to DaniFortier

[Hazel30]

Hi DaniFortier, I received my Rhinostat system today.  I was wondering did you order one as well?  I began using it this afternoon.  Actualy works, Im not as clear as I wish I was but managable.  My only concern is how will I sleep with this congestion.  It does say that for those that for those that cannot sleep can mix the regular nose spray solution with their diluent solution but only for night.  So I think I might have to do that.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

An ENT has many options they can offer you.

They can help you get off Afrin

[garydelosa]

I order that Rhinostat and tried it for four hours and I thought I was going to die literly I tried so hard but I had to go back to the nose spray I read something bout treating your nose spray with their is that true, gosh I wish I could do something am thinking of going to see a nose thoart ear dr. because after all of these people saying that it works for them why doesn't work for me... I have tried thos other thing, the sterioids I don't like them and they don't work for me. I actually was going to throw up and I still can't breath gosh if someone out there has a solution please let me know.. Cynthia.

[Enoch Choi]

How'd it go?  Are you off Afrin now?

Enoch Choi, MD

[DaniFortier]

I haven't touched Afrin or any other nasal spray in 7-8 days.  I started using the Rhinostat system and even that I only use 1-2 a day.  The congestion is getting alot better and I find that my nose is clearing on its own.

[Enoch Choi]

However you choose to stop afrin, you can get off of it.  Go for it!

Enoch Choi, MD

[DaniFortier]

Hi Hazel,

I am so glad to hear it is working for you.  Yes, I did order it, however chose to get through the rest of my pregnancy before I started.  I had a baby girl on March 11th and yes I'm still congested.  I'm trying the cold turkey thing but suffice it to say that is a struggle.  So it really worked?  If you're still on this board, I'd love to know how long it took you to wean yourself and what approach you took.  Hope to hear from you soon.

Dani

[Enoch Choi]

Actually, you can go cold turkey, but you're very congested, worse than before you started using afrin.  It's better to have help in this process.  Titration down can help, but nasal steroids can help as well.  Some examples include: beconase, flonase, rhinocort, and nasonex.

Enoch Choi, MD

[Hazel30]

OMG this is my second day on this stuff and I am SOOO extremely happy.  I feel great, I dont even have the words to describe how happy I am.  I went from being totaly addicted to my afrin in my bags, pillow, and extras hidden just in case, to this.  I cannot believe it.  I really cant.  Thank God for this thing and thank you to the girl that recommended this to me.  I can finaly breath normal again and get my true sense of smell and taste back.

My doctor just said you have to quit and I said never, I cannot breath without this.  I felt like I was going insane without it because of the suffication.  I could have never just stop cold turkey its physicaly impossible and anyone that is dependent on this knows excatly what Im talking about.  A regular cold congestion cant even compare.  I extremely recommend this to anyone that has congestion rebound.

[Enoch Choi]

I suppose you're talking about http://www.rhinostat.com/ to help combat addiction to nasal spray decongestants which is really, really common after as little as 3 days of use.

Rhinitis medicamentosa often happens after the use of afrin (oxymetazolone) or Phenylepherine, Xylometazoline, or Naphazoline.  If you stop "cold turkey" and cease using nasal spray decongestants all at once, you'll get rebound congestion worse than before you started using the nasal spray decongestants in the first place.

Yes, in the first few days while you wean down the dose you'll be congested, but not nearly as bad as stopping all at once.  It's usually better after a week, and you'll eventually be able to get off of it altogether.

Enoch Choi, MD