I've been using Otrivin for almost a year now and it has become a major problem with me using it almost every time my nose gets stuffed and every time I can't breath.
How do I Reduce Consumption Otrivin After Overusing It?
Question posted by MohSkullzy on 4 Nov 2013
Last updated on 15 January 2015
3 Answers
Official Answer
Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Nov 2, 2020.
You have rebound congestion from over using Otrivin. You can either try reducing the dose yourself or seek medical help. Given the length of time you have been using Otrivin you may be best to seek medical help.
Here are some tips:
Stop using the spray in your 'good' (least congested) nostril – after seven days your good nostril should open up. At this point stop using the spray in your other nostril.
Take an antihistamine that causes drowsiness to reduce night-time congestion and help you sleep.
Lubricate and rinse your nose using a saline nasal spray - available from your pharmacist.
If you have severe rebound congestion (rhinitis medicamentosa) your GP may prescribe a short course of corticosteroid tablets and/or a corticosteroid nasal spray.
DzooBaby
4 Nov 2013
Otrivin (Xylometazoline) nasal is a decongestant. It works by constricting (shrinking) blood vessels (veins and arteries) in the body. The nasal formulation acts directly on the blood vessels in the nasal tissues. Constriction of the blood vessels in the nose and sinuses leads to a decrease in congestion. When you use this for more than a few days, the vessels swell even more once the drug wears off. We call this "rebound" Longer use could cause damage to the nasal tissue and lead to chronic congestion. I hate having a stuffy nose myself and cannot sleep that way so I use these kinds of sprays when I get a cold and I usually end up dependent on them for a while and have to wean myself off. It usually takes a few days to get past the rebound congestion, so what I do is use it in only one nostril so that it is only the other nostril that gets congested.
Once it gets to the point that the "non-using" nostril is clear, I can stop it in the other and so stop use altogether then. This way I can stop using the medicine but still be able to breathe. It also helps to space use as far apart as you can. When I get ready to stop, I usually only use before bedtime since it doesnt bother me as bad to be stuffy in the daytime. I HAVE to be able to breathe at night or I cannot sleep so I restrict the use to bedtime only and one nostril only once my cold is gone and the congestion is from rebound use of the product. This is likely to be the cause of your congestion but it could also be nasal allergies. Sometimes it is helpful to get a prescription steroid nasal spray like Nasonex or Flonase etc. to get off nasal decongestants especially if your congestion is allergy related.
kaismama
4 Nov 2013
You have rebound from using it so much. You use it, then the congestion increases and you need more. The only way to stop that is to do just that. Stop using it.
MohSkullzy
4 Nov 2013
I get what you are saying and I will do my best to stop using it, but I've been having a problem with my nose getting stuffy for almost a year now, does overusing the otrivin has anything to do with my nose?
kaismama
5 Nov 2013
It has everything to do with it
Coco327
15 Jan 2015
I had been using Otrivine everyday for 5 years - two sprays in each nostril, a minimum of 5 times a day. It was the first thing I did when I woke up and the last thing I did when I went to bed. I could not survive without it. I have managed to stop using it completely. I will never go back to it. I heard about "rebound" (how overuse of the active ingredient Xylometazoline actually serves to inflate blood vessels and makes the stuffy, congested feeling worse rather than better). I did some research and read some worrying things - long term damage to nasal tissue from overuse etc. Giving up seemed like an insurmountable task but I didn't like what I had read and liked the idea of life without spraying my nose 10 times a day. Not much detail is provided online about the actual reality of rebound. Basically, I was having to use Otrivine every 4 to 5 hours because my nose became so congested. I was convinced I had a sinus / congestion problem Nd this is.
Why I needed the spray. In fact, it was the other way around: the helpful effects of the spray lasted for around 4 hours Nd then the 'rebound' effects would kick in - i.e. the nose would become so congested it was unbearable and I would need to spray again. And so on - a cycle that I was convinced was caused by some underlying nasal problem I had. I had no idea that (as I found out later) my nose was fine. It was the spray that was causing all of the problems. After finding out about 'rebound' I decided to stop using Otrivine but I was very worried that I wound find out that this was impossible. In fact, I am shocked at how easy this was. I got myself organised to give myself the best chance of success. I was advised by my doctor to use a steroid based nasal spray for a week as a replacement. I used "Pirinase". I also bought Sudafed Sinus Pressure tablets that contain ibuprofen and a decongestant and some "easy breathe" sticky nasal strips for night time. I went to bed and sprayed my nose with the Pirinase twice in each nostril, took the Sudafed and wore a nasal strip. I slept all night with no problems. I sprayed twice in each nostril with Pirinase in the morning and took another dose of Sudafed. To my amazement I was fine all day. I did the same every night and every morning for 4 days and then I stopped the Sudafed. On the 5th day I stopped the Pirinase. And that's literally it. No symptoms. No real difficulties. I am amazed. I am writing this to give hope to others who are in my position and who feel overwhelmed, as I did. It really is this easy.
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