It's well known that guys with BPH shouldn't use decongestants that contain pseudoephedrine (Sudafed) or similar compounds. These substances cause the bladder neck and potentially the sphincters to close down. Before it was "well known" to me, I had a bad experience with just how much these types of decongestants can close off the urinary tract.
Cruelly, the alpha blockers that are supposed to help with flow cause congestion. I'm experiencing that now and because I won't use the "unsafe" decongestants, I find it difficult to breathe while sleeping.
Nasal strips do help, but I'm wondering if any contributors to this site have any recommendations for alleviating congestion in a safe way for men who have BPH.
I've experimented for decades regarding this issue since starting alpha blockers over 20 years ago. All I can offer you is to confirm that the nasal strips are your best option. I use them every night and they work ok. But the alpha blockers are crucial to helping my BPH so I just put up with the congestion. Sometimes I will also use one of those hand held steam misters to clear my sinuses during the winter and that helps a lot before sleep.
I've had the same experience. Took antihistamines for hives 4 years ago, went in to acute urinary retention and have had to reply on catheters and alpha blockers since. Unfortunately, I don't have any nighttime breathing tips but I'm going to take your suggestion and try the breathing strips.
I just started using flonase, and it has really helped with my nasal congestion caused by seasonal allergies. My brother-in-law doc said it doesn't contain anti-histamines. I'm no longer taking tamsulosin or Cialis (thank you PAE), but was still concerned about taking an anti-histamine as I'm borderline OK without those meds..
Rich. I think you are ok with Flonase. It is not a decongestant. Flonase has something in it to stop inflammation. They are testing decongestants now for retro because it causes the bladder neck to close and also the sphincters muscles. But with anything you have to be careful. Ken
Because of the way it works, it may take several days for FLONASE® products to reach maximum effect. That’s why it’s best to use FLONASE® products once a day, every day, during allergy season. FLONASE® products not only relieve sneezing, itchy nose, runny nose and itchy, watery eyes**, but also relieve nasal congestion.
Be careful with Flonase over the long term. If you read the small print it cautions against prolonged use as you could get permanent tissue swelling as well as develop a resistance to the Flonase so you need to use more of it. Again, I find that benign solutions like the nasal strips and a personal steamer helps. Also I find a saline nose spray you can get at the drug store helps as well as daily cleaning of the nasal passages using a gravity drip pot helps. All these are available at the drug store and are cheap and easy to use and do not involve drugs. They have helped me a lot over the years. Good luck.
Flonase is a steroid (corticosteroid) which should never be used for chronic prolonged problems. Like any steroid it eventually upsets the hormonal balance and can intensify the very problem it is used to fix. I got addicted to nasal steroids years ago to fix my nasal congestion from Flomax and it wasn't pretty getting over the problems they created. Just trying to help here. Take care. Howard
"danger" of corticosteroid is overblown. There was a study by Mayo clinic that investigated long term use of prednisone for managing some of the autoimmune symptoms ( PMR) and it found out that there is no noticeable increase in any illness with prednisone compared with general population of same age apart from slight increase in cataract incidents. Corticosteroid are replacement for natural hormone cortisol, which is produced by adrenal gland, so as long as the dose is low ( less then 7mg) there are virtually no negative consequences.
I use a herbal nasal spray called Sinuforce. I find it excellent for when I have a cold or when I just feel 'stuffed up'. Just google 'sinuforce nasal spray' and you should find it.
First I would like to know who sponsored the study at the Mayo clinic - was it the drug manufacturer or some related interest which is often the case.
Secondly, I go more by personal experience. When we take any type of steroid that is naturally produced by the body, this action then discourages the adrenal system from producing this hormone so when we stop taking the drug we can enter adrenal insufficiency which can be very dangerous.
This happened to me with Flonase despite the warnings from my druggist not to overuse it for chronic problems caused by Flomax. The withdrawl from it was a terrible experience I would not wish on anyone.
Also years ago before I started taking Avodart which has its own hormonal problems, I was taking low-dose prednisone (5mg) daily for my BPH. It really helped for a few months but then I had to start increasing the dose to get the same effect. When I finally stopped it I went into adrenal insufficiency which I still suffer from to this day.
Since those days I found benign easy solutions for my nasal congestion from Flomax ( I have since switched to xatral) which works well with no side effects. I was just trying to help this fellow with his posted problem since I went through the same issues.
ALL steroids are bad over the long term since they alter the functioning of our hormonal system so if there are other solutions they should be tried first.
I will unfollow this discussion now and wish everyone good luck. Howard
Howard you have help many on here. I was on Flomax before I had my Urolift done. Stopped it after a month did not like the side effects. It never bothered me in that way. But we all have to watch the side effect of all med's because we can get attitude to any pills. I have a grand daughter that she has a very bad skin problem. The doctor gave her a cream with 1 % steroids. They have use it on here for 4 years it works and don't work. My daughter had to stop the cream because it was not doing her any good. My grand daughter had to go through withdrawal she is only 6 years old. She has a appointment this Tuesday is going to have a 5 hour test to see what she is allergic to. Take care Howard. Ken