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nasal spray addiction

it appears that i have been addicted to the neosyneferin nasal spray for two years now..it all began when i became ill with a siunus infection and i needed something to open my nasal passages..i started on the neosynefrin and could never get off it after that..i also suffer from time to time with what the doctor refered to as medicine nose, which is what i am going through again at the moment..my nose is continually blocked with constant discharge..i need to spray almost every half hour or so and sometimes more frequently..i'm nervous and panicky, irritable, can only sleep at one hour intervals and feel like i'm suffocating...i dread going to another specialist and being told that the only way out is going off the spray cold turkey which is unimaginable or having an operation..please tell me that in this day and age there is another possible route out of this madness..

desperate for your reply,
stephanie
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344205 tn?1196929738
I too used to be addicted to nasal sprays! Mostly dristan.The Only way I got off was with oral steriods to bring down the inflamation!! First they gave me an injection to BOOST the efffect! That worked wonders for me!!! Forget cold turkey! It don't work! Also long term nasal spray use can affect your sense of smell,as it sure did me!! It took 4yrs to get my smell back! I ONLY USE COLD PILLS NOW!!!!! My Dr will give me a rx for sudaophedreine if it is severe.In MN you can't get it without a rx due to heavy meth use here. Sure hope this helps you
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
Stephanie. I understand where your coming from. I too have been addicted to nasal sprays for over 10 years.
There is a product that you can purchase to help you slowly reduce the amount you use till completely withdarwn from it.
Go to www.rhinostat.com    they offer a kit that dilutes your spray and by a month your done ......you have no withdrawl effects nothing..your gradualy diluting the drug and your passages need less to return to normal.........Good luck! it works
Helpful - 1
Avatar universal
I used to be addicted too.  Addicted to breathing that is.  And I was using Neosynephrin every day.  I had to to breathe.  I weaned myself off of it slowly.  When you feel like you need to use it, wait a little while before you do.  The next time wait a little longer.  Eventually you won't need it at all.  Seriously, it can be done and it doesn't take that long.  I haven't had any nasal spray in my house for years, and it used to be that I wouldn't go to bed unless it was right there beside me every night.  Good luck.
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Avatar universal
Thank you for this great advice! I am addicted to Nyal Decongestant and no other spray works...its been like 3 years. I panic without it and know I am totally addicted to it. I will try to only spray one nostril as you said - what a great idea that way the other nostril has time to repair itself.
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Avatar universal
JB, please don't speak if you don't know. Nasal spray addiction has nothing to do with mental issues like drug and alcohol addictions! It is completely physical... It states in very fine print not to use more than 3 days... But that should be in huge bold print right on the label! What happens is if you use more than 3 days, afterwards you have to continue to use because if you don't your entire nasal passage gets completely blocked off that you can't breathe at all with your nose. But it congests you so badly that your head feels like you're 500m under water... The pressure is very intense and it will give you a bad headache if not relieved right away! Also, breathing through the mouth with you're entire nasal passage blocked off and so much pressure is very tough and uncomfortable, quickly drying out your entire mouth and throat to the point where you can't even breathe through the mouth! I personally have been addicted for about 2 years now. I go through 1mL spray bottle of OXYMETAZOLINE HCL 0.05%, which is your standard Afrin and 1mL spray bottle of PHENYLEPHRINE HCL 1%, your standard 4-Way Nasal Spray, but for both I buy store brand because it's cheaper going through both 1mL bottles every 1.5-2weeks, 1-2 sprays of each about every 2-5 hours depending on how much mucous has built up over the day, and other factors! It is freaking horrible and I've tried nasal pills, Nasonex, saline flush, this herbal spray that's like spraying Vic's Vapor Rub into your nose, and nothing works at all! I have no clue as to how I can get off, and cold turkey would be unbearable! So please don't tell us to go see an addiction specialist as if we're addicted to drugs and alcohol because there's nothing mental about it! Just can't breathe without it!
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Avatar universal
After reading a bunch of the more recent comments, I can say that evilcowboy comes the closest to the right way to get off these nasal sprays! There is now a company that actually offers a kit that I have gotten. It is called Rhinostat. Go to Rhinostatnc.com. It is a weaning process. They give you a small bottle of your kind of nose spray with a larger bottle of purified, preservative free, saline, that you add as a dilutent over time. It takes abotu 17 - 28 days to go through, but both sides of your nose are clear during the process! None of the "let one side be free and the other side close off: B.S,! Sorry, but that just doesn't cut it! My anxiety and nervousness have increased so much since being on the 4 hour nasal spray that used to work for 2 hours, now I'm at 2.5 - 3 hours. I even set my  alarm for every 2.5 hours so I don't plug up. I have plugged up aabout 4 times in the last 7-8 months that it scares me so much I knew I had to get off this nasal spray. The new system wants you to use drops but I found some new nasal spray bottles that I ordered and am going to put the solution in that and use it like my normal spray since that is what I am used to. I beleive it is going to work! If you go to their site they have a lot of testimonials, that say how well it works. I'm scared to the point of paranoia sometimes and I hate it! I hate that my life is being controlled by a little white plastic bottle with some clear liquid in it!
On top of all that, for those using the saline, look at the labels! There is a chemical called Benzalkonium Chloride in all of the nasal sprays and salines. It is a disinfectant used to clean surgical equipment, and floors! IT says to not take it interally, and it causes.....swelling! Now why would these companies put in what they call a preservative into a product that is supposed to help us breathe, that results in our nose swell more? Answer me that one, someone, please!
Anyway, I hope that Stephanie and anyone else that has posted here has either found relief or like me is about to, These nasal sprays should either be banned, or taken off the shelves until they are made safe with no rebound effect! The addiction is not to the product, it's the to the natural, two nostril ability to breathe! We have two nostrils! We should be able to breathe out of both of them! For some of us it panics when we can't. For some it's only an a small problem. I envy those people! The fear is very real for me, and I stand 6'5" and feel like about 2" high when I get like this.
I am going to defeat this. I am going to win! It's just going to take longer than I want it to. I want cured now! Wish me luck and ask me anything you want. I am here to help anyone else looking for relief! Thank you!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have been addicted to Otrivin for about 10 years now.  I tried the one nostril at a time thing and didn't like it.  I almost kicked it just recently using a weaning method that has been partially described above.  Recently they pulled the Otrivin off the shelves here and I found myself cut off of my weaning program.. I have switched to Dristan (not nearly as good) but plan to wean off that as well.

The weaning is pretty easy.  I took a empty pump and cut a small hole in it.  Then with a cheap eye dropper I would mix 36 drops Otrivin with 4 drops of saline (10%).  Do that twice ('bout 3-4 days), then 32 drops otrivin and 8 drops of saline..  Then 28 and 12.. finally 24 and 16.. I was down to almost 50/50 when the Otrivin vanished from shelves.  It seemed to be working, i used pretty much as normal and at 24 drops Otrivin I was still getting cleared.

Straight Dristan is far less effective than the diluted Otrivin though..  It'll probably be a tougher battle now but I'm kinda glad they pulled it although it will be coming back I hear at half strength so I may be able to resume right where I left off!

Best of luck!
Helpful - 0
4264275 tn?1351906897
I feel your pain with regards to this problem! Everytime I go through a cold I have to resort to the nasal sprays because I just cannot take being blocked up! I usually end up using the sprays for another couple of months after the cold has gone. I usually wean myself off the spray over a day or two going cold turkey. What I do is work it out so that the effect wears off in the morning or when I get out of bed. Then if I occupy myself during the entire day I find that I start to get relief after about 12 hours in one nostril. It really is a case of perserverance (sorry about my spelling lol) but if you go cold turkey this way you find you will recover. Keep a window open at night for cool air or even keep a small fan on at night if its not too cold. If you can't sleep then read or listen to music. Just try your best and stick with it. The one nostril thing works but I find it takes too long and I end up cracking! I am currently using the spray at the moment (had a cold 3 weeks ago) but Im finding that its giving me headaches now so back to cold turkey! I am relieved to know I am not the only one going through this because for a long time I thought I was weird! It's good to know that other people hate have a blocked nose too! Anyway all the best and wish me luck!

Cole. x
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Hi, Stephanie, I am Marc and I know exactly what you are going through.  

I had a nasty little coke habit about 7 years  ago.   I did so much coke that I get blocked so bad  I could get it up my nose....I really  liked that **** I guess.  But I digress.   One  of my  "snowboarding" friends told me to try Nasal Four  - Fast Acting. I disregarded the typical "warning."   It worked wonderfully...no more nasal passage  burnout on the weekends. Well, needless  to say,  once  I was off the coke, I found myself addicted to the Nasal Four  just to breathe.

I typically go through  3 bottles a week and buy 5-6 at a time. I wake up 3-4 times a  night to hit the "bottle."   All day long every  couple of hours.   Hell I can't go anywhere without it.  Sometimes  I even have to stop in  the middle of  sex to hit  the "bottle' right quick so I can breathe again and get back to  business.   Thankfully  I  have an extremely  understanding and patient girlfriend.  Needless to say,  that  began to bother  me...a lot.

I have tried  to stop, but when the chemical effect wears off and you can't  breathe, that **** is  out the window.   I have seen several doctors, got put on Flonase and have had  my turbinins burned.  The steroid spray  worked....sorta, but I am a type 1 diabetic and it really screwed with my blood sugars, and ...since it didn't work that good anyway....I  chalked it up as a  fail and got more  Nasal  Four.  Bam!!!! cleared me right up. So I kept using  it.

Anyway, to get to the heart of the matter, I again saw another doctor last  week and he got started on the whole Flonase  thing,  cold turkey, etc., but he gave it a  twist.   Rather than just putting me  on the Flonase, he also put me on a 6 day MethylPrednisolone regimen.   The idea behind the pills  was  to super charge my system with the  Steroid and  use the Flonase as needed to give additional relief.  

It  is  screwing with my blood sugars pretty bad, but I can BREATHE!!!!!  I started yesterday, Monday, September 17th and it is 2 days later  and I am very, very  pleased.   I  have been able to  sleep  through the night with no breathing  issue.  Today I needed less spray than   yesterday.   I was  actually able to run a nettie pot rinse through both passages!!!  Which was not possible prior.   I am confident that I will be  off the Flonase by the  end of the weekend and breathing unassisted :)

So....my  recommendation,  see your  doctor  and  get started  on the 6  day Methylprednisolone and Flonase PRN...Stat.   If you  keep using the Nasal Four, you run a huge chance of developing saddle nose (nose  flattens)  and other good  stuff like that.   It seems to  me you have a genuine  concern and I hope  this  information and  my own struggle help you in some way.

Good Luck!!!!!
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Avatar universal
sounds like  addiction to me.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There is strong scientific evidence that nasal decongestants can be ''addictive'' if taken for a longer duration than recommended by the manufacturer.They will actually cause you to need more and more to keep your nasal passages clear.Any M.D.worth his salt will be well aware or this,however the patient MUST INFORM the doctor,or an inaccurate diagnosis can/will occur.Then the doctor can ''wean" the patient off of the nasal spray..
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
There is strong scientific evidence that nasal decongestants can be ''addictive'' if taken for a longer duration than recommended by the manufacturer.They will actually cause you to need more and more to keep your nasal passages clear.Any M.D.worth his salt will be well aware or this,however the patient MUST INFORM the doctor,or an inaccurate diagnosis can/will occur.Then the doctor can ''wean" the patient off of the nasal spray..
Helpful - 0
2213612 tn?1339250715
I have been using Veramyst for about a month now, and when it stopped working in the first 2 weeks, it made me more congested and I also have asthma and very high risk allergies to other things as well. When I called my asthma specialist and allergist, all he told me was to double up my doses, it doesn't uncongest me at all, so the doctors are telling me to just quit everything at once, which is the WRONG THING TO DO!! When you have asthma, and you can't breathe, not breathing out of each nostril ontop of not being able to breathe from your lungs is about 10 times worse. I've been to the ER 4 times because when I would be sitting upright in a chair, i would start choking on my saliva and let alone water, it kinda *****. And they said I got addicted to it, and it makes me worse. So we have no idea what to do now.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I to had a afrin addiction. I used the spray for almost a year! I would carry a bottle in my pocket, at home in my dresser, one at work and one in my car. I would stress everytime i would get low. I did not want to run out and not be able to breath. I researched on the internet and tried everything that everyone was suggesting and nothing worked. Then one day i got a bad, bad sinus infection and a head cold. My Husband went and got me some Mucinex D and I started taking that and it cleared my nose within a week without having to use any of the Afrin. I did have a little stuffiness for about 2 more weeks after that but, it wasnt nothing I couldnt handle. I am completly free of Afrin today and am so happy! I think Afrin nose spray should be taken off the market.  

Hope this works for you and anyone else that reads my post!   Good luck!
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Avatar universal
The only way I got off Otrivin spray was to have nasal turbinate surgery.  I was on the sprays for 10 years.  Surgery was in October and I am drug free today.  No more Otrivin for me.....ever.  :)
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I have the same problem!! and it's driving me crazy:( I went to a few doctors with this problem and they have never heard of it! all they gave me were allergy sprays that did nothing cuz I don't have allergies... and one doctor suggested an operation but that is way to scary for me! I need help so badly! were you able to get rid of your addiction? if so pleeese tell me how you did it.
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Avatar universal
I say that the cold turkey thing can work but you will suffer like no other. The best way I have found to get off the stuff is the same way anyone would get off of any drug. Slowly decreasing dosage amount of the nasal spray.

How I did it. I took a quarter bottle of nasal spray. Then I mixed the solution with plain saline water (salt water). This will also help dry up anything causing drippage. use it for about a week. If you run out remake it. You will feel a slight closing but not nearly as bad as cold turkey. After the week put in 1/8 bottle of nose spray and fill the rest with the saline. continue for another week. Then keep cutting back. I remember the last time I used it I was putting in one drop of nose spray and the rest saline. at that point I just said screw it theres no point now. And I was right after stopping it no more swelling.

Also sometimes a anti inflamatory like motrin can help with swelling membranes in the nose.

Now the sad thing is I had gotten addicted to the stuff simply because I quite smoking and my nose stopped up after a couple of days of not smoking.

But this method is tried and true and will work and make it more bareable to getting off the stuff. And I also felt the mix worked better than most nose spray for the fact it was drying up dripping and actually made it easier to breathe.
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Avatar universal
They are right! I had this happen to me some 30 yrs ago and sadly - started to use them again about 4 wks ago when I had a head cold and was SO congested! BIG MISTAKE!  As the others said - you don't get addicted to the drug itself but what it DOES - and that is opening up the nasal passages so you can breathe. My Dr. had to put me on a oral steroid for 7 days due to the inflammation and swelling in my nasal passages many years ago - but you're right - it's COLD TURKEY to get over this rebound effect they cause - and the only way IS - is to STOP using them 100%! I found that using an oral decongestant (like Tylenol Cold) works pretty well for 12 hrs at a time and will help you get over the roughest spot of not using the spray any longer...but for days it's NOT fun! I agree that the Breath-Rite strips will help a lot if used at night time as well until those passages and inflammation shrink back to normal again. I am also a RN so I know that all of the above IS good advice as well.
Good luck - you can do this and so did I before...and I was free of this NIGHTMARE for 30 yrs!
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Avatar universal
I just came across this thread... I know it's old but I will contribute my experience.

I have been addicted to nasal sprays about 3 or 4 times in my life, serious addictions. My first I was about 22, was living and working in the UK (I'm from Australia) and my allergies over there were shocking. I had heyfever 24 hours a day 7 days a week for months on end. Before going to England I had never had heyfever in my life. Antihistamines did nothing but nasal spray helped me breath. After about 8 months, towards the end I was spraying every 5 minutes. Like someone else said, I had a nasal spray in every bag, pocket, purse, draw, under the pillow... you name it. I saw a doctor because it just stopped working all together and I was told that I had to go cold turkey. I was screaming outside and in. I have never taken recreational drugs but this is my closest experience to being a drug addict. My second day into cold turkey weaning, I seriously (and I mean seriously) wanted to throw myself in front of a truck and be put out of my misery. I cried and screamed at my now husband for now giving me the nasal sprays which I had previously asked him to hide from me. It was awful but I got there.

My last nasal spray addiction was this time last year and I am now 32. I tried the one nostril at a time approach but it didn't work for me. With one side being so stuffy and congested and feeling like my eye ball on that side was going to pop out, and the other side clear (for 10 minutes at a time anyway) made me feel physically unbalanced as well as anxious and short tempered to say the least. The way I weaned was to keep a dairy and delay each subsequent use by 15 minutes. The next time I would really need my spray, I would FORCE myself to wait 15 more minutes, then 30 minutes, then 45 minutes and so on. Those intervals were absolutely terrible but manageable. The good thing about that approach though is that the weaning was happening so quickly. After only a day The intervals that I was needing it were more spread out. I was pretty much off it 7 days later. It is slower then cold turkey, but more achievable and I felt more control.

Anyway, the reason I came looking for nose spray addiction information is because I have a terrible cold at the moment and have used nasal spray for the last 2 days. This is the first time I am back on it after my addiction a year ago. I KNOW that I am doing the wrong thing here, but oh how it brings such instant relief. I MUST STOP NOW, this stuff it BAD.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I used Otrivin for about an year to get rid of my blocked nose..i thought i will never be able to breathe without Otrivin....then i started searching about overuse of nasal spray and found that nasal spray could worsen the condition....and there is only one way to get out of this problem...stop using nasal spray....i had to undergo cold turkey for about 3-4 days...and after that i am perfectly alright....i know its not easy..and its horrible to sleep with blocked nose..but 4-5 days of struggle may solve your problem....i used vicks inhaler so that i could breathe from one side....you can also take the help of mustard oil...all you have to do is heat some quantity of mustard oil and garlic on gas and keep it in a bottle....apply this oil inside and outside your nose two times a day..whenever you apply this oil heat it a little....applying mustard oil helps in getting rid of the cough stored in your nose.

Hope this may help

Regards

Ankita
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Don't panic all that it takes is to quite but you need be mentally decided. You will go through a couple of hard days and you could even experience some nausea and loss of appetite. If you start slow it may be less hard on your body so try to start doing it during the day. Use it less and less every day and then stop using it at night. The problem is not to use it when you get sick otherwise yo will get addicted again.My best advice is to exercise, sleep at least 8 hours and eat properly.

Good luck!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
there are ways to reverse nasal spray addiction.  the natural way is to pinch your nose and blow until your ears pop, do it 2 or 3 times about 3 times a day.  you'll notice it decongests you intantly but then goes congested again, it takes a week or two.  then the alternative is a steroid called betnasol nasal drops, put them in bed time and fall asleep on your back, then 2 hours before getting up in morning, put the drops in and go back to sleep. takes about 2 days to notice difference, about 1 week and you are off dprays for good.
good luck
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was addicted to nasal spray for over a month.
I started by throwing away the contents of every bottle that I had (in my purse, coat, night-stand, job drawer) and replacing it with simple saline. The saline doesn't do anything for me, but knowing that it isn't habit-forming, I could use it over and over again, every 5, 10, 15 minutes, whenever I felt like I couldn't breathe and needed my spray.
At night I took 2 nasal decongestant pills, for 3 nights in a row. Every time I woke up not able to breath, I did the saline.
It is my 5th day now, and I am completely off any pills, spray, saline.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I was addicted to Afrin for 6 years. When ever I stopped using it I couldn't breath so I continually used it for years.

I got the flu last year and didn't use it for 4 days. After that I could breath normal again,
It's been around 14 months now and I will never use nasal spray again.
If you can just breath out of your mouth without using your nose for about 3 days you will be back to normal.


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