Itching Withdrawal From Cetirizine Or Zyrtec (Page 7) (Top voted first)

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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FINALLY. Someone in the medical profession who will not encourage the use of Zyrtec. This to me is a sign of progress to get this stuff off the market, the very first I've ever heard. Up to now doctors (including mine) deny any correlation and this has been so frustrating. We on this blog will not take Zyrtec again most likely, but the millions out there who haven't yet, and will, and will suffer, and on and on it goes. I think it's criminal. I hate when I see those happy Zyrtec commercials. Still!

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Thankfully my rash stopped after 10 days although the itching of hands and feet took longer. I was advised by a doctor to come off this medication slowly and then symptoms would be less.

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You have to go cold turkey to get your body off of it. It took me months, but eventually things returned to normal. Do certain foods bother me? Absolutely, but, my life no longer revolves around a pill. The evening itch - that feeling of when an antihistamine is wearing off -is now gone. It is a long process and is only increased in duration by taking antihistamines. Even benadryl will make meet itch if I take it two days in a row. I genuinely believe sustained consumption of the newer antihistamines damages your body in ways doctors do not understand and compound the problem by suggesting to continue those medicines.

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I absolutely agree with Dover. It's been 6 months since cold turkey for me. The first month was the worst. Second month wasn't great either. At six months i still get itches but they are nowhere near as bad and they are easier to "just not scratch." My primary doctor believed me. My Allergist told me to take antihistamines. It's not well understood and it doesn't happen to everyone. If you don't want your life to revolve around Zyrtec, you can be free.

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I really can't tell you how long it took; I should have kept notes. It does go away. It took my body several months to adjust.

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I know how you feel. I went cold turkey too to get off zyrtec and it was hell. Just hang in there. Avoid too hot showers and heat, use a lotion with oatmeal and wear cotton. Stay strong :)

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I took zyrtec for 1 month and then switched back to claritin. I started itching insanely the first day I stopped. It is day 9 and I am still itching. I did not get hives just extreme itching on my scalp and arms and legs. It is painful. I went to my doctor but I didn't mention this because I had no clue. Then I mentioned it to a pharmacy tech and they instantly knew. I am still miserable and furious. My doctor put me on a itching medication with anxiety meds because its that bad. I took it once and realized I couldn't take it either. I am tired of benadryl and tired of itching. I feel there should be a legal suit as this is ridiculous. Thoughts people?

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I had been taking cetrizine hydrochloride for 17yrs or so daily for an itch which I believe started out with stress and taking codeine but I was diagnosed as being allergic to something in the air hence daily meds without them I would have itched till I bled. I've wandered for quite some time ifor i was addicted to the cetrizine so I decided just over 2mths ago after reading this forum that I was gonna come off them as I felt it confirmed that the cetrizine was the problem. I have not taking another pill since. For the 1st 2 weeks it wasn't easy and I used doterra oils to help me through but I haven't even had to use them lately. Proud to say im now antihistamine free i still get the odd itch but it doesn't require meds anymore. Good luck folks u can do this ??

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I'm on day five of going cold turkey. I truly can't even believe I am here writing this comment right now considering my mindset has always been 'well, it's over the counter so it can't be addictive or bad for me..'
Then recently I started watching 'celebrity rehab' and it occurred to me that I myself had been taking this medication daily for several years thinking it was just a harmless way of easing the constant hay fever I was suffering from.
After not being able to sleep last night and scratching the hell out of myself I thought 'Jesus, I was never THIS allergic to everything before I started taking cetrizine, maybe I really do need at least one a day to hold off all the itching' then I found this thread and I'm in tears from the relief of knowing I'm not the only person who has experienced this. I'm still itchy as hell but F cetrizine. F the doctors and pharmacys for recommending this clearly toxic substance! Ask anyone who has now experienced the withdrawal from this drug - this is a severe and serious issue that more people should be made aware of! Especially when it is so easy to get ahold of! This is a hardcore drug you can pick straight off the supermarket shelf at any age! Something should be done about this, I am absolutely horrified at what my body has now been through in only five days of stopping, without anything to warn people of this on the label, this substance should be banned.

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OK so I called Flood Law Group and they are, as their web site says and DJ Paul also said, taking clients who have suffered Zyrtec withdrawal. Unfortunately for me, the state I live in has a 2 yr statute of limitations and I went through this in 2010-2011. But my advice to those currently suffering is to take pictures of any physical conditions, keep a journal of your symptoms, and call them before your state's statute runs out. Just another note, the people I spoke with there were easy to talk to, asked pertinent questions, listened to the answers, and followed through. It was a positive experience.

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Me, I could not figure out what was happening to me until I started process of elimination as to what it could be...then last night 10/31 at 7pm I took one and it all went away. NOW how do I stop taking the dam pill and get thru the itching and withdrawal? its horrible.

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I'm back. What happened since I last posted was I went back on antihistamines, just bilastine this time. The anxiety was too much for me. But I was not willing to give up. After taking a few weeks of bilastine, I stopped again. The itching was back. Horrible but a bit less horrible compared to Zyrtec.

I refused to give up and here I am at week 10. I still get bad days when I'm stressed or tired, but it has improved so much and my life is back to normal. I hope you guys will never give up. At my worst, I was depressed and lacking the will to go on.

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I have found claritin to help. I am down to one claritin a week. I did contact zyrtec about our issue. They acted like I was crazy. Asking me for the lot number. I explained it's the drug and many people are having the same issue. The company acted like they have never heard of this issue. I would love to put post it note warning labels in stores where the zyrtec is sold. This isn't fair that this drug is still on the market.

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Go very very slowly with the taper of the liquid
Medicine. It is painful because I am sure you just want this zyrtec out of your body ASAP. Half a pill is 5 mg daily. Get a syringe with mesures down to 0.1 ml. Go to 4.9 ml for a few days, then 4.8 for a few days, etc, etc. Best of 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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Congratulations, Lisa! It gets better and better after this!

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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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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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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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