Oxymetazoline nasal for Nasal Congestion User Reviews (Page 4)

Brand names: Afrin, Zicam Sinus Relief, Afrin NoDrip Severe Congestion, Zicam Extreme Congestion Relief, Mucinex Sinus-Max Full Force, Vicks Sinex 12-Hour Decongestant Nasal Spray, Afrin Original, Afrin Severe Congestion, Afrin Sinus, Afrin NoDrip Sinus, 12 Hour Nasal Decongestant Spray, Vicks Sinex Severe Nasal Spray, Afrin Allergy Sinus Nasal Spray, Vicks Sinex 12-Hour Decongestant UltraFine Mist, Vicks Sinex Moisturizing 12-Hour Decongestant UltraFine Mist, Afrin NoDrip Extra Moisturizing, Rhinase D Moisturizing Nasal Decongestant, Nostrilla, Four-Way Nasal Spray, Mucinex Sinus-Max Moisture Smart, Dristan 12 Hour Nasal Spray, Vicks QlearQuil 12 Hour Nasal Decongestant Moisturizing Spray, Nostrilla 12 Hour, Todays Health Nasal Relief Extra Moisturizing, Afrin NoDrip Original, Afrin NoDrip Allergy Sinus, Mucinex Sinus-Max Clear & Cool, Giltuss Severe Sinus Allerest 12 Hour Nasal Spray Duramist Plus CVS Health Sinus Relief Duration Genasal 12 Hour Nasal …show all brand names

Reviews for Oxymetazoline nasal

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Mik...
April 1, 2018

Oxymetazoline nasal "Neither my wife nor I could open it. If you have kids you are afraid might find and open it, when you can't, take it back for a refund. Otherwise, grab the top of the red cap with a substantial pair of pliers and yank it off. Underneath it is a simple screw-off cap with no gimmicks. The stuff works if you can get at it (but follow precautions), hence my rating reflects efficacy vs. inconvenience."

5 / 10

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Pja...
Taken for less than 1 month
May 29, 2018

Oxymetazoline nasal "I forgot about my last experience with the darn cap when I bought this today because it had been quite a while ago. Just took about 20 minutes, practically tearing my fingers up, trying to get the cap off. Finally picked up heavy-duty pet nail clippers and cut through the side of the red cap to get to the spray. Ridiculous! I will forever remember not to buy this product again. The product works IF you can get to it."

2 / 10

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5 Report

I...
Taken for less than 1 month
March 19, 2018

Oxymetazoline nasal "It is one of the worst products I have come across. It not only frustrated me but also put me in mild depression. I questioned myself a lot of times in the process to open the cap as it took me and my co-traveler 45 min to give up and dig a hole into the cap using a nail cutter. That wasn't easy either, we both got minor injuries but never gave up. I watched a number of YouTube videos and read blogs, but nothing seemed to work. Someone needs to take responsibility and fix the design of the cap. Please don't make people more frustrated in times of dire need."

1 / 10

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Anonymous
December 16, 2008

Oxymetazoline nasal "This product worked for me, and it does last the full 12 hours. It cleared my congestion almost immediately, but there were some temporary side effects. For about the first hour after I used it, the inside of my nose was irritated. I also got thirsty after I used it but was fine after I drank some water. Overall, it works great."

8 / 10

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Tod...
September 6, 2017

"Used this due to facial flushing and anxiety to clear up my stuffy nose. 2 sprays in each nostril once a day for 2 days ended me up in the ER. High blood pressure and rapid heart rate... very rapid. Normally my BP is 118/78, last night 155/93. ER doc was like no more Afrin, gave me a sedative and kept an eye on me for 4 hours. Wore off slowly. Stuff works great, but there are the side effects!"

2 / 10

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Jca...
January 4, 2017

Oxymetazoline nasal "Shameful! You sell medication that can't be used because Bayer chose to save money using a defective bottle that won't open. Clearly, no quality control or concern for consumers-even if they are strong, healthy drilling rig operators."

1 / 10

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6 Report

Anonymous
October 7, 2011

Oxymetazoline nasal "This is the only nasal spray that I've used over the last 25 years. I hope the product never gets discontinued. It is effective with minimal side effects. I don't leave home without it - ever. It's a good product. As with all nasal sprays, overuse will get you addicted. Just use it twice a day as directed, and it will be effective."

10 / 10

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Jea...
January 21, 2016

Oxymetazoline nasal "My new doctor recommended I use Afrin for my sinus congestion. The first time, my nose and my throat burned and stung. Now my throat is sore, and I lost my voice. It made my illness worse. I was better off using saline."

1 / 10

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Uvi...
Taken for 6 months to 1 year
December 13, 2022

Oxymetazoline nasal "The new design is a nightmare. Not only is the cap a struggle (a REAL struggle) to remove, the actual pump doesn't work half the time. You can hear that there's still solution in the bottle, but it won't spray. Sometimes I can twirl the dispenser around to get it to work, but I've had to throw bottles away as they are simply defective. I'll be looking for other solutions until the company comes up with something better. Say-how about the last design????"

4 / 10

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Gil...
November 7, 2015

Oxymetazoline nasal "I have used Afrin for years. Until yesterday, I would have given a much higher review. In the months since I last needed it, I found that I had to have it removed from a security box at the register, and, in addition to the safety seal, one is now required to battle a new safety design to remove the top. I have arthritis and a torn ligament in my hand. I concede victory to the bottle and will switch to a different brand. Parents, if you have young children, please put all medications - including Afrin - out of reach. If you have teenagers, please tell them not to make meth..."

3 / 10

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stu...
August 29, 2009

"I never knew of this product until about 10 years ago when I had the worst sinus infection of my life. As was typical, the medication given by my doctor did nothing for the congestion and pressure and only made me tired and thirsty. My wife came home with Afrin, and with just one squirt in each nostril, I had almost instant and dramatic improvement. Since then, my doctors routinely tell me how bad this product is for me despite the fact that I have tried everything they have offered without improvement. Now being on CPAP for sleep apnea, Afrin is a must if I want to breathe through my nostrils."

10 / 10

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Dot...
December 31, 2019

Oxymetazoline nasal "Afrin has the worst packaging I have ever experienced. I still can't get the spray open. I am too sick to take it back and do not want to ask the person who bought it for me to come back to either try to open it or return it. A total waste."

1 / 10

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NoP...
Taken for 1 to 2 years
January 11, 2020

"To open the bottle, i.e., to remove the cap: squeeze the cap where it is marked and then turn counterclockwise. Then the pump handle has to be turned counterclockwise to spray. I had trouble opening it until I saw the little marks. I had been squeezing it wrong, gave it to my tween to open for me, and he didn’t bother to look, just squeezed randomly, and it was open in 2 seconds. Go figure, following directions is what screwed me up, lol-so if yours isn’t opening, it may be mismarked-just try to squeeze around until you feel the ‘give,’ then turn."

10 / 10

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Blo...
March 26, 2022

Oxymetazoline nasal "I use Afrin from time to time. Doctors recommend not using Afrin longer than three days, as it’ll cause severe long-term issues and make stuffiness worse. After using it for three days, I consistently had a bloody nose. Getting the cap off was a struggle also."

6 / 10

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boy...
August 9, 2022

Oxymetazoline nasal "OK, so as you can see, this review was added in August of 2022. I noticed the top review was written in 2019, and the same issues apply. It really shows what the manufacturer 'manufactured, distributed, or labeled by Bayer HealthCare LLC' cares about their customers. 'It’s kind of hard to use it when a company continues to make the same dumb bottle cap that nobody can open. I spent 30 minutes trying to get the cap open, and it wouldn’t work, and at that point, my hand was pure red. So I decided to use the backside of a hammer to pry it until it finally came off. It’s ridiculous that Afrin hasn’t changed this, and I personally want to say a heartfelt stuff you to the genius that invented this bottle cap.' Shame on Walgreens, CVS Pharmacy, Target, Rite Aid, ShopRite, and of course, Walmart, just to expose a few... who are clearly aware of this package and yet continue to carry it."

1 / 10

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Dda...
Taken for less than 1 month
November 7, 2018

"Absolutely horrible! After my boyfriend took the cap off (took forever), I sprayed it in my nose and now I'm in tears by the pain I'm feeling. My nose and throat are on fire! The medication caused me to throw up. Horrible, will never buy again!"

1 / 10

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Stu...
January 17, 2016

Oxymetazoline nasal "I have been a satisfied Afrin loyalist for years, but as of today will no longer be able to say the same because the bottles are now outfitted with what appear to be new child protection safety caps, and they are impossible to open. Impossible. After removing the disposable outer plastic seal (not new), I and another perfectly able adult tried and tried to turn and remove the nozzle cap, without success. Meaning, this new design isn't just a minor hindrance or annoyance; we were never able to open and use the product. It will have to be returned for a refund. Disappointing!"

2 / 10

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Tha...
September 22, 2008

"The most important thing is to start using Zicam at the very first sign of a cold or upper respiratory problem. Spray into the nose and put your head back as far as it will go. I found this to be very effective. Love the product."

10 / 10

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xan...
January 26, 2021

Oxymetazoline nasal "This is very effective if you can get the cover off. Its use must be stopped after 2 or 3 days to avoid rebound congestion side effect. Worked well for me 4 to 6 hrs, not 12 hrs. Note: the maximum time for its use is far under the minimum time category on the next question."

6 / 10

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Cap...
Taken for 2 to 5 years
December 16, 2016

Oxymetazoline nasal "I had the worst time trying to get the cap off. It's child-proof and adult-proof. I had to end up cutting the cap off. This is my first time using. It seems to be working, and I just used it less than 5 minutes ago. Well, one side of my nostrils is open."

3 / 10

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Cha...
Taken for 10 years or more
October 30, 2021

"I have been using this and other nasal sprays for 45 years. Yes, 45 years. I've had no serious side effects. I'd rather hang by my thumbs than have a plugged-up nose. I have tried the cortisone sprays and others. They didn't work. I need this medicine and hope to continue using it. It's the only thing that helps my plugged-up head. Even oral meds don't help. The one good med that even came close to helping me was Drixoral, which has been off the market for a long time now."

10 / 10

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Nba...
December 30, 2015

"The oxymetazoline is the same for across all brands, but I used to find the Afrin pump superior: it fit my hand, and it was just the right size. Now the six bottles I just got in the mail have redesigned pumps, and I hate the new design. I can no longer take it apart to clean, and these suckers get stuff in them all the time, which I prefer not to ingest. Disgusting, and no longer a reason to buy Afrin at its inflated price."

10 / 10

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Anonymous
February 26, 2017

Oxymetazoline nasal "Awful experience!! Couldn't get the cap off, so I spent 30 minutes trying to get it off. After 30 minutes and a bloody cut-up thumb, I finally just grabbed my old bottle of Nostril-la (which I would have much rather bought but couldn't find any at the store). For anyone reading this, Nostril-la is a 10/10 for me!! Punctured a hole in the Afrin bottle and squeezed the stuff into the Nostril-la bottle... so Nostril-la, you the real MVP!!"

1 / 10

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Unh...
Taken for less than 1 month
March 30, 2021

Oxymetazoline nasal "I would not wish Afrin upon my worst enemy. My nasal cavity burns horribly, and my throat is sore and stingy. I’ve tried saline spray, gargling water, blowing my nose, and taking Advil with no avail. I was at one point on the verge of tears."

1 / 10

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KT7...
February 27, 2016

Oxymetazoline nasal "I had the same issue as KimmerD30. I love Afrin, but after about a month from the purchase date, it takes on a mildewy smell, even though the expiration date is at least a year away. It makes me nervous about continuing to use it once this happens. I keep the bottle on my nightstand, so temperature is not an issue. Does anybody know what causes this, and is it still safe to use once this happens?"

8 / 10

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Reviews may be edited to correct grammar/spelling or remove inappropriate content. Reviews appearing to come from parties with a vested interest are not published. This information is not intended to endorse any medication and should not replace the expertise and judgment of healthcare professionals.