Anybody here take claritin?

[Theres-a]

Just curious.I was so inexplicably tired today and it's pollen season,and I wondered if anyone has had any sucess with it.All feedback appreciated.Thanks.

[amazona]

1. it's WONDERFUL!!!!

It is a lifesaver. The generic version works just as well for me also. Best allergy relief ever. I highly recommend giving it a try.

The conservation movement is a breeding ground of communists
and other subversives. We intend to clean them out,
even if it means rounding up every birdwatcher in the country.
--John Mitchell, US Attorney General 1969-72

[bettyellen]

2. yep, great stuff....

sometimes it takes a few days, never makes me tired, but i've heard that. i take it every other day in season, and two (that's perscription strength) if i'm hurting w/ an advil.

[slackmaster]

3. I tried the 24-hr version, did not like it

First of all it's mostly time-release pseudoephedrine. IIRC there is 240 mg of it in the 24-hr version, 120 mg in the 12-hr version. That's a shitload, and not really compatible with my blood pressure situation.

The other problem I had with 24-hr Claritin-D was the fact that the pill takes about 24 hours to dissolve, but the transit time through my GI tract, thanks to my frequent consumption of vegetables and love of hot chili peppers, is generally no more than 12 hours. I will leave the rest of the details to your imagination.

The stuff did not work well for me. YMMV.

[Quakerfriend]

9. Yup, the 24-hr stuff is terrible.

My kids do very well with the regular Claritin- I only need to give it to them for about 3 weeks in the worst of the allergy season.

[yellowdogintexas]

15. that would be the Claritin D. Plain Claritin does not have the

pseudoephedrine in it. I prefer to use the plain Claritin and add in the Sudafed on an as need basis. Much better control that way.

And you can get a great deal on it at our ole favorite Costco. They have a twin pack availabe for a very reasonable price..90 pills to the bottle, I think..

and if you have a flex plan where you work, this type of OTC is eligible on the flex plan. So is Sudafed and also the Nasalcrom mentioned below.

[slackmaster]

20. Thanks, I think I'll give plain Claritin a try if my hay fever gets bad

I think I had a bout of it last night - sore scratchy throat that I was afraid was an oncoming cold, but seems to have faded away this morning as I sip my coffee.

and if you have a flex plan where you work, this type of OTC is eligible on the flex plan. So is Sudafed and also the Nasalcrom mentioned below.

Double and triple thanks for the recommendations! I have an use a medical flex plan.

:toast:

[yellowdogintexas]

21. milk that flex for all you can get out of it!!!

hope the plain Claritin helps, and if you have a Costco near you, they have a nice deal on their house brand

[texanwitch]

4. I am using it now, works very well.

Target has a store brand for clartin, a lot cheaper and works just the same. This is important if you buy a lot of boxes of it.

This year seems to be a really bad year for pollen down here, so the 24 hour pill is really nice.

[mahina]

5. Magic stuff.

Did you take it and then feel tired?
I love it, it stops my sneezes and doesn't make you stupid. We should give some the the Hawaii GOP! ;)
One mysterious source of feeling really tired that a marathon runner friend learned of recently was chewing his gum with aspartame that he left in the car all the time. Anything with aspartame should not be heated, don't use it as a sweetener for coffee for example, because it causes people to feel really exhausted. Among other nasty things. I personally would never use it at all but if you do, don't let it get warm. Hope you feel better soon!

[Theres-a]

11. No, I haven't tried it yet.

I was feeling so tired today ,and a friend suggested it could be allergies.I was wondering if anyone had a similar experience,and if claritin or something like it helped.Aspartame-I never touch it,not even in gum,thanks for the info.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

17. Do you know why?

Aspartame is a GM bacteria product, and it goes wacky with heat.

[AgadorSparticus]

6. It is my lifeline. I take it just about everyday because of my bad

allergies. I like it a lot because it doesn't make me groggy.

p.s. I get mine in mexico. I get 100 tablets for $15. Isn't that something?

[medeak]

7. son has been on it for years

no sinus infections since. But Clariton D counteracts the sleepy thing.

[Evergreen Emerald]

8. It did not work for my daughter...have to use Allegra.

[Left Is Write]

10. I have tried it.

It did nothing for either my allergies or my Meniere's syndrome.

Come to think of it, very little OTC works for my allergies except Benadryl, and that makes me too tired.

[welshTerrier2]

12. i use Nasalcrom ..

i can't take anti-histamines ... one dose knocks me out for two days ... it's just not worth it ...

last year i tried Claritin ... it make me feel kind of jumpy ... i didn't like it at all ...

i've been using Nasalcrom for years for my spring pollen allergy ... it used to be a prescription drug but now it's OTC ... i think it's great ... no side effects at all ...

Nasalcrom is a nasal spray but it's very different than the decongestant nasal sprays ... it doesn't instantly clear your nose the way something like Afrin does ... it takes a few days to a week to build up in your bloodstream ... after that, 3 or 5 sprays a day seems to do the trick ... it helps me with congestion, itchy eyes and sneezing ... on really bad days, i sometimes also use OTC allergy eyedrops ...

here's how Nasalcrom works according to its little package insert ... the basic allergic reaction is that mast cells release histamines which cause the tissues in your eyes and nose to become inflamed ... the inflammation causes itchiness and stinging ... anti-histamines "mop up" the histamines AFTER they've been released ... in a sense, they fix the problem AFTER it occurs ... Nasalcrom blocks the mast cells from releasing histamines in the first place ... it fixes the problem BEFORE it becomes a problem ... the "sales pitch" is that the drug is more effective because it intervenes earlier in the allergic reaction cycle ...

anyway, this is the product i use and i highly recommend it ... it's a little pricey but not too bad ... i think it comes in two sizes ... the half bottle size is about $11 and the full size is around $16 ... i usually go through about 3/4 of a bottle a year ...

hope this helps ...

[yellowdogintexas]

16. the sprays are great. I use Flonase, but then I have a good

drug plan.

These sprays are highly anti-inflammatory, work on a completely different basis than the oral meds. I use them during the extreme allergy seasons, and the claritin alone for the less intense times.

Another wonderful medication is Patinol eye drops. They are pricey if you don;t have a drug plan, but if your main symptom from allergies is dry itchy eyes and sleepiness, these little jewels can bring you right back..and a bottle lasts a good while too (at least for me, since I only use them when I have to)

[Roland99]

13. Works for me. I haven't taken it in a week and I'm feeling it.

[yellowdogintexas]

14. LOVE IT.....works for me; doesn't keep me sleepy. Stops that

dang drip down my throat

[Strawman]

18. yes

and I walked through a park yesterday where there was so much pollen it looked like it had snowed and I had no problem. make sure and get the Claritin D. It works better.

I only take it as needed and I need it when this much pollen is blowing around outside.

[KitchenWitch]

19. LOVE Claritin

Makes August and September ragweed season bearable.

[gollygee]

22. I love it

It is the best allergy medicine I've used.

[I Have A Dream]

23. Claritin works quite well for me...

however, my husband has to use Zyrtec, which requires a prescription. He was absolutely miserable until he started to use it; everything bothered him. Now he feels like a human being again. He still has some symptoms, but they're much, much less severe than before.

[SKKY]

24. I took Claritin until I found the magic pill...

...It's called "Virilix Plus". Take one a day and not even so much as a slight twitching of the nose. Doesn't make me sleepy either. I LOVE IT!