can do it tonight) and will be sure to come back and report how I did. Anyways, wanted to think post #497 EC. Great recommendation!!

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Congratulations, Lisa! It gets better and better after this!

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Update from two days ago. I have went 72 hours without Zyrtec. The first night I woke up once with some itching and put on some benedryl cream and used hot corn bag. The second night I had some decent itch going on before bed so I took one benedryl pill. I slept pretty decently. Today I have had some flare ups that I just put some benedryl cream on as needed. I won't be surprised if it gets worse before it gets better. But based on others who went cold turkey, this way seems like a walk in the park. I am certainly not suffering, just a bit annoyed. I'll post again in a few more days.

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Another update. It has now been almost 6 days since my last Zyrtec, reminder I was down to .25 ml before stopping completely. I have slept the last two nights only waking up occasionally. Last night I was even able to just lay there a second and if i didn't scratch, I could go back to sleep. Today is the first day I haven't had to use cortisone cream on any areas (yet, the day is young) or my heated corn bag. I am still taking 2 Natural D-Hist pills three times per day, and drinking lots of water. Will update again in a few more days.

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Absolutely true. This is my third and final attempt. Made it to day 3 or 4 before taking again.

Now I am suffering through day 10 with crazy itchiness. I really hope with withdrawal symptom goes away.

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Vak,
Please see posting 497. I did not succeed in many attempts going cold turkey, but the taper and temporary supplements made all the difference. Zyrtec free for months. No itching. Feel great. And, interestingly, my allergies have disappeared. I firmly believe the medication was making my body hypersensitive.

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Thank you for directing me to your post. I may have to try the taper method instead of cold turkey if these skin irritations/itching do not subside.

I also have the top of shoulder breakouts and neckline bumps as well as on sides of my neck and scalp. I thought it was something I ate or laundry detergent switch, to cause this problem. Itchy on my legs too and arms.

This winter weather usually gives me dry skin, but not with these kind of itching spots. Crazy to think I took this to help me sleep long with seasonal flare ups with watery eyes/runny nose, etc.

Thank you!

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Vak
Please hang in there. You are not alone. The itching from Zyrtec withdrawal is like nothing I have ever experienced. It made me want to scratch till I bled. A desperate burning itch that I could not stand, and in bizarre places: scalp, neck, between the fingers, eyebrows. I also got localized hives where my pearl necklace touched my neck, around the wristband of my watch. I never had hives or skin problems before this. They are gone now. You can do it. It may just take longer than you anticipated. When you know that something is making you sick, you want to stop that something right away. But in the end, all that matters is that you get off this stuff for the long term.

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Please try the taper method and use a natural allergy med to help the itching. It was two weeks ago tonight I had my last Zyrtec - small .25 ml of children's liquid. (See previous few post above by Lisa) Not going to say it was great, but it wasn't too bad. Yesterday and today I have had zero itching spells. This was the first times since I was started itching at the 2 ml mark. I suspect I may have some more episodes in the coming weeks, but all and all I beat it. I have bruises to show where I did itch, but overall this was nothing like when I tried cold turkey. Highly recommend!

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I am in the same boat and cut down to taking just a small crumb every night of the Zyrtec. I have stopped now completely and I am taking Children's Benadryl to stop the intense itching. I think I am on day 5 without any Zyrtec in my body only Benadryl. The itching comes in waves, it's extremely intense still, but the Benadryl helps me get through it. When will the itching completely stopped? How many days after the last dose of Zyrtec?

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I am on day 21 and I think the itching stopped about 4 days ago. I do not have the creepy crawly scalp or other maddening skin irritations. I'm thinking whatever is left is winter dryness.

I did go cold turkey, but I was only taking 5mg Monday to Thursday and then 10g on weekends because it helped me sleep.

I am incredibly relieved to be off of it completely even though it was my fourth try. I feel so much more alert compared to how I used to feel taking that every day for three years. If I had known what kind of withdrawal symptoms I was going to experience, I would not have gone on it at all.

I was given Benadryl at first, but the red dye came through my skin to make it look like I had little red pin pricks everywhere and I didn't like that so that's why I was switched to Reactine.

I'm a little worried though with spring coming up, even though I don't have allergies, I know outside things will bother me. If I get the runny nose and watery eyes, and just not feeling well then I'm not even sure what I can take now. Anyone have any thoughts?

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2-3 weeks. It will diminish gradually in that time frame, but I saw a huge improvement 3 weeks out. Besides children's Benadryl, high dose vitamin c (1000 mg/day) and Les Labs sinus and seasonal pills (all natural - I buy from Amazon) will help you get through this tough time. You many also notice itching flare up at night after removing your clothes. A heating pad takes care of any itchy spots almost immediately. Good luck. {affiliate link added}

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I had a reaction to an antibiotic for a UTI and ended up in the emergency room with severe hives. I had taken 1 Zyrtec each day for four days before they got so bad that I was totally covered and needed immediate help. Where I got in to see an allergist two days later he said I could take 4 Zyrtec per day plus Benadryl every six hours. The bottle clearly states not to take more than one Zyrtec in 24 hours but he said it had been tested and approved that you could take up to 6. He also said I should take them all at once - which I thought was crazy and I never went back to him. I took the 4 Zyrtec a day and Benadryl for a week before I was able to start tapering off. I first got off the Benadryl because I was like a zombie taking it. Within a month I was down to one Zyrtec a day before the itching would return. This continued for 3 and a half months when I began to question why I would still have hives. I realized that when I tried to quit the one Zyrtec, the reaction was actually different. Red spots would appear on my hands and feet and get hot and then spread and the hideous itching would start. It was also in my hair, inside my ears and the edges of my eyelids would itch. Any part of my body that was exposed to cold would itch. Desperately searching the internet, I found all of the posts about Zyrtec withdrawal. What a hideous drug and I was also appalled that knowing it is given to children's, why isn't there a warning? I have now reached six weeks in the withdrawal process. I started by taking about six Benadryl a day and wrapping myself in a very soft warm blanket. Hot baths seemed to stop the red spots from staring to itch. At some point I began to worry about the Benadryl and moved on to quercitin, Bromelian, vitamin C, probiotics, Vitamin B 12 and L glutamine. I have Celiac disease and believe that Leaky gut syndrome has slowed my withdrawal. I also have been careful during the withdrawal process to eat healthy, no gluten or dairy and no histamine producing food. Overall my total itching level has definitely improved but I am still taking 4 quercitin a day and seem to have hit a plateau in tapering off. When I take less, the itching is not unbearable but It is bad enough that I can not concentrate on anything else. I will never take Zyrtec, Allegra or Claritin again. I just want my body to return to normal. I won't give up but I am discouraged. I have seen another allergist who had heard of Zyrtec withdrawal but wasn't sure she believed it. She suggested I take Prednisone which I declined. I had a physical and all my blood work was normal. I am searching now for a functional medicine practitioner.

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EC, I am in the midst of using your technique and so far, so good. I'm down to a third of a pill (Allegra) and planning to go to the liquid next week, to titrate in smaller increments. Thanks for your info.

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Good luck Chet - I am almost to week 8 since my last tiny dose. Every once in a while I will start to itch in a random spot but sleep is no longer an issue at all. When I flare up a spot I just put some benedryl cream on and I am good to go. Still taking Natural D Hist but down to 2 tablets/twice a day. I ended up at my sons' allergist and he was not at all surprised to hear about my issues getting off Zyrtec. After testing, I started allergy shots.

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I slowly cut down to taking about a crumb of it a day. But now I have been completely off for about 3 weeks (March 8 2017)
Still suffering with waves of horrible itching.
Small doses of Benadryl helps

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I am Mark from the Philippines and I just wanna share how I beat my 2 years of chronic urticaria and my body's addiction to Zyrtec Cetirizine. I've suffered from this madness starting February of 2015 and literally felt that it was the worst 2 years of my life. I was always, itchy, dizzy, weak, had vision problems, gained a lot of weight, low libido level and very low focus on my task, It was weakest point in my life and I was literally desperate to gain back my life and my health. I tried everything from doctor visits, allergist, antibiotics, Probiotics, MultiVitamins, Vitamin D, herbs, change my diet, juicing, herbal medicines etc. and nothing really worked. I was about to surrender and succumb to taking the pill everyday and accept that I will be like this - living an almost lifeless life with wrecked health.

I accidentally ran into this website discussion about 2 months ago and it finally made sense to me that it could be the the pill that's doing this all to me. Upon this realization, I took action and totally stopped taking the pill no matter what. The first few days were hell and I was itchy all the time. I almost quit on day 3 and 4 but I never gave up. Until each day I realized that I kept on improving and the itching was less. In about 2 weeks time, I was totally itch free and I felt the surge of energy in my body coming back from being able to finish workouts to having my focus back.

It's been more than a month now and I am very happy to have my life back on track, I feel happier than ever, I am losing weight and I have my professional and social life back without any boundaries.

I am sharing with you guys what I took and did while totally quitting the cetirizine.

1. I was on a high quality organic bovine colostrum - for immune system and allergies twice a day for about the first 2 weeks.

2. Stopped all my refined sugar intake

3. Three liters of water a day

4. When I felt the unbearable itchiness, I take Apis Mellifica (Bee's stings) It's a natural quick relief for hives.

Basically that's it and never really changed my not so good diet.

I hope everyone gets well from this madness. We don't deserve to suffer like that especially from a pill that's being regulated by the government.

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