Afrin - Severe Congestion

Just wondering if this is okay to use. I have not had an issue of AFIB in like two years. I take sotalol and blood thinners every day. Will this hurt me?

My Pocket Pharmacist says "oxymetazoline hydrochloride (Afrin) should NEVER be used in patients with existing heart disease or high blood pressure."
You are probably miserable with a cold or flu, but I have learned that it is better to tough it out than put up with the side effects of this medication.
You may want to ask a pharmacist what to take. A doctor would probably be even better.

Pastor Kevin, I feel for you!

I've had past congestion so severe that my sinuses felt as if they had concrete.

Decades before I was dx with a-fib, I had been dx with PVCs and didn't know any better so I took some Afrin, the drops, not the spray. They worked and it was so blessed to breathe through my nose --prior to using Afrin, not even a squeak of air was getting in... I know better now.

HOWEVER, I went to my GP a day later and he told me in no uncertain terms, to NOT use Afrin or anything like it. He compared it to playing Russian Roulette. I know a lot more now, and with my a-fib and SVTs, I wouldn't use decongestants at all.

That being said, I want to add that saline rinses did nothing for me, but once I told the doc that my teeth were hurting, I was dx with a sinus infection and was prescribed antibiotics which helped, plus the cold ran its course and the severe congestion slowly cleared up. Boy, was that ever uncomfortable! I became a total mouth breather, and used a lot of chapstick!

What about Singulair or the generic version of that?

Singulair is for asthma and allergies. Don't know how well it's going to work against congestion if it's due to a cold.

Any of the antihistamines like Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin, etc. should be fine. Just avoid decongestants. If you see a "D" appended to the name, that probably means it also contains a decongestant so avoid those.

Afrin will also quit working over time if you continue to use it. And it’ll burn up the tissue in the sinuses. It’s really not a great med at all. I avoid it. I went with a septoplasty surgery to alleviate my chronic right side congestion 3 years ago. It sucked and the recovery was brutal (part due to my steadfast refusal to take opioid pain relievers) but I’m glad I did it.

My ENT told me in no uncertain terms am I to use Afin with a history of Afib even after my successful ablation and with Rx of Sotalol 120 mg bid.

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scdcdoc
My ENT told me in no uncertain terms am I to use Afin with a history of Afib even after my successful ablation and with Rx of Sotalol 120 mg bid.

Why are you on sotalol after an ablation that you consider successful?