Fexofenadine Product Information
Fexofenadine is a highly effective antihistamine medicine used to treat the symptoms of seasonal allergic rhinitis, commonly known as hay fever. Sufferers of hay fever often exhibit symptoms including a runny nose, sneezing and red, itchy, and watering eyes.
Fexofenadine contains 120mg of the active ingredient fexofenadine hydrochloride, which blocks histamine H1 receptors in the body to prevent or reduce the symptoms caused by the release of histamines in response to an allergic reaction.
Histamines act as neurotransmitters and are released in the inflammatory response during an allergic reaction, causing a chain reaction that results in allergy symptoms.
Fexofenadine lasts for up to 24 hours when taken as recommended. For continued hay fever symptom relief, it is recommended to take Fexofenadine daily following consultation with your doctor or pharmacist.
If you do miss a daily dose of Fexofenadine, do not compensate for the missed dose and take an extra dose (known as double dosing). Simply continue with your usual dosage schedule recommended by your doctor or pharmacist.
Fexofenadine tablets are to be taken with water once daily before a meal. Fexofenadine can be taken as a one-off dose for relief from occasional hay fever symptoms.
For chronic, persisting symptoms, and/or in anticipation of a high pollen count or increased exposure to a particular allergen, you may be advised by your doctor or pharmacist to take Fexofenadine on a daily basis for an extended period of time.
Fexofenadine can also be taken alongside other non-prescription hay fever treatments such as nasal sprays and topical skin creams if necessary.
For patients aged 18 and above, the recommended dose of Fexofenadine is one tablet per day.
Following consultation and guidance with your doctor or pharmacist, you may need to take Fexofenadine daily to treat chronic hay fever symptoms or on an ‘as needed’ basis if symptoms are infrequent.
Fexofenadine is highly effective at relieving common hay fever symptoms, provided that the individual taking it adheres to the prescriber's instructions.
Fexofenadine has undergone thorough clinical trials, and is proven to be highly effective at relieving hay fever symptoms such as runny nose, sneezing and red, itchy, and watering eyes.
Fexofenadine begins to work for most patients within an hour of taking a dose. Some patients may even experience symptom relief in less than 30 minutes.
Taking an increased dose of Fexofenadine is not advised and will not make the medication work any quicker. It is important to follow the user leaflet information guidance and advice given by your doctor or pharmacist.
Fexofenadine FAQs
You can take one tablet of Fexofenadine per day. The treatment starts to relieve hay fever symptoms within an hour and the effect lasts for up to 24 hours. Do not take more than one tablet in 24 hours. Fexofenadine can be taken on a regular basis to stop hay fever symptoms during high-pollen seasons.
To get the best results, it is recommended to take Fexofenadine at around the same time every day, preferably before a meal with a glass of water. You can set up a daily reminder to take one to minimise the risk of forgetting to take Fexofenadine.
If you do forget to take Fexofenadine, take a dose as soon as you remember and try to stick to the new intake time. Do not take 2 doses to make up for a forgotten one.
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
- Headache
- Drowsiness
- Feeling sick (nausea)
- Dizziness
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Fexofenadine is a non-drowsy antihistamine and therefore has a lower chance of causing side effects such as sleepiness and drowsiness compared to other antihistamines. However, some individuals taking Fexofenadine might still experience slight side effects such as feeling drowsy - it is recommended to consult with a healthcare professional for alternative treatments in case the side effects persist.
Telfast is the branded name for generic Fexofenadine. Telfast and Fexofenadine are medically equivalent: they both contain the same amount of the active ingredient fexofenadine hydrochloride. The main difference is that the generic Fexofenadine version is cheaper than the branded version, Telfast.
Fexofenadine Overview
Like all medicines, this medicine can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them.
Common side effects (may affect up to 1 in 10 people):
- headache
- drowsiness
- feeling sick (nausea)
- dizziness
Uncommon side effects (may affect up to 1 in 100 people):
Reporting side effects
This is not a complete list of side effects. Always read the Patient Information Leaflet supplied with your medication.
You can report suspected side effects directly through the MHRA Yellow Card Scheme. You can also tell our team, who can report on your behalf.
Information Leaflet
Always read the patient information leaflet before commencing treatment.
Important: We advise you to always read the patient information leaflet inside the medication box, as the generic medication may not always entirely match the patient information leaflet listed. Please contact us if you have any questions.
Written and reviewed by our qualified team
Content last updated:
29 Jun 2026