Antihistamine Nasal Spray Offers Pricey Relief

Newspaper Columns, Pharmacy Q&A June 1, 2007

Q. You have written about allergies but I think you may have missed the next great allergy drug. I was having problems last winter and tried Claritin, Allegra and Zyrtec in succession, but all had lost their effectiveness.

The nurse practitioner had noticed that the specialists were prescribing Astelin nasal spray (nasal antihistamine) and it was working like magic. She wrote me a prescription and I had it filled. It works instantly and lasts all day. The only drawback is that it makes me sneeze once or twice when I first spray it. It doesn’t make me sleepy or dopey, which is good since we all have to stay sharp at our jobs.

A. We’re delighted you’ve had such good results. Astelin nasal spray is a topical antihistamine, but not everyone benefits as much as you. It is normally used twice daily and is about as effective as oral antihistamines.

Side effects of Astelin may include a bitter taste in the mouth, drowsiness, headache, nasal burning, sneezing, sore throat, dry mouth and fatigue. A one-ounce bottle can cost as much as $90.

Reader Comments

I haven't used Astelin, however I have used more than one of the other new type nasal sprays such as Nasalcort, Rhinocort. They worked great as I have violent itching in my throat and soft palette and it stops that dead.

Posted by: Ginger | June 4, 2007 12:28 PM

I was given Astelin to try when I got sick this past winter. It has woked better than all the other allergy nasal sprays I have tried including Rhinocort Aqua. One of the best things I noticed about Astelin was that while I was using it when I was around cigrette smoke it didn't bother me at all.

Posted by: Marie | June 27, 2007 11:44 AM

I have life-long allergies & been on most medicines available. Last year when my allergist prescribed Astelin I wasn't expecting anything different. I was very surprised when shortly after I started using Astelin, I had a significant improvement in my symptoms. It hasn't been a miracle cure, but it sure provides relief that I've not experienced with any other drug.

Posted by: Janet Kaye | June 27, 2007 12:44 PM

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Joe Graedon is a pharmacologist. Teresa Graedon holds a doctorate in medical anthropology and is a nutrition expert. Their syndicated radio show can be heard on public radio. In their column, Joe and Teresa Graedon answer letters from readers. Write to them in care of this newspaper or e-mail them via their Web site: www.PeoplesPharmacy.com.

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