Two widespread anti-allergy drugs can depart you feeling scratchier than ever. The Meals and Drug Administration is warning that stopping long-term use of cetirizine and levocetirizine can, in uncommon circumstances, trigger intense itchiness.
The FDA issued its warning earlier this month. Over the previous decade, the company has acquired a whole lot of studies of individuals experiencing extreme—generally “debilitating”—itching after going off the drugs. Although it seems to be a uncommon complication, the FDA can be requiring producers to say the aspect impact within the labeling of those medication.
“The underlying mechanism for this threat is unknown, however our analysis helps a causal relationship between stopping cetirizine or levocetirizine and pruritus,” the FDA acknowledged in its Drug Security Communication concerning the merchandise.
Cetirizine and levocetirizine are each antihistamine medication which were round for some time. The previous was first accepted because the prescription drug Zyrtec in 1995, whereas levocetirizine was accepted as Xyzal in 2007. Although the medication can nonetheless be prescribed, they’re additionally now broadly out there over-the-counter to deal with hay fever and different allergy signs.
As helpful and protected as these medication have been for thousands and thousands of individuals, whispers of this aspect impact have been circulating for years. A 2019 examine recognized potential circumstances of extreme pruritus (itching) associated to cetirizine withdrawal relationship again to not less than 2008, for example, whereas a 2016 examine reported related circumstances within the Netherlands tied to levocetirizine; customers have additionally detailed their insufferable experiences attempting to give up these medication on Reddit and different social media platforms lengthy earlier than the FDA stepped in. Whereas it’s attainable some individuals could have had a return of allergy signs as soon as they stopped taking these medication, individuals generally reported itching that hadn’t existed earlier than or to a level beforehand by no means skilled.
The FDA recognized 209 circumstances worldwide (197 within the U.S.) of new-onset pruritus after cetirizine/levocetirizine withdrawal between April 2017 and July 2023. Most individuals had taken the drugs for over three months, usually years, although circumstances might additionally happen after just one month of steady use. Victims usually complained of widespread itching that required medical intervention; in some circumstances, the itching was so extreme that it left individuals bedridden and even led to ideas of suicide or self-harm.
The silver lining is that this aspect impact appears to be uncommon general. The FDA notes that about 100 million prescriptions or OTC purchases of each medication mixed had been made in 2022. Folks with the aspect impact aren’t essentially doomed to itch endlessly, both. The FDA discovered that 90% of people that restarted their treatment resolved their itching, for example, and about one-third of individuals had been in a position to keep away from a brand new bout of itching in the event that they slowly weaned off the drug as soon as restarting. Some individuals have additionally reported aid after taking a brief course of corticosteroids.
Nonetheless, when you’re a longtime consumer of those medication, that is definitely one thing to concentrate on in case you ever resolve to cease. Folks planning to take these medication long run also needs to talk about the advantages and dangers of doing so with their physician, the FDA stated, “who can present recommendation primarily based in your private wants.”
