Clariton D: Is the D for Devil or Damn Awesome?
May 23, 2011 5:57 PM Subscribe
Have you had side effects from Clariton-D? I feel more energized, more focused, no brain-fog, and less appetite. I love it, but I am afraid it is way hard on my body.
I have killer seasonal allergies in central VA. I have been taking Clariton-D to ride out allergy season, and have noticed that I am more energized and I don't get the brain-fog feeling in the afternoon. I can exercise harder and I don't get as hungry. I have been taking one 12-hour pill per day. My allergies are GONE, too. All good, right? But, I feel like this is really bad for my body to be taking it for a few months at a time.
I switched to regular Clariton for a while and it didn't really do much, for my allergies or energy level. I actually got sick and switched back to Clariton-D to help with decongestion and noticed a change in the first few hours of taking it. I can be an anxious person, but I surprisingly don't feel jittery or nervous on Clariton-D. Just kinda like Iron Man. (If you've ever taken Affrin for the first time, it's kinda like that.)
I guess it makes me nervous that Clariton-D has chemicals in it used to make meth. I try to be as natural as possible, usually. Am I just being way paranoid? Has anyone had withdrawl symptoms when they stop or a similar experience? Thanks, guys.
I have killer seasonal allergies in central VA. I have been taking Clariton-D to ride out allergy season, and have noticed that I am more energized and I don't get the brain-fog feeling in the afternoon. I can exercise harder and I don't get as hungry. I have been taking one 12-hour pill per day. My allergies are GONE, too. All good, right? But, I feel like this is really bad for my body to be taking it for a few months at a time.
I switched to regular Clariton for a while and it didn't really do much, for my allergies or energy level. I actually got sick and switched back to Clariton-D to help with decongestion and noticed a change in the first few hours of taking it. I can be an anxious person, but I surprisingly don't feel jittery or nervous on Clariton-D. Just kinda like Iron Man. (If you've ever taken Affrin for the first time, it's kinda like that.)
I guess it makes me nervous that Clariton-D has chemicals in it used to make meth. I try to be as natural as possible, usually. Am I just being way paranoid? Has anyone had withdrawl symptoms when they stop or a similar experience? Thanks, guys.
The "-D" (decongestant) is pseudoephedrine, the same thing as Sudafed, if you want to research that part specifically. If Claritin on its own doesn't do anything for you at all, and Claritin-D does, you might be able to get by with just plain pseudoephedrine. I have no idea if that's any better for you, but at least it's one fewer drug, and might be cheaper.
I use Sudafed usually a couple of weeks a year when my allergies are at their worst (sometimes with Benadryl or Zyrtec, depending on the symptoms), and I haven't noticed any bad side effects, but I'm not an expert so don't take my word for it.
posted by sharding at 6:24 PM on May 23, 2011
I use Sudafed usually a couple of weeks a year when my allergies are at their worst (sometimes with Benadryl or Zyrtec, depending on the symptoms), and I haven't noticed any bad side effects, but I'm not an expert so don't take my word for it.
posted by sharding at 6:24 PM on May 23, 2011
I took plain Clariton for 3 or 4 years with no side effects, and have taken Clariton-D for months straight with no ill effects. The only thing I would watch out for it once you stop taking it you might have congestion for a day or two as your body adjusts. This season has been especially bad for me so I have been taking generic brand Zertec, for me it is as effective as Clariton but kicks in a bit faster and lasts longer into the day. The drawback is it actually causes a little bit of drowsiness, but nothing major.
posted by token-ring at 6:32 PM on May 23, 2011
posted by token-ring at 6:32 PM on May 23, 2011
I have to think Claritin is about as safe as it gets. It has been on the market for almost 20 years. Millions of people (myself included) take it every day for months at a time. I take it about nine months out of the year, and have never suffered ill effects.
Now the D part, as sharding points out, is Sudafed. I dropped off that stuff, because it wasn't really doing anything for me. And the non-D version is cheaper. So I can't speak to Claritin-D specifically.
If your concern is that Claritin is somehow jazzing you up, I would guess that you're just experiencing everyday life without allergies. In other words, it's not that the Claritin wakes you up at the end of the day, it's that your allergies used to put you to sleep.
posted by ErikaB at 6:35 PM on May 23, 2011
Now the D part, as sharding points out, is Sudafed. I dropped off that stuff, because it wasn't really doing anything for me. And the non-D version is cheaper. So I can't speak to Claritin-D specifically.
If your concern is that Claritin is somehow jazzing you up, I would guess that you're just experiencing everyday life without allergies. In other words, it's not that the Claritin wakes you up at the end of the day, it's that your allergies used to put you to sleep.
posted by ErikaB at 6:35 PM on May 23, 2011
I know someone who has a distinct side effect to Claritin. It makes him irritable.
posted by bq at 6:58 PM on May 23, 2011
posted by bq at 6:58 PM on May 23, 2011
Yeah pseudoephedrine is basically an upper. I take it occasionally for sinus headaches and sometimes I feel a little too good after!
Avoid caffeine or any other stimulants.
posted by radioamy at 7:14 PM on May 23, 2011
Avoid caffeine or any other stimulants.
posted by radioamy at 7:14 PM on May 23, 2011
I'm with nadawi, there was some constipation involved.
I used to take Claritin-D for about 3 months a year, and it was OK. Besides the aforementioned problem, I also would get some random blood when blowing my nose (always toward the end of the 3 month period). I took it as a sign that the Claritin-D dried me out just a little too much.
But as far as the allergies go, pseudoephedrine is a/the magic bullet. Nothing banishes them faster or better as far as I'm concerned.
I'm currently on Zyrtec because I had it left over for another problem (rash) and it seems to work well on my allergies. So I haven't used Claritin-D in over a year. Allegra works best for me, honestly, but the dietary restrictions (2hrs after a meal, 1hr before IIRC) are really a pain in the ass.
A lot of this allergy stuff is just finding what works best for you. Some people do fine on plain Claritin, others Zyrtec, others Allegra. And it can vary year to year. If Claritin-D is working well for you I wouldn't worry about staying on it for 3 months or so.
Re: meth, don't worry about it. Pseudoephedrine is not habit forming, in a 3mo period I've never noticed any tolerance forming, and while it's a component in making meth it isn't meth itself (not any more than ammonia or iodine is). If it makes you feel better, pseudoephedrine does occur naturally in some plants (but so does aspirin, opium, and THC). I've never noticed any withdrawal symptoms.
posted by sbutler at 7:28 PM on May 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
I used to take Claritin-D for about 3 months a year, and it was OK. Besides the aforementioned problem, I also would get some random blood when blowing my nose (always toward the end of the 3 month period). I took it as a sign that the Claritin-D dried me out just a little too much.
But as far as the allergies go, pseudoephedrine is a/the magic bullet. Nothing banishes them faster or better as far as I'm concerned.
I'm currently on Zyrtec because I had it left over for another problem (rash) and it seems to work well on my allergies. So I haven't used Claritin-D in over a year. Allegra works best for me, honestly, but the dietary restrictions (2hrs after a meal, 1hr before IIRC) are really a pain in the ass.
A lot of this allergy stuff is just finding what works best for you. Some people do fine on plain Claritin, others Zyrtec, others Allegra. And it can vary year to year. If Claritin-D is working well for you I wouldn't worry about staying on it for 3 months or so.
Re: meth, don't worry about it. Pseudoephedrine is not habit forming, in a 3mo period I've never noticed any tolerance forming, and while it's a component in making meth it isn't meth itself (not any more than ammonia or iodine is). If it makes you feel better, pseudoephedrine does occur naturally in some plants (but so does aspirin, opium, and THC). I've never noticed any withdrawal symptoms.
posted by sbutler at 7:28 PM on May 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
Claritin D gave me insomnia.
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:58 PM on May 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
posted by The corpse in the library at 7:58 PM on May 23, 2011 [1 favorite]
If your concern is that Claritin is somehow jazzing you up, I would guess that you're just experiencing everyday life without allergies.
I think this is very probably wrong. If someone is getting jazzed up on Claritin-D but not Claritin, it's because the pseudoephedrine is a strong stimulant.
OP: I'm not sure exactly what your concern is. Pseudoephedrine is relatively safe as long as you stick to the recommended dose and aren't hypersensitive to it. If you hypersensitive to it you'd already know. The thing to watch out for is high blood pressure because stimulants (obviously) can increase it. So just make sure your blood pressure is good.
It's not physically addictive or whatever. But if find you are starting to take it even when your allergies are good because you like the stimulant effects be careful.
posted by Justinian at 8:38 PM on May 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
I think this is very probably wrong. If someone is getting jazzed up on Claritin-D but not Claritin, it's because the pseudoephedrine is a strong stimulant.
OP: I'm not sure exactly what your concern is. Pseudoephedrine is relatively safe as long as you stick to the recommended dose and aren't hypersensitive to it. If you hypersensitive to it you'd already know. The thing to watch out for is high blood pressure because stimulants (obviously) can increase it. So just make sure your blood pressure is good.
It's not physically addictive or whatever. But if find you are starting to take it even when your allergies are good because you like the stimulant effects be careful.
posted by Justinian at 8:38 PM on May 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
And, OP, when I say I'm not sure exactly what your concern is I don't mean that in a "why worry?" kind of way, I mean it literally. Side effects? Psychological addiction? Long term problems?
posted by Justinian at 8:40 PM on May 23, 2011
posted by Justinian at 8:40 PM on May 23, 2011
Best answer: IANAD but I'm going to guess that the Claritin-D works for you, but the regular Claritin doesn't, because you have allergic rhinitis - the pseudoephedrine helps shrink the inflammation. Regular Claritin doesn't do a darned thing for me, either, and actually makes me sleepy.
I'm not a fan of the pseudoephedrine either, and my doctor has backed me up on this - he says to treat it as a last-resort kind of drug. It's not addictive as far as I know, but it does raise heart rate and blood pressure, and causes insomnia for some. When I need it, I take the dose for children under 12 - it's that powerful.
A few things that my doctor considers much safer... My allergies are year-round, and I've found that Nasonex spray (prescription) used twice daily works a lot better than just about anything else, and doesn't have the jittery side effects. I also take Singulair (prescription) daily as a preventive measure, and Allegra (mine's prescription, but you can also get it OTC) when things get really bad.
posted by chez shoes at 8:53 PM on May 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
I'm not a fan of the pseudoephedrine either, and my doctor has backed me up on this - he says to treat it as a last-resort kind of drug. It's not addictive as far as I know, but it does raise heart rate and blood pressure, and causes insomnia for some. When I need it, I take the dose for children under 12 - it's that powerful.
A few things that my doctor considers much safer... My allergies are year-round, and I've found that Nasonex spray (prescription) used twice daily works a lot better than just about anything else, and doesn't have the jittery side effects. I also take Singulair (prescription) daily as a preventive measure, and Allegra (mine's prescription, but you can also get it OTC) when things get really bad.
posted by chez shoes at 8:53 PM on May 23, 2011 [2 favorites]
I don't know about side effects or whether it's unhealthy, but my mom was basically addicted to extended-release Sudafed (the real stuff, pseudoephedrine--the D in Claritin-D) for several years. She thought it was helping sinus problems because her head felt foggy when she didn't take it and at the end of the 12 hours of each extended-release tablet. She was consistently grouchy at the end of the day as it was wearing off, which she recognized and attributed to sinus problems creeping back as the meds wore off.
She stopped using it at some point once she realized it wasn't sinus problems, and I don't remember any big withdrawal issues, but she did conclude that she had been self-medicating for pretty severe ADD. ADD meds are similar to Sudafed (stimulant properties.)
posted by needs more cowbell at 12:52 AM on May 24, 2011
She stopped using it at some point once she realized it wasn't sinus problems, and I don't remember any big withdrawal issues, but she did conclude that she had been self-medicating for pretty severe ADD. ADD meds are similar to Sudafed (stimulant properties.)
posted by needs more cowbell at 12:52 AM on May 24, 2011
The stuff works great for me too (in northern Virginia, w/massive & varied allergies); no side effects noticed. The Claritin-D works better for my allergies than the non-D, for what that's worth.
BUT: please note, you should NOT be taking Claritin (-D or not) continually 'for months', as Claritin, and all similar products, affect your heartrate and blood pressure too, which is why the package warns against use if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, etc. Anytime you've used it for about ten straight days, TAKE A BREAK from it. Yeah, I know Virginia allergens will make you miserable --- boy, do I know! --- but that's better than straining your heart.
posted by easily confused at 2:30 AM on May 24, 2011
BUT: please note, you should NOT be taking Claritin (-D or not) continually 'for months', as Claritin, and all similar products, affect your heartrate and blood pressure too, which is why the package warns against use if you have high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, etc. Anytime you've used it for about ten straight days, TAKE A BREAK from it. Yeah, I know Virginia allergens will make you miserable --- boy, do I know! --- but that's better than straining your heart.
posted by easily confused at 2:30 AM on May 24, 2011
I took Claritin (well, store-brand loratadine) for years for cat allergy, and it never did me any harm so far as I know, and my doctor was aware of this and never cautioned me against it. The packaging and patient info I've seen doesn't recommend against taking it for long periods, and the way it's packaged (often in 120-cap bottles, e.g.) seems to suggest that you can take it for months.
I loathe pseudoephedrine, though, and wouldn't be able to stay on Claritin-D for any length of time, so I've never bought that. It is definitely a last resort for me - I often feel that I'd rather be congested than endure the insomnia and jitters it gives me. So I only take it when I think I'm on the verge of having a really bad sinus infection.
But pseudoephedrine does have neurologic/psychological effects, so that very well could be what's making you feel good. Or it could just be lack of allergies. Try plain Claritin/loratadine for a week, then try plain pseudoephedrine for a week and see if you can tell which one is the one you like.
posted by mskyle at 6:02 AM on May 24, 2011
I loathe pseudoephedrine, though, and wouldn't be able to stay on Claritin-D for any length of time, so I've never bought that. It is definitely a last resort for me - I often feel that I'd rather be congested than endure the insomnia and jitters it gives me. So I only take it when I think I'm on the verge of having a really bad sinus infection.
But pseudoephedrine does have neurologic/psychological effects, so that very well could be what's making you feel good. Or it could just be lack of allergies. Try plain Claritin/loratadine for a week, then try plain pseudoephedrine for a week and see if you can tell which one is the one you like.
posted by mskyle at 6:02 AM on May 24, 2011
I have to agree, I think it's definitely the pseudoephedrine in the Claritin-D that you're feeling. I was taking Claritin-D everyday a couple weeks back and had pretty much the same experience as you, which was especially great during finals. I did talk to my Doc about it however, and she didn't think it was a good idea to be taking it constantly because it raises your blood pressure. Mine was 121/78 when I got it checked at the doctor's, which is definitely above my usual and on the border of prehypertension. Like chez shoes my doctor prescribed me Nasonex and also recommended I take Allegra. I highly recommend this combination.
posted by radiomayonnaise at 8:31 AM on May 24, 2011
posted by radiomayonnaise at 8:31 AM on May 24, 2011
Just as a data point, I've been taking Sudafed daily for some 15 years to deal with chronic rhinitis (and this with a doctor's blessing). If I don't take it, I feel less energetic than usual, but I think it's most likely because I'm not getting enough oxygen rather than I'm not getting the stimulant. I'm taking Allegra-D at present because 1) I can't get 24-hour Sudafed in my area anymore, and 2) allergy season is kicking in.
posted by bryon at 8:51 AM on May 24, 2011
posted by bryon at 8:51 AM on May 24, 2011
Response by poster: Thanks, guys. I'm sorry this question wasn't very clear. I appreciate the facts about researching pseudoephedrine, specifically. I agree with Justinian that it must be the "D" is having upper-effects, since regular Clariton doesn't do that. No constipation (knock on wood), but I just feel unnaturally good on it.
I asked a couple pharmacists about taking it long term through allergy season, and they all gave the ok. But, they don't know that I feel this way on it.
I guess I was worried about any long term effects, either physical or psychological, and my own tendency to be compulsive about stuff sometimes (hello diet coke and the internet...but those are other stories).
It's my second year in VA and only my second year dealing with allergies. I like the idea of nasonex and want to research it a little more, or at least find something without the pseudos in it. But I now realize that is the culprit! Thank you, guys!
posted by shortyJBot at 5:03 PM on May 24, 2011
I asked a couple pharmacists about taking it long term through allergy season, and they all gave the ok. But, they don't know that I feel this way on it.
I guess I was worried about any long term effects, either physical or psychological, and my own tendency to be compulsive about stuff sometimes (hello diet coke and the internet...but those are other stories).
It's my second year in VA and only my second year dealing with allergies. I like the idea of nasonex and want to research it a little more, or at least find something without the pseudos in it. But I now realize that is the culprit! Thank you, guys!
posted by shortyJBot at 5:03 PM on May 24, 2011
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posted by nadawi at 6:09 PM on May 23, 2011