Anti Histamines make me tired

Cetirizine wipes me out completely and I’m practically asleep standing up, but Fexofenadine works well.

I use antihistamine as a sleeping pill when desperate to get to sleep

I had the same problem with antihistamines making me drowsy. I generally feel tired enough once allergy season kicks in but recently I found a new 'second generation' antihistamine called Allertine.
It doesn't make me drowsy and according to studies the active ingredient, Bilastine is well tolerated by most people. It may be sold under another name in the UK, I'm in Australia but look for Bilastine in the ingredients. The only thing to be aware of is it must be taken two hours after eating or one hour before. Good luck.

Just because certerizine does not have the drowsiness side effect for you and your son does not mean it is the same for everyone. Everyone's body works differently. If a child has chickenpox very mildly with only a few spots, for example, that family may say it is only a mild disease and be sceptical about experiences such as mine where, aged eight, l was completely covered in spots from head to toe and had spots on my scalp and in my mouth. I was off school for a month because of it. I used to take Piriton, an antihistamine well-known for its drowsy side effect. One at a time was not enough and I was regularly taking two at a time and even that was not strong enough. My body had become so used to them that l only had mild drowsiness when I took two at a time whereas most people are completely wiped out after taking one.

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Although you and your son may not have had any problems with ceterizine, Buttonjugs doesn't mean that others have not been drowsy after taking it. It is one of the listed side effects.

This is the problem with all medications, some have no problem with them others have side effects with various levels of severity. I am allergic to pennicillin, most people are not.

I’m sceptical that Ceterizine makes anyone drowsy. My son and I have taken it for years. It must be something else causing it.

Drowsiness is a side-effect but I take them during the summer for tired-all-the -time & muscle aches & they make a huge difference. (must be a variety of pollen allergy). They also can help with M.E. for some people.

I have taken a Boots own brand one before.
Had no side effects on me.

Sago

Fexofenadine (Allegra) will not make you drowsy.
They are available OTC, I have mine on prescription.

I too have them on prescription!

@Sago, I have been taking a daily dose of Fexofenadine 180mg (prescription only) for years. I can cope with one tablet per day but have had to double the dose this summer as my hay-fever has been unbearable. I still get some breakthrough sneezing and itching even so and the exhaustion has been dreadful

I have chronic spontaneous urticaria, now much better than it was. At one point I was taking four cetirizine daily and hydroxyzine along with fexofenadine, as advised by dermatologist. I was permanently exhausted! I'm now down to one or two cetirizine a day, I take them at night and am back to feeling normal.

(And I buy the generic version, not the branded ones, they're exactly the same but less than half the price).

Loratadine is the only one that works for me, all the others make me feel really exhausted.

Funnily enough I use the normal type and even they don't make me drowsy.

Sago

Fexofenadine (Allegra) will not make you drowsy.
They are available OTC, I have mine on prescription.

I have mine on prescription too, 180 mg I'm allowed up to 4 a day and they don't make me drowsy, however I do find they do make my skin and eyes very dry.

Anti-histamines have always had the same effect on me as a double dose of mogadon - and that effect goes back to moning-sickness days, so age is no limit.

As some people say, try taaking them at night. The other thing to do is get some 4 a day anti-histamines and try taking those, possibley just one night and morning. I find the 4 a day ones cause me much less drowsiness.

This is a well-known side effect of antihistamines, however it is well worthwhile to try another brand. That is what I did, and have not been troubled by drowsiness or tiredness since.

Sago

Fexofenadine (Allegra) will not make you drowsy.
They are available OTC, I have mine on prescription.

Agree with Fexofenadine. I have been taking it for years due to my cat allergy. It never made me drowsy.

Think it's Allevia......

Thanks for that info Sago. I have the same problem with cetirizine and loretadine - they knock me out nowadays.

You are a baby compared to me. I take an antihistamine daily but only in the night. It stops me itching and also helps me sleep. I have eczema mostly on my ankles, but there’s no predicting which part of my body will itch . Dry skin also causes itching. See your GP.

If it’s one daily then take it at night.

Fexofenadine (Allegra) will not make you drowsy.
They are available OTC, I have mine on prescription.

O my goodnesss 66 is just a babe
It s the tablets NannySharon Do as NannaRose says and see your GP to find out the underlying reason for these symptoms