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Zyrtec vs Xyzal

I have had hives since July this year. I had them about 7 years ago, they lasted about a year. I'm taking Zyrtec (once a day), Zantac (2 / day), Doxepin (150 mg @ bedtime), and Benadryl as needed. I had been on prednisone on and off since July but my doctor has taken me off of it (for obvious reasons). Unfortunately nothing I've taken other than prednisone has worked. My hives are particularly associated with pressure (underwear) - Since September i have worn a tank top under my clothes due to hives associated with wearing a bra. Since there are times that my clothing requires wearing a bra (like yesterday) and sure enough, hives were back by last night. Very, very itchy.... i drank a ton of Benadryl (the liquid version since that works more quickly than pills). I am ready to ask my doctor about other options - Xyzal, Atarax (I do have a quickly dimishing number of these pills from when I had to go to the emergency room), and perhaps dapsone. Does anyone have experience with these drugs? Right  now, i'm sitting here feeling so itchy (better than last night, but not good) and discouraged. I would appreciate others experience. Thanks!
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Avatar universal
If it is only from bras and underwear, most likely the elastic contains latex and that is causing your allergy. Just buy higher end panties and bras that do not contain latex. I hope this helps!
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Avatar universal
I've been taking Xyzal since 2006.  It started off costing over $200 per month, but the cost has dropped significantly with the generic, which works just as well for me at $10 per month.  

If I forget to take my pill, I feel the itchiness return within 4-6 hours of my normal, evening dosage.  But it goes away within 10 hours of dosing.  I do my best NOT to miss my dose.  I doubt I will ever be able to stop taking the meds for the hives.
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Avatar universal
you can use avamys instead of nasonex because its newer and better read this http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/releases/138583.php
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Avatar universal
What were the allergy drops? Have you found anything else to help? My daughters hives are getting worse :(  I got worse and in hospital after allergy shots :( thanks! Kim
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Avatar universal
Were you able to keep your dog? My daughter has hives from dogs and they are getting worse. She's 18 and doesn't take it serious :(thanks Kim
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Avatar universal
Does Xyzal still work for your hives? My daughter is having them and not taking them serious. It scares me as I had bad asthma for years :(  If you write the manufacture they might donate you the medicine :)    Thanks! Kim
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1973330 tn?1325946639
Where are you that you get allergy drops?
I went to an allergist in North Dakota who made me all better, but he died and his research went with him. I would LOVE to get back on allergy drops. Tell me the name of your doctor!
Love, Alva
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Avatar universal
To the people that took zyrtec,  did you have a hard time getting off of Zyrtec?  Atarax works well for me, but I decided to take Zyrtec because you don't need a prescription.  I was on it for about 2 months and realized that if i don't take it, the 3rd day, I'd start to break out hives really badly.  It was odd, so I did some research and found http://www.consumeraffairs.com/rx/zyrtec.html  and realized that a lot of people had the same problem.  Did you guys also had problems with Zyrtec?
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Avatar universal
Found myself allergic to animals - very young pups and cats in general -  they're too excitable - emit too many hormones or fermones (I think that's the spelling), etc.   Getting  them neutered could be as much as a  98% fix - really!   ..... unless your problem is dander.  Stay away from guinea pigs - gerbils - mice -  all those "cute little things".  If you have them,  make sure someone else does the cleaning..  Don't have ferrets - they are so cute - but they can give you a bad allergy attack..  I have domestic (shorthair and longhair)cats - all fixed - and there are times, because I have asthma, that I will have a runny nose -itchy eyes - or  wheeze - but most of the time it is very easy to control.  Pets are so wonderful to have and you will find a way to live with them and love every moment.
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Avatar universal
Just a thought.  I used to use fabric softener in my washloads - this caused me to break out in painful boils - stopped using fabric softener - my dryer did a fine job and I am well too.  Sometimes underarm deoderants will get you too.  Use hypoallergenic soap when you bathe - think about your shampoo - stop using anything that might start the itch - stop using perfumes - be on the lookout.  Elastics are cause for itching too.  You folks seem to have big time troubles but it might be helpful if you observe what is touching your skin around the time or day the problem starts.  My daughter gets an itchy throat and puffy lips from cantelopes.... they "seem" so harmless. don't they.  I feel for you - Good luck!
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Avatar universal
I have been suffering from eczema all my life, and suddenly last year, my lips began to swell and break out around the bottom and upper lip off and on. Now, the swelling and itching is ongoing, never stopping. I take Xyzal at night, but it took me a long time to get used to the severe drowsiness and horrible dreams that the xyzal gave me. I woke up extremely tired after a nine hour long sleep, and would wake up crying from horrible dreams. But after a month of taking it, my body got used to it, and now I can't live a day without it. Xyzal is a great drug, and now it has a generic! But essentially, taking cetirizine is pretty much the same thing as taking a xyzal... It doesn't stop me from swelling and breaking out, but it does keep me from scratching my face long enough so that it gives it time to heal so it doesn't get worse. Xyzal does help me with my other allergy symptoms, though... such as itchy eyes, runny nose, and sneezing. That's my experience with xyzal.
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Avatar universal
I've had hives on and off for about 4 years now. It seemed like it only happened when I was stressed, so I cut down on my stress level and poof! no more hives. Then about a year and a half ago they started again, much worse than ever before.. At times covering roughly 85% of my body. I went to a dermatologist and she thinks it's a side effect of NSAIDs that I take for headaches. So I was given a prescription for Xyzal and told not to take any OTC pain relievers except Tylenol. I took the Xyzal as directed for almost a month. My hives didn't truly get better (they got a little smaller, but more constant and more itchy) and I got horrible migraines at least once a week. Is there a connection between Xyzal and severe headaches that I haven't found yet? Also after I started taking the Xyzal my sinuses became.. well screwed. I went from an occasional stuffy nose to a permanent stuffy and runny nose, which I will say may have had some connection to my headaches. Any ideas? I stopped taking the Xyzal two days ago and it seemed like my system rebounded. All of a sudden I got a huge hive on my stomach along with a few random ones on my arms and such. But my sinuses are better and I don't feel like my head is going to explode. I feel like I just can't win. Do I live with the hives or live with a stuffy nose and migraines? Any information would be greatly appreciated.

~Tink
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1398370 tn?1280546410
I got a puppy - Shitzu and Poodle Mix (which are supposed to be hypoallergenic) to my child and  I had a horrible allergic reaction with airway almost close up , had to rush to hospital. Ok, I have had dogs all my life and noticed ocassional rhinitis and sore throat, so my parents were taking me to ENT's a lot. But my last dog died about 10 years ago and I didn't have close contact with them.I had the allergy tests done about 4 years ago which were reactive to mold, grass and there was minimal reaction to dogs. I tried many drugs on the market. Allegra, Claritin, Benadryl... For last 3 years Zyrtec-D was working fine, not great, but tolerable. After what happened on Monday  the doctor put me on Prednisone for 5 days, so inflammation definitely goes away , but palpitations are so intense I can barely go 2 flights of stairs, forget jogging. She gave me samples of Xyzal, it works pretty fast. But I have a bad headache. So is the headache from Prednisone or from Xyzal? Should I keep a puppy? I love the dog so much already. Does anybody think I will get used to a dog? I'd rather give it away sooner than later, or it'll be traumatic to everyone.From what I read here Xyzal is just a racemic switch in the molecule of Zyrtec, how come it works so much faster and more efficiently then? I don't know what to do. Thank you for reading!
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Avatar universal
Zyxal is the only (new) drug that works for me. I am 68 and have had hives off and on since I was 12 years old. I am 98% in remission since July 2009. This drug is specially formulated for hives; however, for us seniors Medicare will not pay for this and neither will supplemental insurance. Expensive yes but it is better than my throat swelling and winding up in the funeral home. Two years ago my allergist had a blood DNA test done ($200 appx.) to check out what was causing this ideopathic reaction. Turns out it is genetic for spontaneous breakouts, and nothing can be done. So I continue to pay through the nose for this life saving drug. I feel for all of you.
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Avatar universal
I've been suffering with chronic hives for 5 years, off an on, and I am 29 yrs old.  When I have an outbreak it'll last for weeks or months and this time it been since Feb (and now we are in May).  I've taken Zyrtec for years and it definitely helps with my allergies, but not the hives.  A friend of my recommended Xyzal so I talked to my doctor about it.  I started taking it two days ago and its, so far, it's working wonders.  Today I only have a few, 10 at the most, and usually I'm covered with hives from my shoulders to my knees.  I take the Xyzal at night and right now it's 9:00am the next morning and I can feel the itchiness, but they're not able to come out.  I also, put Benadryl Extra Strength Itch Stopping GEL all over my arms and legs and it really helps the itching.  

So below are the meds I take for my chronic hives and the combination seems to be working:
Xyzal (night)
Hydroxyzine (morning and night)
Benadryl GEL (all day)
Zyrtec (morning)
Singular (morning)

My conclusion regarding Zyrtec vs. Xyzal - they are different. Xyzal WORKS!!!
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Avatar universal
XYZAL worked wonders for my itching. Nothing OTC worked long enough. Just remember to take at bed time. Doctor said if the problem is related to histamine, this works great. Text XYZAL to 62900 to receive a text coupon. I paid just $25 for my prescription.
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1191123 tn?1264676041
Dear All,

As a chronic perennial rhinitis sufferer, I know how it feels to have allergies. I am also contact allergic to tomatoes and aubergine; food allergic to all kinds of pepper.

I am taking a nutraceutical that comforted me: LECTRANAL. Active ingredient is Astragalus membranaceus.This product is available in some European countries.
  
Using Lectranal more than a year, I'm in a better shape: can sleep, breathe well, no runny-itchy nose and best of all, without the bothersome side effects like dry mouth, dizzy head, sleepiness and a huge appetite.
Only in my "high season" (April 15 - July1)I take it uninterruptedly; rest of the year I take it for a month and give it a week's breake.
I do not use the herb itself because I cannot trust where/how people pick it and if it is really the right plant.
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Avatar universal
I have been suffering with hives for 2 years with an unknown etiology.  The only triggers are hot weather and exercise.  my dermatologist prescribed me clobex topical spray and it works wonders.  it is an topical steriod but with minimal side effects.  It is the only thing that I found that works.  You can manage the hives in 3 days they were gone I went 6 months without another flareup. Just give it a try also sarna lotion is great for itchiness, it is a nonsteriod cream available otc.
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681148 tn?1437661591
It looks like you already know what your true food allergies are.  You can have hidden food allergies or food sensitivities, too, though, which will affect your GERD.  I have GERD, too...

I see a naturopath who had me go through an elimination diet, which helped me discover these hidden food allergies that can't be tested with the usual igE tests, because you'll test negative for these food allergies but still have a reaction (GERD or IBS or both).  I still have GERD, but now that I know which foods to avoid, I'm able to live without taking the reflux medications you mentioned.  I also lost a signifant amount of weight without even trying.  I needed to lose the weight.

I learned that it is dangerous to take these PPI (Nexium, Prilosec, Prevacid, etc) medications long term.  A friend of mine had a nissen fundoplication done and was still taking the PPI meds and ended up ruining the lining to her stomach and small intestine.  She will have to have vitamin B shots for the rest of her life--every week--just to survive.
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Avatar universal
One day about 6 years ago I had shell fish I broke out in hives and my lips swoll up. and for several years  after that I continued to get hives and swell. After several expensive tests and a sleu of doctors one doctor said I have Uticaria and she prescribed me a eppi pen. Without medication I have been completly Hive free for about a year and a half. (Knock on Wood)  
This leads me to my new problem I have always felt like thier is a lump of mucous in the back of my throat the doctor says its GERD and Possibly Allergies. So he prescribed Nexium, Ranitdine 300 mg  and xyzal (which my insurance does not pay for) I am very frustrated with the whole situation. Any Help would be nice
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Avatar universal
If you are having pruritus (itchy skin) or hives caused by "pressure," it could be eczema.  I had "hives" for two years and always in areas that chafed against my clothes (bra area, waistband, ankles, backs of knees, etc). It was HORRIBLE.

However, after going to many different doctors (internist, dermatologist, allergist) who all prescribed either oral antihistamines or prednisone, I finally went to an immunologist who realized what it was.  

I got a simple prescription for topical corticosteroids.  Unlike the antihistamines, they actually worked (and fast, within a day), and unlike prednisone, they are not as dangerous with scary side effects.

If you get "hives" because of pressure, and your reactions are dermatological (I have hay fever, too, but the itchy skin was not systemic), you should ask your doctor to try a strong corticosteroid cream/ointment.  It may be eczema.  

The good news is, it may never go away completely, but you can treat it (and make other changes, like taking cooler showers, using better moisturizers, etc) and it won't bother you anymore.
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850029 tn?1238857820
Have you looked at your laundry detergent?  I all of a sudden broke out in hives last year, especially in my bra area, by my socks, or waistband of my pants.  My doctor treated it with Zyrtec.  I got tired of taking it and looked at what was around my house.  I've switched to fragrance free everything.  No candles, no nothing.  I use laundry detergent has no toxin or fragrance in it.  I've controlled my hives, unless I'm around fragrance. I also feel I breath much better.  If only people realized how polluting fragrances really can be:)
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Avatar universal
I was given a sample of Xyzal from the allergist. It seems to work ok. Then I got a prescription for it from my PCP. She also gave me a $20 discount for each 5 refills. She obviously knew that my insurance wouldn't cover it, but neglected to tell me. When I went to fill the RX, they told me that the Xyzal isn't covered by insurance. ????? What the heck do I have and pay for health insurance for anyway???? My theory is that if you need a prescription for a medication that is necessary for you to feel healthy,...........then it should be covered!!! Right??? Well, then I found out that it would cost me $90 but minus the $20, total of $70 a month. I don't know about you, but I can't afford that cost plus office visits that cost $25 co-pay for follow-ups and $35 to see the allergist on top of it. I am disgusted with all of them!!!!! I am trying Zyrtec that cost $25 @ Walmart. Cheaper than the prescription seeing as I will need it for the entire allergy seasons foreverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! Hope it works.
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Avatar universal
Not sure if this helps. I read on one research study that there is no clinically significances between the 2 drugs (xyzal and zyrtec) I'm a med tech student and I did take organic chemistry. xyzal is usually prescribe as 5mg/tablet (pure R-enantiomer) while zyrtec is prescribe as 10mg/tablet (50% S-enantiomer and 50% R-enantiomer). The human body only uses the R-enantiomer, which is why some people feels its faster and better as your body only digest pure R-enantiomer rather digest both S/R at the same time. Technically there should not be any difference because your body can only use the R-enan, but imagine this: If you want to paint your room PINK in 1 hour, do you go to the store and buy a tub of pink paint, or do you buy a tub of white paint and a tub of red paint to mix? Obviously, if you but a tub of pure pink paint, you would save the time of mixing it before painting. Same as zyxal, if you stomach only needs to dissolve the R-enan, it should be faster than dissolving both R-enan and S-enan together. Thats my logic. But technically, there is no clinical significance when they conduct the research study. But then again, one would wonder who sponsored that research study...
I have tried both zyrtec and xyzal before, personally I think xyzal provides relieve faster. The bad thing about xyzal is that it is slightly pricer than zyrtec. You can read here http://www.irf.dk/en/reviews/xyzal_levocetirizine.htm for more information on comparison of the 2 drugs.
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