How is it possible to cope?
I felt completely fine in my nose and breathing before the turbinate reduction surgery five weeks ago. I never had sinus problem. The surgery was done to remove some polyps. The way I feel now is just unbelievable. I almost cannot grasp that people live like this, and my heart goes out to every one of you. Every millisecond, I am attempting to lubricate my nose, desperately trying to manufacture the sensation of breathing, and doing mental gymnastics to cope. Yesterday, I had a doctor appointment. I was closed into a small examining room, and I could not handle it. I had to open the door. Even then, I felt I was suffocating in the small airless room. Last night, I went out socially for the first time since the surgery. I dreaded it because I have no energy, and I need every morsel of my focus for coping. The evening was horrible. The symptoms are so overwhelming, I can't sit or eat or talk because I can't breathe. Someone says, "How are you?" I struggle not to scream," I CAN'T ____ING BREATHE! And how are you?" I spent most of the evening in the bathroom cramming products up my nose. The suffering is so intense it twists my mind into a pretzel. I haven't really slept since the surgery. I look like Edward Munch's portrait "Scream." My ENT suggests I think of this new nose as "different"--not worse than before. In fact, better because now I am getting so much more air. How can someone say this to me? How can I live like this? How can anyone?

i read a book called, "how doctors think" unfortunalty doctors get almost no training in critical thinking or emotional intelligence. Most doctors cannot even tell if their patients are in pain or not. Dont let him de-validate you. he's the problem not you.

You're right, jdog. The doctor does not know how I feel. Our medical system has conferred such power on doctors, they think they can tell us how we feel. I say I'm suffering. My doctor tells me I am not suffering. I wish he had the power to make it true.

Kris, I just read your post to Dr Houser. You really must try not to worry yourself about your situation. You don't even know whether you need to be worried or not, because you still haven't had an OBJECTIVE examination of your nose and CT. Right now - if it's only 30% reduction that's not too bad and there is a good chance that things will improve if that's really the case, but it will take a long time. I suggested to you from day one and I'll do so again: - get an objective assessment and CT. - Get psychiatric help if you feel you are overwhelmed with stress and/or grief. A family physician can help you there too. - try sleeping reclined. meditate to help you fall asleep. Take natural sleep promotors (valerian root based pills for example). - excercise daily. If you libve by the ocean - the best thing for your nose is to take long walks on the beach. - Things will definitely improve. They do in the worst cases, and your case sounds in the easier spectrum of the range. The question is how much, but in any case 5 weeks post op is nothing. I started feeling some improvement only a year and a half later, but I had 95% IT resection while you had only 30%, so you might expect some serious improvement sooner than I did (if indeed that how little he resected you which you'll never know unless you check). Fighting depression and anxiety, even chemically, is extremely important to maximize to help your symptoms improve. The more relaxed yo uremain the better blood flow to your nose. Stress restricts the blood flow.

TE, I appreciate all your help. You are very knowledgeable, and you give of your knowledge so generously, to everyone. The facts and experiences you have shared with me have helped me enormously. But I can't breathe, and I want more information. I want the best the information I can get regarding my prospects. You think I am out of line to ask the question of Dr. Hauser? I read other posts first, and felt that my post was in line. Kris

Kris, Calm down. Where did I say you were out of line. I did not say that or mean that. I'm just trying to suggest to you the facts and the right course of action that you should take to get the answers you want. You want answers - well then - get an objective assessment. What are you waiting for?

I am waiting for December 12 when I have an appointment with a new ENT. But this appointment may not result in an evaluation of my sinuses. I am going there for tinnitus treatment. It's complicated. I am in a certain medical system, and I have to do things a certain way. I am working on it. It takes a long time.

Your number 1 priority is to do a CT scan. If your health care system is so slow, then don't even bother to return with the results to your doctor. Simply ask for two copies of your CT scans and send one immediately to Dr Houser. He'll be able to tell you immediately what was resected and how much, and your prognosis will pretty much rely on that.

Thanks TE. It is really good to have this forum, Otherwise I would not know how to go about getting information, hopefully, reassuring, asap.

This is a crazy situation to be in.

Kris, If doctors don't empathize or believe you simply hand them a copy of Dr Houser's la-*test*-('") ENS study, with the key sentences highlighted with a marker. I carry regularly a whole bunch of copies available on demand. It's worked wonders in shutting up the doubters.

TE, I am not very computer savvy, but I know I am unable to print if it is in PDF format. Once you get registered, do you know what the format is? You probably printed it a long time ago. Thanks in advance. I might wait a few days. I had a slight reprieve yesterday. (I am still hoping this episode of my life will be over by next week.) I discovered that several of my products had preservatives in them and stopped using them. Then I got suspicious about Lunesta, which I use for insomnia. Since the surgery--more Lunesta. I looked up the side effects and discovered it can cause nasal dryness. So I decided to stop using it. I was awake all night but felt a slight improvement in my breathing. I slept a few hours this morning and woke up tight and dry, again. But the reprieve strengthened my hope.

I am still hoping this episode of my life will be over by next week Kris, get real. It's not going to be over by next week. If you have ENS or not still remains a question, but you do know one thing for sure - that you suffer from post-surgery nasal dryness which is such a common thing 5 weeks after nasal surgery, and in particular turbinate resections, that you were the odd case had you not have suffered from it. Why you were not warned about it as a probable complication is a question you should settle one day with your doctor. This post surgical dryness takes many weeks, in fact months, and sometimes even a year or two to totally stop. If it doesn't it will be a strong sign of permanent ENS, and or - "rhinitis sicca" (dry nose, in Greek. Known nasal medical term). The sleep medication is not causing it, although it might be making it a little worse, and if you can manage without it should be a wise thing to do. As to the article: Two ways to get it: to download it in a Pdf format on the net and then you will need Adobe Acrobat software to open it and print it. Run a search for this software it's down-loadable for free everywhere. The other way is to try your chances in a local university library of Medicine or of Life Sciences to see if they have obtained a copy of that journal's issue of September. Then you can simply zero copy it.

If you have ENS or not still remains a question, but you do know one thing for sure - that you suffer from post-surgery nasal dryness which is such a common thing 5 weeks after nasal surgery, and in particular turbinate resections, that you were the odd case had you not have suffered from it. Why you were not warned about it as a probable complication is a question you should settle one day with your doctor. TE, Thank you for this. It so directly addresses my question of whether or not the dryness is a usual part of the healing process. I have read, on this forum, that healing may take a year, but I did not know if this statement referred to the unlucky few who were suffering post-op (probably due to ENS), or nearly everyone (probably not due to ENS). I tried to ask my ENT this question. I got confusing answers so I re-asked the question different ways. I got different answers, but one of the questions was (rephrased): Is this dryness because I am post-op, or is it permanent? And the answer was (rephrased): It's probably permanent. Yeeee-ikes! Your above statement is the best reassurance I have found. Also, thanks for the instructions on getting the article.