Talk

I don't think you can take both on the same day as I think they are in the same family of anti histamines. Best bet would be to speak to the pharmacist. The other option os to take an antihistamine and use another medication to treat symptoms (e.g nose spray / eye drops / cream for allergic rash) which can help treat the symptoms until the next anti histamine dose is due.

dh uses loratidine daily plus nasacort nasal spray

I asked the pharmacist this recently- i.e. whether you could take loratidine and cetirizine on the same day- he said no.

TBH, I find Piriton the best anti-histamine, but it does make me feel a bit spacey so I don't take it if I need to drive.

You can take Piriton (proper old-fashioned drowsy Piriton) at the same time as Cetirizine - our GP prescribed them both when my son had a hellacious bout of hives with swelling

I take Benadryl Allergy relief - 1 tablet lasts for 8 hours. It contains actrivastine. Alas I can't find an unbranded version and it is £4.99 for 12. BOGOF at Boots at the moment.

I find it the most effective, but it sends me to sleep....they all do. I find it highly amusing it says non-drowsy!

I caused alarm and consternation by telling GP I was taking 2 cetiriizine per day! Now I get loratidine and steroid nasal spray. I have perennial problems, not just seasonal, though my need is greater in summer. It seems to work. I think you can use Piriton, but I'd only take it at bedtime as very sleepmaking. And no good if disturbed at night by babes or driving first thing. Best to talk to pharmacist or GP.

Ah ok, thank you. I already use a prescribed nasal spray as well as the cetirizine. I think I have some piriton somewhere, might give them a go. I wish they'd produce something that lasts all day/night.

If either isn't cutting it I suggest going to your GP and asking to be referred to an allergy clinic.

I was referred after years of taking antihistamines all year round and they were slowly becoming less and less effective. Discovered that I didn't have sinus problems in the winter and hayfever in the summer - I was allergic to dust and it was all year round just manifesting in different ways! I was put on an anti-allergy tablet, a stronger antihistamine and a nasal spray and feel normal again. It's brill. Does sound like OTC drugs just aren't cutting it for you.

i take 2 diff anti-histemines, piriton/cholorphenamine and another i dont remember the name of, the consultant said this was fine, one was for the day, one for night, i take 2 or 3 of the piriton in the day, generlaly just 2 and then one of the other kind at night depending on how my allergies are

piriton doesnt make me sleepy at all btw, it depends on the person i think

My ds takes 10mg cetirizine daily in a morning and this has been wearing off around teatime so his consultant has told me to give him another dose but only if he really needs it x

I didn't know there was such a thing as an allergy clinic! I seem to be allergic to many things- dust, cats and dogs, tree pollen and grass pollen, although I've never been formally diagnosed.

I'm like that too, olivo, and was told I didn't 'need' to be referred to allergy testing as I probably knew already what i was allergic to! got the feeling it was for budgetary reasons. No harm in asking though.

definitely, thanks. I will have to see the Dr next time I want more AHs/inhaler so will mention then.private health care where we live so less retraint re budgets etc i hope.

If you are asthmatic, then you're much more likely to be referred - at least that's what my GP told me, if that helps. So maybe push that angle?

Like I said, I was sure I knew what I was allergic to - was bound to be tree pollen as my "season" started in February. But then I'd still need to be taking the tablets in November and I started to worry that it was bad that I'd be taking antihistamines nearly all year round so I went to ask if it was okay to be on them. That's when I was referred. Not allergic to any pollen of any kind

I don't want to give out wrong advice so would be best to speak to your gp, but when on placement with a gp they said that many once a day antihistamines are safe to take more often if you have symptoms that aren't controlled by just once a day doses. Lot's if medicines can be used "off licence" safely like this - but please speak to your gp as I'm not sure which I specific drugs and how much you can take etc.

Some info about dosage here

Btw if it is hayfever you want to treat, follow the dosage guide for seasonal rhinitis.

I take 2 a day as when the sun hits my skin I get dreadful hives. So when its really sunny I take a boots own brand non drowsy one and at night take piriton.

I have never had any bad reaction to this and have been double dosing for a couple of yrs now.

My ds age 7 can take DOUBLE the adult dose of cetirizine per day when his allergy is particularly bad but this is on the advice of the specialist paediatric allergy doctor.

Panda - I think this is fairly common practice as I have seen a fairly newly qualified gp prescribing like this to someone with fairly severe allergies for whom one a day just wouldn't cut it. I watched in interest as when I am staying with family/friends who have cats I often find that one a day just isn't enough. I probably still woyldn't up the dose without medical advice of some kind though!

Hi. I recently have been allergy tested and I also was taking zyrtec (generic form) which did not last long enough. My allergies told me I could take up to 30mg of zyrtec (or cetirizine) a day. I have begun this and it works much better. I take 10mg at night then another 15mg (1 1/2 pills) in the morning. I, also, take Aprodine twice a day. Aprodine has 2.5mg of antihistamine which adds another 5mg a day totaling 30mg of antihistamine per day. Ask your doctor if this would work for you.