To get the best results from decongestants and use them safely in the treatment of allergies
- Don't take them if you have heart problems, high blood pressure, diabetes, enlarged prostate, or an overactive thyroid.
- Use nasal sprays or drops when you need instant congestion relief.
- Don't use decongestant nasal sprays or drops for more than 3 or 4 days.
- Use oral decongestants when you need symptom relief for more than a few days.
- Avoid taking decongestants before bed.
- Avoid other stimulants such as caffeinated coffee, teas, colas, diet pills, or "pep" pills while you're taking decongestants.
- If you're taking beta-blockers, a blood pressure medication, talk with your doctor before using decongestants.
- Talk with your doctor before taking any medications if you're pregnant, nursing, or plan to become pregnant.
If you're bothered by side effects, your doctor can often help by changing:
- How much medication you take. Sometimes side effects can be stopped or minimized by reducing the dose. Or, your doctor may lower the dose and then raise it more slowly.
- When you take the medication. You may be able to cope with drowsiness or insomnia, for instance, by taking your medication in the evening or first thing in the morning.
- How you take the medication. Taking your medication in smaller doses several times a day rather than in one dose can help. Taking your medicine with food might eliminate side effects such as nausea.
- The type of allergy medication. A different allergy medication may be able to stop your symptoms with fewer or less severe side effects.
Always talk with your doctor before changing how you take your medication.
Common Side Effects of Decongestants
Decongestants can cause sleep problems and nervousness due to overstimulation of the brain. They can also cause other side effects, such as raising blood pressure. This feeling of nervousness often wears off after a couple of weeks, but for people with heart problems and high blood pressure, decongestants can be dangerous.
Serious Side Effects of Decongestants
One of the most dangerous side effects is that they can make existing heart problems worse. So always let your doctor know if you have high blood pressure or heart disease. And, if you've been diagnosed with either of these two medical problems, don't take decongestants for allergies without first discussing it with your doctor.
Decongestants can also produce a number of less severe side effects, including:
- restlessness
- nervousness
- sleeplessness
- loss of appetite
- rebound effect (from nasal sprays or drops)
- increased blood pressure
- nausea
- urinary problems
- visual difficulties
- irritation of the nasal lining (from sprays or drops)
- headache
- faster heartbeat
Watch Out for Nasal Rebound
One of the big disadvantages of nasal spray decongestants is that overusing them can actually cause the blood vessels in the nose to swell, making your stuffy nose even worse. This is called the rebound effect. The medical term for this type of nasal reaction is chemical rhinitis or rhinitis medicamentosa.
The rebound effect can last for days. If your stuffy nose is getting worse, you may be suffering from a rebound effect, so stop taking the medicine and call your doctor.
Decongestants Can Interact With Other Medications
Before taking any new medication, let your doctor know what other drugs and supplements — both prescription and over-the-counter medications — you take.
The following medications can make decongestant side effects worse:
- antibiotics and antifungal medications
- antidepressants such as monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs such as Parnate and Nardil) and tricyclic antidepressants or TCAs, in general
- blood pressure or heart medications, such as beta-blockers, guanethidine, methyldopa, and rauwolfia
- nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs such as indomethacin for arthritis
Nasal decongestants can alter the effects of the following types of medications:
- anti-Parkinson agents, such as bromocriptine mesylate
- blood pressure or heart medications, such as beta-blockers
- caffeine products such as coffee, tea, or colas
- insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents, used for elevated blood glucose and diabetes
- antipsychotic drugs in general
- theophylline taken for respiratory problems
- urinary acidifiers or alkalinizers taken for bladder problems
For more information about allergies and allergy treatments, see the next page.
