Ask a doctor on the topic of Allergology

Is taking Cetirizine permanently harmful?

August 11, 2009 | 12,00 EUR | answered by Dr. med. Susanne Plotz

Good day,

I suffer mainly from severe pollen allergies (hazel and birch) from January to May. Even with the constant intake of over-the-counter allergy tablets during this time, I still experience very strong symptoms. Being without tablets is therefore not really possible in order to avoid the risk of developing asthma. Even with tablets, anti-allergy eye and nose drops, I still have slight problems with my bronchi in the spring.

Furthermore, I suffer from year-round food allergies to apples and a lot of other stone and pome fruits. My whole mouth itches and burns, and often my eyes and nose start itching too. Sometimes I also feel like my throat is getting phlegmy and I get scared that it might swell up (which has never happened). It is very unpleasant.

For this reason, I sometimes tend to either stop eating fruit altogether or take Cetirizine almost year-round, as it is very healthy to eat fruit and almost all other fruits cause me discomfort...

Is taking allergy tablets all year round harmful in the long run, or can this be justified in my case? Should regular blood tests or similar be carried out due to the continuous intake? Are there perhaps any long-term studies on how continuous antihistamine intake affects the body?

One does not want to harm oneself, but completely avoiding fruit and suffering in the long term is also not ideal (especially for one's mental health), right? For example, I hardly drink any alcohol and do not harm my liver in any way, nor do I burden my body with nicotine or anything similar.

Best regards, Nina Melchior (28 years old, female)

Dr. med. Susanne Plotz

Dear Mrs. Melchior,

Thank you for your inquiry. Indeed, it is common for a pollen allergy to occur simultaneously with an allergy to fruits (especially pome fruits), known as cross-reactivity.

I understand that this is causing you discomfort and that you still want to eat fruits. In advance, it is always better to limit the intake of any medication as much as necessary.

In the case of Cetirizine, the package insert states that experiences with its use for up to one year are available. Additionally, there are studies that show that longer-term use is not harmful (see:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18761784?ordinalpos=3&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
And:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16723217?ordinalpos=12&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum
And:
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12872679?ordinalpos=25&itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum

In two of the studies, the active ingredient is Levocetirizine, a derivative of Cetirizine. However, before considering long-term use, it is important to discuss with your treating physician, who should be informed and approve regular intake.

Have you thought about desensitization? In some cases, very good results can be achieved with this method. If you have not already done so, you can also discuss this with your doctor.

I hope I could help you and wish you all the best.

Warm regards,
Your Susanne Plotz