If you use a nasal decongestant spray like Afrin for more than three days, you may experience such rebound nasal congestion, which can lead to irritation and inflammation. Is afrin (oxymetazoline) safe in pregnancy? As a sympathomimetic, oxymetazoline acts on adrenergic receptors, receptors that are activated by adrenaline. :) but i was also 38 weeks pregnant. Well, nasal congestion that returns and doesnt go away is the main symptom of using too much of a decongestant nasal spray. It is in category c where animal studies show adverse effects but no controlled human studies or no a Afrin used long enough can actually cause more problem to mom than baby! Manage Settings The problem can go on for months to years. If your nasal symptoms are bothersome, you may look to over-the-counter (OTC) remedies for relief. My mother took me to the doctor all I remember is they gave me a blue pill that I took and it emptied my sinuses out where I felt so empty where I could breathe I called it my magic blue pill. Zyrtec-D combines an antihistamine with pseudoephedrine, a decongestant, to relieve sinus congestions and allergies. . What was wrong with me? can get so bad that eventually, the Afrin doesnt clear your airway at all. It sounds like the Afrin is not working because another problem needs to be diagnosed and treated. #36. In fact, it could be responsible for up to 9% of visits to allergists and ENT doctors. Physicians have completely different training from nurses or nurse practitioners. In effect, this leads to dependency on the medication to control the symptoms.. Also, you need to let your physicians know ALL of the medication that you are taking or have at home to take as needed. Oct 25, 2017. Get prescriptions or refills through a video chat, if the doctor feels the prescriptions are medically appropriate. The longer the nose is forced to constrict the vessels, the more it will be deprived of the nutrients and oxygen needed to thrive. I could not breathe or sniff or blow out either nostril instead of just the one I was mainly dealing with before . Within seconds of using Afrin, these side effects usually disappear. My nasal passages are so swollen you can see the big blockage of swelling just by looking up my nose . I am a big fan of understanding WHY medication is needed and then treating the underlying problem. My nurse suggested a slowly wean off. 2020. This means they need to take increasingly larger amounts to achieve the desired effect. However, not all humidifiers are the. "Expect to be miserable for a few days while the body recovers," she says. Help. You can also get more information on safe medications to take for colds or allergies when you're pregnant. Have a slighty deviated septum and a ton of allergies it makes a big difference. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. 2014. I think this is something we suffer from quietly, away from the public eye. Oxymetazoline. Little did I know, those daily nose drops would come back and haunt me. The night dose helps me stick with it, also, as nights are usually when I get most congested naturally. It seems like you. Just like the previous poster said though, you are only supposed to use it for 3-4 days max I believe due to dependency. According to Duane Gels, MD, an allergist with Annapolis Allergy and Asthma in Maryland, the blood vessels in your nose expand and contract to manage the flow of mucus. I found that the combination of antihistamine and decongestant worked well to relieve my nasal congestion.
Though Afrin has a market share of about 30 percent now, other similar products include Dristan, Sinex and Neo-synephrine. There are many ways to do this, but the simplest way is by using a Neti Pot; they can be found in most drug stores and are typically used for sinus congestion, allergies, and colds. Hello ladies. The. Runny nose. in Maryland, the blood vessels in your nose expand and contract to manage the flow of mucus. While less potentially harmful than opioids, these replacement medications are also drugs and will affect the baby as well. I'll admit I use it. Afrin may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide. The main ingredient in Afrin, oxymetazoline, can be categorized into two types of drugs: sympathomimetics and vasoconstrictors. There are several types of nasal sprays, including: RELATED: What is Flonase? I also used it my other 3 pregnancies and they all came out fine :). i'm really worried! Now I cant breathe without it. knowing the name of the medications that you are taking. After a few days of use, the nasal spray will relieve your congestion for shorter and shorter periods of time, causing a rebound effect. If you feel a message or content violates these standards and would like to request its removal please submit the following information and our moderating team will respond shortly. Oxymetazoline is a medication in nasal sprays (sprayed into nostrils) and topical preparations (applied to skin). Afrin would likely not be your doctors first choice to treat your allergies during pregnancy. Using it was so relievingand so liberating. https://mothertobaby.org/fact-sheets/oxymetazoline/ [Accessed November 2021], MotherToBaby. | What is Singulair? Top answers from doctors based on your search: Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone. There is a company called Rhinostat (look up on internet)-- that will sell you a kit that does this very thing for you. Some side effects of decongestants include: More serious side effects that probably need to be reported to your doctor are: JUUL: Vaping Nicotine is Especially Hazardous to Kids. I couldn't talk right, and I felt as if some monster was sitting on my face, ruining my life. I tried to stay sober, but I couldn't live completely clean. We respect everyones right to express their thoughts and opinions as long as they remain respectful of other community members, and meet What to Expects Terms of Use. The function of the cilia is to move mucus to where it can either be swallowed or blown out. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Pregnancy is already so miserable for me, it's one less thing to have to be miserable over! I guess there's little hope for me -- hopefully after the baby is born, my sinuses will clear up. Adrenaline released into the blood during a fight or flight response (such as running to evade a predator) attaches to receptors in the nose, widening the passages so we can breathe easier, Dr. Gels explains. All together, the nasal spray market is worth a whopping $210 million a year. Unfortunately I became addicted to Afrin because of complications with deviated septum.. Oxymetazoline, one of the most common active ingredients used in nasal spray decongestants (including Afrin), is generally considered safe to use during pregnancy. First-line medications used to treat nasal allergies in pregnant women include: Your doctor will likely suggest you try one of these drugs before using Afrin. Nevertheless, everyone can be successfully treated. However, there is no proof that Afrin causes chemical dependency or that it causes a high. Really informative article. Some other common side effects of Afrin include: These symptoms should go away on their own. Treating opioid use disorder in pregnant women involves a combination of opioid replacement medication, counselling and behaviour therapy. Dilated blood vessels can cause nasal congestion (stuffy nose). Know the side effects and precautions, and always follow the directions on the label or your doctor's instructions. https://mothertobaby.org/baby-blog/when-the-sniffles-strike-during-pregnancy-cold-meds-your-questions-answered-2/ [Accessed November 2021], Yau W, et al. I use it 4 times a day and did the same with my first pregnancy. However, I may have had underlying conditions, such as allergies or adenoid hypertrophy, that brought on this dependency on nasal sprays. Someone needs to know your entire healthcare story and oversee its management. but my dr also knows and has never said anything! Decongestants often do not have any side effects, and if they do, they are usually really mild. However, be sure to talk to your doctor before using Afrin or any other medication if your prescribed medication doesnt work for you. When I was a child I had a lot of sinus problems. If you are addicted to nasal sprays, I am here to tell you that you are not alone. Stinging and burning of nasal passage tissues. When the blood drains from your nose, so do the oxygen and nutrients that blood brings with it. Some other common. But there are many different categories for nose sprays, and many are good and should be used. To avoid the rebound effect, try limiting your use of decongestants to nighttime, when congestion may make it hard to sleep. Find advice, support and good company (and some stuff just for fun). We have seen a wider range of problems which helps to tailor a plan specifically for you. Afrin (oxymetazoline) is a nasal decongestant spray used to relieve a stuffy nose and sinus pressure. Drugs in pregnancy and lactation: A reference guide to fetal and neonatal risk. I am not sure what the best way is. This has worked excellently and lasts throughout the night, helping me sleep. Doctors call this phenomenon rebound congestion, or rhinitis medicamentosa, and it is a very real problem. The doctor put me in amoxicillin (apparently one of the few antibiotics you can use during pregnancy) but it's not doing the job of clearing up my sinuses fast enough. Ive never used any nasal sprays before until this week. As always, much love for supporting my work. I can feel the raw emotion from the beginning to the end. I have never personally experienced this other technique, but for this post, I learned about something called the Rhinostat. But two ingredients sometimes found in nasal sprays - pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine . All rights reserved. This frittata is high in protein and rich in essential nutrients your body needs to support a growing baby. 2020. This should be discussed with your obstetricia Taken in the third trimester, there appears to be no problem. Recovery typically takes less than one week and withdrawal symptoms can be relatively easily managed. My doctor said I can take DayQuil, but its active ingredient is phenylephrine. My question to you s I have read articles where they say to dilute but I dont know how to do that as Afrin comes in a spray bottle that has no cap to take off to pour out anything. It is also important to note that decongestants like pseudoephedrine are not recommended for people with high blood pressure or other heart conditions. Afrin may also cause serious side effects. @2021 - Dr Momma Says. Everything was fine. Doctors call this phenomenon rebound congestion, or. Thank you for your article. If there is a sinus infection or allergies, you would want to use the Afrin with saline nasal washes and possible nasal steroids which will treat the active problem. Learn how your comment data is processed. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. This speeds up the process of mucus removal normally done by cilia, or small hairs, in the passageways. (2013, September). Thank you Dr. Momma. Intranasal steroids do not work immediately like oxymetazoline does; it can take up to two weeks to notice the effects. Find out the safety precautions with Afrin and what your other options are for treating your allergy symptoms. The study suggests that using an intranasal steroid while you are taking nasal decongestant sprays may reduce or prevent the rebound effect. It forces your nostrils open by squeezing the blood out of your nasal tissues. May also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide with your obstetricia Taken in third..., can be relatively easily managed it could be responsible for up to weeks. Am here to tell you that you are taking two types of drugs: sympathomimetics and vasoconstrictors best is. 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