Why is nasal spray bad for you?

[Corwin12]

I love the stuff. I am constantly unable to breathe at night at this stuff helps me sleep more soundly, but my wife does not want me to use it. So, I sleep terrible at night because I cannot breathe and she says that is better for me.

 

[Liberty Belle]

You can become "addicted" to it and it can make the problem worse. I use it whenever I have a cold for a week or more at a time and it hasn't hurt me yet.

Also if you have thyroid or blood pressure problems I don't think you're supposed to use it without talking to your doctor first.

 

[Papa Deuce]

You can become "addicted" to it and it can make the problem worse. I use it whenever I have a cold for a week or more at a time and it hasn't hurt me yet.

Also if you have thyroid or blood pressure problems I don't think you're supposed to use it without talking to your doctor first.

I get IMMEDIATELY addicted. I can't use it at all. And it takes months to get off of it. So now, I just use saline and grit it out.

 

[jimmalru80]

It works for me.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I have been hopelessly addicted since I was 17 years old. I swear this stuff is more addictive than any narcotic out there!!! I have to get my "fix" atleast 4 times per day.......

 

[Corwin12]

I have been hopelessly addicted since I was 17 years old. I swear this stuff is more addictive than any narcotic out there!!! I have to get my "fix" atleast 4 times per day.......

Wow, 4 times a day? I'll admit it is addicting, but coffee is too and I am not about to give that up (or I might as well stay in bed all day.) But 4 times a day??? Wow, I thought I was bad using it once a night (it is the only time I have a problem.) Aside from it being addictive or exacerbating the problem, will it do major harm to you?

 

[tiggersmom2]

Wow, 4 times a day? I'll admit it is addicting, but coffee is too and I am not about to give that up (or I might as well stay in bed all day.) But 4 times a day??? Wow, I thought I was bad using it once a night (it is the only time I have a problem.) Aside from it being addictive or exacerbating the problem, will it do major harm to you?

I hope not....or I am screwed!! My Dad always tells me it will cause nasal polyps and I will needs surgery to remove them.....but I think he is lying....I hope.....

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

I get IMMEDIATELY addicted. I can't use it at all. And it takes months to get off of it. So now, I just use saline and grit it out.

I have the same problem. One use of the stuff and I'm screwed for weeks and weeks. Saline rinses are nice....but what I like best are those "breathe right" nasal strips. Amazing how well they work!

 

[Papa Deuce]

Wow, 4 times a day? I'll admit it is addicting, but coffee is too and I am not about to give that up (or I might as well stay in bed all day.) But 4 times a day??? Wow, I thought I was bad using it once a night (it is the only time I have a problem.) Aside from it being addictive or exacerbating the problem, will it do major harm to you?

I can't say with certainty, but as I recall, my Dr. said it can cause membrane damage in some folks if over used.

 

[Corwin12]

I hope not....or I am screwed!! My Dad always tells me it will cause nasal polyps and I will needs surgery to remove them.....but I think he is lying....I hope.....

Maybe we could start a support group.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

I have been hopelessly addicted since I was 17 years old. I swear this stuff is more addictive than any narcotic out there!!! I have to get my "fix" atleast 4 times per day.......

I was like that for years and years and it started to do real damage to my nose. My doctors put me on prednisone to get off it and it really made it easy. Of course....prednisone is a horrible experience. But really, four times a day can hurt you. It can cause high blood pressure and it can, as my doctors once said to me, make your nose look like a bomb exploded inside. The stuff is really bad long term, but so hard to give up. Prednisone is worth is; a couple of weeks on the stuff and you'll be free of the afrin. But it's a lifelong struggle to stay away from it, even after you get off it.

 

[tiggersmom2]

Maybe we could start a support group.

I was in heaven when the Dollar Tree sold 1 oz. bottles (it HAS to contain Oxymetazoline as the active ingredient - I have my bottle right in front of me, how sad is THAT?!!! ) but they quit selling it....

Now, I find the best prices to be at Sam's or Wal-Mart.

 

[tiggersmom2]

I was like that for years and years and it started to do real damage to my nose. My doctors put me on prednisone to get off it and it really made it easy. Of course....prednisone is a horrible experience. But really, four times a day can hurt you. It can cause high blood pressure and it can, as my doctors once said to me, make your nose look like a bomb exploded inside. The stuff is really bad long term, but so hard to give up. Prednisone is worth is; a couple of weeks on the stuff and you'll be free of the afrin. But it's a lifelong struggle to stay away from it, even after you get off it.

I can just imagine what my poor nose looks like......

 

[Corwin12]

I was like that for years and years and it started to do real damage to my nose. My doctors put me on prednisone to get off it and it really made it easy. Of course....prednisone is a horrible experience. But really, four times a day can hurt you. It can cause high blood pressure and it can, as my doctors once said to me, make your nose look like a bomb exploded inside. The stuff is really bad long term, but so hard to give up. Prednisone is worth is; a couple of weeks on the stuff and you'll be free of the afrin. But it's a lifelong struggle to stay away from it, even after you get off it.

I feel bad for joking about it now. I do love the stuff though.

 

[Dakota_Lynn]

I feel bad for joking about it now. I do love the stuff though.

Awww, don't feel bad! I've made my share of jokes about it. I mean, how strange is it that millions of adults are addicted to friggin' afrin? It IS kinda funny! I take vicodin for chronic pain and can give that stuff up...no problem. But I constantly want to reach for the bottle of afrin. We're truly a sad lot over here! lol!

 

[Buckalew11]

I got addicted while pregnant. I used to 4 to 5 times a day from my 6th month on until 1 1/2 years after DD was born. Then a doctor got me off the stuff. I had a bottle next to the bed, in the car, in my shop, purse, LR. I was NEVER w/o it and if I was, I'd stop and buy a bottle! I remember being in the parking lot at the hospital and squirting my nose because I was afraid they'd take it away from me during labor!

 

[Amlee]

I can't use nasal sprays. I was put on it once for sinus, used it one time and had a 20 minute nose bleed. I waited the next day and tried it again, again had a gushing nose bleed. My doctors told me to stay away from them.

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My doc's have said only use it for 3 days max. After that you get "rebound congestion", where the spray causes the congestion.

You are creating your own misery by overusing. Your body is actually "attacking" the nasal spray.


http://health.howstuffworks.com/question546.htm

One way it does this is by increasing cellular processes and other activities that produce the opposite effect. In the case of decongestants, the body tries to dilate the nasal blood vessels. This cancels out the decongestant's effect, and the same squeeze of the bottle that brought you relief before no longer helps. You end up using more and more to get rid of your stuffy nose. And each time you sniff more decongestant, your body redoubles its efforts against the resulting constriction.

 

[Poohbear123]

I use it ONLY when I am extremly Congested with a Head Cold! Only relief I get, and than, I put it away!

 

[horseshowmom]

My doc's have said only use it for 3 days max. After that you get "rebound congestion", where the spray causes the congestion.

You are creating your own misery by overusing. Your body is actually "attacking" the nasal spray.


http://health.howstuffworks.com/question546.htm

Years ago, I had an ENT tell me NOT to use that stuff (Afrin was mentioned in particular) for the reasons mentioned here. I probably have only used it a handful of times in the last 30 years, because the doctor was sooo adamant about it.