laserdoc
Contributor
Which do you like best??
sudafed on nasal spray
- Thread starter laserdoc
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scubaaaronh
Contributor
Neither i use Claritan D controls my allergies as well as gives me the decongestant and last 24 hours. Also doesn't give the dizzying effect like sudafed 24 hour that my wife and i both experienced with sudafed. Nasal sprays seem to wear off to quickly on me, so i dont consider them at all.
CAUTION!
There is some pretty good evidence that oral decongestants, particularly pseudoephedrine (Claritin D, Sudafed, Allegra D, etc.) can lower a diver's tolerance to oxygen and predispose the diver to OXTOX.
Side effects of pseudoephedrine include stimulation of the nervous system leading to nervousness, restlessness, excitability, dizziness, headache, fear, anxiety, tremor, and even hallucinations and convulsions (seizures).
Use at your own risk.
I use nasal sprays only.
IXΘYΣ
Some others containing pseudoephedrine:
Decofed®
Dimetapp® Decongestant Infant Drops
Drixoral® Nasal Decongestant
Efidac 24® Pseudoephedrine
Genaphed®
Kidkare® Decongestant Drops
Pedia Relief®
PediaCare® Infants' Oral Decongestant Drops
Simply Stuffy®
Sudafed® 12 Hour Caplets®
Sudafed® 24 Hour
Sudafed® Children's Nasal Decongestant
Sudafed® Nasal Decongestant
Suphedrin®
Su-Phedrin®
Suphedrin® Children's
Triaminic® AM Decongestant Syrup
Triaminic® Infant Oral Decongestant Drops
There is some pretty good evidence that oral decongestants, particularly pseudoephedrine (Claritin D, Sudafed, Allegra D, etc.) can lower a diver's tolerance to oxygen and predispose the diver to OXTOX.
Side effects of pseudoephedrine include stimulation of the nervous system leading to nervousness, restlessness, excitability, dizziness, headache, fear, anxiety, tremor, and even hallucinations and convulsions (seizures).
Use at your own risk.
I use nasal sprays only.
IXΘYΣ
Some others containing pseudoephedrine:
Decofed®
Dimetapp® Decongestant Infant Drops
Drixoral® Nasal Decongestant
Efidac 24® Pseudoephedrine
Genaphed®
Kidkare® Decongestant Drops
Pedia Relief®
PediaCare® Infants' Oral Decongestant Drops
Simply Stuffy®
Sudafed® 12 Hour Caplets®
Sudafed® 24 Hour
Sudafed® Children's Nasal Decongestant
Sudafed® Nasal Decongestant
Suphedrin®
Su-Phedrin®
Suphedrin® Children's
Triaminic® AM Decongestant Syrup
Triaminic® Infant Oral Decongestant Drops
OP
laserdoc
Contributor
IXΘYΣ:
Which nasal spray do you use??
If you are congested due to allergies, it is probably best to get on a diet of one a day pills rather than trying to bring down the congestion prior to a dive and having a rebound from the drugs wearing off at some point. If you are congested due to a cold, i would just wait it out. Unfortunately allergies can be around for most of the year hence you would never go diving (of course they are worse in some seasons of pollen etc over others for some people). I found Claritin D also worked quite well over Sudafed. I also only really have an issue with clearing my ears, not my nasal cavities. to get over the clearing issue i practice clearing them several times a day and also chew gum (exercising and warming up the throat) prior to diving.
ProfessorAronnax
Contributor
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I use Flonase for allergies-works great for me with no side effects-and sudafed. Haven't had problems with sudafed (pseudoephedrine) but it is a bit of a stimulant and there have been some rather disconcerting reports (as posted above). Whichever decongestant you choose, do not let it wear off while diving!
I have carried Afrin now for over 30 years. In the mid 70's is contained a narcotic and was available only by prescription. Fortunately for me my dive partner at the time was an MD. As time went by though they removed the narcotic and it became available over the counter. Nowadays it is generic and can be purchased just about anywhere.
I use a very little bit (small spray in each nostril) early in the morning of my first dive day. Most often I don't need more but if necessary I repeat the same dosage.
Yeah ...I feel a little elevation in heart rate but the clearness in my head and the ease of ear clearing is worth it.
'Slogger
I use a very little bit (small spray in each nostril) early in the morning of my first dive day. Most often I don't need more but if necessary I repeat the same dosage.
Yeah ...I feel a little elevation in heart rate but the clearness in my head and the ease of ear clearing is worth it.
'Slogger
scubaaaronh
Contributor
I have seasonal allergies and they can be bad at times, but not bad enough to be on a maintenance medication. Both my doc and ENT(diver) suggested the claritin D. and it works when i need it to. I have not tried flonase maybe i will ask my Doc about it.
Like everything in life, decongestants have their pluses and minuses.
Pseudoephedrine is effective at reducing congestion. The usual form is fairly short-acting, but it is available in a time-released formulation. Side effects include increased heart rate and blood pressure, anxiety and jitteriness, tremor, and as alluded to above, a possible increased susceptibility to oxygen toxicity. That is probably not a concern for the average recreational diver staying well above a 1.4 pp02.
Afrin (oxymetazoline) and neosynephrine are very powerful vasoconstrictors, which is how they work. By shrinking the blood vessels, they shrink the tissues and reduce the edema. Unfortunately, their effect is so strong that, when they wear off, the tissues which have been experiencing diminished blood are screaming for more, so the blood vessels become engorged and more fluid leaks out of them. That is the origin of the "rebound" phenomenon when using these drugs. People often become tempted to reuse the medication earlier than the recommended 12 hour interval, and get trapped in a cycle of more and more frequent use, until the medication essentially no longer works. This is common enough to have been given a medical name: rhinitis medicamentosa.
Congestion which is due to allergic symptoms is probably far better treated with medications that actually address the allergy itself, rather than the symptoms. Into that class would fall the oral, non-drowsy antihistamines like Claritin, and the nasal steroids like Flonase. In addition, there is an OTC medication called NasoCrom, which is a membrane stabilizer medication sometimes also used for asthma. It has the advantages of little, if any, systemic absorption, and no significant local side effects. Its disadvantage is that, unlike steroids, it must be used three times a day to be maximally effective.
If you have severe congestion from a cold, it is probably not a good idea to use medications to allow diving. If you should be so unlucky as to have them wear off while you are in the water, you can do permanent damage to your ears.
Pseudoephedrine is effective at reducing congestion. The usual form is fairly short-acting, but it is available in a time-released formulation. Side effects include increased heart rate and blood pressure, anxiety and jitteriness, tremor, and as alluded to above, a possible increased susceptibility to oxygen toxicity. That is probably not a concern for the average recreational diver staying well above a 1.4 pp02.
Afrin (oxymetazoline) and neosynephrine are very powerful vasoconstrictors, which is how they work. By shrinking the blood vessels, they shrink the tissues and reduce the edema. Unfortunately, their effect is so strong that, when they wear off, the tissues which have been experiencing diminished blood are screaming for more, so the blood vessels become engorged and more fluid leaks out of them. That is the origin of the "rebound" phenomenon when using these drugs. People often become tempted to reuse the medication earlier than the recommended 12 hour interval, and get trapped in a cycle of more and more frequent use, until the medication essentially no longer works. This is common enough to have been given a medical name: rhinitis medicamentosa.
Congestion which is due to allergic symptoms is probably far better treated with medications that actually address the allergy itself, rather than the symptoms. Into that class would fall the oral, non-drowsy antihistamines like Claritin, and the nasal steroids like Flonase. In addition, there is an OTC medication called NasoCrom, which is a membrane stabilizer medication sometimes also used for asthma. It has the advantages of little, if any, systemic absorption, and no significant local side effects. Its disadvantage is that, unlike steroids, it must be used three times a day to be maximally effective.
If you have severe congestion from a cold, it is probably not a good idea to use medications to allow diving. If you should be so unlucky as to have them wear off while you are in the water, you can do permanent damage to your ears.
scubaaaronh
Contributor
What does "1.4 pp02" mean??
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