Is it safe to use a nasal spray every night?

I use Drixine nasal spray a few minutes before bedtime
and find that it helps alot. And I don't wake up in the
middle of the night - which is very nice!
But, my question is, can I use this nasal spray every
night ? - according to the instructions a person may
use the spray for 5 days - ?
What do you do? and if I must stop after 5 days
how many days before I can start again ?

Hello! If you use if for many days/nights in a row, it can end up making your congestion worse--known as rebound congestion. (I start getting rebound congestion after using it for only one day. ) We don't have that exact product in the U.S., but we do have other brands with the same main ingredient. If you have a lot of trouble with congestion, you might want to talk with your doctor about trying a prescription steroid nasal spray, especially if your problem might be allergy-related. It takes a few weeks of everyday use for the steroid nasal sprays to start working well, but you can use them--and actually are supposed to use them--every day/night. My son uses one and couldn't sleep through the night without congestion if he didn't.

Pam

WearyOne wrote:If you use if for many days/nights in a row, it can end up making your congestion worse

................OH, MY ! ! !

WearyOne wrote:talk with your doctor about trying a prescription steroid nasal spray

................Thanx, Pam - I'll make an appointment to see my doctor.

If this is the same chemical that is in Aftin (oxymetazoline), it will work great to reduce congestion (swollen tissues) and dry up runniness. If you use it for more than the number of days shown on the box, you will create what's called rebound congestion meaning that as the effect wears off (8-12 hrs) worse congestion will occur.

I have a friend in this situation right now. She started using the spray because it worked for congestion she'd had for some time caused by allergies. Then, she kept on using it every day...that was 8 wks ago. 2 wks ago, she started doctors' visits because she can't breathe thru her nose except for a few hrs after she sprays. She's got the over-medicated nose syndrome (they have a fancy Latin name for it). So she's got nasal steroid spray and an antihistamine spray to use twice a day; she's supposed to go cold turkey with the Afrin and just mouth breathe. I suggested she quit spraying one nostril totally, then after it heals and is completely uncongested, stop spraying the other nostril -- this could take months to fully heal. That's what she doing now after she's seen her primary, had a CT scan, seen an ENT, been prescribed 2 new nasal sprays...all that cost & congestion & misery 'cause she wouldn't adhere to the directions on the box. Plus, she's got hypertension and should NOT have used Afrin in the first place.

Be careful!

I have chronic sinus issues, allergies, and congestion, so I use the nasal steroid, the antihistamine spray (and take a generic Claritin), and use saline irrigation for really bad days. I occasionally use Afrin BUT 1 spray only in one nostril and for only 3 days; after 3 days, if I am still congested, I switch to 1 spray in the other nostril for 3 days -- total of 6 days use. Then, I'm off it for at least several weeks.

Muse-Inc wrote:If this is the same chemical that is in Aftin (oxymetazoline

. . .Ja, Muse-Inc, it contains - Oxymetazoline HCI 0,5mg/ml

THANK YOU VERY MUCH, FRIENDS, FOR ALL THE INFORMATION.

I, also have mild chronic allergies and will now talk to my
doctor about a spray(s) that I can use every day.

Goodness gracious, one must be SO carefull !

(Where would I be if it wasn't for Cpaptalk.com and
it's very kind members)

I've tried most of the prescription nasal steroids (doc is nice with the free samples), and find Nasonex works best for me.

El Pap wrote:I've tried most of the prescription nasal steroids (doc is nice with the free samples), and find Nasonex works best for me.

Same here, Nasonex has the advantage of shinking polyups.

I was a nasal spray addict (Duration 12 hr) in high school, serious rebound congestion. It was so bad that I would often drip the spray in my nostrils and have to force it through my sinuses using my thumb to pump it in my nostrils. Road to recovery was long and difficult, sense of smell is greatly diminished. If you use OTC sprays like Afrin, Duration, etc. only use it in one nostril, when things clear up, take decongestants to get over the rebound congestion.

I. too have severe Nasal Congestion with Cpap Therapy due to allergies and a deviated septum. I find that doing the nasal Irrigation before Bed and upon arising and finding the proper Humidifier setting helps a lot with the Congestion. I try to stay away completely from Nasal Sprays.

I've wondered if one could avoid rebound congestion by only using the product once per day (before retiring.) That way it would wear off for hours before be used again.

jdm2857 wrote:I've wondered if one could avoid rebound congestion by only using the product once per day (before retiring.) That way it would wear off for hours before be used again.

I tried that, and it didn't work for me. Somewhere mid afternoon, my nose would get SO congested! I even tried the "in one nostril one night, the other nostril the next night" thing. That worked for a longer period of time, but still after about a week, it's horrible. That's when I went the steroid nose spray route. Could be, though, that it could work for someone else.

Pam

El Pap wrote:...Nasonex works best for me.

Me too!

jdm2857 wrote:...only using the product once per day (before retiring.) That way it would wear off for hours before be used again.

Pre-apnea, my ENT had me using 1 spray Afrin in each nostril at bedtime to enable me to breathe thru the night. I did OK with this for yrs wo rebound. 10 months after starting CPAP therapy, I started getting cardiac effects and rebound from using it if I'm not careful. I only use it with severe colds that prevent me from wearing my mask and then as I said earlier. I'm very cautious using this miracle elixir that bites back! I miss it...it really does work...20 seconds and shazamm, congestion begins to ease and within 60 is gone.

I was just thinking.......

I will see that I get the
right nasal spray and what about
some OLBAS oil ?

If I have a few drops of this oil
on a kleenex and put it close to
the humidifier - will it help ?