Flonase side and after effects?

[jeromedawg]

Hi all,

Wondering if any of you use or have used Flonase (or the generics). My wife's ENT advised her to try it for a month, so she's been on it for a few weeks now. She missed her dose last night and feels horrible now - she's attributing it to the Flonase and possible withdrawal symptoms. Has anyone else experience this?

On the other hand, she could just be getting sick but I'm not sure that's the case... guess we'll find out either way :T

[Civex]

Flonase (fluticasone) shouldn't really have withdrawal or rebound. If it has been working and she has pretty bad inflammation, she might just be noticing the inflammation returning (since she missed a dose), or a cold as you suggested. As a topical steroid, it shouldn't have many of the systemic side effects associated with corticosteroids, but if used long term can potentially be damaging to the local tissue. I would think it is safe to assume the ENT (specialist) weighed the risk/benefit for your wife.

Some nasal sprays absolutely can have a rebound and the body can become "addicted" to them-but those are the oxymetazoline type products and specifically warn against use >72 hours.

[Frankies Girl]

I used Flonase pretty often for several years and never had any side effects/rebound from stopping use.

What you have to watch out for is the nasal sprays like Civex mentioned. The OTC ones are highly addictive in that you use them more than 2-3 days, you'll get a rebound effect from the veins in the nose swelling up and feeling congested once you stop using - I felt MUCH worse after stopping those than when I was getting sick! I didn't realize until after reading about the effects how it can cause withdrawal symptoms if you use it too long. Not saying your wife is experiencing that due to any nose spray, but as I wasn't aware, you may not be either and if she was using one in conjunction with other meds, it could be the culprit to making her feel worse.

[pachnik]

I've used Flonase on and off for several years.  My pattern is use it for a few days and then just stop.  No after effects that I've ever noticed.

[Cranky]

I use Flonase daily all summer, and then in October I taper off just using it every other day, because I do feel stuffier if I just quit.

It dries my nose out terribly and I get nosebleeds if I use it inthe winter, but it’s very effective for me.

[lil_miss_frugal]

I recently bought the generic version of Flonase and used it for the first time in the middle of the night after waking up congested. That was my only time using it and I haven't felt bad or had any weird withdrawal symptoms. Everybody's different but I plan to only use it as needed.

[katstache92]

I have bad allergies and am on Rhinocort - but have used Flonase in the past.  If I miss a dose, I feel bad, because the medicine isn't there to stop what it's supposed to stop - in this case, inflammation.  With Rhinocort and Flonase, at least for me, it can take a few days of the normal use for me to get back to feeling normal.

I use allergy meds all year round, so I don't stop usage based on the season.

[wenchsenior]

I use it several days per month; it helps when I'm having a migraine and also I have one inner ear that sometimes gets plugged (damaged from an infection years ago) and causes mild vertigo.  I don't have side effects from it.

However, my husband tried using it twice for allergies, for periods of 4 or 5 days in a row, and got incredible vision disturbances both times...wavy white lines and sections of his visual field blanking out or changing color.  So frightening that he almost went to the emergency room.  His eye exam was totally normal, though. Something about the vaso-constriction, we assume.

[Brick]

My allergist recommended flonase for me in hopes that it would remove a polyp that was blocking a nasal passage. I've been using it regularly since then. The polyp went away, and when I do miss a dose I don't really notice it. At least not to the point where I feel horrible. I'm guessing she's sick...or, you know, biologically different from me :)

[Dicey]

No advice or personal experience, but DH uses it. Just hopping on to say Costco's generic version is wicked cheap.

[GoCubsGo]

I've taken Flonase (the Costco generic)  for 9 years based on my ENT's recommendation.  If I miss a dose I definitely don't have withdrawal.  None of my docs have ever said anything about me using it daily for years. 

[Mtngrl]

Another daily Flonase user here  (Costco generic -- great bargain!) works great for me and I have no side effects when I forget a dose or take a  break from the drug. I have a history of sinus polyps and this has helped ward off more surgery.

[CarolinaGirl]

The only side effects I ever experienced was it felt like I was snorting rose petals!  :D

[GuitarStv]

I got regular nosebleeds from the stuff and had to stop using it after a couple weeks.

[Sibley]

This is rare, but if it applies to you, you want to know. For some people who respond extraordinarily easily to steroids, Flonase can actually cause glacoma. So, if you're a steroid responder, be careful.