I'm trying to work out what my RLS triggers are, as I'm fortunate in that it comes in bouts rather than all of the time. As my RLS isn't consistently a problem, I think trying to find the trigger culprit is a better route than RLS medication, for the time being.
When I was advised to look at interaction with other medications I forgot that I've been taking antihistamines. I've now stopped taking them, as the hayfever season has changed, and for the past couple of weeks my RLS has gone.
Thinking about the past year, the timings of when my last bout of RLS started coincides approximately with starting to take antihistamines.
I checked antihistamines as a RLS trigger a couple of years ago, as I know some can be. I had thought that both Cetirizine and Loratadine were not known to trigger RLS. I take both, although, I haven't tracked which and when, believing both to be OK. I'll track this next year, when hayfever season starts again.
On checking again today, it seems as if the jury is now out with Cetirizine and that it is possibly a RLS trigger, although Loratadine is still on the OK list.
Can someone help me with understanding the link between RLS and antihistamines, or have you experienced issues with them as a trigger? Is Loratadine a good choice?
Please, I don't currently need recommendations on all of the other aspects of RLS. I've checked my nutrition, vitamin levels, exercise etc and I have enough info and pointers from my previous post to go on... thank you for the help I've had with this.
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SummerDark
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Loratadine should be fine. I am interested in where you found " the jury is now out with Cetirizine and that it is possibly a RLS trigger"
Sedating antihistamines (like Benadryl) block the brain's dopamine receptors, causing restless legs symptoms. Cetirizine and loratadine are not sedating antihistamines.
How does Cetirizine compare to other restless legs syndrome treatments? ... We're here to figure out which restless legs syndrome treatments work best, together.
I have checked out ehealthme in the past and it is worthless. For example it says "analyzes which people take Cetirizine hydrochloride and have Restless leg syndrome" It doesn't say that certirizine makes their RLS worse.
It also says "22,208 people reported to have side effects when taking Cetirizine hydrochloride. Among them, 93 people (0.42%) have Restless leg syndrome." It doesn't say the side effects were making their restless legs worse.
On a board as large as the RLS one on reddit and I was on their forum too for a couple years, there are bound to be some people who find something that is safe for RLS for 99% of people with RLS not to be safe for them, but that just goes to show each of us are different.
Absolutely. I've seen some on here find caffeine to be a trigger and others say it helps.
This is why I posted as I want to find out about others experience with these two antihistamines. I really hope it's the answer for me, as I'll then know what to avoid!
I recently found that my issue was connected to a weakening pelvic floor. I had taken the ceterizine recently as well but I connected the dots and the kegel exercises completely eliminated my RLS. I hope this helps!
That's interesting. I'm so pleased your RLS resolved.
I don't have any issues with my pelvic floor. My RLS has not recurred since I stopped taking citirizine, so for me, the jury is still out! I'm going to be taking more notice next hayfever season, to see if my RLS returns, and what I'm taking at the time.
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