Antihistamines: Allegra

Allegra is the brand name of an antihistamine medication. The active ingredient is called fexofenadine, and it is effective in treating common allergy symptoms. Most allergic reactions are the result of an over production of histamine. The process works as follows: histamine is a natural chemical that your body produces in response to foreign organisms. In some cases, the body can engage in an overproduction of histamine, which can in turn irritate the eyes and skin - puffy, watery eyes, runny noses and sneezing are, of course, the most common symptoms of the body producing too much histamine. An antihistamine like Allegra works by curbing the body’s production of histamine and sensitivity towards it, which provides temporary relief of common allergy symptoms.

Allegra must be prescribed by your doctor, and is available in either capsule or tablet form. One of the chief benefits of Allegra is that it isn’t based on loratadine, which is the active ingredient in many other antihistamines. For most people, Allegra rarely causes the drowsiness and dizziness associated with loratadine-based allergy medications like Claritin. Allegra is not known for many side effects, although in rare cases it’s possible that the drug can cause colds and flu, nausea, or indigestion.

Allegra may be taken without or without food, and the capsules should be taken with water. As with all medication, you should never exceed your dose, or try and make up for a missed dose. Some drugs can interact with Allegra in a negative way, and you should inform your physician if you are taking St. John’s Wort, erythromycin, or antacid medication. As with any drug that can cause drowsiness, drinking alcohol can intensify the effect and should be avoided while taking Allegra. Allerga is less likely to cause drowsiness or dizziness than other allergy medications, but it is still possible. It is important that you wait to see if Allerga causes drowsiness or dizziness for you personally before you attempt to drive or operate heavy machinery while on the drug.

While Allegra only provides temporary relief from allergy symptoms, the effects of an allergic reaction itself is often temporary, and so Allerga can be an effective tool in combating seasonal allergies like hay fever. In addition, Allegra can be of benefit if you know you’re going into an environment that contains allergens for you: if, for example, you’re allergic to cats and going to be staying at a house that has cats, a pre-emptive does of Allegra can often save you from a lot of discomfort.