Hi John- You are welcome ! Betadine is probably not safe to use in your nasal wash water on an on-going basis but for a few days I think it's fine. It was my ENT doctor who told me to use it after my 3rd sinus surgery - for the entire week after surgery. He also told me that whenever I got a cold to use it to prevent a secondary infection.
When ever I got a cold, it would always evolve into a sinus infection. My 3rd surgery was in March of 1995 and that was 18 years ago. Since then I have had only 3 colds - but during each of those 3 colds I irrigated with Betadine multiple times per day for several days with no ill effects. You don't put more than a teaspoon into 2 cups of warm salt water. Back in 2001, I flew to Las Vegas from San Diego for a conference and people at the baggage claim area in LV were smoking. The smoke was very irritating to my nose and when I got to my hotel I felt pressure in my head. Back then I was washing my nose once a day in the morning. That night after dinner I decided to wash my nose again before bed. When I did I had some yellowish mucus. I got dressed and took a taxi to the nearest Walgreens and bought some Betadine.
I got back to my hotel, rinsed again with the Betadine. First thing the next morning I rinsed again with the Betadine and there was less yellow and no more pressure in my heard. For the next 2 days I rinsed at least 3 times per day using Betadine even though all the mucus was clear. So I know Betadine helped me that time. Since then, I never travel without Betadine. It is not for prolonged use but I think a few days is fine. I would not use it for more that a week maximum. The peroxide seems like it would be too irritating to the nose. I have never done that. Some other things I have tried are :boric acid in the nosewashing water & aloe vera juice.
That guy in the youtube talking about Xlear is touting his "discovery" so perhaps his mind is closed to Betadine. I don't think he appreciated my comment about Betadine because it conflicts with what he is saying is the best. But you seem to have an open mind and you are willing to consider all the possibilities. I am not a doctor and you have to do what you feel is best for you. I just wanted you to know that I have used Betadine repeatedly for several days at a time with no problems. I would not be without it in my home and I always take it along when I travel.
Here is something I found:
Betadine (and its generic equivalents) is an iodine-based antiseptic used primarily on superficial skin wounds, though some doctors recommend it to help kill off the pathogens that cause sinus infections. It's best to use only a small amount -- from a few drops to a teaspoon -- to avoid potential harm to the thyroid or the kidneys. One technique is to first irrigate with Betadine and immediately afterward to irrigate again without it to wash it away. Some people are allergic to iodine and should avoid Betadine altogether.
http://www.allergybuyersclub.com/learni ... sitis.htmlso if you decide you do want to try Betadine you might do as Reid G. suggests and irrigate again right after irrigating with Betadine - to wash it away.
[ ?? ] Not something I would bother with but doing that may give you more peace of mind.
and here is another thing I found on Betadine :
Betadine 10 cc in 1 L of NS (can stain, and is to be avoided is iodine allergic)
http://www.midwestsinus.com/treatment/n ... sal_rinsesHere is one comment posted on Earth Clinic : 09/24/2007: Sabrina from Denver, CO: "Add 2 drops of Betadine (Povidone Iodine) to the NeilMed sinus rinse bottle along with the room temperature boiled water and salt packet. Betadine is an antiseptic. I tried this solution at the advice of a family physician, and it's the first thing that's ever worked. I did this rinse 4-6 times per day while I had the infection, and it got rid of it within one week. It's the first time I have kicked a sinus infection without antibiotics, and I usually get 4 sinus infections per year. I also added 1/4 tsp of hydrogen peroxide for good measure, but that's something I did, not the doctor's suggestion."
I have read about using 2-5 drops of baby shampoo in your nose washing water. Supposedly it removes "biofilms".
Have you heard of Hydro-Pulse ?
Years ago, Dr. Murray Grossan took a dental WaterPik and designed a nozzle for it that you could hold against one nostril at a time in order to pulse salt water gently into the sinuses. Dr. Grossan is a medical ENT doctor, is otolaryngology board certified and his product is FDA registered. My ENT gave me one of those sinus irrigating tip attachments [ I already had a water pik } and I used that to perform irrigations for years.
Dr Grossan NOW has a 'system' called HydroPulse.....and he sells it on-line. I now have this system and it works great. Most people think this is too much to bother with is why I suggest they use the neti pot. But this Hydropulse does the superior job of nosewashing.
http://www.grossaninstitute.com/Something that may help you is guaifensein. I take it every day and have since 1995. My ENT said this to me - " Control the mucus. Mucus is caustic and it creates inflammation if it lingers in your system".
And he prescribed guaifenesin - he also told me "guaifenesin fights inflammation by adding water to mucus".
Now guaifenesin is sold over the counter.
I buy it on-line and if you are interested I can tell you where.
You want your mucus moist & thin so it can run down the throat or out the nose and not be thick.
you want THIN MUCUS AT ALL TIMES. I take guaifenesin every single day and I drink LOTS of water.
guaifenesin has no side effects and is even safe for children. It is marketed for respiratory mucus problems and is available without prescription in various strengths.
Good for you for experimenting with the xylitol. Keep me posted about how you progress!
-Shelley
My wife is getting a kick out of me incredulously saying every few minutes, "This stuff is amazing!!" 
