Fluticasone Propionate Spray

What is Fluticasone nasal spray?

Fluticasone is a corticosteroid nasal spray. It is administered into the nose to provide relief from allergy symptoms that affect the nose and sinuses such as sinus headaches, congestion, runny nose and sneezing.
 

What is Fluticasone used for?

Fluticasone is used for a wide range of allergies that affect the nose. Specifically, Fluticasone can reduce nasal allergy symptoms for allergies to pollen, animals, dust mites, and other respiratory allergens. 

How Fluticasone works

Fluticasone is a corticosteroid. Corticosteroids reduce the inflammation in the nose, which lessens irritation to the nose and nasal cavity. This helps to alleviate the allergic symptoms of nasal congestion, runny nose, sneezing, etc. 

When is Fluticasone prescribed?

Fluticasone is prescribed for people who experience nasal allergy symptoms. Some people find that over the counter antihistamines are sufficient; however, Fluticasone can be used in conjunction with antihistamines to further reduce symptoms. 

Active ingredient

Fluticasone propionate is the active ingredient in Fluticasone nasal spray. 

Inactive ingredient

Different manufacturers may use different inactive ingredients. The inactive ingredients in the Flonase brand of Fluticasone Nasal Spray are microcrystalline cellulose and carboxymethylcellulose sodium, dextrose, 0.02% w/w benzalkonium chloride, polysorbate 80, and 0.25% w/w phenylethyl alcohol.

Which ingredients can cause an allergic reaction?

While this medication is used to treat symptoms of an allergic reaction, getting a severe allergic reaction to this medication is still possible but very rare. A severe allergic reaction will result in hives/rash, facial swelling, itchy throat, and trouble breathing. It is imperative to seek immediate medical attention if you notice any of these symptoms shortly after using the nasal spray. If you have previously had an allergic reaction to this medication, please do not use it. 

How to use Fluticasone

If this is the first time you have used the spray, you may need to prime it first. Shake the spray and spray 6 times into the air before spraying inside your nose. 
Fluticasone should be taken as prescribed by your doctor. This is usually two sprays in each nostril once daily or one spray in each nostril twice a day. After the first few days, you may be able to reduce the dose to 1 spray in each nostril once a day. Check with your prescribing physician before reducing your dose.
 

When should Fluticasone be taken?

Fluticasone should be taken at roughly the same time each day. If you are taking one spray twice a day, you should try to take the doses approx. 12 hours apart (e.g. 8 am and 8 pm).

How long should you use Fluticasone for?

Your doctor will decide how long Fluticasone should be used for. This may be dependent upon various factors, including the type of allergy you experience.

Fluticasone side effects

Common side effects of Fluticasone include:
Nasal irritation

• Nose bleeds
• Cough
• Sore throat
• Difficulty breathing
• Nausea and vomiting
• Headache

In rare cases, Fluticasone can lead to serious side effects, including:

• Sores inside your nose, slow wound healing, and a perforated septum
• Eye problems including cataracts and glaucoma
• A weakened immune system
• A serious allergic reaction causing swelling of the face, breathing problems, hives etc.
• Adrenal insufficiency (adrenal glands stop making enough steroid hormones).

If you experience any of the above side effects, you should seek immediate medical attention.
 

Drug interactions

It is important that you tell the prescribing doctor about any medications or recreational drugs that you are taking. Fluticasone can negatively interact with any drugs classed as strong cytochrome P450 3A4 inhibitors. This class includes the following :

• Ritonavir
• Atazanavir
• Clarithromycin
• Indinavir
• Itraconazole
• Nefazodone
• Nelfinavir
• Saquinavir
• Ketoconazole,
• Telithromycin
• Conivaptan
• Lopinavir
• Nefazodone
• Voriconazole

Can I take Fluticasone with alcohol?

Fluticasone and alcohol are not known to interact; however, there is evidence that drinking alcohol worsens symptoms of seasonal allergies and allergic rhinitis, so drinking alcohol is not advisable if you are suffering from allergies. 

Fluticasone and pregnancy

Fluticasone nasal spray is generally considered safe for use during pregnancy, but you should ensure that you notify the prescribing doctor if you are pregnant. They will prescribe you the lowest effective dose to ensure that the benefits still outweigh the risks.

Are Fluticasone and Flonase the same?

Fluticasone is the generic version of Flonase. Fluticasone and Flonase contain the same active ingredients and therefore have the same mechanism of action. Inactive ingredients may vary between different manufacturers. 

Should I take Fluticasone or Flonase?

As mentioned above, Fluticasone is the generic version of Flonase. Therefore, it contains the same active ingredient and works exactly the same way as Flonase, so it should produce the same effects. However, some people do report better effects from branded versions of medications. This has generally been attributed to the placebo effect. 
Inactive ingredients can vary between different manufacturers, so some people may prefer one brand over another for that reason. In addition, some people prefer the appearance or packaging of branded medication over generic versions. 
 

Which is better, Fluticasone or Azelastine nasal spray?

Fluticasone contains a corticosteroid as the active ingredient, whereas Azelastine contains an antihistamine. They work in different ways, and are often taken together to reduce allergy symptoms. The difference in efficacy between Fluticasone and Azelastine is negligible, but Azelastine is usually the first treatment to try, because it is effective, has limited side effects, and produces results more quickly. Whereas Fluticasone can take up to one week to produce benefits and longer for optimal impact. In addition, Fluticasone can lead to yeast infections, so if you are prone to yeast (or fungal) infections, or if you have a compromised immune system, you may want to avoid Fluticasone.