Loratadine-D 12Hr Coupons & Prices

Looking for a loratadine-D 12 hour coupon? Loratadine-D 12 Hour is the generic version of Claritin-D 12 Hour, an extended-release tablet that pairs the non-drowsy antihistamine loratadine (5 mg) with the nasal decongestant pseudoephedrine sulfate (120 mg). It is sold without a prescription anywhere in the United States, but because of the pseudoephedrine it is kept behind the pharmacy counter, so you ask the pharmacist for it instead of picking it off the shelf. Prices are set by each pharmacy and vary from store to store. Enter your ZIP code above to see what pharmacies near you are charging today. An Rx.com discount coupon is applied by the pharmacy the way a prescription claim is, so if you want to use one on this product, ask your prescriber whether it makes sense to write it as a prescription, then compare that price against the plain over-the-counter shelf price.

What is loratadine-D 12 hour and how does it work?

Loratadine-D 12 Hour is a combination allergy and congestion tablet. It contains two active ingredients that do two different jobs. Loratadine is a second-generation antihistamine (a peripherally selective H1-receptor blocker) that calms the histamine-driven part of an allergic reaction. Pseudoephedrine sulfate is an oral nasal decongestant that reduces swelling of the nasal passages, temporarily restoring freer breathing through the nose and relieving sinus congestion and pressure. Together they are meant for the stuffed-up, pressure-filled kind of allergy day that plain loratadine alone does not fully cover.

The Drug Facts label keeps the two uses separate, and it is worth reading them that way. First, the product temporarily relieves these symptoms due to hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies: sneezing; itchy, watery eyes; runny nose; and itching of the nose or throat. Second, it temporarily relieves nasal congestion due to the common cold, hay fever or other upper respiratory allergies, reduces swelling of nasal passages, temporarily relieves sinus congestion and pressure, and temporarily restores freer breathing through the nose. In other words, the cold is only on the congestion side of the label; the sneezing-and-itching relief is claimed for allergies, not for colds.

For adults and children 12 and over, the dose is one extended-release tablet every 12 hours, and no more than two tablets in 24 hours. Do not divide, crush, chew, or dissolve the tablet, because that would release the medicine all at once instead of over 12 hours. For children under 12, ask a doctor. The same loratadine 5 mg / pseudoephedrine sulfate 120 mg extended-release formulation is sold under the Claritin-D 12 Hour brand and as generic and store-brand versions; always read the Drug Facts panel on the box you actually buy.

How to save on loratadine-D 12 hour with an Rx.com coupon

Enter your ZIP code above to compare what nearby pharmacies are charging and to print, text, or email yourself a free Rx.com coupon. Prices for the same package can differ from one pharmacy to the next, so it is worth checking before you drive.

A few things worth knowing about saving on this one:

• How the coupon actually applies. When you simply buy loratadine-D from behind the counter, it is an ordinary over-the-counter retail sale, not a claim the pharmacy runs through a benefit. A discount coupon is processed like a prescription claim, so it generally applies when your prescriber writes the product as a prescription. Ask your pharmacist how they would ring it up, and compare that against the plain shelf price.
• Ask about a prescription. Some over-the-counter products are handled differently when a prescriber writes them, either because a discount card can be applied or because a plan covers them. Ask your doctor or pharmacist whether that makes sense for you.
• There is no manufacturer copay card for this product. It is an over-the-counter Drug Facts item, not a brand prescription drug, so the savings programs that exist for brand-name prescriptions do not apply here.
• Compare formulations and package sizes. The brand, generic, and store-brand versions of this formulation contain the same two active ingredients at the same strengths. Federal law also limits how much pseudoephedrine you may buy at a time, so the cost per tablet across the package sizes you are allowed to buy is worth a quick look.

Prices vary by pharmacy and change over time, so compare before you buy rather than assuming any one option is the cheapest.

Why loratadine-D is behind the pharmacy counter

Pseudoephedrine is available without a prescription throughout the United States. No state requires a prescription for it today: Oregon and Mississippi were the only two states that ever did, and both repealed their prescription mandates in 2021, with the repeals taking effect in January 2022. Both moved to the electronic National Precursor Log Exchange (NPLEx) tracking system instead. Some third-party "pseudoephedrine laws by state" pages have not been updated and still list those states as prescription-only, which is out of date.

What you do run into everywhere is the federal Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act, because pseudoephedrine can be diverted to make methamphetamine. Pharmacies must keep it behind the counter, check a government-issued photo ID, log the sale, and enforce federal purchase limits of 3.6 grams of pseudoephedrine base per day and 9 grams in a 30-day period. So plan for a short stop at the pharmacy window and bring your driver's license or other photo ID, but you will not need a prescription to buy it.

Alternatives and how they compare

The right choice depends on whether congestion is actually part of your problem. If it is not, a plain antihistamine is simpler and does not carry the decongestant's side effects.

• Plain loratadine (brand Claritin) covers sneezing, runny nose, and itchy eyes with no decongestant. It stays on the open shelf and needs no ID.
• Cetirizine and fexofenadine are other second-generation antihistamines. They are alternatives to the loratadine half of this product, and both are also sold as "-D" combinations with pseudoephedrine if you need congestion relief too.
• Pseudoephedrine on its own is an option if congestion is your only complaint and you do not need an antihistamine at all. It is also kept behind the counter with the same ID and purchase-limit rules.
• Montelukast is a prescription-only option for allergic rhinitis that works by a different mechanism and carries its own risks. It is not an over-the-counter substitute and needs a conversation with your prescriber.

There is also a 24-hour version of loratadine-D taken once a day rather than every 12 hours. It contains larger amounts of the same two ingredients in a longer-acting tablet. Always follow the Drug Facts label on the specific box you buy, since the strengths and dosing are not interchangeable.

Safety, side effects, and who should be careful

This is an over-the-counter Drug Facts product and it does not carry a boxed warning. Still, the pseudoephedrine half is a stimulant-type decongestant, and that is where most of the caution lives. Do not use it if you have ever had an allergic reaction to this product or any of its ingredients, or if you are taking a prescription MAO inhibitor (or are within two weeks of stopping one). Ask a doctor before use if you have heart disease, high blood pressure, thyroid disease, diabetes, trouble urinating due to an enlarged prostate gland, or liver or kidney disease. If you are pregnant or breastfeeding, ask a health professional before use. Do not take more than directed: one tablet every 12 hours, and no more than two tablets in 24 hours. Taking more than directed may cause drowsiness.

Pseudoephedrine can raise blood pressure and heart rate and can cause insomnia, nervousness, or a jittery feeling, especially if you take it later in the day. Stop use and ask a doctor if nervousness, dizziness, or sleeplessness occurs; if an allergic reaction to the product occurs; or if your symptoms do not improve within 7 days or are accompanied by a fever. For children under 12, ask a doctor. This page is general information, not medical advice. If you are unsure whether loratadine-D is right for you, or you take other medicines, ask your pharmacist or doctor first.