Claritin RediTabs are orally disintegrating tablets that dissolve on your tongue without water. You place one tablet on your tongue, let it dissolve completely, and swallow. Each tablet contains 10 mg of loratadine, a non-drowsy antihistamine that provides 24 hours of allergy relief.
Step-by-Step Instructions
RediTabs come individually sealed in blister packs, and the way you open them matters. The tablets are fragile and sensitive to moisture, so you need to handle them carefully. Here’s the process:
- Peel open the blister pack. Use dry hands to peel back the foil on one individual blister unit. Don’t push the tablet through the foil, as this can crumble or break it.
- Place the tablet on your tongue. Use the tablet immediately after opening the blister. It begins dissolving within seconds once it contacts moisture.
- Let it dissolve, then swallow. The tablet breaks apart on your tongue without chewing. You don’t need water to wash it down, though drinking water afterward is perfectly fine.
If a blister unit is already open or the foil is torn before you get to it, don’t use that tablet. The medication may have absorbed moisture and degraded.
Dosage for Adults and Children
Adults and children 6 years and older take one 10 mg tablet once a day. Do not take more than one tablet in 24 hours. Taking a second dose won’t improve your symptoms and increases the chance of side effects.
Children under 6 should not use RediTabs without a doctor’s guidance. For younger kids (ages 2 to 5), loratadine is available as a liquid solution at a lower 5 mg dose, but the orally disintegrating tablet form isn’t designed for that age group.
Timing and How Long It Lasts
Loratadine typically starts working within 1 to 3 hours after you take it, with peak relief arriving around the 8- to 12-hour mark. One dose covers a full 24 hours, so most people take it once in the morning and don’t think about it again until the next day.
You can take RediTabs with or without food. Eating a meal around the same time may slightly delay how quickly the medication kicks in, but it won’t reduce how well it works overall. If you’re taking it for seasonal allergies, taking it at the same time each day helps maintain consistent relief.
What to Expect From Side Effects
Loratadine is classified as a non-drowsy antihistamine, and most people tolerate it well. It’s far less sedating than older antihistamines like diphenhydramine (Benadryl). That said, a small percentage of people do experience mild drowsiness, headache, or dry mouth. These effects are generally mild enough that they don’t interfere with driving or daily activities.
Fatigue is more likely if you take more than the recommended dose or combine it with alcohol. If you notice unusual drowsiness, it’s worth checking whether another medication you’re taking could be amplifying that effect.
Storage Tips
Store RediTabs at room temperature, ideally between 68°F and 77°F. Keep them in their sealed blister packs until you’re ready to take one. Because these tablets are designed to dissolve on contact with moisture, exposing them to humidity (like storing them loose in a pill organizer or in a steamy bathroom) can ruin them before you ever put one on your tongue.
Who Should Be Cautious
People with significant liver or kidney problems may process loratadine more slowly, which can lead to higher levels of the drug building up in the body. If you have either condition, a lower dose or less frequent dosing may be appropriate.
Some orally disintegrating loratadine products contain phenylalanine, a component of the sweetener aspartame. This is harmless for most people but is a concern for anyone with phenylketonuria (PKU), a rare genetic condition that prevents the body from breaking down phenylalanine safely. Check the product packaging if this applies to you or your child.