Allergies - Fort Mill,SC

If dry eyes are his biggest complaint, I'd stick with it. Have you considered it's the Flonase? It dries me up more..... I have taken everything under the sun. Claritin and Nasonex are the two I've tolerated the best. While side effects are individual to each person, including in their intensity, Claritin had the least side effects for me. Any allergy med one takes will dry you out, sometimes intensely. Additionally, it takes at least two weeks for full effects of the med to be realized. I would not recommend Zyrtec. I took it for about 7 years and always felt off balance, quickly became lethargic and remained so for 48 hours after one pill, had rapid heart rate, inability to maintain self-control, and was easily and intensely angered. Dr.s always said it couldn't do that and I was imagining things, my parents blamed it on adolescence and generally being a pill of a person. As soon as I went off it I was magically fine (minus the severe allergy issues). Taking it on and off in emergency situations, I was able to determine definitely that the Zyrtec created above side effects. In speaking recently with a new Internist about these things while searching for an allergy med, he said,"Well yeah, of course it did! Mood disorders are the number one side effect with Zyrtec. Definitely don't take it if it effects you thus. I'm surprised they kept you on it for so long." Read everything with allergy/asthma meds if you're thinking about changing and understand that ALOT of them create mood disorders, severe depression, and suicidal thoughts in children.

Whatever you end up with, there's usually a Sam's brand that's WAY cheaper. Claritin is name brand Loratadine. We got two bottles of 500 pills each for $10 at Sam's two years ago - and we're still not through it (and it hasn't yet expired). Just a thought....

I don't know about less side effects -- I just know that one or the other can work better for some people. Claritin doesn't do anything for me, Zyrtec works for me (and my mom and my daughter). My daughter (almost 4) takes it daily to keep her allergies at bay. Just the minimum liquid dose for her age/size. She has no problem with her eyes drying out or them being irritated. Could it be that the allergies are irritating his eyes and the Claritin is just not working to alleviate that symptom?

You need to drink a lot of fluids when you are on any allergy medicine. My son takes Claritin now after we tried Zyrtec.

When he was on Zyrtec, he had major mood issues. To the point that you'd tell him not to do something, he'd look right at you and say OK and then do it anyway, with a totally scared look on his face - like he couldn't control himself and it scared him. I asked the pediatrician about it and she said that major mood swings and violence are the number one pediatric side effect of Zyrtec in boys - not so much in girls.

That being said, each allergy medicine works a little different for everyone and it's worth trying different ones to find one that works for you. Just be aware of the mood altering side effects of Zyrtec when you try it, so if you see something going on, it may not your son being bad, it could just be the meds.

Good Luck!

The Zyrtec had made my night time coughing stop completely and doesn't dry my eyes out. It does make me drowsy sometimes.If he doesn't have anything important to do then I'd give it a try and see how it affects him. It is expensive though. My Dr told me allegra is one of the best right now becaus eit doesn't cause drowsiness. I will try it soon as my Zyrtec is gone. There are usually coupons for the Allegra in the paper.

I don't believe Claritin can dry the eyes; it has to be part of the allergy itself. He needs eye wetting drops. Make sure that he doesn't use the Flonase too much. It can damage the lining of the nose with overuse.

My doctor put me on Allegra years ago, it worked but I remember that I needed to drink a lot of water with it or I'd get a headache. Now I take the store brand allergy medicine like Loratadine and it helps me w/ no side effects.

Zyrtec is great- I never had any side effects with that. My daughter uses nasonex and that works well too.