Do not take 2 antihistamines together unless recommended by your doctor.
What happens if I take more than one dose of Claritin®? Taking more than the recommended dose of Claritin® may cause drowsiness. In the case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away- always follow label directions.
Do not take more than one dose in 24 hours. Do not take a double dose to make up for a missed one. If you are not sure what to do after missing a dose, contact your doctor or pharmacist for advice.
Adults and children 6 years of age and older—One tablet or 10 milligrams (mg) once a day. Do not take more than one tablet per day. Children younger than 6 years of age—Use and dose must be determined by your doctor.
#2: You Aren't Consistent With Your Medication
Take one Claritin every day for it to be the most effective, but don't take more than one pill a day, even if you missed a pill the day before. Taking multiple pills a day increases your risk of serious side effects.
Taking more than the usual dose is unlikely to harm you or your child. If you take an extra dose, you might get some of the common side effects. If this happens or you're concerned, contact your doctor.
If a healthy adult takes only a slightly higher dose of antihistamine, such as accidentally taking two pills instead of one, their symptoms may not be serious, or they may not have any symptoms. However, a larger overdose, especially in children or older adults, may cause serious symptoms.
Although you can take some medications together to treat allergy symptoms, combining certain medications can raise the risk of serious side effects. Oral antihistamines, such as Zyrtec and Benadryl, shouldn't be taken together without a healthcare provider's OK.
“Zyrtec is found to be more potent, or stronger, in laboratory studies, compared with Claritin,” says Dr. Kung. “It also reaches a higher concentration in the skin, which can be more helpful for skin-related allergies. However, Zyrtec has a greater chance of making you sleepy while taking it.”
Adults and children 6 years and older: The typical dose is 10 mg by mouth once per day. The maximum dose is 10 mg per day. Children 2 to under 6 years of age: The typical dose is 5 mg by mouth once per day. The maximum dose is 5 mg per day.
Best in the evening: Allergy meds
Once-daily antihistamines, such as Claritin, reach their peak eight to 12 hours after you take them, so using them at dinnertime or before bed means better control of morning symptoms.
Claritin (loratadine) is an over-the-counter antihistamine used to treat allergy symptoms like itchy eyes and a runny nose. Claritin typically starts working in 1 to 3 hours. Its effects usually last for around 24 hours.
If you have seasonal allergies and notice that your allergy medicine stops working, it might be because you've developed new allergies. People rarely develop a tolerance to allergy medications. Common medications like Zyrtec, Allegra, Flonase, and Claritin don't usually stop working.
Loratadine is generally very safe. If you or your child take too much, it is unlikely to harm you.
Loratadine is used to temporarily relieve the symptoms of hay fever (allergy to pollen, dust, or other substances in the air) and other allergies. These symptoms include sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes, nose, or throat.
Cetirizine is the most potent antihistamine available and has been subjected to more clinical study than any other.
Doctors consider them safe and effective treatments for minor allergies. Both are second-generation antihistamines. These cause less drowsiness than first-generation antihistamines. No research has concluded that Zyrtec or Claritin is more effective, but some people report better responses with one or the other.
You should not take Claritin and Zyrtec together. Both Claritin and Zyrtec are antihistamines, and taking these medications together can increase the risk of side effects as well as overdose. In addition, you should avoid taking Zyrtec or Claritin with alcohol or any other sedative.
Most OTC allergy medications are only meant to be taken once a day. However, some antihistamines can be taken multiple times a day depending on the recommended dosage on the packaging or as instructed by a doctor. It is important to take OTC allergy meds as directed to avoid harmful side effects.
ZYRTEC 10 mg film-coated tablets
The maximum recommended daily dose is 20 mg, do not exceed this dose, unless told to do so by your doctor.
In general, an oral antihistamine tablet will start to work within 30 minutes and reach its maximum effect in about 2 hours. You will know when an antihistamine starts to work when it starts to relieve allergy symptoms, such as congestion, runny nose, itchy eyes or skin rash.
Do not take more than the dose listed on the label, as doing so can cause serious problems. If someone takes too much diphenhydramine and is hallucinating, can't be awakened, has a seizure, has trouble breathing, or has collapsed, immediately get medical attention or contact poison control at 1-800-222-1222 or online .
Dry mouth, mild stomach upset, trouble sleeping, dizziness, headache, nervousness, loss of appetite, or thirst may occur. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.