Nasal cauterisation issues

Hi Eryn -

My scab patches lasted about 5 to 6 months. However, even after 9 months I still have a small amount every day.

Hi Russell. I am 67 and have had cauterisations every 2-3 years since the mid 80`s. All I get from my doctor is "it`s just a nosebleed" and so for the last 20 years I go private - very expensive for 10 minutes work. My nosebleeds come at any time - driving the car - taking grandkids to school - in bed etc. I am on aspirin following heart surgery last May 2017 so that does not help. I keep my nose moist with Sterimar nasal spray from Boots - it`s just a mild seawater and I don`t get the clogging catarrh and sinusitis as much. I put some naseptin cream (or E45 or Sudocrem) in the same bad nostril every night but I still needed a cauterisation last Tuesday due to a succession of nosebleeds again When I had the major heart surgery I was more worried about my nose bleeding than the surgery itself and what would likely happen after being on regular aspirin. Yes, I think I am a bit paranoid but any nosebleed does my head in. I love my grandchildren dearly but 4 under the age of 7 take it out on me and I have to be careful. I am used to cauterisations now - the anaesthetic - the pain - the blocked nose - the creeping around for 2 weeks so you don`t disturb it - no exercise as such which in my case after heart surgery sucks. I hope this reply helps. I know where you are coming from. My heart had a Mitral Valve repaired through keyhole surgery yet I find it unbelievable that a permanent cure for nosebleeds is still a long way away. As I said earlier my doctor says it`s just a nosebleed.

I really feel for you! After only 2 days I went to my local doctor and he prescribed me Tramadol (a powerful opioid-based painkiller). It helped considerably with the pain, but I ended up stopping them after 2 days because they were spacing me out!

Hope you feel some relief soon!

Hi Renee. Listen. I was in hospital for a week in 2011 having had my nose packed. This was my worst ordeal you cannot imagine. A day before I was due to be discharged a load of doctors & students surrounded me & the main guy said I should give up bending, lifting & moving ( I was a warehouseman ) ibuprofen, hot showers, hot baths, coffee, tea, caffeine, any hot drinks, sniffing, sneezing, ( don`t know how you would do that ) decongestant tablets etc. etc....At 60 years of age they were basically telling me in 2011 that I give up working and I was in bits. They said I couldn`t get help from the NHS ( electric needle ) and once again basically it was "just a nosebleed"

"Just a nosebleed" had taken up a hospital bed for 6 days and nights. People a lot worse off than me needed that bed and I felt as guilty as hell. I have been offered the electric needle by one of my private consultants but I don`t know how much that would cost as I am retired now. Another one said he could tie the two major blood vessels in my right nostril together. Cost? No idea. How much to put me in a hospital bed for 6 days? I will now get to the point try not to use ibuprofen if you can help it. Regards Chris

Hi Roger. Likewise in 2017 after my heart surgery I had to come off Tramadol after 2 days as I didn`t feel "all there" regards Chris

Hello Lena -

I feel so badly for you and know first hand what you are going through. The ENT is correct: just wait it out. You can purchase a nasal irrigation system over the counter to flush your sinuses if you think that might help (it didn't do much for me).

My nose ran as you describe for many weeks, the intense pain lasted over two weeks, the discomfort for several months. I had the procedure done twice in a week. The slugs were inserted high up but slowly worked their way down my nose (but not as intense of a burn) for about 4 months. It was very strange.

This procedure is not fun. But it WILL get better in time - as in several months.

Hi Gewb

Thank you for your suggestion and reassurance that it will get better - eventually!

You don't mention if your nose was blocked up as I find this the worst part of it all, was yours blocked and if so, for how long? The dripping is bad enough as I can't sleep for any length of time before it drips over my face and wakes me up but the blocked nose gives me panic attacks as I feel I am suffocating. I just hope to goodness I don't catch a cold.

Thank you again for your advice.

My nose did block up and run at the same time (sounds odd, doesn't it).

I took the Equate brand (Walmart) of Afrin Nasal Spray for the congestion and my doc has me take ipratropium bromide nasal spray (0.03%) for the dripping.

I know about the feeling of suffocating as I have a similar condition today, not related to the cauterization. I go for a sleep study test this week as a camera/scope didn't find anything.

That is exactly what my nose is like, it is totally blocked and dripping. The dripping is slightly better today but i do hope the nose unblocks itself soon, i am trying to blow it gently to see if that helps. Thank you for the suggestions, I had wondered if a nasal spray would help so i will see what i can find at the local pharmacy.

The feeling of suffocation is quite frightening so i hope your test goes well and stops it happening to you. The way i controlled it was by consciously concentrating on my breathing, through the mouth at the moment, and mentally convincing myself i wasn't suffocating. Maybe your subconscious is worried in case the nose bleed starts again?

Thanks again.

My feeling of suffocating isn't related to the cauterization or at least my doc didn't find a correlation. My blockage is an instantaneous closing of the air passage from the nose and happens mostly at night - it wakes me in a mild panic. But I change position and I'm fine.

For your sinus conjestion you could also try products like Benadryl.

I just wondered if it could be psychosomatic and in your sleep the body is perhaps remembering the trauma of the nose bleed and how it affected you afterwards, the mind can play strange tricks on us sometimes. However i am not medical so i hope your test gives you the answers and what to do to stop it happening as it must be frightening in the night.

I will try the Benadryl thank you.

No, I can make the condition trigger any time of day if I get my head and body into the position. Move two inches and it goes away.

That's very interesting, good luck with the tests.

Thank you for your help and advice, you have calmed me down and I'm now prepared to wait for the scabs to drop off, with help from the spray hopefully, but I really hope it won't last for too long as I am an impatient patient and would like to get back to normal breathing soon!

Hi Lena. Sorry I havent picked up your thread before. I have posted before a few times as I have regular nose bleeds and this has gone on for over 30 years. I am now 68 and - you are right - it does make you panic. GPs could not care less and as for A & E that`s a waste of time too. I have to have a cauterisation every 2 years and I go private costing (in 2018) 240.00. The silver nitrate causes blocked nose, rhinitis, and in my case blood streaked sinusitis & catarrh. A totally new guy did my "operation" this time and he maintained that the right nostril would bleed again several times in the next 3 months before it would settle down.

He was dead right. It bled the next day & the next & the next This had never happened before and I have had almost 15 cauterisations with different people and it NEVER bled straight after the op. Does this mean the latest op may be a success after all this time???

This ENT guy did say that it takes 8-12 weeks for everything to settle down and once again he was right.

I do suffer from hay fever. I sneeze through my mouth not through my nose. I do not blow it at all. I limit the alcohol and try not to let the nostril dry out. Hope you recover soon.

Hi Chris

Thank you for your comments, I hadn't had any nose bleeds since I was a child and then had 3 within 8 days. The first 2 I controlled and stopped by myself but the last one was very profuse and was like a tap that couldn't be turned off and ended up with me in an ambulance after nurses and doctors at my GP's practice couldn't stop it and neither could the paramedics.

I am pleased to say that 15 days after the event my nose has stopped its regular dripping and now just lets out a drip every so often which I can cope with but my nostril is still very blocked. I have tried a spray and gently blowing it but so far nothing has made any difference. The pharmacist suggested steaming it but I haven't tried that yet. Did yours become unblocked after 8-12 weeks and did you do anything to help to clear it or did you just wait?

I sympathise with you having regular nose bleeds, one was enough for me, I do hope I don't get any more! At hospital I asked what had caused it and they said my blood tests showed I had an infection of some sort and suggested that may have caused the bleed.

Hi Lena. My mum always suffered from bad sinusitis & catarrh. I suppose thats why I have always got it. It doesnt take much to make my nose bleed even after cauterisation. Hay fever drives me up the wall and I sometimes cannot breathe through one side of my nose before I go to bed. I asked my GP for something ( whilst mentioning nosebleeds) and she gave me Nasonex which I left in the cupboard because a side effect is NOSEBLEEDS. GPs dont take them seriously. I paid 240.00 last July for a cautery so I dont want something to destroy that action because I am a pensioner and cant really afford it.

Steaming might start another nosebleed by the way. Great for the blocked nose. Back in 2011 I was advised no hot baths or showers and they were right. I hope you go on alright as you are not alone.

Hi Chris, you have been through it with all those nose bleeds. I'm really hoping that I don't get another one as I found the whole experience absolutely dreadful. When you tell anyone what has happened, they don't think it's much to be bothered about as to them it's 'just a nose bleed' but to us who have had one, the treatment that goes with it and the aftermath of the constant dripping, the blocked nose and the feeling of suffocation it is so much more. I'm sure it was an actual rhino they put up my nose, not a rhino blow-up pack!

I didn't have to steam it as I had a huge clot/scab come down today and I can breathe again - yeay! There is more to come but I'm not going to rush it as I don't want another bleed.

I hope you don't get any more bleeds and everything goes well for you.

Thank you for your advice.