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Is there an over-the-counter allergy drug that will not make me drowsy?

Over-the-counter allergy products—which include antihistamines, decongestants, and the nasal spray cromolyn—vary in their potential to cause drowsiness.

Antihistamines relieve symptoms of sneezing, runny nose, and watery and itchy eyes. Unfortunately, they commonly cause drowsiness as well. However, some over-the-counter antihistamines may cause less drowsiness than others. Look for chlorpheniramine (brand name Chlor-Trimeton), brompheniramine, or triprolidine (>Actifed). These products are generally considered to be the least sedating of the over-the-counter antihistamines. If even these drugs make you drowsy, you may want to try a prescription antihistamine such as fexofenadine (>Allegra), loratadine (Claritin), or cetirizine (>Zyrtec). Prescription antihistamines generally cause less drowsiness than the nonprescription drugs. The good news is that Claritin is now available over-the-counter too.

Decongestants can relieve symptoms of stuffy nose and clogged sinuses. Examples of over-the-counter decongestants are pseudoephedrine (>Sudafed) and phenylephrine (>Neo-Synephrine nasal drops and spray). These medicines don’t cause drowsiness. In fact, they may do just the opposite, causing restlessness, nervousness, and trouble sleeping. Taking a pill that combines a decongestant and an antihistamine, such as Chlor-Trimeton Allergy-D, can offset the sedative effect of the antihistamine.

Cromolyn (>NasalCrom) is a nasal spray used to prevent allergy symptoms such as sneezing, runny nose, or stuffy nose. It works by turning off the allergic reaction in the nose before it starts. It causes few side effects and will not make you drowsy.

Be sure to read product labels carefully before choosing one of these products. People with certain medical conditions should not use them. Also, these drugs may interact with other medicines.

Sources:
Drug Facts and Comparisons. Facts & Comparisons, 2007.
Handbook of Nonprescription Drugs. American Pharmaceutical Association, 1996.
Medline Plus. Medline, 2007.
Micromedex® Healthcare Series. Thomson Micromedex, 2007.

This answer prepared 11/6/2000.
This information updated 1/10/2007.