I’m addicted to Afrin Nasal Spray

danclear wrote:

Ask your doctor for a prescription of Flonase. Tell him you used it in the past and it works well for you. Dont tell him about your addiction to Afrin.

Under no circumstance should you lie to your doctor. Lying to your doctor can be very dangerous, and he/she can only help you if he/she has all the information. Flonase may have worked well for one person, but that doesn't mean it will work for everyone. In fact, some people may have certain conditions or be on certain other medications that contraindicate Flonase. This is why you should never expect to go to your doctor and just place an order for whatever drug you want. If you give your doctor all the information you can, he/she will be able to decide what is best for you as an individual.

I too was addicted to Afrin for about 2 years. It was not as bad as some of these posts, I would go through a bottle a month while I was in college. I would get paid at the end of the month and go buy a new bottle. I have broken my habit of it but now only use it when I get congestion from a cold. When the other symptoms fade I stop using it and endure not sleeping for a night just to break its hold over me. But after reading the post on diluting it I might try that this next time. Thank you for the advice.

I've been addicted to Afrin for 22 years after having a turbinate crush done in surgery. I used it only at night and then when I have colds. Unfortunately, I've not been able to get off of it in spite of the multitude of nasal sprays, shots, strips, etc, that have been tried.

I now find I have no choice. I was diagnosed with atrophic rhinitis recently with a direct correlation to the Afrin AND the steroid sprays they've had me on. I MUST quit or I will face surgery on my nose.

Afrin is bad news!! Yes, it works great after nasal/sinus surgeries and when those notorious respiratory bugs hit. But it's as bad as any street drug for messing you up.

Thank you for the diluted Afrin advice! I'm trying it out now. Just to clarify, I can only dilute it with Saline Solution or is water okay, too? If any one knows, kindly help me. (saline solution makes me cough when it drips to my throat/mouth area.

So can I do the Afrin-dilution method with plain H2o?

Thanks!

Your Question
Addicted to Nasal Spray (afrin)?
I have been addicted to nasal spray for 7 years now. i can only use the afrin brand because the generic brands just dont work. Finally i went to see a ENT. They told me that it was going to be $210 to get this shot that should help so i paid for it. He also gave me a prescription that he wanted me to get filled if it did not work. A couple of days went by and it did not help. So i got the prescription filled (which cost $4 at the Target pharmacy) it is called PredniSONE tablets. Its like the first day you take 6 pills then the second day five and so on til you are down to one. I usually would use a bottle of Afrin every 2 days. the first day on the medicine i was down to 2 sprays in each nostril during the day and 1 each in the middle of the night (compared to the 10 in each during the day and the 5 in each in the night) the second day 1 during the day and none at night I am on day 3 and I have not had any Afrin today. I was so excited I just wanted to get on and let people know there is a way to get off a $4 prescription and that is all. It feels so good to not have to worry about not being able to breathe and worrying about where is my nasal spray and do i have enough to last me through the night! It is worth a trip to the doctors dont be ashamed there are millions of people all over that are addicted and the docs hear it all the time. go and tell them you want that exact prescription...It Works!!! Did this help i guess is the question???

Agough wrote:

danclear wrote: Ask your doctor for a prescription of Flonase. Tell him you used it in the past and it works well for you. Dont tell him about your addiction to Afrin. Under no circumstance should you lie to your doctor. Flonase may have worked well for one person, but that doesn't mean it will work for everyone. In fact, some people may have certain conditions or be on certain other medications that contraindicate Flonase. This is why you should never expect to go to your doctor and just place an order for whatever drug you want. If you give your doctor all the information you can, he/she will be able to decide what is best for you as an individual.

Actually, sometimes it's okay to lie to your doctor depending on the situation. I think it's fine if she doesn't tell the doctor about the Afrin. I have really bad asthma and a few weeks ago I was taken to the hospital in an ambulance for an asthma attack. When I got to the hospital, the doctor took my history, as usually do, they always ask about mental history. I have a diagnosis of PTSD. Anyway, I told the doctor this, he immediately assumed I was having a panic attack, and not an asthma attack. I needed medicine for my asthma and was sitting there not able to breath, but they didn't give it to me because the doctor decided to not bother to listen to everything else I had to say - let alone the fact that my regular doctor was also affiliated with that hospital and they could have just looked into the records to see my asthma history. Anyway, my husband has to go get the supervising doctor to explain the fact that I wasn't having a panic attack, and I indeed did have very bad asthma and that I needed medicine quick. This doctor came over, listened to my lungs, knew immediately I WAS having an asthma attack, and gave me the medicine to help me breath.

Anyway, long story short, I almost died, basically because I was honest with the doctor and he just decided to focus on the PTSD even though it had nothing to do with my visit...he didn't even listen to what else I had to say after I mentioned PTSD. Needless to say, from now on whenever I go to the doctor/hospital, I will never disclose any mental health info because apparently it will make the doctors not want to listen to what else you have to say, they assume you are crazy and then leave you there to die. So I do recommend lying if you must. There are certain circumstances where it's okay. But trust your own judgment.

Also, just note, the word "addiction" is also a facet of mental health, so if some doctors hear the word "addiction" or that you are an "addict" they will completely shut down and stigmatize you to the point where you might as well leave and start over again. I've been turned away from doctors who have said, "you need to stop using that before I can help you with anything - go to rehab" - or something along those lines, and then they kick you to the curb. So, again, use your judgment...but I just wanted to throw that out there because doctor's are people too, and they do mess up (big time, sometimes) so putting your blind trust in them can sometimes be detrimental as well. I guess it all depends on how much you trust them.

I was also addicted to afrin and was given Predizone by a Dr. (take 6, then 5, then 4, etc). PLEASE be careful before you take this drug.

I took the six pills the first day and not only suffered a terrible stomach ache, but was STARVING for three days. I gained 5 lbs that I still haven't lost. It was WAY more miserable than being on Afrin or even the sleepless night to get off of it.

I looked up the side effects of Predizone and almost fainted. They were AWFUL. I was so mad at my doctor for not telling me about them, even thought I asked if there were side effects.

So I would try ANY other method of breaking the addiction other than Predizone. That stuff is WORSE than Afrin; at least it was for me.

edited by moderator

Guest wrote:

I was also addicted to afrin and was given Predizone by a Dr. (take 6, then 5, then 4, etc). PLEASE be careful before you take this drug. I took the six pills the first day and not only suffered a terrible stomach ache, but was STARVING for three days. I gained 5 lbs that I still haven't lost. It was WAY more miserable than being on Afrin or even the sleepless night to get off of it. I looked up the side effects of Predizone and almost fainted. They were AWFUL. I was so mad at my doctor for not telling me about them, even thought I asked if there were side effects. So I would try ANY other method of breaking the addiction other than Predizone. That stuff is WORSE than Afrin; at least it was for me. edited by moderator

I completely agree with this post. Prednisone can wreak all kinds of havok with your body. When I was a young teen I had a flat stomach. Then I "had" to take prednisone for athsma problems I was having, gained tons of weight, and 10 years later I still have some of the extra weight. It's like the prednisone destroyed my metabolism or something. Do not take prednisone, especially for something as relatively trivial as afrin addiction.

I had a dependency on nose spray for about a year. I would use 2 or 3 sprays in each side about every three hours or my nose would get totally stuffed, it got to the point where I wouldn't leave the house without it in my pocket or my bag.

About a month ago I was reading about some of the people who were on nose spray for 10 years and decided to kick the stuff. So that night I dumped the last of my nose spray, I actually cut open the bottle and rinsed out the residue because I knew I would be desperate later.

That night sucked intensely, I woke up in the middle of the night suffocating and actually started drinking hot sauce and eating wasabee to open my nose, it didn't work. I suffered through the night and when I woke up in the morning I started taking meds.

Weirdly enough the combo of medications I took worked really well, I could breathe through my nose about an hour later.
Anyhow I ended up taking 2 Ibuprofen, some of the Flonase spray, and a 24hr Clarinex-D and those things worked wonders for me, only took them for 2-3 days and i've been free from Nose spray ever since

Not sure if that will help anyone, not even positive which medication worked or why but this is just what I did.

-Lex

I provide a service discussing detailed instruction how to withdrawel from nose spray completely and with ease while breathing through the whole process.

Please visit my website at http:www.SprayFree4Me.com

It might change your life. I was addicted to nose spray too. I know what you are going through