Hi Terry,
OK for her, maybe. Yes, it might be OK to wait 3 weeks before addressing a tinnitus problem, but in some cases if we allow it to go on too long, some or all of the damage may become permanent, resulting in chronic, untreatable tinnitus. As someone who has been living with major tinnitus for over 33 years, I can tell you that you eventually get used to it, but that certainly doesn't make it a positive addition to our hearing acuity (to say the least). For about the first 15 or 20 years if was close to maddening. In case you're wondering, my tinnitus came from an extremely loud noise, not from a medication.
I have no idea if that risk of permanency is true for Fluticasone-induced tinnitus, but it is definitely true for tinnitus caused by bismuth subsalicylate (the active ingredient in Pepto-Bismol), for example. Fluticasone-induced tinnitus is very uncommon, but there appear to be quite a few case studies so far, proving that it can indeed happen.
Study of possible correlation between TINNITUS and FLUTICASONE PROPIONATE
Personally, if I were in that situation I would stop using the Fluticasone, especially if it is in the form of an nasal spray. Nasal sprays are notorious for causing a rebound congestion that prompts additional use, leading to addiction to the product.
Nasal Spray Addiction -- Know The Facts and Avoid the Danger
I hate the fact that I have the flu, but at least it has 1 silver lining — like MC, it keeps my immune system so busy that it ignores all the tree pollen in the air here.
For some of us, the old antihistamine chlorpheniramine maleate (sold as Chlor-Trimeton, 4 mg) seems to work better than the newer antihistamines. Actually the 12 mg version works better for me, but I haven't used it in a long time because it contains a dairy ingredient. The 12 mg version is labeled for 12 hours, but it almost always worked great for me for 24 hours. The 4 mg version is labeled for 4 hours, and it does not contain any dairy ingredient. Even though it's a first-generation antihistamine, it carries a far lower side effect risk of drowsiness than any of the other "oldies but goodies" (such as benedryl).
Pollen can be a bear, because for many of us the additional inflammation it causes can trigger an MC reaction. Another reason why antihistamines are an important part of the MC medicine bag.
Tex
