# Do OTC Allergy Medications Work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 8, 2010, 2:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-otc-allergy-medications-work/535406 "2010-04-08T14:29:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-otc-allergy-medications-work/535406/21 "2010-04-09T17:53:40Z")
Loratadine (Claratin) has been mentioned a few times, and it should be noted that a single pill won’t do a whole lot. You need to use it a few days in a row to get the correct effect… or at least that’s what I understand, and matches my experience with it. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-otc-allergy-medications-work/535406/22 "2010-04-09T18:37:15Z")
For me, Chlor-Trimeton, and its generic equivalents, work really well. I’ve been using it since I was a child. ---
**Author:** ![beagledave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/6de8d8/32.png) [@beagledave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beagledave)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-otc-allergy-medications-work/535406/23 "2010-04-09T18:59:22Z")
> [@KarlGauss](#): > > Your question seems to imply that, perhaps, you don’t expect them to work. I wanted to say that where many of them _don’t_ work, is for colds and “flus”. > > There’s no reason why antihistamines, for example, should help your virally-induced sniffles. Really? > **[Common Cold](https://commoncold.org)** > > A comprehensive source of information on the common cold that facilitates informed decisions about cold prevention and treatment. "The effectiveness of first generation antihistamines for sneezing, runny nose, and possibly cough has been impressive in recent clinical trials. (21-23) " ---
**Author:** ![elmwood](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmwood/32/3060_2.png) [@elmwood](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elmwood)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-otc-allergy-medications-work/535406/24 "2010-04-09T20:05:21Z")
Zyrtec is the only OTC that worked for me. I even do so-so around cats when I’m on it. However, I feel itchy as hell when I stop using it. Claritin’s okay for mild allergies. Otherwise, in my experience, everything else is like a placebo, even Benadryl, Sudafed, Tavist, and drugs you can only get OTC in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [April 9, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-otc-allergy-medications-work/535406/25 "2010-04-09T20:20:42Z")
> [@butler1850](#): > > Loratadine (Claratin) has been mentioned a few times, and it should be noted that a single pill won’t do a whole lot. You need to use it a few days in a row to get the correct effect… or at least that’s what I understand, and matches my experience with it. Concur. I always double up on Claritin the first dose of the season. Fortunately, allergy shots have made “the season” a much shorter time for me each year. I used to start on Claritin around the first of March and stay on it until around Memorial Day. I’ve been taking it sporadically for about two weeks at this point, and am probably close to being able to quit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-otc-allergy-medications-work/535406.md?page=1)