Side effect of Claritin - anxiety!
By collieluv28
@collieluv28 (388)
United States
November 11, 2008 2:36pm CST
My nine year-old started taking Claritin last month for some nasal symptoms. Shortly thereafter she developed some anxiety problems. She didn't want to leave me to go to school, she cried in school, etc. She went to the school counselor quite often in order to get through the day. I finally made the connection after some internet searching that the Claritin may be the cause. I stopped giving it to her, it took a few weeks but she is all better! There are a very small percentage of individuals who have this reaction to Claritin but I saw it first hand & know it to be true. I read a lot of Dr. Andrew Weil & he says that antihistamines are a mood depressing drug & those who are pre-disposed to depression should not take them. I thought I'd pass this information on & see if anyone else out there has had this problem or know of someone who has. Amazing how medicines that help us can also harm us.
2 responses
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
11 Nov 08
I didn't know that. I was aware that there was a lot of issues with the medication my son takes for his allergies and asthma, and one of them was depression. He has actually taken Claritin but he was almost 2 when he started and he was only on it for about 6 months.
@collieluv28 (388)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I guess everybody reacts to meds differently. My daughter must be very sensitive so I will have to really watch her in the future. I hope your son is doing better with his allergies & asthma. That must be really scary to deal with.
@ZephyrSun (7381)
• United States
12 Nov 08
I hope you are able to find something that works for your daughter. It's so hard with children because no one wants to experiment with their children.
My oldest son has asthma and so have a second child with it wasn't a big deal. It didn't take long to figure out what was wrong with him. But, the first child was pretty scary spending 5 nights a week in the ER because he couldn't breath and no doctor actually said it was asthma.
@Yogamama (1)
• Newark, New Jersey
26 Jan 16
I just came across this discussion because my 10 year old daughter has been having major anxiety. She says she doesn't feel right like she is going crazy and feels really worried and nervous. Also while she was laying in her bed, she said she felt like she is falling. The only thing I could think of that we have done differently is, she started taking Claritin about a month ago because she said she felt like she couldn't take a deep breath constantly. So the doctor told her to take Claritin. Which has not helped. I feel helpless watching her feel this way, she has been in tears over this because she doesn't feel like herself and it scares her. I will take her off Claritin and hopefully she will feel better.
