OK, I’ve got a cold with the usual symptoms, runny nose, congestion, and sneezing. Now many of the “cold remedies” such as Nyquil and it’s generic relatives leave me agitaited and unable to sleep.
But last summer I took some Claritin-D for sneezing, runny nose, and congestion, with no ill effects.
So I tried the Claritin-D for my cold symptoms and it seems to be working fine. I can sleep at night with out the congestion.
Now I don’t have the packages with me to compare ingredients, but I see no reason not to continue with the Claritin-D for my cold symptoms. Afterall we’re treating symptoms, not getting rid of the cold. And it seems to me, not a Dr. nor do I play one on TV, that a runny nose is a runny nose, right?
As **groman **says, it’s probably the decongestant in the Claritin that’s helping - and it’s a lot cheaper sold by itself. It’s pseudoephedrine, which can be tricky to find these days, as its sale is becoming restricted in many states. Ask your pharmacist - while it’s technically over-the-counter, in many places you have to buy it from the guy in the white coat and present ID and sign for it.
I would try a pseudoephedrine pill alone - they’re much cheaper and you won’t be taking the antihistamine (loratadine) you probably don’t need. If it doesn’t work but Claritin does, then you likely have an undiagnosed allergy on top of your cold.
Cold weather can trigger a histamine response in some people, but not a cold virus. (Scroll down to “runny nose” at that last link.) But if the OP were having an overzealous histamine response to the cold weather, we’d expect to see hives and itching of the skin, not nasal congestion.
