Zyrtec Vs. Nasonex

Updated on February 14, 2012
S.S. asks from Los Angeles, CA
7 answers

My 2.5 year suffers from a chronic wet cough. It's been months and months and the cough is still there. At one point, we gave him Zyrtec per the dr's recommendation and it cleared up for alittle while but then it came back. Nasonex helped another time but then it also came back. Now I'm at a loss - do I have to give Zyrtec and/or Nasonex daily to keep the cough away? Or is it on an as needed basis? What's the difference between the 2 medications and which is safer? How long have your kids been on it? Thanks!

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A.C.

answers from Cincinnati on

I had to give my son (age 3, but he was 2 at the time) Benadryl when he had an allergic reaction to penicillin, and it knocked him out cold for a couple of hours. I have also given him Clariton once for a very bad cough that we could not get rid of. We had no side effects.

Ah, you changed your question after I posted my answer. Sorry, while I am personally on Zyrtec and Flonase (generic Nasonex), I have never given either medication to my children.

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S.E.

answers from Philadelphia on

Back to the pediatrician for you.

These are not questions for a forum on moms your child's doctor needs to be making sure you have a handle on the cause of the symptom not just what will make it go away. 2.5 is too young for long term use of either of these meds without being monitored by a doctor. They weren't designed for children that young. Start a symptom diary look for what seems to trigger the cough and what seems to help. Make and appointment with the doctor and log your observations until the appointment. See this as a monitoring situation with the doctor, not a one and done...

Good luck! And don't give up.

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M.P.

answers from Portland on

You do have to give both of these meds daily because it takes awhile for them to be effective. My Nasonex prescription says as needed which was explained to me that I could stop it every once in awhile to see if I still need it. But I was to take it for weeks at a time.

They are two different medications. The Nasonex is one thing, the name of which I can't remember and the Zyrtec is an antihistamine. They work in different ways.

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L.O.

answers from Detroit on

ask your dr.

for me zyrtec was like a sleeping pill. even when I took it at night.. so it was in my system for over 12 hours.. I still felt lke a zombie the next day.

zrtec is an antihystamine.

nasonex is a steroid. it works to reduce the swelling in the sinus and thereby reduces the draininage.

nasonex works in several days. zyrtec works in 1 day. if the child is constantly exposed to things she is allergic to.. she will have allergy symptoms. and may need medicine.

J.W.

answers from St. Louis on

I love Zyrtec and have given it to my ten year old when needed. My husband used Nasonex and it made his nose burn. Both relieved the symptoms just fine.

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N.J.

answers from Los Angeles on

I have used all OTC allergy medications on my oldest. Zrytec worked great, but he was an emotional wreck. I took him off of it. Allegra wasn't as bad, but he still was having behavior issues, I just took him off of it, and it is night and day for him, total different kid. It took a good week to see an improvement while on either of those, and it was not an as need basis. had to keep him on it to see symptom relief, and it took me a good 5 days to wean him off of it to see his behavior changes as well.

I still have him on Omnaris (nasal spray, like Flonase) no behavior issues, and it helps with his cough somewhat, but our issue was a constant runny nose and sinus infections, it has worked wonders for that. I was told the nose sprays are more for relieving inflammation and congestion ( big issue with my little guy) and not to see much in terms of the symptoms ie runny nose, sneezing etc., but reducing the inflammation would prevent all the nasties from hanging out and then causing the sneezing, runny nose etc.

I was shocked the dr. prescribed Omnaris since he's 4, and all the leaflets I've read say 6 or above, but we only give 1/2 the dose. I was told I could use as needed, but it only seems to work for him on a daily basis. I plan on taking him off for the late spring/summer months since he doesn't have a problem then.

if the flonase was prescribed for your 2 yr old, personally I found it works best for my son with the least amount of side effects. I won't be using any OTC allergy medication for this kid, until he can describe what he's feeling like to me. But like everything, everyone responds differently.

Hope you find what works for your little guy!

If the

N.G.

answers from Dallas on

To my knowledge, those medications take a while to build up in your system, so you can't really take zyrtec or nasonex on an as-needed basis. They are both pretty safe, non-steroidal. My kids have both taken nasonex and it helped, but I have personally taken it and hated the way it made my throat feel. But it does work. Zyrtec does nothing for my family.

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