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Side Effects of This Medicine
Check with your doctor immediately if the following side effect occurs:
- Fast or irregular heartbeat; fever; abdominal or stomach pain; burning; chills; clay-colored stools or dark urin
e; cough; diarrhea; difficulty swallowing; dizziness; fast heartbeat; fever; headache; hives; itching; prickly sensations; puffiness or swelling of the eyelids or around the eyes, face, lip
s or tongue ; redness of skin; seizures ; shortness of breath; skin rash; swelling; tightness in chest; tingling; unusual tiredness or weakness; wheezing
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Symptoms of overdose may include:
Clumsiness or unsteadiness; convulsions (seizures); drowsiness (severe); dryness of mouth, nose, or throat (severe); feeling faint; flushing or redness of face; hallucinations (seeing, hearing,
or feeling things that are not there); shortness of breath or troubled breathing ; trouble in sleeping
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What Is It
Claritin is the brand name of loratadine, a non-sedating antihistamine made and marketed by Schering Canada Inc. Claritin is an antihistamine used to relieve allergy symptoms such as watery, itchy, re
d eyes; sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat. As an antihistamine, Claritin works by blocking the action of histamine, a naturally occurring chemical that is responsible for allergy symptoms. CLARITIN?
won't cause drowsiness, unlike some other over-the-counter antihistamines."
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Precautions
Breast-feedingˇXSmall amounts of antihistamines pass into the breast milk. Use is not recommended since babies are more susceptible to the side effects of antihistamines, such as unusual excitement or
irritability. Also, since these medicines tend to decrease the secretions of the body, it is possible that the flow of breast milk may be reduced in some patients. It is not known yet whether cetirizi
ne, desloratadine, or loratadine cause these same side effects.
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Cautions
Before you have any skin tests for allergies, tell the doctor in charge that you are taking Claritin. The results of the test may be affected by Claritin.
When taking Claritin on a regular ba
sis, make sure your doctor knows if you are taking large amounts of aspirin at the same time (as for arthritis or rheumatism). Effects of too much aspirin, such as ringing in the ears, may be covered
up by the antihistamine.
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How to Use
Claritin comes as a syrup, a tablet, and a rapidly disintegrating tablet to take by mouth. It usually is taken once a day with or without food. Follow the directions on your prescription label careful
ly, and ask your doctor or pharmacist to explain any part you do not understand. Take Claritin exactly as directed. Do not take more or less of it or take it more often than prescribed by your doctor.
To take the rapidly disintegrating tablet, place the tablet on your tongue. It will quickly dissolve and can be swallowed with saliva.
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