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Two current anti-allergic drugs can leave you more free than ever. The Food and Drug Administration warns that the cessation of long -term use of cetirizine and levocetirizine can, in rare cases, cause intense itching.
The FDA issuing Its warning earlier this month. Over the past decade, the agency has received hundreds of reports from people with serious – sometimes “debilitating” – after leaving medication. Although it seems to be a rare complication, the FDA is also demanding Manufacturers to mention the side effect in the labeling of these drugs.
“The underlying mechanism of this risk is unknown, but our assessment supports a causal relationship between the cessation of cetirizine or levocetirizine and pruritus”, the fda declared In its communication on the safety of drug drugs.
Cetirizine and levocetirizine are both antihistamine drugs that have existed for some time. The first was approved for the first time as a prescription zyrtec in 1995, while levocetirizine was approved like Xyzal in 2007. Although drugs can still be prescribed, they are also now widely available over the counter to treat hay fever and other allergy symptoms.
As useful and safe as these drugs have been for millions of people, whispers of this side effect has been circulating for years. A 2019 study identified Potential cases of severe pruritus (itching) linked to the withdrawal of cetizine dating at least 2008, for example, while a 2016 study reported cases similar to the Netherlands linked to levizine; Users also have detailed Their unbearable experiences trying to leave these drugs on Reddit and other social media platforms long before the FDA intervention. Although it is possible that some people have been able to have a return of allergy symptoms once they have stopped taking these drugs, people who have fluently reported itching that had not existed before or to a previously experienced degree.
The FDA identified 209 cases in the world (197 in the United States) of new appearance after the withdrawal of Cetirizine / Levocotirizine between April 2017 and July 2023. Most people had taken medication for more than three months, often years, although cases can also occur after a single month of continuous use. People with affected were generally complained of generalized itching which required medical intervention; In some cases, the itching was so serious that it left people in bed and even led to thoughts of suicide or self -harm.
The silver lining is that this side effect seems rare overall. The FDA notes that around 100 million prescriptions or OTC purchases of the two combined drugs were made in 2022. Persons with the side effect are not necessarily condemned to itch forever. The FDA noted that 90% of people who restarted their medication resolved their itching, for example, and about a third of people were able to avoid a new fight of itching if they slowly saved the medication once. Some people also reported relief after taking a short corticosteroid lessons.
However, if you are a long -standing user of these drugs, this is certainly something to know in case you decide to stop. People who plan to take these long -term drugs should also discuss the advantages and risks of doing so with their doctor, the FDA said: “Who can provide advice according to your personal needs.”
