nasal congestion and oxymetazoline hydrochloride

Hi,

Was on deviate septum surgery twice in many years ago. Last done on right nostril was over ten years. Currently on cpap for last two years For last 2 years+ my nasal started to congest on the right nostril only and hardly have air flow in or out. Tried salt water, nasal spray and few types but mostly unsuccessful. Until I found this Dimatapp for severe nasal congestion. Only advice to 2 times a day and for three days only. It contains "oxymetazoline hydrochloride" and to relieve their chronic congestion within 10 seconds or so. Has anyone experince using this "oxymetazoline hydrochloride" ?

After using for two day the right nostril was super clear. But some advisable for not more than 3 days and may cause rebound effect and back to congestion again. Anyone have using this and more than three days and have rebound effect?

Any Side effects and special considerations?

Thanks.

Cheers,
Mckooi

The most common brand name for oxymetazoline is Afrin, and the rebound congestion it can cause is a serious problem. Many people become "addicted" to the stuff.

If you search the forum on "Afrin" you should find many comments.

And I'm sure others with personal experience will give you advice.

mckooi wrote:Hi,

Was on deviate septum surgery twice in many years ago. Last done on right nostril was over ten years. Currently on cpap for last two years For last 2 years+ my nasal started to congest on the right nostril only and hardly have air flow in or out. Tried salt water, nasal spray and few types but mostly unsuccessful. Until I found this Dimatapp for severe nasal congestion. Only advice to 2 times a day and for three days only. It contains "oxymetazoline hydrochloride" and to relieve their chronic congestion within 10 seconds or so. Has anyone experince using this "oxymetazoline hydrochloride" ?

After using for two day the right nostril was super clear. But some advisable for not more than 3 days and may cause rebound effect and back to congestion again. Anyone have using this and more than three days and have rebound effect?

Any Side effects and special considerations?

Thanks.

Cheers,
Mckooi

.

The problem with the vasoconstrictor sprays, such as Afrin® (oxymetazoline HCl) is "rebound vasodilation" in which after three to 14 days of use, the rebound congestion (hyperemia) can be worse than the pre-treatment level. This rebound is easily treated by:

1. continued use with progressive dilution of the nasal spray and/or
2. nasal steroid sprays and/or
3. brief course of systemic steroids (such as Prednisone) and/or
4. alternating spraying nostrils with the vasoconstrictor spray and/or
5. suffering until the reactive nasal congestion terminates.

It's unusual to see rebound if therapy is limited to under five days, and if the spray is used properly. Most patients do NOT use oxymetazoline spray properly. Let me know if you need that info.

Most patients do NOT use oxymetazoline spray properly. Let me know if you need that info.

Please let me know.

Am on second day and only use 3 puffs after shower before bed for the first day. During the second day use 2 puffs and only last until next day noon. Today is the third day and some congestion again.

1. continued use with progressive dilution of the nasal spray and/or

How is this process works?

2. nasal steroid sprays and/or

What type of steroid sprays? More inform please.

3. brief course of systemic steroids (such as Prednisone) and/or

Is this Prednisone need prescription?


4. alternating spraying nostrils with the vasoconstrictor spray and/or

Need a bit more inform on this. Please...


5. suffering until the reactive nasal congestion terminates.

You meant surgery again?


Thanks.

Cheers,
mckooi

I have been using the stuff for fifteen years. It began when my dentist tried to yank a wisdom tooth and poked a hole through the root canal into my sinus. Presto! Permanent infections and sinus issues and congestion. Allergies to top it off. First five doctors I saw wanted to hack off the roof of my mouth and clean things out. No guarantees at all from even one of them. The sixth doctor I saw wanted to do the same thing at first until I asked him what he would do if it were his son. The answer? Use Afrin and take antibiotics when needed - the rebound is the least of your worries. And here I am. The congestion is not so bad as I use it as sparingly as possible and generally never more than twice in a day; once just before bedtime.

It works and his instructions have remained the same for all these years. Use it sparingly.

That's all I can tell you. The rest is your choice.

Proper administration is important to increase the therapeutic benefit without substantial risk of "addiction" with rebound congestion.


PROPER METHOD:
Use this sequence about every 8-12 hours for up to five days
Blow your nose completely
One spray each nostril
Wait 30 minutes before blowing your nose and one spray each nostril again
Avoid blowing your nose for 30 minutes.

Prednisone and steroid nose sprays are prescriptions.
Do this, and then I'll answer the remainder of the questions since you might not need the info at this time.

I use it as sparingly as possible

That is the key to avoiding rebound congestion; in my case, one spray in one nostril at bedtime, alternating nostrils. This gives incomplete relief but sufficient for sleeping comfortably. The unsprayed nostril also opens up, at least partly.

I don't use it during the day.

I can use this dose for months at a time during allergy season and have no rebound congestion.

Well, here we are. It's another beautiful day. No dasal congestion this AM at all and I attribute that to the shot (single) of Afrin in each nostril last night. I did not blow my nose for the longest time but just before retiring with mask. I cranked the humidity up on teh S9 which I find does wonders and with the climae control hose set to 66F I found it quite comfy but I am experimenting still. My head is indeed a bit fuzzy this AM and I took a decongestant for my allergies (first in a long time). My nose is amazingly clear but that can change through the day and when it does I try to stick it out until bedtime to spray again. One shot in each nostril and sit back and wait... with addiction it takes longer.

Unfortunately, in my case, there is little choice. I spray or I wind up with crap and corruption in my sinuses and a pending sinus infection as a result. The lesser of two evils. And now, with APAP therapy, it is even more essental as I am using a nosebag only. I have a full face mask or two coming and will try them to see if I can reduce the Afrin spray even more.... let's see what happens. For sure the higher humidity helps me. I'm just hoping that with the FFM and the high humidity I don't get a 'release' of my sinus contents during the night... they can go for twenty minutes, blowing my nose constantly.

We sinus guys are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

torontoCPAPguy wrote: We sinus guys are stuck between a rock and a hard place.

The problem is usually NOT "sinus" trouble, but intense nasal congestion with out without obstruction of the "ostia", or the openings of sinuses into the nasopharynx. Consider using Nasocort, Beconase, Flonase, etc. for weeks to months. They are not addictive and provide benefits through a different mechanism from Afrin®.

I bought some last week of the below spray last week. I've been on allergy desensitization shots for a year and still can't get my allergies under control. I was allergic to 28 out of 32 allergens they tested me for. I'm still taking daily Zyrtec and have used Afrin or similar OTC sprays for 3-4 days at a time and then suffer for 2-3 days with nothing to give my system a break. I've used almost all of the prescription sprays, nasacort, vancenase,nasonex etc. at one time or the other they are pricey and require a prescription and can take up to two weeks to work. I also use a netti pot -50/50 of kosher salt and baking soda which helps for a couple of hours if I do it right before bed but won't last through the night and again in the morning.

I found nasalcrom on the web and you can buy it OTC and decided to give it a try. I've been on it for a week. It doesn't have the immediate impact that the Afrin type sprays have but so far it has helped but not cleared up everything like the Afrin type sprays do. Though I have to admit the Afrin type sprays besides being addictive do make it harder for me to sleep so that is one strike against them. Using both the Naslacrom and the Netti pot so far has provided me with the best relief without any worries about rebound and causing sleeplessness.

http://nasalcrom.com/

Nasalcrom does work by a different mechanism, and OTC, so worth a try, but it didn't help me. Hope it does better for you.

I don't think Physician read Toronto's prior post about complications from his dental surgery.

xintian wrote:But some advisable for not more than 3 days and may cause rebound effect and back to congestion again. Anyone have using this and more than three days and have rebound effect?

Spamming for shoes.

roster wrote:

xintian wrote:But some advisable for not more than 3 days and may cause rebound effect and back to congestion again. Anyone have using this and more than three days and have rebound effect?

I've used it for two weeks several years ago and had no rebound vasodilation/congestion. Rebound does NOT occur to everyone.

I had a rebound problem many years ago on Neosenephrine. It was truly horrible. I'd take it and be clear for 20 or 30 minutes and then so congested I felt awful. So I'd take it again. I ended up taking infant doses (I don't think you can buy this for infants any more) but using it as much as every 10 minutes. I realized I was in an endless cycle like some heroine addict, but it took me THREE FULL WEEKS to wean myself off the stuff. I never touched anything like it again.

I have used saline and prescription nasal steroids, plus oral claritin with good results. I never get quite as clear as I could get with the Neoseneprhine, but that clear breathing lasted only minutes there in the end.

My mom hated to hear me sneeze, sniffle, snorfle, cough, etc. If I had a cold she'd drug me up with stuff that worked in the short term but made me worse overall. Colds lasted weeks and weeks. Now when I have a cold I use only saline. As long as I keep myself hydrated and moving I don't get that awful congestion I used to get on rebound. I have to sleep in the recliner when I have a cold to breathe better, but if I tough it out, it will last only 2 or 3 days, instead of weeks and weeks. I let my body's immune system do the job it is designed to do.

I don't have too many nasal allergies, so I can't speak to that. But after my experience, I think that it's risky to use one of the OTC nasal sprays that can cause rebound congestion.

Thank you to all of you....please keep coming.

Just got a cold today and stopped the spray last night...now awful...fell really down on the bed with spinning hear.
Will try demozine tonight before bed....to clear the cold.
Can't wait for tomorrow night to use OH again to clear my nasal....it hurts on the right nostril like swelling now.

Thanks again.

Mckooi