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What side effects can this medication cause?
Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they seek medical attention immediately.
Check wi
th your doctor immediately if any of the following side effects occur:
Incidence rare
- Chest tightness ; feeling of warmth, redness of the face, neck, arms and occasionally, upper ches
t; large, hive-like swelling on face, eyelids, lips, tongue, throat, hands, legs, feet, sex organs; shortness of breath, difficult or labored breathing
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Special warnings about this medication
This medicine may cause some people to become drowsy or less alert than they are normally. Even if taken at bedtime, it may cause some people to feel drowsy or less alert on arising. Some antihistamin
es are more likely to cause drowsiness than others. Drowsiness is less likely with cetirizine, and rare with desloratadine and loratadine. Make sure you know how you react to the antihistamine you are
taking before you drive, use machines, or do anything else that could be dangerous if you are not alert.
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Symptoms of overdose may include:
Clumsiness or unsteadiness; convulsions (seizures); drowsiness (severe); dryness of mouth, nose, or throat (severe); feeling faint; flushing or redness of face; hallucinations (seeing, hearing,
or feeling things that are not there); shortness of breath or troubled breathing ; trouble in sleeping
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Before Taking This Medicine
ChildrenˇXThis medicine has been tested in children 6 years of age and older and, in effective doses, has not been shown to cause different side effects or problems than it does in adults. There is no
specific information comparing use of fexofenadine in children up to 6 years of age.
Older adultsˇXFexofenadine has been tested in patients 65 years of age and older and has not been shown to
cause different side effects or problems in older people than it does in younger adults.
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How should you take this medication?
Cetirizine comes as a tablet and syrup to take by mouth. It usually is taken once a day. It may be taken regularly or when allergy symptoms flare up. Follow the directions on your prescription label c
arefully, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take cetirizine exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your
doctor.
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Possible food and drug interactions
Anticholinergics (medicine for abdominal or stomach spasms or cramps)ˇXSide effects, such as dryness of mouth, of antihistamines or anticholinergics may be more likely to occur
Erythromycin (e.g.
E-Mycin) or
Ketoconazole (e.g., Nizoral)ˇXUse of these medicines with fexofenadine may cause an increased amount of fexofenadine in the blood.
Central nervous system (CNS) depressants (medi
ines that cause drowsiness)ˇXEffects, such as drowsiness, of CNS depressants or antihistamines may be worsened; also, taking maprotiline or tricyclic antidepressants may cause some side effects of eit
er of these medicines, such as dryness of mouth, to become more severe
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