Xyzal: What Should I Tell My Healthcare Provider?
You should talk with your healthcare provider prior to taking
Xyzal® (
levocetirizine dihydrochloride) if you have:
- Kidney disease, such as kidney failure (renal failure)
- Any allergies, including allergies to food, dyes, or preservatives.
Also, let your healthcare provider know if you are:
- Pregnant or thinking of becoming pregnant
- Breastfeeding.
Make sure to tell your healthcare provider about any other medicines you are taking, including prescription and non-prescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements.
Specific Xyzal Warnings and Precautions
Some warnings and precautions to be aware of prior to taking Xyzal include the following:
- If you have kidney disease, your body may not handle the drug as well as it should, because the kidneys remove Xyzal from the blood. Check with your healthcare provider before taking it, as you may need a lower dosage.
- Xyzal can cause drowsiness, fatigue, and weakness, which may interfere with your ability to concentrate or operate heavy machinery. Make sure you know how the drug affects you before doing anything that requires concentration and focus. Taking Xyzal in the evening instead of in the morning usually helps decrease drowsiness.
- Xyzal may interact with a few other medications (see Xyzal Drug Interactions).
- Xyzal is considered a pregnancy Category B medication. This means that it is probably safe for use during pregnancy, although the full risks are not known (see Xyzal and Pregnancy).
- Xyzal passes through breast milk in humans. Therefore, if you are breastfeeding or plan to start, discuss this with your healthcare provider prior to taking the drug (see Xyzal and Breastfeeding).
