Which non-drowsy OTC medicine do you use for a sneezy runny nose?

May 1, 2018 10:18 AM

I'm trying to work and I can't concentrate with these nose tingles. Is there a spray I can run to the drugstore and get?

My nose is tingly, sneezy and runny many days of the week. There's no way to tell whether it's a cold, an allergy or an irritation (I'm pregnant and this has been going on for the entire pregnancy, so it's probably what they call pregnancy rhinitis).

Is there a non-drowsy medication I can try that is neither an antihistamine (it's hit and miss whether those work - trust me I've been playing with this issue for almost 9 months) nor a sudafed-type drug (those are always drowsy, plus I really shouldn't be taking them while pregnant)?

Thanks!

posted by kitcat to Health & Fitness (17 answers total)

Flonase can work wonders if your problem is allergies.

Nasal wash/neti pot use is also a big help for some people, myself included.
posted by uberchet at 10:29 AM on May 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

Flonase and similar generics are the only thing that really works for me anymore.
posted by GenderNullPointerException at 10:38 AM on May 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

Highly recommend Flonase, but it is not an instant fix -- usually I have to be consistently using it (morning + evening every day) for a few days before it builds up enough to kick in. So, just keep that in mind with using that.

I also find non-drowsy Claritin works well for me, and is a more "quick" fix that will work that same day.
posted by rainbowbrite at 10:40 AM on May 1, 2018 [1 favorite]

My doctors encouraged me to use Flonase for my allergies when I was pregnant. They told me that not enough of it was absorbed systemically to hurt the baby. It works better after you have been using it every day for a week or two. It has a much better effects-to-side-effects ratio, for me, than any antihistamine. It would probably be a good idea to ask your doctor about it, in case recommendations have changed.

In contrast, nasal spray decongestants like Afrin are very effective for a few days, then create much worse nasal congestion as a rebound effect. It is usually best to avoid them. When I used one for a plane flight while breastfeeding my baby, I noticed that my baby seemed to show effects from the stimulant.

There is a nasal spray, astelin, that works directly to dry your nose. If your problem is just drippiness, and neither cold nor allergies, I'd expect this to be the most useful treatment, but I'd want to ask a doctor before using it during pregnancy.
posted by chromium at 10:42 AM on May 1, 2018

Vicks sells a nasal inhaler product that not every chain chooses to carry. It's the best nasal decongestant I've ever used. Not every chain carries it because technically, it's meth. But it's the form of meth that doesn't get people high. It just constricts blood vessels, which produces the decongestant effect you're looking for, and the dosage and delivery method keeps the effect localized to your nose and sinuses. Look for the active ingredient levmetamfetamin. Ask your doctor as to whether this form of meth in this dosage can carry risks.
posted by infinitewindow at 10:46 AM on May 1, 2018

Afrin will work more quickly but is bad to take for very long. Flonase continual use to work but is also bad to take long-term (corticosteroids delivered right near the retina for extended periods of time can cause blisters on the retina that affect vision- this happened to me)
posted by quiet coyote at 10:49 AM on May 1, 2018

Seconding Astelin (azelastine nasal spray) by prescription (if possible with pregnancy.) It works on sneezy/runny/drippy nose when nothing else does for me.
posted by Stewriffic at 10:50 AM on May 1, 2018

When I get a runny nose from minor allergies or a cold, I use the generic version of Alca-Seltzer Cold Plus (official website). WalMart carried a box of 48 packets for less than $5, but they weren't available at all stores, so I bought a few boxes when I last saw them. They dry me out, but not so I feel like my head has been mummified, and they work quickly without any drowsiness. I don't know what they do to tampen down allergic reactions otherwise.

I'll also second the neti pot/nasal irrigation - flushing the irritants from your sinuses feels weird at first, but after I drain it all out, I feel so much better. But you have to be good about draining your sinuses as much as you can, which can take a few minutes, and then you'll still want to carry tissues around as you'll drip when you get your blood pumping, like when you go up a flight of stairs.

One other problem with the neti pot is that I've also flushed something elsewhere into my sinuses, so I've had subsequent fevers that knocked me out for a day, but that's probably due to my chronic low-allergies leading to chronic minor congestion -- or it could have been that I didn't wash my neti pot out well, and I flushed something that grew in there. Washing your neti pot and using distilled or boiled water is key for your own health and safety. Not trying to scare you away from neti pots, but inform you of the potential issues.
posted by filthy light thief at 11:03 AM on May 1, 2018

My OB advised me to use Zyrtec for pregnancy rhinitis, as the safest of the "second generation" (non drowsy) antihistamine. It worked reasonably well.
posted by Kriesa at 11:19 AM on May 1, 2018

I'm probably a major outlier, but I had HORRIBLE side effects from Claritin while I was pregnant that I NEVER had had when I took Claritin in my non-pregnant life. Like, bad enough to consider aborting because I did not know it was the Claritin causing them, I thought it was just stuff that I had to live with because I was pregnant and I couldn't imagine dealing with it for nine months. I then happened to switch to Zyrtec for other reasons and the symptoms immediately ceased, which is how I figured it out.
posted by rabbitrabbit at 11:24 AM on May 1, 2018

I have been pregnant and I would only use a neti pot.

N A C amino acid is often used in otc meds as a decongestant and it seems to come in nasal spray, check with your doc but should be safer.
posted by jbenben at 12:10 PM on May 1, 2018

sudafed-type drug (those are always drowsy...)

I guess you're an outlier, because a known side-effect of pseudoephedrine is insomnia, not drowsiness. I was going to recommend it, if you're one of those who can take it without insomnia or the jitters.

ETA: I see you're saying it's not good for during pregnancy--hadn't heard that. Carry on.
posted by JimN2TAW at 12:24 PM on May 1, 2018

Xyzal. I have tried everything and this was the only thing that helped.
posted by twin_A at 12:41 PM on May 1, 2018

Response by poster: Thanks! I tried the flonase yesterday; it didn't work and I ended up leaving work. I guess it has to build up in my system...But I'll try some of the others here next time it happens.
posted by kitcat at 8:27 AM on May 2, 2018

Don't give up. It takes a week or two of daily use before you can see a benefit from Flonase. It doesn't do anything the first day you use it. (Sorry you're suffering now.)
posted by chromium at 1:28 PM on May 2, 2018

I know Neti Pots freak people out, but nasal rinsing has been a godsend for me with my allergies. I use a NeilMed, which is a squeezy bottle. Unlike the Neti Pot, you don't have to tip yourself over awkwardly--you squeeze the bottle to push the water up. There are videos on YouTube.

It may take a few sessions before you feel anything. For me, the third time I did a NeilMed rinse, I felt like the heavens had opened up and angels were singing. I now do it every day (sometimes twice a day if I have a cold or allergies are really kicked up).

(Also, Flonase is great too! And it does take a few days.)
posted by radioamy at 5:50 PM on May 2, 2018

Sudafed (the real kind) is great for short-term relief but it only lasts a few hours. If you're having a flare it could help you get through that.

I use flonase, azestaline, sudafed if my sinuses are acting up, and a neti pot and I can pretty much breathe most of the time. Some sinus problems are resistant to everything and you need to throw everything you've got at it.

Good luck.
posted by Amy93 at 5:55 PM on May 2, 2018