My wife claims that Sudafed 24 hour helps her allergies, but Claritin 24 does not!

[Roland]

Don't they have the same active ingredients except that Claritin-D 24 Hour adds loratadine to pseudoephedrine. Could it be that the loratadine somehow makes the pseudoephedrine less effective in her case?

Also, while we are on the subject why did the FDA ban ephedra, but leave pseudoephedrine on the market? Are not both of these essentially the same agent with virtually identical effects on the sympathetic nervous system?

[caroladybelle, BSN, RN]

If sudafed works, why not just use that? Why need to question why she does better with a cheaper med?

Ephedra is not regulated like pseudoephedrine.

[Roland]

The main reason I care is because I am curious, and want to understand the universe to the best of my ability. It doesn't make sense to me that identical compounds would have different physiological reactions ( I have considered that perhaps there is a difference in the release of the pseudoephedrine despite the fact that they are both 24 hour products or 240 mg pseudoepedrine).

With regards to the ephedra verses the pseudoephedrine I am aware that one has been banned (the ephedra) while the other has not. However, my qustion is why. ? If ephedra is so dangerous that it needs to be taken off the market then something with virtually identical physiological effects should also be banned. On the other hand perhaps I am missing something and there are relevent differences between the two agents.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Claritin-D has Loratadine 5mg (antihistamine) /Pseudoephedrine HCL 120mg (decongestant).

Claritin D24 has Loratadine 10 mg / Pseudoephedrine HCI 240 mg

Make sure it IS the 24 hour tablet she is taking.

Sudafed 24hr has only Pseudoephedrine HCI 240 mg--double dose of what's in Claritin.

I love claritin + claritin D if extremely high pollen usually in the spring. Since started using nasal steroid-Nasalcort, don't need as much decongestant.

If she does better with the Sudafed, it's probably the way the time release mechanism of dose occurs. I don't like the Claritin 24hr as the decongestant seems to release 2 hrs AFTER I've taken it; I want it to start within 30-45 min. I often just use Claritin and take 1-2 generic Pseudoephedrine tabs as CHEEPER.

P.S: Persons who need to use high dose decongestant often are found to have undiagnosed Chronic Sinus infections too.

[Roland]

Claritin-D has Loratadine 5mg (antihistamine) /Pseudoephedrine 120mg (decongestant).

Sudafed 24hr has only Pseudoephedrine HCI 240 mg--double dose of what's in Claritin.

I love claritin + claritin D if extremely high pollen usually in the spring. Since started using nasal steroid-Nasalcort, don't need as much decongestant.

Persons who need to use high dose decongestant often have undiagnosed Sinus infections too.

The thing is that Claritin-D 24 hour has 10 mg loratadine and 240mg pseudoephedrine . It is the Claritin-D 12 hour that only has 5 mg loratadine and 120mg's pseudoephedrine. Both versions are sold OTC and neither has been nearly as effective for my wife as Sudafed 24 hour. I was just wondering if there might be a non psychological explanation for her experience.

[NRSKarenRN, BSN, RN]

Re read above---I added info.

Ephedra's actual name is ephedra sinica

Pulled : "A study commissioned by the National Institutes of Health also called into safety the use of ephedra, saying it was associated with higher risks of heart palpitations, tremors and insomnia. " http://www.cnn.com/2003/HEALTH/12/30/ephedra/

pseudoephedrine is less toxic than ephedrine

http://www.rhodium.ws/chemistry/comparison.ephedrines.html

http://ciitn.missouri.edu/testsite/www/cgi-bin/pub_view_project_ind.cgi?g_num=5&c_id=2003001

Lots can be gleemed by learning how to do proper google search:

Compare ______ vs _________

"______" seaches for exact name

*______ wildcard search

_________ + _________ + ________ searching for three key words etc

[porshiana]

Ephedrine and pseudoephedrine can both supply meth labs with the key ingredient for making meth. They are different in structure. Ephedrine is much more similar to meth in structure than pseudo is. It takes less to make meth.

However, industries started capitalizing on the rush one gets on ephedrin, more intense than caffiene almost as much as meth (referred to as speed) that helps people to spend energy, and not get tired which helps lose weight. However, Ephedrin could press your body too far, making you feel energy when you were tired, making your heart beat too fast and actually killing people by causing heart problems. When people on Ephedrin started dying from heart problems caused by it, the government stepped in and made it illegal to us ephedrin in diet aids. Pseudoephedrin's structure is less like speed, giving less of a rush than caffiene. and does not produce the same weight loss effects as ephedrin, and as of yet has not been used in diet pills.Why use it when caffiene does a better job and is safer? It is far less likely to be abused to the point of death in it's natural state, unless it is converted into meth. Both are limited in the amount a person can buy in order to try to stop meth labs. Sales of pseudoephedrin and recorded and one must show ID to purchase it. Ephedrin is available in many prescription decongestants and medicines. It has not been removed from the market, it is just controlled so people don't literally "blow their heart out" trying to lose weight on it.

[porshiana]

i posted an answer to ur ?