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Addicted to sudafed nasal spray

25 replies

jesuistot · 29/12/2021 21:29

Used it during a bad cold and couldn’t believe how well it cleared my nose, however since then if I don’t use it I’m completely bunged up.

I also feel weirdly dizzy lightheaded and anxious when I use it now.

Has anyone experienced this?

OP posts:
CactusFlowers · 29/12/2021 21:31

It’s rebound congestion and the reason the box says to use for only a few days. Try a saline spray instead? Might take a few days to settle down again.

CactusFlowers · 29/12/2021 21:32

If that doesn’t help the gp might prescribe a steroid spray.

Raspberrysins · 29/12/2021 21:37

I had this with vicks nasal spray. I had to take it everywhere with me and I couldn’t sleep without it. The only way is to gradually wean yourself off. I remember doing it one nostril at a time! The first couple of nights were hard but quick got better. Good luck!

Itsabeautifuldaytosavelives · 29/12/2021 21:40

I’ve also had this. I gradually weaned myself off it too. The calpol vapour plug in helped to ease my congestion overnight. I very rarely use them anymore in case it happens again!

jesuistot · 30/12/2021 10:58

Thanks everyone, going to try and wean off it!

OP posts:
teaandtoastwithmarmite · 30/12/2021 11:09

I was using it quite a bit when I had Covid as I was so blocked up and it started to make me feel sick.

jesuistot · 30/12/2021 11:49

Yep I’ve been feeling really sick and only made the connection the other day!

OP posts:
Agadorsparticus · 30/12/2021 11:52

Good luck OP. My sinuses are still damaged from years of sudafed use. They are always 50-100% blocked. I need to see a specialist to see what can be done.

Omicrone · 30/12/2021 11:55

Yes, this is a thing. It's great stuff for very short term use but you can get addicted to it and get a blocked nose if you don't use it! I think the only option is just to stop using it and suffer the blocked nose for a while.

lullaby28 · 18/05/2023 12:07

Hello @Agadorsparticus - what was your outcome please? I'm in a similar situation!

flowerexpress · 18/05/2023 12:32

I also have this and the rebound congestion. I get very anxious if I can't breathe through my nose now. I have had to wean myself off it but I couldn't manage to go straight to saline spray alone. I tried just doing one nostril to let the rebound congestion in one subside before switching to the other but couldn't manage that either. In the end I bought some empty spray bottles and mixed saline nasal spray in them with decreasing amounts of the decongestant and that worked. I agree discussing it with a doctor is a good idea too to be sure. I still have a bit of trouble if I get a cold and end up using it again and then have to go back on the saline/decongestant mix to wean myself off again but other than that it's helped me and before my latest cold I was on saline alone and far less often x

flowerexpress · 18/05/2023 12:33

I'm no medical professional by the way - this was just a suggestion I found and tried after some online research so please take my suggestion with a pinch of salt and see your doc etc x

Agadorsparticus · 19/05/2023 07:51

The ENT consultant said I had to lose weight and stop drinking alcohol and prescribed me a 3rd steroid spray. That was a year ago, I've been on steroid sprays and daily antihistamines for 7yrs, my GP finally questioned this and has referred me back to ENT and now I can't get an appt.

It's so frustrating. Constant blocked nose with various degrees of blockedness, at present its about 60%. It's not snotty just tissue swelling. Terrible snoring as I can't breathe at night.

cushioncovers · 19/05/2023 07:53

I had this when I used it for a whole summer when I had bad hay fever. The pharmacist told me off when I explained what symptoms I was having as you're only supposed to use it for about 3 days continuously. I had to go cold turkey and eventually the rebound congestion stopped but it took a few weeks for me.

lullaby28 · 19/05/2023 08:07

Thank you everyone for your responses. I was addicted when younger and had an operation on my nose to widen the passages. I was never the same but I could at least breathe in the day.

Now I'm addicted again 10 years later because I had an awful cold and used and never stopped (oops). I'm pregnant now so I think I have to go cold turkey, which is going to be soooo hard! Im scared too much damage has been done to reverse it :-(

lullaby28 · 19/05/2023 08:09

@Agadorsparticus I feel you. It's so annoying to have to live with a constant blocked nose. It does my head in :-(

discan · 19/05/2023 08:19

I have suffered for years.

Sometimes I can wean myself off one nostril at a time and I have a prescription steroid spray to use each day but when I'm not using the 'bad' spray I suffer from such awful sinus pain and headaches about 3 times a week. At the moment I have been using the bad spray for months again but I have only had a couple of sinus issues so I'm loathe to stop it again anyway Sad

lullaby28 · 19/05/2023 08:44

@discan do you find the steroid spray works? It did nothing for me, but maybe I didn't persevere for long enough!

andymary · 19/05/2023 09:25

This happened to me last year for about 3 months.
I took it once, it worked miracles, then I kept on using it. When I didn't use it I would get so bunged up. I thought there was just a lot of pollen around or something, but nope, my body got addicted to it and turned to be reliant on it.

I just had to go cold turkey one day and stop using it altogether. I was really bunged up after stopping it, but luckily it only lasted about 3 days and then my body naturally started doing its thing again and clearing the congestion by itself.

discan · 19/05/2023 09:32

lullaby28 · 19/05/2023 08:44

@discan do you find the steroid spray works? It did nothing for me, but maybe I didn't persevere for long enough!

Im not at all sure now I think about it tbh. I use it every night but Im also using Sudafed and when I'm not I get bothered by my sinuses but not a blacked nose. Neither is ideal Sad

I have steadily used the steroid spray for a couple of years now, maybe I should take a break from it to see if it actually does help!

MaybeWednesday · 19/05/2023 11:48

Bloody hell! Who knew? Everyone should be told about this!!

How awful. Sympathies going out to anyone suffering withdrawal.

I am absolutely gobsmacked at this thread. Why isn't this on HUGE letters on the box?

EggbertHeartsTina · 19/05/2023 12:17

Same happened to me summer 2012 when I first developed Hayfever. Had to wean off one nostril at a time like PPs. It did work but then I'd only been using it a few weeks. Otrivine has the same rebound risk and probably others.

lullaby28 · 19/05/2023 12:59

Isn't it awful @MaybeWednesday!! These big companies profiting on what they know is causing addiction and health concerns.

I wish I was told. The 'use for 3 days only' is very small and not as bold as it should be

NoNotHimTheOtherOne · 19/05/2023 14:11

Otrivine has the same rebound risk and probably others.

Otrivine and Sudafed blocked nose spray both contain the same drug (xylometazoline). Most own-brand decongestant sprays contain oxymetazoline, which acts in the same way. They are all agonists (activators) of α1 adrenoceptors, which are usually activated by the hormone adrenaline and the neurotransmitter noradrenaline. Short-term, they constrict the blood vessels in the nasal mucosa, reducing blood flow through and leakage of fluid out of the vessels. This reduces swelling (congestion) and allows easier passage of air. Long term, any receptor agonist will cause down-regulation of its receptors so they become less responsive to the endogenous hormone/transmitter. So when you stop using the drug it takes time for the receptors to recover their sensitivity and you get a rebound effect (in this case, dilation of the blood vessels and increased congestion).

When the drug companies apply for a product licence, all of these kinds of details have to be submitted and are taken into account. Companies will submit applications for decongestant products to be licensed for up to a certain number of days (between 3 and 7), which is the usual duration of a cold. If they can show that their product doesn't cause significant rebound effects if it is only used for this length of time, the licence will be granted subject to patients' being advised that they shouldn't use it for longer. See, for example the Sudafed patient information leaflet at https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1722/pil.

Trouble is, of course, that most patients don't read the patient information leaflet. And when pharmacists ask if you've used the product before and you say yes, they don't repeat the advice. And each spray contains far more doses than are required for the recommended maximum period of use.

There is - in my opinion - quite a major problem with drugs being sold over-the-counter or off-the-shelf without much more prominent warnings. People will, not unreasonably, assume that if it's sold in supermarkets it must be safe and they don't need to read the information leaflet. But no drug is completely safe. None. Not one. All drugs will cause significant adverse effects in some people, and some drugs may cause dependence that makes it difficult to stop taking them. But if you asked most whether a product they bought in Asda contains drugs, I think most people would say no. And even if they are aware it contains drugs they won't know what they are. If I asked you if you've ever taken phenyephrine (another α1 agonist), for example, you would probably say no. But phenylephrine is in Lem-Sip and most off-the-shelf cold & flu remedies.

If the advice not to use decongestant nasal sprays for more than 3, 5 or 7 days (depending on drug & formulation) were printed in bigger letters on the box, would people take any notice? I don't think most people would. Again, it didn't require a prescription or answering any probing questions so how much harm will people think it can do? Labels on alcoholic drinks all have prominent warnings on how much to consume. Do people take any notice of these?

Sudafed Blocked Nose Spray - Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) - (emc)

Sudafed Blocked Nose Spray - Patient Information Leaflet (PIL) by McNeil Products Ltd

https://www.medicines.org.uk/emc/product/1722/pil

lullaby28 · 01/06/2023 08:28

Thanks for the advice! I went completely cold turkey and finally breathing in the day again. Blocked in one nostril at night but I can live with that.

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