Astelin Nasal Spray Review

My 7-year-old used to get frequent sinus infections even after she started using Nasonex and Singulair. Her allergist then decided to try her on Astelin (azelastine HCl) nasal spray, and she has not had sinusitis since she started using Astelin years ago.

Astelin Nasal Spray comes in a 30 ml bottle (much larger than most prescription nasal sprays) with 200 metered sprays. It is:

• not a steroid
• does not contain pseudoephedrine
• blocks the effects of histamine
• "the only prescription antihistamine nasal spray approved to treat symptoms of both seasonal allergies and environmental irritants"

My child uses this nasal spray once a day with one spray in each nostril. Doctors may prescribe a second spray per day for those over the age of 12, according to the website. My daughter does not seem to have any side effects from using Astelin, but you may wish to visit their website to see a list of the most common side effects--they look pretty mild. The website also offers a $20.00 rebate for getting an Astelin prescription filled.

I am not sure of the full cost of this medication since I have a prescription drug plan, but I think it is pretty expensive. However, we pay a flat rate for our prescriptions, and this is much more cost effective than having to pay the same co-pay for much smaller bottles of other prescription nasal sprays.

My Viewpoint:

For those who have only occasional allergies or very mild allergies, avoiding irritants and using something cheap and simple like saline nasal spray may be all that is needed. For those who have allergies that persist and lead to problems like sinusitis, you may wish to speak with your doctor to see if Astelin might be right for you. It has certainly helped my daughter!