Latest news with #levocetirizine
CNET
a day ago
- General
- CNET
The FDA Warns of New Zyrtec and Xyzal Side Effect. What Is Pruritus?
According to the FDA, 62.7 million over-the-counter packages of Zyrtec (cetirizine) and Xyzal (levocetirizine) were purchased in 2022. Since allergies are getting worse -- partly because of climate change creating longer, more intense pollen seasons -- these numbers have likely climbed in the last three years as more people purchase the antihistamines to cope with allergy symptoms like a stuffy nose, watery, red, itchy eyes and hives. For the millions of people who take these drugs, it's important to know that the FDA recently published a warning about a newly discovered side effect that may occur after taking both Zyrtec and Xyzal. If you stop taking Zyrtec or Xyzal after long-term use, you might experience "rare but severe" itching. Also called pruritus, this itching was experienced by patients who had been taking these allergy medicines every day for several months or years and then stopped. What is the FDA going to do? The FDA decided to issue this warning after identifying 209 cases worldwide -- 180 cases for cetirizine, 27 for levocetirizine and two for both -- of this particular side effect reported between April 2017 and July 2023. In the US, 197 cases were reported. However, there may be more, because these are only those that were reported to the FDA. Interestingly, even though most patients who experienced this severe itching had been taking these antihistamines for more than three months, some had this reaction after less than one month of use. Because of these findings, the FDA will now include a warning on the prescribing information for prescription cetirizine and levocetirizine. The administration is also asking that manufacturers add this warning to drug facts labels for OTC versions. When to contact your doctor If you stop taking OTC cetirizine or levocetirizine and develop severe itching within a few days after you've been using the medicine daily for several months to years, you should contact your doctor. If you plan to take these medicines for a prolonged period of time, you should also discuss the pros and cons with your doctor before starting. How to treat this new Zyrtec and Xyzal side effect According to the FDA, no effective treatments for pruritus have been found. However, most patients discovered that their symptoms resolved after they restarted cetirizine or levocetirizine or after they tapered off the antihistamine after restarting it. Before you try this, consult your doctor to make sure that's the best course of action if you think you're dealing with this Zyrtec or Xyzal complication. According to the FDA, the most common, already-known side effects of cetirizine and levocetirizine are fatigue, drowsiness, sore throat, cough, dry mouth, nosebleed, fever, diarrhea and vomiting. What is pruritus? Plus, additional symptoms to know The Cleveland Clinic reports that pruritus is the medical term for "itchiness." It can be painful or irritating and spread to multiple areas of the body. Other symptoms of pruritus can include a rash, blisters, large bumps, small pimple-like bumps and skin discoloration. Scratching the skin can cause additional symptoms, such as skin breaks and bleeds, scratch marks, dry or cracked skin, broken skin that leaks a yellow to white fluid (infection), localized pain where the skin itches and a thick, leathery patch. That is why it's important to do what you can to manage your itching under the care of a doctor. Dry skin, pregnancy, contact with an allergen and a reaction medication are common causes of pruritus. If it occurs for over six weeks, it can be considered chronic.
Gizmodo
3 days ago
- General
- Gizmodo
Stop Using, Start Itching: FDA Flags Risk Tied to Popular Allergy Med Zyrtec
Two common anti-allergy medications can leave you feeling scratchier than ever. The Food and Drug Administration is warning that stopping long-term use of cetirizine and levocetirizine can, in rare cases, cause intense itchiness. The FDA issued its warning earlier this month. Over the past decade, the agency has received hundreds of reports of people experiencing severe—sometimes 'debilitating'—itching after going off the medications. Though it appears to be a rare complication, the FDA is also requiring manufacturers to mention the side effect in the labeling of these drugs. 'The underlying mechanism for this risk is unknown, but our evaluation supports a causal relationship between stopping cetirizine or levocetirizine and pruritus,' the FDA stated in its Drug Safety Communication about the products. Cetirizine and levocetirizine are both antihistamine drugs that have been around for a while. The former was first approved as the prescription drug Zyrtec in 1995, while levocetirizine was approved as Xyzal in 2007. Though the drugs can still be prescribed, they're also now widely available over-the-counter to treat hay fever and other allergy symptoms. As useful and safe as these drugs have been for millions of people, whispers of this side effect have been circulating for years. A 2019 study identified potential cases of severe pruritus (itching) related to cetirizine withdrawal dating back to at least 2008, for instance, while a 2016 study reported similar cases in the Netherlands tied to levocetirizine; users have also detailed their unbearable experiences trying to quit these drugs on Reddit and other social media platforms long before the FDA stepped in. While it's possible some people may have had a return of allergy symptoms once they stopped taking these drugs, people commonly reported itching that hadn't existed before or to a degree previously never experienced. The FDA identified 209 cases worldwide (197 in the U.S.) of new-onset pruritus after cetirizine/levocetirizine withdrawal between April 2017 and July 2023. Most people had taken the medications for over three months, often years, though cases could also occur after only one month of continuous use. Sufferers typically complained of widespread itching that required medical intervention; in some cases, the itching was so severe that it left people bedridden or even led to thoughts of suicide or self-harm. The silver lining is that this side effect seems to be rare overall. The FDA notes that about 100 million prescriptions or OTC purchases of both drugs combined were made in 2022. People with the side effect aren't necessarily doomed to itch forever, either. The FDA found that 90% of people who restarted their medication resolved their itching, for instance, and about one-third of people were able to avoid a new bout of itching if they slowly weaned off the drug once restarting. Some people have also reported relief after taking a short course of corticosteroids. Still, if you're a longtime user of these drugs, this is certainly something to be aware of in case you ever decide to stop. People planning to take these drugs long term should also discuss the benefits and risks of doing so with their doctor, the FDA said, 'who can provide advice based on your personal needs.'
CNET
28-05-2025
- Health
- CNET
The New Zyrtec and Xyzal Side Effect: How to Treat It and When to Contact Your Doctor
Allergies are, in fact, getting worse. That would explain why common allergy medications like Zyrtec (also called cetirizine) and Xyzal (levocetirizine) fly off drugstore shelves every year to treat allergy symptoms like a runny nose, itchy eyes and even hives. However, if you take these drugs, there is something you should know: The FDA recently published a warning about a newly discovered side effect that may occur with both Zyrtec and Xyzal. If you stop taking Zyrtec or Xyzal after long-term use, you may experience rare but severe itching. Also called pruritus, this itching was experienced by patients who were taking these allergy medicines every day for several months or years. The FDA estimates that 62.7 million over-the-counter packages of cetirizine and levocetirizine were bought in 2022. In the same year, about 26.8 million cetirizine and levocetirizine prescriptions for OTC and prescription products were dispensed from US outpatient pharmacies. Considering that allergies are getting worse -- partly because of climate change creating longer, more intense pollen seasons -- it wouldn't be surprising if these numbers continue to climb. The FDA decided to issue this warning after identifying 209 cases worldwide -- 180 cases for cetirizine, 27 for levocetirizine and two for both -- of this particular side effect reported between April 2017 and July 2023. In the US, 197 cases were reported. However, there may be more, because these are only those that were reported to the FDA. Interestingly, even though most patients who experienced this severe itching had been taking these antihistamines for more than three months, some had this reaction after less than one month of use. Because of these findings, the FDA will now include a warning on the prescribing information for prescription cetirizine and levocetirizine. The administration is also asking that manufacturers add this warning to drug facts labels for OTC versions. When to contact your doctor If you stop taking OTC cetirizine or levocetirizine and develop severe itching within a few days after you've been using the medicine daily for several months to years, you should contact your doctor. If you plan to take these medicines for a prolonged period of time, you should also discuss the pros and cons with your doctor before starting. How to treat this new Zyrtec and Xyzal side effect According to the FDA, no effective treatments for pruritus have been found. However, most patients discovered that their symptoms resolved after they restarted cetirizine or levocetirizine or after they tapered off the antihistamine after restarting it. Before you try this, consult your doctor to make sure that's the best course of action if you think you're dealing with this Zyrtec or Xyzal complication. According to the FDA, the most common, already-known side effects of cetirizine and levocetirizine are fatigue, drowsiness, sore throat, cough, dry mouth, nosebleed, fever, diarrhea and vomiting. What is pruritus? Plus, additional symptoms to know The Cleveland Clinic reports that pruritus is the medical term for "itchiness." It can be painful or irritating and spread to multiple areas of the body. Other symptoms of pruritus can include a rash, blisters, large bumps, small pimple-like bumps and skin discoloration. Scratching the skin can cause additional symptoms, such as skin breaks and bleeds, scratch marks, dry or cracked skin, broken skin that leaks a yellow-to-white fluid (infection), localized pain where the skin itches and a thick, leathery patch of skin. That is why it's important to do what you can to manage your itching under the care of a doctor. Dry skin, pregnancy, contact with an allergen and a medication reaction are common causes of pruritus. If it occurs for over six weeks, it can be considered chronic.
CNET
24-05-2025
- Health
- CNET
The FDA Warns of New Zyrtec and Xyzal Side Effect. Here's What We Know About Treating It
Tens of millions of over-the-counter and prescription packages of cetirizine (Zyrtec) and levocetirizine (Xyzal) are purchased every year for seasonal allergies, year-round allergies and chronic hives. However, the FDA just released a warning about a new potential side effect that can occur with both medications. If you stop taking Zyrtec or Xyzal after long-term use, you may experience rare but severe itching. Also called pruritus, this itching was experienced by patients who were taking these allergy medicines every day for several months or years. According to the FDA, the most common, already-known side effects of cetirizine and levocetirizine are fatigue, drowsiness, sore throat, cough, dry mouth, nosebleed, fever, diarrhea and vomiting. The FDA estimates that 62.7 million over-the-counter packages of cetirizine and levocetirizine were bought in 2022. In the same year, about 26.8 million cetirizine and levocetirizine prescriptions for OTC and prescription products were dispensed from US outpatient pharmacies. Considering that allergies are getting worse -- partly because of climate change creating longer, more intense pollen seasons -- it wouldn't be surprising if these numbers continue to climb. The FDA decided to issue this warning after identifying 209 cases worldwide -- 180 cases for cetirizine, 27 for levocetirizine and two for both -- of this particular side effect reported between April 2017 and July 2023. In the US, 197 cases were reported. However, there may be more, because these are only those that were reported to the FDA. Interestingly, even though most patients who experienced this severe itching had been taking these antihistamines for more than three months, some had this reaction after less than one month of use. Because of these findings, the FDA will now include a warning on the prescribing information for prescription cetirizine and levocetirizine. The administration is also asking that manufacturers add this warning to drug facts labels for OTC versions. When to contact your doctor If you stop taking OTC cetirizine or levocetirizine and develop severe itching within a few days after you've been using the medicine daily for several months to years, you should contact your doctor. If you plan to take these medicines for a prolonged period of time, you should also discuss the pros and cons with your doctor before starting. How to treat this new Zyrtec and Xyzal side effect According to the FDA, no effective treatments for pruritus have been found. However, most patients discovered that their symptoms resolved after they restarted cetirizine or levocetirizine or after they tapered off the antihistamine after restarting it. Before you try this, consult your doctor to make sure that's the best course of action if you think you're dealing with this Zyrtec or Xyzal complication.
Daily Mail
23-05-2025
- Health
- Daily Mail
Millions take these allergy meds... now the FDA says they may WORSEN symptoms
An FDA warning has been issued over a new crippling side effect of allergy drugs taken by more than 60 million people worldwide. The FDA says it has received complaints from patients who suffered from severe itching after stopping the oral allergy medicines cetirizine and levocetirizine - sold under the brand names Zyrtec and Xyzal. These medicines are available in prescription and over-the-counter forms. The itching, also called pruritus, has been reported in patients who used these medicines daily, typically for at least a few months and often for years. Patients did not experience itching before starting the medicines. Pruritus in its most severe form can cause skin damage and open sores, with patients reporting distress and difficulty sleeping. Health officials said the cases were 'rare but sometimes serious, with patients experiencing widespread, severe itching that required medical intervention'. As a result, the government agency is revising the prescription cetirizine and levocetirizine prescribing information to include a new warning about this risk. Manufacturers will also be required to add a warning about pruritus to the drug facts label of the OTC versions. An estimated 62.7 million packages of OTC cetirizine and levocetirizine products were purchased by consumers in the US in 2022. Both medications can help relieve symptoms like sneezing, runny nose, itchy nose, and watery eyes caused by pollen and other seasonal allergens. They can also be used to manage year-round allergy symptoms triggered by dust mites, pet dander, or mold. Cetirizine was approved for oral use by prescription in December 1995 under the trade name Zyrtec (no longer sold as a prescription medicine) and approved for OTC use in November 2007. Meanwhile, levocetirizine was approved for oral use by prescription in May 2007 under the trade name Xyzal and approved for OTC use in January 2017. Patients have been advised to contact a health care professional if they develop severe itching after stopping prescription or OTC cetirizine or levocetirizine pills. Those who reported the uncomfortable side effect, said the itching typically occurred within a few days of stopping the medicines. Overall, the FDA says that it identified 209 cases of pruritus worldwide linked to cetirizine and levocetirizine cessation. This number only includes reports submitted to the FDA so experts suspect there might be additional cases. It notes that it is unsure why the medication causes the itching but 'many reports described widespread pruritus that required medical intervention after stopping these medicines, with a large number describing significant and persistent impact on quality of life and ability to function'.
