Antihistamines. Has anyone ever found one that is truly non drowsy?

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I know the modern ones are supposed to be better than the old ones but I think I'm just very susceptible because I always end up over-sleeping and zoned out when I have antihistamines.

Has anyone had similar problems and found one which is better? I feel like I've tried most but am willing to have another go if one is recommended.

I've been taking loretadine and have literally been dropping off in classroom! Only just realised connection and tried cetrizine but it's the same, wonder if I test ds fexofenadine.....

I have yet to take any that makes me feel drowsy.

Fexofenadine is the most amazing drug I have ever taken, bar ventolin. Lifechanging.

I take Fexofenadine with breakfast, no issues with drowsiness. I also had no problems with Loretadine, so maybe it’s something I am not effected by.

A bad allergic reaction makes me drowsy (in between the i

A bad allergic reaction makes me drowsy (in between the itching and sneezing) so I am not sure how much is that and how much is meds.

Loratidine does absolutely bog all for me, though.

Fexofenadine is an absolute game changer! Non drowsy and it actually works!

I have pretty bad hayfever sometimes and yet I find the right nasal spray (antihistamine + steroid in my case) keeps it very well controlled. Using nasal spray/eye drops instead of systemic antihistamines means you're very unlikely to get side effects such as drowsiness. It just depends whether you can find a spray you get on with and make sure you use it religiously. I find Dymista works for me, though I weirdly have to make sure I don't inhale at all when I administer it, or it dries my pharynx out and makes me gag. Might be a quirk relating to childhood ENT operations though.

Forgot: I also like fexofenadine, though it seemed to make me drowsy if I consistently took 180mg a day. 120mg is always an option though.

Fexofenadine is, I understand, the only one they will prescribe to airline pilots!

If you do take it with breakfast, don't drink grapefruit juice as it reduces the absorption. It's also got a short half life, so you're better splitting the dose across the day (I've taken a lot of it for urticaria). For hayfever I found it worked better to take it before bed as pollen levels were higher in the morning.

It's all on prescription in the UK. 120mg is the usual dose for hayfever. 180mg for urticaria (although off label doses much higher than this are often prescribed!).

I second a PP's nasal rinsing suggestion, and add in sodium cromoglycate eye drops 👍

Cetirizine is ok for me, I take 4 a day

Oh and Prevalin worked well for me last summer if I was going out into grassy areas!

Weathergirl the allergy consultant prescribed me 180mg twice a day if I need it! I tend to only take it once though, it's a bad day if I've doubled up!

@myusernameismud I've been allowed up to 4 X 180mg per day and I understand from the last GP is saw that she has a long term chronic urticaria sufferer who is on twice that dose 🤯

It's been shown to be safe (animal studies) on much much higher doses than that. I guess the short half life probably helps.

@Weathergirl1 I wish it worked for me at one point they had me on a combined total of 385mg antihistamines. And no difference

@yesqueen oh no. To be honest, I'm not convinced the Fexofenadine was doing much for me so I cut it out (now just on Ranitidine which is an H2 antagonist). What were you taking them for?

Other antihistamines did nothing (cetirizine gives me headaches; loratidine wasn't helping; hydroxyzine knocked me out until the next day even on a very low dose).

Another vote for Fex, can't cope without it now.

@Weathergirl1 been on that too! And beta blockers etc etc. I have chronic cholinergic urticaria

@yesqueen 😞. Mine's idiopathic.

YesQueen I think it was you I spoke to when I posted about my random post-shower rashes. I've had the allergy tests done, but they were totally inconclusive as they think I reacted to the pressure of the needle pricking my arm. A few were definite positives like dust mites and pollen, but allergy have discharged me and referred me to the severe asthma team. I'm so cross and thinking of asking for a derm referral.

@Myusernameismud yes it was. That's really frustrating I have dermographism too so I react to pressure. I was referred to an urticaria specialist and I'm sure they were under dermatology

Over the counter sleeping tablets are actually old school anti-histamines.
I'm struggling with very itchy eczema at the moment, it keeps me awake scratching. I find if I take Cetirizine I will sleep like a log and feel a bit hungover next day , Loratadine doesn't have so much effect but nor does it work as well.
They also give me palpitations. Sigh.

I use Beconase nasal spray and eyedrops. Anything else knocks me out.

Ceterizine is fine. Loratadine keeps me AWAKE 👀 for 24 hours!

I take Piriteze (cetirizine hydrochloride) daily in the morning before work, it doesn’t make me feel drowsy at all. Absolutely no side effects, however I only take it for mild hay fever