There are 244 ratings for the drug: ASTELIN in the Askapatient database.

Key to ratings for astelin: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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Rating	Reason	Side Effects	Comments	Sex	Age	Time Taken		Date Added
				F  M
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4	chronic congestion	mild sense of confusion.	works amazing. after 20yrs of congestion this is by far the best product I have ever tried. I think I will only take it once at night.	M	37	3 days		1/7/2010
1	year round allergies for dust mites	very tired, irritable. i had a hard time getting up in the morning.	this spry is for seasonal allergies only. it also works for environmental odors. i don't know why my doctor prescribed this medicine for me. i have year round allergies. the only spray that has worked well is a steroid spray called nasacort	F	46	6 months		12/2/2009
5	nasal congestion,	Nasty taste in the back of the throat.	I work at altitudes of 8-10 thousand feet. This cleared up my nasal congestion (allergies) and ended the vertigo from congestion. This stuff is great!	M	60	6 months		11/21/2009 Email
3	Severe mold allergies	None-until about after a year, I got persistent bloody nose, with severe bleeding: It looked like I was a member of "Fight Club"		F	42	1 days		11/7/2009
5	Sinus Congestion	None	I am a "walking side effect" to medications and have not had any with Astelin! I am so grateful for it because it really helps clear up my sinuses. I suffer year round allergies and when zyrtec + singulair combined weren't helping with the congestion, my doctor added the astelin and I hit the trifecta!	F	41	2 years		10/22/2009
1	runny nose, sneezing.	Right off, I am VERY upset about this. I have not felt my toes or the bottom of my feet for six months (which coincides with when I started taking this stuff). I had no idea this was a drug side effect. Never thought of it. Will stop taking it immediately. Would not recommend it for anyone.		M	51	6 months		10/15/2009
3	year around allergies	RAPID weight gain with daily exercise and healthy eating (18lbs in 1-1/2 months)- anxiety- palpitations- increase in cough from drainage - elevated blood pressure (have never had before)seeing cardiologist for stress test. Severe sleepiness, no energy, increased hunger. mild headache at initial use.	Did help with congestion- after reading these comments will stop using and hope the side effects disappear. ESP the weight!!!!	F	44	2 months		10/13/2009
1	nasal congestion	Very serious side effects.....many blood clots in legs...mesentary and lungs....this stuff is dangerous	Was not warned of any side effects by physician,may concide legal action.	M	71	21 days		10/13/2009 Email
1	Pollen allergies (post nasal drip)	dizziness, light nose bleeds, headaches, nausea, sore throat, twitchyness, bad taste, SEVERE drowsiness and disorientation	I will most likely NEVER use this product ever again. It is too expensive, dangerous and the only time that I wasn't severly affected by the drowsiness was when I only squirted the orange liquid in one nostril and leaned forward while I gently breathed in through that clogged nostril. I used this product a grand total of 3 times. I was perscribed this by a new doctor and she told me to just "try it out" and she also perscribed me Atarax which also causes drowsiness, the combination of the two often causes upper respirator issues and I have enough of those already. I couldn't even notice if it actually worked because it seemed that all I could do was sit on my bed at home and twitch. The only time I will ever use it again is if I get so sick that I can't breathe through either one of my nostrils.	F	16	2 days		10/10/2009
1	seasonal allergies	extreme, marked drowsiness, even while on adderall xr, which is a stimulant! astelin was the only new addition to my routine, so i'm 100% certain it caused my sleepiness at work. could barely keep my eyes open and was misspelling simple words (and i'm a writer!).	would not recommend. zyrtec works for me, but in all reality, i'd rather sneeze all day than take astelin again. oh, and it's not cheap!	F	25			10/8/2009
4	Chronic nasal allergies	I take it only when my condition gets very bad. I take one spray in each nostril. Makes me very drowsy and so I take it at night only. While the sleep is always good, it also produces vivid dreaming. Fortunately they are good dreams. Last night's were beautiful, including wonderful landscapes , exquisite architecture, subdued colors, festive people, etc.etc. Only bad was a friend in trouble. But everything is sooo realistic, it was amazing. That is why I googled Astelin side-effects this morning and here I am!	If it works take it only when absolutely necessary. The other unpleasant side-effects like bitter taste, temporarily sore sinus and nasal-passages are outweighed by the relief, unlike say Benadryl which leaves me almost disabled with drowsiness and long period of lethargic malaise.	M	63	2 years		9/30/2009
3	Allergic Rhinitus	Falling asleep at my desk, terribly sleepy and physically fatigued and weak. Face pain.	Worked great for my post-nasal drip, but I haven't had such an extreme sleepy side-effect from an antihistamine except for benedryl. I'm going to try using it just at night.	F	47	7 days		9/23/2009
2	chronic sinusitus/allergies	Terrible heart palpitations and panic especially at night. Can't wake up in the morning-- fell asleep at work after large quantities of caffiene. No considerable difference in symptoms or allergic reactions. Dissappointed.	As this is a last resort-- I've tried eveything else-- I gave Astelin 2 full weeks of full dosage and still no improvement. But quality of life otherwise took a nose-dive (no pun intended!).	F	27	2 weeks		8/22/2009
2	chronic sinus problems/no allergies	Extreme drowsiness especially during first week. Heart palpitions, weird dreams, continually waking up during night. Very difficult to get out of bed in the morning and lethargic during the day. Did not help with sinus headaches in morning and all day. Extra weight gain (in addition to menopause)! No bitter taste at all because I did not breathe in heavily while spraying (as per directions). Unable to fully function at work or home and loss of interest in regular activities. Overall, not a good experience.	While it does seem to clear the sinuses the side-effects don't warrant continued use. As this was an interim option until results of Sinus CT I don't suspect my doctor will prescribe in the future for me.	F	52	2 weeks		8/15/2009
2	nasal inflammation/polyp	Heart palpitations (scary), irritability, horrible achy feeling in nose, loss of smell or weird smells, confusion as to what I am smelling.	Doctors wake up! People have major side effects to prescription drugs AFTER the FDA has approved it and it's on the market. When a study has only used 250 people to test the drug before it hits market (such as Astelin), I don't think that is representing the whole population. When I read how many other people have similar side effects to mine on this website, I am wondering why prescription drug companies are overlooking this issue. We as consumers need to speak up and report these things to the FDA and the company who manufactures the drug.	F	30	5 days		8/11/2009
2	Chronic Rhinitis	Heart palpitation 5 to 6 hours after using it, shortness of breath, dry mouth, blurred vision	Ineffective for opening nasal and sinus passages.	M	54	4 days		7/6/2009
1	sinus headaches	Just had an EKG today and am wearing a holter monitor for 24 hrs. Have heart palpitations and pins and needles feeling in my hands and feet. Thought the problem was with my thyroid or menopause but those checked out fine. Did not suspect Astelin until cardiologists asked which meds I took (Astelin is the only one) and I checked for side effects on the web. Still have an echo and stress test scheduled but hate to spend the money if Astelin has caused it.	Have taken Astelin for at least 5 years; have not experienced weight gain but have alot of fatigue.	F	54	5 years		7/6/2009
3	allergies	jitters and profound fatigue	works very well but since I can't do anything but sleep and sit around with my muscles twitching it isn't much of a life. will stop using yet another drug...sadly...because it does work but the side effects are not worth it	F	60	6 days		7/4/2009 Email
1	severe allergy	After taking for 5 days lost my sense of taste and smell..working on second round of antibiotics for severe sinusitis..I lost my smell in March 09..It is now July. o9.I love to cook and it has greatly affected my life..I never get headaches now my sinuses hurt all the time..I will never use anything in my nose again..I had some other effects too that went away after I stopped medication.. but this is awful..		F	59	5 days		7/2/2009 Email
3	Chronic Sinus Congestion	Tired during the day. Acts as a sleep drug.	Take at night and Nasonex in the morning. No longer need to take decongestants but side effects are not too good. May drop one or both drugs. Better to irrigate twice a day	M	52	4 months		6/29/2009
1	severe sinus infection	insomnia, having weak spells (was about to go to cardiologist), indigestion, lack of energy, no motivation, memory loss, vision blurry in afternoons and evenings, pressure in my head at night	I am furious. I've been taking this stuff for about 6 weeks. I haven't slept much, I'm tired, I had my second "weak" spell last night when I thought I was going to pass out (nausea, shaking, legs weak). I was going to make an appointment to see my cardiologist on Monday because I was scared to death. I'm a little upset with my ENT too.	F	54	6 weeks		6/20/2009
1	severe rhinitis	This drug worked great and unstuffing my nose and clearing up my rhinitis but the horrible side effects of rapid weight gain and irregular heartbeat (I thought I was having a heart attack) were sure not worth it. Avoid this drug at all costs!!!!						6/16/2009
1	Dr thought allergies	Heart racing, horrible headaches, and weight gain even though I eat right and exercise daily.	I hate when the guessing game costs so much....this $100 a bottle spray did nothing to relieve my symptoms and made me feel worse than when I went in to Dr.	F	55	30 days		6/12/2009
3	Severe allergic rhinitis	Drowsiness, mood swings, headaches, memory problems, inability to lose weight, extreme hunger, strange dreams, pain in face and nose.	Have been using Astelin for about 2 months along with Clarinex, and my allergies are almost gone, but I think I'm going to stop the Astelin because I can't take the side effects. They're a little scary, especially after reading everyone else's side effects. Not worth it. Maybe the Clarinex will do.	F	39	2 months		5/19/2009
3	Post Nasal Drip due to Allergy	Well I only took this once yesterday morning. It worked, however my vision was off all day. I don't need glasses for close up however could not see close up well all day. I will try it again, maybe at night is what I was thinking until I saw all of the comments on here. Anyway, thought I would add this, because I did not see it on here. I was taking no other new drug when I tried this, so it has to be connected.	I am sure it still works for a lot of people. My Doctor uses it and swears by it.	F	49	1 days		4/27/2009
4	Seasonal Allergies	For the first two weeks of taking Astelin, I was very dizzy and felt generally out of sorts. I also expereinced relatively bad headaches. However, I was desperate to have relief from my allergies (runny nose, itchy eyes, ears and throat, sneezing, congestion) so I stuck it out. After the initial two weeks, the side effects faded to almost non-existance (they are much more tolarable than the effects of the allergies).	I am on the one spray, twice a day dosage. It has definitely worked for me.	F	27	1 years		4/23/2009
3	Yes	Severe Rapid Weight Gain	I was in love with this nose spray for about 5 months. I usually have 2-3 sinus infections every winter and had had none since taking it. In fact, head colds seemed to stay away from me, too although they were affecting everyone else around me. In the meantime, I was depressed about my 15 pound weight gain in 5 months even though I had started exercising and eating better. Finally put 2 and 2 together, especially after reading the comments here. If you are gaining mad weight in a short amount of time and are taking this drug, I would seriously consider this as your culprit. Too bad since it seemed to be an answer to prayer for me and I'm not sure what I will do now.	F	36	5 months		4/17/2009
3	severe congestion/ afrin addiction	heart palpitations/ mild anxiety/ increased appetite/ breathing problems	I run an 8 minute mile for five miles at least three times per week. After taking astelin, I could barely run a 10 minute mile. i could not catch my breath. This has never happened before taking astelin. It is the only product that has moderately worked after being addicted to afrin.	F	37	30 days		4/12/2009
1	nasal congestion, r/t allergies	other than a slight bitter taste, none	Although no side effects, it also didn't do anything to HELP me, either. Still congested, runny, itchy and sneezy.	F	53	7 days		4/7/2009 Email
1	sinus infection	High anxiety, didn't feel like could get enough oxygen. That was really scary. Have closterphobia so this was my worst nightmare.	Didn't open up my stuffy nose even alittle. The bitter taste horrible. Don't recommend this product.	F	57	1 days		3/26/2009
3	allergic post nasal drip	worked great at first but noticing side effects after third month. Tight chest, elevated blood pressure last week. Most alarming to read about possibility of rheumatoid arthritis. My joints have been unexplainably noisy and sore for the last month or so. My granny had RA. I'm quitting today!		F	51	4 months		3/12/2009
5	Allergies	Intense Hunger, A Little Blood In Nose But Only When I Blow It Hard(No Nosebleeds Though), Bitter Taste.	I have suffered from allergies all my life. My judgment was always cloudy, my nose and head were always stuffy, my eyes were always itchy, I was always tired and felt terrible especially during the fall and spring when allergies were at their peak. This is the only product that has ever worked almost instantly and kept working all day long. I take it once a day in the morning and it works great. I can finally breath right, my voice is not so nasally, I can jog without gasping for breath, I am not so edgy and grumpy and I can just enjoy life. While I do have some minor side effects it is well worth it because the side effects of the allergies were much much greater and kept me from enjoying my life.	M	30	6 months		3/5/2009
3	Allergies	Crazy dreams. I would not classify them as nightmares but they wake me up because they are so bizarre. Also I havetightness in the jaws and temples when I wake up.	Works great on the allergies.	M	47	2 years		2/23/2009
2	Severe congestion/chronic sinusitis	Made me a little sleepy.	I didn't do anything AT ALL to make my sinuses clear.	F	38	2 days		2/20/2009
1	prescribed for post nasal drip	It caused a sinus infection which in turn lead to a brocheal infection which this drug was suppose to cure by curing the drip which I wasn't having that much of until I took it.	It created the exact problem it was suppose to cure.	F		1 weeks		2/16/2009
2	Sinusitis -chronic bronchitis	At first I thought it was a miracle drug (even with permanent nasty taste). I could breathe again, not be constantly sick with sinusitis/bronchitis/pneumonia. Then I began to notice blood in nasal mucus with blood clots. It worsened to deep nasal membrane lesions/non-healing nose sores (almost a razor affect to nasal lining). I am trying to use q tip deliver medicine to back of my throat without going touching nasal membranes. Don't know how that will work out.	Love the help it provides for mucus control but serious side affect may not make it feasible.	F	56	40 days		2/10/2009 Email
4	Non-allergic rhinitis	I have been taking it for about 3 years and didn't really notice any side effects until recently. I take lower dose than prescribed (usually only 1 squirt per nostril once a day). However I took the extra nighttime dose last night (because my symptoms have been bad for a couple of days)and had terrible insomnia. I can't think of any other reason except the Astelin.	This medication has really helped me with the rhinitis - I used to have sneezing attacks for days at a time that basically kept me from functioning. Those almost never happen anymore.	F	54	3 years		2/3/2009
1	sinus infection	nightmares, agitation	After the 1st use my 15-year-old son was agitated and had terrible nightmares. He just wasn't himself. It also did nothing for his congestion and made his nose hurt. He never used it again and was much better the next night although still stuffy. Use sudafed and save your money. I spent $30 and had to throw it away. Nurse practitioner raved about how wonderful it was and that there were no side effects - I'll never see her again.	F	47	1 days		1/30/2009
5	Allergies	Bitter taste at first but it went away or I got used to it	I love it. I have had allergies all my life and this is the best drug yet, fortunately I have had no side effects. It controls my allergy problems and had helped to decrease my sinusitis problems as well	F	57	4 years		1/17/2009 Email
4	Sinus allergies	None.	Worked well for me so far.	M	36	7 days		1/16/2009
4	chronic sinus congestion	A bit of drowsiness, and a somewhat frequent headache. I have not had the heart rate troubles that others describe, but have only used it for two weeks.	The bitter taste stopped once I read another reviewer's suggestion to not inhale it up strongly through my nose when I sprayed it. This spray is the only spray that has helped me with my congestion.	F	38	2 weeks		1/15/2009
1	Nonspecific allergic rhinitis	Heart palpitations and loss of sense of smell. Both issues have now persisted 3 years after ceasing use. Medication also did not perform very well at reducing rhinitis; plain old pseudoephedrine was and is far better.	Although MD denied knowing of any heart issues with Astelin, his RN said this sort of thing happens all the time. Email me if you are ready to sue or have already done so.	M	46	180 days		1/14/2009 Email
5	allergies/sinisitis/post nasal drip	fast heart rate some times	i love it	F	27	5 days		1/13/2009
2	chronic sinisitis	After taking Astelin for a few months, I started experiencing noticeable heart palpitations and skipped beats, plus my normally low to low-normal blood pressure has shot up to very high for the past 2 weeks with absolutely no increased stressors or changes in life style. My doctor was baffled - I'm stopping the med today.	People ought to be warned by their physicians about possible high BP, dizziness, irritability, etc, even if they are not listed in the "official" side effects.	F	56	2 days		1/12/2009 Email
1	Eustachian Tube congestion	TERRIBLE! Made my jaw pop, felt agitated and irritated, after using it for 3 days, it made lymph nodes in my neck swell up and get sore.	Terrible, terrible, terrible! Never opened my eustachian tubes, made my neck sore, and to this day, my neck is still sore, and its 2 weeks post! I was prescribed it by a dumb physician's asst I saw in the ER. Don't use this drug!	M	15	7 days		1/7/2009 Email
1	Non-allergenic rhinitis	After 2 months I developed Rheumatoid Arthritis symptoms: stiff joints starting in my hands, symetrical, flare-ups with pain at 12 on a scale of 10, general pain of 3-6 daily, fingers are starting to curve outwards, joints itch, has spread from hands, up arms, across shoulders, in neck, down back, through rib cage, around heart, and now into my hips all within 4 months. I say RA symptoms since it takes 6 months for the antigen to appear in the blood, although 20% of sufferers never develope the antigen at all. 2 more months of pain to see if I have the antigen or not. My mother has also developed the same symptoms within the same timeframe, though of a lesser degree as she took the minimal dose while I took the maximum.	My pain is excrutiating and the drug company has been unresponsive to a large degree, denying responsibility in a snippy way, although the insert that accompanies the drug states that RA is an infrequently observed event with <2% of patients taking Astelin.	M	51	3 months		1/2/2009 Email
2	chronic sinusitis, postnasal drip	immediate unexplained weight gain and irritability and feeling that I was not myself. Initially I also experienced drowsiness but that went away after a few days.	It did help with my post nasal drip (I stopped coughing all the time) but the side effects greatly outweigh the benefits so it's not worth it for me.	F	35	3 weeks		12/25/2008
1	sinus and ear congestion	YIKES! I woke up so agitated I thought I was having a seizure. All day my jaw was clenching, I couldn't focus, very agitated, anxious, heart pounding, diarrhea, felt like I would jump out of my skin, felt crabby, angry, had to cancel all activities and call in sick as I could not drive. Hands and feet hot and red.	Yuck. It is toxic for me. I am sensitive to many drugs, so I took only half the recommended dose--geez, I'd probably be dead if I'd done the full amount. So scary. Unfortunately it has a looooooong half-life, so it took 3 days to clear it from my system to where I began to feel like myself again.	F	52	1 days		12/23/2008
4	Severe congestion & allergies	First off, everyone experiencing "bitter taste" needs to read the directions. You aren't supposed to breath in through your nose when spraying in your nostrils. This pulls the drug back to your throat. There is a slight bitter taste, but nothing to cry about. On another note, the chest pain and inability to breath normally have led me to dicontinue use of this drug. I didn't experience this right away, but then after a couple of months I began to use it on a more regular basis when seasonal allergies kicked in, and I couldn't figure out why my chest suddenly started hurting 24/7, heart palipations, and difficulty breathing as well as muscle soreness. This is a fantastic drug for clearing congestion and relieve headache, so it's a shame.	Stop taking if you experience chest pain, heart palipations, and difficulty breathing ASAP!	F	42	5 months		12/22/2008
3	allergies/post nasal drip	Not sleeping well at all. Pressure in the back of head, forehead, jaw area, and temples. Tired during the day.	Taste has improved since I first tried it about 18 months ago. Gave it up at that time because of the taste. Current version does sometimes make me feel like I have bad breath. Helping somewhat with the post nasal drip, but continue to have cough. Using 1 puff morning and night. Don't want to increase to 2 due to not sleeping. Will stop using Astelin if sleeping doesn't improve. Need to see if my usually low blood pressure is high.	F	51	7 days		12/16/2008
3	Sinus Infection	Weird moving sensation inside head, and my jaws and around my neck and ears tense up off and on, very odd	I am not sure if it is due to the Astelin. I am also taking antibiotics and antihistimine so it could be the combination of them all. Throughout the day I feel this weird pressure inside my head behind my nose, cheeks, and in the back of my head. I have to swallow really hard because it feels like stuff is draining a lot near my ears. The weirdest thing is that my jaws tense up every few minutes and my throat feels tight too. The tense feeling moves all over my head. It could be my sinuses finally breaking apart? I am not sure, but with my anxiety it has caused me to have several panic attacks because I worry that my throat may close or my jaws may lock in this tense position. I wonder if anyone has felt this sensation with sinuses. Not sure if its the Astelin or not.	F	26	4 days		12/11/2008 Email
4	year-round hay fever	Bitter taste. Yes. They warn you about this in the patient literature, and give instructions about how to minimize this. FOLLOW THE DIRECTIONS, PEOPLE.	I went off this medicine for a few months because I wasn't sure it was doing any good--but I saw that it actually was, after not using it for a while. I will continue to use it and have experienced NONE of the weird side effects others are complaining about. I think many folks on this site are experiencing symptoms that are due to other factors, not the Astelin, and just need to blame "something."	F	46	2 years		12/9/2008
3	post nasal drip	BITTER, BITTER taste that won't go away.	It does help some, but so hard to deal with the taste. I constanty eat mints and chew gum. Just wondering if my breath is offensive to others.	F	53	8 months		12/8/2008
2	Chronic Sinusitus	Weight Gain, About 10 lbs in 2 months. High Anxiety, Mood Swings, Very Irritable, High BP and Heart Pal. Could not understand the weight gain until seeing this sight.	Not worth the side effects	M	46	3 months		12/8/2008
5	seasonal allergies	none	the taste is certainly not great, but it seems to help a lot. I take every am and pm throughout the year. I posted on Zyrtec as well - different story - took occasionally to manage bad allergies but finally could not handle the side effects of mood changes, irritability, depression	M	43	2 years		12/2/2008
3	Allergy Sx w/no allergies...	Heart racing, mild anxiety, cranky mood, headache for 1st 1-2 hours after taking.	It made the sneezing stop. I'm off to see the ENT in a couple of weeks. Hopefully he'll have something different. I'm doing it in conjunction with the Netti pot and nasonex.	F	31	15 days		11/11/2008
5	Allergies/Sinus drainage	It works great, but I've been having really crazy dreams every night since I started taking it. I'm not one to have dreams usually, and these are odd and constant. I feel like I'm not getting any rest.		F	47	14 days		10/27/2008
1	allergies	I have this horribly bitter taste in my mouth that won't go away so far no headache or drowsiness but who knows what could happen from now.	My doctor gave me a sample without telling me the side effects but after today there is no way I'm taking this again	F	16	2 times		10/15/2008 Email
1	seasonal allergies	Immediately felt dizzy, experienced fluttery heart sensations, and my cheeks were flushed	Didn't have the bad taste; doc prescribed 2 puffs in each nostril, but only did one puff in each. I don't like the way it makes me feel. I hope the side effects don't last long. I was given a sample by the doc; sure glad I didn't pay for it & I'm not going to try it again. I don't drink caffiene & I feel jittery.	F	49	1 days		10/11/2008 Email
1	chronic sinus congestion	My ear, nose, throat professional prescribed Astelin. After three days of use, my blood pressure shot up, and I developed a severe pain in my left eye. Since I take Coumadin and have some macular degeneration, I consulted my retinal specialist the next day and more damage had occured, which has not improved over the past three weeks. The spike in blood pressure also caused retinal bleeding in my other eye, it seems.	The accompanying literature with the spray bottle did not mention the possible high blood pressure that could result. I think that all doctors should be aware of these adverse reactions to Asteline. To add insult to injury, I now have $80 of this dangerous medication, which I certainly never use again.	F	84	3 days		10/9/2008 Email
2	Allergies	I felt as though my heart was just pounding, even though my bp & pulse were only slightly elevated. It was so bad that I couldn't sleep. It was a terrible feeling of not getting a good deep breath or as people have stated - not getting enough oxygen. Talk about anxiety, I too felt that I was going to die. When I tried sleeping on my stomach I felt as though I were suffocating or adding pressure to my heart. When I would sleep I would suddenly wake up because I felt like I couldn't catch my breath. I would sit up in bed to try to breathe better. After reading others comments....I'm done w/ Astelin. I'm up typing this at 4:00 am, been up most of the night. That shows how wonderful these side effects are!	Great for clearing sinuses, sucks for your heart! Be aware of the side effects, and as soon as you start to experience the slightest hint of a side effect stop using the stuff.	M	50			10/6/2008 Email
4	Allergy	Bad taste left in mouth.	Helped me more than any of the other allergy medications. Slowed and thinned my post-nasal drip. The people here claiming near death experiences and demand it be banned are probably nuts.	M	43	1 months		9/25/2008
2	Prescribed	constant sneezing after immediate use, bitter taste, slows you down		F	26	7 days		9/21/2008
4	Allergies / Severe Congestion	The bitter taste I expected because my doctor told me it would do that. I took it right before bed, and fell asleep with no problems. But I woke up 6 times throughout the night with my left leg and foot falling asleep. It went completely numb and dead. It was so painful to get my foot back to life. I would fall back asleep and it would happen again.	I've taken many allergy meds and decongestants and been disappointed. Astelin really really works! The numbness in my left foot freaks me out, though.	F	27	2 days		9/19/2008 Email
1	Sinus, allergies	Mood swings. Flying off the handle. BAD taste. Wanted to puke. Tired - yawn. I don't feel like doing anything.	I stopped taking this as of right now after reading these comments. Doctor should have warned me. Wanted me to take two sprays in each nostril two times per day after irrigating. No thanks.	M	36	3 days		9/14/2008 Email
1	post nasal drip	Awful taste that lingers on for hours. I feel like a zombie....unable to function. I have to go to bed because I just can't function. I woke up this morning with a swollen eyes and I felt like I never slept.		F	58	3 days		9/12/2008
1	For non-allergic rhinitis	Full-body, highly itchy rash. Headache.	I started taking it and after about a day I noticed that I had a barely noticable background headache. It wasn't a big deal. Ont he fourth day of taking it, the rash and itching came. I though it was poison ivy at first. I went to the ER and they pumped me full of more antihistamines. The rash was gone the next day, but the itching was worse. I went back to the ER and they gave me something for the itching and after 4 more days, I'm starting to get less itchy.	M	19	4 days		9/2/2008
1	Vasomotor Rhinitis	Short term memory loss, anxiety, depression, insomnia, unclear thinking, brain fog, just not feeling like myself.	I posted here when I first started taking Astelin. I have been on it for a little over a year, and I intend to stop using it. While it works great for sinus symptoms, it is not worth the side effects. The side effects started gradually, and kept getting worse. I would not advise anyone to use this drug.	F	32	14 months		8/31/2008 Email
5	Chronic sinus problems, allergies	Dastardly taste in my mouth, minor nasal passage irritation	This stuff rules. I have terrible sinus problems and allergies and this, in combination with Flonase, has made it possible for me to mow grass, have a garden... have a LIFE in the spring and summer without being so sick I can't think. Before this I would spend months as a snotting, sneezing, miserable mess chained to a family-sized box of Puffs with lotion. I have been taking this for about a year now and the difference is massive - the little bit of bad taste is well worth it to me.	F	36	9 months		7/25/2008
2	Seasonal Allergies	Extreme drowsiness, having trouble focusing, eye pain.	This is the second season I have taken this Rx, but I am done. I would rather deal with taking over-the-counter meds. that don't make me feel out of it all of the time. I have also had pressure behind my eyes along with bad headaches. Just not worth it.	F	41	3 days		6/20/2008
3	allergies	did not experience much bad taste only one spray to each nostril but so very sleepy slept heavy and am still groggy at 2:45 pm next day took dosage at 9:00 pm yesterday but it worked on my clogged throat and drainage first time using it so we will see		M	46	1 days		6/11/2008 Email
1	Seasonal Allergies	Rapid heart beat from onset of medication. Decided it was no big deal. Until about a month later of use, having PVC's, heart palps. etc.	Works wonderful for allergy symptoms. Side effects are most certainly NOT worth it. I'll cope with the allergies for another couple weeks.	M	29	60 days		6/10/2008
1	Cold/Flu	The MOST TERRIBLE HEADACHE I HAVE EVER HAD IN MY ENTIRE LIFE. I thought my brain was going to explode in a million pieces. I seriously thought that I was going to have to go to the ER. I took it before I went to sleep and woke up six hours later dying.	If you have an enemy that you wish to cause major pain to this would be great. I will NEVER take this medication again.. EVER!	F	31	1 days		6/8/2008 Email
2	sinus infection	very bad nasal congestion after first spray. Had to breathe through mouth. Drowsiness for the first hour. Dry mouth for several hours.	Won't use it again.	F	37	1 times		6/4/2008
1	chronic sinusitiis	constant congestion; sneezing; weight gain; headaches; inability to fully inflate my lungs even with a deep inhale; general malaise.	I was very disappopinted. I was hoping for improved performance over other drugs which are taken in pill form. Instead, it performed worse. I did not experience the most common side effects (a foul taste in the mouth, nasal dryness), but have now stopped taking it due to other problems. We are now at the peak of pollen season here and I'm back on zyrtec, which gave only partial relief in the past, but at least I did get headaches. The weight gain really surprised me. Up until the last month, I have been very successfully losing weight by eating less and exercising more. All of a sudden I've put 4 pounds back on in the last 2 weeks--although I am in better shape and able to exercise even harder. Talk about discouraging! One of my sports is swimming and not being able to get a full breathe is really problematic and is making a sport I have previously enjoyed, (I am also a professional swim coach) most unenjoyable. According to the package insert, the drug should clear my body i	F	48	60 days		5/30/2008 Email
5	Non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis	Bitter taste in back of throat IF INHALED TOO DEEPLY. Keeps me sleeping VERY well at night.	Around three to four years ago I developed non-allergic vasomotor rhinitis more prevalent in my right nostril. My biggest problem was extremely uncomfortable nasal congestion when laying on my right side at night, and also in heavy humidity during hot summer days. Steroid sprays proved too harsh (drying, bleeding, etc.) for what is a very basic problem (a hyperactive right nasal turbinate not effected by allergins.) I only use two sprays in the right nostril at bedtime, after using a saline nasal rinse. Within a half hour or so, my right nasal passage stays open and clear and remains that way all night long, and through the next day. I used to also use it in the morning, but that seemed unecessary when I tried cutting back and noticed no decline in the quality of my breathing during the day. Laying on my right side is no longer uncomfortable at all, and it also seems to make my sleep deeper and fuller (some mention drowsiness as a side effect, but honestly, when I took it in the	F	35	3 years		5/22/2008
2	seasonal allergies	I did not notice the bad taste at first. But it has been 3 days now and I still have a horrible taste in my mouth. It has altered the way food tastes. I also developed a gagging cough. I am miserable. Will it go away? I will never take this drug again, even though it worked on my runny noses and sneezes.	Worked great on allergy symptoms but not worth it in side effects!	F	51	1 days		5/2/2008
1	Seasonal allergies	My blood pressure shot up outrageously this week. I am on medicine for hbp but it has never gone up high like that before. It has gone down now, but it is still higher than usual even though it's been 4 days since I used it.	My family doctor thinks it may very well have been the cause, and I am positive it was the cause. This is a very scary medicine that was given to me very nonchalantly by my ENT doctor.	F	58	3 weeks		4/25/2008
3	Allergies/Sinusitis	Extreme drowsiness, headaches, lack of motivation, mood swings, sneezing after taking.	I was on this medication for almost a year. I could not figure out why I felt so horrible all the time. This week I was taken off of it to get allergy testing. The change in my physical and mental state was unbelievable. I have so much more energy, motivation. No headaches. It did help the allergies but was not worth it in the end. I am staying off of it.	F	26	1 years		4/22/2008
5	post-nasal drip	With first dose came a pretty bad headache, but my post-nasal drip disappeared instantly. I took ibuprofen for the headache, and tried the next prescribed dose of Astelin w/out any problems and no headache.	This nasal spray really works. I had been using Flonase for years which helped w/ most of my allergy symptoms, but not the annoying post-nasal drip. One thing I have noticed since taking Astelin (about 2 1/2 weeks) is that I'm a bit constipated. I've read that constipation is a not-so-common side effect, but I'm wondering if the Astelin is what's causing mine. If it continues in the next few days, I will regretfully stop using Astelin to see if I become "regular" again.	F	40	17 days		4/20/2008
1	rhinitis	Dizzy, nauseous, so sleepy I thought I was going to pass out (it scared me to drive), thought something was wrong with me, the doctors took an MRI of my brain, blood tests for hypoclycemia, but all the time it was the Astelin. I felt confused, could not think straight, had short term memory loss, scared the heck out of me. Had the most horrible headache I have ever had. I don't think anyone should use this product.		F	56	14 days		4/15/2008
3	allergies	sometimes burns nose slightly and if ran down throat burned more there	I found it somewhat helpful. The times it helped the most was when allergies and sinuses were worst. Sometimes helped if I had a sinus/migraine.	F	61	5 years		4/10/2008
2	allergies	very bad headaches, my eyes feel like they have alot of pressure behind them they hurt when i move them I sneeze alot after using the spray, very tired and wierd feeling. do not recomend driving while using this med. not sure if it is working because of everything else happening. I did get a great nights sleep the best i have had in months.	NOT SURE HOW MUCH LONGER I WILL CONTINUE TO TAKE IT. I GUESS IT DEPENDS ON THE HEADACHES,AND THE TIREDNESS. ALSO DONT KNOW IF THE EYE PAIN IS A SIDE AFFECT IT REALLY HURTS TO MOVE THEM FROM SIDE TO SIDE.	F	38	10 days		4/9/2008
3	Breathing Issues when Exercising	Not sure yet if it's Astelin but have had problems with breathing not bringing relief (oxygen?) when not exerting myself. Can take deep breaths but doesn't feel like I'm getting oxygen. Started in Nov or Dec, 4 or 5 mos after began taking Astelin. Two solid weeks I felt like I was getting no oxygen, yet all breathing tests have been fine. Very tired (lack of oxygen?) and definite anxiety (I curse out a lot of drivers when I'm on the road and no patience with my kids). Accidentally forgot to take Astelin one weekend during trip and didn't have the feeling of lack of oxygen. Wasn't able to keep up on whether it helped with breathing while running due to knee prob. Am cutting it out now for the time being to see if my tiredness, anxiety and feeling of lack of oxygen go away completely.	After reading this site, I don't think I'll go back to it. I assumed my weight gain was from lack of exercise after I stopped running and could only use one leg riding my bike. But the laziness and eating poorly due to being so tired probably contributed.	F	52	9 months		4/7/2008
3	Year round allergies	Very sleepy after taking the first few times, but that has declined with continued use; short term memory problems	It's worked better than anything else on my allergies. I'm having to deal with the tradeoff.	F	40	30 days		4/3/2008
1	post nasal drip	Worked great for about a year -- one spray in each nostril before bedtime. Now I have a perpetually dry nose and constant congestion.	I recommend against prolonged use.			1 years		4/2/2008
1	sinus issues	increased heart rate, anxiety; felt like my heart was in my upper stomach, just a crazy scary feeling like someone hit me with adrenaline.	I only took 5 doses but made the mistake of trying to get rid of the acrid taste by drinking soda. Almost instantly it kicked me in to the effects I listed. I took it at 6 a.m. and I was still in this condition at 10:30 last night. Terrifying	M	36	3 days		3/28/2008
5	Allergies	None. No drowsiness etc. for me.	Working well for me, without the side effects I've had with other allergy treatments. I have occasional fleeting symptoms still, but they're short-lived (itchy eyes with cats and spring pollen). No more Benedryl or Sudafed for me. Supposed to be better for my high blood pressure, and I haven't noticed any affect on BP.	M	53	1.5 months		3/27/2008
3	Allergies, sinusitis	Strange canker sores while taking this medicine, on back of roof of mouth, on tongue. Went away as soon as I discontinued. Made me a bit drowsy and lethargic.	Opened up my sinuses almost immediately. I think I would use it again from time to time, but not every day.	F	34	2 weeks		3/27/2008
3	year round hayfever	taking daily for over 5 years, gained at least 25lbs in one summer, wiped out thyroid,grumpy, fatigue, anger, moody, helps alot with allergies but after reading allll the peoples accounts im wondering if thats my problem, astelin. does help but at what cost. spring time here im suffering and doesnt much work now, cant loose a lb to save my life, horriable periods, bloating, gas, diarrhea, and have decided to give it up for now and see what happens in a month	wish me luck and will check back in a month, gonna try over the counter meds without making me tired	F	37	5 years		3/25/2008
1	Nasal allergies, severe congestion	Extreme sudden rise in blood pressure. Heart racing, beating extremely hard and constantly skipping beats. Severe anxiety and inability to handle everyday stress, especially at work. Sudden onset of sleep apnea due to respiratory depression. Went from 195 lbs to 140 lbs without dieting or exercise.	I posted my original comments about this medicine on 9/15/06. This stuff blew through my life like a chemical Hurricane Katrina and I am still picking up the pieces almost 2 years after 1st taking it. It took over 6 months for the heart problems to recede, well over a year to get my strength back from the loss of weight and muscle mass, and I am still working through the emotional aspects of problems it caused me at work because of my inability to handle stress. This stuff pretty much wrecked the last 2 years of my life. It has totally changed my outlook toward taking any medication, prescribed or not. Though Astelin worked great for my allergies, the heart, respiratory and anxiety problems caused by its effects on the Central Nervous System were devastating for me.	M	54	2 months		3/20/2008
2	seasonal allergies	Gained 3 pounds in 1 week	I have been exercising and losing weight slowly over 5 months. I had not changed anything in my exercise or eating habits, and gained 3 pounds in a week of taking Astelin. It does a good job with the allergies - a bit better than Claritin.	F	34	6 days		3/17/2008
4	severe allergies (year round)	It had the bitter taste, but my M.D. had warned me about that, it's nasty enough to deter one from taking it unless you are severely congested. When I do take it, I'm unable to stay awake. Worse than if I just took a zyrtec. It certainly stops the allergy symptoms...but is that worth it if you can't stay awake?	If you have severe allergies, it's worth a try. Hopefully the sleepiness would not be a problem if taking the medicine regularly...but then you'd have to put up with the disgusting taste...	F	45	6 months		3/15/2008
1	Allergies/Sinus infections	I was told to spray twice in each nostril twice daily and assured there were no side effects since it was non-steroid. FALSE! I got the most HORRIBLE headache I've ever had. I became very drowsy, and every time I use the spray, I sneeze literally over 20 times and my nose gets really stuffy. My allergies do mildly subside but the headache is not worth it!	I will stop using Astelin because of the headache I got tonight, right after using it. I'd rather have allergy symptoms than this headache!	F	19	2 days		3/13/2008 Email
1	Allergy	extremely high appetite, blood pressure shoot up, chest pain, went to cardiologist yesterday-said my heart is enlarge, very high trigliceride and LDL levels, sleepy, bad dreams	I won't used this drug again	M	43	20 days		3/11/2008 Email
5				F	26	5 days		3/8/2008
4	Chronic Sinusitis / Allergic Rhinit	Drowsiness. Stops being effective after three days. But if I take a week or so off - it is effective again.	Astelin clears up my severe stuffed nose in a matter of hours. Also nose does not run and I do not sneeze the first couple of days I take it. This is very rare for me, my nose normally runs constantly. Still trying to figure out the best way for me to use. This is what I do know - I use it only when I have severe stuffiness and sinus pain. I take one squirt per nostril 10 hours before I want to wake up the next day.Yesterday i was considering going to my Doctor, took it last night, feel fine today. I will keep this as part of my regimen.	F	40	6 months		3/5/2008 Email
3	nasal rhinitis	BAD TASTE!! if taken incorrectly. Take 2 sprays each nostril twice a day, and no daytime problems. Slight increased appetite. Headache if I stopped it for a day or two	The products works, if you can live with the bad taste is leaves you with. Took the product to help with side effect from Benicar, that caused the nasal congestion for me.	M	42	3 months		2/29/2008
5	Severe allergies	None	I have been through most of the prescription and over the counter drugs, including nasal steroids. Definitely cured my sneezing and post nasal drip. Way better than nasal steriods. Very pleased with astelin. I use only 1 spray in each nostril in the morning, taking as directed. Seems to be a good product so far.	F	43	7 days		2/28/2008
4	Severe year round allergies.	Very bitter taste when inhaled into the throat; drowsiness and lack of motivation.	Definitely works--not a single allergy attack since starting Astelin. Drowsiness and resulting lack of concentration at work are a problem, which will hopefully moderate (I may reduce my morning dose to one spray). Another user mentioned weird dreams, which I've noticed--those may be coincidental, of course.	M	36	10 days		2/21/2008

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Average rating for drug: 2.5. This page is printer-friendly; use landscape print with background color turned on.

Key to ratings: 5-Very Satisfied: this medicine cured me or helped me a great deal. 4-Satisfied: this medicine helped. 3-Somewhat Satisfied: this medicine helped somewhat. 2-Not Satisfied: this medicine did not work to my satisfaction. 1-Dissatisfied: I would not recommend taking this medicine.

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