I want to know if its safe to take my allergy pill Xyzal. I am 7 weeks pregnant

[Isaacmother]

Please can anyone tell me if its safe to take my allergy pill Xyzal(levocitirizini). I have véry bad allergy and even now that am 7 weeks pregnant I have to take this 5mg everyday. I know no med is safe during pregnancy but when I tried to stop the medicine I got very itchy, shortness of breath and my eyes were red and swollen. Am so worried but can't stop taking the med. Anyone else take or taken this med during pregnancy. Gp won't give clear answer. But its a pregnancy category B. Help please

Maybe ring a chemist to ask.

Am a bit confused about why your GP won't give a clear answer... maybe you could ask another doctor in the clinic?

Congrats on your pregnancy :)

I take this same medication for severe hayfever and my GP has said I can no longer take it now that I am pregnant.

She prescribed me a different antihistamine that I can take only occasionally (although I don't bother as antihistamines need to be taken regularly in order to be effective). So I am suffering badly......

a pharmacist is definitely the best person to speak to

webmed says it should be used with caution in pregnancy
as with many of these meds, there are no studies in pregnancy (that would be unethical) but most medicines are fine.
go to your gp and don't let him/her fob you off. there are effective medicines that you can use that are safe.

Ring NHS direct. They'll get someone to check for you and ring you back. Have done this to check meds while BF.

Thank u all so much. I went to a different doctor who said its was ok to take and then went to the pharmacy and the pharmacist said not to take. Am so confused. I looked @ other post and people were saying Piriton might be the safest. Will ask my doctor abt it. If anyone still has any info on xyzal pls let me know. Thanks again for the reply.

Xyzal is an isomer of certirizine, which is now generic. There's loads I'd experience of certirize in pregnancy and the logic would be that an isomer would also be safe. However there's far MORE experience with piriton. And if I recall correctly, it's also more effective at symptomatic relief but causes drowsiness where as xyzal and certirizine don't as they don't cross the blood brain barrier. The clinical data on xyzal was shite too, crap compared to most things and in some studies only slightly teeny tiny bit better than placebo. I said that the marketing strap line should have been "xyzal, a bit better than nowt" but the client didn't like it.

I think I will ask for piriton, was thinking abt it but now that u've mentioned defo gonna ask my doctor. But don't u think if xyzal does not pass the blood brain barrier that makes it safer. Not that I really understand how that works or what it is. Think I need to read more.lol Thank u so much for ur help

Well the theory I think is that it's the side effect profile which is better (eg less drowsiness) because of the blood-brain barrier thing, not safety as really that can only be fully ascertained by trialling it on large numbers of patients or experience of it being used over the years on different patient types, and there's far more experience with piriton.
I'd ask your GP to ask the local immunology/allergy clinic for their protocol in treating pregnant women and go from there. Hope that helps. X

Yes love. Sounds great. Have an appointment on Wednesday. Will let u know. Cheers

Hi. This is me exactly now. I wonder if you found solution of what can you advise please.

I am 6weeks pregnant. Been using xyzal for over 10years. One day without it and i struggle by evening just like now. This is the reason i found your post. Doctor told me to stop taking it. She gave an alternative but pharmacy said it is contraindication for pregnant women. Now i dont have any idea how to survive. Been scratching my whole body for hours 🥺

I hope and pray i will receive a reply @Isaacmother 🙏🏾