I know this thread is a little old but I wanted to give my feedback on this! I highly recommend 'withdrawing' from one nostril and only using ONE spray ONCE a day-probs at night so you can sleep! Exercise helps too, what a motivation, right? ;) I just did this and was off and breathing well through my nose in about one week. I did three days of only spraying once a day in my left nostril right before bed. I walked and bikes when I had free times do it cleared my sinuses for a short time. This whole situation sucks and the fact this is OTC is kinda crazy.. It can cause so much discomfort and damage. You can do it!!!
I'll save you the long story of my history with Afrin as its been similar to everyone else's.
I'm currently "detoxing" from it. I went from using it upwards of 6 times a day down to only right before bed and I plan on starting the "one nostril method" the next few nights.
My biggest suggestion: invest in therapeutic grade, 100% pure eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils. Mix then together. It's wonderful for helping me breathe during the day when I'm getting congested but don't want to use afrin. It's helped kick the habit. Put it in a diffuser, rub it on your hands and breathe in through your nose. If your desperate, rub it in your nostrils. Seriously, helps so much.
I'm currently "detoxing" from it. I went from using it upwards of 6 times a day down to only right before bed and I plan on starting the "one nostril method" the next few nights.
My biggest suggestion: invest in therapeutic grade, 100% pure eucalyptus and peppermint essential oils. Mix then together. It's wonderful for helping me breathe during the day when I'm getting congested but don't want to use afrin. It's helped kick the habit. Put it in a diffuser, rub it on your hands and breathe in through your nose. If your desperate, rub it in your nostrils. Seriously, helps so much.
JL, I just beat my afrin addiction not too long ago. I think it was somewhat simple and did not involve quiting cold turkey. I really hope this helps someone because i know the horrible feeling. First, i used afrin until the bottle was half way. Then i opened the bottle of afrin and refilled it with a saline solution called deep sea but im guessing any other could work. So then i used the mixed bottle untill i absolutly had too. Every 2 to 3 days i would open the afrin bottle again and refill with the saline solution again. After a few weeks im still using the afrin bottle but now there is no afrin in it, just saline solution.
Hi, I have been using decongestant nasal sprays for about 10 years. All of the stories above are very familiar.
I have previously tried to quit in the past a few times, but after about 5 days of constant suffering I gave up.
I am presently at day 3 of going cold turkey again.
This time however I told my doctor what I was doing. He suggested a 1 week course of oral prednisone while going cold turkey in addition he has given me some Brufen which is a slow release ibuprofen.
I can report that this helps considerably. I am experiencing about 40% of the congestion and only about 10% of the pain of my last attempts, this has been fairly consistent and manageable for the 3 days.
I am feeling positive that this time will be my time.
I hope my experience is of use to others.
Just wondering. .how did it work out for you?
I have gone cold turkey for 2 to 3 weeks and it never broke. I've been using it for over 30 years which has caused chronic sinusitis which effects my lungs. I've tried the steroids, no luck. I figure I'll be on this %$^& until I die.
My perconel excperience was with afrin and no matter what i did i could not quit it. After much thought i bought the sinus soothe nose spray and followed the instructions. It worked and after the five days i felt one off my nostrils opening up. and after ten days a complete new person. able to sleep throw the night is the best benefit as previous could not breath.
I feel like every story i read is mine been suffering with the afrin addiction for about 25 years thanks for all the ideas of breaking away from it. i'm going to try to break away from this.
I have been using Adrian since I was 18, so that means 29 years of this controlling my life. I went to an ENT for something unrelated and figured I would fess up using the Adrian twice a day for 29 years.
He gave me a prednisone 6 day pack and steroid prescription nasal spray. I have also Flonase and nasicort. I am not miserably stopped up but enough where I can't sleep.
How long does it take for you to be able to breath easier and so I can sleep.
Here it is, 2:30 am and I am still up. This is nuts.
He gave me a prednisone 6 day pack and steroid prescription nasal spray. I have also Flonase and nasicort. I am not miserably stopped up but enough where I can't sleep.
How long does it take for you to be able to breath easier and so I can sleep.
Here it is, 2:30 am and I am still up. This is nuts.
See an ENT. Be honest with the doctor on how long you have been using it, me 29 years. It is a hard addiction to break free from. Wish you luck. I am gonna go out and buy some of those breathe right strips and add them to the regimen I am doing and see if they help me sleep at night.
actually, if you have asthma, as i do, trying to live with congestion so severe that one's chest hurts as one gasps for breath, could be fatal. on a less severe note, even if one's life isn't endangered, one often has to function -- on a job, for example. if you're gagging on your own mucus and choked by your own airways, it's hard to conduct business if you have to interact with other humans (or telephones). it's not all about willpower. it involves willpower but it's not even REMOTELY all about it. it's about trying to BREATHE. you can live if you have the shakes. you can live, longer than three days, anyway, if you're hungry. you can't live without breathing.
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It's been three years and haven't gone one day without using afrin 2-4 times a day. I use a p-pap with nasal pillows, so I cant have a clogged nose. My primary care doc gave me script for flonase, and Methyprednlsolne. The latter is a six day regimen of 6 pills the first day split up after meals, then five then 4 ect. First night was tough, second better, last night good. Haven't used flonase today and sinus 90% clear and it's a 10 pollen count today here in Lakeland. I know I'm off Afrin for good. I'll post update if I rebound after the methylprednlsone is finished, if not good luck to all, you might want to tell ask your doctor about this medication.
This is my second time in the doctors office for Afrin abuse. Please do yourselves a favor and go get seen for this by an ENT doctor. They gave me a medrol dose pack and a liquid steroid to pour in with the Neil med sImus rinse a d it cleared up fast! I rarely had to use 2 days into the steroid taper. I know everyone's story is different but there is treatment available! Also the dilution method works well.
How are you guys getting the lids off to add the salaine? My bottle is on piece.
Go to Walmart and get flonase and Prednisone (i used the generic for prednisone ).
Also get saline nasal spray. Use both of them, i was addicted for 10 years and was cured in 2 1\2 days.. Nose wasnt 100 percent for a while and you have to lower dose down to one spray a day and i used claritin along with spray.