I Have a Nose Spray Addiction – I’m Addicted to Afrin
This is a story on how I relieved my Afrin nose spray addiction with some simple helpful tips.
So there I am standing in the isle of of the drugstore with a head cold and sinus congestion when I see a bottle of Afrin. Twelve hours of nasal congestion relief? Sign me up. I got some important phone calls to make at work and I can’t sound like I’m all stuffed up and sick. I gotta be professional sounding and clear headed.
How My Nose Spray Addiction Started:
There is nothing worse than lying in bed at night trying to go to sleep with a stuffy nose. Finally there was something that I could take before bed that would allow me to breathe threw my nose… nose spray.
The results were phenomenal. A couple of sprays up each nostril and within minutes I was able to breathe through my nose. So I stuck the Afrin in my pocket and it remained there for many weeks.
Why had I never used nose spray before? Why isn’t everyone using nose spray throughout their colds? Well, unfortunately I found out the hard way why it is not a good idea to use Afrin throughout the duration of your head cold.
Why Afrin Has a Hold on Me
There are warnings on the back of the Afrin bottle that explain that you should not use Afrin longer than three days in a row. I did read that warning. I however, did not pay attention to that warning. The sinus clearing results that I got from using nose spray were too good to just stop.
I decided on the fourth night to go ahead and use Afrin for another night.
What I wasn’t aware of when I decided to use Afrin longer than the recommended durations is a little something called rebound congestion. Rebound congestion occurs when vascular constricting properties of nose sprays begin to cause abnormal swelling of the nasal mucosa.
This can block the nasal airway completely, causing extreme discomfort.
Rebound congestion is temporarily relieved by the use of nose spray giving the person a small window of relief. You can see how this can become a vicious circle right? Too much nose spray use causes more nasal congestion that can only be relieved by using even more nose spray… etc., etc.
So the answer to the problem of rebound congestion seems simple right? Just stop using the noses spray and allow your nasal mucosa to return to normal. Well that is much easier said that done. Being unable to breathe properly through your nose can drive you crazy. It can send you running right back to that nose spray even though you know that it’s the nose spray that’s causing the problem.
How I’m Breaking Free from My Afrin Addiction
Now, you could just stop using nose sprays altogether and suffer with your rebound congestion for a couple of weeks until it goes away and you will be broken of your dependence on nose sprays.
I don’t see myself doing that so I have done some reading up on the subject and have begun a one nostril at a time withdrawal program.
What?
That’s right. I still use Afrin in one of my nostrils and am allowing the other nostril to heal.
Once this first nostril is all healed and I can breathe through it, I plan on stopping the use of Afrin in the second nostril. After a little while I will be able to breathe comfortably again through my nose without the use of nose sprays.
So how are you planning on breaking your nose spray addiction? I would love to hear people’s different methods for breaking nose spray addiction.
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I’ve been off of Afrin for about 7 months. Before that I had used it at night for 5 years and then every four hours or so for 2 years. It was really hard to get off the first time but I did it. However I got a really bad cold and used it again. I’ve only used it for two days, once or twice a day and the rebound congestion is back. It takes a whole 12 hours for the Afrin to wear off but then I have that horrible rebound congestion even though I haven’t used it for more than the recommended 3 days.
The congestion is just as bad as when I was trying to get off it after 7 years of use. Has anyone else had this problem? Does the rebound congestion last just as long? I’m hoping it will only be a day or two since I haven’t been on it that long. I want to kick it now though. I’m getting some steriods tomorrow to help with the congestion. After tonight I am throwing out the bottle.
did the steriods work? i just got flonase today. but my doc said it wont work for up to 12-24 hours. i am afraid of not being able to breathe for that long!
I actually got an oral steriod pack. Methylpredisone or something like that and it worked great. I mean my breathing wasn’t great but I didn’t have that feeling like concrete was being poured in my nostrils.
Flonase is for longer term use I think. I was given both, but I stopped using the flonase after a few days because it didn’t seem to make any difference to me.
Hey guys, just came back to check updates. For the long story, check my postings. For the short story, I can’t say how great Sinus Buster was in getting me off Afrin, and FAST, without side effects ( besides the powerful/initial pepper-like spray)and am now breathing normal, can wake up in the morning without being stuffy. Best way to get off of it without drugs in my opinion, and I was addicted to this Afrin crap for YEARS!
I tried that Sinus Buster and it did not work. It burned like crazy and it seemed to stuff me up even more. I would not recommend this.
Its 2.20am and I’ve just woken to almost suffocation.I now realise after reading every ones posts that Afrin is highly addictive and I must continue with my cold turkey. I will not ever take the air I breath through my nose for granted again.
I have only been spraying for 3weeks but fell quickly into the addiction.
Yes we are responsible for our own actions but I can definitely understand why people get slightly angry and want to sue companies for producing such a drug.
Thanks so much for all of your posts that have helped me understand where I do not wish to go.
God bless and good luck to you all.
It is clearly stated on Afrin bottles ” do not use more than 3 days!”.
The result of not following the instruction is extremely dangerous. I had been addicted to Afrin for almost ten years before I had to stop using it due to frequent nasal bleeding and hemorrhages. I am not trying to scar you: One time a hemorrhage occurred due to my addiction to Afrin, I passed out and was put on an ambulance and taken to the emergency room. That’s when I finally stopped cuz i was scared to die!
So, I fill both my nostrils all the way up til the afrin is flowing out the sides while lying down. Once the passages open up, the liquid goes down my throat. What a delight. THen I can breathe well for a couple days. Then the congestion comes back. I took a straw and cut it in half. I jammed one up each nostril until it entered the back of my throat. I breathe through the straws. My brother sometimes sneaks in and uses an eye dropper to drip pee into the straws though, so keep the door locked. Vicks vapo rub smeared all over your face helps too. Gotta run to walmart to pick up a case of generic afrin.
OMG!!!!!!!!!!! You too?
I have been on Nostrilla for 2 years. I just found this website and realize I am not alone. About a month ago I started having heart palpatations. I am scared and this weekend I am trying the first of I hope not many things to get off of it. I don’t think people understand how hard it is. My husband is supportive and is wanting to help me as I try to beat this. Your stories are heartbreaking and I relate 100%. I pray all of you and I find a cure. There has to be someone out there with an answer. I know some of you have had luck with certain things. I’m happy for you. Good Luck to you and I will let you know how things are going for me. Take care.
I’ve been addicted to Afrin for alot of my life…I’m 29 years old. I got hooked on it for a few years in my mid-teens. At 16, I had to go into the hospital for an appendectomy…not having access to it forced me not to use. It was one night of hell but after that I was fine. I was Afrin-free for probably 3-4 years. Then I got a sinus infection, and was so stuffed up. I stupidly bought Afrin with the intention of only using it for a few days. I became addicted again, and have been since then…which is almost 10 years.
I want to quit but just dont know how. I tried quitting cold turkey once when I was off work for a week. I suffered thru 2-3 days of pure hell. Constant stuffiness, couldnt sleep, I was literally going insane. I was hoping after a few days, I would be fine but wasnt. I caved and went right back to Afrin because I just couldnt take it anymore.
And thats where I am now. It sucks. I hate carrying that bottle everywhere and sneaking off to the bathroom to get my “fix”.
I have tried all of the above and at best have experienced only slight relief. I sprayed one side only for 2 months and was confident this method would work. As soon as I stopped spraying, both sides blocked again. I tried diluting and spacing out the spraying which also failed. I have gone cold turkey several times for up to 3 weeks with no relief. Now doing the Nasonex thing but really don’t expect any permanent results!
Janette, Did Nasonex work? If so, how did you do it?
Hi all
I feel very relieved to hear about other peoples plights with rebound congestion. I have been using medicated nasal sprays for about 8 months now, and have been miserable due to lack of sleep. My partner is unaware of my condition, due to him working away a lot of the time….
I recently went to a doctor, pleading for her help. She prescribed me Nasonex, and I have been using it in 1 nostril now for about 48 hrs, and I am starting to feel the difference. For the first 24 hrs, my left nostril was blocked up so badly that my sinuses were SO painful, but now, 2 and a bit days later, it just feels a little bit blocked. Once I feel I am able to breathe properly through it I will move on to the right nostril and clear that one with Nasonex.
If I can recommend anything to anyone- go to a doctor, and ask for Nasonex. Dont be embarassed to speak with someone- I was, and I regret being miserable for so long!
I have my wedding in 7 weeks time, and I NEEDED to be clear for that day…. It was my motivation, and this website is my support!!!
Hi,
I’ve been using nasal sprays of varying types for about 18 months or more but just last week my girlfriend commented on how I always seem to be blocked and needing to use the sprays often, she suggested seeing the doctor.
I did find it a bind coping with the blocked/spray clear cycle but never really thought about it too hard until her comment, it had become part of my life.
Last night though, I was having panic attacks because I couldn’t breathe through my nose and hardly slept a wink.
Then today at work I hard many panic attacks when my nasal passages closed.
Seems bringing it to my attention has made me worry silly over it!
Reading these posts are a comfort though and am going to try the one nostril at a time idea that seems to be a successful weaning off method reported here.
Also going to book a doc’s appointment tomorrow in the hope I’m offered steroid treatment to help me.
It wouldn’t be so bad if I didn’t get super scared & anxious when blocked and think at 39 I should be able to cope better, lol.
Will report back how I get on, thanks everybody for sharing their experiences. It’s been a great help.
Gray.
It’s been about a week so I thought I’d report back on how I’m getting on.
Firstly, the panic attacks have all but gone thankfully.
My doctor, although didn’t tell me I had Rebound Congestion, prescribed Beconase (corticosteroid spray) and told me to use Sudafed also, then report back in two weeks.
I was going to try the one nostril method but have managed to go completely cold turkey! I’m proud to say it’s been a week since my last spray of Xylometazoline Hydrochloride.
My congestion has eased slightly to the point others have noticed, but still most of the time I’m blocked up.
I have a ‘good’ nostril that clears now and then and the other sometimes opens a little.
It feels like there’s trapped sticky mucus up there that moves around, sometimes allowing one nostril to breathe, sometimes both (albeit only a little in the one).
I’m still far from recovery I think and I may have other issues up there that need further attention but I do kinda feel a light at the end of the tunnel.
Can anyone who has recovered from this advise on how long it took to recover?
Gray.
so the corticosteroid spray works ? i have flonase. ( pretty much the same thing) but just used afrin. and am not sure if i can use the flonase now that i just sprayed my nose with afrin to clear the passageways. anyways, my doctor said that it can take up to a month for the flonase to get rid of my rebound congestion. i told her about my afrin spray and she said it should work but that it will take a while. and she also said that flonase wont have any effect at all whatsoever until about 12 hours after i use the spray! but my main question to you was if you used afrin while you used your steriod spray as well?
Can this be possible? A website for Afrin addicts. As I was reading the comments I was agreeing with everyone. I moved into this house and got 2 dogs in Oct. 1993; by Oct. 1994, I was waking in the night with my mouth so dry I would have to hold water in it before I could even swallow. A friend saw how miserable I was and offered me Afrin. I was hooked after one sniff. I currently have 5 bottles; all placed in strategic positions. I have been to an ENT who suggested surgery due to my “deviated septum”…(I don’t have a deviated septum). Another doctor said to go cold turkey. I have weaned myself off several times-for instance, if I have a head cold I know the spray won’t work, so I don’t use it. After about 3 days I am fine, but once the cold is over and I feel a little stuffy, I reach for the spray again. I’ve tried the weaning of one side and then the other. I’ve told my family if I am ever in an accident or have surgery that lasts over 2 hours, to be sure to let the hospital know my nasal passages will close down. It is pathetic. I have never been “addicted” to anything in my life…but nasal spray. And the stupidest thing of all? I am a nurse. I knew better. I just never thought something so mundane would completely take over my life; determine my moods; decide if I go on vacations. In 17 years, well, I actually didn’t accept as a “problem” until 15 years ago, but I have tried everything. And I’m sure I’ll continue to try in half-hearted sort of way. But, at least I have educated everyone I know about how easy it is to get addicted to something as silly as nasal spray.
Hello fellow afrin sufferers- I have been using afrin for about 20 years. I stopped for a year or two at sompe point but now have been using it solid for about 10 years. Last October all of a sudden the afrin stopped working for me! really no matter how much i used I it wouldn’t clear up..I panicked and went to my doctor who gave me antibiotica saying i had a sinus infection. From there with no relief I have seen a allergist and ENT. I have no allergies and the ENT said I have a slightly deviated septum in which surgery may not help. He also said to of course stop the afrin and gave me flonase and rhinostat. Easier said then done!! I also feel like my nose has no moisture like it used to. Im always so dry and have tried the saline sprays that haven’t worked..Long story short, I just lost my job and insurance so I can’t go back to see a doctor. I stopped using the spray last Sunday on one side and today is Thursay and im still dry and congested on this side. My
plan was to get this side clear and then switch to the other side but boy I thought this nasal rebound only lasts for several days!! Should I be worried that I have damagedmy nose to the point that it will never be the same? I also have lost my sense of smell slightly since last October.This is making me so tired and stressed!! any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
sooo the flonase didnt work for you? i havent been on it for 30 years or anything like that lol … only 3 months… just got prescribed flonase today. did you use afrin to clear your passageways and then use the flonase? i just want to know if it will be ok if i use afrin and then the flonase… or if they will just counteract eachother?
I,ve been using our beloved spray for about 6 months. I dont know why but it didnt occur to me to do the one nostril at a time trick. I am going to try it knowing full well the discomfort i will experience. I will let u know how it turns out. Also using flonase to see it that can help my allergies which cases my stuffiness. Wish me luck!
Hi all,
I am glad i found this website! So Afrin is also called drixine, right? Well in Australia it’s branded drixine! How the hell is this crap still being sold?
Drixine (Afrin) was the cause of my rebound congestion. In June 2006 i got a common cold and for some reason i decided to use a spray. In all my years i never used one..but for some reason which i cannot remember i used drixine.
Well 6 years and 2-3 sprays a day later and i am addicted. But the drixine does nothing these days, in fact it triggers a sinus migraine. I use the sudafed or dimetapp sprays, which only last a couple of hours.
I went to about 5 different docs all telling me I had sinusitis and prescribing me all sorts of stuff that didn’t work. So back to the nasal spray i went.
In the past weekend it’s become pretty bad. I am dizzy, i feel weak and my head feels really blocked up. I cannot function and it’s basically taken over my life – now that i found this blog and it’s offered me some hope!
I will try the one nose method along with some rhinocort, which the doc has prescribed in the past but unlike last time i am going to give it a longer try!
Seriously Drixine should be banned outright. They cannot get away with just a warning and that’s it. Drixine is pricey and to me that’s a pharmaceutical company peddling an addictive drug for profit. Sick of these multi national pharmas getting away with so much!
Anyway thanks for the info!
hi everyone, i have been addicted to Afrin nose spray for eight years and then one day i just got so tired of using it and blowing my nose all the time so i decided to stop ,i know i cant just stop cold turkey cause that would be impossible so i just stop using it on my left nose but i still using it on my right nose for about all most a year i now can breath through my left nose just find no problem at all so then i stop using it on my right nose and for the first night it was hard but the trick is that when you lay down to go to sleep make sure that your pillow is higher then you would normally have it and that you should lay on your side, the side that you cant breath for example like if your right nose is clogging lay on that side that way the left nose that one that can breath good can breath out very clearly but don’t lay on your back cause if you do then both side will be block, so which side that is clogging lay on that side and put your pillow higher. but yeah i didn’t go to the doctor or needed any help i just figure out my own way and i did it on my own and now i can breath find with out the Afrin, i know the first few night is going to be hard but try the pillow and laying on your side Im sure that will work for u too, Im so proud of my self i hope that just a little tip for anyone who is trying to stop using Afrin nose spray. good luck everyone
Thank you so much for your suggestions. For the past days I’ve been eager to wean myself off of Nostrilla and Mucinex nasal sprays. I’ve been using them for about 4 year, had one next to my bed, in the car, in my purse, in my hallway and I was buying most or all the Mucinex and Nostrilla off the shelves at CVS, I had them in abundance….. and I’m really glad I found this website, because I can now admit that I have a nasal spray addiction. ( I didn’t think I did)…
Now the hard work begins, tonight I started with spraying my right nasal passage and not the other and so far i can breathe through the right side thought the left is still clogged, and I also used some Vicks Vapor rub. This website is encouraging and at least I know their are others out there who are dealing with this same issue.
I know that with God’s help and strength this too shall pass, and I am looking forward to getting over this addiction and being able to tell and help another person.
I hope everyone here finds relief .
Happy New Year!!!
Nasal Spray….ahhh sweeet relief…. not so much anymore. I am so thankful to see that I am not the only one having this issue. I am on my second addiction spree with this stuff. The first time I quit, I replaced the liquid inside with water so I still had the effect of using the spray but not the side effect, good or bad.. This past go around I have had with it, started about a year or 2 ago because of struggles to sleep at night. I cant seem to put it down. I start having mini panic attacks when I start to become unable to breathe through my nose. I spray like there is no tomorrow, and sadly enough run to walmart for a replacement bottle every other week just about. Im desperate to stop, its embarrassing, and Im carrying it around with me everywhere I go. I am going to try to use the one side of my nose at a time technique. I hope this helps. My addiction to this stuff has never been this bad. I believe it has been the source of some bloody noses Ive had a few weeks back. Anyway, good luck to everyone else, and hopefully I can come back with a success story.
Tim, I have the same problem, and now even my sneeze is weird. Thats how my sister got rid of it, you should def try it and update me on your your result.
(I’ve posted this before but I think it’s worth repeating because I see people struggling with different “cure” products and not getting relief. I had success using no other products and have been clear since May 1st 2009.)
Hi Folks,
I am living proof that you CAN get off Afrin. I was on for about 10 years but have been Afrin free since May 2009 with absolutely no desire to get back on.
Here’s how I kicked it in one week with no other medication:
Spray both nostrils at night as you usually do because night time is the most difficult.
When you wake up the next morning spray only one nostril only one time and make an effort to go as long as you can without spraying. What ever time you make it to, write it down but only spray that same one nostril one time. What you’re doing is taking the “deprived” nostril OFF the spray so it can heal.
The next day, see if you can beat the times you recorded on the previous day.
You should be able to go longer and longer because the “deprived” nostril is healing. Soon you may be able to make it all day with no spray except one nostril one time at night. Two or three days like that and you’ll be able to go without. The “deprived” but now healed and clear nostril will get you through the withdraw of the other one.
The whole process start to finish took me exactly a week. I’m not gonna sugar coat it. I had a few really bad days where I was walking around with what felt like a full pumpkin on my head but you WILL get relief.
It is wonderful to be clear now after 10 years of addiction. Do I sometimes still get stuffed? Sure, but here’s the great part: I can now easily clear myself by simply rolling over in bed or, for a really bad stuff I walk up and down the stairs once and that change – yup, that’s it – clears me right up.
Summon up a little courage and go for it. You can do it. Two years ago I was right where you are now and feeling desperate.
Another great idea!!…Thank you….Last night was my first night of spraying one nostril and I thought my head was going to explode from the pressure. I cried and cried and my daughter shared her Ipod with me as we laid in bed listening to some soothing and comforting music. Had a difficult time falling asleep but I was able to sleep for a few hours. I woke up at about 3:30am it’s now 6am and I haven’t sprayed…(Lord, please help me)…
In the meantime, I’ll use my netti pot!!!
Thanks again…
I was severely addicted for 10+ years (over 55 sprays per day). My ENT said it was one of the worst cases he’d ever seen and I had surgery to reduce the membranes that were permanently swollen from my afrin addiction. I didn’t touch the stuff for 12 months and then got pregnant and now I’m 100% addicted again. Its laughable when someone says to use the saline rinse! I do use it but its totally useless. I am wondering if anyone out there has had the surgery also and THEN ended up back on the afrin — and what happened.
LIke everyone here, I too am addicted to Afrin ( Now use a store/generic brand to save me some money that’s has the same ingredients) I’m 47, started using Vic’s Spray many, many years ago for colds without addiction–I did like the feeling of instant/clearer breathing, then found Duration which didn’t give me the instant results like Vic’s, just better long term results. Duration was taken off the market and poof, started and soon became addicted to Afrin. Quitting smoking 6 years ago was a breeze compared to trying to quit Afrin. Ive been addicted to Afrin for about 15 years now. I’ve gotten occasional nose bleeds, 3 a year maybe, but always have two bottles in the house, and even take a long time before finally throwing away a COMPLETELY empty bottle ( have two “empty” ones lying around in case I can’t find a full one and turn it up-side-down for a few minutes before trying to squeeze the living daylights out of trying to get that one last spritz!)
Thanks for everyone’s input, and I think I’ll try Robert’s suggestion above of spraying both at night, then just one side during the day trying to stay away from the other and keeping track of when I do spray…hoping that I have the will power not to spray the other nasal passage till its clear.
Has anyone tried Rhinostat or Nasonex? Nasonex is prescription, Rhinostat you can order online but expensive, says it will cure you in a month, and if it doesn’t you can order another complimentary-no charge–that’s how confident they feel about their product. Anyone tried any of those? There’s also a pepper-spray like nasal spray that’s supposed to help since it doesn’t have the addictive chemicals, although spraying my nose with pepper spray doesn’t sound very appealing I don’t care HOW much it might be diluted.
This addiction is horrible, can’t go ANYWHERE without my Afrin, get headaches almost every morning if I didn’t dose-up enough before going to bed, have to sneak to the bathroom if at a clients office before or after meetings, social events, etc.. I’ve even turned around after realizing I left the house without it cuz I’m too damn scared I’d need it and a local store wouldn’t have it–glad my wife is understanding. If anyone has tried the others I mentioned above, I’d love to hear it & will try Robert’s way to see if I can do this myself without going to a Doctor–AGAIN!
Thom,
…Keeping the “empty” bottles lying around in case! Oh man, was I ever there.
Just spraying one nostril really does work because while one is going cold turkey, the other
one is getting the spray, albeit in weaning amounts.
After being addicted so long I didn’t think it was possible to ever be clear but once the addiction cycle ends your nose will get back to normal.
Good luck!
-Robert
I cant beleive I am sitting here reading about nose spay addiction.Right my blood pressure is all jacked up.I alraedy have high blood pressure.I have used Nostrilla about 12 times already today just to get through the day.I have been using for about 20 years.I am seriously concered about my health and well being.I have an appointment with my ENT next week.Wish me luck I am afraid he is going to recommend surgury.God bless all of you.
I am 26 yrs old and I’ve been hooked on Afrin for at least 7-8 years now, and I also work with people who are also addicted to it, so when i found this site i wasn’t too shocked to see how many people are actually hooked. However, it’s comforting to know that there are lots of people out there with this addiction. Im hoping my addiction will soon be coming to an end. Just like all of you, I’ve been so addicted to this awful drug that i was needing it at least every hour or 2. However, lately nothing seems to help, I can’t get any relief at all from my nasal congestion. So after putting it off for as long as i could stand, I finally went to my doctor who is an internal medicine doctor. I tried to convince him that ive developed allergies and that’s why i’m having such severe congestion that i can’t find any relief from. But when i told him i’m also hooked on afrin nasal spray, that’s all it took. He gave me a prednisone shot that day, and put me on a prednisone pack for a week. He also wrote me a prescription for singulair and veramist nasal spray. For the first week he wants me to only use the afrin once a day with the veramist and said that the prednisone would help me to breath. So far, i’m only on my second day and im in total misery, especially at night!! Im really wanting to not be dependent on this afrin, but at this point i’m not sure how long i can take the stuffiness. I can totally empathize with everyone who has wrote in about this.. I, too, have several different bottles that i have in various places…in my purse, under my pillow, in the dash of my car…etc. I literally panic if i leave home without it! I’m really hoping i can stick with this and be strong enough to make it through this so that i don’t have to be dependent on this the rest of my life! Wishing all of you much luck!!
Leigh,
Check my post from Oct 13th above. You CAN get off the stuff! I’m living proof.
Robert
I too am addicted to Afrin, Nostrilla or whatever I can get my hands on! About 30 years ago, I began an addiction to this horrible stuff. I spent 10 years, give or take, addicted and hated it. Then, by the Grace of God, I woke one morning and was relatively clear. I thought, hmm, this can’t be, why can I breath without spraying? I made it through that day and suspected the next morning would bring the all too familiar necessity to spray. Much to my surprise, I was clear and the addiction faded into the past. I have had many colds since and limited the Afrin use to 3-5 days all the while being totally in fear of that all too familiar addiction. Each time, I ended up only using for 3-5 days and was able to walk away from it once the cold and stuffiness subsided. Chapter 2. About 4-5 months ago, I developed severe congestion and on the way to a sports event, stopped and got a bottle of the poison! Now, all these months later, I am worse than ever. I spray many times a day and often with little to no relief. I am so upset that I have allowed this to happen. This stuff is worse than any drug, nicotine or alcohol to stop. I mean, we all need and want to breath, right? So, I have been contemplating the one nostril at a time method to get off this poison, once and for all. It is miserable and I really think should be outlawed. If it is sold to be used strictly for a day day period and only twice in a 24 hour period, why are the bottles so large? I will tell you why. They are this large because these criminals know exactly what they are doing with this multi million dollar tool they use to create addiction. Yes, we can read and yes, we exceeded the recommended daily usage but, they certainly don’t put it on as a warning. You really have to look to even find it. I think the warning should be on the seal, the box, the bottle and you should have to request this stuff from the pharmacist who then should be responsible for advising you of the addictive properties and making us sign a release stating we understand the risk associated with this poison. It should also be sold in a bottle that would contain enough liquid for 6 sprays, 2 per day for three days. Somebody should be accountable for such injustice. This is a crime and it cost the end user so much time, money, discomfort, embarrassment and more! I wish the best for all of you and myself in my plight to eliminate this horrible demon from my life. I am proud and so happy for you that have beat this thing. I want this to be a chapter in my history books sooner than later and I want my life back!
I definitely agree with you!!!
I feel like I am among family right now. I dont have an addiction to the same product as you all, but mine has been Dimetapp, before that, generic nasal spray, before that another brand and so on. I have had this going on for 7 years now ever since one of my tubes that drain the ears got a cyst on it.
I have rebound congestion bad now, even to the point where the nasal sprays don’t work at all. Because they can’t get through the blockage.
I am wondering if anyone has any experience using FESS or other Saline (salt water) nasal sprays and do they help at all let me know of you could please.
My brothers and sister thank you for showing me there is hope
I haven’t looked at this site for awhile but decided to check in. I have been nose spray free for over a year now. I attribute that to my use of the netti pot. I am now hooked on that, LOL, but that is okay. If I don’t use it for 3 days, I can feel my sinuses start to block up again and I get an earache in my left ear. The biggest advantage to the netti pot, is that I can be around people that have colds and it bypasses me. I guess this is because my colds always start in the sinuses. I highly recommend this.
is been a few months now since i quited afrin and still i can believe i quited after so many years some nights im a bit stuffy but it doesnt go for long
i even quited using the allergy medicine which was pretty much a bypass thru for me to quit the afrin,s so is been about 4 months i call it sober lol! because i know a lot of people here is been very difficult if not impossible to quit
Reading all your horror stories is somewhat unsettling. I’ve been using Afrin as needed for colds and sinus infections for about ten years now, and my rebound congestion usually takes about a day to go away. I had no idea the dependency was so strong with some people.
This might sound like a weird question but does anyone have any idea why when I only have 1 side that is blocked and I put nose spray in that side a few minutes later the other side needs it too! when it was fine just a few minutes ago! it’s like it’s jealous or something…
I have the same thing happen. I wake up in the mornings and one side will be relatively clear while the other side is totally blocked. I spray the blocked side and wait for it to open up, then the other side closes up. Every time. I’ve started just spraying the open side while it’s open so I don’t have to spray and wait for it to open back up. Afrin is awful stuff!
Abby – I had the same problem..I posted last month and actually stopped the afrin for almost two months but have become frustrated and started using it again:( I never really cleared up and to answer your question yes, one side cleared up after several weeks but the other side remained congested and i still had to use the afrin on that side..eventually my ‘good” side needed again after not using on that side for those weeks..Im so miserable because the only reason i am even trying to stop is beacuse the afrin doesn’t really clear me like it used to and also i have horrible dry nose now..I have been addicted for about 15 years..and then last October it just all of a sudden stopped working as well..Now a year later I also have post nasal drip in which I assume is from the afrin.? Does anyone have this from using afrin too? Also asking if anyone knows if the nasal dryness can be a start of that empty nose syndrome? Any suggestions would be great!
These stories terrify the living hell out of me! I have been hooked on afrin for three weeks now, which compared to others who have been on it for years, seems like nothing. But the rebound congestion is killing me. What’s more, I’m 8 months pregnant and am afraid this might be hurting my baby, but I wake up at night suffocating and end up spraying myself. I’m going to try spraying one nositril at a time and seeing how that goes because I tried quitting cold turkey, but after the second day I couldn’t take it anymore! The sinus pressure was killing me and breathing through my mouth has given me the worst sore throat. Goodness, I’m absolutely miserable
Mia,
I was addicted to Afrin my whole pregnancy with my daughter (who is now 6). I suffered from the common pregnancy induced stuffy nose and my Dr. recommended I use Afrin. Within a few weeks I was using the spray every other hour. My Dr assured me that it would not effect the baby, but I needed to stop using it for my own well-being (gee, thanks for telling me to use it in the first place). My daughter was born healthy with no ill effects from my addiction. I’m 13 weeks pregnant now and have been using the Afrin again for about a month. Ready to get off and breathe on my own again. I used the Rhinostat system the first time with great success and will be ordering it again today.
This is such a relief to hear!! I’ve been trying the one nostril method for three days now, but am only able to breathe through the one nostril I spray with Afrin. Reading your story makes me feel so much better, knowing it won’t harm my baby. I know I still need to quit, but at least I don’t have the added gult. Thanks for sharing!
Hi Beth,
Did the Rhinostat work even after you were done using it? I”m reading up about it now and I’m thinking I’d like to try it.
Caution:
Afrin addiction= death
Especially if you have hypertension or family history of hypertension.
It is clearly stated on Afrin bottles ” do not use this product more than 3 days!”.
The result of not following the instruction is extremely dangerous. I had been addicted to Afrin for almost ten years before I had to stop using it due to frequent nasal bleeding and hemorrhages. I am not trying to scare you: One time a hemorrhage occurred due to my addiction to Afrin, I passed out and was put on an ambulance and taken to the emergency room. That’s when I finally stopped cuz i was scared to die!
my nose spray’s active ingredient is xylometazoline 0.1% I think it’s much stronger then afrin, I tried the one nostril at a time method but I can’t do it! I’m too miserable:( someone pleeeeses help.
Hi Abby,
Hopefully you’re cured at this point, but I do feel your agony because I’ve just started the one nostril method and it’s so uncomfortable. Hang in there, don’t give up!!!
Hugs
I posted here a couple of times in the last 2 years. I had a four year addiction until I got rebound congestion, where nose drops no longer worked. I had to stop and stop fast. The only thing that worked for me was 100% complete cold turkey. First two days I was miserable. I had to breathe through my mouth. Trying to sleep at night was awful. I lost sleep. By the third day it was a little better. I could at least sleep at night. By the end of the first week I was fine. Finally! If you’re going to do cold turkey, then start the first night before you have two days off from work, because you lose sleep. You can do it,I did. It’s freakin hard, but you can do it. Good luck.
I’ve been using Afrin for about a year. It’s freaking miserable. It’s been so bad lately. Using the Afrin doesn’t even help anymore that’s how bad it is. My boyfriend and I are about 5 hours away from home on a trip. There’s no walmart or any store like that around, and my bottle of nose spray is empty. I literally can not breathe at all. My nose is so bad I can’t even blow it or sniff or anything. I go thru about 2 bottles of it a week. I was going to go to the ER, because i freaked out, but then I realized that they probably can’t do much anyways. I decided today that imaging to quit, cold turkey. I hope that, like you, the miserableness and stuffiness will be gone after a few days. I’m not one of those people that can breathe out of their mouth. My throat hurts and is so dry, and my ears keep popping. It sucks
I’ve been in tears for like 5 hours…but I am ready to quit using Afrin for good!!
sooo i’ve only been using the afrin for 3 months now. im on my third bottle. after trying to doluted method – didnt work. and going cold turkey method- only lasted one night HA. i tried the one nostril method but i couldnt do it!!! i want to breathe through both my nostrols! im 6 1/2 months prego and need all the extra oxygen i can get! lol my doctor just perscribed me flonase. but im wondering if i can use afrin at the same time because flonase doesnt start working for about 12 hours. and i was thinking about using the afrin and then getting cleared up to use the flonase and see how long i can go until my nasal passways are totally clogged up once again. and then maybe use the afrin again to clear it up. but im only aloud to use 2 sprays of flonase in each nostril every 24 hours. so i really dont think i can make it through another night with out sleep! so does anyone know if i can use afrin and flonase at the same time??
Thank you to everyone. I now know it is not just me. Does anyone esle feel embarressed. I drive a truck and the air is horribly dry. So I started with the Afrin. 12 hours of blessed relief. Now it is so horrible. I can’t breath at all my blood pressure has been up for days. But now I know I can quit. Thank You.
SUCCESS!!! I posted my Afrin dilemma up above on October 19th so I’m not going to recap my MANY years of addiction, but I am now DONE! What worked? I actually bought Sinus Buster…AGAIN. You see, last year I bought Sinus Buster, tried ONE SQUIRT and threw it away. It was like a shot of pepper spray followed by a brain freeze. It was horrible. There was NO WAY I was going to keep testing this. Then I just got sick of this addiction, read more about Sinus Buster and bought it again. One night I first shot Afrin in one nostril, and Sinus Buster in the other. I slept through the whole night without waking up completely stuffed. The next day I just used Sinus Buster and didn’t have to go back to Afrin in the one nostril. This was 4 days ago, and yesterday I only sprayed in one nostril once in the morning because it was ‘sort of’ clogged and in the evening was still mostly fine but sprayed once in one nostril. You have to be patient, and not reach for the spray at the first sign of congestion–which is what I did with Afrin. I’m shocked that I didn’t have to go back to Afrin after only one day of Sinus Buster, and I’d say I’m about 90% back to normal. Every once in a while I start to feel a clogging coming, but I just get up, walk around, maybe walk outside, and it just goes away without even having to use the Sinus Buster. I might need it once a day if that, but I certainly see that coming to an end. I do not work for Sinus Buster or have any affiliation, so this is not a cheap endorsement. It worked. BUT, be prepared to have your nasal passages blasted. Even if you have just a mild blockage, once you spray and get over the nasty pepper-spray like event & possible brain freeze, your nostril may clog up worse for a moment cuz it is a shock to the membrane, but give it 10 minutes and you’ll be free. At night I might have had to role over to unclog one side once in a while, but I’m now even done with that. Bottom line, Sinus Buster worked. Its nasty and will make your head spin when you first use it, but it cleared me up, and got me off Afrin. Its actually pretty strange not shooting up, and not having to think about it. I can’t thank Sinus Buster enough, and I’d HIGHLY recommend it to anyone with an Afrin Addiction. I’m sure if I spray again my passages will be even clearer than they are now, but it may take another day or two before I’m back to 100% of where I was before my nasty Afrin addiction. Good luck, hope this works for all of you searching for a way to cut the addiction.
I am in shock. I had no idea there was such a thing as Afrin addiction. But when I found this website it suddenly dawned on me that I have been using the Walmart or CVS brand of generic Afrin for years. It’s been so long I can’t even remember how many years. I carry a bottle in my purse at all times, have one in my desk at work “just in case”, and keep a bottle in the medicine cabinet. I make sure before I go to bed that I put it on my nightstand so I can grab it in the middle of the night when I wake up congested. If I ran out I had to get to a pharmacy right away, sheer panic. It just became “normal” for me.
About a year ago my Dr. prescribed me Flonase for my allergies, and I use Sudafed as needed. But I am still using the Afrin because I am always so stuffed up. After reading everyone’s comments I realize I’m always stuffed up because of the rebound effect of the Afrin.
I am so ashamed that I didn’t realize what was going on. Starting tonight I’m going to try the one nostril at a time method combined with the Flonase and Sudafed to kick this.
Hi everyone,
Wanted to post an update – I am Afrin free!!!
I was too chicken to try the one nostril at a time method, I didn’t want to feel the horrible congestion that folks described.
So instead I diluted my Afrin bottle every other day by pouring out about 1/5 of the Afrin and refilling to the top with Ocean Saline Spray each time. I used my now-diluted spray whenever I felt I needed to. Pouring out 1/5 and refilling to the top with Ocean every other day.
It took about 6 days and I found that I didn’t need it anymore – Not at all!!! No horrible congestion either while weaning myself off the Afrin and allowing my sinuses to heal. It was a totally comfortable experience.
I also found that I hardly ever needed to take any Sudafed (something I used to have to take multiple times during the day along with the Afrin).
It’s now clear to me that all the congestion that I had thought was allergies was actually the rebound from the Afrin.
I still use Flonase and Claritin every night as my Dr. prescribed, but I will talk with her to see if she feels I still need it at my next appointment.
I’m so glad I found this Board, I’m now free of an addiction I didn’t even know I had.
Best of luck to all!!
Hi ,
I have been using , Generic XH, and Afrin for over 2 years now. Around 3-4 times a day is my normal useage, and i am DONE !! No more going back to the nasty stuff, migraines, palpitations and tremors..I am on my Third day of detox..The first two days i only used Afrin at night (one puff each nostril) and none during the day. This is my third day and i am going cold turkey from now on in. I am using Vicks Inhaler, along with steam inhalation every 2-3 hours when i am off work. Along with this i am also using saline via a nebulizer and so far i can say that it is getting better. I would say that i have witnessed around 40% change between the first day and now,even though it is quite excruciating..I am taking medications to go to sleep, or am just tiring myself so that i fall asleep more easily. Will keep you guys up to date with what happens with the rest of my week.
Best regards
Wow I cannot believe there is a site for this. Nose spray is evil. I am breaking my Afrin addiction as we speak. I haven’t used the nose spray in my left nose for a little over a day and its cleared up. Now I am trying to heal the other nose. The stuffy nose is horrible though. If I can only bare to sleep through it tonight, I should be breathing on my own again tomorrow. I hate having to use any nose sprays. Afrin says do not use for more than 3 days, but I for some reason seem to get addicted to it after using it for a day. I can vouch for using it in one nostril and letting the other heal as I have done this many times in the past and it has worked. You just have to be patient. Glad to know I am not the only one who has gotten addicted to this spray. Good luck everyone!!! I am going to look into Sinus Buster for the next time I am stuffy.
Just wanted to update… While many people have success with the cold turkey one nostril at a time method – it just doesn’t work for me. I’ve been using the Rhinostat system for the last week. I had to modify it a little though. Putting drops in my nose the way they recommend was not working. So I use my no-drip afrin bottle and just make sure I clear out the spray left in the nozzle. Also, I have been using the afrin with the menthol, rhinostat doesn’t have a menthol version. I just used the afrin I’m used to and dilute it with the rhinostat solution. I’m what rhinostat considers a “heavy user”, I normally spray every 2-4 hours. After a week of diluting, I’m spraying every 4-6 hours with a marked improvement in stuffiness in between. I’ve also been taking allegra and sudafed as needed because my allergies are bad this time of year. I wanted to share what has been working for me as everyone is different.
I posted earlier that I’ve already had the turbinate reduction surgery — but I’m back on the Afrin big time. My doc prescribed Rhinocort in addition to diluting my Afrin, and it hardly seems to work at all. The Rhinocort does work better than nasonex, omnaris, and all of the other steroid sprays that I’ve tried but I still require the Afrin. One interesting point my doc made was that if I have to use Afrin, at least don’t use the menthol version because that can just add to irritation in the nose. I’m beginning to think that this problem will never go away. I even asked if he could reduce my nasal turbinates further but he said no.
I’m trying the one-nostril-at-a-time bit but with a little twist. My doctor prescribed me Astepro (which does nothing for me except a bad taste down my throat) and a nasal cleanser which you can get from the store. I prefer the tube over the “teakettle” and the saline packets come with the cleanser. What to do is before you go to bed, use the nasal cleanser. Try to do it before you’re completely congested, otherwise you’re just swallowing salt water and snot. Then put in the nosespray in one nose and go from there. I’ll give more results soon after a week of my experimentation.
heeeeeeeeeeeelp! I can’t take it anymore I can’t stop using the stupid thing cuz I can’t breath without it! I tried one at a time I just can’t do it:( please someone help me pleeeese
I found it easiest to quit with slow dilution over time. I got a bottle of the saline spray and mixed it with what was in the Afrin bottle. Every week or so I would fill the bottle up using ONLY the saline, so it was slowly diluting the afrin little by little. After a few months, the mixture is almost pure saline and you should no longer be getting the rebound congestion.
Hope this helps.
I have been using nasal spray since 1st grade! I am a senior in high school. I am so afraid of losing my sense of smell and/or taste. I have the effects of the after congestion and sneezying, burning and itching, and two nose bleeds. I started using it because I got a really bad cold in 1st grade. I use to spray 2x in each hole day and night. Now I spray one in each hole at night only. It’s better but I want to be completely off. My dad gave me congestion pills to help my nose clear up and to not use the spray. It worked for about 3 weeks, but then I got sick! I had to go back to the spray in order to breath! I can’t lay down without my nose clogging up! I also have a very flat nose, which makes it worse. Also, when I was little, I was born with nasal and lung problems! I can’t stand breathing through my mouth because then my throat will get dry and sore! It’s been tough, but Im happy to have found this support. I’m going to go see a ENT doctor and try to get this behind me once and for all! I feel like a failure an drug addict! I pray for God’s help and to help everyone of you. This is very hard to overcome but I know with Him he will give me strength.
Amanda try the Nasal strips, they help lift the skin up to allow more oxygen in. I just finished trying Sinus Buster and Im gonna see what happens….. so far I’m clear. You already know how Afrin works. I know walmart carries it, look for it right next to the Afrin. Google it!. Your ENT is gonna tell you, the same my ENT told me, shame on me! You will get better once you stop using Afrin and see your ENT dr.
Does everyone else have the drippy nose and sneezing from using the Afrin? It’s like bad allergies but totally Afrin induced (for me anyway). Also, I get really a really itchy nose and throat every once in a while, drives me nuts. And I almost always have one nostril or the other that is sore, I’m assuming from the spray. Am I the only one?
I am like that too!! I have been using Afrin severe congestion for almost a year. The last like 3 months have been the worst. I have been sneezing like crazy. Ive never had allergies, so it must be from this stupid spray. It is the most miserable thing ever. I’ve always had sleeping problems my whole life, but now I just don’t really sleep at all. I spend most of the night in the bathroom using Afrin. My boyfriend wants to kill me. He gets so mad about it. He just doesn’t understand that you jar ant stop using it that easily. I went to the ENT doctor. He gave me Omnaris nose spray, and a steroid pack to take. I will say, the steroid pack did start to help, but of course I messed it up. It’s one of those packs u have to start taking 6 pills the first day, then 5 the next, and so on til it’s gone. But you have to take the pills at certain times during the day. I’m never good t taking stuff when I’m supposed to. But yes I have had allergy like symptoms for a little while now. It sucks!!!!
I am so amazed to see i’m not the only afrin druggie, I am so embarrassed by this addiction it isnt even funny.
I have been using Afrin since my last pregnancy which was 17 months ago. When I was pregnant I got stuffed up so bad, the doctors told me oh its part of pregnancy it will go away after you have your baby. well about 7 months into my pregnancy i started using afrin and it worked so well I used it often. Pretty soon I couldn’t go anywhere without it. I am the type of person where I cant breath out my mouth like most people can when their clogged up during sleep. I had a bottle everywhere, bedroom, living room, purse etc. My husband saw that instead of using it only 2 times a day i was using it like 30 times in one day, thats when I knew I had a problem. I am so tired of spending so much on nose spray that yesterday I decided that was it. I threw away all the bottles and had my husband take away my bank card to keep me from going to buy some. So today is my first day of not using it at all and i have to say its HELL, im so clogged and I feel so stuffy. But after reading on here what alot of people have said, I feel the benefits outweight the discomfortness. Hopefully I will be free of this drug. And shame on the companies who make this stuff, yes its ultimately our decisions, but if you know something can be habit forming, than you should not put it on the market. With that said I will keep everyone posted. I may not be able to sleep for the first few days but if it will actually help me in the long run than what the hell have to try it even if its going cold turkey =)
Well I have to say I have not used the Afrin still and my nose is feeling 10x better. Yes the first couple of days was annoying but omg it is worth it to give the stuff up. It is possible to quit cold turkey, i am proof. you just have to keep telling yourself your stronger than the medicine and that the benefits after your off outweigh the discomfort for a couple of days. I wish everyone on here the best of luck in getting off afrin.
Did the cold turkey work for you? are you still off the Afrin?? I just decided that I’m done with the nose spray. I cant do it anymore. I feel like I’m gonna die. But I need to know quoting cold turkey can work and will help within the next few days
Breana, quitting cold turkey WITHOUT either using the “spray one nostril” approach or using a netti pot or Sinus Buster spray approach will most likely have you going back to Afrin within 24 hours, probably sooner. I was miserable for YEARS as my posts can attest to. I tried Sinus Buster once a year ago and threw it away after one shot cuz it was pretty harsh. I decided a couple months ago to try it again, and be disciplined in my use. The first spray hurts, and can actually clog you up worse for the first few minutes due to the shock of that stuff to the nasal passages. But for me, it eventually clear up after just a few minutes, but at first it won’t be as clear as if you took Afrin, so you HAVE to be patient. I was Afrin Free after the second day, and only had to use Sinus Buster again once or twice since then. I didn’t need drugs or prescriptions, just Sinus Buster. I can now breathe just as good as I did when I was on Afrin but it took a little while—occasionally waking up stuffy, but once you start moving around its fine–even during the day if you get stuffy, start walking somewhere; upstairs, downstairs, to another room, blow your nose, etc.. I can only tell you what worked for me, but I would NOT recommend that you quit cold turkey without using one of the methods described in this blog, or you’ll be RIGHT back to shooting up. Trust me, I’ve been there, so has everyone else here. Read these posts again and decide which you would do, but STICK with it as i went back to trying Sinus Busters after viewing the video above. Good Luck!
Thom, I disagree completely. I am living proof you can quit cold turkey and be succesful. I quit last friday night and today is day 5 off the Afrin and I’m clear…I can breathe fine and have been sleeping fine the last couple of nights. Breana don’t lose hope it IS possible!!
To Chelle:
When you say “the teakettle” I am assuming that you are referring to the netti pot except that you are using the tube I understand. I agree with you that you should not wait until you are completely congested to use it. I made that mistake once. The solution will not flow properly through the sinuses. If this is something that you plan to do long term, you can save money. I use 1/4 teaspoon sea salt and 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda per netti pot. I saved little glass jars from chicken bullion to keep these ingredients. Those pre-measured packets can get expensive. Also, I should mention that it is important after washing the sinuses that you bend over and blow your nose into paper towel etc. to remove any trapped liquid. If you forget this, it can be embarrassing later if you bend over and a bunch of fluid runs out of your sinuses. I use the netti pot one time per day to keep my sinuses clear.
Be careful with store bought sea salt it contains fish excrement. My ENT told me to only use pharmaceutical grade salt or canning salt.
BTW, i just tried Sinus Buster OMG….this stuff burns going up and i felt it all the way to my brain. It took my breath away, almost like a brain freeze, but more like brain burn and after a few mins it felt better and the congestion has started to ease up and now i’m here writing this comment uncongested and hoping that this spray will work tomorrow when i wake up and not just a fluke. If you decide to get this spray make sure you get the right one they had another that is more for the common cold in a green box. The right one will say for sinus congestion, nasal congestion and sinus pressure & headache on the front and box is blue, red & white. Its considered a homeopathic nasal spray. It cost me $11.87 at Walmart.
Forgot to mention, i also was hooked on Afrin until i developed polyps in my sinuses from using Afrin and had to get treament from ENT dr. I had to take oral prednisone and use flonase nasal spray. I was miserable for a whole week. Not to mention the witch that i turned into while on these steroids. It is serious stuff. Im always willing to try something that is all natural. Good luck….
Norma, and others, yes, Sinus Buster “Burns” when you first shoot up–feels like you’ve just been pepper-sprayed, and that’s because its active ingredient is Capsicum, a natural plant that is used to make different types of cooking peppers and pepper spray. Its not as strong as the pepper spray ‘weapon’, but you’d think you were just peppered when you first shoot up….But, after that wears off in about 20 seconds or so, you start to get the relief and with Sinus Buster, your NOT trading one addition for another. I only needed Sinus buster a couple times for about two days. I did use it again once a number of days later, but its not addictive. People have to understand that you have to avoid the habit of reaching for a spray as soon as you get the first sign of stuffiness. After your over your Afrin addiction (and with Sinus Buster it took a day to get off Afrin), if your sitting when you get stuffy, stand up and move around. If laying down, role to the other side or go get a glass of water. I’ve found that if I felt getting stuffy, if I just changed what I was doing I was fine and do not have to rely on Sinus Buster. I have not gone back to Afrin AT ALL after using Sinus Buster, and am no longer miserable, ashamed to always have to carry Afrin ( or the cheaper store brand ), no longer have bottles throughout the house ( now I just have reading glasses throughout my house) & my car or freak out if I go out knowing I don’t have any in case of emergency. Again, I’m not associated with Sinus Buster in any way, shape or form, just a former Afrin addict that wants to help others get off that stuff. As I posted earlier, I tried Sinus Buster about a year ago and threw it away as soon as I shot up thinking there’s no fricken way I’m going to put up with using this instead of Afrin, but you don’t use it INSTEAD of Afrin, you use it to get off of Afrin and end up not needing either one after a day or two. At least that’s my experience. If you’re not over it in a day or two, have patience, it works
Yo I didnt know this was this serious **** rebound congestion is deffinately what i got cause of that goddamn afrin.
I’ve only been using Afrin for almost a year now. It seems like most of the people that post on here have been using it for like half their lives. Can someone please help me now before I end up using this crap for the next 10 years. I hardly ever sleep at night. I use Afrin severe congestion about every 2-3 hours every day. The last 2 months I have had allergy like symptoms, I would assume due to use of the nose spray. when I wake upon the middle of the night there is always one side that is so clogged it will literally take at least 30-45 minutes of me sitting in the bathroom blowing my nose and spraying half a bottle of nose spray in my nose just to be able to breath thru that side again. And that only lasts a few short hours. I go thru at least a bottle a week. Is there some type of surgery I could get???? And does anyone know if the Sinus Buster nose spray actually helps and works???? Please help!!!!!!’!!!!!
Just wanted to thank everyone for posting their stories. Yesterday I tried Afrin for the first time with amazing results. I thought it was too good to be true. Then I read the disclaimers on the side (do not exceed 3 days, etc.) and decided to do more research. After hearing everyone’s grievances I immediately tossed my bottle to look for more ‘natural’ remedies. I can’t thank you enough.
Afrin is the devil. I just got off it about a week ago. I used it every hour or so for almost six months. I opted to try the one nostril at a time method. It seemed more effective than just quitting cold turkey even though it did seem to be stopped up again immediately after starting the second side. Here it is a full week later and I feel pretty clear for the most part, but still a little stuffy at night. I will never touch that evil spray again.
SO glad to find this site. Been addicted for about 2 years. I am tired of the constant congestion and pain inside my head. Nobody could understand why I needed afrin so badly and would simply tell me “just breathe out of your mouth!” but I can’t do that. Breathing out of my mouth leads to me panicking. 2 weeks I ran out of afrin in the middle of the night and there are no 24 hour pharmacies nearby. I laid in bed crying until 6 am when the first store opened and I rushed out to buy afrin.
Went to the doctor today. Was prescribed astepro .15%, steroids (methylprednisolone 4mg), and an antibiotic. The astepro so far has done NOTHING. I start the course of steroids tomorrow and I’m hoping I won’t be miserable without my afrin. I’m also worried that once I’m off the steroids the rebound will come right back… I do not think a week of steroids is long enough to break this rebound cycle. I want a corticosteroid spray to help me through this, but I don’t think my doctor will give me one.
About to go to bed and struggling not to use afrin. I’m completely stuffed in both my nostrils. Maybe just one spray to get me through the night will be okay until I start the steroids. I have also tried benadryl, sinex, advil congestion relief, dayquil, nyquil, etc. The only thing that even mildly helps is sudafed, which for some reason I am unable to find in this town anymore!!
Day 1 – steroids, antibiotics, and astepro don’t seem to be helping me at all. Didn’t get much sleep last night, overall i’m miserable and wish I could just give myself a quick spritz of afrin and be able to breathe. But I’m not going to. I need to get past this.
Hi Kayla, I know you are doing better now, but I surfed up a bit to try and find out how much steroids you were on… only 4mg. My Dr put me on 20mg twice a day, so 40mg a day… huge difference. I am doing the Veramyst and Asterpro as well, but I know I have an allergy to dust mites and I am seeing a specialist for it, so Asterpro helps with the underlying cause of the congestion more than the immediate issue. the steroids are def helping with the immediate issue though.
If your congestion comes back after you finish your mucinex D. I tried that once, perhaps you do have something more going on triggering the congestion, but maybe not structural since the mucinexD helps? Just a thought. Hope you continue to do well!
Thanks for the reply =)
The mucinex “works” but isn’t amazing… I am not breathing at 100%, but SOMETHING is better than nothing. I ran out of mucinex and won’t bother buying another box.
I have been off of Afrin for a month now, and typically can breathe ok during the day, but at night when laying down my nose stuffs up 100%. So even though I can breathe during the day, I’m EXHAUSTED because I’m not sleeping well at night.
Even sleeping pills won’t knock me out. My doctor gave me ambien and all it does is make me feel woozy rather than making me fall asleep. All I can do is lay on my side and switch back and forth to keep one nostril clear at night. Vicks and vaporizers aren’t helping. I am pretty much against putting any more drugs into my system while fighting this congestion problem, so it looks like I will just have to let time heal me.
Update – apparently it will take several days for the steroids to get into my system. Went to walmart and got sinus buster. Oh my god it hurts. Tears in my eyes for the first few minutes, but my sinuses ARE clearer. Not 100% but at least air is getting in my nose. Definitely no way anyone could get addicted to this stuff. 1 spray in each nostril and I want no more cause it does not feel nice. Afrin feels nice whereas with this sinus buster I’m really gonna have to work myself up to spraying again. Hoping this bit of relief lasts a good amount of time.
no it didn’t last. Less than 10 minutes later I’m fully congested again.
Kayla, and others, again reiterating that Sinus Buster does work. Yes, it hurts when you first spray, it takes some of the same ingredients (although not the same strength) as pepper spray. I only needed it for one, maybe two days, without doing the “one nostril” of Afrin. Used Sinus Buster maybe twice since I got off of Afrin, but guys/gals, don’t forget to try something simple once your off Afrin to clear passages–Blow your Nose! Sounds simple, maybe even “duh!” stupid, but one time I was ready to use Sinus Busters and instead just grabbed a kleenex, that’s all I needed. No reason to use all those steroids & prescription medications–and as I mentioned before, no–I have no affiliation with Sinus Busters, just wanted to pass on what worked for a former Afrin addict of many many many years. Good luck to all getting off that evil spray!
I know it seems obvious and people ALWAYS tell me “just blow your nose!”… but nothing comes out when I blow. It’s not any mucous or snot up there causing the congestion, my nasal passageways are simply swelled shut. I could definitely see Sinus Buster working wonderfully if I had a cold and was stuffed up with mucous, sinus buster would clear it out very fast. But for simply swollen nasal passages, it appears the the pepper of it just makes them even more painfully swollen. =(
Night 2 without afrin was awful, but this morning I was a little better. I think the steroids are starting to help.
I’m concerned about using my astepro nasal spray… it has the same additive as afrin, a preservative, which some people are saying is the problem with afrin. Bezalkonium Chloride – some are saying it’s this additive that makes afrin so bad rather than the oxymetolazine. Astepro has benzalkonium, so I’m worried that if I keep using this spray that my problem won’t be getting any better.
Let me first start by saying that I’m 59 years old and that I started with decongestant sprays and nose drops back when I was about 10 y/o. I’ve been addicted to them most of my life, apparently. Even when I was not using them after quitting cold turkey about 20 years ago I still have major issues with night time breathing. Recently I’ve found that my once a day use of Afrin one in each nostril isn’t cutting it. It is very frustrating. My current path of trying to get over the addiction is to first start using a Neti Pot which seems to have allowed me to back off some on the amount of Afrin I’m using. Secondly I’m going to try the Rhinostat system to see if I can ween myself off of the stuff. I should probably also get with my doctor and ask for some nasal steroid spray to try to help heal the sinuses.
It’s good to see that I’m not alone in this addiction. It is a sad state of affairs. I can relate to almost everything everyone here has said.
Thanks.
-Lee
Well waiting for the RhinoStat product I was able to quit the Afrin using the Neti pot, Psuedofed, Claritan, and Ibuprofen. so far it’s been easier then I expected.
I started using the rhinostat system about a month ago (I’m not affiliated with them in any way). I can now say I haven’t needed to use any spray at all for 3 days now!! It’s like a new lease on life
Totally worth the $40. And I think of all the money I have and will save on not buying afrin. Anyhow, it wasn’t a quick fix but it did work. It just takes a little daily dedication. My nose is not 100% clear, I do wake up needing to blow my nose. But once I do I’m good the rest of the day. The morning stuffiness could be from allergies too. Just wanted to let you know that rhinostat did work for me! Hope that helps someone else addicted to afrin! I’ll NEVER touch the stuff again!!
I first started using Afrin over the summer just before band camp started. I had a cold and was congested and I figured nose spray was the quickest way to deal with it. I had no idea you could get addicted to the stuff. I later found out that my grandpa was addicted to it for most of his adult life. That scares me. I won’t let it get to that point. I’m currently studying for finals in a friends room (pulling an all nighter) and I left my spray in my room… I feel like a druggie… Like I just need my fix but it’s so embarrassing! I hate having to carry the stuff anytime I leave my dorm! I’m so glad I found this site and know that there are so many other people dealing with the same stuff. I will NEVER go near Afrin after I kick this addiction. Good Luck everyone!
I’ve now been 1 week off of afrin. Still congested…. finished my prescription of steroids and antibiotics, found no relief from my Astepro spray… have been using sudafed, benadryl, claritin, and dayquil with no help. Tried sinus buster and it didn’t help. Bought a neti pot and it didn’t help.
I don’t know what to do now. I’ve done everything. I’ve spent so much money trying to beat this afrin addiction and I’m still congested.
I haven’t slept well all week, I feel so tired and stuffed up all day, and with all the congestion I’ve started getting sinus headaches which I never had before. Overall I’m WORSE off than when I was on afrin.
I don’t know what to do.
Kayla, not sure if I’m reading your post right, but it seems that you’re trying TOO many things. Try sticking to one option to get off of Afrin. Try the Afrin in one nostril only and Sinus Buster in the other method. You’ll be off Afrin on one side, then once you can breathe without Afrin on the one side, concentrate with Sinus Buster on the other. The problem is that your exchanging one drug for another. Sinus Buster is not a drug. This method seems to work for most. The key is to get off the drugs otherwise your body is exchanging one addiction for another.
Yeah I think you’re reading my post wrong. I’m not using afrin at all. I haven’t used afrin for almost 2 weeks I’m not about to start putting it in one nostril and mess it all up.
I’m not trying all of those methods all at once, I tried each a few times alone, found no relief, and stopped. Sinus buster I tried for 3 or 4 days and it only made my congestion worse. I wasn’t trying sudafed, benadryl, claritin, sinus buster, etc. etc. ALL at the same time, just one at a time for a while, and then quit each one as I found they did not work.
Right now I’ve spent 3 days using nothing but a neti pot and haven’t had relief in congestion, but an increase in my headaches.
I’ll probably be going back to the doctor this week. I’m beginning to think that my issue is a structural problem that can’t be fixed with medicinal products.
Thom,
I don’t want to be rude, but it kinda just sounds like you sit on this website all day trying to tell people what to do. I don’t think that’s the point. The point is for people to share their problems, and feel comforted knowing there are many other people in the same situation. Its for people to try to help each other kick the addiction. All you keep telling everyone is to use that stupid sunis buster crap. It seems like you’re the only person its even worked for. So really, all it looks like is that you work for them and you’re trying to get everyone to buy this product that doesn’t work. I too tried it, for a week, and it did nothing but make everything worse, and it burned so bad my eyes watered for minutes. Yes I used it for more than one day, no it never helped once. I’d appreciate if you’d quit telling me and everyone else on here to do that. You commented on my post the other day and basically said I was stupid for trying to quit cold turkey and I’d never be able to do it. I haven’t used afrin, or anything the past few days. I’ve gone thru hell, but I already feel 50X better after 2 days. So I’d recommend people doing that. People are trying to get off the afrin, not continue to spray stuff up their noses to make it all worse
Well Breana, you failed in not wanting to be rude and seem to be an extremely sensitive person. I certainly don’t even come close to telling people what to do, and was pretty clear on my situation and explaining just what worked for me, and many others including those in the video in the beginning of this blog. How you were able to have misinterpreted my enthusiasm for what got me off of over 15 years of Afrin addiction into me “telling people” what to do is beyond me. As I mentioned in my posts, I tried Sinus Buster once for a day, and threw it away. It wasn’t until I found this post about 12 months later and decided to try it again. So my message is for those that might have been in my position that DID only try it once and couldn’t take the discomfort that maybe they should try it again ( as the video testimonial in the beginning of this blog recommends, or do they work for Sinus Busters too). No one is forcing you or anyone to take any advice as its clear that no one solution works for everyone, even surgery for some was only a temporary solution. And as I mentioned before if you’d care to really read my posts and not read INTO my posts, No I don’t work for them, so sorry to put a pin in your conspiracy balloon. Also, couldn’t find ANYWHERE in the blog that I said trying to quit cold turkey was stupid…just that I and many who tried ended up back to using it—and can’t really imagine me saying that since that’s exactly how I quit smoking when people told me I needed a patch, gum, a drug or hypnosis. SO hopefully you can forgive my enthusiasm in wanting to help anyone ( Including YOUR post where YOU ask if its worked for anyone) that’s looking for insight & encouragement to get off this stuff permanently. Thanks for being the blog police Breana, we really needed someone to tell us what to say and how often to post. I’ll continue to promote Sinus Busters as an alternative that should be tried simply because it worked for me when nothing else did, and maybe you can go on to scold Kayla & Mia for stalking and posting too often on this web site as well.
I am so glad I found this page because I am at my wits end, started getting congestion about week 8 of this pregnancy, and I can not stand not to be able to breathe out of my nose. I had used Afrin before for a few days at a time and never had a problem, but this time has been different. I already know that I have to have a c-section so I HAVE to quit this stuff! I am too embarrassed to tell my doctor about this, but guess I will have to suck it up. My question is, what in the crap do you do when you can not get a single bit of air up your nostrils? I have this rhinocort my doctor gave me for congestion, but I can not get any air moving through my nose at all. The only thing that relieves the pressure is blowing my nose, and that only offers relief for a second. Literally, one second. I am miserable, I am exhausted, and I have to kick this, At this point, I guess I don’t have a choice but to go cold turkey, since nothing will get up my nose anyway. This drug seriously should only be available by prescription.
I got started when I was pregnant also. I had rough pregnancy, had to stay in the hospital allot, and took it with me, lol. I can tell you that a cool mist humidifier did help me breathe while I was pregnant, so I used Afrin less, at least. I hope that helps a bit, and good luck!
Update – 2 weeks later I’ve found something that’s working for me. Mucinex D (NOT mucinex DM, these are two very different formulas). Mucinex D you have to buy directly from the pharmacy, it is not for sale on the shelves. I admit it’s making my nose a little runny, BUT the nasal passageways are open!! With them open I was able to use a neti-pot and flush out alot of junk. I’m hoping that once this box of mucinex is done my passageways will remain open. I’m really happy right now though, haven’t breathed this easy in a long time! phew
I have never tried Sinus Busters so I can’t tell you that it works. But, any time that I am wanting to try something new I look it up on Amazon and read comments from people that have used the item. It appears that Sinus Busters has worked for many. I have bought many things off that site based on other’s reviews. People are pretty honest about whether they love or hate something. Sinus Buster’s was next on my list of things to try.
Hi all! I hope this helps someone… I am prone to sinusitis and just happened to be prescribed afrin AND flonase at the same time just 2 days ago. My doctor told me to use the afrin, wait 15 minutes and then use the flonase, and to be sure that i do 3 days on 1 day off of the afrin. I am also on sudafed AND a z-pack broad spectrum antibiotic. I guess he wanted to throw the medicine cabinet at it. I am getting great relief but am also getting worried that I may get re-congested after using the afrin. This is my very first time using it. I have experienced the super sticky unmovable mucus that completely blocks sinuses and have used a sinu-rinse saline solution, which normally works pretty well for relief. I use the sinu-rinse in the shower with really warm water and a nice heavy steam. Sometimes multiple times a day. Maybe this will help with folks trying to get off the afrin. This will be my method again in a day as I am pretty scared to pick it up again after the 1 day off. Good luck to you all and you will be in my prayers. Try the sinu-rinse system. It’s cheap and works pretty good to get rid of the super thick stuff, sold near the neti-pots.
I have been addicted to afrin as i have posted before for abut 15 years. Now it stopped working as well and my nose is very dry adding to the discomfort. I recently stopped using afrin for 2 months and never could get over the rebond congestion. Not sure why people generally say it only taked a few days to a couple weeks..? long story short I think the afrin has done so much damage my nose will never function again. Im considering a laser surgery where they burn down your turbinates causing scarring so it is supposed to help congestion. Help! has anyone had this sugery Im afraid of the empteynose syndrome too
I got hooked on Afrin 10 years ago while was pregnant, and have about a 1 bottle a month habit, which my immunologist tells me is not horrible. I became highly motivated to quit about a week ago when a family member shared an FDA.gov link with me, showing me that the active ingredient in my Afrin contains mercury, and I made a Dr appointment to help me quit the next morning. I am seeing an immunologist to help me quit because I know I am allergic to dust mites, which causes a great deal of congestion. So, he is treating me with 20mg prednisone 2 times a day for 5 days, Veramyst and Astepro. The Astepro is an antihistamine spray to help with the underlying cause of congestion, which I have found helpful for another reason. The antihistamine is keeping me calm and sleepy through this rough part, lol. I have tried to quit on my own before with panic attack results. I have to tell you that as of right now, 38 1/2 hrs in, I am currently breathing through both nostrils and have been sleeping comfortably most of the day, as I will admit I only got about one hour last night due to discomfort. For those of you who lack success on your own, with a GP or an ENT, perhaps give an immunologist a try. I never dreamed I could be this comfortable while quiting. It’s still a chore, but nothing like what I’ve tried to put myself through in the past.
YOU CAN DO IT!
Spraying Afrin in just ONE nostril won’t work, as the Afrin will work its way up the nasal passage and back down into both nostrils.
I also had an Afrin habit … towards the end the decongestant was only lasting about 4 hours, so I was spraying 4-5 times a day. I was miserable.
I am in the process of kicking the habit now — I’m on Day Eight. Here’s what I did: I bought a room vaporizer and a Vicks menthol inhaler (You know, those little plastic tubes that look like chapstick).
I used the Vicks inhaler to get some comfort during the day, and at night I used the vaporizer and took a sleeping pill, because I knew I’d be sleeping with my mouth open, and I didn’t want my throat to dry out and get scratchy. The sleeping pill knocked me out enough so that I got SOME sleep, but I have to be honest: the first two nights were very hard. I had to get up a few times and use the Vicks inhaler or make a cup of hot tea. So there is no sugar-coating this process.
But by the third night at least one nostril was open for most of the night and I slept well. And now my days are okay — I can breathe through both nostrils about 80% of the time.
YOU CAN DO IT. Use all the crutches you can, try the Vicks inhaler and vaporizer to keep your throat moist and GOOD LUCK!
You can definitely do it!!! I decided about a month ago to quit…cold turkey. And it worked!!! The first 3 days, and especially the nights were miserable! But after that I felt a big change, I felt 50x better. I used sudafed a few times. But that was it. And now I am using nothing at all, and haven’t used a single spray of that crap since. I’m having no problems at all. I can breathe very well and I’m much happier. I was using 2 bottles of Afrin a week! And I quit and was feeling better in just a few days
That’s so great to hear!
I’m on Day 11 now. I have to be honest, my poor nose fluctuates between clogged and clear every 15 minutes — it doesn’t magically get totally clear I guess. I’ve been VERY tempted to use the spray especially at night, but if I sit up in bed and use the Vicks tube inhaler for a minute or so, at least one nasal passage will open up a little and I can get back to sleep.
I figure this will take maybe a month for total clarity.
I really suggest that people who are suffering during withdrawal try a room vaporizer and a sleeping pill at night.
These don’t bring total relief …. but the vaporizer really helps soothe your throat on those nights when you have to breathe through your mouth all night.
And I am so glad I found the Vicks tube inhaler. The menthol /eucalyptus really does work to open up clogged passages. Of course it’s not as effective as Afrin, but it’s not addictive either!
It can be hard to find these tube inhalers, but just ask at the drugstore. Rite Aid and Walgreens have them.
I bought a new bottle, and poured half out, replaced the other with distilled water. Each day I poured a tiny bit out and added the water until it was all water. This breaks the cycle without the freak out of not being able to breathe. IT will work….I promise. If you are really having trouble you might have underlying sinus issues. My nasal passages are really narrow and every cold would completely block my nose-allergies too-this is why I started using nose sprays. I am having surgery to correct that-but after having a nasal spray addiction since high school (I am 37) I have been without for a number of years. If I do want to use some when I get a cold, I use very diluted stuff-that way I don’t have the same problems.
I did it
I have been on afrin for 2 years having to spray my nose every 2 hours . After reading all of the post on this site I decided to try the one nostril trick. Well after one week I have trown my afrin bottle in the trash can. The first 2 days I thought I was gonna die but then the congestion slowly started easing up. Its been seven days now and I can breath own my own.
Pace & Kala – Im so glad to hear that it’s not just me who stopped the afrin and still had congestion for weeks on end. I actually stopped for 2 months and had your same problems, congestion on and off during the day and worse at night switching sides. Sorry to say i gave up and went back to afrin after being frustrated. Most people sound like it only takes days to several weeks to get clear so i just gave in. The afrin doesn’t work like it used to for me is why i tried to stop using it in the first place, but it helps better than using nothing at all. A ent suggested a turbinate surgery that involves burning and scarring the turbinates so that they don’t swell..? I dont know because another ent said since I have nasal dryness that the surgery can give me empty nose syndrome. So im happy to hear that you guys are hanging in there. Please let me know when your congestion goes away completley. Im wondering for some people will it ever go away completely?
Have been addicted to Afrin for over 30 years. It stopped working for me in October 2011. Had to switch to 4-Way nasal spray and Advil Congestion Relief. I get about 4 hours relief before in need to spray and take pills again. I need help! I cannot go cold turkey. I have tried it. Panic attacks from not being able to breathe is too intense for me to handle without help. I made a doctor’s appointment. I can’t smell anything and most foods taste bland. I hope my doctor can help me get this monkey off my back!
Hi from Aus. Yep, addicted to Aussie version of decongestant since pregnant with twins 10 years ago. Have two sprays with me at all times. Worried in case I wind up unconscious in hospital unable to speak … or breathe! Now I sneeze alot and have to cross my legs after the 5 sneeze!!
Having determined to quit I came searching and found this site.
Thanks, I don’t feel so stupid for succumbing to an addiction or so alone now.
I have noticed that the more stressed I am the more my nose blocks, so I am going to add meditation to my day and couple that with healing one nostril at a time.
Best of luck to all.
Dlee
Mia, I don’t believe that the congestion problem ever goes away. Using my neti pot, I stay on top of it by using it once a day. But it is not a cure. If I quit using it for 4 or 5 days, I get congested again. If there is a cure I would sure like to know about it. Surgery on my nose worked for about 1 month.
I just had to post on the website that helped me through what seemed to be a hopeless situation I never imagined getting out of. I am a college athlete, so besides being human and needing air, being able to get as much air as possible when running for long intense periods is a part of my daily life. I got a huge cold last April while on a road trip with my team and had finals shortly after we returned from school. Before I knew it, I needed to spray and had no time to be sick. I am an athlete, student, employee, girlfriend, etc… So my time has always been demanded from some commitment or another. So….. for the past 10 months, afrin has controlled my thoughts (where did I leave my bottle, how long I have the next spray, if it’ll be a ‘good’ night of sleep or not) and my breathing, and my life.
I know 10 months is nothing compared to some who have been on it for 15+ years, but addicted is addicted and it is miserable. So after many moments of sneaking away to the bathroom to spray or embarrassingly getting clogged after sitting down for 15 mins or having to hide it from my family and coaches, I decided it wasn’t worth it and I’d haft push through it. I began to tear up whenever I thought about having to have a afrin bottle tucked into my wedding dress one day and having to think about my breathing instead of the ceremony. I would have to spray on a normal basis up to 4 times a day and after a trip to Chicago this Christmas with my family….it stopped working. 2 nights in Chicago of no sleep and I have no idea why afrin wouldn’t work on my nose…i knew I needed to stop depending on it.
I did my research. I read through most of these posts and gained hope and advise. I ordered the rhinostat system
and got saline spray, sinus buster, and nyquil. I was preparing for battle. So with my pillows upright and everything within reach I took my first night without any nose spray. I took my dose of the rhinostat system and nyquil and passed out. I woke up twice with only one side clogged.
Long story short I expected to be in pain, comfortableness for at least 5 days…..I had two semi-rough nights and only got clogged when I sat for too long. I am on day 6 and havent touched rhinostat, saline or afrin since day 3. YOU CAN DO IT. it seems hopeless and scary but night time is the biggest battle you’ll have as long as you stay busy during the day. Get through the first three nights and you’ll see some difference. But it’s a lot easier when you have all the tools available (medicine, advice, support, and MOTIVATION) you don’t want to have afrin with you your whole life. Your life is too precious to be scarred to live without afrin. As a 21 year old, I am not the wisest but I am smart enough to commit to a future without it. DO IT AND BE FREE. then post here if any of this advice (mine or others) helped bc you never know whose life you will help.
Katie,
I’ve posted here before and have been Afrin free for more than two years using the One Nostril method to kick it in a week. I would just disagree with one thing you said: at 21, I think you’re already pretty wise. Great testimony!
Anyone else that wants details on the One Nostril method, please look for my previous posts. It IS possible, you CAN kick it!
Robert
Sherry – If you don’t mind me asking, what surgery did you have? I have looked up the one they want to do for me and i have read that sometimes it only lasts a year or so because the turbinates push through the scar tissue..I wonder if the afrin has damaged our noses to the point that we have chronic congestion? Because I remember times that i never used afrin and now even when I stop I can’t breathe right. Also, whats the difference between the netti pot and sinus rince? I will gtry it since you have said it helps you.Also how long have you been without afrin? Sorry for all the questions, it’s so frustrating feeling like Im alone at times..This has taken a huge toll on my life and I would like to find the best way to cope with this if I will be living with it my entire life! Thanks for your help
Hi Everyone,
Just wanted to stop by and share some awesome news and hope that it can encourage others. Today is ONE full week since I STOPPED using my nasal sprays and it feels amazing!!!!!!!!!!! And yes, it can be DONE….
The first night I sprayed one nostril and it felt like my head was going to explode from the congestion and I cried most of the night, and prayed and asked God for his strength to carry me through,because I felt like I was going to die, but thank God my daughter held my hand and shared her IPOD with me and I was able to sleep for a few hours, but it was one tough experience. The next morning I used my rinse
( Nasopure wash) this is way better than the netti pot for me that is, and my left nostril cleared up during the day. So I got thinking, you know what? I don’t want to live like this anymore, because these darn nose sprays were practically dictating my life and it was difficult to have a normal day. So I decided no more and that was it, I went COLD TURKEY!!!!….
Yes, the congestion comes and goes but I’ve found other ways to deal with it.. In the mornings i’m just so excited to wake up and brush my teeth and it’s amazing because now, even if I’m a bit congested the scent from my toothpaste actually clears me right out, haha. Then I use my Nasopure to rinse out and that helps tremendously. Whatever you do, get some sort of nasal rinse because this loosens the mucus and it is really helping with my everyday breathing. I’m doing it about 3 times per day, morning, mid day (if you can) and at night before bed. Another helpful thing is getting a cool mist vaporizer (as another member mentioned on here) it’s so very helpful at night.
I’ m at the point now where I can take a nap during the day without even using the vaporizer in my room, and i’m sleeping comfortable. I finally told some of my friends and family about my addiction, and the support has been great:-) Thank God!!! I’ve thrown out a few bottles and about to throw out ALL…I want nothing to do with this stuff. This has taught me that anything that becomes a crutch in my life and takes the place of Jesus is very dangerous!!!!…..I can and I am living without the use of nasal sprays and so can you!!!…..
If you have any questions feel free to touch base with me, I’d be happy to encourage you:-)
Hugs
PS. Oh yeah, the first 2-3 days I had a dryness that I was able to soothe using a dab of Vaseline it’s much better now, and that awful sneezing sensation that the sprays caused has stopped too:-)))))))))))))
Here is a follow-up story: I was inspired to get off Afrin (in part) by this web site. I posted my 3-prong method ~April,2010, so its been almost 2 years. I stopped using Breath-right strips after the first month(only because they were damaging my skin), but still do the Nasaline saline irrigation daily.
The good news is that except for bed time, I’m off Afrin, and have been since a month into the ‘withdrawal’ process. I had a bit of a head cold last week, and did not have to take de-congestants.
There really is not bad news. HOWEVER…I still usually take about .2cc of a solution made with 95% saline solution to 5% afrin in one nostril. To give you an idea how little Afrin I’ve used, I’m still on the same 1/2 empty bottle that I started with in 2010. I seem to have the same issue that several other long term users have…when I lay on my side for an extended period of time, the nostril closest to the pillow gets stuffed..so I turn over and wake up a few hours later with the other nostril stuffed. This must be an issue of the weakend or damaged membranes and gravity. Anyway, the drop of 5% solution helps enough to let me get to sleep although there are nights where I’ve fallen asleep without those couple drops.
Considering the damage that long term Afrin use can cause, I consider myself lucky.
Hey Dawn,
For the first few nights I experienced that feeling, but now it’s so much better!!! I hope it gets better for you as well….
Hey Lisa,
Just wondering how you’re doing without the Afrin….
Over the weekend, my allergies were horrible and I was terribly congested, so I used that horrible nasal spray. It drove me nuts the next day because I was still congested, but I know my limitations and so, I refuse to go back to that addiction. If anything, I have a diluted solution so I may have to use that for a few days, but trying really hard, not to use anything other than my vaporizer….
The good news is that at least I know I can make it WITHOUT being addicted to nasal sprays!!!
i have posted before. i have been nose spray free for months. organic apple cider vinegar with the “mother”. two or three times a day in a small shot of apple juice. takes a couple of days to clear you up completely but will relieve the congestion. natural and cheap. and is good for you. try it. if it doesnt work for you it only cost a few bucks and a couple of days.
Mia, the surgery that I had on my nose was back in the early 80′s. I was told that I have a deviated septum. I don’t remember what they actually did. I just know that the packing that they put up your nose is really uncomfortable when it is pulled out. It helped for such a short time that I felt it wasn’t worth it and decided not to follow up. Hence my addiction to nose sprays.
You asked about the difference between the netti pot and sinus rinse. I have only tried the netti pot. Gravity is what pulls the solution through the sinuses. The flow starts on it’s own if you have it at the proper angle. I find it quite soothing if you use water that is a little warmer than lukewarm. My Dad uses a system that he has to squeeze the bottle to push the fluid through the sinuses. Apparently it does the same thing. Either system could be used at a sink or in the shower.
I had the turbinate reduction surgery in aug of ’10 and it worked for a while but 11 months later I was back on it. Very frustrating.
Mia, I have been off the nose sprays for about 15 months now I believe. The netti pot is not a cure but I feel it is much healthier than using nose sprays or decongestants for a long period of time.
Sherry, yes the saline rinses definitely help!!!
Hi, I’m so pleased to see its not just me… I’m addicted to Vicks sinex nasal spray and have been for over ten years. Like others, I have bottles stashed in pockets and bags everywhere. And over Christmas I got the worst sinus infection, and the Vicks wouldn’t touch it. So I’ve spent the last two weeks trying to come off it. One nostril is clear, and the other blocks in the evening. I can manage to sleep ok without using the spray, but I’ve been taking two sudafed/sinutab tablets before bedtime. My worry is that now I’ll become addicted to them instead… Does anyone have any advice?
I have been on Afrin for probably about a year to a year and a half now…ran out on Friday night and am broke so can not go and buy more…I’ve been forced to go off it cold turkey and have been off it for about 43 hours now…I have had moments where I thought I was cleared up like after my shower this morning and when I went out for a walk to get my mail this afternoon…but I came back inside my apartment and stuffed right back up again…the last time I got off Afrin it only took a day or so to clear up for good…this time it doesn’t seem to be happening so fast…I just don’t get it.
Thanks so much advice in this article.
I started using Afrin about 1.5 months ago when I felt some nasal congestion and did not even read the directions. After 4 weeks of using Afrin to clear congestion about every 6 hours, I suspected that the nasal spray may be the problem. I tried some different saline sprays, but they did nothing. I did try Sinus Buster, but it did nothing at all. I then did some internet searching and found out what was going on with my nose… “rebound congestion”, and initially tried to go cold turkey thinking, it can’t be that hard. Boy was I wrong, I sounded like Donald Duck at work and could not eat, talk, or breath without a lot of difficulty. I then took the advice of this article. I treated my left nostril and let my right nostril be clogged. I was able to last for up to 24-hours between treatments on the left nostril while my right nostril got better. It has now been six days and both nostrils are back to normal. What a relief!
This one nostril at a time thing works… and allows you to function during the time your are quitting the nasal spray.
I will never use Afrin or anything like it again. This stuff should not be sold OTC. In fact, I don’t think it should be sold at all.
Thanks for the solid advice!!!
Cascadia
I try to avoid using the neti pot before going to bed. When I do, I sometimes feel pressure around my ear when I wake up. So, I use it a couple hours before bedtime and that makes a difference. I have found that the amount of water I drink during the day makes a difference in how stuffed up I get. Being hydrated helps the mucous flow through the sinuses easier. Sometimes it is hard to make myself drink water though. I would rather have coffee.
Hey Sherry,
You’re so right about the water consumption, it does make a hugeeee difference!! And as for the coffee I can understand that, LOL…
I’ve been afrin free for 2 months now and am still congested 50% of the time, especially at night. I haven’t slept well these past 2 months.
NOTHING has helped me get better. I tried it all. Neti Pot provides temporary relief (a few hours), but temporary isn’t good enough.
I think these past few years of afrin permanently screwed up my nose.
I WISH it was as easy as some of the people here have had it, simply clearing up after a week of no afrin. I guess I’m not one of the lucky ones.
Hi Kayla,
I”m so sorry that you’re still having a difficult time with the nasal congestion. Have you tried using a vaporizer at night also?
I”ve noticed that it really helps me to breathe alot better and so, I usually get it set up and going an hour before I actually go to bed, so by the time I get into my bedroom the vicks or sudafed aroma is in the air.
Also, try laying on two pillows.
It will be a month soon since i’ve stopped using the sprays, and even though I did have a set back for a day, and used the spray, now I know how to manage the congestion if it appears again. Another thing, well for me is that I have to use the Nasopure often to rid myself of the congestion and it’s really working.
Don’t give up!!!! IT will and CAN get better….
Hugs
Kayla-
Im having the same problem! very frustrating..I stopped using the afrin for 2 months and was also congested most of the time and miserable at night. I tried nasal steroids, humidifier, sinus rinse, oral steroids..I failed and ended back up on the afrin. I was told and have read thet long term use of afrin can cause chronic enlarged turbinates that just dont shrink down anymore which is why some people stay congested. I agree with you that I have permanent damage now. I dont know what to do anymore, and also the afrin does not clear my nose like it did in the past which is scary.Please let me know if your congestion ever goes away or if anything works for you….
I finally beat the nose spray Monster! Mia’s comment touched my heart. Afrin stopped working for me a few months ago. I had to use Wal-Four to get nasal relief. Mucus was no longer my problem. My nasal cavities would swell shut. Wal-Four gave me instant relieve from suffocation! It was the same curse I had with Afrin! I needed something to shrink the swelling inside my nose. Now cost me twice as much to breath. I needed help. And this is what I did to beat the Monster! (1), I went to an allergist for tests. I discovered I was allergic to grasses, pollen, dust, mode and mildew. Now I take weakly allergy shots. (2), I have also been flushing my nose with salt water three times per day due to my allergist suggestion. Instead of using the expensive nasal rinse you can find in Walgreens, my doctor recommended one eight ounce glass of distilled water mixed with one forth of tea spoon of table salt. I washed out my nose three times a day for three weeks. (Utilizing a nose syringe used to clean an infant’s nose). (3), I used a Vicks Inhaler when the times got rough. (Looks like Chap Stick) After three weeks, I no longer need or use nose spray or the Vicks inhaler. I FEEL GREAT!!! You can do it too. I have broken a thirty year addiction to nose spray. If I can do it, so can you!
I’ve been online for 13 years and for some reason never thought of researching nasal spray addiction before. LOL I’ve used nasal spray daily, sometimes many times a day, for about 30 years now. Sorry to say I turned my husband onto it when he got a cold shortly after we married 28 years ago and he also has used it daily since. What a couple of nose squirters we are! Reading down through the comments here has been cracking me up! One of our major priorities at all times is to make sure we have nasal spray b/c without it we both feel like we are dieing. I’ve literally run to a store and ripped the box open and used it right there in the aisle before paying for it b/c I thought my head was going to explode in a million pieces. My husband and I both carry nasal spray with us everywhere we go and keep bottles on our nightstands, on the computer desk, in my pocketbook and my husband in his lunch tote. I have talked to my Dr.’s about it several times over the years and tried the script spray that gave me to help get off the real stuff but I might as well have been spraying straight water up my nose for all it did. I gave up attempting to get off it long ago. However, as I get older (46) and begin to suffer from various health issues, I realize the need to take much better care of myself and the importance of ridding myself with issues like the nasal spray. I typed into google “nasal spray addiction” and was led to a site for Rhinostat(as well as this site) – am wondering if anyone here has tried it and if so, if it was helpful? I’m sure someone mentions it somewhere within the over 400 comments but am lazy and hoping someone will respond to my comment so I don’t have to read through all 400+ to get my answer. LOL
PS. Love the idea of doing it one nostril at a time, just not sure I could take the pressure of the non squirted nostril long enough, and then knowing I’d have to go through it all again with the other nostril seems too daunting. However, if I’m ever in a position where I don’t have to worry about going to work for a couple of weeks I will more than likely give it a try and will post results here.
Hi everyone,
And best wishes to all who are struggling to beat this horrible addiction. I am in the midst of it now and let me tell you where I’m at:
First off, I’ve got the double tap of addiction in that I am definitely and alcoholic and definitely an Afrin addict. Over the last year I’ve tried to get off the Afrin but my hangovers are just too brutal to go without being able to breathe. I tried the one nostril for a while but I reached for the nose juice during one of my hangovers and was back on it again. Not to mention that my drinking zaps any willpower I have so I knew the both had to go. So I decided to go cold turkey on these addictions and by the second day I was back on Afrin but not on alcohol…., Afrin is definitely harder to quit than drinking.
I went seven days without a drink and then decided to start the Afrin one nostril withdrawal, but the panic attacks made me reach for the bottle (whiskey) and the drinking seemed to plug up the good nostril too. What else could I do but try again? So, I started using the Afrin in just my left nostril (because my right one seems worse) and did that for 7 days. And those were the worst days I could imagine. Being plugged on one side gave me vertigo and headaches and felt like concrete was poured into my right sinus. But I kept telling myself that it was better than having both nostrils plugged. But I became irritable with the situation and during the last two days I had 5 beers to try and get some sleep…, and that didn’t help much either: it seemed to make the good nostril worse. Although after 7 days the poured concrete feeling has dissipated a little and the right sinus has opened up on occasion.
Ironically, my alcohol withdrawal only took like 3 days and consisted of the shakes, headache, nausea, and hot and cold sweats.., and really red irritated eyeballs. But most of that has subsided now so I’m really only battling the Afrin at this time. After the beer experiment I realize that to quit Afrin means to quit alcohol, so whatever that entails I am ready to do it. And after all the Afrin addiction is really a microcosm of my alcoholism…, a vicious cycle!!!
So about a day and a half ago I stopped dosing the left nostril and what followed was just madness. I had expected the healed nostril to lend me some ease but both nostrils plugged totally. This has to be the worst feeling a person can live through…, it’s like you are drowning and can’t get enough air. And then the pressure on the sinuses causes debilitating headaches. I also was trying the Advil congestion relief tablets but they had no effect. Nyquil…, no effect. Sudafed.., no effect. Morning showers would loosen the phlegm enough so I could blow my nose but then both nostrils plugged right back up instantaneously.
I paced…, I was panicked…, I looked towards the Afrin bottle but knew I couldn’t. But there is a bright spot.., every now and then the right nostril will open up and I can breathe a little so that gives me hope and I’m stuck to accepting that I’ll have to be plugged for a while. I’m on day two now and I’m totally plugged right now except that there is a little relief in the right nostril. I have noticed that when I’m walking around at work and exerting myself that both nostrils will clear for a while, only to plug again minutes later when I stop. But those 10 or 15 minutes of real breathing are worth more than gold. It seems like right now I’m cycling between a minimal clearing in the right nostril and it being plugged…, but there IS SOME CLEARING.
I can see that for the next few days I’m going to be miserable but I’ve got to weather the storm. What good would it do to reach for either of the evil liquids I am damaged from? I’m getting off work now and going home and I’ll continue to stay sober and just talk myself through the totally plugged nose. I have seen some clearing so there is a bright spot on the horizon…, and that is the sun rising on a new life free from Afrin. When it’s over I plan on writing the manufactures and the Attorney General on the dangers of this medication and how totally enraged I am that there aren’t more controls on them. This is total bull#*&@!!
My heart goes out to all of you.., and all I can say is stay the course. I know we can do it!!
Ken J
have just spent most of the evening reading through all these comments. i too, had no idea that afrin was so dangerous and addictive. i started using it during a head cold. that was 4 months ago.
the addiction and rebound effects are bad enough… but here is another side effect that people may be unaware of. my blood pressure has spiked to crisis levels for the last 2 weeks. my last readings were 208 over 106. that is stroke level blood pressure.
you can indeed die from this terrible afrin. the doctor told me today to stop it immediately. cold turkey.
as i sit here typing this, i am breathing through my mouth. and i know i will have a terrible night. but 2 nights ago i sat in a chair with my heart pounding in arrhythmia and blood pressure so high it could have killed me. it was saturday night. i simply sat in the chair too frozen with fear to even call 911. i am a widow and live alone. i will NEVER touch that stuff again. many of you are so young you aren’t thinking in terms of blood pressure. but this drug can raise it no matter what your age. so beware. it is more than mere discomfort. it could very well kill you.
drinking cold water through the night has been helping me. i am going to make this. it just takes courage. it takes wanting to live. even if it means having to breathe through your mouth for however long it takes. the doctor said i have no choice.
i was glad to stumble upon this site. there is always hope in good communication. bless us all, every one!
****continued*****
I have two options at this point. I only use one shot of afrin in each side about 2-3 times per day, but regardless, the rebound congestion has no limits. I purchased a Rhinostat kit that was about $40 that slowly weans you off by replacing the drug with saline. I also just bought sinus buster from CVS. Its a natural spray that has a pepper as its active ingredient. I dont mind being slightly stuffed up, but at night, having both sinuses completely obstructed is unacceptable. Ill report back when I have a better idea of what option worked best.
Looking foward to your update!