The antihistamine with the most reassuring pregnancy data, and a sensible once-daily default.
Explained by a GMC-registered GP, not a leaflet
Honest about what we can and cannot prescribe remotely
Side effects given the same weight as benefits
Your NHS records in the room, with your consent
Care led personally by Dr Khan
Attentive, unhurried care that listens properly
Five-star Google reviews from the people we have looked after
Registered with the Care Quality Commission
Loratadine is a second-generation antihistamine, blocking H1 receptors to prevent the effects of histamine.
It is long-acting, so a single daily dose covers 24 hours, and it penetrates the brain far less than older antihistamines — which is what makes it non-drowsy for most people.
It has the largest accumulated safety data in pregnancy of any antihistamine, which is why it tends to be the first recommendation there.
Begin two weeks before your usual season and take it every day. Antihistamines prevent symptoms far more effectively than they relieve established ones.
Once daily is genuinely once daily — a second tablet later in the day is not the answer to breakthrough symptoms, and a nasal spray is.
Very well tolerated.
In children, hyperactivity is occasionally reported rather than sedation.
Loratadine is generally considered a first-choice antihistamine in pregnancy and is compatible with breastfeeding.
Interactions are few and rarely of practical importance.
No monitoring required.
Hives with fever, joint pain, weight loss or bruising should be investigated rather than simply treated.
Loratadine is inexpensive and available everywhere, so a prescription is rarely worth paying for.
What is worth a consultation:
One of the cheapest medicines in any pharmacy. Own-brand loratadine costs a fraction of the branded version and is chemically identical.
Available as tablets and syrup, both over the counter.
For a whole hay fever season, buying in bulk is considerably cheaper than small packets — and daily use through the season is how it is meant to be taken.
Stop at any time; no tapering needed.
Do not switch to a sedating antihistamine such as chlorphenamine in the hope that stronger sedation means stronger treatment. It does not, and next-day impairment is a real cost.
Cetirizine is marginally more effective for some people; loratadine is marginally less likely to cause drowsiness. Both are reasonable, and trying the other is sensible if one disappoints.
It has the most reassuring pregnancy data of the antihistamines, and is usually the first choice. Still worth mentioning to whoever is caring for you.
Yes, from age 2 as syrup, dosed by weight. Follow the packaging carefully.
Because antihistamines are weak for congestion. A steroid nasal spray is the treatment for that, and it is the missing piece in most disappointing hay fever treatment.
Loratadine does not add meaningfully to alcohol's sedative effect, unlike older antihistamines.
Clinically reviewed by Dr Mohammad Zubair Khan, GMC 7563469
Last reviewed
August 30, 2026
On this page
Ongoing
Time to be seen
Appointment length
Your NHS record in the room
Written treatment plan
Told when a test isn’t needed
Cost
Same day, usually
20 minutes
Yes, with your consent
Included
Yes, and told why
£40 for 20 minutes
Varies by practice
Typically 10 minutes
Yes, your full record
Not routinely
Usually
Free
Same day
Often 10 to 15 minutes
Usually not
Sometimes charged
Varies by provider
Often a subscription
Same-day access is usually available, from 6am to 10pm, seven days a week. You choose a time that suits you rather than waiting on hold at 8am.
Yes. Care is led personally by Dr Mohammad Khan, so you are not passed between clinicians. Continuity is the point of a small practice: someone who knows your history and is listening attentively rather than working through a checklist.
Yes, with your consent. We can access your Summary Care Record during the consultation, so your current medications, allergies and significant history are in the room. That means fewer questions you have already answered elsewhere, and safer prescribing.
No. We are not here to replace GPs, only to support them. Your NHS practice remains responsible for your ongoing care, and with your consent we write to them after the consultation. We are useful when you need to be seen sooner, or want more time than a standard appointment allows.
Twenty unhurried minutes and a comprehensive assessment. A written treatment plan is included, along with any prescription, sick note or referral letter arising from the consultation, at no extra charge.
£40 for 20 minutes, self-pay. Membership is optional and never required. Priced for fairness, because we are not here to charge extortionate amounts for access to a doctor.
It means the diagnosis can usually be made from your history and photographs, and that treatment can be arranged safely without examining you. Where a condition is not marked treatable online, it is because examination is the diagnosis — listening to a chest, feeling an abdomen, examining an ear or a joint — or because a procedure or device is needed.
Yes, where there is a genuine bacterial infection — cellulitis, impetigo, bacterial urine infections, confirmed strep throat. We will also frequently tell you that you do not need one. Most sore throats, coughs, colds and earaches are viral, and an antibiotic gives you the side effects with none of the benefit.
If your problem turns out to be genuinely outside what we can do remotely, the doctor will tell you straight away, point you to the right service, and refund your fee in full. We would rather do that than fill twenty minutes to justify the charge.
Call 999 or go to A&E — do not book an online appointment and do not wait for a reply to an email. For urgent problems that are not emergencies, NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, online or by phone, and can direct you to the right service.
Patient reviews