Guest guest Posted May 23, 2004 Report Share Posted May 23, 2004 In answer to your question about irrigation- It does clear out the sinuses. If the nose if so overgrown with polyps then it may be hard to get much fluid up there and I agree with using some decongestant prior to irrigating. I have both samters and Css so I have a double whammy as far as severe sinus disease and I think I have about the worst I have ever heard of. I have also tried almost all the irrigation devices out there on the market. I can tell you right now that the ear bulb just doesn't really cut it. I use the Grossan/Hydropulse irrigatior which is certainly the Cadillac of nasal irrigatiors out there and the only one registered by the FDA for sinus irrigation. This is not an email for marketing but I feel so strongly about irrigation and this product in general that I am going to be selling them within about a week. My new web site will be called Naturalsinushealth.com . You can take a peek probably next Monday.( If you want to) Grossan also makes a bottle irrigation system which is about equivalent to the Neils sinus rinse if you do not want to delve into the electric device. and it is not bad. Again- this email is really just informational but looking at things from the aspect of both a physician and a patient with horrible horrible sinus disease- I really think a better device would help. The kenalog will take them down for a while.and I understand your feelings about surgery but it was always such a relief to get them out - then try methods to control them. Poor you and your nose....I certainly empathize. If you get desensitized and steroids don't help much, a polypectomy prior to desens does seem to help. Carol Samter's and CSS Re: Anosmia As long as I can breathe through my nose and am able to irrigate so that I can cleanse out my sinuses, I am happy. I think there is something that feels really out of control about the polyps growing back that makes us want to cry. It is the one aspect of this I have never been able to control well enough no matter what I do. But they are a lot better than they used to be with the Singulair and Nasonex, and I'll keep looking for answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 23, 2004 Report Share Posted May 23, 2004 Oh- by the way- I forgot- I have used a sinus nebulizer with liquid steroids in it and then nebulized them into my nose- If you nose if just filled with polyps then the meds can hardly get to the mucosa to do their work. Carol Re: Anosmia As long as I can breathe through my nose and am able to irrigate so that I can cleanse out my sinuses, I am happy. I think there is something that feels really out of control about the polyps growing back that makes us want to cry. It is the one aspect of this I have never been able to control well enough no matter what I do. But they are a lot better than they used to be with the Singulair and Nasonex, and I'll keep looking for answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 24, 2004 Report Share Posted May 24, 2004 Karl, When you get a shot of Kenalog, where does the doc give it? The reason I ask is that my ENT will periodically give me shots of Kenalog intranasally. (He has also used dexamethasone) He will shot it right into the polyp or inflamed tissue. Fortunately, the shot comes after I'm sprayed with the neosynephrine-lidocaine mixture they give before examining the sinuses. I seem to get some relief from stuffiness with these shots. Not great but it keeps me from having surgery. - Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 I empathize with you, Karl. Damn the polyps. I know they will come back. For me surgery is a last resort but I react very badly to steroids, and the last two times I had surgery the polyps were growing out of my nostrils, so to me that was the " last resort " time. It just comes quickly for me. Lori > There have been times these past two months that I have been unable to irrigate because my nose has been so congested. Tonight I applied a decongestant to get it open enough to irrigate well. I'm curious -- when one irrigates, does much, if any, of the water actually get into the sinuses, or does it all stay in the nasal cavity? > > I'm going to my ENT tomorrow to ask about getting another Kenalog injection, and also to ask if he has any new ideas about how to stop these damn polyps from taking over my nose. My current approach includes the following: > > 1. Allergy Shots -- I give myself one every week. I can't really tell whether they help or not, and the literature is mixed regarding whether or not allergies contribute to polyp formation, but it is inexpensive and not invasive, so I continue. > > 2. Leukotriene Modifier Therapy -- I use Singulair, but, as with antihistamines, I cannot tell whether it does any good or not. The literature suggests that it should. > > 3. Nasal Irrigation -- I irrigate with homemade Ringers solution once or twice a day. When I am very congested I can't get much solution in my nose, when I am not very congested it does help get the gunk out of my nose. Does this really do any good at clearing the sinuses, or only the nose? I use an ear syringe. There are devices on the market that use a Water-Pik or similar device to deliver a pulsing stream of solution to the nose, are these any better than just using an ear syringe? > > 4. Allergen Avoidance -- mite-proof covers on mattresses and pillows, miticide on carpet, wash bedding in very hot water, portable HEPA air filter, ultra-allergen filters in heating/cooling system. > > 5. Intranasal Steroids -- the puffers, especially the Rhinocort puffer, seemed to give some relief. The water-based sprays don't, but I use them anyhow (Flonase). I have heard from some folks whose docs have taken puffers designed to be used for asthma and modified them for intranasal application of steroids, with success. Flixonase nasules seem to work well where the sprays have not, but they are not available in the US. > > 6. Systemic Steroids -- a Kenalog injection has always worked to clear my nose and restore my sense of smell. I have not had one since July of 2003. I would like to have another in mid June, about two weeks before I fly to Austin to visit one of my daughters. It would be nice to be able the taste the Tex-Mex food I'll have there and to worry less about sinus pain when descending in flight. > > 7. Sinus surgery -- only when absolutely necessary. > Re: Anosmia > > > As long as I can breathe through my nose and am able to irrigate so > that I can cleanse out my sinuses, I am happy. I think there is > something that feels really out of control about the polyps growing > back that makes us want to cry. It is the one aspect of this I have > never been able to control well enough no matter what I do. But they > are a lot better than they used to be with the Singulair and Nasonex, > and I'll keep looking for answers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 25, 2004 Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 Thanks so much for all of this info, Karl. I, too, have gotten that sprayer thing at my ENT's office. I hate it but it works well, but as you said, very temporary. YAY NO POLYPS FOR YOU NOW! STAY AWAY POLYPS Lori Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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