what can i do if i'm addicted to nasal spray?

Question

before i had my son 2 years ago i would used nasal spray every day but when i got pregnant i stop using it and didn't actually used it again until about a month ago.
I went to my mom's house in pennsylvania and for some reason i wasn't able to breath properly and i used my old nasal spray that i left there since i was pregnant. since then haven't been able to sleep without using the spray. what can i do to stop. i have an appointment with my doctor in a week so i will tell her but i would like to know if i could do something starting now.

Answer 1

Mine was cold turkey and saline solution (Ocean). I was a 10-12 year addict and told myself one day that was it. Not used it since.

Sometimes you get stopped up due to to MUCH humidity or to LITTLE humidity in your environment.

Answer 2

I had the same problem a long time ago and have used it on occasion now. I told myself long ago, no more. I had a broken nose, deviated septym and a twelve hour spray lasted for a half hour for me after awhile. It was bad. I guess allergies were the problem also. I had nose surgery to fix the nose and had windows put in for my sinuses. It worked for a good amount of time for me, actually twenty years almost. Now its bad when I go to bed mostly. I dont know what the doctor will tell u. Obviously to
stop doing it. I have sometimes used warm water up the nose.
Helped a bit. There is also a solution that comes in a brown bottle that u can use also. It helped the most. The doc will probably say u need some corrective surgery or give ya a
antihistamine. I think thats the only alternatives. Been down that long road. Better but not completely.

Answer 3

Yes it is true. The more you use it the more your sinus membranes become swollen or inflamed. So you need more to breath. I takes several days or more to undo the damage caused by nasal spray. This is called the rebound phenomena. I used so much for so long that I had to get prescription Medrol which is a steroid to get over the rebound problem. This is why the instructions warn you not to use for over three days. Try a over the counter decongestant or better yet see your doctor. It's hard to stop using nasal spray cause for several days you'll feel like someone poured cement in your sinuses as no air will pass but you will eventually breath again.

Answer 4

First of all, in the future old medicines should be tossed out. In particular, old nasal spray bottles can harbor germs and you just re-infect yourself all over again.

Secondly, those nasal sprays shrink the blood vessels in the lining of your nose, so they should be used only for short periods of time. For example, to treat a cold use no more than 2-3 days, usually at bedtime when your nose is likely to be the most plugged. After the third day, toss it.

Lastly, to get through your current situation, try taking a decongestant every morning for a couple of days. Use a PLAIN saline nasal spray to moisturize your sinuses as needed. Drink plenty of fluids. In a day or two, you'll be good as new.

It is good that you're going to see the doctor as you may have developed a sinus infection, in which case antibiotics may be prescribed.

Hope you are breathing freer soon!

Answer 5

I completely understand where you are coming from....sounds just like the battle I've had for many years. There seems to be some reason my sinuses plug up when it gets dark, and I hate trying to go to bed with one side or the other plugged! The only way I found to be successful was by using saline solution instead of my normal four-way spray. It doesn't work as well, but at least it helps get rid of some of the junk that bothers you. Who knows??? Maybe it can help ease you away from normal spray.

Answer 6

Nasal sprays ultimately end up causing the problems they are supposed to treat. Once, I got addicted to them and the only way I could stop was to go cold turkey. Just stop using the spray. You'll get very stopped up but your own immune system will kick in and eventually your head will clear. If your head hurts, take an ibuprofen, tylenol, or some other pain reliever.

Answer 7

Ah, that is generalization - your brain correlated the nasal spray with your ability to sleep, and now, you have insomnia whenever you don't use the spray. Try not to use the nasal spray for one night, then several nights, and watch the generalization fall away.

Answer 8

First off you have to stop cause it will eat away your cartilage just like cocaine will. I know this cause a friend of mine got addicted to nasal spray and she no longer has cartilage in her nose. I have to ask my boyfriend to hide the spray from me. The only thing I can say is stop using it. Just stop!

Answer 9

There are some websites which feature information on kicking the habit...and it IS a drug habit.

I suffer from the SAME problem and have tried various ways to quit...

The best way is let your doctor work with you on this. I am seeing my doctor next week to try yet again.

If you find a good way, share it with all of us because (believe it or not) MILLIONS of people suffer from the same addiction!

Good luck to you

Answer 10

You are in a vicious cycle of rebound congestion. You just need to titrate it down little by little. The easiest way is to buy about four or five sprays, and dilute them with saline solution in proportioned and varying amounts, until the last one is about 90% water. Label each one, "week 1," "week 2," ... etc. And just stick to it.

Answer 11

Try saline nasal spray. It is not prescription, not habit forming, and does help keep your nose open. You can get it at most drug stores.