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Try some Suphedrine, the Equate brand at Walmart, it is a nasal decongestant, the kind you have to sign for, just ask for it at the pharmacy................I use that for a stuffy nose before I resort to the Afrin...................it may help enough to get you off the Afrin.
The name brand is Sudafed.
Both kinds are Pseudoephedrine Hydrochloride........the active ingrediant, you can get it at any drugstore. The store brands are just cheaper.
I have been hooked on Afrin for about 3 weeks and I know I needed to stop. The stuff is amazing, but should be banned because you use more and more until you are carrying around a bottle. My nose is currently locked shut, but I am going to have to ride this out. I was using so much and with the dry air, my nose had tons of dried blood in it. Anyone else hooked or have been hooked on this stuff? You can laugh, but it is as addicting as any other drug.
I completely understand...I was "hooked" on nasal decongestant spray for years.....the funny thing is that after a while it actually clogs your nasal passages more and this causes you to use more and more spray.....to be able to breathe.
I stopped the spray usage and used nasal decongestant/anti-histamine pills instead, until I could breathe in a more normal fashion....now I just need the pills occassionally....However I don't think it should be banned....there are far worse products and drugs on the market than Afrin nasal decongestant.
Laugh? That stuff is more addictive than smoking, drinking, or any narcotic I've tried. I used it for a day and it took 3 days for the unbearable stuffiness to subside. Won't touch it again!
You ain't lyin!
I was hooked on this junk for several months, it was awful...And the taste...ehhh. Disgusting.
I would wake up in the middle of the night to spray..
It's just a neverending circle once you begin.
i was once addicted to a nose drop. not sure how i managed to get off it. but i would like to suggest using either a neti pot with an iodine free salt or getting neilmed sinus rinse, which is better than the neti pot but used the same. also if you use distilled water you can put a capfull of hydrogen peroxide in the bottle. the peroxide burns some but it will open your nose. but it you need to use it with distilled water because it can cause a reaction with water that have chemicals in it. if that idea bothers you just use the neimed sinus rinse that comes with its own salt.
I have been hooked on Afrin for about 3 weeks and I know I needed to stop. The stuff is amazing, but should be banned because you use more and more until you are carrying around a bottle. My nose is currently locked shut, but I am going to have to ride this out. I was using so much and with the dry air, my nose had tons of dried blood in it. Anyone else hooked or have been hooked on this stuff? You can laugh, but it is as addicting as any other drug.
Have you been seen by an ENT? I was congested for years and finally in 2008 had it checked by a specialist. Turned out to be nasal polyps and the only cure was surgery. For sure not the most pleasant experience but it took care of the problem. I was also put on a non addicting steroid nasal spray (Veramyst) and use it everyday as a prevention against the return of polyps.
Go to youtube and type in sinus polyp surgery for more info. Also look for the gauze/packing removal that comes three days after surgery
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mattie Jo
i was once addicted to a nose drop. not sure how i managed to get off it. but i would like to suggest using either a neti pot with an iodine free salt or getting neilmed sinus rinse, which is better than the neti pot but used the same. also if you use distilled water you can put a capfull of hydrogen peroxide in the bottle. the peroxide burns some but it will open your nose. but it you need to use it with distilled water because it can cause a reaction with water that have chemicals in it. if that idea bothers you just use the neimed sinus rinse that comes with its own salt.
Agree. The Neilmed sinus rinse is great stuff. Don't fool with a neti pot. Get the squeeze bottle and the packets of pre-mixed solution. Once you get used to it you won't quit using it. And definitely use distilled water (heated 16 seconds in the microwave works for me). Tap water will set your nose on fire.
I had a mild addiction to Afrin a couple months ago, which is a bit of a misnomer because it's not actually physically addictive in the way heroin or nicotine is. However, the "withdrawal" symptoms following protracted usage (ie; rebound inflammation of the nasal passages) can be so uncomfortable that you can find yourself caught in a loop where use of product becomes necessary to keep your nasal passages open.
You just have to stop using it and put up with the couple days of hell. It's still a godsend if you're really fighting a cold and cant breath. Just have to put it away after a few days of usage.
A little update. I finally broke down and went back to the doctor after I gained yet another sinus infection. That has been three sinus infections since being on Afrin. Not sure exactly how it happened, but it did. When the doctor came in, I held out the bottle of Afrin and he looked at me and said, "You'd be surprised how much I see this." It has now been around 22 hours since my last Afrin spray because the doctor put me on steroid pills, Veramyst samples and a Z-pack antibiotics. So far...so good. My nose is not as "clear" as it should be, but it is not locked-up like it would be if I did it cold turkey. Hopefully it won't get back that way, knock on wood. I was using so much Afrin that it was burning my sinuses. Made them dry out. I hope this is the last time I have to go through this. It's not fun.
I used to one nostril method and I have had 2 nights of perfectly fine sleep without afrin. I cant believe it. I didn't say anything to my wife because I don't want to make it such a big focus but im so happy it seems to be working.
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