Nose Spray Addiction

[sparkie825]

So, I've decided to clean house.    

I've kicked my Soma addiction back in June, I am kicking my Hydro addiction this week (day 3) and now I want to.......kick my nose spray addiction.  Yes.  I am addicted to Afrin nose spray.  I have been addicted for probably 5 years or more.  Problem is I have BAD seasonal allergies.  From March to June I am a complete mess.  But, July through Feb I'm ok, but can't put the spray down.  I stock up on Afrin like it's the end of the world!!  Out of all my addictions, this one has to be the most....embarrassing.

Anyway, my question is.....have any of you on this board been addicted to nose spray?  I don't even know where to start to kick this bad habit.  How long did it take you to get better?  What was your method for recover?   What was your remedy?

Thanks!

[sparkie825]

I'm the same way....I can't stand not breathing though my nose.  I feel like I'm suffocating.  It's just awful.

Never had a problem with steroids.  Had to take it twice in my life in the last 2 years.  Once for some really bad swelling on my face and again from getting hives from penicillin (now I have to wear a medical bracelet for penicillin allergies).

***** to be me. lol

[enemy48]

I had nose spray addiction in my teens and didn't even know it.

I just thought I had severe stopped up nose.  I was using spray for about a year, when my mother finally sent me to a doctor.

I couldn't beleive that my problem was the nose spray.  But I did as the doctor said....throw it away, and in less than 10 days I was all clear!

It's hard to put it away without sounding like you speak w/a hot potatoe in your mouth, but it'll be worth it!

Best Wishes,
Pamela

[SHELLBELL79]

Hey sparkie,
lol Im allergic to pennicillin too and sulfur anti-biotics. I broke out in hives when I was a baby from pennicillin and my doctor said when I was 17 and I had mono with a bad throat infection, they tried me on it again b/c sometimes you can grow out of it. Nope i didn't. OMG, I had these horrible little red , itching bumps all over my body for over a month...so embarassing, especially being a teenager with a cute bf...lol. It's a shame b/c pennicillin is such a good anti-biotic. I never thought about wearing a med. bracelet. Need to get one. I just remembered that my face was swollen from the mono and the hives and I had to re-take my senior pics 3 times b/c I was so swollen in the face. the first 2 looked horrible and then my 3rd take it was night and day...perfect pic! But, my yearbook pic has the first one so I taped my good one over it..lol. So glad your doing well. Don't worry you will be fine getting off the nose spray. I am personally having now severe allergies from the debris and everything being stirred up in the air from GUSTAV. So I am taking the Afrin just a little bit with allegra -D and Flonase. Oh yeah , get some allegra-D too. That will help you wean off the nose spray too. Forgot about that one.
So proud of you! Good luck! PM if you every need anything!
Shell

[sparkie825]

WOW!  My sister has severe allergies to sulfates.  She has to watch everything she eats and uses on her body (detergent, soap, shampoo, perfume, etc.)  She had an allergic reaction to penicillin years ago and the doc put her on a sulfer based antibiotic.  She developed a worse reaction to that than the penicillin.  Her life has never been the same since.  

When I had my allergic reaction to penicillin this past winter, the ER doc (I was in ER at 2am)  prescribed sulfer based antibiotics even after I told him what happened to my sister.  He prescribed them anyway.  I never had the script filled.  Grrr.  I wanted to throw it in his face.

So what were we talking about?

Oh, nose sprays. lol

So, I ordered a...don't laugh...nose spray taper system called Rhinostat.  Ever heard of it?  It's supposed to slowwwwly taper you from your nose spray to a placebo water solution.   I think it's a 30 day program.  Yeah, that's a long time, but I'm a BIG FAT WIMP.   :)  

[marcatj]

great post!

i recently got hooked on the stuff (the last month) and YES, it feels like if i don't use it now i can't breathe... and the allergies right now are heinous everywhere.  

thank you for the good advice!!

and again to those who asked - there is no high.  it just really ***** when you can't breathe thru your nose...

[SHELLBELL79]

I just recenetly in the past 5 years b/c allergic to sulfur.Yeah its not fair b/c we can only take certain anti-biotics that are strong and expensive. I know of the steriod nose spray Rhinocort...maybe its the generic. I know Rhinocort which is a steriod nose inhaler works awesome, its similiar to flonase, nasonex, etc. You will get releif in a week or so. With my steriod shot and allegra d, flonase and putting a cu-tip  way up my nose with a little afrin on it helped big time. I am a Big baby too and I got off it in less than a week. I just read about Rhinostat and its basicly afrin diluted with saline sloution. A longer wean. Its does say you can use a steriod nasal inhaler with it, which would probably get you off faster. I couldn't wait 30 days or even 2 weeks personally. But good luck to you!
I hope its works well for you. ps.I am scared to death of shots but my nose and severe congestion was so bad , I said do it....they can put lidiocaine in the shot and you barely feel it. I basicly helps you big time with the first few bad days. If I can get off it, you can too. Well Ive gotten off it a bunch of times b/c I always have to use the afrin when I have cold, severe sinus infections and BAD allergies. I am proud of you!
Again good luck!!!
Shell