Anyone else had to deal with "afrin addiction"?

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lokiju

lokiju

Lifer
May 29, 2003
18,526
5
0
So I've had a crazy long cold for the past two weeks that I just can't kick and was sick and tired of not being able to breath out of my nose all the time. So last Sunday when I was at the grocery store I saw some Afrin and decided to give it a try as I was desperate for relief.

I took it for the first time Sunday evening and was blown away at how dramitically it helped me and I'd re-apply every 12 hours as it said in big print on the box it was 12 hour acting.

With yesterday being my 4th day using the stuff I decided I should probably read the fine print and see if there was a point and time that I was supposed to discontinue use and shat myself when I saw it said not to use it for more than 3 days, so I stopped after reading that and haven't re-applied since yesterday evening, which wore off around 4AM this morning.

I woke up not being able to breath at all out of my nose, not even a little, worst stuffed nose I've ever had in my life! I figured after a nice hot shower and blowing my nose a bit that I'd be a little better off, but nope! It's now 3:30pm and it's just as bad as it was at 4AM this morning, it was so bad at 4AM that I was never able to even get back to sleep and have been up ever since.

I decided I should Google it up and see whats up and holy shit this stuff is a real problem! Seem basically it causes your sinuses to swell after stopping use to the point of closure and doesn't let up for anywhere from 12 hours to a week! FUCK!

So let it be a lesson to everyone else, no matter how great the stuff works, the aftereffects is just not work it, not even by a long shot.

Never again will I use this crap.
 
C

chusteczka

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2006
3,399
3
71
Nasal sprays and decongestants are highly addictive. Most things that involve the nose are highly addictive; scratching, picking, blowing, ...
 
zephyrprime

zephyrprime

Diamond Member
Feb 18, 2001
7,512
2
81
I have a weird problem where my nose is congested all the time. Even in winter. I use afrin a lot and stopping use of it does not cause my nose to congest more than it normally does. But that may be because it normally is congested.
 
ahenkel

ahenkel

Diamond Member
Jan 11, 2009
5,357
3
81
I've been trying to kick an Afrin addiction. I've been using it for the past year. It's not like I'm getting high off it. I just enjoy breathing and breathing well.
 
xanis

xanis

Lifer
Sep 11, 2005
17,571
8
0
Happened to me not too long ago. It really sucked when I stopped using it, but I sucked it up and took a hit on sleep for a little while and now I'm back to normal.
 
techs

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
0
I did have an "addiction" to it, if you mean that if I didn't keep using it my nostrils would completely close up.
I had been using it for about 3 weeks and couldn't stop. I went to an ENT who told me I had the "rebound effect" He treated me with injections up my nostrils (completely painless) of steroids and it cleared up in a few days.
 
I Saw OJ

I Saw OJ

Diamond Member
Dec 13, 2004
4,923
2
76
Had the same problem last year. Took 4-5 days after the Afrin ran out before my nose went back to normal. No amount of blowing my nose helped.
 
highland145

highland145

Lifer
Oct 12, 2009
43,973
6,336
136
Alternative next time? I've been using saline nasal spray for the last several years. If I sneeze, sniffle, etc, the nose gets a spray. Multiple times a day if needed. I believe the saline kills bacteria/germs. Either way, my colds are significantly shorter.
 
CallMeJoe

CallMeJoe

Diamond Member
Jul 30, 2004
6,938
5
81
highland145 said:
Alternative next time? I've been using saline nasal spray for the last several years. If I sneeze, sniffle, etc, the nose gets a spray. Multiple times a day if needed. I believe the saline kills bacteria/germs. Either way, my colds are significantly shorter.
Click to expand...

There was an earlier mention of decongestant rebound. Saline nasal sprays are good for getting yourself off the afrin.
 
A

apac

Diamond Member
Apr 12, 2003
6,212
0
71
All you get is a couple days of withdrawl symptoms (stuffy nose) after taking it for over a week. I wouldn't worry about it. I'll gladly trade being able to breath while feeling sick for a couple stuffy nose days afterward.
 
shiner

shiner

Lifer
Jul 18, 2000
17,112
1
0
0.jpg
 
S

StevenYoo

Diamond Member
Jul 4, 2001
8,628
0
0
Your doctor will have seen this problem pretty often. He/She will probably prescribe a short course of corticosteroids (prednisone) to keep your airway clear as you come off the afrin.

You can also quit cold turkey. You'll be blocked up for about a day or so, but you'll open up eventually as your body gets used to not having the afrin anymore
 
SlitheryDee

SlitheryDee

Lifer
Feb 2, 2005
17,252
19
81
Yeah, I have. I used it for several months a couple of years ago and it was pretty hard to quit. The first two nights were hell, but it got better. I still use afrin on occasion, but I'm more careful about not using it on consecutive days.

Breathe-right nasal strips helped me greatly at bedtime.
 
J

JS80

Lifer
Oct 24, 2005
26,271
7
81
I went through this too. Took a couple days of cold turkey to go away. I don't think the trade off is worth it. Will not use again.
 
techs

techs

Lifer
Sep 26, 2000
28,559
4
0
StevenYoo said:
Your doctor will have seen this problem pretty often. He/She will probably prescribe a short course of corticosteroids (prednisone) to keep your airway clear as you come off the afrin.

You can also quit cold turkey. You'll be blocked up for about a day or so, but you'll open up eventually as your body gets used to not having the afrin anymore
Click to expand...

The direct injections are far better than the systemic steriods, btw.
 
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