I sort of remember in my adolescence (more than 20 years ago) having a long and particularly bad cold or sinus infection. I took afrin and it went away, but it came back every night before bed – so I took it again. This went on for like 2 weeks, even though I mostly felt okay – every night, my congestion came back. Finally someone (maybe my folks) told me that it was addictive and if I stopped, the congestion would go away. So I stopped – but the congestion never entirely went away. I haven’t used the stuff for more than twenty years, but I can’t remember any significant length of time in which my nose was clear. Sometimes one nostril will be mostly clear, sometimes the other, sometimes neither, but it’s been extremely rare, in my memory, in which my nose-breathing was entirely clear. I don’t know if the afrin was to blame or not, but I’ll never use it again.
Physical dependence =/ addiction.
Cow’s Milk? That makes a lot of sense now that I think of it.
Thank you very much for giving me that idea. I think that may have been the primary cause of this all.
P.S. The label on the bottles says that if you use it for more than 3 days in a row, you can become addicted.
I’d like to see these products be made illegal too or at the very least they should require a doctor’s prescription. The print on these bottles is so tiny, buyers need someone to explain the dangers of using these things to them.
If anyone is interested in learning more, take a look at the threads I posted links to. Many people posted some good info there. It took a lot of courage for many of those people to admit they became addicted. It was extremely embarrassing for many people to admit they became addicted to nasal spray.
It sounds so stupid. But it’s really a terrible problem.
Wow, what a survivor you are. Did you enroll in a 12-step program?
Why should we all be punished just because you can’t handle the dragon?
Or they could read the print.
I have no problem with nasal spray (I use Dristan at the moment, but I tend to use whichever brand I see first when I shop for it), and I am not extremely careful with it. I just use it when I need it, and have never had addiction problems. My label says “prolonged or excessive use may cause an increase in nasal congestion.”
I’d like to hear any alternative that you have in mind.
Do you have an alternative?
The point is not whether or not there is an alternative that doesn’t cause some people (e.g. you) to be addicted to it. The point is that since most people do not run into any problems with it, why should they not be allowed to use it?
Users using over the counter medication responsibly.
Alcohol abuse and addiction is a much bigger problem than nasal spray addiction. Do you also propose that alcohol be banned or dispensed with a prescription?
Sure: follow the directions, i.e. don’t use it for more than three days.
I’ve said it in earlier threads; this addiction can be broken.
You may need to work with a doctor, though. Nasal steroids can do the trick for most folks. If that’s not enough, oral steroids can do the job.
That, and a neti pot.
Or a neti pot alone, for those who are really committed.
Oxymetazoline is a safe, useful medication for 99+% of the folks out there.
Yes, I recently used it to get through a really miserable cold - I used it for only two days though.
I really do think the warnings could be more prominent, it couldn’t hurt.
The problem is that anything strong enough to help you is going to be strong enough to hurt you. That’s long been a problem with OTC medications.
Up next: Warning to all re Don’t Pick Up Your Running Lawn Mower With Your Hands
If only you had posted this sooner. 
Here’s my nasal spray nightmare. A few years ago, my nose started getting really stuffy so I began using nasal spray made with Oxymetazoline. And, sure enough, I had to use more and more to get relief.
About two months ago, I started hearing a kind of whistling when I would inhale or exhale. I looked up what could be causing it and, sure enough, I have a perforation in my nasal septum. Not only did the spray cause that but it also, I feel, has messed with my sense of smell and taste.
I think this type of nasal spray should be taken off the shelf. I’m not litigious person but if ever a class action lawsuit is formed, I will join it.
By the way, I have, for the most part, stopped using the spray. It’s hard not to turn to it because I am still stuffed up but I don’t want to make the perforation any bigger. I don’t want my nose to collapse.
Whistling Kate, you need a competent ENT and surgery (to FIX the perforated septum), not a class-action lawsuit.
I cannot believe people whinging about taking things off the market and class action lawsuits because they became dependent on Afrin.
So then, you are a litigious person.
Aren’t neti pots dangerous, actually? I’ve heard they can harbor bacteria.
I do have a competent ENT, thank you very much and at this time, I am not planning to have surgery. And, my concern isn’t about becoming dependent. I stopped right away when I discovered the hole and have only used it maybe 3-4 times in the past 6-8 weeks. My concern is that there is no mention on the warning label of the physical DAMAGE that can occur.