I'm addicted to nosespray?
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I feel for you. What happens is that the nasal spray actually shrinks the tissues in your nasal passages, making it easier to breathe through them. However, with overuse, your body becomes dependent on the spray and trying to stop using it cold turkey sets up a cascade of symptoms, including the congestion that you feel when you don't use it, called rebound congestion. Believe me, you are not the first person with this problem and you won't be the last. The first thing that I advise you to do is to go to Walmart or your local pharmacy, and get some over the counter claritin (loratadine) or another kind of antihistamine to help with your allergies. After you start taking the antihistamine, start weaning yourself off the nasal spray by decreasing to one spray at a time at an interval of 7 to 8 hours apart for a day or two. Then decrease to one spray every 12 hours for a day or two. If you can tolerate that OK, then go down to one spray every day, again for a day or two. Then stop with the spray altogether. You can try this regimen without the antihistamine, if you like, but increase the interval between decreasing the number of sprays to 3 to 4 days at each level. The trick is to gradually decrease the amount of spray that you are using so that your body can acclimate to the doses and start to recover from its need for the medicine. I would advise asking the pharmacist about any interactions between the antihistamine and the spray, if you choose that route. The antihistamine helps to control the swelling of nasal tissues caused by allergies, and should help you to control them without the spray. If one doesn't work, try another...benadryl is a good one, but it will make you drowsy for a while after you begin using it...the Claritin is supposed to be non-drowsy, but different people react in different ways to medicines, so pay attention to how you react. The nasal sprays that are over the counter can be dangerous if overused. They can raise your blood pressure to an unsafe level, and you may not even be aware that it is high, which can lead to stroke. I had a friend who overused the spray (6 to 8 sprays each nostril every 2 to 4 hours). He had a mini stroke, which thankfully he recovered fully from. He was lucky. He was in denial about the amount of spray he was using, and, like you, he felt that he couldn't breath properly without it. A few days in the hospital, with his entire left side paralyzed sure changed his tune. In any case, you are on the right track by wanting to limit your usage of the sprays. You may be uncomfortable for the first few days, but after you are off the spray, you should quickly recover. In the future, when your allergies are acting up, try not to use the spray, as you may fall back into the same bad habit of overuse. Try to stay inside with the A/C on as much as possible ( the filters on A/Cs tend to help filter out the allergens). Take the OTC antihistamine of your choice as directed. You can use saline nasal spray or drops to help liquify tenacious mucus (which we in the medical profession call snot). Below is a link that has information about the dangers of overuse of medicated nasal sprays. Hope this helps you.
I had the same problem and I hate to tell you, but the only way to get over it is to just quit cold turkey..
When I was quitting it was awful..to alleviate some of the symptoms I took benadryl at night. It helped clear the sinuses and made me drowsy. I kept toilet paper by the bed to blow my nose all night long. Also, try using a humidifier in your room. It will help with the congestion. If you still can't sleep, try sleeping pills. It took me like 5 days or so to get over it.
Lots of people get addicted to nose sprays. Why don't you drop in to your friendly pharmacy and speak to a pharmacist. A real, live pharmacist, not one of the techs who man the counters. The pharmacist might be able to recommend an over the counter pill that will help you while you withdraw from the nose spray. What happens with the nose spray is - once the spray wears off your nasal mucosa swells up really fast and blocks your breathing again. It's called a rebound phenomenon.
See what your local pharmacist can do for you.
Yes! I was addicted to nose spray twice before but I would use it every hour or so. If you didn't your nose felt like concrete was inside! Here's what I did..1 nostril at a time. It still stinks but at least with one nostril open, you can breathe some. It took about a week for each nostril to get "unaddicted". Also, talk to you physician about allergy meds or allergy shots, the help tremendously!
When you quit try using saline nasal spray to help alleviate the congestion. I assume you were using the medicated nose sprays? The saline nose spray is just a mist to keep your sinuses from drying out and helps with drainage. You will be miserable for a while. These days there are so many allergy medications that the doctor can prescribe why not try one. I use to be the way you are. Never being able to breath or smell and always being miserable until I broke down and tried medication for allergies. its great. I can breath alot more and my head is clear most of the time. Why not try it. Why be miserable. Also its not good to leave your sinuses stuffy. You could have an infection which needs to be cleared by the doctor. Good Luck
If it is prescribed for nasal allergies you shouldn't have to worry about it because they are not vasoconstrctors like Afrin. If you are using Afrin or any type of over the counter you have to get off of it because it can cause problems with your heart or high blood pressure. Afrin is never to be used more than every 12 hrs. for 2 to 3 days. It may take a day ot two but you will be able to breathe without it. Sometimes you sleep better when you stop the spray if you sit up in a recliner. You could use saline spray during withdrawal period also. Since you didn't say what kind you are on this is the best advice I can give you. If you haven't seen an MD and are using OTC nose spray please see one as soon as possible, they can help you.
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