If you have recently stopped taking oral allergy medications, there’s an important warning you should know about.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about a rare but severe reaction when people stop taking two popular over-the-counter allergy medications.
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According to the FDA, Xyzal and Zyrtec users may experience a side effect called “pruritus” a few days after they stop using the medications.
Patients should contact their health care professional if they develop severe itching after stopping the medicines. Patients should know that itching typically occurred within a few days of stopping these medicines after daily use for a few months to years.
The FDA identified nearly 200 cases of pruritus in the United States. 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.
Most patients who experienced pruritus after medicine discontinuation reported using these medicines for more than 3 months; however, some experienced this reaction after less than 1 month of use.
For more information about the FDA warning, click on this link.