I’ve been having a bit of fluid build up behind my left eardrum that no one can figure out the cause of. Therefore, treating symptoms is as best as I get - Sudafed, etc.
Tuesday the doctor suggested I add in Flonase to see if that helps. Yesterday I actually tried it for the first time. It really dries up my nose, but that wasn’t having issues to start with (aside from a polyp I was told), so it gets really dry (or at least it seems that way for me).
This led me to wondering if that will make me more prone to catching cold viruses - esp since I work in that petrie dish we often call public high school.
I very rarely get colds even when many of the younguns have them and share. I don’t particularly want that to change. I detest colds.
Is continuing “the experiment” a risk? There was no noticeable different in ear fluid/pressure, but I doubt that would be expected from just one use. The nose was very noticeable though.
My daughter takes Flonase a few months out of the year (in addition to Zyrtec year round) for seasonal allergies. My anecdotal impression is that she gets fewer colds when she’s taking both meds, but it’s hard to tell.
I was prescribed Flonase at the tail end of a five week long illness that wouldn’t resolve. One of the symptoms was persistent ear pain and fluid (but no infection). After a week or two, it healed my aggravated sinuses (and persistent ear issue). I now use it as needed when I have allergic symptoms and I have been healthy.
You might want to cut back on dosage if it is too drying for you. You might also want to back off on oral OTC medication that may be too drying in combination. For example, I could not take Flonase and Allegra at the same time but I could take Claritin.
Flonase is a godsend for treating nasal polyps. I also take Claritin. Between the two, I can now breathe normally, don’t snore, and have my sense of smell back after about 10 years without it. No additional colds here.
I use Allegra and Flonase both twice a day, I also squirt saline mist up my nares and then apply Vaseline on a Qtip and rub up my nares twice a day. Also throughout the day I put carmex on pinky and lubricate my nares (I have carmex in my purse at all times).
Our allergist swears by nasal steroids and say that they add a protective layer and help avoid fluid buildup in the ear and generally help with allergies. Our D is convinced and uses them regularly now, after many years of me & the allergist trying to convince her! I agree that a dry nose is less likely to harbor bacteria & viruses than a moister environment.
I have several perennial allergic rhinitis. I’ve used Flonase daily for at least 10 years, along with lots of other meds such as Allegra, Sudafed, Claritin, Zyrtec. I get a cold once every 12-24 months. Most of my doctors have said keeping the inside of the nose moist is important and they recommend saline spray. I’m not so good on that.
Flonase isn’t a med that works instantly. I think your dry nose feeling may lessen within 1-3 weeks. I would recommend trying it for that time period to see if it helps with your ear pressure.
I have many, many adult onset allergies. I have used perscribed Nasonex for many years along with Allegra and Singular. I have not had my sense of smell for many years. It occasionally comes back for a short time.
I have not been able to renew my Nasonex recently. The pharmacy was told there is a shortage. I think this means it is about to go OTC as Allegra and Claritan did. So I bought some Flonaise.
So far I have not really found it to be different than the Nasonex. I hope it is better and I get my sense of smell back like inpatient. I’ve never had more colds with Nasonex.
Do any of you guys get Flonase by prescription? That is how I get Nasonex. When Allegra was a perscription rather than OTC, it was so much cheaper because it was covered by insurance.
When we get an Rx for nasal steroid, it’s covered by insurance and when it’s the one on the formulary, it’s had NO copay, so is even cheaper than getting it in the 3 pack at Costco. I find the OTC allergy pills cheapest at Costco, using the non-brand name, like Allertec for Zyrtec and I know they have the other allergy meds that are like Allegra and Claritin. It’s MUCH cheaper now that Costco and other places can make these meds under their house brands instead of having to buy only the brand name.
Before it went OTC, only the liquid for Zyrtec was on the preferred formulary, which was NOT convenient for taking this Rx on the go or travel. If you wanted the pill, the copay was about $1/pill. Now, I can buy and entire bottle of Allertec from Costco (or elsewhere) for about $.10/pill and no worries about the formulary of my insurer.
I agree! I definitely appreciate hearing from others who have BTDT. To my knowledge there are no allergies involved, but who knows for sure? The only issue I’m hoping this fixes is the pressure behind my left ear. Bonus points if it can also stop me from hearing my pulse in the process, but that’s been around longer, so the two may not be connected.
The reason it should work for your ear, is it should reduce swelling. If your Eustachian tube is blocked (runs from your middle ear to your throat) your ear may feel full or stuffed up. By reducing the swelling, it may have a chance to open up. If the flonase does not help, and the blocked sensation in your ear does not go away, you should see an ear nose and throat physician, preferably one that is an ear specialist (otologist).
BTDT though it was back in Jan. He confirmed the eardrum has stretched a good bit beyond what it normally is at due to this, but was stumped as to the cause.
Since it comes and goes, I’m used to “normal” levels and rarely get bothered by them. It’s been about 18 months total.
The most recent level (about 2 weeks now) changed that. It came and didn’t leave (much).
The overall cause is likely radiation related. If not, the timing sure is suspicious. At first I was even told it was a side effect and would go away within 6 months. When it didn’t, the rad dr changed his mind - that led to ENT - which led to “fine, I’ll deal with it” and at this point we’re at “now.”
The ENT did not see it at an active time, but could tell it had been there. The dr appt Tuesday was a recent active time. She debated antibiotics, but there’s no other sign of infection at all, so I’m in agreement that I doubt that’s the issue. That led to Flonase.
Sudafed is something I’ve been doing as needed on my own (dr knows this). It’s what I use when scuba diving. Scuba hasn’t happened since radiation though. There’s no way the ear would handle it - at least - not when I’ve had time to be near water.
I’ll be content if the Flonase works - quite happy actually. Time will tell.
Creekland, I finally found that taking a nasal decongestant, with no antihistamine or acetaminophen added, helped tremendously. And being absolutely alcohol free.
I have never fully understood the Flonase or Nasonex process of helping with nasal allergies or inflammation, and the person in my household for whom both were prescribed happened to be one of those people for whom use of those respective medications caused rather troubling eye problems. But these discussions have helped me to know that at least there are some people who are greatly aided by the medicines.