Itching Withdrawal From Cetirizine Or Zyrtec (Page 7)

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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Carly,
your last update was about a week ago - how are you feeling now? did you make it through and if so when did you start to feel normal again? I'm currently on day 4 - I cant tell if its better, worse or the same as the previous day... everyone seems to have different timelines so I was just curious.
Thanks!

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JESS, I still have "itching" fits. Tuesday I didnt itch at all and was thinking that the worst had past - but yesterday and today my arms, neck, back of my legs and tops of my feet are driving me INSANE! I am still using the sunburn gel with lidicane (sp) and that seems to work or at least get my mind off the itching. Stay with it if you can i know its hard but it does get better! Let me know how you do!

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Marc Liu,
I started taking Zyrtec for hives also... Thought I still had them when I tried to stop but it's probably the withdrawals... How long after you stopped did you start to fell better/back to normal? How long before you felt safe that the withdrawals and the original hives were gone?

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Carly,
How are you doing today? It has been almost a week since your last update so I just wanted to check - hope youre doing better! I'm on day 10 and I *think* it is getting better... I cant just be getting used to it - that would be crazy! :)

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Hi Jess, I would say it'll take about at least 2-3 weeks of cold turkey to negate the effect of zyrtec and your body should revert back to normal. What helped me at that point of time was TCM (Traditional Chinese Medicine) and stopping Zyrtec cold turkey. Of course, everyone is different, so you might wish to wean off slowly 1/2 tablet..1/4 tablet ..then alternate days etc..obviously I wont ever know if its the TCM that actually helped me or the time factor of the hives that eventually it went away, but until you stop zyrtec for good you would never know.
hope it helps!

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Jess, its been pretty good - a few itching issues at night - but perhaps some of that is because I'm home and have down time; whereas at work I am very busy and dont think about it much. Remember I was on this for almost 6 years straight - so perhaps someone such as yourself talking it only for a little while may have a better "recovery" time. I like Marc's TCM avenue - I wish I would have known that before... Take care and have a great DAY!!!

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I too am in itch hell after trying to rid my body of Zyrtec. I have been taking Zyrtec for approx. two years (10mg a day/1 pill). I am on day 4 of stopping pretty much cold turkey the medicine. The second day was bad but, I am on day 4 and I am going crazy with the all over body itch. I began to take because may allergist seem to think it would help and it did but if I forgot to take it for even one day I would notice my hands and feet get very itchy, like an internal itch that never goes quite away. Today, I am experiencing dizziness and body tingling, mostly from the itchiness that I am trying to ignore. I had to get off of the allergy meds because I am going to try allergy shots. I cant stand to be putting something like this in my system anymore. I am drinking a lot of blended juices and water and uping my Vitamin c intake to try to get through it. I hope the worst is over, we will see....

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Hi Moon, I do not recommend going cold turkey immediately as it is very very difficult. Try to cut down slowly before eventually going cold turkey. The reason I could go cold turkey was because I broke the Zyrtec pill into quarters..instead of the usual 10 mg. Try and reduce the dosage daily then do alternate days, it would be more tolerable. Best of luck!

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Thanks Marc, I did slow down my intake of Zyrtec for a few weeks before quitting completely. For about three weeks I cut a tablet in half and took it every other day. So, it was not totally cold turkey, still tough though. It was a little better today. Hopefully, tomorrow continues to get better each day. It sounds like from other posts it could take two weeks though. I will try to update as I go.

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WOW! I can't believe i finally came across a site about this that people have been posting on as recent as last week! I too am suffering from Zyrtec. In October I tried weaning myself off 10mg a day (after being on for 6 years). I have gotten myself to tolerate 2.5mg every 36 hours. I don't want to do this anymore :(

I have read that Vitamin C with Rose Hips may help. I will try that. I am also going to try cold turkey as I am approaching 48 hours and fear taking another dose.

This is horrible and I hope something gives. This is not a way to live!

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Carole,
Good luck getting off Zyrtec! I am on Day 12. I am feeling better but, still am suffering some of the withdrawal effects. I do feel better than when I was on Zyrtec though. Nasty drug. I was on 10mg a day for about 2.5 years. It is so nice to try to rid my body of that drug. I am taking fairly large doses of vitamin c and d and also juicing many veggies. I have heard it takes a least two weeks to really feel a little better. Hoping to feel better soon. :)

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I have been on allergra every day for the last 3 years and this past week I had to stop taking it for allergy testing and 3 days after stopping I broke out in a bad itch all over my body that night and hives to the point I had to take benadryl to stop itching. The same thing happened the next night but not a server. Needless to say I could not have my testing done but the doctor told me that it is a common side effect after long term daily use and that it will get better. My testing got reschedule for 2 weeks away so I could get over the itch! It really had me worried and I think they should def make this more aware to people!

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Hello everyone!! My last post was February 27 almost a month ago and I can report that the intense itching has gone away. There are days however, that my leg or arms will drive me CRAZY but those are thankfully far and few! Hope everyone has a great weekend and Good LUCK!!

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If you have taken Zyrtec for years, have any of you been also diagnosed with Idiopathic Hypersomnia (Major Somnolence Disorder)?

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I'm similar to Carly... Stopped taking it on 2/17/13 and I've been doing better. I still have some rough moments or like today, most of the day was irritating... But tomorrow is another day and it should be better. :) I've tried the vitamin c thing - cant tell if it really helped. One thing I haven't seen many people say is the hives or welts - I had them before which is why the doc said I should take zyrtec, at least until it went away. Who knew that the withdraw symptoms were so similar... So I can't really tell if it's still there or what's left of the drug. Does anyone else have intense areas of itching/burning and when you scratch it makes it worse and welts? While I can wear most of my clothes and don't have to worry about things like towels upsetting my skin... Every now and then it gets irritated. It still beats that first week though. :) 5 weeks tomorrow...

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Can't believe I've finally found out this. I'm 38 and been taking cetirizine (usually supermarket brand) for about 14 years. Started with hayfever in 1999 and then presumed the itchy skin was an allergy to house dust or my dogs so just carried on taking it. I'm now terrified and excited all at the same time. I know how bad the itching can be as I was once in Spain miles from a pharmacy and had to endure 4 days without a tablet. I honestly never in a million years thought it could be withdrawal. I'm also excited because I can't remember a time without it and wonder how I might change. I last took a tablet yesterday morning and I've decided to cut it down to half a tablet (5mg) every 2 days unless of course I wake up tomorrow and feel I can go longer. I'm determined to kick this but I'm dreading it :( So glad I found this forum though. Ally :)

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Welcome ALLY! I felt the same way!!! So I went "Cold" Feb 14 of this year. I can say that I don't have the itching issues right now. I was taking as I looked at the pill bottle before I threw it out yesterday, I was taking 10mg - its a tough road but hang in there! I didn't think it would ever stop but it did!! Now I am trying acupuncture and other natural items to see how that works. I promised myself NEVER to take that again! Good Luck!! Have a great weekend

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I am on day 4 of withdrawal from Zyrtec and today I had some pretty severe itching. This is my second attempt to withdraw and never thought there was such a thing as withdrawal itching!! If it were not for the internet and the hundred's of posts of withdrawal itching, I would think I had to stay on it. To be brief, I have been taking it for 6 months for a sudden new case of dermagraphic and pressure hives and I have no other health issues. This second time I tapered it down very slowly until it was a drop of the children's oral formula and I am shocked at the itching I am getting now that I stopped. I am doing the vitamin C, Quecitin, zinc and magnesium supplements. Sarna and benadryl cream topically. Sometimes at night I use an over the counter pain cream as my feet and fingers ache from deep hives. I am drinking a lot of water and mainly fruit and vegetable smoothies and I cut out sugar, gluten, and processed foods. I appreciate everyone who shared their stories as it has helped to know that this could end. Susan

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@Jess #135--- I went on Zyrtec for "dermatographism" or something like that, basically hives. You could write with your finger on my skin and see the words welt up. I have been Zyrtec free for three weeks after almost 6 months of weaning myself from 10mg daily to 2/5mg every 3 hours. I do have my bad days, and starting to notice allergies more (who knew since i was on zyrtec for 6 years) thinking about seeing an allergist, but boosting up my vitamins. I exercise and drink a lot of water already so i am good in that department.

went to a dermatologist yesterday who dismissed my concerns, and told me to go on zyrtec! didn't even take the time to review options or talk about symptoms. I am gonna try to continue drug free. I know some of you have the symptoms real bad, as did I. But I can say being on day 22 that its getting better :)

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It is frustrating when you get no support from your doctor, as we want them to "fix us". I agree that when you take Zyrtec you are not getting to the bottom of the problem causing the allergy. I am going to stick it out this time..on day five. I just printed a list of foods with low histamines and going to try that as some of the foods with high histamines are healthy and I have been eating them. Susan

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