[quartering]

i'll need something for the next couple of weeks for itchy eyes, runny nose and sore throat. i've been using claritin for years, but at just a quarter tablet per dose to ward off the sluggish feeling it brings on. i've been wondering if the other otc brands - allegra, alavert, zyrtec, etc - might work on the symptoms as well as the claritin does, but without causing the same drowsiness. what's been you're experience? thanks

 

[Oregunner]

I use generic Clariton and Diet Coke with caffeine. Mark

 

[straightshooter1]

As I've gotten older, I seem to have become allergic to about everything. I have found that generic zyrtec works the best for me. I have tried the others and they worked for a short period of time, then seemed to lose their effectiveness. I take one each evening year round.

This winter, at the Silver Dollar, with the constant warm weather, then cool, the pollen count was really high and I added at 12 hour Sudafed to the generic zyrtec (my doc said it was okay).

It stopped the runny nose when shooting and the constant sniffing or blowing my nose.

I only have to do this for a few months a year, but it has worked for me.

Allegra works well for my wife just didn't last for me.

I have not experience any drowsiness with any of the otc meds you mentioned.

Bob

 

[redfin]

talk to your doc about flonase,i dont have allergies any more!

 

[hmb]

Zyrtec. HMB

 

[straightshooter1]

Flonase worked for me for about two years, then nothing.

Quartering, you know, I expect, about Afrin and other similar products. Works like a champ, but then you get the rebound effect and have to take it more often and more often. Getting off of it can be real tough. A couple of days of not being able to breathe through your nose is miserable.

I'm probably more "sensitive" (yeah, that's it, sensitive) than most of you. A woman who has bathed in certain perfumes gives me an instant headache and shuts down my nose till I can get far, far away.

Bob

 

[white rattler]

I have been taking Allegra Allergy 180 mg once a day. I have problems in early spring so I start taking a tablet before I get stuffed up. If I can stay ahead of it I am ok, but if I get all stuffed up it might take a few days for the meds. to catch up. Hope this helps. Trevor Dawe

 

[BigM-Perazzi]

Loratadine and Flomax...

 

[X2 fan]

I would suggest contacting your doctor to get a prescription for something. Usually you can get one for generic which will cost you much less than something OTC.

You want to make sure that you are getting the right thing. Maybe one of them may interact with another med you're already taking?

Tim

 

[Avaldes]

My doctor gave me samples of Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtek back when they were rx only. You really need to try all of them to see which works best for you.

 

[cafowler]

Switched to Allegra 180 last year, on the advice of a alfalfa bailer who said all his crew use it. Best I've found so far. I find one will work for a year or two, then I need to switch. No drousiness w/ Allegra for me. Just restocked, should have bought some of the AllegraD, to get dried out on the worst days. I take it in the AM before leaving for work, so gets me thru the day, but wears off about 3-4AM, which sucks.

If you live someplace you can get out of the pollens, up to the mountains or down to the sea for a few days in the middle of the season, that really helps. Spent 3 days in Mammoth first weekend in May a few years ago. Just enough to let your sinus's heal, almost erased the allergy's when I got home. Once the sinus's get iritated, it's hard to get over that.