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"   What is it used for?  Hayfever (seasonal allergic rhinitis) in adults and children aged two years and over. Inflammation of the nasal lining due to allergies that occur thoughout the year (perennial allergic rhinitis) in adults and children aged two years and over. Ongoing itchy rash with no known cause (chronic idiopathic urticaria) in adults and children aged two years and over.    How does it work? Clarityn allergy tablets and Clarityn rapide allergy tablets both contain the active ingredient loratadine, which is a type of medicine called a non-sedating antihistamine. Loratadine is also available without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine. Loratadine works by preventing the actions of histamine. Histamine is a substance produced by the body as part of its defence mechanisms. It is stored in cells called mast cells and found in almost all tissues of the body. When the body reacts to a foreign substance (known as an allergen, eg flower pollen), the mast cells stimulated by the allergen release their stores of histamine.  The released histamine then binds to its receptors (H1 receptors), causing a chain reaction that results in allergic symptoms. It causes an increase in blood flow to the area of the allergy, and the release of other chemicals that add to the allergic response. All this results in the symptoms of an allergic reaction. In hayfever, histamine causes inflammation of the nose, eyes, skin or airways and results in itchy watery eyes, a runny nose, sneezing and nasal congestion. Loratadine works by blocking histamine H1 receptors. It does not prevent the actual release of histamine from mast cells, but prevents it binding to its receptors. This in turn prevents the release of other allergy chemicals and reduces the blood supply to the area, providing relief from the typical symptoms of hayfever. Loratadine can also be used to relieve the symptoms of a condition called chronic idiopathic urticaria. This is a chronic itchy rash, similar to nettle rash, but with no apparent cause. Blocking the actions of histamine relieves the itching and reduces the rash associated with this condition. Loratadine is called a non-sedating antihistamine as it does not enter the brain, and is therefore unlikely to cause drowsiness. However, very rarely some people may experience some slight drowsiness.   How do I take it?  Adults and adolescents over 12 years of age should take one tablet once a day. Children aged 2 to 12 years who weigh more than 30kg should be given one tablet once a day. Clarityn allergy tablets are not suitable for children who weigh less than 30kg. Clarityn allergy syrup can be bought from pharmacies to treat lighter children. The syrup allows a more accurate dose to be measured. Adults and children weighing more than 30kg who have severe liver problems should take one tablet every other day. Ask your doctor or pharmacist for further advice. Clarityn allergy tablets should be swallowed with a drink of water. They can be taken either with or without food. Clarityn rapide allergy tablets are designed to dissolve on the tongue without the need for a drink. These can also be taken either with or without food. To remove the tablet from the packet, peel off the backing and gently push out the tablet from the blister, taking care to avoid crushing it. Allow it to disperse in your mouth and then swallow. If your symptoms don&amp;#039;t improve despite taking this medicine, seek medical advice from your doctor or pharmacist.    Warning!  Although loratadine is a non-sedating antihistamine, on very rare occasions some people may experience drowsiness. You should make sure you know how this medicine affects you before you perform potentially hazardous activites such as driving or operating machinery. If you do find this medicine makes you sleepy you should avoid drinking alcohol or taking other medicines that cause drowsiness with it, as this could make any sleepiness or reduced alertness worse.  If you are due to have any skin prick or patch tests to diagnose allergies you should stop taking your antihistamines at least 48 hours before the tests. This is because antihistamines can prevent or reduce the skin reactions that indicate an allergy, and so can make the test results unreliable.    Not to be used in  Children under two years of age. Children aged 2 to 12 years who weigh less than 30kg. Clarityn allergy tablets contain lactose and should not be taken by people with rare hereditary problems of galactose intolerance, the Lapp lactase deficiency or glucose-galactose malabsorption.   This medicine should not be used if you are allergic to any of its ingredients. Please inform your doctor or pharmacist if you have previously experienced such an allergy. If you feel you have experienced an allergic reaction, stop using this medicine and inform your doctor or pharmacist immediately.   Use with caution in  People with severely decreased liver function. (A lower dose is recommended - see &amp;#039;how do I take it?&amp;#039; above. Ask your doctor for further advice.)    Pregnancy and breastfeeding Certain medicines should not be used during pregnancy or breastfeeding. However, other medicines may be safely used in pregnancy or breastfeeding providing the benefits to the mother outweigh the risks to the unborn baby. Always inform your doctor if you are pregnant or planning a pregnancy, before using any medicine.  The safety of this medicine for use during pregnancy has not been established. The manufacturer states that it is not recommended for use by pregnant women. If you are pregnant you should get advice from your doctor or pharmacist on how best to treat your allergies. Only use this medicine if recommended by your doctor. This medicine passes into breast milk in small amounts. The manufacturer states that it is not recommended for women who are breastfeeding because they cannot rule out a risk to the nursing infant. You should not take this medicine while breastfeeding unless it is recommended by your doctor. As no adverse effects on nursing infants have been reported, doctors generally consider loratadine to be acceptable for mothers who are already breastfeeding successfully and who need to take an antihistamine. However, if your baby was born prematurely or with a low birth weight or any medical problems this may not apply and specialist advice will be needed. Ask your doctor for further advice.    Side effects Medicines and their possible side effects can affect individual people in different ways. The following are some of the side effects that are known to be associated with this medicine. Just because a side effect is stated here, it does not mean that all people using this medicine will experience that or any side effect.   Common (affect between 1 in 10 out of every 100 people)  Headache (in 2.7 out of every 100 children). Nervousness (in 2.3 out of every 100 children). Fatigue (in 1 out of every 100 children). Sleepiness (in 1.2 out of every 100 adults).    Uncommon (affect between 1 in 10 out of every 1000 people)  Headache in adults. Increased appetite. Difficulty sleeping (insomnia).    Very rare (affect fewer than 1 in 10,000 people)  Dizziness. Awareness of your heartbeat (palpitations). Increased heart rate. Nausea. Dry mouth. Stomach inflammation (gastritis). Abnormal liver function. Rash. Hair loss. Fatigue.  The side effects listed above may not include all of the side effects reported by the medicine&amp;#039;s manufacturer. For more information about any other possible risks associated with this medicine, please read the information provided with the medicine or consult your doctor or pharmacist.   How can this medicine affect other medicines? You should tell your doctor or pharmacist what medicines you are already taking, including those bought without a prescription and herbal medicines, before you start treatment with this medicine. Similarly, check with your doctor or pharmacist before taking any new medicines while taking this one, to make sure that the combination is safe.  Antihistamines may oppose the effect of histamine (used to treat leukaemia) and are not recommended for people having this treatment.  Antihistamines may also oppose the effect of betahistine (used to treat M\u00E9ni\u00E8re&amp;#039;s disease).   Other medicines containing the same active ingredient  Boots hayfever relief all day syrup. Boots hayfever relief instant melts. Boots one-a-day allergy relief tablets.  Clarityn allergy syrup.  Loratadine tablets and syrup are also available as without a brand name, ie as the generic medicine. Last updated 15.06.2014 "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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