What Cold Medications Can You Take With Claritin?
In our latest question and answer, the pharmacist discusses which cold medications you can take safely with Claritin (loratadine).
What cold medication can I take with Claritin? I have allergies and have gotten a bad cold during high allergy season.
May 02, 2022- Most over-the-counter cold medicines like pain relievers, cough suppressants, decongestants, and mucus thinners are safe to take with Claritin. Avoid combination cold products that already contain an antihistamine, as taking two antihistamines together can increase side effects like drowsiness and dry mouth. Choose specific cold medicines based on your symptoms rather than combination products to safely use alongside Claritin.
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Safe To Take With Claritin
Claritin (loratadine), a non-sedating 24-hour antihistamine, can be taken with most over counter cold medications, including:
- Analgesics such as Tylenol or Advil
- Mucinex (guaifenesin)
- Delsym (dextromethorphan)
- Sudafed (pseudoephedrine)
There are no reported interactions between Claritin and any of these drugs.
Use Caution
It is important to keep an eye out for over-the-counter cold medications that are combination products, meaning they contain multiple ingredients.
Many of the over-the-counter combination products already contain an antihistamine, like Claritin.
If you take two antihistamines together, there is a potential for an increase in side effects (e.g. sedation, dry mouth etc...)
Most nighttime formulation combination products will contain a sedating antihistamine, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine or doxylamine). These should be avoided while taking Claritin.
Use The Right Med For Your Symptoms
As mentioned in this answer, most over-the-counter cold medications are fine to take with Claritin.
Below are some safe options to use with Claritin, depending on your symptoms:
- Congestion: Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) typically works well to treat these symptoms.
- Cough: You can use a cough suppressant, like Delsym (dextromethorphan), to help reduce the frequency and severity of a cough.
- Excess Mucus: Mucinex (guaifenesin) is usually a popular choice for helping with thinning mucus and secretions.
- Pain/Fever: Pain relievers such as Tylenol (acetaminophen) or Advil/Motrin (ibuprofen) are safe to use with Claritin to reduce fevers and treat mild to moderate pain symptoms.
- Watering Eyes/Runny Nose: Antihistamines like Claritin are the most effective here
Final Words
Thanks again for your question and let us know if we can be of further help!
References & sources
Glossary — Terms in This Answer
- Antihistamine
- A medication that blocks histamine, a chemical in the body that causes allergy symptoms like itching and swelling.
- Non-sedating
- A medication that does not cause drowsiness or sleepiness.
- Analgesics
- Medications that relieve pain.
- Guaifenesin
- An ingredient in cough medicine that helps thin and clear mucus from the airways.
- Cough suppressant
- A medication that reduces or stops coughing.
- Diphenhydramine
- A sedating antihistamine commonly found in nighttime cold and allergy products that causes drowsiness.
- Combination products
- Over-the-counter medications that contain multiple active ingredients mixed together in one product.
- Acetaminophen
- A pain reliever and fever reducer commonly known as Tylenol.
Dr. Brian Staiger, PharmD
Doctor of Pharmacy, board certified clinical pharmacist (BCPS), American Herbalist Guild, Medication Therapy Management certified
Brian Staiger, PharmD, BCPS, is a licensed pharmacist with more than 13 years of experience across retail pharmacy, clinical pharmacy, medication safety, pharmacy program development, and healthcare administration. He is the founder of HelloPharmacist.com, where he helps patients...
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