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Update 2-21-2007 (Summary of article): So far, the most effective treatment for relieving your nasal spray withdrawl symptoms (e.g. stuffiness) appears to be a dose of prednisone along with antibiodic. This is just from what I gather from the feedback I receive and the comments below. You will need to see an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor to get this prescription. The best non-prescription solution appears to be the usage of a humidifier with a drop of Vicks Vapo Steam added to the water. Please leave a comment below about your nasal spray withdrawl horrors; it only serves to help others to know that they are not alone. Or at least read some of the stories that other readers have shared; you won’t want to use Afrin ever again! |
Before an intervention is called, I will go ahead and openly admit that I have a problem. I am addicted to over the counter nasal spray. Not because I have a killer sinus problem but because every time I fall off the wagon, the congestion returns with vengeance, blocking my nasal passages, stifling my sleep, and overall, decreasing my quality of life.
Summarizing from last weeks Grey’s Anatomy, the medical term of my condition is Rhinitis Medicamentosa. This is quite different from Allergic Rhinitis for the onset of my condition is caused by the continuous usage of OTC nasal sprays, as opposed to Allergic Rhinitis, which is a blockage of the nasal passage due to a common allergen. Most of OTC nasal sprays use one of two main ingredients; Oxymetazoline or Phenylepherine. Oxymetazoline is the most common active ingredient (as found in Afrin) while Phenylepherine comes in second (as found in 4-Way Nasal Spray). Either of these ingredients work by temporarily shrinking the nasal membrane. Both are very effective. Both are very addictive.
My Story
My troubles started back in early May. I had begun an intensive weight training program and had been making good progress towards eliminating body fat while gaining muscle and strength.
But coupled with my intense workouts, a tight schedule at work, a flurry of "oh shit" home repairs, and ignoring my blood pressure medicine, I quickly found my head feeling like it was going to explode, and I was hospitalized soon thereafter.
Slowly through the usage of a combination of drugs, my blood pressure came back down. But I started to realize another issue; I was still receiving headaches. Not the same headache that I had experienced earlier (frequent blood pressure checks confirmed this), but more of a sinus pressured pain. The intensity would originate from the top of the nose to around the eye-brow and would work its way throughout the top of my head. It was as if someone squeezing the top of my forehead.
I was taking a combination of Atenolol, Hydralazine, and Dyazide for my blood pressure.
The pain always intensified after nasal spray usage, and would weaken as the day progressed. Usually the pain would wear off after a period of 12-13 hours. The congestion always persisted even after the headaches died down. This lead me to believe that the headaches were induced by the nasal spray.
My suspicion is the my nasal spray was interracting with my blood pressure medication. Hydralazine works by dialating the veins and nasal spray constricts the membrane tissue, so that conflict is probably what was causing my headaches. It’s no coincidence that the headaches lasted on average of 12 hours (the same amount of time most nasal sprays remains effective).
I needed to kick this habit and do it quickly.
I finally broke down and purchased the Rhinostat titration system. The premise behind a titration system is that you utilize the medication (in this case, nose spray) as needed, and when the liquid reaches a certain point in the bottle, you add a dilutent to reduce the contents of the active ingredient. The Rhinostat system appeared to work fairly well in the beginning. The bottle is a peculiar design and didn’t seem to penetrate my nasal passages the way a conventional nasal spray bottle did. The dosage of the decongestant is quite small, so if you find yourself frequently using your nasal spray, the Rhinostat system is going to become diluted quite quickly. Unfortunately the dilution of the system outpaced the withdrawal of my symptoms. In the end, I was left with a fully diluted solution and still a stuffy nose. In order to sleep, I relapsed.
I have tried several decongestant products since the Rhinostat system, and all have failed to clear my passageways. Here are the products I tried in attempt to alleviate congestion (all of the products do not contain Oxymetazoline or Phenylepherine):
- Sinusbuster
- SnoreStop NasoSpray
- Colloidal Silver Nasal Spray by Source Naturals
- Sinus and Allergy Relief Nasal Spray by bioAllers
My Own Titration System
Since I was unsuccessful in finding a solution that allowed me to sleep in peace, I decided to create my own titration system that I could control the dosages.
Start with a full bottle of nasal spray and every time the fluid level reaches half, fill in the rest of the fluid level with Saline nose spray. BUT, not just any saline nasal spray. Don’t go the cheap route on this; make sure that saline solution does not contain benzalkonium chloride (e.g. Simply Saline ). Benzalkonium chloride has been shown to further increase the rebound effect. Most cheap saline solutions WILL WORSEN your symptoms (e.g. stuffiness). If you don’t want to continue having a stuffy nose, get Simply Saline oror something without the preservatives.
Repeat this process of filling the nasal spray bottle with Simply Saline until the solution is fully diluted.
The Conclusion (as of 7/13/06)
So far, I still get somewhat congested and I can feel my sinuses swell up from time to time, but I think the intensity is slowing diminishing. I’ve heard that it takes 4-7 days to withdrawal cold-turkey, so utilizing a titration system I can reasonably expect double that time-frame before I can draw any real conclusions.
I see an otolaryngologist (ear, nose, and throat specialist) tomorrow. While I am skeptical that he’ll have any real insight besides the standard "stop using the stuff!", I’ll be sure to follow-up if he has any better solutions.
Update (8/4/06 10:11pm)
After further research, I’ve discovered that some individuals have had success with a relatively new antihistamine called Astelin that doesn’t contain any steroids, Oxymetazoline or Phenylepherine. My ear, nose and throat doctor was able to provide me a months sample.
A word of warning, Astelin is extremely bitter and even with a big gulf of mouthwash, don’t be suprised when the aftertaste remains. The substance has a sedative effect, and after a liberal dose, definitely made me sleepy. As a decongestant, it was mildly effective. My nasal passages opened up a bit, but by the time I had awakened in the morning, my stuffy nose had returned. Over usage of the medication only seemed to worsen my congestive issues. 3-4 pumps appeared to be the optimal dosage for effectiveness.
Further Updates (8/24/06 6:00pm)
Tim, author of the "Herbs and More" blog, was kind enough to further clarify his comments with an email outlining some specific herbal remedies for congestion. He writes….
" My nose would continually stop up at night. It would open at least partially during
the day, but at night, forget it! I was on Allegra and Nasalcort spray, both
prescriptions which were around $25 each per month.
Now, the only time I use an Afrin type nasal spray is right now, because I have a
bad cold. This is the 3rd day. Even so, I am only using it at night so I can
sleep. Other than that, I have not used any type of decongestant for over 9
months.
I take Stinging Nettles four times a day. The cheapest place to buy them is at
Puritan’s 3 for 1 sale. If you buy any from there, please get there through my
blog so I’ll get credit. I also take a ginger capsule four times a day with the
Stinging Nettles. I buy the Ginger at Wal-Mart…Rexall brand.
Like any herb, it can take a couple of weeks before you start having an effect.
For nasal sprays, I alternate between Nasalcrom, which is non-addicting over the
counter which you can get at Wal-mart, and Nutribiotic Grapefruit Seed Extract
nasal spray, which is the cheapest price at Vitacost. If you get anything from
Vitacost, please go there through my blog.
At first, I had to heavily use the nasalcrom or the Nutribiotic GSE nasal spray.
But the longer I took the Stinging Nettles and Ginger, the less often I use those.
I probably only use one of them about 1 day out of every two weeks. My nose
stays pretty clear, even at night, usually without them.
Good luck and I hope you find something non-prescription that works for you! One
last thing…there are expensive herbal decongestant formulas without sudaphed
that are supposed to help your nose. They are costly, even at Vitacost. I tried
all of them and for me, they did not work. The Stinging Nettles (1 bottle of 100
capsules is about $3.80 with puritans 3 for 1 sale) and the ginger (1 bottle of
100 capsules for $3.88 at Wal-mart) works for me….and it is much cheaper! "
If you like any of Tim’s suggestions, return the favor by buying your desired herbs from his site.
Update (9/10/06 10:24pm)
http://groups.google.com/group/alt.support.sinusitis/msg/c8025333cf1faae9?hl=en&
The easiest way to get off Afrin is a short course of prednisone with an
antibiotic. Ask your doctor about this.
Murray Grossan, M.D.
Anyone else have any experience with this treatment?
Update (12/9/2006 2:00pm)
If you can get a heated humidifier and add some "Vicks Vapo Steam" (http://www.walgreens.com/store/product.jsp?CATID=306484&id=prod352095) to the water, it should help a bit to open up your passages (only temporarily though). Stick your face close to the humidifier, and try to breathe in as deep as possible. Or a Vick’s Personal Steam Inhaler may be more appropriate than a general humidifier ( http://www.achooallergy.com/sinus-vicksinhaler.asp )
Update (2-22-07 8:00pm)
As if we needed any more reason to quit using OTC Nasal Sprays, I ran across this 1994 study outlining a few cases where OTC nasal spray was attributed to inducing paranoid psychosis in some patients. I can personally testify that looking back, I was clearly more hyper when utilizing the spray and would get these periods of adrenal rushes where it was nearly impossible to sit at my desk and concentrate. I no longer experience these intense hyper moments, but to be fair, I have also quit caffeine as well, so that could have been the contributing factor.
Here is a link to the study for those interested: Paranoid Psychosis Induced by Oxymetazoline Nasal Spray
Update (3-15-07 9:17pm)
Just to clarify….
From some of the emails that I receive, I think we have to make a distinction here. If you’re congestion is partly due to sinuses, alergies (pollutants, allergens, etc), cold, etc, there may be ways to reduce the congestion. You could look at using an antihistamine, Corticosteroid, cromolyn sodium, a decongestant or flush regularly with a pure saline spray.
But the above text above is addressing the issue of stufiness as it stems from the overuse of over the counter nasal/nose spray. I never had problems with sinuses and such, so it was much easier for me to isolate my problems directly with the nose spray usage. But if you have other related issues, you should look at getting those problems resolved first before discontinuing your nasal spray.
Why is that? You have to treat the process as a science experiment. For instance, if you have chronic sinus issues and have used the nasal spray heavily for several years, if you discontinue the usage of the nasal spray yet remain stuffed up, how do you know if the issue is that you’re not fully withdrawn from the nasal spray or is it just your sinuses continuing to complicate matters?
Remember to isolate the process, taking it one step at a time.
Information Links
July 11th, 2006 at 5:21 pm
I’ve tried kicking the habit several times but it’s just too hard. Although, I’ve never considered going to an ENT doctor, so maybe its time.
July 12th, 2006 at 5:48 pm
I feel your pain. I cold turkeyed Afrin (and other OTC decongestants) at the advice of my doctor. Instead, I used Flonase and Astelin. But after 10 months of not touching OTCs, I still had a stuffy nose.
Now I use Flonase, Astelin, but still have to take a couple squirts of OTCs to be able to breathe thru my nose.
Oh well–at least I’m not addicted to booze or meth.
August 4th, 2006 at 8:52 pm
I also had an on/off semi-necessary continued use of the oxymetazonline hydrochloride nasal decongestants. I say semi because at the time they were necessary… either sleep with my mouth open and worry about spiders (I lived garden level and the place was practically alive with them) miving and taking up residence with my tonsils, or use the stuff. But the funny thing about the decongestants is.. once you use them once and their effects wear off, your nose is more congested than before. Not because of an increase in mucus production that typically prods a person to initially use them, but because the nasal tissues in the passageways swell for some terribly inconvenient reason. At least in my experience.
Thankfully I started doing yoga from “A Systematic Course in the Ancient Tantric Techniques of Yoga and Kriya” during one of my dependant bouts. One of the first techniques described in the daily sadhanas (spiritual practices) is called jala neti, which is an ancient yogic technique of cleaning the nasal passageways with a saline solution using a sort of special pot called a neti pot. A small amount of salt (too much and the salt burns the nose, too little and the chlorine burns the nose) is dissolved in lukewarm water. The tip of the pot is inserted into one nostril and the head tipped sidways to allow water to run through out the other nostril. Then it’s done to the other nostril. Afterwhich, the thoroughly loosened mucus is forcefully expelled by blowing the nose. When the nasal system returns to its typical moisture saturation a few minutes later, the nose remains completely free of obstruction for about 24-48 hours. There’re no ill side effects. I’ve been doing it nearly every day for over a year.
I got my pot at healthandyoga.com, in case you’re interested lol.
August 19th, 2006 at 11:42 am
[…] Nosespray; Heroin for the common man. […]
August 19th, 2006 at 7:53 pm
This article made me laugh a few times. I used to be in the same boat. Sometimes, I would wean myself off Afrin by only using it in one nostril for about a week. The one without Afrin would stay completely shut for about 3 days! After about a week, when I could breathe out of the untreated side, I would then quit Afrin altogether. The whole process involves breathing out of only one side of your nose for about two weeks. What a drag. I was on prescriptions Allegra and Nasalcort for a while. Now, I have found some natural alternatives that have helped me tremendously. I have been off all prescriptions and OTC medicines for over 9 months now. Great article! It made me laugh at myself as I read it!
Tim
August 21st, 2006 at 3:20 am
Tim, I’d love for you to share your natural remedies with us. As I outlined above, I tried a few things that I found at the local health food store, but nothing seemed to be effective. I am open to suggestions!
August 23rd, 2006 at 5:12 pm
One more bit of information to go with my other two: When I was “coming off” Afrin, I started off by continuing to use it on one side. On the non-Afrin side, I started inhaling the Nutribiotic GSE four to six times a day (in addition to taking stinging nettles and ginger 4 times a day). You can also use Nasalcrom instead of Nutribiotic if you want to. You breathe in real deep when you use the Nutribiotic. I used the Afrin on the Afrin side whenever needed for several days. I knew I was getting somewhere when the non-Afrin side started having moments of clearness, although not all the time at first.
The next phase was to only use the Afrin at night on the Afrin side, instead of all the time. At least that would give the day towards weaning off of it, and allowing my nose to adjust, but I would at least have one totally clear side at night. Meanwhile, under no circumstances use Afrin on the non-Afrin side. Anyway, the bottom line is, this is easier than just cold turkey. By doing this gradually, it buys you time to make sure the other stuff will work…meanwhile you are not suffering from two completely clogged sides of your nose…especially when you are trying to get some sleep.
September 23rd, 2006 at 11:27 am
The nasalcrom may not help you because the additives also cause the nasal passages to swell. It contains Benzalkonium which has shown to be addictive.
http://www.ent-consult.com/salineadditives.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinitis_medicamentosa
September 27th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
I have been using afrin for YEARS..after a terrbile bout with chronic sinus infections..the ENT told me that the afrin had DAMAGED my nasal tissues, basically, there was no blood flow to my nasal lining..thus no blood could help fight the infections..he told me to come off the afrin all together and put me on nasal and systemic steroids!! eeek! i’m pretty miserable and it’s only day one..oh well!!!
October 2nd, 2006 at 5:31 pm
I feel for you. My chronic sinusitis left me using the stuff every night and feeling miserably congested the next morning. The only way I kicked the habit was by being diagnosed with sleep apnea and getting a breathing machine, which allowed me to forgo the medicine. I’d second the nasal irrigation.
October 8th, 2006 at 5:08 pm
I’m 20 years old, and have been using OTC oxymetazoline based Logicin sprays religiously for about the past three years. I currently consume an 18mL bottle of 0.05% oxymetazoline spray every 3 days or so.
I have had sinus problems since early teenage years (due to a deviated septum, says the ENT) and could only find relief from congestion by using OTC sprays.
I have tried Rhinostat, however had the same problem as the original poster - it became dilluted far too quickly, and after several dillutions, I would need to administer a ridiculous amount of the liquid, in order to obtain relief. The Rhinostat manual suggests adding additional oxymetazoline to increase the potency of the dillution, however really, withdrawl would need to be far slower if to be successful for users with a high tolerance to the active ingredient, such as my self.
I have attempted cold turkey, and lasted a day and a half. After 12+ hrs of no nasal spray, my nose and ears are 100% completely blocked, which makes day-to-day-life absolute hell.
GP’s have offered no alternative other than going cold-turkey, and seem to generally have a pretty poor understanding of the condition - one suggested that all I need do is take an antihistamine daily.
I will be in contact with my ENT, who I have not seen since my OTC nasal spray addiction commenced.
Keen to hear from others, as to how they kicked their habit.
October 21st, 2006 at 5:15 am
Oh god im in the same boat i have been using nasal sprays for 20 years full on & im 40 now. Im at the stage where i get a blood nose every few days & im hoping its just a damaged blood vessel & nothing more sinister. Doctors just arnt aware of how debilitating the condition is & how difficult it is to get off sprays. I have tried diluting my nasal sprays & im definatley going to try unblocking just one nostril at a time as of 2morrow, wish me luck & i,ll let u know how i go, michelle
October 28th, 2006 at 2:42 pm
Everyone suffering as you are should at least try the Netti Pot. Basically it is the act of flushing your nasal sinuses with saline solution. It is preferred to use sea-salt for this as it contains a balance of naturally occuring minerals and does not contain artifically high levels of iodine (which is good to prevent goiters, but not necessary in the nose). I will be the first to admit it is NOT fun, but neither is exercise, and every fat-ass knows that there is no short-cuts to heaven. If you are brave enough to do this unconventional thing, remember your forehead and chin need to be level facing down in the sink, then you tip your head to one side (as one would during free-style swimming) and breathe through your mouth; insert the crazy-looking tea-pot and pour. The water will exit the lower nostril.
Moderation in all respects needs to be followed: Salt, but not too salty. Warm, but not too warm. Irrigate, but don’t drown yourself. If water starts channeling to your throat, lower your forehead. If your eyeballs feel like they are filling up, raise your forehead.
When your through, have a good snot-blowing session, and a pat on your back. You are on the road to recovery.
Ps. Sometimes when you dissolve sea-salt there is sediment; use a coffee filter and a funnel to clean it up.
Also, use the cleanes water possible, even distilled, since you are adding the salts & minerals back in.
Good luck.
~Paul
November 4th, 2006 at 10:15 pm
well i’m addicted too and let me tell you my nose is jacked up, i also have red weird bumps on the outside of my nostils, after reading all the comments i guess today is going to be last day i use afrin. I’ve only been using afrin for like a month or two, god please help me.
November 21st, 2006 at 11:14 am
I have been using afrin nasal spray for 5 months and i decided to go cold turkey 3 days ago due to the fact that i have a sinus infection because of the nasal spray use. I am on a prescription for levaquin and that is when I made the committment to do this. It is not easy, but I heard that going cold turkey probably is the best route to rid your nasal passages and body of this poison. I am hopeful because I am taking Allegra-D and it seems to take the edge off and opens me up a little bit. On the weekend, Allegra D did not do anything for me. My husband says that the fact that the allegra d is helping a little proves that my nasal passages and sinuses are not totally a lost cause.
November 22nd, 2006 at 10:42 pm
It’s nice to see a place to read comments from others with the same problem, I suppose misery loves company…I was luckily only on nasal spray for two weeks before I made myself stop due to an incident where I completely lost my sense of smell for a few hours after using the spray (not a fun experience)This is my third day off the spray and, as I know you all have experienced, I am miserable from not being able to sleep at night-especially since I am in grad. school and have a very important paper due Monday, but can’t concentrate due to not being able to breath!
BUT I do have good news and a few recommendations to add: Like Michele who posted before me, I am using Claritin-D, which is similar to Allegra-D (I thought my problem at first was allergies, not rebound congestion). The first two days it really didn’t help at all, but today I actually had a few hours of being able to breathe relatively freely (I’m stuffing up again, alas, but not as badly as usual). This stuff is far stronger than something like Sudafed and available now without a prescription, although it does cost about a dollar a pill. I take the pill in the morning before I take a really hot, steamy shower–when I get out, the steam has loosened me up enough to use a saline nasal mist. Within half an hour I am typically cleared up somewhat. My advice for sleeping is a bit less scientific, but it works for me! Half an hour before going to bed I have a really spicey Bloody Mary (I use cayenne pepper, Wortscheshire sauce, and regular pepper) with a shot or two of vodka. The spices clear me up a bit for a little while and the vodka makes me somewhat sleepy, so I normally fall asleep and get at least 4 or 5 hours before the stuffiness wakes me up.
Also, try getting a vaporizer for your bedroom. I haven’t been able to get one yet, but I believe it should work. today was very rainy and humid and I opened my windows and the added humidity really helped me breath, so a vaporizer should be helpful as well.
Hope this helps and good luck everyone!
November 23rd, 2006 at 12:43 am
does anyone know since i am on day 5 of not using afrin, when will my rebound nasal congestion go away and my sinuses will open up. I am using allegra d, but hope to not have to use this anymore
November 23rd, 2006 at 11:37 pm
Most sources say that between 4-7 days is required before things will really start to improve. Maybe a couple of weeks until everything is completely better.
November 25th, 2006 at 5:56 am
I am on day 7 of afrin nasal spray withdrawal. Along with having to deal with the congestion from a sinus infection, I see some improvement in breathing through my nose. The only thing is when i go to sleep, I wake up stuffy and congested. After a few squirts of Simply Saline, and a steaming pot of hot water, I open up. So there is hope
November 25th, 2006 at 12:35 pm
I am currently on day 6 and I definitely do see some improvement. I haven’t been completely closed off for two days–typically I can breathe freely through one nostril and am stuffy in the other (the congestion seems to alternate throughout the day) Like you, most of my problems are when I sleep at night. I typically wake up once per night and then in the morning stuffy and runny–but its better than when I would wake up completely congested and unable to breathe. I took my last Claritin-D today and I am not planning on buying more unless I absolutely have to–I think I will switch to something less strong, like Sudafed, until I can get by without anything. LIke you said, the saline spray and steam (I take really hot showers, I find it works better for me than using a pot of hot water)are what get me cleared up in the morning.
I realize I’ve forgotten to add one thing that has actually helped quite a bit at night–Breathe-Right strips. There’s no medicine, they just adhere to your nose and gently pull apart a bit, to open up the airway more. They don’t work perfectly, but they make it so I can at least sleep!
Good luck, Michele, and anyone else trying to quit! If you can make it to day four, each day after that brings about a bit more improvement, so stick to it, because nasal spray can be some nasty stuff…
November 26th, 2006 at 10:43 pm
i am finally able to breathe in and out better than i used to, but left nostril still a little stuffy. I guess i made some progress. My problem now is lingering congestion and it seems to have settled in my 2 ears. they are clogged and it is not comfortable to have a feeling your head is full. does nasal congestion rebound have anything to do with this. I also mentioned, i am on levaquin to clear up a sinus infection. I am going to the doctor tomorrow to make sure my ears are clear and there is no fluid. I am going to try those breathing strips and still taking allegra d. after a while, it does take the edge off. I hope everything subsides soon.
November 27th, 2006 at 8:55 am
Hmmm, I’m not sure if rebound congestion would still be affecting your ears if your nose is mostly free…I know that I get horrible pressure and clogged ears when my nose is completely shut, but other than that I’m not sure. Good move checking with your doctor. I hope the breathe right strips help you.
The fact that I am one Day 8 and this stupid thing hasn’t gone away yet is getting a little frustrating. Are you really on and off? As in, one day I feel I’ve made great improvement, but then the next day it seems to be reversed. Plus, I find that when I am standing up and especially when I am walking I can breathe much much better…going to work is hell, for some reason at my office I can’t breathe at all (which is what clued me initially to the fact that this was caused by quitting my nasal spray and not really severe allergies to a cat I got a few months ago). I’m thinking I might have to stop by my school’s health clinic this week and make sure nothing else is wrong with me (a sinus infection as well, perhaps) You said that your sinus infection was actually caused by the nasal spray?
Well, keep me informed on your progress. I’ll be curious to see how long it takes us to completely get rid of this…what keeps me going is the thought of finally being able to sleep on my stomach and breathe again! I am getting sick of sleeping half sitting up with pillows propping me up!
December 2nd, 2006 at 1:01 pm
I am going to an ear, nose doctor this week and perhaps he can help me with clogged ears and some sinus congestion. Probably need a different type of medication than the one i have been using.
December 3rd, 2006 at 10:29 am
How is your nasal congestion? I think I might cave in and finally go to the doctor, it’s been officially two weeks and I no longer seem to be making any progress at all…Throughout the day I am mostly fine, although my left side of my nose is often clogged, but in the morning it is awful. I was initially so hopeful that in two weeks it would all be cleared up…
Good luck with the ear/nose doctor
December 3rd, 2006 at 12:03 pm
I feel as if I have a non-stop head cold with sinus congestion and ears clogged. I do not know if it has to do with leftover rebound congestion, but I think the ent doctor should be able to help me since it is his field. I went to regular doctor and all she said was my ears were clear and it will eventually go away. All you need is a decongestant. When she said that, I knew I had to go to the ear/nose doctor to get this situation under control.
Will inform you after Wednesday of what happened. Take care.
December 4th, 2006 at 2:54 am
Thank you. I can’t say I’ve suffered quite like the rest of you here, but I’m glad for your input. I was ready to head off to the ER or at least an urgent care facility until some deft searching landed me here. I’ve only been suffering rebound congestion for a couple of days, following a pretty bad sinus problem and some flu-like symptoms. Unfortunately I was nearly suffocated once when I was young and have suffered repeated cases of pneumonia (over 12) since age 4. Due to this, the inability to breathe can send me into a panic, especially when I wake to being totally unable to breathe through my nose. Now that I am armed with information from people who have been through this, I think I can get off this stuff quickly and safely. Since I’m in the first stages, I think my right nostril is already clearing a bit. Hopefully I can “nurse” my left with a little spray every few hours and come down soon. Thanks again, and good luck to you all!
December 4th, 2006 at 9:17 pm
I was hooked on Afrin. Used it at night for about a year with no problems - then all of a sudden I had rebound problems. Could not get off of it without becoming completely stuffed up. I ordered some Sinus-buster spray on the internet. It is basically pepper spray. Hurts like hell, but it does open up your sinus enough to quit using the afrin. It took about a week to kick the afrin. Only use the sinus-buster now when I become stuffy.
December 7th, 2006 at 2:03 pm
went to an ent doctor who said afrin definitely caused my sinus problems.
Good news is that I did not damage anything permanently, but my nasal lining or lower turbinates as he says is temporarily swollen. gave me nasonex to shrink the swelling and he hopes i learned from my lesson. nasal congestion is better, but he says that any lingering congestion in ears and anywhere else wont go away until my nasal lining shrinks down to normal size. He says that will take a few weeks. so get off that afrin, because the doctor says it is like acid or coke, it can ruin your passages for life. i guess i am just lucky it did temporary damage.
December 7th, 2006 at 5:03 pm
Thanks for letting me know what the ENT said, Michele, that actually helps quite a bit. I’m still suffering from sporadic nasal congestion (I havent’ really had bad ear congestion like you) that gets worse at night and in the morning, but I started taking Claritin-D again and this time, now that the worst of the rebound is over, it actually makes it so I can breathe perfectly throughout most of the day. I have an appointment with a regular doctor on Tuesday and had already been considering asking for Nasonex (my mother takes it for allergies, which I haven’t ruled out entirely in my case) and now I definitely will make sure to get a prescription for it. From what I’ve read, the Nasonex and other steroid nasal sprays are quite effective and don’t have many side effects (unlike the Claritin-D or any decongestant which can have some crazy side effects).
So hopefully we will both be clear in time for the holidays!
And Randall–good luck to you!
December 7th, 2006 at 5:23 pm
i hope to finally have a glass of wine after all these problems and have a happy holiday.
December 7th, 2006 at 8:49 pm
Ahhh yes wine…I learned the hard way after I had two glasses of wine and couldnt’ breathe at all for a few hours that alcohol makes your nasal lining swell.
December 9th, 2006 at 1:09 pm
am on day two of cold turkey afrin withdrawal per doctor’s orders. my congestion is not awful (i can breathe through my nose 75% of the time with hot showers & vicks), but i have had the worst headache the whole time.
please tell me this part goes away. i can handle not being able to breathe, but my head feels like it might implode.
December 9th, 2006 at 3:29 pm
I believe headaches can be caused both by using Afrin (I believe the guy who first posted talks about it) but also by nasal congestion. I haven’t had anything severe, like you, but have had a persistent dull headache. I would imagine that once you have been off the spray for awhile and your nasal lining has returned to normal, your headache should disappear as well.
December 9th, 2006 at 3:37 pm
Prolonged lack of oxygen can be a cause for a headache. Before my sleep apnea was diagnosed, I use to wake up with terrible headaches. My CPAP has helped to resolve this.
Maybe you should try the Vick’s Personal Inhaler (listed above)? The targeted humidified air may help to open things up a bit (and maybe use a drop of the Vick’s Vapo Steam as well).
Vick’s Vapo Steam:
http://www.westburyonline.com/Vicks_Vapo_Steam_-_Liquid_Medi_P3042C36.cfm
Vick’s Personal Inhaler:
http://www.shop.com/op/~Vicks_personal_steam_inhaler-prod-6023944-8575910?sourceid=298
December 9th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
i have been using nasonex for three days as prescribed by ent doctor, I say it is helping, but direction say won’t feel the full effect of the nasal spray for 1 to 2 weeks. I switched from allegra=d to sudafed 24 hour. It seems to take the edge off of clogged ears. Hopefully, my ears will start to open up when the nasonex starts shrinking my swollen membranes. My husband says clogged ears could last a long time and doctor says the swollen membranes are temporary as long as i take nasonex faithfully. I just want to be clear again.
December 14th, 2006 at 12:29 pm
I went to see the nurse practioner two days ago and (although she could really tell me nothing, as I expected) I did at least get a prescription for nasonex. Like you said, it supposedly takes up to one to two weeks for it to fully kick in, but I already feel it is working. I am no longer taking Claritin-D (thank god, the constant bone-dry mouth was driving me insane!)and my nasal pasasges seem relatively clear most of the time. I can even sleep on my side and stomach and still be able to breath sometimes!! This isn’t to knock the Claritin-D, though. For anyone who doesn’t want to have to get a prescription for something like nasonex (or who doesn’t have insurance–I think nasonex is almost $90 without it) the Claritin-D was working really well for me for awhile, it just makes you very thirsty and sometimes somewhat jittery.
What I am somewhat surprised about is the fact that Afrin and similar nasal sprays can cause this amount of extreme discomfort if not properly used, but the warnings on the label are so mild! They make it sound as though there is a slim chance something “might” happen, but make no mention of the amount of people who get thoroughly messed up. I religiously read the warning labels on medicine before taking it, and had Afrin’s been a bit more specific, I would never have let myself absent-mindedly slip into using it for almost a month…
December 17th, 2006 at 7:43 pm
i am sleeping better, though i wake up congested. Nasonex is somewhat helping. I still have bouts of congestion even though it is not as bad as it was before. Spoke to ent again and he said to give it 2 more weeks other wise a steroid pack will zap it he said. ears are still feeling full but it seems a lot better than it was. ent said everthing is connected. maybe i will get my christmas wish, and be clear.
December 22nd, 2006 at 7:08 pm
Good luck! I hope everything is clear for you by Christmas!
January 12th, 2007 at 5:56 pm
I’ve been addicted to Afrin for over 25 years, and it has been terrible. I’ve hated the dependency of it, the need to carry it in my pocket at all times, having to excuse myself every couple of hours to load my nose up with the stuff…etc. I’ve tried quiting many, many times and never made it past 8 hours.
However, I’m now on day 5 of cold turkey and not quite sure why this attempt is so successful. Nevertheless, it’s the most liberating feeling I’ve ever had. I simply decided last week to give it another attempt. I resolved about noon time to not use the spray until bed time. I was pretty stopped up until then, but used it only once and made it through the night with enough sleep to function. However, when I stopped up, I got out of bed (i think this was key) and took a hot, steamy shower. As long as I kept active, I was able to deal with the stuffiness throughout the day. As a result, I didn’t use the Afrin until bedtime again (which was a first). This time, I went through the night and the next day with slighly better results…enough so that I decided I would go to bed without a spray and see how long I could last before I just had to use it to get some sleep. I made it until midnight…next day repeated the cycle…made it until 3:00 AM, …repeated the cycle…next day made it until 5:00 AM and I haven’t used it since. My sleep has been a little restless at times, but the good sleep I am getting is the best I’ve had in 25 years. I congest a little during the day…off and on…but it’s not unbearable…AND, it’s getting better every day.
My focus was on setting realistic, small goals. I resolved to stay relaxed and meditate when I was congested, so I could breath comfortably through my mouth when I had to get through a rough patch. I tried to stay active, as being busy and exercising took my mind off of discomfort.
I have tried everything in the past…Nasacort, Rhinostat, blah, blah, blah…but this method of cold turkey is working better than anything. As I said earlier, I had never made it eight hours before this, and now I’m on day five of zero usage.
I was the worst user I know of this stuff and a huge baby about it. If I can do this, you can too!!!
Good luck and be patient!
-tim
January 23rd, 2007 at 12:17 pm
Heh. Same story. 3rd addiction. 1st addiction I quit cold turkey (was addicted for 3 years). 2nd was cold turkey and lots of Tylenol Sinus/saline spray (addicted 2 years). Now on 3rd round, 3 yrs later…. Tried a few times with 2nd’s approach, go figger- not working. Currently on Afrin severe congestion. I’ve even found if you buy the spray, pour it into the pump mist sprayer, you get a helluva rush. haha! So, heading to the store to try the non-Benzalkonium chloride saline to dilute the mix, perhaps something other than Tylenol sinus & do this. It’s nice to find a website that you real people can relate to. Bless my friends, hubby and co-workers hearts, but they have no clue how horrible this addiction is. Thank you for your words….
January 25th, 2007 at 11:02 am
My friends says, “it’s just a matter of will-power.” WTH? Well, my will isn’t working the power vibe this week. So far a few days going - first night/day was horrid. Getting better today. Working the headache today. But staying hard & fast to NOT using even the 1/2 1/2 concoction. My lips are the sahara from having to breathe thru my mouth. Shoot me if I ever pick up a bottle of nasal spray after kicking this addiction.
January 25th, 2007 at 2:23 pm
i also had an afrin addiction for about 6-7 months. Went to ent guy and even though i am better, was diagnosed with chronic rhinitis medicamentosa. fancy term for congestion due to afrin use. I was put on nasonex and allegra d. I am better, but due to hard blowing of nose, some of nasal capillaries caused me to have some small amount of bleeding. Now I am off nasonex due to the fact my nasal passages are raw and sticking to allegra d which helps. when i get my menstrual cycle and a headache, i notice i get very congested even with this medicines. ent said it will take a few months to go away due to the fact my nose needs time to heal from afrin use.
January 25th, 2007 at 8:18 pm
First time I am posting on a website. I have been using otrivin for 13 years. Now I go through a bottle every 5-7 days. I use it every 10 mins when I’m at home and maybe half hour to hour at the most when im out. It is ruining my life. I already have major tmj disease i have artifical joints and nerve damage from the surgeries so i have to take morphone and fentanol patch. I have enough pain in my face but now i started the headaches from the otrivin. I cant just stop cold turkey. Tried the one nostril at a time couldnt even make it an hour. I would do anything to get off it. I read that the overdosing of otrivin can put you in a coma and that scares the hell out of me. I’m also always exhausted. I know the medication I take for the pain makes me tired but I’ve been more tired over the past year. I’m scared that the otrivin is doing this and that I may end up really ill or worse from it and im a single parent of a young child. Can surgery fix this? I saw in ENT and he said if i have a blockage than he can unblock the passage. I had ct scan and it came out normal. I just had the results over the phone as i was about to go in for another tmj replacement which im recovering now. So I have to go back to the ent, calling tomorrow could take weeks or months to get the appointment. He told me the first time I went that i’d have to just stop it but it will be very uncomfertable. But I cant stop, I just cant. I tried I cant take the feeling like i cant breathe and the pain it is causing around my eyes and head. The pain have in my face from the tmj is bad enough so to stop cold turkey for someone like me is impossible. I found the rhinocourt was considreing buying it but did a search and came across this page and now my hope i felt an hour ago is gone. I comment you guys for putting up with the withdrawl. If I dont stop do i have any hope? Have you very heavy users that have been using for years, have any of you felt very tired all the time? I dont know what to do. I’m desparate and I hope the ent will have some suggestion. I was put on the perscription nasal sprays like flonase, some other steriod sprays did nothing at all.
January 26th, 2007 at 2:17 pm
first you need to go to the ent guy. they can put you on a different steroid spray and some kind of allergy pill with a decongestant. I find I am better, but i have my good days and my bad days. you have something that they label as chronic. You need to get off the nasal spray. if cold turkey is not for you, a good ent guy will help you gradually come off of it. look, i could not even breath in november and december without popping an allergy pill, I find i can go longer without taking the second dose of allegra d and when i wake up, i am congested, but it clears out quicker now. so that is an improvement. I still feel tired, because it does effect your sleep. Good Luck
January 27th, 2007 at 4:42 pm
I have tried allergy pills as well but it did nothing the ones you are using is it a perscription or just regular over the counter? My appointment with the ent is in a few weeks but the first time i went there, all he said was you have to stop and it will be very uncomfertable or i can do surgery if there is a blockage which there isnt.
January 27th, 2007 at 8:11 pm
you can buy claritin-D over the counter, it is like allegra d. Or buy sudafed 12 hour or 24 hour relief decongestant. you get those over the counter by pharmacy or upfront by cashier due to the fact that people use decongestants to make drugs. I still would go to the ent. they will give you nasonex for congestion and allegra d or whatever decongestant they feel is good for your case. usually when you give up the nose spray, the ent will give you something to get you through this. Then find another ENT. Anyone who wants to do surgery before trying other alternates is someone I would not go to. For a week the congestion is bad, it gets better in time. Like I said, i still have leftover congestion, but it is alot better than what it used to be.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:06 am
Well, this is an eye-opener. I have been addicted for about 10 years and I have always lacked the willpower to get off of it. The few times that I have tried have been horrible: headaches, pressure, the works. The headache was so bad that I actually thought that I would need an opiate to survive. For the most part, tho, I only use it twice a day, once in the morning and at again at night, unless I am in the middle of a bad cold.
I will, however, be talking to my GP on Friday and I think that I am going to “come clean” and ask for a referral to a ENT.
I bought the rhinostat system and had the same problems. I am thinking about a way to do it over 10 weeks. I figured I would buy 10 30mL bottles of Afrin and a bottle of “good” (I know this now) saline.
I would label the bottles from 0, 1, 2, …, 9. In bottle 9, I would remove, using a marked baby syringe, 3 mL of fluid and replace it with saline. effectively diluting the whole bottle by 10%. I would then go down the line and remove more and more from the remaining bottles until there was a final bottle (do I only need 9?) that only had 10% of the original solution in it.
I would then use the bottles — either one a week, or every two weeks, or use them up — in order. I figure if I “fall off the wagon”, I would fall up a single digit (from 50% to 60%) and not go back to full strength. In the end I would go “cold turkey” from only 10%, and not the full strength.
I haven’t started this yet, just thinking about it. I am not sure if I want to go through the embarrassment of coming clean.
January 29th, 2007 at 11:14 am
BTW, I also don’t buy the 2-7 day rebounding. In my case, I am SURE that it would be 2-7 weeks and frankly, with my job and family, I couldn’t pull it off cold-turkey.
If somebody could promise me 2-7 days, I would go on a vacation alone to dry out. But, like I said, I ain’t buyin’ it.
January 30th, 2007 at 10:07 am
Well, I went to the ENT this morning and came clean about my addiction. He put me on massive a Pregnisone dose and anti-biotics (since sinusitis is why I started casting about for answers).
I am going to gut it out. Wish me luck.
January 30th, 2007 at 12:24 pm
good luck
January 31st, 2007 at 5:54 am
Day one seems OK. I slept last night toot-free for the first time in about 10 years. it was weird, but the pregnisone really did help. A little Tylenol for the pounding headaches and I managed to sleep for about seven hours.
I am going to gut this out. Of course, I am pretty sure that the worst is yet to cmoe. But God is on my side, I can feel it.
January 31st, 2007 at 5:05 pm
I’ve been addicted for only two months, but the thought of going cold turkey scares me. I seriously can’t breath without my spray now. The stuff ROCKS clearing you out when you have a cold, but I had no idea what it would do to me. Now that I read all of your stories, I’m going to start by trying the one nostril trick. I wish I had known when I started taking the stuff. I only started to worry when I didn’t seem to be able to go the whole 12 hours and I was taking it 4 times a day instead of two. I thought that I just had a really bad cold or sinus infection, but I knew that couldn’t be right. I felt find…no fever or anything. I am so glad I found this website. I start my weaning tonight. Wish me luck.
February 1st, 2007 at 11:49 am
Day two is OK, but I seem to be having a bad reaction to the antibiotics, because I feel like a have a little stomach issues. Very nasty. However, I am still pretty unclogged. The pregnisone seems to do the trick.
It is weird, not grabbing for the honker. There are times when I am a little clogged and I have this almost panicked urge to go find an Afrin bottle (or its larger cousin from CVS).
This would be a better experience, I think, if I weren’t so stressed at work and it wasn’t in conjunction with a bout of sinusitis.
So far, so good.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:12 pm
Day four is fine. The prednisone (the actual spelling, I looked it up) has completely freed me from the rebound. It is kinda miraculous. Of course, the broad-spectrum antibiotics are STILL fucking with my gastrointestinal tract, so I completely discontinued them today AMA (for the record the culture came back “negative” for infection, but the doctor wanted me on a “good long course of strong antibiotics” because of my symptoms. I can’t do it; it is a quality-of-life issue.
In short, I am having a lot of success with the massive-dose-of-catabolic-steriods method of dealing with Afrin addiction. On Tuesday, I am starting a “rapid decrease titration” where I go from 60mg of prednisone a day to 30mg for 2 days and then down to 10mg for three days and then I am off. That is a 10 day course of the steriods. The hope is that the great bulk of the rebound will be over and I will only have to deal with a small amount of symptoms. I am praying.
February 3rd, 2007 at 12:55 pm
Ooops. That’s 12 days of prednisone. Bad math.
February 3rd, 2007 at 1:35 pm
After 10 weeks of chronic congestion, i am finally breathing without having to use my allegra d. just on the nasonex. Never using AFRIN again.
February 9th, 2007 at 11:45 am
Last night, the first night after the first day of only 10mg of prednisone, I think that I experienced my first real symptom of an Afrin hangover. I had a decent headache.
I have to say, that my experience (other than the reaction to the antibiotics) has been positive. It is a little uncomfortable and disconcerting to sleep when I am NOT 100% breathing free. Usually during the night one or the other nostril will clog and I will have to turn over. I have tried a couple of night-time oral decongestants, but have not settled on anything. Last night, I tried nothing and was rewarded with a headache.
The Nasonex does help, but even with my insurance covering half the cost, it is still $50 for 30 hits. For those keeping count, that is about a weeks worth (2 hits per nostril per day). Plus, the Nasonex seems to tickle that part of my brain that wants the nasal fixation of the Afrin. My wife (with whom I came clean on my addiction) gives me the hairy eye when I huff the Nasonex, making sure that it is not Afrin.
I think that I am OK, but without the prednisone, I would have been screwed.
February 11th, 2007 at 5:04 pm
Day one of no prednisone. A little headache, not bad. A little congestion, not bad. We shall see tomorrow.
February 13th, 2007 at 9:11 am
I’m done….I’m off the stuff and breathing clear. It sucked for a good week, but the one nostril trick in #5 really worked. I’d like to say I’m never using the stuff again, but it works so great clearing me up when I have a cold that I’ll probably go back to it if I have to. Next time though, I’ll be more careful. Good luck to everyone still working on it.
February 14th, 2007 at 6:33 am
I am done for good with the stuff. I have felt so helpless and so enslaved for so long… I am free and there is no turning back. If I have a bad cold or a ‘flu, I will use Nyquil or some other non-topical remedy.
February 18th, 2007 at 7:27 am
DETOX DAY 1: It is 5 am and I have been up all night … it is my first night of cold turkey Afrin detox and it looks like I am going to get no sleep. I have a steady stream of clear water-like liquid streaming out of both nostrils and have given up my box of kleenex for a towel. 100% blockage in both sides of my nose, a lot of pressure, but no real head ache. This blows! Pun intended
I did the saline squirt before bed, had a cup of tea at 3:00 am, have gobs of vicks in my nose, and have been sucking on halls cough drops all night … all to no avail. I am hoping that the green tea will help get that Afrin crap out of my system. Nothing worth watching on TV … note to self: when in Afrin detox, make sure you have something to occupy your mind in the wee hours of the morning. OK, that is it for now … going to go try drinking tobasco sauce.
February 20th, 2007 at 9:22 pm
Just found this web site. I’ve been addicted for 30 years, since I was 12. Started with Neo Synephrine… moved on to Duration and ultimately Afrin.Went to my doctor for a physical yesterday, came clean about my addiction and he put me on Nasacort ( 2 shots in each nostril in the morning ) , Prednisone, and Medent-PE . I may be the record holder for length of addiction. Just wanted to share and thank everyone for al they’re opinions.
February 20th, 2007 at 9:31 pm
Hey Patrick if you are still around , let me know how you are doing .I can forsee the same type of night ahead for me and am curious to know how you are holding up a couple of days later. I have to admit, while I wouldn’t wish this on anyone, misery does love company and it is slighty comforting to know others are sharing this pain.
February 21st, 2007 at 10:33 am
Last night was my first night without using Afrin nasal spray in about 15 years. I went to an ENT with severe congestion and he told me that I needed to stop using nasal spray. I almost cried. I am on steroids and sudafed. I didn’t sleep on minute last night and I am sure tonight will be no better. I know that I have to do this for my health but it’s sure not easy. Probably the hardest thing I have ever done. Not being able to breath is the worst feeling. I am glad to see there are so many people who can relate. I didn’t even realize I had a true addiction until I started reading all of these stories. I have carried my nasal spray with me everywhere, for years.
February 21st, 2007 at 4:17 pm
I guess it’s been awhile since I’ve been here. I managed to develop my insomnia again, so I went to the Dr. instead of gutting it out for 10 months like last time, “and btw - I’m addicted to schnauz spray - what can I do?” He gave me flonase & I also used saline spray (non-benzalkonium chloride) - and mixed 50/50 with my remaning afrin. I didn’t take any decongestants at all - slept for 4 days and emerged nasal candy spray free. My voice is clear, no headaches, no incessant need to reach for the bottle. Thank You all for your suggestions, insight and help!!
February 23rd, 2007 at 4:51 pm
Today is day 4, cold turkey, away from Afrin. Day 1 was the pits. My nose was altenately running and totally clogged. I gave up that night and gave myself one squirt in each nostril so I could sleep. The next day I went out and bought Tylenol Cold because it has a decongestent and because I could get the day and night variety. Day 2 was worse than day 1. I don’t know how I made it though–but I did. There were many times I had to talk myself away from grabing the Afrin. I did dilute the Afrin in half with saline–just in case–but I wanted to get off completely so I didn’t want to use it. On the good side, the Tylenol Night really helped me unclog/undrip and sleep. Day 3 was about 50% better than day 2 but only until I ate supper–then I became 100% clogged again. Again, the Tylenol Night unclogged me and put me to sleep. Day 4 is much better. I did not take Tylenol today and I can breath through my nose–fairly well. It is pretty sore and feels swollen however–but I feel like I am improving. Don’t know yet how tonight will go but at least I feel like I am making progress. I am never using Afrin again.
February 25th, 2007 at 9:36 am
Now day 6 for me almost off of Afrin. I’ve had to use it only once at night so I’m making progress. I figure one hit of it every 24 hourrs compared to every hour is pretty good after such a long addiction. Not having a leakng bottle in my pocket all day is already such a welcomed relief. I smell more, taste more, feel better. This week I committ to get off of it totally. Good Luck everybody !!!!!
February 25th, 2007 at 1:24 pm
Hey David:
Glad to know it is going well for you. I am on day 6 today and am doing better. My nose is still sore and a bit swollen inside but I can breath fairly well on my own most of the time. Nights are still hard but I haven’t used the Afrin–although very tempted. Good Luck to you and everyone else—may the Force be with us all!!!!!!!!!!
February 26th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
Hey Nicole:
Thanks for the thought ! I’m going to try the Tylenol Cold stuff. I’m ok all day, and then at around 7:00pm I start getting really stuffy and a headache. I’ve tried some breathe right strips and saline but they don’t really work. Did you go totally cold turkey without any medications ? That’s amazing ! I’m doing a couple of sprays of Nasacort in the morning and am taking Prednisone. I’m still having to spray once a day at night ( using something called TopCare…probably just as bad as Afrin )How are you today ?
February 27th, 2007 at 3:24 pm
Hi David:
Yes, I went cold turkey. Used Afrin the first night but after that just used the Tylenol Nightime Cold Stuff. I also tried Saline spray but it didn’t work.
Last night was the first night without the night tylenol but I did use a breath right strip.
I seem to do really great in the day but at night I get the one side of my nose plugged up thing going. I am hoping that with time that will go away too.
My nose is not totally open during the day but I can breath through it and it seems to be getting better all the time.
I just want to say that the first 3 days were awful. At times both sides of my nose were totally plugged and at other times my nose was running like a waterfall. There were definately times where I didn’t think I could get through it without reaching for the Afrin. But I would say –just wait a few more minutes–a few more blows–and eventually one side would open up and the panic would be over for another hour.
But–one week later I am breathing pretty well and my nose is healing and it feels great!! Hang in there–be strong–you can beat it!
Who would have ever thought a little bottle of nose spray could do this to so many people?? Amazing!
February 27th, 2007 at 10:03 pm
Hey Nicole,
Congrats on your success. Still can’t believe you went cold turkey , that’s really impressive. I’ve been real clear all day since day 1 , of course I’m also very careful not to sneeze, blow too hard or doing any heavy breathing
. Tonight it’s 10 pm and i am still ok. I think that first day last week trying to go all night without the spray was so awful I haven’t tried again. I think I need to accept the fact that I have a little more suffering to go through to completely kick the habit. I forgot to pickup the Tylenol stuff but will do tomorrow. It does feel great doesn’t it. Not only is it kinda liberating not having that bottle in my pocket all day but I could swear my sense of smell and my sense of taste has improved. Good luck,and let’s NOT have a relapse.
March 2nd, 2007 at 12:16 am
I’m 53 yrs. old & back in high school years my allergies came on like gangbusters. I was constantly sniffing, snorting, sneezing, blowing my nose with little results. My boyfriend said he could always find me by following a trail of kleenex. I couldn’t breath so I started using Afrin. Eventually, instead of twice a day I was using it every half hour or so. It had the reverse effect. I finally stopped cold turkey & to this day I won’t touch the stuff because I know what will happen. I’m still sniffing & sneezing all these years later & because of liver disease I can’t take any meds. for it. So I just keep blowing & using saline sprays.
March 2nd, 2007 at 10:04 am
Just an update … last night was the first night that I can honestly say that I had NO SYMPTOMS
So to recap, from first night cold turkey to almost total relief … 12 DAYS. Nose seems back to normal now, but a bit dry and tender. Nonetheless, I CAN BREATHE AGAIN!!! I will never use that crap again …
March 2nd, 2007 at 8:05 pm
Good update Patrick. Congrats ! Tonight I go cold turkey. I’ve been using at night for 10 nights and only that one time a day but don’t seem to be getting better. I’m going to try just using the prescription Nasacort ( steroid ) spray in the morning and that’s it…. Wish me luck all !
March 3rd, 2007 at 2:43 pm
“Hello, my name is Steve, and I’m an oxmetazolineaholic!”
“Hi, Steve!”
I’ve been hooked on this stuff for about 25 years. I started out with the upper-middle class Neo-Synephrine when I could afford $5+ bucks a pop…and now, since I’m retired, and on a fixed income, I buy the Equate brand at WalMarts. $1.96 for the “Value” size, which is 1.25 FL OZ. And I’m not a “snorter”, either. I’ve snorted enough stuff in my lifetime that at this stage of the game…my lungs don’t wany anything but air going into them. So this is what I do. I pull the top off the bottle; yank off the tube that dips down into the bottle; snap the cap back on, then use the bottle as nose drops. I lay down, fill up each nostril, toss my head around, then blow it all out onto a white dish rag. The rags I also buy at WalMart ($3.92 for an 18 pack). I’m an oxymetazoline junkie! *hangs head*
About a week ago I got arrested in a bar fight and spent 5 days in the can waiting for court. That sucked BIG TIME! Not the jail…that was a piece of cake compared to not having the oxy’. When I got sprung, I thought to myself…maybe it’s time we just kick this habit before something worse happens.
So, searching around I came upon this site…and let me say, I’m glad I did! Actual testimonials to the addiction and real-world help. If I could spell halleluiah…I’d say it! Haven’t quite decided how I’m going to tackle this…but I’ll let you know how it’s going once I start.
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:19 pm
oh good stars. i’ve been using afrin regularly for about ten nor fifteen years. broke down and went to an allergist a few weeks ago to make sure that allergies weren’t the initial culprit. well, the were! so…my doc put me on 20mg of prednisone 2x a day for five days, plus 2 squirts of nasonex 2x a day plus 2 squirts of astolin 2x a day. he said that i could use afrin first before any of that to open up my nasal passages to accept the nasonex and astolin. he said that after day four i wouldn’t need the afrin anymore. i’d been so hesitant to start that i had to change my follow-up visit and JUST started today. i’ve been somewhat stuffy most of the day (grrrrrr), but it hasn’t been unbearable…and hopefully won’t. but i’m not holding my breath…
March 3rd, 2007 at 11:21 pm
by the way, that’s two squirts of nasonex and two squirts of astolin per side.
March 5th, 2007 at 10:53 am
I have been using generic Afrin for a little over 2 years. I’m 5 months pregnant now, and I desperately need to get off this stuff! My Dr. know I use it and he said won’t do harm to the baby but may for you. Over the past couple of days, the generic Afrin doesn’t seem to be working so I’ve had to switch to generic 4 Way which only works for about an hour. I don’t know if I have a sinus infection or my body is just trying to say ENOUGH! Any suggestions how to kick this stuff and what is safe for me to use? I’ve called my Dr today and he’s sending me out a Z Pac so maybe that will help?? Still want to get off this stuff!
March 5th, 2007 at 12:41 pm
dear amy,
go to an ear nose throat guy. they specialize in this problem, so they would know what to do and since you are pregnant, that is your best choice. I also had a problem and the ear, nose throat guy did really help me. It takes time and patience. by the way, the generic afrin is telling you that your nasal passages is not accepting this stuff and basically you will get what is called rebound congestion which is very uncomfortable.
March 5th, 2007 at 2:47 pm
My OB is sending me something out called Rhinocort. Any idea it that helps? PLEASE SAY YES
March 5th, 2007 at 3:11 pm
Amy, the Rhinocort will help reduce the swelling, but it is not going to be an immediate help. It will take days to work and during that time, you’re going to get rebound congestion big time.
Honestly, I think the prescription of these topical steroids just shows the lack of understanding of the problem. Other than some select ENTs, no one seems to understand the amount of discomfort that comes along with the rebound congestion.
So far the combination of prednisone and anitbiotics seems to be the most effective (what I gather from others), but I do not know the effects of these drugs during pregnancy. As k your doctor about the above drug combination and if it would be an appropriate treatment. Otherwise, pick up a Vick’s Personal Humidifier (you can safely put your face against it and breath in warm humidified air), add a couple of drops of Vick’s Vapo Steam, and hope for the best.
Or you may consider that this may not be the best time to quit, and maybe postpone your withdrawal until after you give birth.
Whatever your choice, I wish you the best of luck.
March 6th, 2007 at 10:20 am
Thanks for the advice! My Dr gave me a good tongue lashing yesterday about using the Afrin (even though he knows I’ve been using it). You’re right about the rhinocort though. I can’t use it without first using some nasal spray (4 way instead. Afrin won’t work for me anymore) so I can breathe it in. After that, I’m clear for about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. So, after that wears off, instead of going cold turkey, I’m only putting the nasal spray in 1 nostril. So far, so good. I’m going to try mixing the nasal spray I put into the one nostril with some saline. We’ll see if I still get some relief.
March 6th, 2007 at 4:14 pm
Hi all:
I am at day 15 of going cold turkey. I was snorting the stuff about every 3 hours at the end–and it wasn’t helping much. You can read about my days as they went along if you scroll back to Feb. Recap though is that the 1st 3 days are AWFUL, but after you get past that it gets better. Now, at day 15 my nose is open enough to breath but not 100% clear. Both nostrils are open when I am in an upright position. When I lay down at night however, if I am lying on my side–the bottm side still blocks up–but not like a brick is stuck in there. My nose is still pretty dry and one part a bit scaby. (yuk) It is still a little sensitive to the touch but not nearly as bad as it was at the end of week 1. I use a breath right strip at night and it helps a bit but that might be psychological??
Anyway–it is well worth it to get off of that stuff. Going cold turkey was tough but it got me off of it fast. You just gotta pick which was is best for you and go for it. Good Luck to ya all.
March 9th, 2007 at 4:55 pm
I just wanted to say thank-you to everyone who posted here and shared their experience. I decided to go ‘cold turkey’ this morning when I couldn’t taste my coffee. I draw the line when nasal spray messes with my morning coffee. It seems my addiction has been worse in the last few weeks, I don’t know why. I’ve been using the spray so often lately. I’ve been using menthol cough drops and jumping up and down today to stay clear, but I’m really not looking forward to tonite. I don’t do well with stuff like Nyquil…it makes me hyper. I’ll let you know how it goes. And thanks again everyone.
March 10th, 2007 at 12:28 am
I am so glad I ran across this site! I seem to go through nasal problems, every year in the winter. I still don’t know what triggers it. The problem is, I usually start using Afrin to control the problem. Eventually, the problem I had (runny nose, itchy throat and sneezing) goes away, but my sinuses simply close off. I mean, 100% closed. When I talk, I sound rediculous. Well, I would then take more and more Afrin. I never really thought about it. Right now, I’ve been going through the 90%+ closed sinuses for a few weeks. I don’t really know how much Afrin I’ve taken; but, I KNOW FOR SURE this is what is causing my sinuses to simply clamp shut!
Like I said, I’m SO glad I found this site. I was at a restaurant tonight, waiting on some friends, and cursing my sinuses……..then it hit me. I may be addicted to the Afrin. That thought is what brought me here (thanks to good old Google). After reading, I know Afrin’s my problem.
Well, I have gone downstairs and thrown out all my Afrin. I’ll never touch it again. I think I may be extra sensative to it.
Can anyone answer these questions (I think I got some good ideas from the reading, but direct answers/experiences will be helpfull). Thanks VERY much in advance:
1) How long should I expect to be miserable and mouth breathing when going cold turkey (which is exactly what I’ve done, starting today)?? I’ve seen a few people (Nicole and others) say 7-15 days and it gets much better. Is that about right?….I hope.
2) If I only used (this season) about 1/3 bottle of Afrin, do you think this could have created much of a lasting problem or something that I should be able to beat rather quickly??
Thanks again!
March 10th, 2007 at 12:49 am
….in addition to my post above, I’m reading that alcohol also can cause and/or contribute to nasal congestion. I think I may be also seeing a link between the worst bouts with the congestion and having a drink or two. Interesting.
Thanks again, I hope to hear back from some of you as to your experiences and expectations on the questions in #85.
March 10th, 2007 at 5:10 am
Well, I made it through the night! I actually slept fairly well as only one side of my nose was stuffed up at a time. I took an oral decongestant and a couple of ’simply sleep’ (both over the counter) before I went to bed. I’m officially 24 hours Afrin free!!
Rob…I think you’ll have a rather speedy recovery, as you really haven’t been abusing the spray for very long. I think it’s a ‘relative’ thing. Oh My God, I can taste my coffee! sorry Rob…where were we…oh yeah, most of us have been driven to this site after many months and years of overuse. I think if you try an oral decongestant for a few days until your membranes shrink back to normal, you should be ok. We should all remember, though, that all the decongestants we are taking whether oral or spray are contributing to raising our blood pressure, so be aware!
March 10th, 2007 at 11:42 am
as long as you do not have a sinus infection, rebound congestion should last 2 to 3 weeks depending on how bad your congestion is. I went through it, but it affected my sinus and had clogged ears for the longest time. You can take claritin D over the counter or some other congestant like sudafed 24 hours which you buy over the counter. Just make sure you dont have high blood pressure. If you are really miserable see an ear nose doctor who can really help you. I did and it helped a great deal.
March 10th, 2007 at 1:03 pm
Betsy and michele, thanks for the comments. I was mouth breathing all night (as has been the case for a week or so). I can breath a trickle out one side at a time, sometimes. At the moment, I’m 100% clogged. Oh well, I’ll try some over the counter tabs to see if I can open anything up, at night only. In total, I only used 1/3 bottle of the stuff; so, I think I’ll rebound okay. I’ll also start irrigating with saline water just to keep things clean and ward off any infection.
Man, I can’t beleive Afrin is that powerful. I really think it should not be on the market. There’s no way something this harmful should be available. I don’t think anyone on this board is a dummy; yet somehow, we all stumbled into a problem with afrin, by accident. It’s almost like meth or something as it only takes a short bit of use and you’re hooked, in many cases, for life. I never knew.
Today’s day 2 of no Afrin. I’ll keep you posted.
March 10th, 2007 at 5:32 pm
[…] Nasal Spray Addiction? I wrote a blog article sometime ago about my addiction to OTC nasal spray and have been absolutely floored by the number of emails I receive from people screaming "me too!". I’ve been clean for about 8 months now and looking back, I am wondering how much the substance played into my high blood pressure and hyper-manic episodes. The issue becomes when you try to stop using the nasal spray; you experience something called "rebound congestion" where your nasal passages close up to the point where you can only breath out of your mouth. So of course you take another shot of nasal spray and the cycle continues. All I can say is that I will never touch a topical decongestant ever again. Has anyone else ever gotten into this endless cycle of nasal spray addiction? I am curious as to whether you ever found any natural/herbal remedies to fight the rebound congestion? __________________ Jim RunFatBoy - Exercise for the rest of us. "The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn, like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes ‘Awww!’" — Jack Kerouac […]
March 11th, 2007 at 8:51 pm
It’s day 3 now; and, I think I’ve mastered it. I know, this is nothing compared to what many of you went through. I am just thankful that the light went on in my head on Friday night, after suffering for 2 weeks. My original problem was allergy related. I took a little afrin here and there. Then, my sinuses just clamped shut. I thought that was stragne and took more afrin, a little here and a little there. Whenever I was without the afrin, I would be 100% shut and mouth breathing. Well, like I said, I feel very lucky to be pretty much breathing 75% clearly out of at least 1 side, most of the time. I’m sure I’ll be totally past the rebound within a few days.
For those of you suffering, even if it takes 1 month of mouth breathing, isn’t it worth it? I sort of got used to it (didn’t like it, just stopped thinking about it).
Good luck to all!! I tell you, if the FDA has the best interest of the public in mind, this stuff would be Rx only a LONG LONG time ago!! Somethign needs to be done!
March 12th, 2007 at 2:08 pm
Hi Guys…
Nice thread here. I can totally relate to everything everyone said here. I started out taking Afrin with a bad cold in December. The doctor actually suggested it. I know better since I have been addicted to it twice before.
The problem is I am pregnant. Haven’t stopped completely and now it’s been about 3 months. I only have 7 weeks left of the pregnancy and the doctor told me today I have to get off of it now that my pregnancy is coming to an end.
My problem has been pregnancy related after the bad cold. I’ve had 3 sinus infections and been prescribed Nasonex twice to get off the Afrin. Both times the sinus infection got so bad the doctor said to continue until it cleared up because of all the pain.
Now I have been sleeping terribly and have a worse infection. The doctor got suddently scared and decided I had to use a special machine to wash out my nose every hour. I mix warm water with sea salt and shoot it up my nose. I am also taking a ton of tylenol. Otherwise nothing.
Today is day one but I can only do one nostril at a time or else I start to panic and feel really weird. It’s like I can’t focus my eyes or calm down and I think my blood pressure shoots up. Does anybody know what I mean?
I’ve been using the weird salt water machine and it’s sorta working though. I can squeeze a little air out of the nostril who hasn’t gotten any afrin in 12 hours.
Anyway it’s very scary being pregnant and having this.
March 12th, 2007 at 2:52 pm
Laney -
I know exactly what you’re speaking of. I use to pump my leg for no apparent reason and if I were running out of nasal spray, my anxiety would set in and my blood pressure would immediately shoot up. I don’t know if the adrenaline rush is psychological or a result of one of the active ingredients.
You have to try and get a personal humidifier and add some Vick’s Vapo Steam to the water. Breathing in the humidified air will help open up your nostrils.
I wish you luck.
March 12th, 2007 at 10:47 pm
I have tried the one nostril method for 3 weeks now. I still am 90% completely blocked on the side that I stopped using the nasal spray in. I have been taking Sudafed PE 24 hour, vicks vapor rub, hot showers and using saline spray in both nostrils. Does anyone know how long til the rebound congestion is completely gone on the one side? Has this happened to anyone else, I would go to a doctor but don’t have insurance nor enough money to pay the doctor bill as well as for prescriptions so thats not an option. I think I might go cold turkey in a few weeks–when I have a break from work, but I don’t want to give in and use nasal spray on both sides. Any suggestions til then are greatly appreciated.
March 13th, 2007 at 9:44 am
Wow–I felt like I was the only one with this problem until I found this website. I have had nasal congestion for 16 years. It developed when I was pregnant, and I remember requesting the doctor give me some Advil when I was in labor! I just could not breathe.
Something I haven’t read here might be of help–is it possible that an undiagnosed food allergy or intolerance could be behind some of the initial nasal congestion you have suffered from?
My husband and I went on a diet about 4 years ago in which we cut out all sugar and white flour (the initial phase called for NO flour of any kind), and for the first time in years I discovered that I could breathe more easily. When I added back anything that contained wheat, I found myself going back to my nasal spray. Recently, I tried the no wheat diet again, and my nasal stuffiness has improved.
Just a suggestion.
March 13th, 2007 at 11:56 am
Hi Laney,
I was in the same boat as you last week. I am coming up on my 6th month of pregnancy and up until last week, had been using generic Afrin with my Dr’s ok. One day, it just stopped working. I freaked out and switched to generic 4 Way. It only got worse. I was using that about every 45 minutes to an hour because I was that stopped up. I called my Dr. and he sent me out a Z Pac to treat a sinus infection. Of course I still couldn’t breathe so I called them back and told them I was using nasal spray and the nurse and my Dr. freaked out and told me to stop. He prescribed me Rhinocort instead. I couldn’t go off the spray cold turkey so the same day I started using the Rhinocort, I started using the nasal spray only in one nostril. It sucked for about 2 days, but at least I was getting some relief. After that, I diluted the spray with Simply Saline and started doing it less frequently. By this past weekend, I stopped using them altogether and haven’t touched them since. I think the antibiotics helped and the Rhinocort is definitely starting to help but I think if I stopped using it, I’d be ok.
Put it to you this way, do you really want to be going thru labor and suddenly not be able to breathe? I didn’t! You just gotta use whatever method works for you. Good Luck!!!!
March 13th, 2007 at 10:58 pm
It is nice to see so many people in the same boat! I have been using Afrin for 12 years. I only use the spray at night before bed. My turbinate seem to swell and cause congestion only when I lay down. I had a procedure called Somnoplasty one year ago this month that was supposed to reduce the swelling in my turbinates. It did not work and I felt that the congestion I experience post-procedure exacerbated my need for Afrin. My congestion seems to be getting worse during the day time hours which tell me the rebound is starting to get serious. I only use 50% diluted Afrin, one spray in each nostril, (sometimes two sprays) one time per night. I am going to try the Rhinostat system to wean myself completely off. I am going to do a much slower ‘down-titration’ however. Going down by 1/4 strength for a one week period for one month. In conjunction with the down titration I am going to use Rhinocort AQ after I use the Afrin to better reach the turbinates. I am also doing a sinus rise 1x per day. When I feel I am close to being off Afrin, I am going to do a Prednisone pack in my last week of down titration for a final knock out punch of this nasty habit. During the day Sudafed keeps me happy. Has anyone tried a system similar to mine, and if so, with what results?
March 13th, 2007 at 11:01 pm
One more thought, has anyone used fish oil (it has natural anti-inflammatory properties) to help with the congestion. I have and I do notice improvement.
March 13th, 2007 at 11:44 pm
Jason -
I too experienced congestion when laying down. I was recently diagnosed with sleep apnea and prescribed a CPAP machine with a humidifier. If I leave the CPAP pressure at 9 with the humidifier on full blast my nasal passages stay clear when I’m sleeping. The system has worked wonderfully. I never knew that my sleep pattern was so screwed up until the CPAP allowed for a consistent nights rest. I can’t sleep without it.
In regards to your titration system; why not do the Prednisone in the beginning?
Regarding fish oil: it didn’t help with my congestion but it did help in reducing the number of heart palpitations I was experiencing (most as a side effect of the beta blocker that I take for my blood pressure). The fish oil also helped with the frequent headaches I was receiving.
March 14th, 2007 at 12:17 am
Jim,
I decided to do the Prednisone at the end b/c I have a hard time sleeping (even when I can breath) and one of the side effects of Prednisone is insomnia. Once I can get used to sleeping a little congested I will take the Prednisone. That way I am not battling two sleep related issues at once, congestion and insomnia as a side effect. It is probably more psychosomatic than anything else. Plus my ENT agreed to do it that way. Another natural remedy I have heard about for congestion is Bromaline, ever tried that? I did, not much of a response.
March 14th, 2007 at 12:30 am
Jim,
Also on the Prednisone, I understand that it works the best for the ‘cold turkey’ approach. Since I am titrating off my dose I will not be going cold turkey until the end of my titration. I hope the Prednisone can knock out any left over swelling in my recovering turbinates. Hope that makes sense.
I don’t have apnea but I wonder if teh CPAP would help me breath better. Are they combersome?
March 27th, 2007 at 6:37 pm
After what is over a year now with no Afrin and no prescriptions, my nose started clogging up at night again. Oh nooooo. I can’t go back to Afrin! I also still wanted to avoid a prescription. I actually used a nasal decongestant spray for two nights (not Afrin). I also had to start taking 12 hour sudafed (the real stuff you have to ask for). Then I heard a story about a singer using a nasal irrigation system on National Public Radio. That prompted me to go to Walgreens and buy the SinuCleanse nasal wash system for $15. That was 2 weeks ago. So far so good. My nose isn’t getting stopped up anymore at night. The nasal wash system, or “nedi pot”, “netti pot”, seems to work. I have the packets right now, but after they are gone I’ll just use sea salt or no-iodine salt. I’m still taking the 12 hour sudafed at bedtime, but I’m going to drop that and see what happens soon. I seem to have dodged the prescription bullet again….for now!
For those interested, you can do a google search for Sinucleanse, and you will find their website. It actually has a video on how to use the little pot. It looks like a little genie lamp. Beware though…the video is not a cartoon, its real people pouring salt water in one nostril and it dripping out the other, up close…but it gets the idea across!
March 30th, 2007 at 12:57 am
Nice story. At least you’ve admitted your problem before encountering the shame and hassle of an addiction intervention. I suppose you’re all right now.
–Jed
April 2nd, 2007 at 12:32 pm
I am hooked on Afrin. I have been using it for well over two months now, and I am sick of it. Thanks to everyone for sharing their stories, I am going to slowly cut back and then stop.
April 5th, 2007 at 9:42 am
Addiction to Afrin is a HORRIBLE hole to fall into! I have really extensive environmental allergies and I live in an area of the USA that challenges my sinuses daily (northern California wine country). I’ve had surgery once already and been threatened with the possibility of more as nasal polyps grow. I refuse to stop riding my Harley Davidson because of allergies! I only use Afrin before I fly to keep me from getting the intolerable knife-in-the-face headaches on landing. What I use so I can keep riding? Nasopure hypertonic saline washes - twice daily when I brush my teeth. Unlike the neti pot, this is easy and actually feels good, and it takes just a minute. I think it’s cheaper than an Afrin addiction. I get it at www.nasopure.com. It’s SO worth it!
April 12th, 2007 at 5:41 pm
has anyone out there lost their sense of taste and smell from afrin addiction? about 2 days ago i noticed i couldn’t taste or smell anything. i am scared! i saw my ENT last week who told me i have to quit. i know that, but it sure is easier said than done. last week i actually partially collapsed my right lung coughing so hard. i have a horrible head cold right now and it is impossible to quit right now. nothin seems to work, i have tried allegra-D, sudafed, tylenol cold (day and night) . . .trust me, i have tried it all! i have used afrin for probably 7 years now off and on. i just want to smell and taste again!
April 22nd, 2007 at 9:18 am
I too am addicted to over the counter nose spray. Yesterday I made up my own concoction using saline that you soak your contacts in and a touch of over the counter nose spray solution added to it. Also, I went to the store and got a tube of “preparation-h” which states on the tube that it shrinks swelling, so I rubbed it on my sinuses (extrernally) and I slept like a baby. No more swelling and I think I can tollerate not using my nose spray now.
May 4th, 2007 at 9:27 pm
I have been using OTC’s for almost 19 years. For some reason in 1988, I was feeling a stinging sensation deep in my sinuses. Then it felt like concrete being pured in my nose. My sinuses were completely blocked. I used OTC everyday for a year thinking the problem would heal itself.
It took 3 or 4 full squirts up my nose to open the sinuses. It was awful. I had enough and went to the doctor and he put on a steroid spray for 2 weeks. After 3 days of not sleeping due to the rebound effect, the sinuses opened up a little. The doctor then told me extra cartilage grew in my sinuses and that was the source of the congestion. I passed on the surgery, I dont want anybody slicing my sinus cavities. I guess my sinuses kinda adjusted because I only need a half a squirt every other day at night. During the day my sinuses are clear. The BAD part is I have a constantly runny nose from the OTC.
May 4th, 2007 at 11:26 pm
I’ve been using the stuff (oxymetazoline, usually Eckerd brand) for 18 months now at a doctor’s suggestion. It’s terrible. Some days I’m extremely clear and then I have terrible nights like tonight where I’m scouring the internet for help. Tried Rhinostat but, like the OP, had no success. Reading all of your posts has been incredible. I don’t know anyone else who’s addicted and while my friends all feel terrible for me, they can’t sympathize in the least without knowing what it’s like. I really, really want to quit the stuff but I have to use it regularly (once or twice an hour) to not get severe congestion. The only way to really clear up is to work out which I try to do once a day but then I&#