In my experience, the best allergy medicine for ragweed allergies is Claritin® (Loratadine). But, the best allergy medicine for your ragweed allergy symptoms may be different. Let me explain why this is my #1 choice, and what I thought about the other antihistamines on the market.
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Best over-the-counter antihistamine for ragweed
I have had ragweed allergies for over 30 years and have tried just about all the OTC antihistamines. The medication that I keep going back to, and currently take today is Claritin, and here is why.
Claritin
Claritin® (Loratadine) has not steered me wrong through the years and has been providing me with seasonal allergy relief for at least 16 years strong. The symptoms this medication has helped me out with the most are sneezing, itchy eyes, and hives.
What I like about Claritin:
- Available OTC
- No side effects (for me)
- Non-drowsy
- Eases my allergy symptoms
- Lasts 24-hours
With daily use of the powerful tablets, you could finally have fast, 24-hour relief from those pesky allergies so you can get on with life without all the interruptions.
No more sneezing during meetings or itchy eyes keeping you up at night! Head over to Amazon and check it out.
You may also be able to get it prescribed to you by your primary care manager and have your insurance cover it.
Great ragweed allergy medications
There can only be one “best” ragweed antihistamine, and in my personal opinion that is Claritin. These additional antihistamines might not be my number one choice, but they could very well be the ones that work best for you.
Zyrtec
Zyrtec® (Cetirizine Hydrochloride) is a super close “2nd place” to my Claritin pick. Off and on through the years, I will try a different allergy medication, and Zyrtec is always the one I retry first. Unfortunately, there are always these reasons I am unable to take Zyrtec long-term.
- Gives me a headache
- Constant dry mouth
- Not as effective
I think it is important to note that if Claritin did not exist, I would take Zyrtec as my main ragweed antihistamine.
Zyrtec is close in price to Claritin and can also be found on Amazon.
Allegra
I have tried Allegra® (Fexofenadine) a few times throughout the years, and my results seemed to vary. I had Allegra prescribed to me and was on the medication for the fall allergy season.
When I first started taking Allegra I remember being nauseous with a loss of appetite for a few weeks.
My allergy symptom relief was good, and I do not recall being drowsy on it. After sharing my experience with my doctor, they ended up switching me to a different medication.
Benedryl
My antihistamine journey began with Benedryl® (Diphenhydramine) when I was a child, mostly because no other antihistamines existed yet.
Benedryl is the “OG” of ragweed OTCs and is still a valid choice for allergies today.
I like Benedryl because it works really well, but its performance comes at a price. Drowsiness. In my experience, no matter how long you take the medication, you will get sleepy.
All of these antihistamines are in the “ragweed medication big leagues”, and are similar in performance. Talk with your doctor and discuss what the best treatment option is for you.
More ragweed allergy information
Check out our in-depth ragweed allergy article for additional treatment and avoidance information on ragweed allergies.
