Greg Panico, a spokesman for Janssen Pharmaceutica, which is owned by Johnson and Johnson, said that the withdrawal was a voluntary business decision. “The decision to voluntarily discontinue it recognises that the allergy marketplace is crowded with a number of other drugs,” Mr Panico said.

Since both medications have a common core chemical structure, Zyrtec and Xyzal generally have the same level of effectiveness, onset of action, and range of allergy symptoms treated. Xyzal is slightly less drowsy, so if drowsiness is an issue with your allergy medicine, Xyzal is better than Zyrtec.

Children's Xyzal starts working in one hour and provides 24-hour relief of allergy symptoms including sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; runny nose; itchy nose or throat. Taken before bed, Xyzal relieves kids' allergy symptoms overnight so they wake feeling refreshed and ready for the next day.

For mild to moderate allergy symptoms, Allegra or Claritin are preferred because they are non sedating and do not make you feel sleepy. For more severe symptoms that can interfere with work, school or daily activities, Xyzal or Zyrtec may be more effective.

Levocetirizine is the active component in the medication and cetirizine contains levocetirizine (along with the inactive dextrocetirizine). This means that Xyzal (left banana) and Zyrtec (both bananas) are essentially the same drug and should work the same.

Our Verdict. Xyzal is an antihistamine used to relieve a variety of indoor and outdoor allergy symptoms, as well as hives. A 24-hour over-the-counter allergy medication, Xyzal is safe and effective at the recommended daily dose, but it may cause drowsiness, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Both come as tablets with 5 mg of levocetirizine each. The “24 hour relief” part of Xyzal Allergy 24HR applies to the prescription product, as well. The recommended dosage for adults and children ages 12 and up is one 5 mg tablet per day. Generic levocetirizine is also available OTC (typically sold as store-brand).

Drowsiness, tiredness, and dry mouth may occur. Fever or cough may also occur, especially in children. If any of these effects last or get worse, tell your doctor or pharmacist promptly.

Yes, drowsiness may occur. In clinical studies where Xyzal® was administered at night, 6% of users experienced drowsiness. Xyzal® should be taken at night, and users should be careful if driving a motor vehicle or operating machinery.

If your child begins to have itchy eyes, runny nose, and sneezing that get in the way of enjoying life to the fullest, Children's Xyzal® can help. It relieves allergy symptoms while they sleep, so they wake up to a full day of allergy relief.

Zyrtec is considered a second-generation antihistamine, and Xyzal is a third-generation antihistamine. These medications are classified by how likely they are to reach the brain and cause drowsiness.

Xyzal, Zyrtec, and drowsiness First-generation antihistamines, such as Benadryl (diphenhydramine), are the most likely to reach the brain and affect the nervous system. They're also more likely to result in drowsiness and sedation.

Yes. Xyzal® is safe to use every day in the evening. Use only as directed and please read the product label for complete dosing instructions and warnings.

Xyzal® and Claritin® both provide 24 hour allergic rhinitis relief, however, their active ingredients are different. The active ingredient in Claritin® is loratadine, while Xyzal® contains levocetirizine, the medicine that provides effective relief starting in one hour.

Since Xyzal and Zyrtec are very similar medications, they have very similar side effects. A potential side effect of Xyzal and Zyrtec is drowsiness. But both are considered non-drowsy antihistamines. If you feel sleepy or tired while taking one of them, you can switch to the other to see if the side effect goes away.

As the latest over-the-counter branded oral antihistamine, Xyzal® offers effective relief for symptoms of hay fever or other respiratory allergies year-round. It is designed to be taken at night and allows for up to 24-hours of powerful allergy relief that is just as effective at hour 24 as it is at hour 1.