What Causes Rebound Nasal Congestion After Stopping Otrivin?

Posted on Mon, 17 Feb 2014

Question: I have been using otrivin for approx nine months. Initially, I started to use it when sick with a cold or a bout of hay fever. However, I started to use it more and more and now I "have to use it" just to breath. It's a real issue. Presently, I am off sick from work with a cold . I saw my Doctor and she diagnosed a sinus infection , I told her about the otrivin use and the problems that I was having . She gave me a steroid spray "apo-mometasone" 50 mg and a script for amoxicillin 500 mg. She told me to cut way back with the otrivin and to stop it completely. I have stopped inhaling the otrivin completely in my right nostril ( the most impacted one) and have used the otrivin three times in 24 hours in my left nostril. I am now on day two. And will continue on with this with this plan until my right nostril "comes back to life " and then cut out the otrivin completely in the left nostril. Could you give me some feed back on this . Thanks

Answered by Dr. Hariom Sharma (26 minutes later)

Brief Answer: your doctor is absolutely right. Detailed Answer: Hi Mam, I have gone through your query; it suggests that your doctor is absolutely right. Your doctor most probably diagnosed correctly and started the medicine as your disease. For your kind information he/she stop the otrivin because if you use this drug more than seven days then this medicine can become less effective if used excessively. In addition, nasal congestion may come back (rebound congestion) when you stop using the medicine if you use it for too long. If you have any doubt, I will be available for your query. Thanks

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Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar