Son of a Itch!!!!

 

They are beautiful aren’t they? I LOVE flowers and always look forward to their bloom every spring, what I don’t look forward to is the terrible allergies I suffer as a result. This spring I started sneezing and had an itchy throat so I started taking my seasonal allergy medicine of choice Zyrtec. More specifically Cetirizine in the great big Kirkland vat. Well over the last couple months I have been…not myself. I could NOT figure out what it could be and one of the most disturbing things I have been experiencing has been weight gain despite exercise, which has increased so if anything I should be maintaining, but certainly not gaining at such a rapid rate. I did a little research and found that for a small percentage of people rapid (that’s right RAPID!) weight gain is a side effect!!!  So for general information (whether you want it or not) these are some of the side effects of Zyrtec (Cetirizine). I’ve highlighted some of the ones I’ve experienced:

Common side effects of Zyrtec Oral:                                                   Dryness of the Nose                                                                                                                          Dry Mouth
Drowsiness
Throat Dryness

Infrequent side effects of Zyrtec Oral:                                                 Throat Irritation
Chronic Trouble Sleeping

Rare side effects of Zyrtec Oral:                                                        Abnormal Heart Rhythm
Bronchospasm
Hepatitis
Liver Problems
Blockage of Normal Bile Flow
Seizures
Fit
Visible Water Retention
Heart Throbbing or Pounding
Life Threatening Allergic Reaction
Nightmares
Blurred Vision
Problems with Eyesight
Unsteady Walking
Ringing in the Ears
Incomplete or Infrequent Bowel Movements
Sun-Sensitive Skin
Dizzy
Low Energy
Excessive Sweating
Involuntary Quivering
Rash
Loss of Appetite
Weight Gain
Increased Hunger
Nosebleed
Fast Heartbeat
Feel Like Throwing Up
Diarrhea
Difficult or Painful Urination
Stomach Cramps
Decreased sex drive                                                                                                                  Nervous
Confused
Over Excitement

Okay so I’m sure some of those things are a bit personal, but I just wanted to share incase anyone out there is experiencing some of these things. I have been ravenously hungry (even right after I finish eating) tired and gaining weight at ridiculous speed despite increased exercise. And can I just say that there is nothing more defeating than trying to eat well while being stupidly hungry and exercising and still gain weight! I was so off that I had convinced myself that I could be pregnant, which is ludicrous because I had my tubes tied after Littlest Moo but I simple could not figure out why I was experiencing all these symptoms!!!!  Great so I decide to stop taking the medicine. So for some other great information one of the side effects of quitting Zyrtec is itching. I happen to be fortunate enough to be experiencing this delightful side effect of withdrawl. I’ve actually experienced it before and not realized why I was itching so much, but after a little research now I know why. Oh and it is not just a little itchy, but an itch over my entire body that makes it seem like there would be nothing more glorious than to scratch my skin clean off my body. Seriously.  I know it might take a few more days but I am going to just tough it out and get myself off the hard stuff. I’ll still enjoy the flowers, but I might be sneezing while doing it and in time hopefully a little lighter!