Xyzal and Drowsiness: What Users Say

• Chr...
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• July 8, 2021

For Allergies "Ok… This is really easy! Just break Xyzal in half! I’m 65 years old, I’ve had severe allergies my whole life. Now I have allergy-induced asthma and terrible post-nasal drip… I’ve tried everything at my age! Fluticasone spray didn’t work with the post-nasal drip or congestion. So I got this, took a whole one… I was too drowsy for what I like in the morning so I broke it in half… duhhhhhh. I’ve only blown my nose once so far all morning. My eyes aren’t swollen shut and lungs aren’t full-on congestion. Oh, and I took it in late afternoon… Got up early! FYI… If you have to be up early in the morning, don’t ever take something that causes drowsiness late at night! Most likely it will still be working in the am when you need to be up. I’m no doctor, just old!"

• Com...
• May 2, 2021

For Allergies "My PCP said to get Xyzal for relief, I took my first pill last night. I was drowsy yesterday & took a 2-hour nap & knew I would be up for hours last night. I took my first pill last night at 10 pm & I was asleep 30 minutes later. I slept like a log for 9 hours (I'm usually fully refreshed after 7). I'm also a SUPER light sleeper & my husband said that he got up & made a lot of noise but I never heard a thing. I forced myself awake & felt heavily drugged (like I was only 1 hour into a NyQuil night). Then 2 hours later I was still feeling drugged & napped deeply for 2 hours, I woke up & feel heavily drugged still, Like morphine or Norco has been flooded into my body. My limbs are limp, I want to lay my head back & sleep again. Talking feels hard to concentrate on. I’m holding my eyes open extra wide to keep them from shutting involuntarily. Seriously- this is scary at how strong it’s affecting me and I’m scared to try to do anything. I’m not taking any more of this stuff!"

• Com...
• May 2, 2021

For Allergies "My PCP said to get Xyzal for relief, I took my first pill last night. I was drowsy yesterday & took a 2-hour nap & knew I would be up for hours last night. I took my first pill last night at 10 pm & I was asleep 30 minutes later. I slept like a log for 9 hours (I'm usually fully refreshed after 7). I'm also a SUPER light sleeper & my husband said that he got up & made a lot of noise but I never heard a thing. I forced myself awake & felt heavily drugged (like I was only 1 hour into a NyQuil night). Then 2 hours later I was still feeling drugged & napped deeply for 2 hours, I woke up & feel heavily drugged still, Like morphine or Norco has been flooded into my body. My limbs are limp, I want to lay my head back & sleep again. Talking feels hard to concentrate on. I’m holding my eyes open extra wide to keep them from shutting involuntarily. Seriously- this is scary at how strong it’s affecting me and I’m scared to try to do anything. I’m not taking any more of this stuff!"

• BGa...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 4, 2020

For Allergic Rhinitis "Took half a pill of Xyzal as my regular dose at bedtime. Next day in the afternoon I’d have to take a nap. I NEVER nap. Felt like I was hit with a ton of bricks. This was happening regularly while on half a pill, and always the next afternoon. Went off it for a while, no drowsiness. Allergies acted up again, so I started it again last night. Could not stay awake this afternoon. Slept 3-5 pm. I’m throwing this stuff away."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 2, 2020

For Allergies "Horrible experience with this medication. I suffer from chronic allergies (sinus issues, chronic cough, etc.), and Xyzal was recommended to me by my PCP because it is 'non-drowsy.' So wrong. I'm groggy, disoriented, irritable, and SO INCREDIBLY TIRED, and it's been two days since my last dose. (And this is my 3rd attempt with this med.) I was hoping these side effects would fade, but they have not. I'll save a few bucks and take Benadryl the next time I want to relieve my cough and be comatose at the same time."

• Mot...
• September 15, 2016

For Allergies "I've only taken Xyzal for allergies twice. The first time, I took one 5 mg pill at 17:00 hrs, and by 20:00 hrs, I was completely knocked out, as if I just had a meeting with Bill Cosby - knocked out. According to my Fitbit, I didn't move for 10 hours and 15 minutes. During the first three hours of the experience, I felt everything pop in my head and loosen up, but as that was going on, my stomach became upset. When I woke up in the morning, it felt like it wore off. I tried this medicine because Zyrtec caused mood swings that made me the most unlikable person in my city, and I live in D.C. I tried the medicine with a half dose the second night with the same side effects and the same intensity, but without the benefits, and those lasted 8 hours."

• No...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• July 3, 2024

For Urticaria "After 60+ years, my massive hives are gone! I struggled with swollen shut eyes, puffed up lips, swelling on my scalp, and hives anywhere else on my body they wanted to pop up, many times involving an entire limb. No place on my body was unaffected. This tiny 5mg tablet made them totally disappear, within 24 hours. Thank you Lord! Yes, Xyzal makes you sleepy - take 1/2 tablet till you get used to it. I weigh 125# and got used to it in a short time. I never thought any med besides a steroid could ever help me! I was admitted to the hospital with massive hives when I was 21 even! I lost 2 jobs because of absenteeism. I tried every antihistamine available in the US and 1 not approved in the US. I took every med my allergist prescribed. Xyzal is the ONLY one that ever eradicated all my chronic hives. Gone! If you have a serious need for a serious antihistamine that obviously works like no other, start with 1/2 tablet and build up to the whole tablet slowly. You may never need a whole one!"

• Lot...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• January 26, 2020

For Urticaria "I have chronic urticaria that is triggered by fluoroquinolones. Xyzal works almost instantly to calm the pruritus, however, the sleepiness makes me drink five coffees per day to function. Hope I will be able to get off it pretty soon."

• sha...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 22, 2021

For Allergies "I suffer from year-round allergies and have been taking Claritin for years. I decided to try out Xyzal after seeing their commercial, which says, 'relieves allergies while you sleep so you wake up refreshed,' which sounded great because my sinus pressure has been terrible lately and really bogging me down... Xyzal made me feel the complete opposite of refreshed. I don't think I've ever felt this groggy! I feel more awake when I've taken Benadryl or NyQuil! I can't shake the grogginess, and it's been over 12 hours since I took it! It must work okay for most, but I will not be taking it again... I feel like a zombie!"

• Cas...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• May 4, 2021

For Allergies "Benefits: This product is AMAZING at clearing up allergies. I have been on many OTC allergy medicines, as we recently discovered I was allergic to my dogs. This is the only allergy medicine that beats the itchy eyes, sneezing, and runny nose. Downsides: SLEEPY. It takes about 1-2 weeks to get accustomed to this medication. Until then, you are in a fog when awake. For me and my husband, the other downsides are weight gain and acne. I know that sounds odd, but the experience of being on this medication is a very similar feeling to being on a steroid regimen for bronchitis or another illness. You are consistently hungry, your skin feels very oily, and you break out in places you don't normally break out. I gained 5 pounds in one month, and my husband gained 10. For us, this was a large enough deterrent to search for other options."

• aly...
• June 4, 2017

For Urticaria "I suffered from hives caused by friction, sunlight, temperature change, exercise, and showering for over 10 years, getting increasingly worse as I got older. I hardly had a life -- I couldn't exercise or go outside without breaking out in painful, burning hives. Claritin, Zyrtec, and Benadryl only helped a little. When I was finally prescribed Xyzal by an allergist, my life was changed! As long as I take it every day, I rarely get hives. I still get some if I run or am in the sun without sunscreen, but aside from that, I'm free! I am so thankful for Xyzal, and I am no longer living in fear every day of being ruined by hives. The first few days, I was drowsy, so I take it only at night."

• Anonymous
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• April 27, 2016

For Allergies "Xyzal is one of the most effective antihistamines out there, IMO. It stops all my allergy symptoms from the first pill - I can feel my sinuses open up. It has gotten me through horrible seasons where the grasses I'm allergic to are rampant. The only downside for me is the major sedation. It is supposed to be non-sedating, but a few people will have issues with this. Curiously, I find the sedation to come on several hours after I take it, so I time that with bedtime. At first, the sedation was so bad that it felt like I was going under anesthesia! My allergist told me she had the same issue and had me cut the tablet in half to take the pediatric dose. That helped a lot, but I still time it for when it makes me tired."

• Par...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• June 22, 2019

For Allergies "This was effective for me but also highly sedating and gave a Benadryl-like hangover in the morning, even if taken in the evening. I did a lot of experimenting and found that if I use a pill splitter and take something like 1/8 or 1/10 of a tablet before bed, the effectiveness is enough and the sedation is mild. My conclusion is that I’m really sensitive to this stuff and/or the drug has been dosed far too high by the manufacturer."

• Jen...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 14, 2018

For Allergic Rhinitis "I took this 19 hours ago. I’m still too sedated to safely drive and too unsteady to stand in the shower. Plus, my eyes are itching from allergy. This stuff should be pulled off the market immediately!"

• Shi...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 4, 2017

For Allergies "This medication is incredible. It has changed my life. I used to sniffle and have a consistent stream of mucus flowing from my nose due to environmental allergies. This has completely changed how I feel. No more itchy, red, watery eyes, mucus, or overall discomfort. I can work without a tissue box nearby! If you have terrible allergies, I do think it's worth a shot. Also, I do advise you to take it in the evening as it might make you drowsy. The medication states it works for 24 hours, but realistically, it's about 18-20 hours."

• Chi...
• April 19, 2017

For Allergies "My vision is so bad that I could not read the warnings on the box. I bought one bottle for home and one for work. Big mistake. 1. It does not ease any of my allergy symptoms, which include cough, runny nose, and runny eyes. 2. It makes me feel stoned. 3. I've had pretty serious body aches since I started taking it. Based on a few of the reviews here, I think it must be related. I am going to go cold turkey. It can't be worse than this stuff. Does anything work for allergies? I will be moving to the desert soon. Fingers crossed!"

• Cpm...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• July 8, 2022

For Allergies "Healthy adult male, slightly overweight, itchiness from allergies. Half a tablet left me groggy and exhausted for nearly 30 hours. Also some minor chest pains. I cannot risk using it again. It got rid of the itchiness, but the side effects are a big negative."

• Em-...
• August 13, 2008

For Allergic Rhinitis "I love it. My doctor advised me it's best to take right before bed. I get extremely tired 10 to 15 minutes after I take Xyzal. I also have to sleep for more than 8 hours, if I don't sleep more than 8 hours, I feel drowsy all day and feel the need to take a nap."

• Anonymous
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 29, 2017

For Allergies "Took this for allergies and to help me sleep. I had the best sleep I've had in years, but I was so groggy and hazy during the day that I stopped taking it after 2 nights. This certainly works for allergies (no more sneezing or itchy, watery eyes), but I wouldn't take it if you have small children or a day job. I had such a hard time keeping my eyes open at work."

• Krt...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2017

For Allergies "Extremely effective. I have had horrible allergies for years, and this was the only thing that worked for me. Make sure you take it an hour or so before you go to bed, though, the drowsiness side effect is huge if you don't. After my allergies were under control, I was able to switch to half a pill, and that helped with the morning grogginess a lot. But it gave me my health back, so I'm grateful!"

• Krt...
• Taken for 1 to 6 months
• August 5, 2017

For Allergies "Extremely effective. I have had horrible allergies for years, and this was the only thing that worked for me. Make sure you take it an hour or so before you go to bed, though, the drowsiness side effect is huge if you don't. After my allergies were under control, I was able to switch to half a pill, and that helped with the morning grogginess a lot. But it gave me my health back, so I'm grateful!"

• Ano...
• May 13, 2017

For Allergies "Absolutely horrible, unless you like feeling dopey, drugged, and hungover for three days after a single dose! It did help my allergies, but the side effects are much too pronounced and severe to warrant ever taking it again. I'd rather suffer!"

• Ste...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 27, 2017

For Allergic Rhinitis "This medication did not seem to work any better than others I have taken, but it has made me extremely drowsy. I was not feeling well when I started taking it, so it took me a full week to figure out that Xyzal was making me so tired. I do not recommend this drug if you are susceptible to drowsiness side effects. Since it is sold in a 24-hour pill, I'm stuck being sleepy for a long time until this pill is out of my system."

• Anonymous
• October 7, 2009

For Urticaria "I have had severe chronic hives for a little over a year. So many allergists/immunologists gave me everything, including Xyzal (but once a day combined with other medicines) did very little to help. A dermatologist said to stop all other and take Xyzal in the morning and night, and now my hives are 95% cleared. I'm at a point where I feel the hives are manageable and I can work without the heavy antihistamines that make me so groggy."

• Jil...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 2, 2017

For Allergies "My boyfriend bought this for his seasonal allergies, and it worked great, and he slept great. I suffer from several chronic pain conditions and decided to try this for sleep (which is hard to come by when you're in pain... painsomnia). I slept the best I had in months. I woke up feeling refreshed, with no drowsiness. I've used other allergy meds in the past to help with sleep, but they don't always work, and when they do, I wake up drowsy. I'd love to buy a case of this, because each time I've taken it, I slept great. I'm glad he found this product."