stuffy AND runny nose for weeks

[lurkingfromhome]

I am quite prone to sneezing and having a runny nose as I have a dust allergy but I can keep it under control with one-a-day antihistamines. For weeks now, though, I've had a runny nose that I don't think is anything to do with the allergy and although runny, it's also stuffy, so I'm going through this endless cycle of blowing my nose constantly plus taking a decongestant nasal spray just to be able to breathe. I thought at first I was in the early stages of a cold but whatever it is is just lingering around getting no worse and no better. Literally all day every day it's a tiresome round of sniffing, blowing my nose, spraying nasal spray then starting all over again. No sinus pain, no green mucus, no other cold symptoms. Just this, but I don't think it's the allergy. What can I get at the chemist that will knock it on the head?

I am not a doctor but it sounds like you need to see your GP- non urgently. Stuffed up noses are such a nuisance so you have my sympathy. I know from my ENT specialist that you are not supposed to use decongestant nasal sprays for more than a few days at a time because they can make things worse if used longer term as the body gets used to it and the nasal membranes can swell up more to overcome the decongestant! I was given a steroid nasal spray to reduce the swelling and when that did not help much ( because I did have a sinus problem and nasal polyps) sent to ENT. Corticosteroid sprays work differently to decongestants and take several days to calm down swollen membranes, so it could be a few days before life improves. Your GP will need to prescribe them.

I agree with maggiso. Most likely explanation is that the nasal mucosa has become dependent on the decongestant spray. I would continue with your antihistamines, stop the spray entirely and book a GP appointment for around Monday/Tuesday next week. Things will get worse before they get better if the spray is the problem. It will take 3-7 days for the sprays effect anto wear off an the blood vessels in the nose to reacclimatise. If improving by then, I would cancel the GP appointment.

This is very helpful indeed, thank you both. I will stop the decongestant right now and see how things are looking in a day or two. I'm aware that you shouldn't use them for more than a few days but OF COURSE chose to completely disregard that, so no one but myself to blame. Thank you!