Nasal Spray Addiction _{Page 11 of 11}

I just passed the two week mark and I'm sleeping through the night. Morning is still a bit uncomfortable but, I'm not blowing my nose six times every morning to breathe. My only significant remaining issue is the fact that my nasal passages are so dry. Usually only in the morning but, I have occasional dryness during the day. I remedy that with a little saline and I'm good.

I'm so happy to finally be free of nasal spray!

I am in withdrawal hell! Took my final sprays last night. Oh my so miserable. I wish I could fast forward the clock. You guys who have beaten this are amazing. I would love relief right now. I keep telling myself that I am just snorkeling for awhile (helps my mindset with the mouth breathing). I don't know how long awhile will be. I am also on a 5 day course of prednisone at 40 mg/day. This morning was dosage 3 of pres so maybe relief is coming soon. I so wish I knew the exact number of hours until I can feel airflow. Oh dear God in Heaven please sustain all of us combatting these wicked sprays. Give us grace, patience, and perseverance to run the rave. All glory be to God who releases us from strongholds.

I suffered from this addiction for almost 3 years! I had constant nose bleeds and it came to the point when every morning I woke up and my nasal passages were so dry and itchy it hurt big time, making my eyes watery so I couldn't put any make up on. I ALWAYS had runny nose, I had my nasal spray and napkins EVERYWHERE - in by bag, at work, at my desk at home, near my bed...

BUT! Couple of days ago I decided that I had enough of that...and went cold turkey and here I am - it is my third day and I already(!) feel much better!

If you decided to go for it - do it! It is worth it!!!

My first day was horrible!!! I could't breath through my nose at all. At night I put a lot of lip balm so they would't dry out. It Helped big time. I kept breathing through my mouth all day - this way the sinus pressure went away at the end of the second day. I bought sinus pills (since I had to help my body somehow to go though this) and started taking them every 4-5 hours. And you know, second night wasn't that bad! One of my nostrils opened up already!

Today is my third day and I can breathe through one nostril and that makes me so happy! I still have slight sinus pressure, but no headaches anynmore, no runny nose and no dryness AT ALL!

Looking forward to getting better...And nasal sprays can go to hell!

I have been using otrivin since 5 years and I'm currently 18 so yesterday I thought of giving it up and I completely gave it up and now one passage is already open the only problem is while I'm sleeping but if I sleep on my stomach one nostril becomes clear hope I don't use this s*** ever... And its really worth the efforts...

I was addicted to nose spray for 15 years. I like a lot of you had it hidden everywhere I even had some in each of my couch cushions, every pocket, draw, car, everywhere. I would buy 10 at a time so I wouldn't run out. I even made my husband stop onthe way to the hospital when I was in labor to buy asome because I left it at home. I was going thru a bottle a day and always had sores in my nose and sinus infections. About a month ago I had my third nasal surgery in two years to correct the damage years of nasal spray usage did. When I saw the ent doctor the first time he said the inside of my nose looked like someone who had been using cocaine for years, I've never even seen cocaine much less used it. He said if I kept going it would eat away at my linings in my nose and my nose would cave in. I still didn't stop then I waited till my first surgery and stopped cold turkey (which I guess was kinda easy because I had lots of packing in my nose) even when they wanted me to use it to stop the bleeding after the packing came out I refused because I knew I wouldn't stop. It was a long road but so worth it. I could actually sleep at night without waking up to spray. Nine months later I needed to have some scar tissue removed and my sinus shaved more because of the years of infections nasal spray gave me. Like an idiot a year later I got a cold and thought like an alcoholic I could have one drink I could use it onetime I was hooked again, though not as bad and it started again infections after infections. I hid it from everyone especially my husband I was so ashamed. I would buy it and put it in a saline bottle so he thought that's what I was using. Funny how a small bottle of nose spray can make you feel so dirty. I broke down and told my doctor and she helped me get 'clean' this time. I stopped cold turkey with her help. She put me on a strong antibiotics for two weeks even though I didn't have an infection at the time but with my history, prednisone, a decongestants, steroid spray, saline and Neil med flush I did at least twice a day. I also steamed twice a day. First few days were hard but after that it was ok. I will never use nose spray again. A couple days of a cold is not worth what I've gone through the last 15 years. I really think this should be a prescription only medicine now or at least regulated more. Then maybe we would have known all the horrible side effects this stuff can do.

I became addicted to this stuff about 7 years ago I kept telling myself I'm going to quit next week next week would never come I just kept putting it off but this week is different I have quit cold turkey it's been 4 days. Day 1 was awful! It was at its worst at night I barely slept. Day 2 was a little better I slept an extra two hrs. Day 3 better than day 2 could breath thru my nose a majority of the day it was still a little stuffy. Slept 6hrs! Day 4 although it is just the beginning I know it is going to keep getting better. I know I can never take this stuff again I've been struggling for years with trying to quit I thought I was the only one with this problem until I searched it on google 5 days ago I went to one site that said it is virtually impossible to quit cold turkey..... Challenge excepted..... I know I can do this! Not just for my self but for my boys! (And Madden my dog) I will be a 4Way spray junkie no more! So many people on this page have inspired me to better myself. Thank you

Maddensmom,

Good for you. You can do this. Seriously if I could do it anybody can. I have been nasal spray free a few months and feel so much better. I can actually smell stuff now and taste food and sleep all night without having to wake up and spray my nose. . At four days you are definitely over the hump. Sometimes I still get clogged up out of the blue but it goes away quickly. I used for years so it will take time to be back to normal. It was hell quiting and never want to do that again so I will never use, it's not worth it. Good luck and if you are struggling come back here for support. So many of us have been there.

Hi, Itsmackenzie! That is amazing that you were able to beat a 15 year addiction! I was addicted for 5 years and here recently I find myself considering going back to it. I haven't had a descent nights sleep since quitting. I wake up in the middle of the night unable to breathe and without the spray it takes several minutes to get my nasal passages to open up again. My doctor put me on antibiotics which did absolutely nothing. I'm so tired all the time and I'm not sure how much more I can take. I don't want to go back to using it because I've heard it can cause heart damage but, I really want to sleep! Any ideas?

I still get congested at night time, you absolutely need an allergy medicine I prefer Zyrtec D. Also the Neil meds aregreat for getting stuff out. If you hhave already quit you are over the worst part. I would talk to your doctor and ask for a steroid nasal spray as well. Good luck.

Thank you! I'll give it a try. I went to the grocery store yesterday and bought Mucinex Sinus to try out. I woke up this morning feeling worse than usual! Zyrtec D it is! I will talk to the doctor about the steroid but, since I've gained a lot of weight recently he may not think it is a good idea but, it can't hurt to try. I'm now trying to lose weight so he may decide it's okay.

I know oral steroids can cause weight gain but I don't think nasal ones do. I have tried all of them and Nasonex seems to work the best, though it's the most expensive as well, at least for me because it doesn't have a generic. I have been using Zyrtec D for a long time, we'll before it was available otc, I have tried all of them but none worked but Zyrtec. I hope it works for you. Keep me posted.

Thank you! I will keep you updated. The mucinex seems to be helping a little. I slept 6 and a half hours the night before last and 6 hours last night uninterrupted. It's better than my usual broken up 6 hours. Now, if only I could get to 8 we'd be good. I'm going to be purchasing Zyrtec D this weekend. I'll let you know how that works for me.

Sorry, it's taken so long to reply. I've had some personal drama going on. Anyway, I did go to the pharmacy to buy Zyrtec D as you suggested. It worked great until I got sick. Then nothing helped and that is where I am currently. This illness has confused me and frustrated me. Now, it's not only my nose closing that wakes me up multiple times throughout the night it's a dry and itchy throat. I've tried many things to cure that but, to no avail. UGH! If it isn't one thing it's another.

Hi there

My husband is addicted to nasal spray and we have been trying to get him off it for years, as we are aware of all the bad things it does to his body + we are trying for a baby with no luck yet.

My husband has been using sudafed nasal spray for about 15years normally once-twice a day when he is unable to breath. He had an operation on his airways to see if they were blocked and they were opened slightly, but it hasn't helped at all. He has tried salt water and various other replacement sprays but nothing else seems to work. His nose locks up and quite random times, and we are winding if he has an alergy to something which is causing it. He has had some food allergy blood tests but they have all come back negative, and we don't know what else to do. We are going to try a food alergy diet and see what happens. But if you can suggest anything at all it would be massively appreciated

. If he doesn't take his spray he becomes blocked then immediately drowsy, and unable to concentrate or think.

Thank you

Hello Everyone

That's a real good source of information. I think Nasal spray addiction can be easily treated if we use the following precautions which i learned during my Afrin addiction period -

1. Don't overuse Nasal sprays. 2-3 days at max will not going to hae=rm you, but don't use it more than 3 days.

2. Steamy sprays, yeah that can do wonders if you are addicted to it.

3. Cessation & Weaning

Hope this will be helpful.

Information source - rhinitismedicamentosa DOT org