The OTC Handbook: Allergy, Cough, Cold Medicine Advice Book. Medication Guide for symptoms related to Flu, GI, Skin & MORE!

By Aaron Hermann

As patients and consumers, we often have OTC questions for our doctors and pharmacists. But what if there was a way to get answers from a pharmacist at your own convenience? Enter Aaron Hermann. As a retail pharmacist, Hermann has fielded countless queries from customers over the years, and over time, he found that most patients were just lookin

• Language: English
• Publisher: Palmetto Publishing
• Release date: May 13, 2022
• ISBN: 9798885903349

Aaron Hermann

Aaron Hermann has been a retail pharmacist for seven years. He lives in Blue Springs, MO with his wife and four children.

Book preview

COUGH, COLD,

AND ALLERGIES

What's the best allergy medication?

Until recently there were three options for seasonal allergies: Zyrtec (cetirizine), Claritin (loratadine), and Allegra (fexofenadine). There's not really evidence that one is better than the other. It's recommended to try one for four to eight weeks and then only switch to a different one if the first isn’t controlling the symptoms. There's a newer, fourth option called Xyzal that has shown up on the market. All four are viable options. If a quicker treatment is needed/desired for an allergic reaction or something like relieving an itch from poison ivy or a bug bite, Benadryl (diphenhydramine) may be preferred because of its faster action.

Sidenote: Benadryl may cause drowsiness and isn’t recommended for use every single day as it wears off. Zyrtec, Claritin, Allegra, and Xyzal can be used daily and are normally