Allegra and allergies

I have been using Allegra for over 2 years. It worked for my allergy symptoms. There are side effects I experienced but didn't really make the connection until I started reading everybody else's experiences. I had headaches, ear aches and ear infections that wouldn't go away, leg cramps at night a foot cramps while driving. I was on several antibiotics for the ear infections. Severe headaches/brain fog at doses of 180. I tried an experiment by stopping the Allegra. Sure enough my ears have cleared up and no more leg & foot cramps. The down side is that my allergies are worse and I have been taking the old antihistamines Chlor-Trimeton & Benadryl.

Wow...sorry to hear about all these adverse side effects. To state the other side of the story, I've been taking Allegra D 12 hour formula for about 6 monhts now. I take it once a day...just before bedtime and I've had no problems falling alseep, no restlessness (I do get restless when I use other over the counter anthistamines), no headache, no backache, no dry mouth...in fact, when I stop taking it I notice my allergies and sinusitis get worse.

I have also experienced terrible lower back pain, and severe hives!!

About 2 days after I started taking Allegra, I began to break out in hives. They started on my wrists and ankles, and then they moved up my legs. Now I've got them on my back, arms, stomach, and even my eyelid!

It's unbearable.

I think I'd rather live with the sneezing from my allergies than suffer through the scratching and sleepless nights!

I'm 22 and when I wake up, I feel like I'm 90 because my back hurts so bad.

Allegra, I am done with you!

Good luck to anyone else who might take this medication.

My advice? Stick with Benadryl.

If I take the 30 mg dose Allegra helps my allergies (mostly Alder and grasses, itchy, runny nose, chills and puffy eyes) and energy level. If I take 60 mg I get a severe, itchy, bumpy rash on my face and neck and into my hairline. If the low dose isn't enough to help my alleriges I guess I will just deal with the allergies instead of the rash.

My doctor prescribed Allegra to me because of a sore throat due to possible allergies and nasal passage swelling. I don't feel sick, just a bad sore throat. (strep test was negative) Anyways, i have had it for about 4 days, and finally took the medicine last night. My doctor warned me to take it during the day because it might make me a little hyper. So I took my first pill last night around 6 pm. Around 8 I noticed my face was a little warm, but other than that, I felt great. I was so hyper and anxious, that I was able to clean my entire house. (anyone seen 'Something about Mary' and the vaccum cleaner scene?) I finally laid down around 1 am only to be woken up with nausa that lasted for another hour. During all of this, i have had the worst case of dry mouth. It feels like someone has cotton in my mouth and blocking me from swallowing.

I am at work now, and I can't stop sneezing! My eyes are watering and my nose is running! I feel like I have a real bad sinus cold. All kind of ironic if you ask me! I thought this allergy medicine was supposed to help make you feel better.... (my throat still hurts by the way).... hmmmmmmm.

Itching scalp and ears appear to be related to taking Allegra. It began last summer (2002) after starting Allegra for hayfever and allergies, but I didn't make the connection. Didn't take Allegra from approximately November, 2002 until April, 2003, and in hindsight, itch almost totally gone. Started on Allegra again in April 2003 when seasonal allergic symptoms began again. Scalp itch flared up immediately, and I made the connection to Allegra. Has anyone else experienced or reported this side effect?