Sinus surgery

[Sanj[UK]]

Has anyone had this procedure?

I'm getting my sinus unclogged at the end of april. Currently my right nostril is blocked (no Oxygen can get in or out) and my left nostril is just slightly better.

Ive heard recovery is a bitch. I had to phone up to confirm my appointment and the nurse is telling me no work for 2 weeks, no form of any exercise for 2 weeks and Im not allowed to drive home.

I keep reading online about people who vomit blood when they recover and the pain is suppose to be quite intense. BRING ON THE SURGERY!

[ZX7R]

How's it get clogged in the first place?

I has a really bad cold a few years back (amazing amounts of snot!). After that breathing through my sinuses has never been the same since.

[TIN CAN]

Yep had this mate, suffered with sinus problems for years, the op was quite bad but it took me a week in total of spending most nights sitting up on sofa propped by pillows trying to sleep and yes the pain was quite bad although they do mention people vary depending on how much they 'cut/burn' away.

I had some sort of packaging/gauze (sp?) stuffed way up each nostril right into the sinus to stop the blood and was allowed home a day later with recovery of one week. This can change as some are prone to heavy bleeding after the op...

As above the pain does vary, i know someone who had pretty much zero pain so you might be ok..... NO vomiting but yes expect to cough/spit blood for a good few days followed by lots of dirty old blood

No exercising, bending over (tut tut), and driving definitely not for the first week minimum, suggestion would be plenty of dvds, laptop, games console and a carrying wife/partner...

[Sanj[UK]]

How's it get clogged in the first place?

I has a really bad cold a few years back (amazing amounts of snot!). After that breathing through my sinuses has never been the same since.

No idea how it got clogged but its been like that since primary school. The bridge of my nose is bent and the doc said its all twisted inside and theres no cartilage inside..should be intresting.

Good thing i haven't sold my ipad yet..will keep me busy during recovery

[Jack-daniels]

I don't wont to worry you (but you did ask). My brother had this procedure a few years ago.

He had always had a blocked up nose (& it is quite a nose ) and used Vicks Sinex spray (other nasal decongestant sprays are available) all the time.

Now apparently this initially shrinks the the stuff in the nose to allow you to breath, but after constant (years) use it then expands all the passages making the problem worse (allegedly).

Anyway a few days after the operation they removed what he described as "two Tampax about a meter long each" that went up behind his eyeballs !!

He spit and coughed blood for ages & still does now.

The operation made him worse not better and he wished he'd never had it.

His sinuses are now completely fucked & constantly infected and there's nothing the doctors can do.

You'll probably be OK though

[WotTheFook]

Yup, what Tin Can said. I had a sub-mucus resection (SMR Binasal with trimmed turbs, whatever that means) on both sides of my nose when I was 17. They splinted my nose with strips of x-ray film and packed it with gauze. It hurt like feck when they changed the gauze as it pulled on the stitches, but if you are only having one side done, they probably won't break your nose to do it.

One downside is that if I get a cold, I can't stop my nose from dripping, but that's a small price to pay for being able to breathe freely.

[Sanj[UK]]

Yup, what Tin Can said. I had a sub-mucus resection (SMR Binasal with trimmed turbs, whatever that means) on both sides of my nose when I was 17. They splinted my nose with strips of x-ray film and packed it with gauze. It hurt like feck when they changed the gauze as it pulled on the stitches, but if you are only having one side done, they probably won't break your nose to do it.

One downside is that if I get a cold, I can stop my nose from dripping, but that's a small price to pay for being able to breathe freely.

Did you find it easier to breathe afterward? I'm hoping this operation will provide a major boost to my exercise routines

[WotTheFook]

Oh yeah, I don't have any blocked nose issues these days. I can breathe so freely it actually hurts to breathe through my nose in really cold weather. I meant to say 'can't stop my nose dripping' in my earlier post, bit of a typo error there....

[Sanj[UK]]

I can breathe so freely it actually hurts to breathe through my nose in really cold weather.

I cant wait

[Realist]

I've the same problem, constant totally blocked nose both nostrals and I've been using sprays for years too.

I was thinking of having my nose done as per the above but Im now 50/50 after reading the above.

[Sanj[UK]]

I've the same problem, constant totally blocked nose both nostrals and I've been using sprays for years too.

I was thinking of having my nose done as per the above but Im now 50/50 after reading the above.

I was 50/50 but i hate the fact i have no sense of smell, numer ous breathing issues and the fact my bridge is bent and makes me look like a coke addict lol

[Realist]

I know what you mean M8 and Im getting pissed off myself because I cant smell or taste anything. Its now become so bad that at night my nose blocks up and I wake up with blood all over my lips and in my mouth where Im struggling to breath.

50/50 for me.

[plug1]

I had a similar op when I was a kid , nose cauterised was the term they used
I can remember that it was very unpleasant , but it did work and iv been able to breath freely
From both nostrils ever since , only thing I would say is if I'm in the pool or even washing my hair and water goes up my nose , it's like knitting needles stabbing into my brain.
But iv learned to not let that happen .
So I'm glad I got it done .

Plug.

[mysterym]

I have a similar problem too, my nose breathing constantly blocks up at night and i end up waking myself up with a dry mouth. I can't breath properly through one nostrel and would end up suffocating if i tried too!

Not brave enough to have an op though so fair play mate.

[WotTheFook]

It's a week or two of discomfort plus a few sinus washouts you can do yourself if you are up for it. It's not much pain for a lifetime of relief from choking during the night. Well worth doing IMO.

[rIKmAN]

Dunno if this is the same thing, but a friend of mine just had an "adenoidectomy" (sp?) which basically removed flesh/cartilage from inside his nose as he has constant blocked noses, breathing issues with it etc.

He was in for one night, then let home but looked like he'd had a nose job when he came out, black eyes, bandage over nose etc.

It's been almost a week now and he said he has been spitting blood, blood dripping from nose etc but he hasn't been in much pain and all they gave him when he came home was paracetomol, though obviously he was on morphine overnight when in hospital.

Like I say dunno if it's the same thing but might put your mind at rest.

[Jack-daniels]

I've the same problem, constant totally blocked nose both nostrals and I've been using sprays for years too.

I was thinking of having my nose done as per the above but Im now 50/50 after reading the above.

Try and stop using the sprays mate, they are seriously bad for you.

The surgeon told my brother it was the sprays that had caused most of the damage!!

[Realist]

I have now to an extent where I only spray when I cant breath totally and I dont have any other option other than shuving 2 pens up my nose cos thats how I feel some days.

[WotTheFook]

@ Realist / SanjUK

You both sound like you need a procedure called Turbinates Reduction - I couldn't remember what it was called, but Google helped me out There are even videos on Youtube showing the procedure being done. Knowledge is power, and all that....

I had that and a more intensive procedure called a Sub-Mucus Resection done.

[rusty]

had the op, about 14 yrs ago.
nose always felt blocked up, anything could bring on that blocked up feeling, smoke,air con, dust
its the best thing i did,
no real pain, other than when they took out the packing from nose day after op,
took about 3-4weeks before i felt right,
nose still gets blocked feeling, but a lot less than it did.
in the days i had it done, they were doing it a lot in the nth notts/sth yorks area, think it must have been an easy op for doctors to train on