Claritin-D 24-Hour and Claritin-D 12-Hour are brand names for tablets with both loratadine and pseudoephedrine. Because it contains pseudoephedrine (a decongestant), Claritin-D is more useful than Claritin for people who also have nasal or sinus congestion in addition to itchy or watery eyes, runny nose, and sneezing.

Claritin-D® provides significant relief for patients with allergic rhinitis with nasal symptoms.

Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose). Claritin-D is used to treat sneezing, runny or stuffy nose, itchy or watery eyes, hives, skin rash, itching, and other symptoms of allergies and the common cold.

What time of day should I take Claritin®? Claritin® products are non-drowsy and can be taken at any time. Do not take more than one dose every 12 hours if you are using a 12-hour product, or one dose every 24 hours if you are using a 24-hour product.

This medication is an antihistamine that treats symptoms such as itching, runny nose, watery eyes, and sneezing from "hay fever" and other allergies. It is also used to relieve itching from hives. Loratadine does not prevent hives or prevent/treat a serious allergic reaction (anaphylaxis).

Claritin is an antihistamine that reduces the effects of natural chemical histamine in the body. Histamine can produce symptoms of sneezing, itching, watery eyes, and runny nose. Claritin is used to treat sneezing, runny nose, watery eyes, hives, skin rash, hay fever, itching, and other cold or allergy symptoms.

Answer: Yes, it is ok to take the medication for an extended period of time. However, the "D" formulation has a decongestant (which is what the 'D' represents in the name) and this can raise your blood pressure. I would recommend discussing with your doctor if this will be a possible problem for you.

Zyrtec and Allegra work faster than Claritin. All three work well to treat hives and symptoms of hay fever, such as itchy skin and eyes and post-nasal drip.

Claritin-D is another story. It should only be used for seven days when you are using it as a self-medication to control symptoms, she says, for fear of side effects related to the long-term use of pseudoephedrine, such as high blood pressure or worsening nasal congestion.

Claritin is less likely than other antihistamines to cause serious side effects when mixed with alcohol. However, side effects such as dizziness and sleepiness are still possible. Plus, Claritin may interfere with your liver's ability to process alcohol, increasing your risk of an overdose if you drink too much.

“Claritin and Claritin-D are not in the same class of medications,” adds Dr. Elliot. Neither of the two medications is more effective than the other at relieving allergy symptoms, Wozniak says.

While some over-the-counter antihistamines can cause drowsiness, routinely using them to treat insomnia isn't recommended. Antihistamines, mainly used to treat symptoms of hay fever or other allergies, can induce drowsiness by working against a chemical produced by the central nervous system (histamine).