OT: best nasal spray?

[Serpico]

Okay, I started a thread awhile back about slowly developing seasonal allergies (St. Louis is bad for this).

Thanks for all the replies on the original thread.

I am now using Walgreens' house brand Wal-Itin (Claritin clone), but my nose is extremely stuffed up. I just bought a Walgreens-branded Anefrin spray labeled as "moisturizing"/"pump mist"/"no drip"--which did barely anything for me, and dripped into my throat.

What should I try now? Can I use Zicam with Claritin? Is Zicam too "heavy duty", should I try something lighter? Would the Zicam replace the Claritin?

Any comments are appreciated--I am new to this and a bit overwhelmed by the sheer amount of products available, but the Anefrin spray doesn't seem to be working.

My nose is just STUFFY, not runny or itchy.

Thanks,

-Jason

[saab2000]

The last two times I got a cold I used Afrin. Both times my cold developed into a nasty sinus infection. I don't know about allergy ones, but I have heard that they can have as much a negative impact as positive.

[93legendti]

Mucinex and Sinus Rinse. You'll breath better. Guaranteed.

[CarbonCycles]

Sinus rinse for certain and nasonex works for me but its by prescription

[manet]

serpico _ soak a couple of hand towels, dish cloths, whatever.
ring them out hard, and put them in the microwave for about
2.5 minutes at high. get prone, and place the HOT towels over
your forehead and nose. relax and enjoy. repeat just like with
shampoo. it's best when you can have a lovely nurse assist.
this works wonders on my headaches _ i know you said nil about
a headache, but really stuffed up nasal passages are close...

[rwsaunders]

Alavert? Alevert? works better for me than Claritan. I've had lifelong grass pollen allergies as well as a bee sting allergy.

Maybe cycling not my sport? Right.

[Ray]

Go to an allergist or at least a GP and get a prescription for one of the steroid based sprays. I use Nasarel, lots of folks use Nasonex or Flonase or a couple of others. Depends which one you can best tolerate - some irritate more than others. But all of these act the same way to reduce inflammation and, in my experience, work pretty well. In my case, it's part of an overall program of allergy shots, allegra, advair (for asthma), and nasarel. As long as I stay on top of it, I do pretty well. If I don't, I can get in big trouble really quickly.

-Ray

[dzen]

I would stay away from Afrin type sprays. Personally if I use one more then a day I end up with other negative side effects. My physician told me not to use them at all.

You could try a steroidal spray, by perscription. That might work for you. I do well with Alavert. If I am congested I will take occasionally take a sudafed.

Good Luck.

[William]

Mrs. William has been saying for a while that I have sleep apnea. I went to my Doc to get looked at and though he felt that my throat and surrounding tissues looked ok, my upper passage way were very inflamed. He suggested I try some Rhinocort samples to see if they helped. One squirt in each nostril after dinner. Now I'm breathing clear and sleeping through the night with no problems. I'm giving the generic Flonase a try to see if it works as well (Ins won't cover the Rhino. If the Generic doesn't work well for me we'll petition for the Rhino).

It really has opened up my nasal passages and I have much better breathing now.

William

[1happygirl]

Nasonex and for sure ----------

www.neilmed.com


it really works and have recommended it to many pts. use once or twice daily.

[BumbleBeeDave]

. . . works very well for me. So well I don't have to get shots anymore, and I got those for 20 years. It's Rx, but now there's a generic available that's a $10 co-pay vs. $25 for the real stuff. Keep in mind, though, that it's a cumulative relief effect--you have to keep taking it for the relief to build up and stay there.

BBD

[victoryfactory]

I am totally against nasal sprays.
They work for a day or two, and then you find that you are hooked
and can't breathe without them.
I massage the sinuses forehead, eye socket area, cheeks, etc
Manet's hot towel deal sounds like a good alternative, too.

IMO, no stuffed up nose is worth the "cure" of those lousy, harmful chemicals

VF

[jel]

http://www.sinucleanse.com/

[sevencyclist]

Afrin used on prolong basis can cause rhinitis medicamentosa, so I would be very cautious about use of those sprays.

http://www.emedicine.com/ped/topic2010.htm

If you truly have allergy, nasal steroids sprays can be used along with oral antihistamins. The non-sedating ones, Claritin, Allegra, Zyrtec are as effective as sedating ones like Benadryl or prescription Atarax.

So far there are no cures, but control of symptoms is what we aim for. Good luck in finding a solution for your allergies.