Flonase or Nasonex?

[ShawneeSandy]

I am a new cpap user. I have always had alot of allergies and usually breathe through my nose fine during the day when I am upright. When I lay down at night, nose stops up. I am attempting to use nasal pillows and doing fairly well with them but I was wondering about this. I have been using Flonase every evening for a couple of weeks which is making the cpap easier to tolerate. I occasionally open my mouth at night but not so much. I have heard controversy as to which is better to use and I was wondering what your opinions might be. I have Flonase but also have a few samples of Nasonex. Thank you.

[Janknitz]

I don't know which one is better from an effectiveness or safety standpoint, but one of them (I can never remember WHICH one) smells like dead flowers to me and makes me gag, even if my husband is the one using it and he does it in another room. I don't use either because that smell bothers me so much and I can never remember which one it is so I don't want to fill a script.

I'm having pretty good luck with nasal rinses and an OTC generic Claritin every day--so fortunately don't need the nasal sprays.

[Hope1952]

I'm using Flonase again after not using it for several years. I'd forgotten how bad it smells and tastes. I have to spray it in another room so I don't smell it in the bedroom. It really helps my congestion (which I also mostly get when laying down) but it sometimes gives me a migraine or at best, a sinus headache after a couple days of use, and makes my nose sore. Nasal congestion is a big problem with me using the cpap successfully so I'm feeling at a deadend again. I've been wondering if Nasonex would be any better?

[Jersey Girl]

Dear Friends,

I use AYR nasal rinse daily and Flonase in the morning and Astepro prescription nasal spray at night. It has a little bit of antihistimine in it. I also take Zyzal daily (it's like Zyrtec without the extra inert ingredients). It's kind of a daily regimen. Nasonex did nothing at all for me, for some reason.

Regards,

Jersey Girl

[Zzz_Jim]

I too will get congested when sleeping. I've been using Nasacort AQ the 2 months since I started CPAP. Seems to work for me so far.

I tried Flonase about 15 years ago, but quit when I got nosebleeds from it.

[rosacer]

I tried Flonase it didn't help at all. Then Nasonex it didn't work enough and finaly Nasacord AQ twice a day for most of the time on winter time. Now I take it once a day (two sprays each nostril) most of the time, plus a gel to keep the nostrils humidified.

My allergist's Dr. told me there is no danger at all even using it twice a day. When my nose blocks my AHI goes high and even wake up in the middle of the night shocking. I tried Neti-Pot and it did nothing to my congestion problem due to allergic rhinitis.

[frh]

I got a prescription for Nasonex in the middle of last month. A couple of weeks later I found a bottle of Flonase in my medicine cabinet. It was prescribed for me a year and a half ago. The expiration date is not until July, 2010 so I thought I would try using it up first. A Google search confirmed the two products are not incompatible.

It took about a week and a half for the Nasonex to start working. Flonase continues to work exactly the same way Nasonex did. Truth is, I can't tell the difference.

I forget to use it if I don't make it part of my morning CPAP ritual. I take the Flonase while I am waiting for the computer to read the SD card. After forgetting to put the card back in the CPAP machine a few times, I turned that into another little ritual. Before going to bed I check to see if the SD card is back in the machine before filling the resiviour with distilled water. Since I keep forgetting to go back to my desk and take flonase in the evening, I am thinking about putting the bottle of Nasonex in the bathroom so I can make it part of my resiviour filling ritual.

I still sneeze a lot from dust and pollen allergies throughout the day, but my sinuses have been clear enough each night to use the Swift FX mask. Hope this helps.

[howkim]

Flonase, Nasonex and Nasacort are all brand names of intranasal corticosteroid sprays. I just looked in PubMed and was unable to find any published studies that compared the effectiveness of any of them with any of the other of them. It looks like a "take your pick and see how it works for you" proposition.

Citirizine dihydrochloride (Zyrtec) is a racemic compound. The molecules "twist" either to the right or to the left. Zyzal (sp?) is solely one of the types of "twists."

Azelastine (sold in the US under the brand names Astelin and Astepro - they're different strengths) is an intranasal antihistamine. I use it. i wish they'd do something about the taste.

[DoriC]

Howkim, can you tell me your daily routine for these meds? I take them too as well as Advair inhaler before bed. Thanks.

[Gracey]

Hi there,

I've used Flonase in the past, prior to being on CPAP therapy. It was fine.

Now I use Nasonex (not related to CPAP therapy, just happens to be my doctor's treatment of choice) and it's fine also.

Because I use pillows, I must keep my nasal passages clear, and I use Nasonex regularly with great success.

Hope this helps.

[Hope1952]

I got a prescription for Nasonex in the middle of last month. A couple of weeks later I found a bottle of Flonase in my medicine cabinet. It was prescribed for me a year and a half ago. The expiration date is not until July, 2010 so I thought I would try using it up first. A Google search confirmed the two products are not incompatible.

It took about a week and a half for the Nasonex to start working. Flonase continues to work exactly the same way Nasonex did. Truth is, I can't tell the difference.

I forget to use it if I don't make it part of my morning CPAP ritual. I take the Flonase while I am waiting for the computer to read the SD card. After forgetting to put the card back in the CPAP machine a few times, I turned that into another little ritual. Before going to bed I check to see if the SD card is back in the machine before filling the resiviour with distilled water. Since I keep forgetting to go back to my desk and take flonase in the evening, I am thinking about putting the bottle of Nasonex in the bathroom so I can make it part of my resiviour filling ritual.

I still sneeze a lot from dust and pollen allergies throughout the day, but my sinuses have been clear enough each night to use the Swift FX mask. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the morning ritual idea. My evening ritual takes too long and I usually forget something and have to keep getting out of bed. I need to post a list in the bathroom. But adding some morning rituals would make bedtime less trouble.

[Kantou]

I USE FLONASE AND HAS HELPED ME TREMEDOUSLY....I USED TO BE PLUGGED UP AT NIGHT ALL THE TIME!!!!

[howkim]

Howkim, can you tell me your daily routine for these meds? I take them too as well as Advair inhaler before bed. Thanks.

Hi, Dori,

Actually, right now, I'm not using any of them, though I've used them all (except for Astepro, but including Advair) in the past. I was just hoping to provide information about them. Reading in between the lines, I was seeing that folks didn't seem to realize that the nasal steroids, for example, were really the same class of drug.

Once upon a time, I worked for Pfizer, and was on the Zyrtec development team. (Did you know that it took 11 years after submitting the application to FDA for it to be approved?) I have an interest in this kind of information.

[Babette]

Flonase.

Twice a day, with Advair diskus.

Works for me.
B.

[manas]

My doctor told me to do a Nasal Rinse before the Flonase. She said 20 mins, maybe you can do Flonase 5 mins later. Maybe this additional rinse will clean up the sinuses before the Flonase does its deed.