It’s that time of year again when allergies become all too common and people are sneezing and wheezing all over the place. Itchy eyes and runny noses are so common it’s hard to tell if you have a cold or allergies or worse. In this case you may turn to an allergy medication to quell your symptoms, but how can you know if taking a certain medication will be safe or if it will lead to you getting into a Connecticut auto accident.
The first and most important step is to understand that one of the active ingredients in allergy medication is called an antihistamine. This ingredient has been proven in some cases to cause drowsiness and itchy eyes. Of course, these two side effects can cause real problems when you are driving.
How will you know if your allergy medication contains an antihistamine?
The Mayo Clinic has created this handy list to help you determine which allergy medication may be ok to take and still operate a motor vehicle:
"Antihistamines that tend to cause drowsiness include:
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Diphenhydramine
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Chlorpheniramine
These antihistamines are much less likely to cause drowsiness:
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Cetirizine (Zyrtec, Zyrtec Allergy)
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Desloratadine (Clarinex)
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Fexofenadine (Allegra, Allegra Allergy)
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Levocetirizine (Xyzal, Xyzal Allergy)
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Loratadine (Alavert, Claritin)”
With that being said, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recommends that you do not operate a motor vehicle after taking any allergy medication if you have not already experienced what the side effects are on your body. Therefore, the first time you take a new medication you should take it when you do not have to be anywhere so you can avoid driving until you know what the side effects are. In many cases there are mild to no side effects and you would be safe to get behind the wheel.
Making a good choice when deciding which allergy medicine is right for you may take some trial and error, but when you find the right one it will help your allergy symptoms while also allowing you to operate a vehicle safely. If you do not take the time to do some trial and error you may find yourself in a Connecticut auto accident.
Allergies can be a hassle this time of year and if you do find yourself in an accident where allergies or allergy medication may have been the culprit you may want to speak with an attorney. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your case and work with you to protect your long-term interests.
