i am currently 33 weeks and a few days and need sleep! Humidifiers can provide allergy relief by introducing more moisture into the air and easing irritation and inflammation of the mucous membranes. Oxymetazoline is a decongestant that shrinks blood vessels in the nasal passages. I was just given some Rhinocort. As cold and flu season begins, you may be interested in using this OTC remedy. Many people are unaware that they have allergies so I am working to help change what we consider allergies as well as when and how to treat them. Learn more about our editorial and medical review policies. Learn the signs of inner ear infection and when to see a doctor. Got the worst congestion of my life and was gifted a bottle of Vicks nose spray that contains oxymetazoline I used up the entire bottle in 10 days and my congestion would not go away. I'm 31 weeks pregnant, i tried everything that could help me breath but just only afrin (oxymetazoline) spray can. There are people who have been misusing/abusing Afrin nose spray or other nasal decongestants for months or even years. The category that can lead to worsening problems is called a decongestant, and this includes Afrin. We strive to provide you with a high quality community experience. Rebound congestion is a very real side effect of using nasal spray too frequently. If you are addicted to nasal sprays, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Read more: Overview of nasal and oral corticosteroids for allergies . Drugs, supplements, and natural remedies may have dangerous side effects. Drugs in pregnancy and lactation: A reference guide to fetal and neonatal risk. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. like Sudafed (pseudoephedrine) or Sudafed PE (phenylephrine) can help relieve inflammation and congestion in the nose after stopping a decongestant spray. Thank you so much for sharing your story Charlotte and writing such an informative hub as well. Saddle nose deformity is when the nose bridge collapses due to thinning of the bone or cartilage in the septum. Research suggests that the best way to stop overusing nasal decongestant spray is to switch to a nasal steroid spray. Ive used it during my pregnancies too. There is an irritant in most salines that aggravates your nose, and they take that out. think twice before sharing personal details, foster a friendly and supportive environment, remove fake accounts, spam and misinformation, delete posts that violate our community guidelines, reviewed by our medical review board and team of experts. About six months after stopping a medication like Afrin nose spray, most people no longer have a tolerance to it. Oxymetazoline is a medication in nasal sprays (sprayed into nostrils) and topical preparations (applied to skin). Once you stop, it should resolve itself in 1-2 weeks. Identical twins are the same in so many ways, but does that include having the same fingerprints? As the active ingredient is lessened, so is the rebound. I am down to two pills and hopefully in 8 days I am totally off. Parents must raise them to be the best version of themselves that they can be. Afrin is a potent decongestant, but its power is hindered by the fact that oxymetazoline can cause rhinitis medicamentosa, more commonly known as rebound nasal congestion. Jan 17, 2023. https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/allergies/expert-answers/nasal-spray-addiction/faq-20058247 [Accessed November 2021], MotherToBaby. can help thin and loosen mucus to reduce nasal congestion. Oxymetazoline works almost immediately, and the medication's full effect is reached in 5-10 minutes. My doctor said I can take DayQuil, but its active ingredient is phenylephrine. Inner ear infections can be particularly bothersome because they affect your balance. I use Rhinocort spray during pregnancy and it is safe. Rebound congestion is increasing nasal congestion as the decongestant nasal spray wears off, causing the patient to use more spray to combat the continued congestion, explains Susan Besser, MD, a primary care provider specializing in family medicine at, in Baltimore. Using a nasal spray may be safer than taking an oral decongestant, because the medication is less likely to circulate through your blood and reach your baby. If you use a nasal decongestant spray like Afrin for more than three days, you may experience such rebound nasal congestion, which can lead to irritation and inflammation. I have been using afrin (oxymetazoline) for the past month and i'm 15 weeks pregnant. I could not sleep well at all. ). In other words, it becomes a vicious cycle. What are the risks to my pregnancy if I use Afrin while pregnant. The Neti Pot works by flushing a saline solution through the nasal passageways, thinning the mucus so that it can be removed with the solution. Colds and allergy. Please specify a reason for deleting this reply from the community. A first-line medication for allergies during pregnancy would have the most research showing two things: that the drug is effective and that it does not cause birth defects when used during pregnancy. Pseudoephedrine Pregnancy and Breastfeeding Warnings. Is it okay for a pregnant women to take afrin (oxymetazoline) nose spray? Note: Many women have a stuffy nose during pregnancy that's not related to a cold or allergies. Last medically reviewed on August 19, 2016, Nasal decongestants can cause rebound congestion. Sort of the same as a neti pot, but easier to manage. Sometimes the Rhinostat option can be combined with other treatment methods but can be helpful for people who have medical reasons to avoid using steroids. thank you. Physicians have completely different training from nurses or nurse practitioners. All rights reserved. but my dr also knows and has never said anything! Afrin isnt the only culprit of rebound nasal congestion. So, the patient continually feels a need to use the spray to combat the continued congestion. I have already shared some doctor-approved tips for using Afrin, but lets be honest, many people still use it incorrectly. Why was it so hard to quit? The rebound ensures Afrin manufacturers of more sales. Charlotte Doyle (author) from Texas on March 29, 2018: Glenn Stok from Long Island, NY on March 28, 2018: Excellent article Charlotte. Doctors typically provide answers within 24 hours. I couldn't breathe well at all! She's a perfectly normal kid, no problems at all. But after ditching the Afrin and using the steroid and saline sprays, I can already feel a huge difference in just one day. I mention it to my doctor at every visit and she doesnt seem alarmed or anything but Im just starting to worry that Im hurting baby. (oxymetazoline) is a nasal decongestant spray used to relieve a stuffy nose and sinus pressure. The part about how to wean oneself off it is very helpful too. National Institute of Health. I was no longer getting a full dose of oxymetazoline with each spray, and over time, the rebound effect went away. I have even seen ENT doctors recommend it for very limited use, she says. I'm addicted to Afrin (so pathetic I know!) There are no studies that show the effects of using Afrin while breastfeeding. Anyone have a similar experience? Your post clarified it for me. Being a pregnant addict was the most heart-wrenching experience of my life. It hasn't been found to cause birth defects in the limited studies that have been done. If the problem is allergies, topical nasal steroids (Flonase and Nasacort) reduce allergic inflammation over a couple days, Dr. Gels says. Is afrin (oxymetazoline) safe in pregnancy? Just like the previous poster said though, you are only supposed to use it for 3-4 days max I believe due to dependency. Can you give me an idea how to dilute and what I should use to wean myself off I would appreciate any help you can give me. 2021. Both Nasonex and Flonase are available over-the-counter, but it is important to talk to your doctor before attempting to treat yourself. Children are born who they are meant to be. There may be interactions or consequences that happen when medications are mixed together. This may have contributed to my dependency on Afrin. Learn how to get benzonatate at a lower price, or find cheaper alternatives. So frustrating! eta: my midwives said it was fine as well. and my water broke that night. During the second stage, the scores of nasal congestion in the group using both mometasone furoate and oxymetazoline went down. In short, this occurs when the medication squeezes blood from your nasal tissues. These are available over the counter. Afrin isnt the only culprit of rebound nasal congestion. Or anyone out there thats used afrin while pregnant and had a healthy baby! (n.d.). Afrin (oxymetazoline) is used as a decongestant. Afrin (oxymetazoline) is a nasal decongestant spray used to relieve a stuffy nose and sinus pressure. I'm wierd about things & refuse to spray anything up my nose. http://www.drugs.com/pregnancy/pseudoephedrine.html [Accessed November 2021], Erebara A, et al. Afrin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. We believe you should always know the source of the information you're seeing. In D. L. Krinsky, S. P. Fereri, B. We'll tell you if it's safe. Afrin would likely not be your doctors first choice to treat your allergies during pregnancy. Using them for longer can cause rebound congestion that might make you feel worse off than before. Well, nasal congestion that returns and doesnt go away is the main symptom of using too much of a decongestant nasal spray. I fully intended on starting today things didnt go as planned.. A Group Leader is a What to Expect community member who has been selected by our staff to help maintain a positive, supportive tone within a group. I remember my mom would give nose drops to my brother and me every night, and it was just part of our bedtime ritual: nose drops, some Vicks Vapor Rub, a prayer, and good night. Everything was fine. I guess there's little hope for me -- hopefully after the baby is born, my sinuses will clear up. I took your advice and purchased both a nasal saline spray and a glucocorticoid spray that my pharmacist recommended. Afrin is considered a "chemical tourniquet." Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. I tried to stay sober, but I couldn't live completely clean. Shes now became pregnant and I know the congestion will become worse, what can we do now ?? In effect, this leads to dependency on the medication to control the symptoms., In other words, it becomes a vicious cycle. Anyway, my 10 year old was born during these years and I used it 4-6 times per day every single day from conception through. Studies showthat relapse is very rare. We avoid using tertiary references. Help. But you should beware of the side effects of using it too often. All together, the nasal spray market is worth a whopping $210 million a year. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The best way to break an Afrin addiction, according to Dr. Besser, is to stop taking the medication cold turkey. However, there is no proof that Afrin causes chemical dependency or that it causes a high. The best way to break an Afrin addiction, according to Dr. Besser, is to stop taking the medication cold turkey. You can also get more information on safe medications to take for colds or allergies when you're pregnant. Pregnant and got accidentally addicted to afrin .. Pregnancy Hi everyone, I'm 24 weeks pregnant and had covid on the 28th of January . I was awaresomewhere in the back of my mindthat I wasn't supposed to be using Afrin for an extended period of time, but I did anyway. Mazzotta, P., Loebstein, R., & Koren, G. (1999). You can easily overmedicate in an attempt to get rid of your symptoms. I remember leaving on a trip to the beach and going into a panic when I realized I had forgotten my Afrin at home. After a few days of use, the nasal spray will relieve your congestion for shorter and shorter periods of time, causing a rebound effect. Best of luck to you. This article is not medical advice. Now, I only use one spray in each nostril at night around 9 PM. Healthline Media does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. I will be adding many more posts to highlight parenting and healthcare tips, so be sure to consider subscribing to my podcast or to my blogto avoid missing a post! Decongestants often do not have any side effects, and if they do, they are usually really mild. Gradually decrease the Afrin from the number of sprays you use daily down to one - and then none. Therefore, their activation leads to muscle contractions that constrict the blood vessels. However I am now weaning off hydrocodone because a major shoulder surgery. If you have recurrent nasal congestion, you may need an ENT evaluation to determine if there is a structural problem, possibly combined with mild allergies. Pregnancy week by week; Is it safe to take Claritin or other allergy medications during pregnancy? Warnings ugh not being able to breathe at night is just the worst!!!! As an adult, I found a different version of nose drops in the form of Afrin. Some severe cases need a few days of oral steroids while then beginning a nasal steroid spray. Please select a reason for escalating this post to the WTE moderators: Connect with our community members by starting a discussion. Connect with a U.S. board-certified doctor by text or video anytime, anywhere. It sounds like the Afrin is not working because another problem needs to be diagnosed and treated. Rebound congestion is when your nasal congestion comes back or gets worse. According to. Benzonatate costs $46 without insurance. I never had any issues with allergies or congestion.. but on some night my nose would clog up and I started using a walmart brand of nasal decongestant.. needless to say I got hooked and started to use this product Every Night! Septal perforation is when the cartilage membrane that divides the nostrils develops small holes. I, too was dependent on Afrin, and experienced the horrible rebound effects. A. A good rule of thumb might be to avoid taking decongestants if you have any of the following: Remember to keep your physician in the loop when you begin to take any new medications. He explains that oxymetazoline (the active ingredient in Afrin) actually works by mimicking adrenaline in your nose. But two ingredients sometimes found in nasal sprays pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine aren't recommended during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. When creating and updating content, we rely on credible sources: respected health organizations, professional groups of doctors and other experts, and published studies in peer-reviewed journals. NeilMed makes a great one that looks like of like a squirt bottle, I even use their pediatric one on my boys. Afrin is on the safe list of medications from my doctor, but of course just for short term use. AFRIN ORIGINAL - oxymetalozine hydrochloride spray. 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