Some of the most popular over-the-counter allergy treatments were originally only available with a prescription. The Food and Drug Administration approved these products for over-the-counter sale after years of use.
Allergy medications such as Allegra, Claritin, Flonase, and Zyrtec are now available without a prescription. However, purchasing all three of these items with a prescription may be less expensive.
Prescriptions are covered by health insurance, but not over-the-counter medications. This coverage can significantly reduce the cost of brand-name pharmaceuticals.
Flonase, for example, is a nasal allergy spray that can cost up to $20 if obtained over the counter. However, depending on coverage, the price reduces to $10 to $15 with insurance.
When people misdiagnose themselves, there is a hidden expense of allergy drugs. Allergy eye drops, for example, could effectively treat seasonal allergies.
OTC eye drops will not assist if the patient has another ailment that produces red, itchy eyes, such as large papillary conjunctivitis or limbal vernal conjunctivitis. A trip to the eye doctor and a prescription for the proper medication could save you time, money, and aggravation.
Is Allegra-D over the counter the same as prescription?
Allegra, a popular allergy treatment, is now accessible without a prescription over-the-counter in the same prescription dose. The generic version of Allegra (fexofenadine) will continue to be accessible as a prescription product, but it will no longer be covered by the pharmacy benefit as of August 20, 2011.
What is Allegra?
Fexofenadine is sold under the brand name Allegra. In adults and children, it is used to treat hay fever (allergic rhinitis) and hives (urticaria). Allegra is an over-the-counter medication that comes in tablet and liquid forms.
What is Allegra-D?
Fexofenadine hydrochloride and pseudoephedrine are both found in Allegra-D. It’s available over-the-counter to aid with allergy symptoms like runny noses, watery eyes, and nasal congestion. Allegra-D comes in 12-hour and 24-hour oral tablet forms.
Are Allegra and Allegra-D the same?
Fexofenadine HCl is present in both Allegra and Allegra-D. They are not, however, the same medication. Pseudoephedrine is another active element in Allegra-D.
Is Allegra or Allegra-D better?
Allegra and Allegra-D are both effective at alleviating general allergy symptoms. Allegra-D may be beneficial for specific symptoms like congestion or a stuffy nose because it contains an additional decongestant.
Can I use Allegra or Allegra-D while pregnant?
If the advantages outweigh the hazards to the fetus, Allegra may be administered throughout pregnancy. As a result, these medications should only be used with your healthcare provider’s permission. Before taking Allegra or Allegra-D while pregnant, talk to your doctor.
Can I use Allegra or Allegra-D with alcohol?
While it is possible to drink alcohol on occasion while taking a second-generation antihistamine, it is not normally advised. Alcohol can cause dizziness or drowsiness, which can be exacerbated by taking an antihistamine.
Does Allegra-D make you sleepy?
Allegra-D contains the drowsiness-inducing ingredient fexofenadine. This medicine, however, also contains pseudoephedrine, which stimulates the central nervous system (CNS). Depending on your unique response to the medicine, Allegra-D may produce tiredness or difficulty sleeping. Allegra-D will induce less sleepiness than first-generation antihistamines.
Is Allegra-D an over-the-counter drug?
Allegra-D is an over-the-counter medication that does not require a prescription. Allegra-D is kept behind the counter at the drugstore, as required by federal law. You may require identification to acquire it, and the amount you can buy on any given day will be limited.
Should I take Allegra at night or in the morning?
Allegra can be taken either at night or in the morning, depending on when your symptoms are the worst. You can take Allegra in the evening if your allergy symptoms are severe at night or early in the morning. You can take it in the morning if you have worse symptoms throughout the day. Allegra is available as a 24-hour tablet that lasts the entire day.
Is there a generic for Allegra-D 24 Hour?
Allegra-D (fexofenadine / pseudoephedrine) is a generic drug that is likely to be less expensive than the brand name equivalent.
Are allergy medicines covered by insurance?
Is it true that OTC allergy medications are covered by insurance? Prescription prescriptions are covered by health insurance, but over-the-counter remedies, such as allergy pills, are not.
Is it bad to take Allegra-D everyday?
According to experts, it’s usually fine. Antihistamines can be taken daily if taken in the authorized doses, but patients should make sure they don’t mix with other prescriptions, according to Sandra Lin, MD, professor and vice director of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery at John Hopkins School of Medicine.
Which is better Zyrtec or Allegra-D?
For two weeks, researchers compared Allegra 180 mg daily to Zyrtec 10 mg daily in 495 patients with seasonal allergies. Allegra was discovered to be less drowsy than Zyrtec and was shown to be similarly efficient in relieving allergy symptoms.
According to another study, Zyrtec was more effective than Allegra and had identical adverse effects.
However, some people prefer one over the other, so determining which medicine is more beneficial for you may require some trial and error. Your doctor can also assist you in determining which drug is best for you.
What’s the difference between Allegra-D and Claritin D?
Both Allegra and Claritin are second-generation antihistamines with a low risk of drowsiness; nevertheless, Allegra has the lowest risk of sedation of any antihistamine, making it the best choice for persons who work in safety-critical vocations.
- According to studies, Claritin is more efficient than Allegra in treating allergic rhinitis (faster onset of action, more symptom relief)
- Allegra may be more helpful than Claritin for wheal and flare symptoms, according to studies (an allergic skin reaction).
- Grapefruit juice should not be consumed with Allegra. There have been no known dietary interactions with Claritin.
Claritin is a brand name for the medicine loratadine, while Allegra is a brand name for the drug fexofenadine. Fexofenadine and loratadine are two prominent antihistamines that have many similarities but also some significant distinctions.
Which is more sedating? Allegra or Claritin?
Second-generation antihistamines include Allegra (fexofenadine) and Claritin (loratadine). Second-generation antihistamines, such as promethazine and diphenhydramine, were initially created in the 1990s to provide allergy relief without the drowsiness that first-generation antihistamines like promethazine and diphenhydramine had.
Even at higher doses than suggested, fexofenadine (Allegra) is the least sedating of all second-generation antihistamines, making it the antihistamine of choice for persons in high-risk vocations like airline pilots. When used at prescribed dosages of 10mg/day, loratadine (Claritin) is unlikely to cause CNS side effects such as drowsiness or confusion; however, side effects may be more likely at greater dosages.
Which is more effective for Allergic rhinitis?
Allegra (fexofenadine) and Claritin (loratadine) have been demonstrated to be much more effective than placebo (a fake tablet) in lowering symptoms related with allergic rhinitis, hay fever, and other allergens in clinical trials. Although trials have not consistently proven that one antihistamine is more effective than another, one study found that loratadine had a faster onset of action and gave more symptom alleviation in 836 allergic rhinitis patients (Harold 2001). This outcome corroborated the findings of a prior trial done in 2000. (Prenner et al).
In another study, fexofenadine was found to be superior to loratadine in reducing rhinitis ocular symptoms but equivalent to loratadine at reducing other rhinitis symptoms (Innes).
Antihistamines delivered intranasally or ophthalmically (into the eye) have a faster onset of action than oral antihistamines (approximately 15 minutes), but they must be taken numerous times per day. Ophthalmic antihistamines operate substantially faster (within 3 to 15 minutes) and are far more effective than any other kind of treatment in persons with allergic rhinoconjunctivitis with mostly eye symptoms. Intranasal antihistamines are as effective as intranasal cromolyn, intranasal nedocromil, and leukotriene modifiers in relieving nasal congestion and other symptoms in seasonal allergic rhinitis; however, they are not as effective as intranasal glucocorticoids in relieving nasal congestion and other symptoms.
For urticaria and other skin reactions
Allegra and Claritin, as well as other second-generation antihistamines, are beneficial for both acute and chronic urticaria, albeit more trials in persons with chronic urticaria have been undertaken. There has never been a trial that consistently found one antihistamine to be superior to another.
In one study, fexofenadine outperformed loratadine in terms of wheal and flare suppression (allergic skin reaction), with a faster onset of action and more effective suppression of the flare at each time point (Kaliner et al).
For Postnasal Drip
Allergies (especially to dairy), colds or flu, numerous medicines (including birth control pills and high blood pressure tablets), cold temperatures, bright lights, hormonal fluctuations, and spicy meals can all cause post nasal drip.
Antihistamines can be used to alleviate thin postnasal drip secretions produced by allergies. Antihistamines of the second generation, such as Allegra and Claritin, may provide better relief than antihistamines of the first generation, such as promethazine (older antihistamines tend to thicken post-nasal secretions). Intranasal antihistamines, such as azelastine, have a faster (15 minute) beginning of action and appear to be more efficient than oral antihistamines, although they must be used more frequently. Decongestants, cromolyn, and corticosteroid nasal sprays are among the other options.
Oral second-generation antihistamines are ineffective in the treatment of post nasal drip produced by nonallergic reasons. The intranasal antihistamine azelastine, on the other hand, is effective. All rhinitis symptoms, including nasal congestion, postnasal drip, sneezing, and sleeping difficulties, are relieved with azelastine. The most prevalent side effect is a metallic aftertaste, which occurs more frequently at higher dosages and fades with continuing use.
If your thin nasal mucus secretions thicken and turn yellow or green, you may have a bacterial infection, and you should see a doctor to get antibiotics.
To Relieve Cold Symptoms
Second-generation antihistamines (such as Allegra and Claritin) are ineffective in treating cold symptoms such a runny nose and sneezing (only 45 percent of adults felt better after using them compared to 35 percent with placebo ). Antihistamines only had an effect if taken within the first two days of a cold; after that, they had no effect.
Administration
Allegra and Claritin have antihistamine effects that last at least 24 hours, thus they are both taken once a day. Allegra’s active ingredient, fexofenadine, starts working after two hours. Because most of Claritin’s antihistamine activity is attributed to its active metabolite desloratadine, which loratadine is converted to in the liver, it may take two to three hours for it to reach its greatest impact.
Side Effects, Interactions and Price
The most common side effects of second-generation antihistamines are a headache and, in rare cases, dry mouth and nausea. Both Allegra and Claritin appear to have no negative effects on the cardiovascular system. There have been few severe interactions recorded with either Allegra or Claritin; however, if Claritin is combined with other medicines that cause sedation, confusion, or mental alertness, adverse effects such as sedation, confusion, or mental alertness may be exacerbated.
Grapefruit juice appears to reduce the rate and amount of fexofenadine absorption by roughly 30%. There have been no known interactions between loratadine and grapefruit or grapefruit products. To see if there are any interactions between second-generation antihistamines and herbal items or other foods, more research is needed. Before combining any medications, always with your doctor or pharmacist.
The cost of 30 Allegra and 30 Claritin tablets is comparable, and both are accessible as generics.
What decongestant is in Allegra-D?
This combo drug is used to treat symptoms caused by the common cold, flu, or allergies for a short period of time. It comprises fexofenadine and pseudoephedrine, two medicines. Watery eyes, itchy eyes/nose/throat, runny nose, and sneezing can all be relieved with fexofenadine, an antihistamine. Pseudoephedrine is a decongestant that relieves the symptoms of a stuffy nose and ear congestion. Because of the high level of pseudoephedrine in this drug, it is not suggested for children under the age of 12.