Allergy pill vs. Sleep

SixPapaCharlie

SixPapaCharlie

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Like most allergy sufferers, I have tried 30 different pills and found the only one that works for me. I take Claratin D. Really it is the Pseudoephedrine that clears me up. I have tried everything else and none of them do a thing.

My allergies are hit or miss. Used to be debilitating but recently they have become better.

Yesterday I could feel them coming on and I held off on the pill for a bit thinking they might subside as the sometimes do.

No luck. So I take my Claratin

Laid down at 10 to go to sleep fell asleep around 11, woke up at 1 AM and laid in bed watching Anchorman 2 and Goodwill Hunting on my phone and now at 4:33 I threw in the towel and just got up.

In about 6 hours I will be worthless at work.
But I can breathe perfectly, no sinus issues, etc. I feel great.

I have always had this issue with Pseudoephedrine and I got to wondering what other people do that take this but still need to get to sleep at night. That stuff just kicks me into high gear and I cannot sleep but it clears me up like nobody's business.
 
I think it is mountain cedar

I did the scratch test back in college and I tested positive for just about every type of green growing thing but the mountain cedar was pretty high on the list.
 
try living in GA. I live on antihistamines most of the year. Benadryl is a good one if you want to sleep. In fact, it's the sedative used in most OTC sleep aids such as tylenol PM.
 
The "D" is likely your problem. Pseudoeffedrine jazzes people. If you don't want to go the sedating route, try just using straight Loratadine (Claratin without the D) and use a nasal corticosteroid for the congestion (flonase, nasonex, nasocort....).
 
flyingron said:
The "D" is likely your problem. Pseudoeffedrine jazzes people. If you don't want to go the sedating route, try just using straight Loratadine (Claratin without the D) and use a nasal corticosteroid for the congestion (flonase, nasonex, nasocort....).
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The D is what I want <--- bring on the jokes.

I do fine just taking psuedofed allergy-wise. I am looking for something to counter act the energy effects but I am not keen on mixing pills.

The D keeps me up all night but it is the only thing that opens me up (I am rolling now)
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
The D is what I want <--- bring on the jokes.

I do fine just taking psuedofed allergy-wise. I am looking for something to counter act the energy effects but I am not keen on mixing pills.

The D keeps me up all night but it is the only thing that opens me up (I am rolling now)
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Have you considered seeing an allergist? If it's that bad, and the only thing that helps is a mighty stimulant that keeps you awake, it might be time.

I have mild allergies of uncertain aetiology and use prescription Nasacort plus OTC loratadine. The FAA is okay with this regimen. I avoid the "D" because of the stimulant effects. When it's really bad, oxymetazoline nasal spray helps open me up - but this stuff is not recommended for regular use because it can cause BAD rebound when you stop it.
 
25 years ago, upon first moving to SC, I really didn't think I'd be able to stay here due to seasonal allergies - then discovered NasalCrom - an OTC nasal spray of Cromolyn sodium - stabilizes the mast cells in the mucosa that are the releasers of Histamine - now very little problem with symptom and no side effects!
Just be aware that if your allergies are seasonal and predictable you'd be well advised to start it twice daily a couple of weeks before usual season starts and continue until usual season ends. In SC I start in late March and continue thru June.
Might require a bit of a search - not all pharmacies seem to carry it..good luck.

BTW, don't fly with Benadryl on board.
 
If I take a Zyrtec I'll sleep all night and all day tomorrow. And I'll be a zombie the day after. I hate allergy meds but Allegra is one that works best without knocking me unconscious. Claritin doesn't do much for my allergies.
 
SixPapaCharlie said:
Like most allergy sufferers, I have tried 30 different pills and found the only one that works for me. I take Claratin D. Really it is the Pseudoephedrine that clears me up. I have tried everything else and none of them do a thing.

My allergies are hit or miss. Used to be debilitating but recently they have become better.

Yesterday I could feel them coming on and I held off on the pill for a bit thinking they might subside as the sometimes do.

No luck. So I take my Claratin

Laid down at 10 to go to sleep fell asleep around 11, woke up at 1 AM and laid in bed watching Anchorman 2 and Goodwill Hunting on my phone and now at 4:33 I threw in the towel and just got up.

In about 6 hours I will be worthless at work.
But I can breathe perfectly, no sinus issues, etc. I feel great.

I have always had this issue with Pseudoephedrine and I got to wondering what other people do that take this but still need to get to sleep at night. That stuff just kicks me into high gear and I cannot sleep but it clears me up like nobody's business.
Click to expand...

You need to time your usage so the waking side effect coincides with when you need to rise.
 
Bryan, use antihistamine in the evening to sleep better.
Take the D pill in the morning because it is a powerful stimulant and thus you won't be able to sleep.
I too live in the hell-hole here in CTX and the mountain cedar is a b*tch (and half) every winter. Good luck, let's hope for early freeze to kill the damn cedar pollen.
 
The other thing I'd mention if I were qualified to do so would be that pseudoephedrine and most other decongestants are vasoconstrictors that can make peeing an all-day event for middle-aged and older men. I can testify to that from personal experience.

Stinging nettle, on the other hand, is widely used in herbal medicine both for BPH and as an antihistamine / decongestant, which is something to consider if one suffers from both allergies and even mild or early-stage BPH. But I won't mention that because I'm not qualified.

I will mention, however, that stinging nettle is not approved by the FDA, for those who give a rat's ass about Big Brother's opinion of a plant.

Rich
 
You're wasting your money on Claratin-D. That is just brand name Claratin with sudafed mixed in. Buy the generic Claratin and the generic Sudafed. Take one or both as needed. Costs half as much and is more flexible.

Don't take the sudafed within a few hours of sleep because it is a stimulant. Take a benedryl about an hour before sleep. It is a sedative. Clararin is pretty neutral.
 
When I really need to pretend to be functional with a bad cold (don't have much in the way of allergies), I'll take diphenhydramine (Benedryl) at night and a 12-hr psuedophedrine during the day. I won't try and drive anywhere though, just work at home, since the diphenhydramine has some residual effects that I don't think are compatible with driving. Usually can get through the worst of it in 2-3 days.
 
Pedals2Paddles said:
You're wasting your money on Claratin-D. That is just brand name Claratin with sudafed mixed in. Buy the generic Claratin and the generic Sudafed. Take one or both as needed. Costs half as much and is more flexible.

Don't take the sudafed within a few hours of sleep because it is a stimulant. Take a benedryl about an hour before sleep. It is a sedative. Clararin is pretty neutral.
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Peddles is right.
 
Your daily routine may be causing your problem. Usually if I sit on my azz, without enough excercise, I have problems sleeping. My doctor strongly recommends this cure.
 
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