Chronic swollen turbinates and poor health for 6 months. Miserable :(
Posted , 12 users are following.
Hi everyone. I've been wanting to reach out about my health issues and see if there's anyone else suffering similarly and hopefully get some advice. Will try to keep my story short. I'm 28/F. I've suffered allergies for many years but didn't as a child. Mainly animals (which is tricky because I work with them), pollen and mold. I also developed asthma a few years ago. I'm not overweight, am very health conscious, eat well and exercise.
Back in June my turbinates (glands in the nose) swelled up to the point I could only breath through my mouth for many weeks before seeing an ENT specialist and being put on Nasonex steroid spray. Diagnosis was due to allergies. It helped a lot, reducing them but they were still there. I got the flu a couple times in the months following which was awful. Swollen turbinates with congestion felt like I was drowning when laying down. All round my trouble breathing has been scary especially since my asthma flairs up regularly and I watched my Father die from emphysema. I've never smoked but both my parents smoked around me all the time as a child.
I have the flu again now so 3 times in 6 months. In this time I've only had brief relief from swollen turbinates. I went back to see the ENT as the nasonex hasn't been working like it did last time. Also my skin hates the stuff, it gives me broken capillaries, acne and even hair loss. He put me on the surgery waiting list for a septoplasty (straightening my nose) and turbinate reduction surgery but will have to wait up to a year. He also prescribed a different steroid spray and I can change between the two every couple months. The steroids are keeping them from swelling completely but my airways are still compromised. I booked in to see an allergist. There was a 3 month wait and they lost my appointment so now I have to wait until March unless there's a cancellation. I'm doing everything I can seeking professional.
I've had a persistent pressure headache for 3 weeks now, it started before the flu hit and the past week I've had a very tight/strained neck. It's not just the turbinates worrying me but my failing health accross the board. My doctor says I'm just having a bad run. Only feeling well for a minority of 6 months isn't normal and I'm concerned. Is there anyone else who's suffered like this due to allergies? A suppressed immune system etc? Thanks for reading.
0 likes, 31 replies
raymond24308 Guest
Posted
I usually respond to allergy problems causing hayfever, rhinitis and sinusitis, so forgive me if you have already read my posts.
I found a miracle cure for these complaints, after suffering continual problems for a lifetime of 65 years.
The cure was so simple that it defies logic. It was simply a matter of taking one Evening Primrose Oil capsule daily.
Evening Primrose Oil works by desensitising the nervous system, not by treating the complaint. It is not a drug, so it has no side affects and does not affect mental ability in any way.
I tried every treatment available to overcome chronic sinusitis, and I did find useful aids, but no long term relief.
Try taking one 1000mg Evening Primrose Oil capsule daily for two weeks and see if it cures your problem.
Regards Ray.
Guest raymond24308
Posted
Hi Ray, thanks for your reply. Actually I have been taking Evening Primrose Oil for the past week or so along with Magnesium. I've kicked the flu/virus now and am feeling much better. I'll keep on taking these two things and see how I go. I'm glad you have found a cure for your issues!
cal75355 Guest
Posted
Guest cal75355
Posted
Hi cal, sorry to hear that
Mine's been consistently blocked to varying degrees with only a week or so occasionaly where it feels more normal. What medications are you using? Have you sought any professional help from specialists and what type of allergy testing have you had? Sometimes asthma can go undiagnosed if you present with no symptoms at the time. Do you get any wheezing or having to pause to catch your breath in conversations? To me it sounds like you could be allergic to something. Maybe something in your enviornment that they didn't test for. Some people do get asthma symptoms when their allergies are bad without having regular asthma.
As for treatment, I started allergy immunotherapy 3 weeks ago (after a long wait) and it's made me feel worse but I gather there's an adjustment period in the process. Surgery is there as a last resort. A while ago I was convinced I may have lung issues beyound asthma such as inflammation but xrays came back fine so since then I've just been reassuring myself it's only a blocked nose. Albeit I totally understand how uncomfortable and scary it can be plus it can cause other symptoms like headaches and loss of sleep. Yes I do get chest tightness sometimes. The lungs have to work a bit harder to draw breath in and anxiety can contribute. Sometimes the chest tightness does turn out to be my asthma but it can be hard to tell with a blocked nose. Steroid nasal sprays are the first line of treatment and do fix the problem for some people. They did for me temporarily, now they're just stopping it swelling completely which is better than nothing. Sudafed tablets and decongestant sprays can be used with caution. Sudafed becomes inaffective after about 5 days so can take it on and off. Decongestant sprays only in emergencies because of rebound effect. Doing one side to taper down helps. Have you tried an antihistamine to see if it makes a difference? Did your GP offer a referal to an ENT? Sorry for all the questions. Hopefully we can help sort this out for you as 2 years is too long. Take care ~Saturn
cal75355 Guest
Posted
hi , thanks for the fast reply , I have been to a allergy and ashthma specialist and the results were clear I also had a xray like you , also clear , I was given nasonex steroid spray for my nose and it didn't work after ages trying , ime giving up on solutions , this chest pain and blocked nose is unexplainable
Guest cal75355
Posted
Hmm did you take an antihistamine before your allergy appointment? Can't take them for four days prior or it alters the result. Do any medications help? Have you had a look up your nose with a torch? I'd say when it gets really bad go back to your GP and maybe get a referal to an ENT who can issue a sinus CT scan. If you can confirm it's swollen turbinates that may explain the chest tightness aswell.
cal75355 Guest
Posted
no I didn't take a antihistamine before the appointment and the doctor has looked up my nose and said its ok but h was not a ent specialist would u recommend I see a ent and also have you had you turbinate surgery?
dalil0992 Guest
Posted
Hi I have just come across your post,
I am 26/M and was wondering if you had your surgery and how it went?
I am having to rewrite this since it took me about an hour writing the first post which was deleted by accidently pressing backspace
I would just like to summarize what Ive been through in the last 4 years and would appreciate your opinion.
for your situation I see you have alot of insight to what is going on with your body and I am sure you will find the cure pretty soon. however one thing I can include is trying some cutton buds in your nose all the way inside your turbinate holes and trying to push the cutton bud against the turbinate to see if you get any releif from that, this will make you sneeze and will be very uncomfortable but atleast you will be able to breath better for a few seconds to determine if its the turbinates or not.
I underwent a septorhinoplasty in 2014 which at first looked like it went well but since it was during hayfever season for me I couldnt tell until few months post surgery. so few months after surgery
I noticed inabilty to breath through my nose and felt like I was still suffering from hayfever however these times without the runny nose and sinus blockage. what I fail to notice was that I actually did not listen to the ENT surgeon and I had carried on smoking even the same day I left surgery. I am only finding out now that this might be the root cause of all even though it has been 4 years ago however for 4 years I have not been able to sleep properly, conversate with people without having to breath deeply in their faces making them think I am super anxious when I am not. (even though I know anxiety happens when you feel short of breath and shortness of breath can also happen when your anxious) despite all that I force myself to breath deep anyway because its the only way to feel normal. I have been perscribed fluxonase steroid drops however they never work for a whole week, they just work for a day or two then stop and since I have only started using them in 2017 I just decided not to fully invest my energy with them since it might harm my lining even more than it is now.
Going back to 2015, I was dropped out of university for lack of attendance and poor mental well being. mainly it was due to my inabilty to stay awake in class since it would be very tired not having a full blown sleep, waking up in the middle of the night from shortages of breath and all that. this still happens now btw but going back to those days I did not know what was going on and just carried on smoking weed to pass the time and make me forget. little did know that smoking weed was making everything worse, especially 3.5 grams a day.
In 2016 I fainted for the first time on the street, this was during a homeless period I went through and during this time I would constantly feel short of breath and dizzy to the point I could not walk straight anymore haha.
fast forward 2017 I got diagnosed with Chronic Rhnitis by an ENT and Sinusitis by another ENT. so you can understand where my confusing stems from even though I am fully aware I did not help my own cause smoking all this time, not excersising nor eating well aswell as not praying or fasting during the month of ramadan which really could of helped me like this month right now since I am starting to get a clear picture of everything and Ive even given up marijuana. bare in mind I missed a surgey booking in 2016 when I was homeless since all my mail was still going to my old address.
So at the moment, infact recently I went for an ECG from all the faiting and it looked like my heart was beating very slowly (40bmp) so I am currently waiting to see a Neurologist for possible sinus bradycardia which isnt good lol, and also a sleep clinic which I am also waiting for their refferal to address me since I can no longer cope with the I sleep and have been for the past 4 years. to adress you regarding the chest tighness I must say I do get that alot and I too have had a chest X ray which came back positive so it must be something to do with our nose. I do alot of mouth breathing and find it hard to complete a sentence, and I even get constant voice changes from low to high pitch because of my inlincation to speak fast and finish sentences without relaxing. I also notice that my phlehm/mucus drainage is weak since at the start of every sentence I have to swallow this hude load stuck in the back of my throat and this actually stops my mouth breathing sometimes too, so without clearing my throat I find it hard to breath both ways. the cutton bud mehtod also works for me in another way, since my nose feels very hard to breath through I bend it to the shape of my nostrills and insert just a little bit at the top so it could keep nose open that way even If I have to deep breath, people don't hear it and it feels more comfortable than without it, constantly feeling like your snorting the insides of your nose.
Aprt from that I have no other options but to go overeseas and see if the climate change makes any difference. I have contemplated suicide and even thought to give up and just smoke smoke smoke till death but breathing properly for just abit gives me motivation to win back my life again however I am way more greatful for life than I was before and I hope I get a second chance lol.
Feel free to leave your opinion and I appereciate the time you put into reading this whole things cause I actually feel like a cry baby complaining to everyone, probs why I can't get any help form the doctors here. what do you think of private health care, should I try it? Here in the UK we have the NHS and as much as many of them devote their time and efforts into improving peopels quality of lives, some of them don't really bother much.
Hope you feel better.
Webby1892 Guest
Posted
Hi everyone,
just wondering if anyone is still posting on here?
I'm almost 6 years in with swollen turbinates. I have had 2 surgeries and still not better. Recently I've had pressure and pain in my ears too which is making life very uncomfortable.
I fully appreciate those thoughts of suicide you have been having, I have them too. Sometimes you just want an end to the suffering and how miserable you feel.
I have a feeling my house has caused my illness but I cannot afford to move yet.
Does anyone have any updates on their conditions or fancy discussing our condition further?
mertdoran7 Guest
Posted
Someone find any solution for turbinate hypertrophy ?
A10001 Guest
Posted
Please never get turbjnate reduction
I had this done and it ruined my lifee.
I now suffer empty nose syndrome. And every day is a struggle.
I know ent drs wont tell you about empty nose syndrome but a fair number of patients get this.
I had minimaly invasive radiofrequency done, and has searing pain, dryness, loss of sensation and suffocation after.
You need to ask gp for steroid tablets this may help more.
A10001 Guest
Posted
Please never get turbjnate reduction
I had this done and it ruined my lifee.
I now suffer empty nose syndrome. And every day is a struggle.
I know ent drs wont tell you about empty nose syndrome but a fair number of patients get this.
I had minimaly invasive radiofrequency done, and has searing pain, dryness, loss of sensation and suffocation after.
You need to ask gp for steroid tablets this may help more.
A10001 Guest
Posted
Please never get turbjnate reduction
I had this done and it ruined my lifee.
I now suffer empty nose syndrome. And every day is a struggle.
I know ent drs wont tell you about empty nose syndrome but a fair number of patients get this.
I had minimaly invasive radiofrequency done, and has searing pain, dryness, loss of sensation and suffocation after.
You need to ask gp for steroid tablets this may help more.