Does Your Nose Know Flonase?

I have had allergies of both the indoor and outdoor variety for most of my life. My list of symptoms goes on and on forever: running nose, sniffling, congestion, itchy nose, itchy skin, red and dry eyes, and a million more. I started taking Flonase in conjunction with an oral allergy medication used to treat the symptoms that were not particularly related to my nose. Overall, Flonase worked for me, and it worked with very few side effects.

When I started taking Flonase, relief came almost immediately. My most bothersome indoor allergy was an allergy to cat dander. This was problematic since I volunteered at a local animal shelter, and there are only so many tissues kept in the shelter on a weekend. However, after using Flonase and the oral medication, I was able to work in the "cat room" without any discomfort due to allergies. The same can be said for my outdoor allergies. Rolling in the grass or getting my hands dirty no longer required a box (or two) of tissues.

I did not experience any major drawbacks while using Flonase, aside from the thought of administering a drug nasally. However, there was one side effect. For roughly the first week of my time on Flonase, I experienced a drying on the inside of my nose. Breathing had a slightly "raw" feeling to it due to the dryness, and that feeling was even more intense after any kind of physical exertion that caused my breathing to become heavier. It was quite irritating, but the feeling went away after about a week of continued use. No noticeable side effects occurred afterwards, and the benefits were outstanding.

I appreciated the Flonase most of all because it was non-drowsy relief. I typically took over the counter decongestants and sinus headache medications to relieve my allergy symptoms, but these non-prescription drugs knocked me out within less than an hour. The symptoms disappeared, but I was not conscious to enjoy it! Flonase relieves many of the same symptoms, and it does not require a nap.

Overall, my experience with Flonase was excellent. I have not been on any allergy medications for a little while because my indoor and outdoor allergy symptoms have miraculously disappeared. However, I would definitely ask my physician to put me on Flonase again if the symptoms ever do return. I experienced a week of dry nostrils, but the relief made it all worthwhile.