Flixonase Nasal Spray

What is Flixonase?

Flixonase is an aqueous nasal spray that is used to effectively treat and prevent allergic rhinitis.

The active ingredient in Flixonase spray is a corticosteroid (a steroid) called fluticasone propionate, which has anti-inflammatory action. This effectively treats both seasonal and year-round allergies by reducing inflammation and symptoms.

What is Flixonase used for?

Flixonase nasal spray is used to treat both seasonal and year-round allergies (known as allergic rhinitis), including hay fever.

Allergic rhinitis is not curable. However, its symptoms can be effectively managed with the appropriate treatment. Using steroid nasal sprays, like Flixonase, inhibits the immune system’s inflammatory response to allergens. This action prevents allergy symptoms such as sneezing, itchiness and a blocked or runny nose from developing.

Allergic rhinitis is caused by a hypersensitive immune system. When a harmless allergen enters the nasal passage, the immune system rejects it, believing the allergen to be a dangerous invader, such as a virus. To guard against this phantom infection, the body will start to produce excess mucus.

Allergens most likely to trigger a bout of allergic rhinitis are pollen, pet fur, dust mites, and mould spores.

Unlike other allergy nasal sprays, Flixonase spray can also help to relieve eye-related allergy symptoms.

Flixonase nasal spray will take a few days to achieve its full effect. If possible, you should start treatment a few days before you expect to come into contact with allergens such as pollen.

Does Flixonase work?

Yes, Flixonase nasal spray does work to effectively treat and prevent allergic rhinitis.

Flixonase (which contains a powerful anti-inflammatory corticosteroid) works by reducing swelling and irritation in your nose. This helps to relieve uncomfortable or frustrating allergy symptoms, such as a stuffy, runny or itchy nose, sneezing, and eye-related allergy symptoms like watery, itchy or red eyes.

It is worth noting that you need to use Flixonase regularly for it to work, so ensure that you follow the course of treatment exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has recommended. If you are unsure, you can speak to one of our team members or look at the Patient Information Leaflet included with your medicine.

Flixonase alternatives

Some people may not be able to use Flixonase nasal spray or not want to for various reasons. Perhaps they are allergic to one of the ingredients in this medicine, or they don’t get on with nasal sprays.

Fortunately, there are many different hay fever treatments available, so if you are looking for a Flixonase alternative, you have a number of options to choose from.

Below are some Flixonase alternative treatments available here at The Independent Pharmacy:

• Over-the-counter (OTC) antihistamines such as Piriton, Loratadine and Cetirizine
• Prescription antihistamines such as Telfast or Xyzal
• Over-the-counter nasal sprays such as Pirinase or Beclometasone
• Antihistamine hay fever nasal sprays, such as Rhinolast
• Prescription steroid nasal sprays such as Avamys or Nasonex
• Combination nasal sprays (a combination of a steroid and an antihistamine for dual relief of symptoms) such as Dymista
• Eye drop solutions such as Opticrom or Optilast

Lots of these hay fever or allergy treatments such as tablets and eye drops are available over the counter — it is a good idea to try out these first to see if they work well to alleviate your symptoms. If you don’t see any positive results from OTC products, then you may want to consider moving to stronger prescription medicines.

You can find all of the above medicines and more on our hay fever treatments page.

There are also some non-medicinal methods that can help you combat hay fever symptoms.

These include:

• Keep windows closed on days with a high pollen count
• Minimise the time you spend outside of these days
• Keep your car windows closed when driving
• Wearing wrap-around sunglasses to keep pollen (or other irritants) from your eyes
• Shower regularly (especially if you have been outside) to remove any trapped pollen grains from your hair and or skin
• Change your clothes if you’ve been outside
• Avoid drying your clothes outside

These preventative methods can help to decrease hay fever symptoms, but you may also need an effective medical treatment like Flixonase or an alternative to improve symptoms.

In the below sections, we compare two of the more popular Flixonase alternative treatments in more detail:

Avamys vs Flixonase

Avamys is another type of steroid nasal spray which is used to treat hay fever or allergy symptoms and reduce inflammation.

Whereas Flixonase contains the active ingredient fluticasone propionate, Avamys uses the active ingredient fluticasone furoate. These are very similar corticosteroids (steroids) however, which treat and prevent the symptoms of both seasonal and year-round allergies.

Both treatments are easy to use and very effective at treating allergy symptoms, so it is generally personal preference which one you decide to use — some users may get on better with one treatment than the other. If you are unsure, you can always speak to a member of the team here.

You can buy Avamys from The Independent Pharmacy. Like Flixonase, Avamys is a prescription-only hay fever treatment, so you will need to complete the online consultation and answer a few questions so that our pharmacists can ensure that Avamys is the right treatment for you.

Flixonase vs Beconase

Beconase is another nasal spray which is used to treat hay fever symptoms.

Like Flixonase, Beconase contains a corticosteroid (steroid) as the active ingredient. The steroid in Beconase is beclometasone dipropionate; in Flixonase, it is fluticasone propionate.

Both medicines work in very similar ways to reduce inflammation and alleviate hay fever symptoms.

The more common possible side effects of both treatments are also very similar (dry or painful nose or throat, nosebleeds and headaches).

How to take Flixonase nasal spray

Because Flixonase takes a few days to reach its full effect, begin treatment in advance of when you will come into contact with allergens, if possible.

Gently shake the bottle. If using the bottle for the first time, prime it by spraying it away from you until it releases a fine mist.

The recommended initial dose is two sprays per nostril, once daily. Depending on the severity of your allergies, this dose may be increased or decreased. It should not exceed two sprays into each nostril twice per day. Always use whichever minimum dose will ease your symptoms.

Never double your dose to compensate for a treatment that you have missed.

Flixonase ingredients

It’s a good idea to find out what is in a medicine before you start a course of treatment, especially if you have any known allergies.

Below is a list of Flixonase ingredients (both active and inactive) that this treatment contains.

The active ingredient in Flixonase Nasal Spray is:

• Fluticasone propionate

Fluticasone propionate is a corticosteroid (a steroid) which has strong anti-inflammatory properties, working efficiently to alleviate the swelling caused by allergic reactions like hayfever.

Flixonase also contains the following inactive ingredients, which make up the complete product:

• Cellulose microcrystalline
• Carmellose sodium
• Glucose
• Polysorbate 80
• Purified water
• Benzalkonium chloride
• Phenylethyl alcohol

Flixonase nasal spray should not be used by people who are allergic to the active ingredient fluticasone propionate or any of the other ingredients we’ve listed above.

Please read all packaging and the Patient Information Leaflet included before taking any new medicine.

Side effects of Flixonase

As with any medicine, there is a chance that you may experience side effects if you use Flixonase nasal spray.

However, not everyone will experience side effects when they take Flixonase. Most users will have a very positive experience with this medicine and find it an effective treatment for hay fever and allergies.

A small number of Flixonase users will experience side effects. If you do, the more common side effects of Flixonase include:

• A headache
• Nosebleed
• Irritation of the nose or throat
• A dry or painful nose or throat
• Unpleasant taste
• Unpleasant smell

These particular side effects of Flixonase affect up to one in 10 users.

For a full list of side effects, you can read the Patient Information Leaflet enclosed with the medicine.

If you are concerned about these effects, or if the product affects you in any other way, stop using it and speak to your pharmacist or doctor for advice on how to proceed.

In a medical emergency (such as an allergic reaction or any painful or severe Flixonase side effects), you should contact the emergency services or go to A&E for immediate medical attention.

You can read more about Flixonase side effects in our dedicated guide.

Flixonase nasal spray warnings

Reading the following warnings carefully will help to ensure you are selecting an appropriate product.

Flixonase may be unsuitable for you if you have an infection in your nose, or if you have recently undergone an operation on your nose.

Tell your GP if you plan on taking Flixonase and are taking any of the following medications:

• Any protease inhibitor (e.g. ritonavir)
• Any other corticosteroid medicines
• Certain treatments for fungal infections (e.g. ketoconazole)

Please read all packaging and the Patient Information Leaflet before taking any new medicine and inform your doctor of medicines you are taking or intend to take.