Flonase Dosages: Your GoodRx Guide

Grab the tissues and brace yourself for some serious sneezing — your allergies are acting up again. If a nasal spray is your treatment of choice, using it correctly is key — including using the right dose. Let’s take a look at the typical dosages for one popular over-the-counter (OTC) spray, Flonase.

What’s the typical Flonase dosage for adults?

Flonase’s manufacturer makes two nasal sprays: Flonase Allergy Relief (fluticasone propionate) and Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief (fluticasone furoate). Both types of Flonase contain fluticasone, a corticosteroid that treats allergy symptoms like nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy eyes.

The main difference is how the body reacts to each form of fluticasone. Because of this, you may notice a lower number of mcg of fluticasone per spray listed on the Flonase Sensimist label (27.5 mcg) compared to Flonase (50 mcg). But these are considered equivalent doses. So you can expect similar results from both.

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The typical adult dosage for both Flonase and Flonase Sensimist is: 

• Week 1: Use 2 sprays in each nostril once daily.

• Starting at week 2: Use 1 or 2 sprays in each nostril once daily. You can use it daily or as needed for allergy symptoms.

• After 6 months of daily use: Ask your healthcare provider if you should keep using it. They may suggest an alternative.

What’s the typical Flonase dosage for children?

Flonase makes two nasal sprays for children: Children’s Flonase Allergy Relief (fluticasone propionate) and Children’s Flonase Sensimist Allergy Relief (fluticasone furoate). The children’s versions contain the same medications in the same amounts as the adult Flonase formulations. But the nasal spray device is typically smaller in size.

Both forms of children’s Flonase treat allergy symptoms like nasal congestion, runny nose, and itchy eyes. As mentioned earlier, the Sensimist version contains a slightly different form of fluticasone. Sensimist is also alcohol-free and can be given to kids as young as 2 years old. The standard Children's Flonase formulation is meant for kids ages 4 and older.

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Children’s Flonase

Here are the typical Flonase dosages for children:

Children 12 years and older

• Week 1: Use 2 sprays in each nostril once daily.

• Starting at week 2: Use 1 or 2 sprays in each nostril once daily. It can be used daily or as needed for allergy symptoms.

• After 6 months of daily use: Ask your child’s healthcare provider if they should keep using it. They may suggest an alternative.

Children 4 to 11 years old

Use 1 spray in each nostril once daily. Use for the shortest time needed to treat symptoms. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider if they need to use the spray for longer than 2 months a year.

Children under 4 years old

Do not use.

Children’s Flonase Sensimist

Here are the typical Flonase Sensimist doses for children:

Children 12 years and older

• Week 1: Use 2 sprays in each nostril once daily.

• Starting at week 2: Use 1 or 2 sprays in each nostril once daily. It can be used daily or as needed for allergy symptoms.

• After 6 months of daily use: Ask your child’s healthcare provider if they should keep using it. They may suggest an alternative.

Children 2 to 11 years old

Use 1 spray in each nostril once daily. Use for the shortest time needed to treat symptoms. Talk to your child’s healthcare provider if they need to use the spray for longer than 2 months a year.

Children under 2 years old

Do not use.

Are there any dosage adjustments for medical conditions?

There are no special dose adjustments needed for Flonase. But there are some health conditions where you might want to avoid using it. Talk to your healthcare provider about using Flonase if you:

• Had recent nose surgery or injury

• Have glaucoma or cataracts

• Are taking medication for HIV

• Are taking a corticosteroid medication, such as prednisone, for another health condition

• You currently have chicken pox, measles, or tuberculosis, or have recently been around someone who does

• You are pregnant or nursing

• You tend to get nosebleeds frequently

• Have had an allergic reaction to fluticasone in the past

You should also contact your healthcare provider if your symptoms don’t get any better after using Flonase for 7 days in a row. Likewise, you should reach out if you develop new symptoms after starting Flonase, such as pain in the face or thick nasal discharge. These can be signs of a potential infection, such as a sinus infection.

What happens if you miss a dose of Flonase?

Missed a dose of Flonase? No worries. You can take your missed dose as soon as you remember, as long as it’s not too close to the time of your next dose. Or you can simply skip it if it’s almost time for your next dose. But never use extra medication to make up for doses you’ve missed. As we’ll detail next, too much Flonase raises the risk of side effects, like nosebleeds.

What should you do if you take too much Flonase?

An accidental extra dose is unlikely to cause issues. But using too much Flonase consistently could be problematic. Using too much Flonase puts you a higher risk for developing side effects like nose bleeds, glaucoma, or cataracts. And for children, corticosteroids may slow down their growth rate by a small amount.

Check in with your healthcare provider if you feel like Flonase isn’t helping your symptoms at the recommended dose. You should also reach out if you need to use it for longer than 6 months (or 2 months for children younger than 12 years old).

How to save on Flonase

There are many ways to save on Flonase. Both Flonase and Flonase Sensimist are available as brand-name medications. But you can also find Flonase as a lower-cost generic. By having your healthcare provider write a prescription for OTC Flonase, GoodRx can help you save.

• Save with GoodRx. GoodRx can help you save over 55% off the average retail price of the generic OTC version. Generic Flonase's price at certain pharmacies is less than $19.85 with a free GoodRx discount. Flonase Sensimist’s price at certain pharmacies is less than $27.92 with a free GoodRx discount.

• Save with a coupon from the manufacturer. If you're purchasing Flonase without a prescription, the manufacturer has a $5 coupon available, which you can have emailed to you. Just present it at the register during your purchase.

Why trust our experts?

Written by:

Tegan Smedley, PharmD, APh

Tegan Smedley, PharmD, APh, has 10 years of experience as a pharmacist. She has worked in a variety of settings, including retail, hospital, and ambulatory care.

Edited by:

Christina Aungst, PharmD

Christina Aungst, PharmD, is a pharmacy editor for GoodRx. She began writing for GoodRx Health in 2019, transitioning from freelance writer to editor in 2021.

Reviewed by:

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS

Joshua Murdock, PharmD, BCBBS, is a licensed pharmacist in Arizona, Colorado, and Rhode Island. He has worked in the pharmacy industry for more than 10 years and currently serves as a pharmacy editor for GoodRx.

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