Nasal Spray Addiction _{Page 5 of 11}

The reason that I like the dilute method is because you won't suffer at all. You can still use your spray (diluted) as many times as you want. At end, it is all salt or pure water, there will be no rebound even you use it many times a day. In fact, after you get rid of 70-80% of nasal spray, rebound affect is already diminished by that time.

One more thing to remember. This dilute method only help you to get rid of nasal spray addiction, will not cure your Allergy or any other nose problem. So, you need to see a doctor when you have nose problem next time. just remember, don't use nasal spray anymore.

Thank you - I have been so down, and you have given me some hope. I need to get off the spray first, and then try to find out what damage has occurred to the front passages that keep them partially stuffy. I've never had nasal allergies - I started using the spray when I had colds, and then just used it occasionally at night for a clearer feeling of breathing - that I how I got addicted...

Well, it's been months now. I diluted my spray starting at 50/50 now I use .1 ml spray to 8 ml of saline. I have been at this dilution for the past - well, probably 6 months. I found it very easy at the beginning and thought I'd be off the spray within weeks. I can not dilute any more or my nose stops responding. It is a lot less frequent between the need to spray now though. I just don't get it, there shouldn't even be enough of the spray in the solution to make a difference at all. There shouldn't be any in my system. I don't know what to do.

Has anyone tried an anti-inflammatory for congestion? I just wondered if it could possible help considering the shots of cortisone are an anti-inflammatory as well.
I'm just at a loss of what to do right now.

this is why i dont believe in the dilution methoud. You are still gettin rebond. The only way to stop rebound is stopping the nasal pray Read my above post. I cannot imagine a heavier user than myself. Whether you dillute or stop cold turky you still will have some suffering. Getting off it the way I did, is much faster. Obviously diluting does not work for some people and spending weeks and months hoping and for it not to happen is extremely disappointing. I'm happy it worked for some of you but every doctor I talked to, ent, etc never recommended this method. It took me 13 years to try to stop but once I committed myself to it, I went for it.

I really don't think you have the rebound effect any more. may be your original problem was never cured so you continue have the congestion problem. remember, this dilute method only get rid of nasal spray addiction, does not cure any of your nose problems, if you have allergy, or inflamation, etc. or any congestion related problems, you need to see a doctor to treat them. otherwise, you back to square one, you have not done anything to your nose problem yet. I have a feeling your nose congestion now is caused by your original nose problem, not the nasal spray rebound effect.

i dont know who you are referring to me or wallie but this is 100 percent rebound.

I have been able to quit all nasal sprays and am happy to report that I am now able to breath all day and all night for a few months now...This was my previous post.......................................................I have been addicted to nasal spray for 3 years, I will not name a brand for legal purposes but I will tell you it's the kind that has the extra menthol kick that other brands don't have. I have been using it every night in order to sleep knowing it was possibly harmful. I have had nose bleeds as well. I knew this problem was getting out of hand when each time I would go to the doctors office I would have a sinus infection and pressure behind my ears, every time I was prescribed an antibiotic and it did help somewhat but my sinus infection always came back. I don't have allergies. I could never kick the habit of having to have my nasal spray by my bed at night and when the bottle was lost or misplaced I would go into a fit and freak out like an addict. About 2 months ago I had an onset of motion sickness, the whole dizziness along with the feeling nauseous. I couldn't get up and walk without being physically sick or tipping over. I was out of town and went into a clinic and was diagnosed with Vertigo which is basically motion sickness in which the doctor gave me a prescription for which I learned later was basically Dramamine. I took it 3 times a day along with some old antibiotics that were left over from a past sinus infection (this is not recommended) It took me 3 weeks to finally get over this 'spell' in which I was bedridden and yes, still using my nasal spray.
Just recently I had been feeling the motion sickness/vertigo come back and decided to tell my doctor about my spells of vertigo while I was having my yearly physical she checked my ears and nose and told me 'wow you have so much pressure in your sinuses and ears I can't believe it!' of course I was too embarrassed to tell her I was addicted to the nasal spray. I was infected once again with a sinus infection, in which I had no clue. I was not stuffed up at the time and didn't even have a cold. She said that when pressure builds up into the sinuses and the inner ear it can actually break the delicate bones in your ear and cause vertigo. So now my little problem of using nasal spray only 1 time a day is not so little. Not only is it harmful to your nose/nasal passages it can cause so much damage you have to have surgery to put your inner ear bones back together. She wanted me to have a scan of my head and I told her I just could'nt afford it right now. She prescribed me a heavy dose of antibiotics and a steroid nasal spray in which she warned me it would take a while to work. I knew I had one chance to cure this, once I took the antibiotics I could never take one spray of my over the counter nasal spray again or I would be back to square one. I knew it was going to be hell but I had comfort that I would have the steroid nasal spray to use, I just had to wait for it to kick in. The 1st night was awful I was congested, couldn't sleep. I finally took a OTC oral decongestant (the kind the pharmacists have stashed behind the counter) and it worked enough that I could sleep. The 2nd night I used my steroid nasal spray and woke up congested again but a little bit better than the night before again I popped the OTC oral decongestant and went back to sleep. The 3rd night, used my steroid nasal spray and slept through the whole night without any pills, I was so excited! Now keep in mind I have been on 3-4 days of heavy duty antibiotics that are probably taking effect now. Each night it gets better. Less dizziness and nausea. No more nose bleeds! I am convinced you have to have the combo of the steroid nasal spray AND the antibiotics at the same time to cure the nasal spray addiction. I now know it is possible to overcome the addiction thanks to recent posts. I know I will never be able to go back to using nasal spray even for bad colds. I hope I have not permanently damaged my inner ear bones and my nasal passages which will require surgery and hope I wont have to live with vertigo forever. I will continue to finish my antibiotics and steroid spray and will let you all know how it goes. Nasal spray addiction is serious and no one should hesitate about talking to your doctor about it.

I forgot to say i am no longer dizzy or nauseous.

I am pretty sure it is rebound yet. Otherwise I could get the same relief from saline, which is not possible. I am going to try increasing the time between sprays now, hopefully that will help. It has to work.....I don't really know what else to do. I am just dumbfounded that this stuff is still on the market. At the very least, there should only be enough in a bottle for a few days. I wish someone would implement a program to help people get off this spray. I guess for now, we have to rely on each other for support. Thank you to everyone who replied in this forum.

yes i 100 percent agree, as I said before this should be illegal or only available by perscription. People really need to be aware of this. Yes the bottle warns that use for more than 3 days could worsen but it would be nice to see on 20/20 the reality of people on this. I think I permantely damaged my nose and after getting rid of it for a few months the conjestion on my bad side never went away. It lessened but I can feel by touching it, its swollen. We should write all write into a news program. I am in Canada, and I use otrvin, we dont have afrin here but i am assuming its the same thing. If I knew this 13 years ago I would of never started it. People need to be aware espically those with allergies as its a constant battle. A cold will go away, allergies wont. It makes me sick how much money I have gave to this company to destroy my nose and bring me nothing but pain and discomfort. I'd buy a new bottle at 8 dollars plus tax every 5-7 days!

lilandy11, I don't know what else to say. this dilute method was not invented by me, there is a company behind this(Rhinostat Inc.) they mix solutions and sale to people world wide. thousands people used already. reviews are very very good. At your rate of mix, you should be able just stop it all together. Don't use saline, saline never work on any real nose problem. Ask your doctor to treat your original problem (which caused you to use nasal spray to begin with) is my recommendation now.

I don't doubt that the dilute method works, it just isn't for me at this point. It has however very much reduced my need, and saved me a lot of money! I was buying a bottle every week, and now I buy one about every 6 months or so. I do have to go to the doctor if I can't get off it by myself, I know that. I have been there many times about my allergies, but I have never told them of my addiction - I was too ashamed. Thank you elissa and hypogirl08 for your advice.

lilandy11, now you mentioned your original problem was allergy. that can be treated by steroid nasal spray which must be prescribed by doctor. It is expensive too, If I remember right, it cost $60 per small bottle (hope you have insurance, and you don't have allergy all year long). It take several days of continue use to kick in, but it works. good luck to you..

I've been on it for the past few years now, and it isn't doing anything anymore....it actually seems to stuff me up more now. I just have to make sure that I can completely stop the spray, and go from there. Thanks again.

I have allergies and tried every perscription nasal spray, taking rhincourt now and it does nothing for me, once I kick the spray again I will get rid of that too. It does that to me too, stuff me up when I take it. I dont find any medication helps my allergies.

Sorry to hear that steroid nasal spray does not work on you. It work for me most of the time.(I use Fluticasone) I guess the only thing to do is talk to your doctor to see if they can help you..I also heard people moved to a different city that cured the problem, also heard people in Hawaii don't get much allergy, also people live in the shore line of San Diego don't get allergy..well,I know allergy is very hard to cure, I have had allergy all my life, we just have to do the best we can. good luck to you..

hypogirl funny you said that. I live in canada, moving is not an optional, although i would give anything to live somewhere warm.Last year we went to florida and i slept the whole night several times without usuing which is a miracle because everytime id wake up here im extremely stuffed. I am using rhinocort. These allergy pills keep me up i get no sleep and can barely make it through the day. I also forgot to respond to the note about rhinostat. I contacted them and told them my story. They said this will not work for me, that its for light users of the sprays. They even offered to send to free to me but they didnt want me to get my hopes up.

well i started again. Got a cold and after spraying just once i get full rebound. I stopped for 4 months and cant believe i was so stupid again. Just used it once and now twice and today i used it 2-3 times in one side. i cant believe how weak I am. i even stopped it for 4 days a couple weeks ago but this tim the pain and pressure is brutal on top of my face pain :( I'm so ashamed

Elissa,

Please don't beat yourself up. Its very easy to get started again. The 'addiction' is the instant relief you get from the spray.

You just need to quit again, the sooner the better. You know that's the right thing to do.

I can't tell you how many times I've quit, only to go back to the sprays again.

Find the inner strength and stop using them...go throw the sprays in the garbage to avoid the temptation.

Keep us posted on your progress.

Go to offafrin com
If you want to quit painlessly pretty quick.

My name is Kathy & I've been addicted to nasalspray for at least 25 years & I believe that I'm suffering symptoms of lightheadedness,headaches,and a strange combination of lightheadedness along with a feeling that I'm on speed.Has anyone else experienced this due to nasal spray use? I worry that it may affect my brain & do damage,as well as ruin my sinuses.
I've read some of your advice on ways to quit & I plan on trying some of the suggestions shown here.
Does anyone know ALL of the problems this addiction can cause? If so,Please advise.
Sincerely Kathy

well i started using it again and have not been able to stop. I have been constantly sick for more than 2 months, with severe nausea and weakness. I thought its viral but could it be the spray? Im talking SVERE nausea. No medicine will help it. I had an ultrasound and everyting was ok. When I get sick usually someone around me was sick too so i figured viral. I stopped for 4 months and I'm an idiot to start it. This building is so stuffy, vaporizer doesnt help. I work from home. when I'm out I'm not that stuffy.

Here's where I sit now. 1 whole year after starting the dilute method. I am at the same place that I was when I last posted. I am not using it very much, maybe a couple times a day, and I am at 0.1ml spray, to 8ml saline. Honestly....I don't think it will work to get off it. I am still having rebound, and whenever I try to reduce it more, it is like I'm going to die from how bad the congestion is. I wonder though, if I am using less, and there is a much smaller amount being used, could my nose heal? Maybe it would work a ways down the road? I just don't really know what to do anymore.....I feel like a failure......I should be able to do this, I've come this far just to fail.

Kathy, elissa and lilandy,

First of all get help from a doctor either an Allergist or and Ear Nose and Throat specialist. I use an allergest because of hay fever.

I was hooked for 35 years, using sprays only at night so I could breath when I slept.

Here is what worked for me:

1. You have to want to quit and be determined. I quit when I had a weeks vacation because I knew I'd have trouble sleeping at first.
2. Get help from a doctor.
3. I used a combination of a cortisone shot from my doctor to help relieve the rebound effect, a prescription spray Rhinocort (non addictive).
4. I used over the counter 12 hour or 24 hour Sudafed to help with the rebound effect, beware this may cause you to become hyper. It can effect you like speed. Check with a doctor if you have heart problems, high blood pressure, pregnant or using other prescription meds before taking Sudafed or a generic brand.
5. I also use Claritan or Zyrtec for a runny nose.

I also exercise regularly which seems to help also.

I struggle at times to find the right combination of medicines depending on my symptoms but I've been off the sprays for almost 2 years.

Get help from a doctor for this. Its more serious than you think. If the doctor says 'just stop using them' find another doctor. Many just don't understand how hard it is to quit.

i have gone to ent, and 2 doctors and they all say just stop. I stopped cold turkey in one side at a time so i will have to do that again once this flu bug i have is over. But i wonder if the nausea is from spray. I was so happy when I did it for 4 months and then i keep getting sick. Remember I have nerve damage and severe pain in my face so the sinus pain on top of that is brutual.