Are Steroid Nasal Sprays Safe?

[Vision]

I'm having a nasal turbinate reduction surgery as they are swollen. It's partly why my nose is always blocked and I'm forced to breathe through my mouth. 

The doctor told me to take Flixonase (a steroid nasal spray) every day, both before and after the surgery. When I asked how long, he said for as long as you still have allergic reactions, which could be 6 months or more.

The "allergic reactions" he speaks of are most likely the food intolerances I have due to my gut issues, which gives me a runny nose, sneezing, watery eyes, etc.

It will take a while before this gets fully healed. I've read that using nasal sprays for prolonged periods of time can cause nasal inflammation, ADHD (which I already have), headaches, potential behavioural problems, withdrawals when ceasing use, etc. 

Are they safe to use? 

[undeather]

Steroid nasal sprays are usually safe, even in long term use. Less than 1% will be absorbed into further bioavailablity. 
There is no 100% in anything - but if the rare side effect occurs in you, a simple withdrawal from the product will be enough to fix it and there wont be any lasting damage if this happens soon enough. 

I would be much more afraid of breathing through the mouth (which we know has many negative side effects) than from a short period of regularly using steroid nasal sprays!

 

[Michael569]

2 hours ago, Vision said:

've read that using nasal sprays for prolonged periods of time can cause nasal inflammation, ADHD (which I already have), headaches, potential behavioural problems, withdrawals when ceasing use, etc

This is probably more of a risk of using systemic steroids (oral ) for several decades. While there is some evidence of potential osteoporosis and adrenal crisis (with systemic, not nasal) , I don't think you'll get behavioural changes from taking localised nasal spray. The steroid content ios always like 2-5% isn't it? 

[Vision]

46 minutes ago, undeather said:

I would be much more afraid of breathing through the mouth (which we know has many negative side effects) than from a short period of regularly using steroid nasal sprays!

@undeather Of course, I've known this for years. But if I my mouth were forcefully shut and the ability to open them again were removed, I would die. That's how blocked they are. This surgery will be a life-changer for me. I've been dealing with this for as long as I can remember. 
 

26 minutes ago, Michael569 said:

This is probably more of a risk of using systemic steroids (oral ) for several decades. While there is some evidence of potential osteoporosis and adrenal crisis (with systemic, not nasal) , I don't think you'll get behavioural changes from taking localised nasal spray.

@Michael569 Thanks. 

25 minutes ago, Michael569 said:

The steroid content ios always like 2-5% isn't it? 

I don't know. It says 50 mcg per spray.