So for about ten years I have had sinuses blocked pretty regularly. I have gone to over a dozen medical doctors and perhaps a half-dozen nurse-practitioners in at least two different medical clinics (changed from FemCare to Herndon Family Medicine years back following changed insurance coverage). I have made appointments and been seen for sinus infections at least quarterly, and general sinus blockage at least as often.
Sometimes it is clearly an infection, and anti-biotics usually help kill the infection. Occasionally I was told it was a virus; and the usual rest and hot liquids regime are typical. Most often I have been told it was general airborne allergies and I’ve had a long list of anti-histamines prescribed over the years; none of them particularly effective. I was told that as I got used to one, it became less effective so they’d switch me to another.
For three years now I have been unable to exhale through my nose except for rare 1-3 minute periods after I take a steroid spray or when taking Neo-Synephrin (which I refrain from taking except when particularly blocked because medical people said it has long-term effects – so I’ve only hit that about once a quarter since 1998). Nothing works and I am getting worse.
Rant and light at the end of the tunnel after the fold…
Last May I got angry with my general practitioner and demanded a ENT referral or CT scan. They sent me to the CT scan and said they’d send me to an ENT if the scan warrented it. Results came back and they called to tell me I had a massive sinus infection. Usual regime of anti-biotics prescribed and taken and I got a little better (still can’t breath out, but forced inhaling working again). Nothing more was said about it.
Had another sinus infection in late summer, dealt with via anti-biotics again. Nothing said to me about any other issues.
A month ago I lucked into a different medical doctor at the same GP place I go to all the time; she took the time to really look at my history and ask a few questions and she asked if I was not frustrated. I told her I was extremely frustrated and hated the thought of being on drugs my whole life and for them to largely be ineffective. She said I had an infection (again) and that I was either allergic to something and needed to know specifically what that was, or that I had polyps (which she could see, but was not sure if they were from allergies or physiological issue). She was wonderful about explaining why the saline nasal spray I was using was not working at all, and I switched to nasal irrigation (which really helps a little) and she put me on anti-biotics for the infection and steam as often as possible; pending ENT and Allergist referral appointments. Thank you very much Dr. Ragland – you rock.
Hmmm… first time my doctors mentioned polyps to me, despite my asking about it starting last year when a good friend had his removed and his symptoms sounded a lot like mine.
Allergists and ENTs are hard to get in to see around here; something causes a lot of people to have these problems in this area. I finally saw an allergist on Monday the 11th. I still have “track-marks” on my arms from all the testing. The allergist was wonderful and thoroughly checked me out. Good news, I have no allergies at all! My sensitivity to eating mushrooms turns out to be a toxic substance sensitivity, not an allergy at all. She could visibly see polyps, and reviewed the CT scan text results from May and it clearly said I had both an infection (which was treated by my GP) and polyps that “completely occlude the sinus passages and need further attention” (which I heard nothing about from my GP last May).
Uh, wait a second… I could and should have been sent to an ENT and an Allergist as soon as my infection was over, last May? Ouch. That’s several co-pays of refills for useless anti-histamines I could have avoided.
So this morning (12th) I saw the nurse-practitioner at the ENT office with the CT Scan (text and pictures this time, I got a copy) and she told me that my polyps are so “advanced” and so obvious that steriods will be ineffective at reducing the polyps more than a little; and that surgery is the only option and that it should have been scheduled 3-5 years ago! She needed no CT-Scan, no “scoping” and nothing more than a flashlight and a way to peer into my nostrils to clearly see obviously huge polyps (white) blocking my sinuses. That coupled with the allergist’s test that it is not allergies means completely physiological. Surgery.
I also have an infection (persistent bugger this time) so I am on a strong anti-biotic again and new oral steroids to try to help a little temporarily; then I get a new CT-Scan (hopefully post-infection) and an appointment with the ENT M.D. to prepare for and make the final call on surgery (probably in early January).
I am enormously happy that we finally have a smoking gun for why I’ve been unable to breath through my nose for so long. I am nervous about surgery (but only a little), and a bit miffed…. no downright pissed that so many medical professionals mis-diagnosed this as “allergies” for so bloody long.
Three to five years of constantly fighting sinus infections and taking anti-histamines I did not really need. Three to five years of part-time sleep apnia from snoring waking me up all night and probably my lovely wife too, then drifting back to sleep. Three to five years of being a “mouth-breather” and having the inevitable halitosis that results. Of course, on the bright side, I will hopefully have more energy and be more active when I recover from surgery. Friends who have had this procedure say their lives improve immensely!
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