many symptoms familiar....do I have ENS??????
I came upon this website accidentally. I had no idea this syndrome even exsisted. I just fugred my symptoms were because I have sever allergies... I was originally doing a search looking reasons for my ill health..... chronic colds, illness, sinus infections, bronchitis, depression.... Here is my story. My mom smoked A LOT while pregnant with me, and throughout my childhood. I developed severe, chronic ear infections, allergies, colds, and sinus infections from an early age because of this. I've had tubes in my ears, a bilateral adnoidectomy, tonsillectomy, and two turbinate resections and polyp removals. The turbinate surgery was done when I was 21 years old. I am now 34. I have had copious amounts of thick white drainage since that surgery, that I either swallow or have to blow constantly. I'm talking a lot of snot all the time-quite embarrassing!! I get chronic colds, always followed by sinus infections and bronchitis. I have somewhat of an uncomfortable open, dry feeling far back, upon inhalation through my nostrils, especially on the right side, that makes me want to cough when I inhale deeply, but I still have my sense of smell, and I primarily mouth breathe (still) while sleeping. It has been 16 years since my surgery. My symptoms do not seem as severe as others I have read about here, but is it just a matter of time for me? I am in the process of getting my records from my surgery to find out exactly what they did to me. I got the surgery because I had chronic sinusitis that was giving me sleep apnea. After surgery I was also told to stay on steroid nasal sprays for the rest of my life to keep the swelling and copious drainage to a minimum. Is this smart? Do I have ENS?

Hi bendelep, You seem to have some of the minor after-effects of turbinate resection i.e. copious amounts of thick white drainage ... I have somewhat of an uncomfortable open, dry feeling far back, upon inhalation through my nostrils, especially on the right side, that makes me want to cough when I inhale deeply ... However, if you had proper ENS you WOULD know about it, and certainly having had the surgery so many years ago. ENS symptoms seem to change or worsen in the first few years after surgery(1 - 5 years), so your situation won't get any worse. What you would need to do though is work on your immune system(i.e. diet, lifestyle, etc) and also your nasal hygiene to deal with the chronic colds and infections you keep on getting. This site has all the information and tips you would need for those (e.g. nasal rinsing, howto's, etc). By following that religiously, I guarantee your infections will improve 200%.

JR, I disagree. I think bendelep should send a CT Scan to Dr Houser. The symptoms sound so much like mine, and I had it - albeit not severely - but I wondered whether or not I had it or just similar symptoms until I contacted and saw Dr. Houser. I also had two turbinate surgeries, and other stuff. If bendelep has been so bothered by symptoms that s/he is searching for help online, I think that it should be looked into. This is not a condition with hard and fast diagnoses. You don't always know = I did not know for sure until I was seen by the expert!!

Erika, well I agree with you. I was probably erring on the side of a conservative opinion (I was not diagnosing but merely providing an opinion which is what this section is for). I should have added "for an ENS diagnosis consult Dr Houser". I think I have just realised how easy it is for ENT's to give a "conservative" opinion. Anyway, asides for that blip, solid advice would be to get a CT scan done and sent to Dr Houser.

Thanks, JR! I think it differs for everyone, but I think being cautious means checking everything out. I would not want to discourage anyone, bc I know how doubting I was before I realized how much this made sense, despite so many ENT's not understanding my symptoms. I think ENT's, even if they believe the symptoms, don't know what else can be done because Dr Houser is the only one practicing the solution.

ENS or not I think it would help you to see someone with integrity, like Dr Houser. You seem to have severe nasal problems that quite possibly are as a result of over surgery. It could well be a combination of ENS and other ENT induced iatrogenic problems. Also please bear in mind that Steroid sprays thin the mucous membranes from what I understand. So I would see what the Doc says before using these for the rest of your life.