Flonase questions

rottiemommy · 12-14-2005, 11:59 AM

Hey Everyone,

I'm 33 years old and this is my first year with having to deal with allergies. I do have a family background with allergies. My grandmother has them pretty badly along with asthma as do several of my cousins. Neither of my parents do.

Anyway, I have been trying to adjust to my new lifestyle and all of the meds that come with it. I have been on clarinex, astelin, and flonase for a past several months. These have been prescribed by my family doctor (who is also an allergy sufferer). He didn't really give me much advice other than take these...eventually, the flonase would kick in and the astelin wouldn't have to be used much. Well, I have been having a lot of break through symptoms between switching between the old bottle of flonase and the new bottle. It feels like I am not taking anything at all. So, that leads me to wonder if the clarinex is doing anything at all. Does anyone else have this problem? It takes me about a week to get back on track with the flonase after moving on to a new bottle. This fall I had a huge problem with switching bottles where my allergy symptoms got way ahead of me and the meds wouldn't work. My family doctor had to put me on prednisone for 10 days to get it under control.

I have started to do saline nasal sprays before the astelin and the flonase and after being someplace where there's dust and after being outside. That helps a little bit for a little while.

Here I am right after switching bottles again this weekend and I feel gross. I will admit I hadn't been counting the number of pumps I use out of the Flonase bottle and I go until it's almost empty. I will count this time and see if this makes a difference in the coverage between bottles. Is there a better time of day to take this stuff (all of the meds I'm on)? I have been taking it in the morning when I first get up and the Astelin again in the afternoon. Any and all advice you can give me would be most appreciated. (I have also tried a lot of the OTC allergy meds too...Tylenol Allergy, Alavert, Benedryl, Sudafed PE with no luck)

I am going to go see an allergist in a couple of weeks so I can see what exactly I am allergic too. From what I can tell...it's mostly outdoor stuff and the family doctor is guessing mold from my reaction this fall. We had an incredibly rainy fall this year.

Midget · 12-14-2005, 11:05 PM

What do you mean switching bottles? Are you having to wait to get a new bottle each time you run out? Do you mean your off it the Flonase until you get another bottle? I'm not understanding what you're saying...

rottiemommy · 12-14-2005, 11:34 PM

I guess I'm not being clear...I'm sorry.

I always have another bottle on hand when I run begin to run low on the bottle I am currently using. I'm not waiting to get another bottle. That's the thing...I'm not off of it. I've been on Flonase daily since the beginning of July with the exception of the Predinose week.

When the old bottle runs low and I know I'm not getting a full squirt or flonase in my nose...I grab the new bottle out of my drawer and start that one. It's after I start this new bottle I get the break through symptoms. I wonder if I am running the old bottle too low before reaching for the new one.

I guess what I am trying to ask is when you get your refills of flonase (if used daily) do you have breakthough symptoms after starting the refill? Am I doing something wrong to get allergic symptoms while still using flonase daily after I start a refill.

Midget · 12-15-2005, 12:20 AM

No, I don't really notice any breakthrough symptoms when I start a new bottle. I mean, some days are just worse then others, and sometimes the medicine doesn't seem to work. Then I take some Sudafed, take some Advil if my sinuses are hurting, and if I'm really about to die, I use some OTC decongestant spray. Maybe that's the problem. Maybe you're symptoms are just so bad right now, that you're not noticing a difference. But that's wierd that you only say it happens when you start a new bottle. It works good other wise?

rottiemommy · 12-15-2005, 12:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midget

But that's wierd that you only say it happens when you start a new bottle. It works good other wise?

Yeah....every time I start a new bottle I feel like crap for at least several days. I dread seeing the bottle run low because I know what's coming. The rest of the time it works fine! Last week I just commented to my husband I felt great.

I've talked with a couple of my friends who I know are allergy sufferers and on Flonase. They don't seem to have this problem either.