Afrin for Nasal Congestion User Reviews (Page 3)

• Jcami...
• January 4, 2017

"Shameful!! You sell medication that can't be used because Bayer chose to save money using a defective bottle that won't open. Clearly no quality control or concern for consumers--even if they are strong healthy drilling rig operators."

• OConn...
• December 29, 2016

"Twice now - more fool me - I have bought the original nasal spray and had the top take everything off when I opened it, rendering the product USELESS. It's annoying you can't rely on what was once a strong brand."

• Tiger
• January 19, 2017

"This company should be sued they sell nasal spray that you can't even open to use! Waste of money. My husband is ridiculous enough to buy this nasal spray again when we knew we always have a hard time opening the damn thing. And the nasal spray itself isn't as effective it doesn't spray it squirts lots of liquid when you give it a quick squeeze. Terrible"

• Jeanne
• January 21, 2016

"My new Dr. Recommend I use afin for my sinus congestion, the first time my nose and my throat burned and stinging. Now my throat is sore and I lost my voice. It made my illness worse. I was better of using saline."

• Notha...
• Taken for 1 to 2 years
• June 29, 2016

"I bought a squeeze bottle 2 days ago and used it twice before the bottle opened at the seam and leaked all the solution everywhere. This is no longer a quality product and I will be using alternatives."

• unhappy...
• Taken for 10 years or more
• September 16, 2018

"I have been using Afrin Original nose spray for many years. It's the only one I will use. I have never had a problem getting the cap off until recently. I now, for the life of me, can not get it open. I have two that won't open. The cap will not come off. Remember folks, I have been using this product for years and love it. I have never had a problem before. BUT something has changed with the cap that has made it impossible to get open. And, its not just the plastic wraper around the top. I am glad to hear some people on this review have had the same problem so I know its not just me. I hope Afrin folks are reading these comments and can come up with a solution. I would give this a rating of 10 if only I could still use it..."

• I...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 19, 2018

"It is one of the worst products I have come across. It not only frustrated me but also put me in mild depression. I questioned myself a lot of times in the process to open the cap as it took me and my co traveler 45 min to give up and dig a hole into the cap using a nail cutter, that wasn't easy either, we both got minor injuries but never gave up. I watched number of YouTube videos and read blogs but nothing seemed to work. Someone needs to take responsibility and fix the design of the cap. Please don't make people more frustrated in the times of dire need."

• JRB
• Taken for less than 1 month
• September 9, 2021

"To be honest, I would rather have just had a stuffy nose. Used Afrin for a cold because my nose was extremely congested and I wanted it clear so I could sleep. To the medicine’s credit… it did clear my nose. But the side effects aren’t a worthwhile trade-off. I had a headache for the entire day afterwards, and my nose burned like fire. At first it was just an annoying burning, then it turned into a sharp nerve pain in my left nostril after about 18 hours. I also sneezed so many times I lost count. Feeling a bit better now, by the second day. Many people have complained about the cap on the bottle being hard to open, and I had a bit of trouble with it as well, however it’s a minor complaint compared to the actual effectiveness of the medicine. Keep in mind, this was just my personal experience, and everyone’s different of course. But beware of the side effects, and decide if it’s worth it for you."

• CiCi
• Taken for less than 1 month
• June 28, 2019

"I am unable to open the lid, so I can’t really evaluate whether the product works. My daughter and I both tried to open it until our hands were too sore to continue. Please fix the lid problem. I will be returning the product."

• Mike
• April 1, 2018

"Neither my wife nor I could open it. If you have kids you are afraid might find and open it, when you can't, take it back for a refund. Otherwise, grab the top of the red cap with a substantial pair of pliers and yank it off. Underneath it is a simple screw-off cap with no gimmicks. The stuff works if you can get at it (BUT follow precautions) hence my rating reflects, efficacy vs inconvenience."

• Unhappy...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• March 30, 2021

"I would not wish Afrin upon my worst enemy. My nasal cavity burns horribly and my throat is sore and stingy. I’ve tried saline spray, gargling water, blowing my nose and taking Advil with no avail. I was at one point on the verge of tears."

• Gille...
• November 7, 2015

"I have used Afrin for years. Until yesterday, I would have given a much higher review. In the months since last needed it, I found that I had to have it removed from a security box at the register and, in addition to safety seal, one is now required to battle a new safety design to remove the top. I have arthritis and a torn ligament in my hand. I concede victory to the bottle and will switch to a different brand. Parents, if you have young children, please put all medications - including Afrin -out of reach. If you have teenagers, please tell them not to make meth..."

• Uvious
• Taken for 6 months to 1 year
• December 13, 2022

"The new design is a nightmare. Not only is the cap a struggle (a REAL struggle) to remove, the actual pump doesn't work half the time. You can hear that there's still solution in the bottle, but it won't spray. Sometimes I can twirl the dispenser around to get it to work, but I've had to throw bottles away as they are simply defective. I'll be looking for other solutions until the company comes up with something better. Say--how about the last design????"

• KT77
• February 27, 2016

"I had the same issue as KimmerD30. I love Afrin but after about a month from the purchase date, it takes on a mildewy smell even though the expiration date is at least a year away. It makes me nervous about continuing to use it once this happens. I keep the bottle on my nightstand so temperature is not an issue. Does anybody know what causes this and is it still safe to use once this happens?"

• Bloody...
• March 26, 2022

"I use Afrin from time to time. Doctors recommend not using Afrin longer than three days as it’ll cause severe long term issues and make stuffiness worse. After using it for three days, I consistently had a bloody nose. Getting the cap off was a struggle also."

• KAB
• Taken for less than 1 month
• May 31, 2018

"Wow, seriously, people, seriously?!!!! I got the darn cap off in 2 VERY EASY SECONDS. The seal "tape" has perforations, just tear and it comes off quickly. Then squeeze and turn the red cap. SIMPLE!!!!"

• Eric
• Taken for less than 1 month
• April 26, 2022

"Nothing I have used reduces sinus swelling faster! But I'm rating it a "1" out of 10 because I thought I was going to die on day five with how much worse my swelling was. Right, you are not supposed to use it for more than three days: And the doctor at urgent care said not to use it more than two days and certainly not more than once every 12 hours. This is because, he said, each time you use it your blood vessels will be a little larger when it wears off. And this is what makes you an addict. I will never use this product again unless I'm doing a presentation or a court appearance. I'd recommend the product for a one or two time use -- and I'd give it a 10. But once you are on it, even after your cold is long gone, you can't give it up without misery, severe dry mouth (since you will not be breathing through your nose) and the need for alternative prescription strength steroids to reduce swelling until your sinuses have readjusted. It's worth the urgent care visit."

• Cap...
• Taken for 2 to 5 years
• December 16, 2016

"I had the worst time trying to get the cap off. Its child proof and adult proof. I had to end up cutting the cap off. This my first time using. It seem to be working and I just used it less than 5 minutes ago. Well one side of my nostrils is open."

• Brian...
• Taken for less than 1 month
• October 19, 2016

"Works but I guess I used it too often and it made my nose bleed badly. The child proof cap is terribly designed and obviously not tested before hand. I had to use pliers to open the bottle and that still took time. I'm looking for another brand because of this."

• Judy
• Taken for less than 1 month
• November 10, 2021

"I was able to open the bottle a few times, then I could not get it open again. Now in trying to get the bottle open with a knife and with a box cutter and with plyers, I have damaged the top so badly it will never work again. What a terribly designed bottle. I have to give it a low rating because of ease of use. BTW Afrin works very well if you can get it out of the bottle."

• Albert...
• December 15, 2017

"Here's how Bayer can solve the cap "problem": say "squeeze" instead of "push". Saying "push" is confusing when the spray mechanism allows for vertical movement of the cap, because I'm sure that, like me, you all tried pushing it down and then twisting. No. Don't. Just squeeze the red bit and then twist. It comes off immediately. While this is slightly confusing, I figured it out in about, I dunno, 15 seconds? Step 1 when something isn't working: try something else. With that out of the way, here's why this product really sucks: even a single use as directed will have you suffering INTENSE rebound congestion after 10-12 hours and you will be forced to either spray another dose or suffer several hours of torment. Absolute garbage product."

• HERVE
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 12, 2019

"Purchased on the blind, only to read that I should not take it for more than three days. OK, fine, but what do you do with the remaining spray? At any rate, it worked like a placebo, no relief whatsoever. Want to pay for nothing? Rush out and stock up."

• Ashle...
• April 4, 2017

"I'm really surprised at how many people complain about the cap. I bought 2 bottle (because my whole family uses it) and got the tape and red cap off without a hitch. I just followed the picture on the side of the box....any way I love this product. Good luck everyone!"

• Walker
• Taken for less than 1 month
• January 21, 2024

"This stuff works like a charm! I got Covid and it brought in sinus pressure and congestion. My sister is a pharmacist and told me to grab some Afrin. Little did I know, Afrin would be a game changer. It completely opened up my stuffy nose and for 8-10 hours per dose. It allows you to breathe and it helped with pressure in my ears. I highly recommend!"

• dont...
• Taken for 5 to 10 years
• September 8, 2016

"I like the product, but the new cap is terrible. It took me a half an hour to get it off. Finally had to use a knife. Tell the whiz kids that come up with these ideas that there are a lot of us out there that don't have the strength of Hercules and are Rheumatoid Arthritis people. We can't get the bottles open."