Ratings for the Best Allergy meds?

[drfeelgood1]

I have been battling hay fever every Spring and Summer and its very severe.
I need help on deciding on which antihistamines are the best for this.
Is there any websites that has ratings for this on which type of Allergy meds are the best?

I have been taking Cetirizine and Levocetirizine but I don't know which one from these two would be the best to take and after a few hours my allergies kicks up again...

Seems to me in my past years, that the first generation antihistamines like DPH, tend to work the best, but I sleep from it all day.
The ones that cause drowsiness the most, works, as opposed to the newer (2nd and 3rd) generation antihistamines...

 

[Kittycat5]

They are pretty much the same. Describe your symptoms. Antihistamines only do so much and might need topical (nasal or ocular) stuff.

 

[drfeelgood1]

Sinus pain/pressure, a lot of sneezing, runny nose. These all occur especially right after I wake up.
Oh, and I hate nose sprays, because it tends to cause my nose to bleed and raise my BP...
Is there any websites that rate for the best hay fever meds which I have?

 

[Kittycat5]

Which nasal sprays have you used? Decongestants like oxymetazoline can raise BP but corticosteroids tend not to significantly. Either could cause bloody nose. Not sure where you are but several steroids are OTC in America now (Flonase, Rhinocort, Nasacort). All pretty similar and help with the sneezing, itchiness AND congestion from allergies. There is also cromolyn and several (still RX here) antihistamine nasal sprays that act more locally than tablets.

Its probably better suited for another forum but its as basic drug discussion as it gets to me. If my colleagues move, just follow it wherever.

 

[theGirlWithBlueHair]

I always found doxylamine to be the best antihistamine. But a lot of people find it really sedating - which I don't at all. For non-sedating, ceterizine, which is the active metabolite of hydroxyzine. If you don't like nasal sprays, the only other options are adrenergic based tablets like pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine, both of which are sympathomimetic and can raise BP, but phenylephrine is doubtful to do so very much - it's not even considered very effect as a decongestant, near placebo level by some doctors and pharmacists apparently.

The first generation antihistamines work the best because of their additive anticholinergic properties, which helps decrease mucous production. I find Claritin (loratidine) to be absolutely worthless. Have you tried chlorpheniramine? It has noradrenergic reuptake inhibition effects that may reduce the drowsiness produced by other first generation, anticholinergic antihistamines.

The corticosteroids, like Kittycat5 mentioned, tend to work the best, if you combine one of them with the ceterizine you're taking. Have you tried a steroid spray? Because the ones that contain oxymetazoline and levmetamfetamine are adrenergic and will have sympathomimetic effects.

 

[drfeelgood1]

I have what's called Avamys nasal spray (fluticasone) nasal spray and its a steroid-based nasal spray. And I do have a bottle of it and taken this one time last year.
http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/medicines/allergy-and-asthma/a8131/avamys-nasal-spray-fluticasone/

The issue here with steroid-type nasal sprays or meds like these is because I have what's called Gynecomastia (man boobs) and I had read that steroids can make it worse...Same goes for allergy injections which are mostly steroid-type medications.
Anything that's a hormonal or steroid type drug like these, will cause my Gynecomastia to get worse....

But what I had read about this nasal spray, it does not work instantly though, one needs to start taking it before the allergy seasons arrive.

Ill just stick with either Zyrtec or Xyzal and see later what happens.

 

[deos68]

patanase or hydroxyzine are the only meds that work for me
i have year round allergies

 

[andrewwalker]

Allergy medications really depends on the person. Some work for one person where they won't work for others. I, personally, prefer Zyrtec Generic medicine. I found that it was the best allergy medicine I have taken in a long time. Even my allergist told me that I should stick with Zyrtec Generic medicine and not have a prescription because it works better.