Chronic swollen turbinates and poor health for 6 months. Miserable :(

Thanks for you prompt reply. I appreciate your feedback. Virus may be more appropriate. This time my SO has it too so I know it's not just an allergic flare. Yes I know I'm exposing myself to my main allergen. Animals are my passion and my cats mean the world to me. Funny thing is I grew up with lots of pets as a child without issues. I spent many years studying for this line of work. Many people are unable to avoid the source of their allergies and just have to try their best to manage them. My symptoms are manifesting differently to what they used to. I feel I've adjusted to some degree.

I'm glad to know surgery went well for you. I look forward to it. I've tried Sudafed decongestant with little result. I can ask about Benadryl instead. The body doesn't become dependent like it does decongestant sprays, correct? Azelastine I still have sitting in my cupboard as well as Nasonex and Flucticasone Furoate. Azelastine is indeed very potent and my skin hated it even more than the Nasonex. Yes, breathing is much more important than appearances but spending a fortune on laser treatment trying to combat broken capillaries whilst trying to afford an ENT and allergist isn't feasible but maybe I can incorporate it into my routine at least a couple times per week.

My ENT did do an allergy test. Can only do 4 items at a time due to Australian regulations. Results were animals normal range <100. Mine was over 2000. Mold medium. Pollen medium. Dust normal. I hope to get allergy injection treatment started before my surgery.

Hi Philip. They're different. These are glands in the nose. Like this http://sleep-doctor.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/nasal-procedures.jpg

Thanks for your understanding. It's actually pretty common in the animal industry for people to become allergic after working with them for many years. Luckily my cats are short hair. I don't get a full blown 'I have to get out of here' reaction with congestion like I used to. I actually left work earlier this year to go back and do further study. Would've thought my symptoms would've improved. I think it's safe to say I did myself some damage at work and will reassess what to do in the future. Did you have much luck with the injections? After your surgery did you see an improvement in a range of symptoms or just clearer breathing?

Yes I've stayed right away from decongestant sprays. I took Azelastine last night and today the broken capillaries are tingling which is a sign of them spreading. I might just have to face the fact I may have to sacrifice the condition of my skin for the time being in order to get breathing relief. Can start laser treatment again at a later stage. The Flucticasone Furoate doesn't cause this but I don't think it's helping much either, perhaps it's not potent enough.

My doctor is leaving this condition up to the specialists. I'm done with the ENT for now so relying on the allergist. I've heard of Prednisone and it sounds like it could be useful so I'll try to mention it when I see them. Looked for benadryl today. In Australia it's a cough syrup with decogenstant (same ingredient as sudafed). Is it an antihistamine in the US? 

Hi Deemac. Wow 4 1/2 years is a long time I'm glad to know I'm not the only one but am sorry to hear this. Do your turbinates swell intermittently rather than constant? Is that why they can only give you a 50/50 success rate? I do notice they can go from ok to bad quickly. I don't know how rhinitis/sinusitis differs but do know mine are caused by allergies and my turbinates have stayed the same more or less since my CT scan in June which is why surgery is a viable option since medication only gives temporary relief. I've suffered with allergies and asthma for years so I'm not hoping for a miracle with surgery, just to feel more like I did beforehand so clearer breathing and less pressure in my sinuses/head. I have a pamphlet labelled 'Septoplasty and turbinate reduction surgery' (which tells me it's probably fairly common). It says the success rate is 9 out of 10. It's scary to think that it may not work. I've actually had 4 surgeries before for other things and had some complications so can't say I'm looking forward to surgery but will try anything at this stage. I haven't heard of balloon surgery. Sorry that it didn't have much success. Did they find out anything while they did it? Yes the headaches are intense at times. It makes sense since the sinuses extend in to the forehead. Blocked ears is a common thing I get too, have since childhood. How are the chiropractic, acupuncture, cupping and taking allergy shots working for you? Your allergens are daily things that can't be avoided I'm wondering how much pollen and such plays a role for me compared to animals.

"still I have not found any consistent relief." Same. I find temporary relief, sometimes I'm not bad for a few weeks and think I'm getting better until I take a bad turn again. It's frustrating. If I do get a virus my existing condition prolongs it. I'm constantly aware of my environment and even wash curtains on a regular basis, use a humidifier, etc. You know I think weather does play a part. We get big fluctuations here too. I moved house late last year and wonder if this played a role in worsening symptoms though we did replace the carpet, repaint, etc so it's tidy but location may play a role. Sucks playing a guessing game, sucks all around and I hope we can find some more permanent relief. Doesn't help that it's an invisible illness which makes it hard for some people to understand.

I've heard that too, that the rate in which allergies are increasing is alarming. Which explains why the allergist has a 3 month wait. Sounds like we've both tried everything we can. Is your septum deviated at all? Mine is a bit but not badly, looks worse on the scans. I am worried about the surgery as I tend to be a slow healer. A couple years ago I had a surgery, which they did a fantastic job but 5 days in hospital turned in to 20 with a second surgery as my body wasn't absorbing fluid. I've already had a difficult life and I'd really just like to have good health. My anxiety does play a role in making me feel worse. I'm thinking I might get some medication to help with that. Nothing heavy duty because I've tried them before and had horrible withdrawal effects but maybe something like melatonin as my sleep hasn't been good either. Unfortunately it's not available here in Australia and I'd have to order from the US. Do you get much anxiety over it?

From what I've heard they no longer perform a full removal of the turbinates as it's risky and instead do a reduction. They can come back over time or like you said it may not work. I'm just grateful that atm I can breath through my nose not just through my mouth. At times I get flashbacks of how I watched my Father suffer and die with emphysema, he was 59. I can't even fathom putting up with this as long as you have. Working with this illness mustn't be easy. I left work at the end of last year because I knew I pushed myself too hard. During my time working with cats I was diagnosed with asthma. I thought my symptoms would've improved but instead it seems I did myself damage that might take a while to come good. The fact I have 3 cats of my own isn't helping but they are the source of my happiness. So I'm allergic to the one thing that makes my smile and laugh every day. Life's a b***h at times. 

I'm not sure if that's good news or not, because there's not a lot you can do about it . At times I do wonder if there's some deeper issue going on. At times I've thought I'd even be relieved to find out I have cancer or something because at least then there's a solid reason with solid treatment and I've even thought death is better than living a life of suffering. Sorry to get all morbid but I'm sure it's something that anyone with chronic illness has thought about. I've found basic pain meds like paracetomol and ibuprofen haven't done much to help with the headaches. I'm trying magnesium to help with the stiff neck which I think is contributing to the headaches. 

the ENTs stated that the deviated septum is very small nothing that would cause any blockage. I do get that anxious  feeling sometimes  more so  back when I did not know what was going on.  it made me feel like I was going nuts.  especially because i was never an anxious person. now that I know it is coming from inside the nose i relax and i try to remind myself of that. I am told by doctors  that chilly anxious feeling is the body reacting to the allergens r the infection. kind of like when u get the flu it just that this is chronic.  i actually feel it more on cold days. what i do get is that i don’t know how i am going to feel from day to day  feeling. so  when i get invited to an event my first thought that comes to my mind is how am i going to feel that day which is very frustrating.  i also feel i feel i suffer more on hot humid/ rainy and very cold days. on the point of traveling  I did notice when I traveled to costa rica that although I was not cured there was definitely a differences. especially upon waking up I did not have that heavy head feeling. although I had to use the neti pot the was a cosiderable change in the way that I felt. unfortunaley I can not live in costa rica permanentally. 😊

Yeah I should try to relax more. Same, I worry when I'm invited to things about how I'll feel on the day. Helped by the fact I always have a runny nose which is embarrassing. That is one thing nasonex helps with though it's not without it's side effects. I wonder how much the steroid sprays contribute to headaches or if that just comes down to congestion? Yup it's not feasible for most people to just up and move interstate or country. I went overseas a couple years ago and all though I had the flu (common thing for me) my sinuses were pretty good, hardly got a runny nose at all. When I came home I still had it but my symptoms were 10x worse. Thank you for your support and hope you're feeling better than a few days ago.

it is not always easy to relax so I completely understand where u r coming from, it is especially  hard when I am cold from the weather. like a walking chill 😊

Hi  care4health. Did you have a full removal of the turbinates or a reduction? I've heard they no longer do full removals due to the risks like empty nose syndrome so I'll be having a reduction which like you said, may not work and they can come back. When I started nasal sprays it did fix it for about 6 weeks. Now I feel the sprays are preventing them completely swelling like before (thank goodness) but my nose is still like a blocked straw so to speak. I've had 4 surgeries before for other things and twice had difficulty in the healing process/slow healer so I am scared by it but it still seems feasible in my circumstance which is swollen turbinates due to allergies with a deviated septum. I had a CT scan in June which confirmed this and again this month and they've stayed about the same. Good news is the rest of my sinuses look normal.

Where did you go in Australia? I'm in South Australia. It's suppose to be quite a dry state compared to Queensland for example. Good on you for moving and I'm glad it helped. That's interesting. It's not an option for me atm but I'd be interested to know if taking a holiday somewhere would make a difference. This cold is lingering. I'm having lots of fruit, veg & herbal tea like usual. Picked up magnesium for the stiff neck. My SO has gotten over it, ironically since he doesn't take care of himself and I try really hard lol. Isn't pseudoeffedrine a stimulant as well as a decongestant? I'm already having issues falling asleep XD. In fact I'm thinking a relaxant like melatonin might help relieve my anxiety around these issues.

Just checked out your posts. I'm glad you're a lot better now. You make some good points like "I also read that it could be a nerve damage in the nose, and that the blood vessels loose the ability to constrict. I think doctors looking that problem from the wrong way. Trying to reduce the inflamation in the nose without knowing what causing it.". It seems there's not enough medical research in this field or allergies are kicking out butts with medications not being sufficient. I also worry about overdoing medications as the body can adapt. Occasionally when I feel not bad I try to take a break from things for a week or at least rotate brands every 2-3 months. My skin and hair made a miraculous turn around when I stopped steroid sprays for a week. What did you ENT mean by there's nothing wrong but it's the physiology of your nose... Sheesh. 

I had a partial turbinate reduction. according to my hospital record - which I checked after the surgery - toll less than 20 min! I wonder how is it possible to do both sides under 20 min. Anyway while what you say it's ture that they not doing full removal anymore, the danger of ENS is still there, but very rare. However, it's still a risk. 

What my ENT meant by "there's nothing wrong with my nose and it's only the physiology" I wonder too. I think he probably meant there's no physical problem, like deviated septum or polyp. 

I used to live up in Cairns, and my allergy struck me a few years later after we moved there. 

I spent some time in Europe, and in Tassie 2 month. And now I am SE BNE. Last few days were quite hot and humid too, I had to use the decongestant one night. Never using it more than 3 day max in a row, and only 1 tiny drop at night. 

Pseudoeffedrin for me is something which in my drawer just in case. If I needed something for longer time, I could sway the decongestant for the tablets. Haven't needed so far since we moved, but good to keep it just in case. You can use it for a few weeks I'm pretty sure, even for a few month. But of course any alternative would be better.

4 surgeries, that's a lot!!!!! 

A few years ago, after my surgery which didn't help, I went to SYD and seen a specialist who told me I should benefit from inferior turbinate reduction + further middle turbinate reduction + deviated septum correction. I don't even know what the cost would have been, but I opted out from it. I'm glad I did. 

I've seen another one in BNE, I though about Nasal Turbinate Cautery, it's a procedure they burn the turbinates, not chopping it, but I heard it's very painful procedures, and still a big ? if it helps at all. I opted out from that one as well.

I now only have one side congestion but only at night, the lower side gets congested. That's the physiology thing, I don't know.

Have you tried different diet? People say that eliminating all dairy might help. 

I sent you a p.m.

Gee that's not much time at all. How was your recovery? I'm glad to have gotten not a cure but much relief with the steroid sprays. I wonder though is it really safe to use them on a long term basis? What if the sinuses adjust and it becomes difficult to come off of them or they become ineffective. The fact it's visibly breaking blood vessels/capillaries isn't good. Anyhows I'm just glad to be able to breath through my nose atm. Did you ever try taking a break from meds for a while and see if your body went back to normal-ish?

Or maybe it's a term for he doesn't know what's wrong. I got that from my GP in October. They know if you wait a while you'll probably feel a bit better but that doesn't explain why I'm getting reoccurrences. Have you ever had full bloods done to check for deficiencies etc? You're finding being in QLD works well for you? Wouldn't think that the hot humid weather would help.

Yeah going on my 5th surgery for age 28 isn't good. Oh well, genetics isn't something I can do anything about. Good on your for making those decisions. Sounds like it was the right one. I still have a long wait for my surgery so I'll see how I go in the mean time.

Well I rarely ever eat junk food or deep fried food. Do love my yoghurt but otherwise don't have much dairy. I've also heard dairy makes congestion worse. Probably don't eat enough meat. Did have my iron tested and it came back slightly low. Have had a B12 shots for deficiency in the past. I do take multivitamins but find too much Vit C makes me restless. Trying my bestest Did you try diet changes?