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Dr. Bob is Robert Hsiung, MD,
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Posted by rovers95 on June 25, 2010, at 14:08:42
Posted this up the page in reply to an old thread...but think its run its course and wondered if someone could help me shed some light on this finding.
I have felt the great the last week or so on the anti hayfever drug cetirizine...can anyone suggest by what mechanism? it apparently shows no anti-cholinergic activity (although it gives me a dry mouth) and if i take too much too late it gives me insomnia.
Should i carry on taking the certizine...could it do me long term harm?
cheers
rover
Posted by sukarno on December 14, 2010, at 11:59:34
In reply to cetirizine (zyrtec) is an antidepressant?!, posted by rovers95 on June 25, 2010, at 14:08:42
I just started taking cetirizine after the pharmacist told me that it is not contraindicated with alprazolam.
I feel sedated and sleepy as if I had taken its parent drug hydroxyzine. I slept for 11 hours and still feel "zonked" like I haven't slept at all.
However, I have noticed that I am less depressed and more relaxed. I'm taking 5mg twice a day because I think 10mg would be too sedating all at once and perhaps not give me 24 hour coverage against allergies. There's a lot of mold in my house and I have a documented mold spore allergy (confirmed by skin test in 1993).
Maybe histamine exacerbates depression? I read an article on MSNBC that said that allergies can make depression worse.
I thought of using mirtazapine (Remeron) instead as it has relatively strong antihistaminic properties, but because it can cause cholesterol levels to increase - sometimes extremely - I decided I didn't want to take that risk.
Posted by sukarno on December 15, 2010, at 12:50:01
In reply to Re: cetirizine (zyrtec) is an antidepressant?! » rovers95, posted by sukarno on December 14, 2010, at 11:59:34
This is really amazing. I feel a mood stabilizing effect too from cetirizine in addition to my depression being eliminated (as I would get from its parent drug hydroxyzine).
If my depression remains in remission I might begin slowly tapering my dose of alprazolam.
:-)
Posted by jjjaspar on December 18, 2010, at 10:09:40
In reply to Depression in remission on cetirizine (Zyrtec), posted by sukarno on December 15, 2010, at 12:50:01
We have a family member with one of the childhood-onset severe mental illnesses. The family always noticed that the child's depression and frustration intolerance was worse at high-allergy times of the year, and the behaviours lessened when the child got on antihistamines. They thought it might be connected. They wondered if some of it was simply not feeling well.
Things got worse over time though for this child yet in the end, immune response was indeed a large part of the illness. I do believe. There is already quite a bit of information available about the connection between inflammation, immune response, allergies, and affects on brain function - after all, the brain is indeed a part of our body... last time I checked.
There was even one study showing aspirin helped alleviate symptoms in schizophrenia (this was in addition to psych meds - not instead of). http://itsnotmental.blogspot.com/2010/07/inflammation-schizophrenia-and-bipolar.html
But there has been a multitude of other research. Just look up the gluten connection (again - immune response).
> This is really amazing. I feel a mood stabilizing effect too from cetirizine in addition to my depression being eliminated (as I would get from its parent drug hydroxyzine).
>
> If my depression remains in remission I might begin slowly tapering my dose of alprazolam.
>
> :-)
Posted by sukarno on January 15, 2011, at 23:20:02
In reply to Re: Depression in remission on cetirizine (Zyrtec), posted by jjjaspar on December 18, 2010, at 10:09:40
I thought I would report back now (over a month later) that my depression is in remission on cetirizine. I began taking it in early December for allergies.
I haven't used my light box ever since I began taking cetirizine (Zyrtec / Reactine).
I told my pdoc about this and his opinion was that it was not the cetirizine itself, but rather that the cetirizine is potentiating the effects of alprazolam (Xanax).
He could be wrong, but do you think he is right?
The downside is that I feel some anhedonia, a general sense of boredom and dramatically lowered libido.
Maybe Xanax is causing cetirizine to cross the blood brain barrier? Hydroxyzine, the parent drug, is a dopamine D2 antagonist and I think it also blocks some type of 5-HT (serotonin) receptor.
I have no idea what is going on in terms of drug interactions, but cetirizine is working, even if that is only because it is potentiating the effects of alprazolam.
I just wish I had some interest in things. I feel like sitting around and doing nothing. I don't feel particularly happy or sad about anything.
Posted by Conundrum on January 17, 2011, at 15:08:17
In reply to Depression still in remission on cetirizine, posted by sukarno on January 15, 2011, at 23:20:02
I think the only way to stop the anhedonia, would be to stop taking the drugs, or maybe add a stimulant. Xanax can cause anhedonia, as can strong D2 receptor blockade.
> I thought I would report back now (over a month later) that my depression is in remission on cetirizine. I began taking it in early December for allergies.
>
> I haven't used my light box ever since I began taking cetirizine (Zyrtec / Reactine).
>
> I told my pdoc about this and his opinion was that it was not the cetirizine itself, but rather that the cetirizine is potentiating the effects of alprazolam (Xanax).
>
> He could be wrong, but do you think he is right?
>
> The downside is that I feel some anhedonia, a general sense of boredom and dramatically lowered libido.
>
> Maybe Xanax is causing cetirizine to cross the blood brain barrier? Hydroxyzine, the parent drug, is a dopamine D2 antagonist and I think it also blocks some type of 5-HT (serotonin) receptor.
>
> I have no idea what is going on in terms of drug interactions, but cetirizine is working, even if that is only because it is potentiating the effects of alprazolam.
>
> I just wish I had some interest in things. I feel like sitting around and doing nothing. I don't feel particularly happy or sad about anything.
Posted by rovers95 on January 21, 2011, at 11:27:20
In reply to Re: Depression still in remission on cetirizine » sukarno, posted by Conundrum on January 17, 2011, at 15:08:17
> I think the only way to stop the anhedonia, would be to stop taking the drugs, or maybe add a stimulant. Xanax can cause anhedonia, as can strong D2 receptor blockade.
> > I thought I would report back now (over a month later) that my depression is in remission on cetirizine. I began taking it in early December for allergies.
> >
> > I haven't used my light box ever since I began taking cetirizine (Zyrtec / Reactine).
> >
> > I told my pdoc about this and his opinion was that it was not the cetirizine itself, but rather that the cetirizine is potentiating the effects of alprazolam (Xanax).
> >
> > He could be wrong, but do you think he is right?
> >
> > The downside is that I feel some anhedonia, a general sense of boredom and dramatically lowered libido.
> >
> > Maybe Xanax is causing cetirizine to cross the blood brain barrier? Hydroxyzine, the parent drug, is a dopamine D2 antagonist and I think it also blocks some type of 5-HT (serotonin) receptor.
> >
> > I have no idea what is going on in terms of drug interactions, but cetirizine is working, even if that is only because it is potentiating the effects of alprazolam.
> >
> > I just wish I had some interest in things. I feel like sitting around and doing nothing. I don't feel particularly happy or sad about anything.
>
>I felt amazing on cetirizine...but also very stimualted...(manic?!) Congrats anyway...and perhaps you should try diching the xanax...let us know hopw you get on!!!
Rover
Posted by sukarno on March 20, 2011, at 4:08:38
In reply to cetirizine (zyrtec) is an antidepressant?!, posted by rovers95 on June 25, 2010, at 14:08:42
Hi Rover. How are you doing? Do you still take cetirizine?
I'm reporting back to say that cetirizine 10mg twice a day is still working. I'm not depressed. I think my immunity is up too because usually I'm the one who gets sick, however this time my wife and son had terrible colds and I had little in the way of symptoms.
I know that depression weakens the immune system. This is a great medication. I wish I had found it years ago. Sometimes the best things happen serendipitously (purely by accident)! :-)
I was also able to cut down on Xanax from 4mg/day to only 3mg/day!
Take care and good luck.Paul
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