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
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3 Answers

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.
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.
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.
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?
It has everything to do with it
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.
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