Avamys Dose Amounts: How To Use The Nasal Spray Safely

Scott McDougallMPharmDirector & Registered Manager

Reviewed on 20 Aug 2022

If you’re trying to find a suitable treatment for hay fever or other allergies, there are many different options — both prescription and over-the-counter — to try, including Avamys nasal spray. But how often should you use this nasal spray and what is the correct Avamys dose to take?

It’s always a good idea to find out more about any medicine you are going to use, including how you should use it. That’s why we’ve created this Avamys dose guide — so that you can find out more about this popular prescription treatment, including the standard Avamys nasal spray dosage, whether you can buy Avamys nasal spray over the counter, long term use of Avamys, and Avamys ingredients.

Read on to find out more about Avamys use for hay fever or allergic rhinitis. Or, to find out more about hay fever, visit our hay fever guides section.

Why it’s important to get the dosage right

Like any medicine, it’s important to get your Avamys dose right.

Using the correct Avamys nasal spray dosage will help to effectively treat and control symptoms of allergic rhinitis, such as a runny, blocked or itchy nose, and sneezing.

Taking the wrong dose of Avamys for whatever reason is not recommended. Anything beyond the recommended daily dosage — two sprays into each nostril once per day (55mg per nostril, totalling 110mg per day) — is likely to cause adverse Avamys side effects. It may also damage the lining of your nostrils.

Accidentally using too much of a steroid nasal spray like Avamys is unlikely to be harmful if it's just a one-off. However, repeatedly using a stronger or more regular dosage than recommended over a long period of time can increase the risk of side effects.

If you are in doubt at all, speak to your doctor or pharmacist for further guidance.

Difference between Avamys dosage amounts

Avamys nasal spray is available in one strength — this is a 27.5mg Avamys dose per spray.

The standard Avamys dosage is two sprays in each nostril once per day (55mg per nostril, totalling 110mg daily), reducing to one spray in each nostril daily once symptoms are controlled.

However, the Avamys nasal spray dosage may differ depending on age.

For adults, the above dose is recommended. Once symptoms are under control, the dose should be reduced to one spray of 27.5mg per nostril daily. It is advised that you use the minimum effective dose.

For children between six and 12 years of age, 27.5mg once daily is the recommended Avamys dose. If symptoms do not improve, it may be necessary to increase to 55mg in each nostril once daily.

For children between 12 and 17 years of age, the recommended dosage is 55mg once daily, to be sprayed into each nostril. This can be reduced to 27.5mg once daily into each nostril, once symptoms improve.

You should always use Avamys as directed by your doctor.

What is Avamys used for?

Avamys nasal spray is used to treat symptoms of allergic rhinitis — a condition where the inside of the nose becomes inflamed by allergens such as pollen, dust or mould. This includes hay fever (read our dedicated guide "What Is Hayfever" for more information).

Avamys treats symptoms of these allergic reactions, such as a stuffy, runny or itchy nose, sneezing, and watery, itchy or red eyes. It can be used by adults and children aged six years and over.

Avamys nasal spray contains the active ingredient fluticasone furoate. This medicine belongs to a group of steroid medicines known as corticosteroids.

Avamys nasal spray for sinus infection

Avamys is generally only used to treat nasal allergy symptoms.

However, your doctor may prescribe Avamys nasal spray for sinus infections or another reason if they deem it to be appropriate.

How to use Avamys nasal spray

Avamys nasal spray is very simple to use:

Start by blowing your nose gently (if comfortable) to remove as much mucus as possible before you use Avamys

Shake the nasal spray bottle vigorously and then remove the cap

Tilt your head slightly forward, placing the nozzle inside one of your nostrils. Be sure to aim it away from the middle of your nose

Squeeze firmly while breathing in through your nose (if you have difficulty breathing in through the correct nostril, you can use your finger to hold the other one closed while you use the spray)

Repeat the process for your other nostril

You can also follow the instructions in the Patient Information leaflet.

You should never use Avamys more than your doctor or pharmacist has advised — this will result in too high an Avamys dose, which may lead to unwanted side effects.

Additionally, if you miss an Avamys dose during your treatment course, you should never double-up on a dose. Instead, resume your usual treatment schedule on the following day.

The spray should begin to reduce your symptoms within eight hours. It will reach its full effect once you’ve been using it regularly for a couple of days.

Can I buy Avamys over the counter?

No, you cannot buy Avamys nasal spray over the counter.

This medicine is prescription-only, which means it cannot be sold over the counter. This is because it is a steroid-based nasal spray, making it a potent treatment option.

If you want to use Avamys to alleviate symptoms from hay fever or other allergies, you will need a medical consultation with your GP or a pharmacist. They will be able to confirm that it is safe and appropriate for you to use before writing you a prescription. In some cases, they may recommend an alternative.

You can buy Avamys nasal spray from The Independent Pharmacy. You’ll just need to fill in a free online consultation form. Once you do, our medical team can approve your prescription and our in-house pharmacy will fulfil your order online, before your treatment is dispatched for next-day delivery.

What is an alternative to Avamys?

Some people don’t want or cannot use Avamys nasal spray for various reasons. It could be that they don’t get on with nasal spray, or that they are allergic to one of the ingredients in Avamys.

Fortunately, there are plenty of different hay fever treatment options available, so if you are looking for an Avamys nasal spray alternative, you have a number of options.

Here are some Avamys nasal spray alternative treatments:

Over-the-counter hay fever tablets (antihistamines) such as Piriton, Loratadine and Cetirizine
Prescription hay fever tablets (antihistamines) such as Telfast or Xyzal
Over-the-counter nasal sprays such as Pirinase or Beclometasone
Prescription steroid nasal sprays such as Flixonase or Nasonex
Antihistamine hay fever nasal sprays, such as Rhinolast
Combination nasal sprays (which contain a combination of a steroid and an antihistamine for dual relief of symptoms) such as Dymista
Eye drops such as Opticrom

Many hay fever or allergy treatments are available over the counter, and it is worth trying these first before you move to stronger prescription medicines.

You can find the medicines above and more over on our hay fever treatment page.

There are some non-medicinal methods that can help you to prevent hay fever symptoms too. Here are some things you can try:

Wearing wrap-around sunglasses to keep irritants like pollen from reaching your eyes
Keep windows closed on days with a high pollen count and minimise the time you spend outside
Keep your car windows closed when you are driving
Shower regularly to get rid of pollen grains trapped in your hair and or skin
Change your clothes if you’ve been outside
Avoid drying your clothes outside
Avoid mowing your lawn or gardening

These preventative methods may help to decrease hay fever symptoms. However, it may be that you need an effective medical treatment like Avamys to treat your hay fever or allergies.

Avamys vs Nasonex

Nasonex is another type of steroid treatment that is also used to manage allergy symptoms and reduce inflammation.

Nasonex is very similar to Avamys and works in the same way to effectively treat and prevent the symptoms of both seasonal and year-round allergies. Nasonex contains the active ingredient mometasone furoate, which is a corticosteroid (Avamys used the active ingredient fluticasone furoate, which is also a corticosteroid).

Unlike Avamys, which is generally used for nasal allergy symptoms such as inflammation and a blocked, itchy nose, Nasonex nasal spray can also treat nasal polyps. Nasal polyps are growths that develop on the nose alongside other allergy symptoms.

You can buy Nasonex from The Independent Pharmacy. Like Avamys, Nasonex is a prescription-only medication, so you will need to fill in a simple questionnaire so that our pharmacists can ensure that Nasonex is the right treatment for you. Once you complete the online consultation, your treatment can be delivered to you as soon as the next working day.

Is taking Avamys dangerous?

You may be worried about using Avamys because the spray contains a steroid.

The spray is applied only to the nasal passages, therefore it only requires a very small amount of the active ingredient (a steroid called fluticasone furoate) to treat symptoms.

This means that it is very unlikely to affect other parts of the body or cause any serious side effects. Find out more about the possibility of any adverse effects on our Avamys side effects page.

It is still recommended, however, that you use Avamys exactly as your doctor or pharmacist has advised — using the nasal spray excessively can cause side effects and damage the lining of your nostrils.

Avamys long term use

There is no set limit for the duration of Avamys treatment. Steroid nasal sprays like Avamys can be used either as a long-term treatment or just when they're needed.

There is little evidence to suggest that using steroid nasal sprays for long periods for time will cause any significant or harmful side effects.

Patients who suffer from chronic allergic rhinitis may use this type of nasal spray every day for long periods.

However, it is advised that you regularly check in with your GP if you find yourself needing to use the spray for a long time. Avamys long term use — coupled with high doses — may increase your risk of encountering side effects, so it’s always worth checking in with your doctor.

Avamys ingredients

It’s a good idea to find out more about what is in a medicine before you start using it, particularly if you have any known allergies. Below is a list of Avamys ingredients — both active and inactive.

Avamys contains the following active ingredient:

Fluticasone furoate

Fluticasone furoate is a corticosteroid (a steroid) with powerful anti-inflammatory properties, which means it works quickly to bring down the swelling caused by allergic reactions.

The following inactive ingredients make up the complete product:

Glucose anhydrous
Dispersible cellulose
Polysorbate 80
Benzalkonium chloride
Disodium edetate
Purified water

Avamys nasal spray should not be used by people who are allergic to fluticasone furoate or any of the other ingredients listed above.

Summary

Avamys nasal spray is an effective prescription treatment against the nasal symptoms of allergies like hay fever.

Avamys contains the active ingredient fluticasone furoate, a corticosteroid (a steroid) with powerful anti-inflammatory properties. This means that the nasal spray works quickly to reduce inflammation, clear airways and soothe allergy symptoms.

Avamys nasal spray is available in one strength only. Each spray contains a 27.5mg Avamys dose.

The standard Avamys dosage for adults is two sprays in each nostril once per day. This equates to 55mg per nostril, totalling 110mg daily. This is reduced to one spray in each nostril daily once symptoms are under control.

Like any medicine, it’s important to get your Avamys dose right. Anything beyond the recommended daily dosage increases your risk of experiencing adverse Avamys side effects.

You can buy Avamys nasal spray from The Independent Pharmacy. Following a free consultation, our team can prescribe this effective treatment and have it ready for next-day delivery.