Nasal Polyps/Sinus surgery

averettpilot

Well-Known Member
Hello all. Just looking for past experiences and what I might expect. Last couple years my colds have been turning into sinus infections. Picked up a cold in SAN Labor Day weekend which turned into the worst sinus infection to date. Got the cold 9/7, they put me on prednisone to hopefully prevent a sinus infection. Started feeling better and then as soon as the steroids stopped, wham! That was 2.5 weeks ago. Had to call out sick again and followed up with an ENT. Another course of steroids and got a CT scan.

They said I still had an infection today, although I’m feeling better, at the consult for the ct results and apparently I have nasal polyps on both sides. Likely have to get surgery to remove but that consult isn’t until 11/2. Also consulting with my AME to see all the implications to my medical status.

Looking to learn from the group what I can maybe expect from a surgery, downtime and medical process, and perhaps if simply having a diagnosis of polyps grounds me until I can get the surgery.

Thanks! This pretty much sucks, but on the bright side I rarely get definitive results from doctors so it’s nice to know there’s actually a cause to my issues these last couple years. Colds didn’t use to ground me more than 6 days.
 
Mine was basically everything. It was a mess. Polyps, deviated septum, narrow sinus openings, scar tissue in the sinuses, you name it, I had it.

It sounds like something that two friends of mine had done around the same time and one of them described it afterwards as not realizing how much his breathing and sinuses had been affected before it all, until after the procedure(s) once it was fixed to be normal. Maybe you've had a similar experience.
 
It sounds like something that two friends of mine had done around the same time and one of them described it afterwards as not realizing how much his breathing and sinuses had been affected before it all, until after the procedure(s) once it was fixed to be normal. Maybe you've had a similar experience.

Yep! The really funny thing was about a year later. I came down with this cold that I could not shake. Just felt like a slightly annoying cold, some sneezing, runny nose, that sort of thing, but when it didn't go away for two weeks, I went to the doctor.

Doctor: "You know you've got a sinus infection, right? You should have come in sooner."

Me: "Sinus infection? But this is nothing. Sinus infections feel like hell."

Doctor: "No, sinus infections used to feel like hell. This is what a sinus infection feels like for normal people who don't have screwed up sinuses."

:bounce:
 
Yep! The really funny thing was about a year later. I came down with this cold that I could not shake. Just felt like a slightly annoying cold, some sneezing, runny nose, that sort of thing, but when it didn't go away for two weeks, I went to the doctor.

Doctor: "You know you've got a sinus infection, right? You should have come in sooner."

Me: "Sinus infection? But this is nothing. Sinus infections feel like hell."

Doctor: "No, sinus infections used to feel like hell. This is what a sinus infection feels like for normal people who don't have screwed up sinuses."

:bounce:
Would you say you get more, less, or the same amount of colds you did prior to the surgery? I get about 2-3 per year, which I guess is average, but the people in my sphere say I get sick more than anyone they know. It’d be nice if this could knock out one or two of them per year. It’s only been the last year or so that colds turn into sinus infections. Never had those before.
 
Would you say you get more, less, or the same amount of colds you did prior to the surgery? I get about 2-3 per year, which I guess is average, but the people in my sphere say I get sick more than anyone they know. It’d be nice if this could knock out one or two of them per year. It’s only been the last year or so that colds turn into sinus infections. Never had those before.

Oh, it’s night and day. I used to get a sinus infection every 2–3 months. I burned through sick time with reckless abandon. Now I can’t even remember the last time I had a cold. Maybe 18 months ago? Honestly, no idea, it’s so rare. It really will change your life.
 
Oh, it’s night and day. I used to get a sinus infection every 2–3 months. I burned through sick time with reckless abandon. Now I can’t even remember the last time I had a cold. Maybe 18 months ago? Honestly, no idea, it’s so rare. It really will change your life.
You’ve got my expectations high now. Maybe I’ll ask for two surgeries lol. Thanks for all the responses. I ran out of PTO pretty quick on this one because I was sick in November and March, so didn’t have much to play with and this one was the straw that broke the camels back apparently. On short term disability now. Hopefully this fixes me!
 
Hello all. Just looking for past experiences and what I might expect. Last couple years my colds have been turning into sinus infections. Picked up a cold in SAN Labor Day weekend which turned into the worst sinus infection to date. Got the cold 9/7, they put me on prednisone to hopefully prevent a sinus infection. Started feeling better and then as soon as the steroids stopped, wham! That was 2.5 weeks ago. Had to call out sick again and followed up with an ENT. Another course of steroids and got a CT scan.

They said I still had an infection today, although I’m feeling better, at the consult for the ct results and apparently I have nasal polyps on both sides. Likely have to get surgery to remove but that consult isn’t until 11/2. Also consulting with my AME to see all the implications to my medical status.

Looking to learn from the group what I can maybe expect from a surgery, downtime and medical process, and perhaps if simply having a diagnosis of polyps grounds me until I can get the surgery.

Thanks! This pretty much sucks, but on the bright side I rarely get definitive results from doctors so it’s nice to know there’s actually a cause to my issues these last couple years. Colds didn’t use to ground me more than 6 days.
That surgery is nothing to sneeze at.
 
Oh, it’s night and day. I used to get a sinus infection every 2–3 months. I burned through sick time with reckless abandon. Now I can’t even remember the last time I had a cold. Maybe 18 months ago? Honestly, no idea, it’s so rare. It really will change your life.

The only thing I wonder about is during the spring (and sometimes in the fall a little) I get my usual allergies for a couple weeks. It's tolerable, and not nearly what I used to experience back in their peak (which for me seemed to be high school/college age) -- but after a day or two with the sneezing, itchy eyes etc., I'll have post-nasal drip for possibly days or a week. And right as it clears up, it might then be time for another bout of allergies...with the same follow-up to them again.
 
The only thing I wonder about is during the spring (and sometimes in the fall a little) I get my usual allergies for a couple weeks. It's tolerable, and not nearly what I used to experience back in their peak (which for me seemed to be high school/college age) -- but after a day or two with the sneezing, itchy eyes etc., I'll have post-nasal drip for possibly days or a week. And right as it clears up, it might then be time for another bout of allergies...with the same follow-up to them again.

Sinus surgery won't fix the sniffles and the post-nasal drip, but it will get rid of the congestion, which for me was the worst part by far. It also caused a simple allergy to result in sinus infections because that stuff got trapped up in the sinuses.
 
Reading this thread, I can only contribute what I've been told. I also need the "executive package" of nasal surgeries thanks to having a JACKED up schnoz. I spoke to my AME and a family friend who both had the surgeries and they both emphatically said "GET IT DONE. It will be life changing." Sadly our regional insurance requires a 7k deductible so I have to save up. But the consensus is, get it. get it done.
 
i had mine done 12 years ago, enjoy being able to breathe and never or very rarely having a sinus infection again, but watch out for the major nosebleeds, i had to have a separate procedure about 4 months after for that.
 
Well just to update (because I can’t sleep) I just got the surgery. I have to say, my first experience with narcotics sucks! Doesn’t do much for pain. No gauze packing thankfully, but I also didn’t expect to be able to breathe through my nose. It actually kind of sucks because the air is painful to what I imagine is a very sensitive sinus.

I’m really hoping the pain gets better because, while not excruciating, it is persistent. Wish me luck.
 
Well just to update (because I can’t sleep) I just got the surgery. I have to say, my first experience with narcotics sucks! Doesn’t do much for pain. No gauze packing thankfully, but I also didn’t expect to be able to breathe through my nose. It actually kind of sucks because the air is painful to what I imagine is a very sensitive sinus.

I’m really hoping the pain gets better because, while not excruciating, it is persistent. Wish me luck.

Sorry, man! The narcotics always worked wonders for me. I’m betting they gave you a low dose. I always have to push them to give me a real dose because they’re all so unreasonably skittish about opioids nowadays.

It only takes a few days to go away, though. Then you’ll see how much better life is intended to be without sinus problems. Worth it! Trust me.
 
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