Allergy symptoms are starting to run rampant here in North Carolina.  Much to do with the fantastic weather we’ve been having as of late!  And with the full-blown allergy season fast-approaching, this OTC Allegra news comes just in time (covenient, right?) to help fight the slew of nasty allergy symptoms that will be affecting tons of people. 

According to the representative I talked to at Sanofi Aventis (the maker of this medication, but marketed by a company call Chattem), all strengths (30mg, 60mg, and 180mg) and forms (tablets, orally disentegrating tablets, oral suspension, and Allegra-D)  will be over-the-counter.  Yes, even the children’s orally disintegrating tablets and children’s oral suspension are going OTC!

You’ll still have to go to the pharmacy to purchase the Allegra-D 12 Hour or 24 Hour Allergy and Congestion products…just like you have to for any other Sudafed products!

If you’re getting Allegra by prescription, you’re probably used to getting the generic, fexofenadine.  As of right now, there does not appear to be a generic OTC Allegra hitting the market, but it probably won’t take long for that to happen. 

The only part of  Allegra that is not going OTC is the children’s oral suspension indicated to treat hives in children 6 months to 6 years of age.  So, the oral suspension itself is going OTC, but not for the aforementioned indication!  

That part may be confusing so feel free to send me an e-mail at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com or comment below if you have any questions.

Happy March!

Side Effects

Aside from the sedation factor, Benadryl, Claritin, and Zyrtec all may have similar side effects: dizziness, dry mouth, dry nose, dry eyes (these medication are all very drying agents), and constipation.
Benadryl is a bit different from Claritin and Zyrtec. It can easily cross a structure called the blood-brain barrier (the BBB) and enter the central nervous system (CNS), which is made up of the brain and spinal cord (BASC. Okay…kidding on that last one). This is what causes Benadryl’s well-known sedating effect. Since Claritin and Zyrtec do not cross into the brain nearly as well, they are known as non-sedating antihistamines (although some sedation can occur).

Excited (if not frazzled) parents may think, “Great! I’ll give my child Benadryl to help with their allergy symptoms and help them rest too.” Don’t prepare that cup of hot tea and reach for your favorite book too soon. Benadryl has been known to cause paradoxical hyperactivity in children: an unexplainable ability to cause inconsolable irritation and agitation.

And the Pharmacist Recommends…

While Benadryl’s quick 15 to 30 minute onset of action is tempting, it doesn’t reach its peak performance for about 2 to 4 hours. Also, it must be ingested multiple times per day. Plus, there’s Benadryl’s unpredictable ability to cause either marked drowsiness or off-the-wall excitability.

While Zyrtec and Claritin both have the convenience of once-daily dosing and seem to be equally effective, Zyrtec is my professional (and personal) recommendation. It’s been proven to work faster and reach its peak effects much sooner than Claritin. It’s a bit more sedative than Claritin, so if you notice your child’s sleepy time coming on a little too quick, Claritin is still an excellent alternative. If your child’s allergy symptoms are persistent even after taking the OTC antihistamines, a visit to the physician may be necessary. In fact, if your little one is less than 2 years old, it’s probably best to take your infant to a physician before treating him or her on your own.  He or she may be suffering from a non-allergic condition, as toddlers haven’t developed enough verbal cues quite yet to clue you in on what may be wrong. Plus, OTC antihistamines may be too strong for their little bodies to handle.

THE END!

Don’t forget to post a comment below.   If you’d rather, you can e-mail me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com with any questions, commments, or concerns!

And, Just for visiting, we’ll treat you to a free video course revealing 90 ways to save money on your prescription drugs (a $47 value). Get your hands on the course by going to http://www.getpharmacyadvice.com/freegift.html, and receive instant access to ideas to help save money on your medications.

Thanks for tuning in!

Dosing

There is no need to give your child more than what is directed.  It will not speed up recovery and will only bring about more side effects (this goes for all three medications). For children ages 2 and older, Claritin and Zyrtec list appropriate doses on their respective boxes. Benadryl is a bit trickier. Even though Benadryl is FDA approved for kiddos younger than 2 years of age, the directions on the OTC package are geared toward children 6 years and younger.  

As a pharmacist, I recommend giving children 2 to 5 years of age ½ teaspoonful (6.25mg) and children 6 to 12 years of age 1 to 2 teaspoonfuls (12.5 – 25mg) of Benadryl by mouth every 4 to 6 hours as needed (teenagers can take the adult tablets, unless they are super small for their age). However, as a disclaimer, if you have any doubt, even the slightest inkling, please seek help from your local pharmacist or your child’s physician!

There are no special directions on how these medications should be taken. Food will not affect the response to the drugs. Because of Claritin’s and Zyrtec’s once-daily dosing, I recommend giving them to your child at bedtime so he or she can sleep through any sedating effects the drugs may have. Also, pollen levels are highest in the morning, so Claritin and Zyrtec will be well absorbed into your child’s system and ready for battle if taken at bedtime (a good deal if pollen is your child’s major “invader”).

And let’s stop there!  Don’t want to overwhelm you with too much info at once.   I’ll get Part III out to you next week.  

Does your child suffer from allergies (indoor or outdoor)?  Leave a comment below to share how their allergy symptoms are controlled! 

Questions can be sent to me at Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com, or you can use the “Submit Your Question” form at the top of the page. 

Last, but not least, we want you to be able to save money on your prescription medications, so we made a video course that will direct you on how to do just that!  Click here to get instant access.   Best part, it’s completely free! 

Happy Monday

Since more over-the-counter allergy medications have become available, more parents are blindly self-treating their children, without learning the “ins” and “outs” of what they are giving them.

Allergies: The Cause and the Cure

Allergies result when your child’s immune system mistakenly identifies harmless substances as serious enemies. When these “invaders” are detected, many different chemicals, including histamine, are released in an attempt to destroy the opponents. Histamine is responsible for a slew of sticky, gooey, unsavory, and unagreeable allergy symptoms, including sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose and throat, itchy or watery eyes, post-nasal drip and congestion, and all-around irritability. For histamine to cause all that icky allergy stuff, it needs to be able to bind to its target (called “receptors” in Pharmacyland). Over the counter (OTC) antihistamines block histamines from binding to their target points in the body.

OTC antihistamines are broken-down into 1st generation and 2nd generation drugs. There is one OTC 1st generation antihistamine available for children, BENADRYL, and two 2nd generation medications, Claritin and Zyrtec.  All three are available in a kid-friendly liquid formula.

Before You Buy, Beware…

You may have noticed that the abovementioned OTC medications are marketed as effective for perennial or seasonal—or indoor or outdoor—allergies. Don’t believe the hype! Standard-issue Benadryl, Claritin, and Zyrtec are all effective in treating your child’s allergies no matter what the cause or time of year!

Whoa, gotta stop here…just noticed that it’s time for me to go rock out on Guitar Hero!  I’ll hit you up with Part II next time I post a written piece (first, I’m gonna put a video up!). 

Any questions so far?  Let me know by tossing an e-mail my way.  Cate@getpharmacyadvice.com is where you can reach me.  Or simply leave your thoughts below! 

PS: You can still get our ultra free video course that discloses the many ways you can save money on your prescription meds.  Just click here to get instant access to our free gift!

Thanks all!