bops_mom's Full Review: Alavert Allergy 24-Hour Relief, Fast Dissolving Ta...
Everyone in our home has seasonal allergies. Where we live that means they're noticeable year round, and go from tolerable to really bad in late Winter, early Spring. Starting a few months ago we began testing out the new OTC allergy meds. My husband and I tried Claritin first and were quite pleased with how well it worked for us. However, I hated the cost with a passion so when I saw Alavert on sale for several dollars less than Claritin I went for it. After all, they have the same amount of the same main ingredient (10 mg. Loratadine which is an antihistamine, in each tablet). So, they're the same right? Wrong.
What does it say it will do? What's in it? Who isn't it for?
Alavert is a nonprescription allergy medication. The box states one dose offers relief for sneezing, runny noses, itchy, water eyes and itching in the nose and throat. And this relief is supposed to be non drowsy and last for 24 hours. Sounds pretty good, right? That's what I thought, too. Just looking at the boxes, the main difference between Alavert and Claritin would be how Alavert is a melt in your mouth pill while Claritin has to be swallowed.
I have no problem finding Alavert locally. It's in pretty much every store I visit. Drug Stores, Target, Grocery Stores. Claritin costs around $1 per pill locally; Alavert seems to be slightly less, not to mention I've seen Alavert on sale nearly every other week (which is what suckered me into purchasing it in the first place).
Alavert is not recommended for children under the age of 6 (thus my 5 year old takes Children's Liquid Claritin), nor is it recommended for those who may have liver or kidney problems. Phenylketonurics should also avoid this product since each tablet has 8.4 mg. of Phenylalanine in it.
Does it indeed work? Hows it taste? My husbands and my Alavert Experience
Being that the active ingredient was the same in this and Claritin I was pretty confident that it would work just as well. We frequently purchase the generic brands of OTC (Over the Counter) medicines and have never had a problem so I was not ready for the results, or lack thereof that came along with taking Alavert.
When taking Alavert the first thing you notice is the texture. That gets you even before your taste buds have the chance to react. It's very chalky, my husband said it was like eating food starch though he's never had any that I'm aware of; imagine my surprise to read that food starch is one of the inactive ingredients in Alavert. It does melt in your mouth, and very quickly, too, if you use your tongue to mush it about just a bit. I'd say with help Alavert will dissolve in 3 seconds or less. Without help (as in, just letting it sit on your tongue) it may take as long as 15 seconds.
The taste is, well, it's bad. The box says it has a minty taste. Okay, I was thinking peppermint which I don't care for. Nope, it's spearmint which I actually like all right. The problem is, along with the chalky texture the flavor isn't simply spearmint. It's a salty spearmint. Yes, that is as unpleasant to the palette as it sounds if not more so. Very yucky, like, take a spearmint mint and baking soda and dig in. Ick! The minty taste quickly goes away and you're left with just a putrid taste in your mouth. While you don't have to take this with water I always have to help wash away the awful taste. Even with water, the aftertaste remains. One must eat something in order to get rid of the Alavert aftertaste. Again, ick!
Getting past the taste, texture and aftertaste I suppose it is rather handy that you don't have to take this with a glass of water - even though as I stated I always have as has my husband because it is just that bad. The idea behind a melt in your mouth allergy pill is nice as many children (over the age of 6) may not do so well with swallowing pills no matter how small they are. Likewise, many elderly also have a problem choking on/down medications, so having the option of an allergy medication that melts in the mouth is nice. Or at least it would be nice if Alavert actually worked.
That's right, it does nothing. Seriously. The first time my husband and I both took an Alavert we figured our allergies were just that bad and that's why we got zero relief. So despite the taste we took Alavert a few more times trying to see if it would actually work. It never did. I imagined it did help me once, but just a tiny bit. If Claritin helps me 90% (which it does) then I'd say Alavert helped 2% and it only helped just 2% but it only did so for an hour, not 24 hours. Not to mention all the times I took Alavert and it never did help my husband - not even a tiny bit with his allergy problems.
In case you want to know our allergy symptoms they are as follows: Runny, itchy nose; sneezing; watery, gooey, itchy eyes; itchy, scratchy throat and sinus headaches. These symptoms vary for us day to day, but when our allergies are really bad my husband I both have all those symptoms in full force.
In Short:
The Good:
- is usually priced a bit cheaper than Claritin
- no need to take with water as it melts in your mouth
- non drowsy
The Bad:
- tastes horrid
- horrid texture
- doesn't work
bops_mom's Recommendation
So to say I'm disappointed in Alavert is an understatement. To say I wouldn't recommend Alavert to anyone is also an understatement. Even for those who have a hard time taking pills and may find a pill that melts in your mouth as a godsend, I still don't recommend Alavert for them. It simply did not work for either my husband or myself, not to mention the bad taste. Save your money and buy the store brand Claritin or name brand Claritin that will actually provide some much needed allergy relief. Alavert is just a dud all the way around; the rest of our box will not be finished up so I'm going to have to destroy it (it will be fun toilet time at bops_mom's house). In fact, we're already on our second box of Claritin since buying Alavert. I don't make the same mistake twice. We're sticking with Claritin or the generic for Claritin. It may cost more and it may have to be swallowed, but at least it actually works!
Thanks for reading! *a-choo*
~ Melissa :o)
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WARNINGS:
Note: all of the following information is taken right off the box. If you don't wish to read this part, feel free to skip it. However, being that I am not now, nor have I ever been a Doctor I am not comfortable with writing a medication review without including all of the given (rather common sense) warnings. Should you ever have any questions or concerns about a product, I urge you to contact a Medical Professional.
Do not use if you have ever had an allergic reaction to this product or any of its ingredients
Ask a doctor before use if you have liver or kidney disease. Your doctor should determine if you need a different dose.
When using this product do not take more than directed. Taking more than recommended may cause drowsiness.
Stop use and ask a doctor if an allergic reaction to this product occurs. Seek medical help right away.
If pregnant or breast-feeding, ask a health professional before use.
Keep out of reach of children. In case of overdose, get medical help or contact a Poison Control Center right away.
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