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Severe Otrivin Addiction
Agy






Posted: June 2, 2016, 3:35 PM
Thanks for sharing your experience with nasal sprays. I wish you all a fast recovery!
Dstanhope






Posted: June 8, 2016, 8:53 PM
Beating this addiction is actually quite easy believe it or not. I used otrivin for many years.

1. Stop using otrivin in one nostril.
2. Continue using in the other so you can breathe
3. When one nostril has cleared (takes a week or two to be comfortable ) you can stop using in second nostril

You're cured

canoe






Posted: September 16, 2016, 2:07 PM
Saw this old post. I've been on Otrivin or the generic pharmacy brand since I was 15- and I'm now 52. A long time. Have allergies, a deviated septum, maxillary sinus is smaller than the other and a few broken noses from sports. Initially started in high school where a sinus infection went wild and needed surgery to drill into the frontal sinus to relieve pressure. Found out later they were concerned it could go to the brain. Otrivin was part of the rehab programme and that was it. Since then have had 3 surgeries to clean out polyps and enlarge drainage holes basically. On Flonase forever and use it more when it's allergy season- a shot a day in the morning. Still use the Otrivin periodically and go through a bottle every month and half. My surgeon has no issue with it and says you have to do what you have to do to breath. No damage but for sure I'd like not to use it- but I really like breathing. Surgeon is using my story for some longterm research. It's a tough one so to those who want to get off it good luck to you. I wish you well. I have tried and breathing seems to win out every time when I try.


Posts: 1
Joined: October 5, 2016


Posted: October 5, 2016, 3:23 AM
Thanks a lot to "CaroAce" who posted about spersallerg in this topic, it really works I guess if the cause of your blockage is from an allergic reaction!

I've been addicted to Otrivin for more than 7 Years and I've tried numerous times to get off it but nothing really worked.
I knew I had some allergic problems as when I went to study abroad for two Years, I didn't have this problem. (I Guess the Wheather in my Country has a role to play in it...)

I've tried many different drugs (Antihistamines pills, steroid nasal spray, natural nasal spray...) but nothing ever worked as spersallerg does.
I'm now off of Otrivine for over a week now with only a few drops of spersallerg at night to help me sleep.

Anyway, I hope this can help other people too.
Mike






Posted: October 17, 2016, 6:24 PM
Hi Stuffy Noses, I have read the above messages with great interest having been on Otrivin(a) since 1970 when Endrine was taken off the market. Otrivin (made by Novartis) used to be easily obtainable but now several countries have banned it and others never allowed it in saying It makes you nose go into holes. (Rubbish). My nose is allergic to pollen, strong odours such as perfume, bleach and aromatics like red wine, cats and dust. Once agitated the mucous membranes swell up and you are buggered for hours. Oxychlorohydrates (spray or drops) make the membranes contract tight like a drum skin allowing free flow of air so easy breathing. Without this compound I could never have gone scuba diving as I could not equalise properly but Otrivin works well every time. Other compounds are largely useless. Over the years I have tried them all. The good news for sinus sufferers is Otrivin is now available on Ebay from India and its cheap. I buy 12 bottles a time which last me about 15 weeks. In my experience if you have blocked sinuses and surgery has not worked or is not an option (it can be unpleasant as my father found out) Otrivin is the only reasonable option. My email is *** if you have any comments or wish to start a blocked nose appreciation society. Gud Luck.



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This post has been edited by moderator on October 18, 2016, 8:59 AM
Jeanette






Posted: November 4, 2016, 9:41 PM
Anyone with otrivine addiction needs to see their doctor I was prescribed flixonase spray which is brilliant, after using for three days I'm totally cured... otrivine should not be available over the counter
Lalit






Posted: November 26, 2016, 6:46 AM
Where to get xynosine in india.
nicole






Posted: December 17, 2016, 1:14 AM
I found breathe right nasal strips helped alot and they pretty much work instantly although they were more effective the longer I stopped using otrivin. I cut back really slowly but stopped using otrivin in one nostril. also netti pots can help and white flower oil works really well for congestion. hope some of these tips help you. they got me out of my addiction to otrivin.
nicole






Posted: December 17, 2016, 1:17 AM
Also flixonase was a good alternative to otrivin, it just takes a while to work.
Bob






Posted: January 4, 2017, 11:07 AM
Hi,I have been using otrivin for 41 years,this week starting to wean off,one thing that really helps are breath right nasal strips,expensive but worth it during the day when at home,cut them in half just as effective.I am also using otrivin saline with aloe,also helps,and finally Nasonex, but u need a prescription.Don't try cold turkey,get over it at your own pace.If u can't get a prescription u can use Nasacort otc instead of Nasonex.Use otrivin only at nite to get a good notes sleep,I will be doing this for a week.It has been 3 days and can notice change already.I will get back to u all when I beat this.If it is to bad see ORL doctor.
testtesttest






Posted: January 15, 2017, 5:00 PM
I have been on something similar for about 6 years now but what I'm finding is that my voice is changing, and I also can't sing as well as I used to. Can anyone tell me if they've had this same side effect??
Bob






Posted: January 19, 2017, 5:26 PM
Bob,I posted Jan 4,now jan 20, I am off otrivin after 41 yrs.Off salines and off breath right strips still using nasonex and I am not sure if I still need that either,I am seeing an ORL tomorrow to see if I have a deviated septum,if not I will be off nasonex tomorrow.If I did it u can do it to.Good luck.
OtrivinFree






Posted: April 16, 2017, 2:40 AM
Hi all,

I was addicted to otriving for 5 years. It was so bad that I couldn't go on more than a few hours without it. I would have panic attacks if I found out I didn't have a bottle on me. There were so many times when I woke my boyfriend up in the middle of the night to go get me a bottle cause I couldn't survive the night with a few drops. I tried everything. All kinds of medications. When I had almost resigned and had thought that I would have to have otrivin every single day of my life, I chanced upon yoga. While I had tried yoga before I hadn't practiced long enough. I had to give up my running and weight lifting due to knee injury and had to take up yoga.

After close to a month, one particularly busy morning it struck me that if I can sleep through the night without having to wake up to take a couple of drops, I should be able to do so in the mornings as well. That morning I decided to wait for extra five minutes before I reached out to that bottle. Then 5 became 10 , 20 , 30. And before I knew it was evening. I had read so much about cold turkey that I was scared to even try quitting. It wasn't terrible. It was uncomfortable
But I knew that I had to keep going forward. It's been almost 6 months now. And I am proud today I am free of otrivin.
Yoga gives you the strength to be calm and patient with yourself. It helped me stay calm during cold turkey and gave me the self belief that I could do it. I was strong enough. Also a couple of breathing exercises like kapalabhati really help. In fact I feel just doing the breathing exercises should help.

I hope everyone who is looking to kick this addiction off gives yoga a try. It really works.
tlb






Posted: April 24, 2017, 5:34 AM
yep, still on it :)
Jack dean






Posted: May 8, 2017, 6:54 PM
Hi everyone. I know this thread was started over 10 years ago but I thought I'd share my experience so it may help someone else who stumbles across it like I have.

I was using oltravin for 2 years as it was the only spray that would allow me to breath. If I didn't use it I couldn't sleep at night as I could only breath through one nostril or neither.

I spoke to my doctor who prescribed steroid spray which did not work.
So after going back to the doctor I was referred to the ear nose and throat clinic at the hospital. I was told I had a slightly deviated septum and a procedure called septoplasty would fix it.
It as an Operation where they remove a small amount of cartilage from inside the nose which widens the airway allowing you to breath back to normal without the use of nose spray.

I know how down not being able to breath easy made me so I hope this information helps somebody else who is going through this.
Thao






Posted: October 29, 2017, 10:31 AM
I was using Otrivin nasal spray for over two months. I just quit cold turkey. The first night was hard; I felt like I was suffocating. It has been a week now, and I'm congested on and off still. I'll never touch that stuff again.
Alexa






Posted: October 29, 2017, 10:42 AM
I was addicted to using Claritin and Otrivin nasal spray for over two months. I had to spray every 2-4 hours. I tried using Sinus Buster, but it didn't help at all. I finally decided to quit cold turkey. First night was rough as breathing through your mouth all night is uncomfortable as Hell. But I got used to it eventually. I have been without the nasal sprays for over a week and still congested once in a while. I'm so glad to finally be off the nasal sprays.
ghenwa






Posted: March 16, 2018, 5:46 PM
Hi, this is a very old post, but maybe im not too late..

i m using Otrivin almost 14 years. my nose is blocked specially at night.
i tried to stop many times but i go back again to Otrivin,
i had a nasal surgery 20 years ago, but didn't help . my ENT recommended a surgery again now but i'm too scared of the recovery time, it was horrible.
when my nose is blocked, i can have panic attacks, feel dizzy, im scared that i won't be able to breath at night so i must spray before bed.
now even with Otrivin i don't feel my nose is open properly.
so i need to stop it , any ideas of a new helpful techniques for sinusitis surgery ?
ThermalFlux






Posted: April 16, 2018, 3:09 PM
The rebound from Otrivin is known as rhinitis medicamentosa. In order to break your cycle of dependency upon nasal decongestant sprays aka vasoconstructive medications like Otrivin, you’re going to need to visit your physician. It’s not something that you can do alone. The doctor will need to prescribe you a course of oral corticosteroids, along with intranasal corticosteroids, and often will choose to slowly taper You off your use of nasal decongestant spray’s rather than than having you abruptly quit. Although over the counter versions of intranasal Corticosteroids are available these days in North America in most places and will often do the trick; the more severe cases require a course of the oral versions. Meaning the doctor is going to give you tablets that you’re going to have to swallow. Not only that but the intranasal versions of the corticosteroids which are available over-the-counter without a prescription are not always of the same potency that the prescription versions are. Oral corticosteroids require a doctors prescription almost everywhere in the world. Another important factor in seeing a physician is that often times there is a underlying Condition which caused you to need to use intranasal decongestants in the first place. This may require your dr. referring you to a specialist called an otolaryngologist (aka your nose and throat doctor) as you may have developed another condition from overuse of these for inter nasal decongestant sprays which require treatment of its own. Especially if you’ve been using them consistently over a long period of time. A lot of people attempt to use oral decongestants such as pseudoephedrine as a substitute when trying to quit using intranasal decongestant sprays. This is a mistake because these drugs also cause the same vasoconstriction of the mucosal nasal tissues (closure of the microscopic blood vessels in the tissue lining the inside of your nose) as the intranasal decongestant sprays cause and therefore won’t resolve the matter. Not only that but they can have serious side effects, especially if you’re on Antidepressant medication. Pseudoephedrine can interfere with and reduce the effectiveness of antidepressant drugs. Let your doctor know if you suffer from bad headache pain during the process of withdrawing intranasal decongestant-sprays so that he can prescribe you something for pain relief.
Kk






Posted: May 31, 2018, 3:18 PM
Everybody in this post or otherwise . Stop using otrivin and start doing nasal wash . Neil med with salt water is all it would take. Trust me in a month or so you will feel a hundred percent better. It sounds too hard but once you do it you will feel wonderful. Give it a try . Nothing else is gonna help . God bless

Kiran
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