[ol]
[li]I was recently given a presctiption to Flonase (actually, its generic equivalent). I have been suffering from frequent sinus infections for the last three years (1 or 2 a year – one in a lifetime is way too many). What is this Flonase stuff, how does it work, and will they have me on it the rest of my life?[/li][li]Whenever I use the stuff (been on it less than a week thus far) it stings a bit, then my nose starts running and I have to blow my nose. Should I try to keep from blowing this stuff out to give it a chance to work or is that normal ops and I’m okay to blow my brains out (as it were)? How long before it stops stinging? It really doesn’t sting much, sort of on the level of the “photic sneeze” stimulation, but without the sneeze.[/li][li]Hi Opal![/li][/ol]–SSgtBaloo
I used flonase for about a month. It had steroids in it, and the most annoying side effect I experienced was a rash of facial acne, especially around and on my nose.
From what I remember, it effectively takes no time at all for the active ingredients to be absorbed, so you are safe to blow your nose at will.
Flonase is a solution of fluticasone, a corticosteroid. Like many other steroids, it relieves inflammatory symptoms, and congestion is apparently close enough to inlammation to be relieved. The stinging from most medicines (injections, eyedrops, nasal sprays) is the reaction of cells being damaged by the concentrated medication, either by osmotic pressure or by reaction with receptors, or by direct toxic effects (strictly localized, I must add).
Late, gotta run.
Allergy sufferer ALL my life. Flonase is the greatest thing that I have found. Truly wonderful. My wife too. We have animals and dust - I like my windows open. She’s gone from sneezing all day long to - NOT sneezing all day long 
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And I don’t feel a thing. I can’t take any allergy pill - non-drowsy or whatever - without getting knocked out. Placebo effect, I guess.
FLONASE ROCKS!
That, and Advantage. Did I mention we got animals 
Everyone else has answered your basic questions, so I’ll chime in with my experience.
I’ve been using Flonase for over a year. For the first week it gave me a sore throat, but then I got used to it and it stopped. So if you get this side effect, you may want to give it a few days to see if it goes away. I don’t have severe allergies, but the OTC stuff stopped working, and Flonase works great.
Their website will send you coupons for $5 off every time you get the prescription filled.
I was prescribed Flonase for the same reason a couple of years ago, and it didn’t do squat for me (although I didn’t have any side effects either). After a round of sinus infections which took more than 2 months and something like 4 different antibiotics to kill off, my doc gave me Rhinocort Aqua, which is the same concept - a nasal corticosteroid inhaler. Worked like a charm, and I haven’t had a sinus infection since.
I’ve been using Flonase for many years, and I think it’s just about the greatest thing in the world! I almost never experience clogged sinuses anymore, and I don’t experience any side-effects.
I seem to remember reading on the instructions that came with it that it was fine to blow your nose right after using it, though I can’t find it now. In any case, I do it all the time.