Taking Allergy and Asthma Meds - Timing is Everything

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Taking Allergy and Asthma Meds - Timing is Everything

May 9, 2007

For some people, seasonal allergies are all about itchy, watery eyes, sneezing, a runny nose, and heightened asthma symptoms. If you are one of those people, prescription and over-the-counter drugs might be a necessity. I just found out that when you take your drugs can greatly affect how well they'll work.

For allergy symptoms, if you take meds like Allegra, Clarinex, Claritin, Zyrtec, Singulair, or nasal sprays like Astelin, Flonase, Rhinocort: Take your pills at bedtime to ensure that it will be in your blood stream in the early morning, when symptoms are at their worst
For asthma symptoms, if you take inhaled steroids like Advair or Flovent: Take your meds in the late afternoon (3 pm) so that they'll be in your system by 4pm when symptoms are often at their worst.

7 Comments

purrtykitty 6 years 2 weeks

the night time thing is so important. there are very few mornings i wake up stuffy. as for my asthma stuff, i'm supposed to take it 2 times per day...so once in the morning and once at night.

POPSUGAR Fitness 6 years 2 weeks

facin8me - that's true about the meds with the "D" (decongestant). They can keep you up and dry you up too, which I hate. And some allergy meds can make you drowsy too. It's best to try taking these meds a little later in the day if you can (and don't have a prob sleeping) - I find it really helps deal with your symptoms better.

POPSUGAR Fitness 6 years 2 weeks

facin8me - that's true about the meds with the "D" (decongestant). They can keep you up and dry you up too, which I hate. And some allergy meds can make you drowsy too.It's best to try taking these meds a little later in the day if you can (and don't have a prob sleeping) - I find it really helps deal with your symptoms better.

clutch26 6 years 2 weeks

Watch out with the Advair Discus. It has a weird side effect of weakening your vocal chords. I lost my voice every time I got sick when I was on it. The regular inhaler doesn't cause that problem.

facin8me 6 years 2 weeks

The only thing to be careful of is if your allergy medication has pseudoephedrine, the decongestant "D" component of most of these drugs (Zyrtec-D, Claritin-D, etc.). Pseudoephedrine is a CNS stimulant and can keep you up at night or decrease the quality of your sleep. The drowsiness aspect of the anti-histamine you're taking may not be able to suppress the stimulant effect of the decongestant.

honeysugar28 6 years 2 weeks

Not to mention that some of these meds make you very drowsy so its best to take them at bedtime. Otherwise you'll be falling asleep while driving or something.

Mme Hart 6 years 2 weeks

I only learned the night-time thing a while ago, but it does work!!

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