Doctors explain proper cetirizine use, side effects, and withdrawal risks

Taking an extra cetirizine tablet when allergy symptoms refuse to settle might be tempting, but frequent use does not bring better relief and raises the risk of side effects. Dr Amit Saraf, director of the Department of Internal Medicine at Jupiter Hospital in Thane, notes that the medicine is usually taken once a day at the recommended dose.

Side Effects And Risks

While taking an occasional extra dose may not cause serious harm in a healthy adult, taking it more often than advised leads to excessive drowsiness, dizziness, and lower alertness. The most common side effect is fatigue, though cetirizine is considered less sedating than older antihistamines. Other possible issues include dry mouth, headaches, and stomach symptoms. People who drive, operate machinery, or need high concentration must be careful because they might not realize how strongly the medicine affects them until after taking it.

Long-Term Use And Withdrawal

Patients often worry that antihistamines stop working over time, but Dr Saraf states there is no strong reason to believe cetirizine loses its effect with long-term use. The bigger issue is taking any medicine continuously without checking if the underlying allergy needs a different treatment. Long-term daily use is also linked to a rare withdrawal reaction where some people develop intense itching within days of stopping the medicine.

Special Precautions

Older adults and people with reduced kidney function need special care because the body clears cetirizine mainly through the kidneys, meaning the drug can build up if kidney function is low. Those taking other drowsy medicines must also be careful. Frequent use in children, pregnant people, or those with kidney disease should be discussed with a doctor instead of relying on self-medication.

Context

Allergy medications like cetirizine are widely used over-the-counter treatments that block histamine, a chemical the body releases during an allergic reaction. Medical experts constantly remind the public that even common medicines carry side effects when misused or taken without proper guidance.