What Is The Most Effective Over The Counter Allergy Medication?
February 15, 2010 by admin
Filed under Allergy Questions
I suppose I need one that helps with *both indoor AND outdoor allergies*, cuz I don’t know what I’m allergic to!
I’ve been sneezing, coughing, having a runny nose, sort of wheezing, and eyes have sort of been watering for the last 2 or 3 months. I really don’t think it’s a cold, since it’s been going on for so long, so I figured I’d try an allergy medicine!
thanks
Xyrtek, hands down. Beats the heck out of Claritin or any of the older school drugs. Beware of the side effects, including sleepiness. Xyrtek is now over the counter, very recently. It is an antihistamine. You can get it in 12 hr or 24 hour versions.
When I take Xyrtek, I always take a little Pseudoephedrine, which you can get at the pharmacy window with picture ID. It works like a charm. I usually take 60mg of that to counter any sleepiness, and also, because Pseudoephedrine is a vasal constrictor, you will be able to breathe without stuffiness. Also, I find it dries out any runniness. You can take it every 4-6 hours. Pseudoephedrine has a trade name of Sudafed, but the generic contains the same molecule in the medicine. It is a decongestant, NOT an antihistamine.
There is a decongestant that you don’t need to get over the counter, you can just get it right off the shelf, but I cannot recommend it. It doesn’t work at all for me.
Claritin works really well for me. Zyrtec is also really good, and it’s recently over the counter. But it’s still really expensive. Claritin is cheaper (especially if you get the generic–Loratidine) and it works just as well–maybe better–for me.
Zyretc