I'm experiencing seasonal allergies with congestion and sneezing. does claritin (loratadine) take a few days to take effect, or is there something better?

Strong allergies: There is always something better but usually it is by prescription. The over the counter antihistamines help some and usually would work pretty quickly. However you may have stronger allergies and may need something like a nasal steroid or possibly allergy testing. Everyone is different with allergies and there isn't a one size fits all solution.

Choices exist : Claritin should work relatively quickly, but some antihistamines work better for some people than others. Zyrtec or Allegra can be tried as over the counter rx. Otherwise, one of the best rx available by prescription(based on several studies) is Dymista nasal spray. It is a nasal steroid and antihistamine combination spray. This should handle your symptoms.