Polyp removal

[anonymous]

Hey guys-
I was just wondering if anyone else has had polyps removed from their sinuses. I have been having trouble breathing through my nose lately and I actaully am not moving any air through my left nostril. I went to the ENT guy and he said that I'm almost completely blocked on my left side and 50% blocked on my right side. I have an appointment with another ENT guy at Columbia Presbyterian (since they know more about transplants) to see when i could get them removed. How painful is this? Is it a day stay? Any information would be helpful. Thanks so much
Margaret
Double Lung 11-11-04

 

[Emily65Roses]

I had it done when I was 5. So I don't remember too much. It was painful for me, but I was 5. Heh. The IV bothered me, so that should tell you almost anything would've hurt me at that point. Plus I was scared. But I think I was out later that same day, and the pain didn't last long.

 

[Purplelungs]

I am actually going for my 7th sinus surgery the 11th. Depending on what they do depends on the pain, as well as your own pain tolerance and what the doctors give you at the hospital and to go home on as pain management. So since this is another one of those things that depends person to person I will tell you my experience. Its not to painful for myself, I have even had them remove some bone to widen the sinus cavities. That was the most painful one because it was more intrusive and they acutally cut more. I was still back to my old self with in a week. Routine poplyp surgery doesnt take to long (depending on how many you have and the surgeon). All a polyp really is is a skin growth, it has its own small veins so when they are removed there is some bleeding. Usually the bleeding is managed before you ever wake up, although you do get sick to your stomach as alot of it drains to your stomach. For me its usually a day surgery. I go in really early in the morning and am back home before noon, and I live an hour from my hospital. They will watch you more carefully than other patients because of the cf and transplant. So because of your transplant I dont know the rules so they may want to keep you over night just to watch you, they do that with alot of cfers anyway (of course depends on the doctor and if they feel comfortable sending you home). For me the worst part is coming out of surgery and getting sick to my stomach and the helpless feeling and just weird feelings the anasthetics give me. My doctor sends me home with a prescrition for pain pills like loratabs or percacets (i think) and I usually just take one or two that same day and dont need anymore, if I even take them then. The next day I am still kinda tired and just lay around the house. Within two or three days I feel lots better all the way around. You should notice a huge difference in breathing once the swelling and packing goes down. I dont know what your doctor will use but some have changed to using a gel packing that will just disolve and help lessen scar tissue. They used to use small sponges and gauze and put up the nose...which really sucked another worse part of it. But hopefully they will use the gel packing on you, its so much more comfortable and really unoticable to you (and no one knows its there). Anyway once you get rid of the packing you should feel alot of difference in your breathing.

This is really a routine surgery especially for a cfer, its not uncommon at all. Just like everything else with cf some people have sinus problems some dont. Some cfers that have sinus problems have a few surgeries and some have alot. i just shared my experience, like i said before its not the same for everyone it depends on you, the doctor and what he/she has to do.

 

[anonymous]

Thank you guys for your replies. I figured it would be slightly painful/uncomfortable and a little bloody. They told me (this is kind of funny) that the packing is kind of like tampons that they stick up your nose. The strings hang out of your nose and you pull them out the next day or something like that. I didn't figure in the swelling. That kind of stinks. Oh well. I'll let you guys know how it goes
Margaret
11/11/04

 

[wuffles]

I don't want to scare you but be prepared for the removal of the packing to be quite painful. I also had bad headaches for a few days afterwards, but apart from that it wasn't that terrible. At least I could smell things again and talk without a nasally voice <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0"> I'm nearly due for another surgery [my last was about 7 years ago] as I don't have much air moving through either of my nostrils!

 

[anonymous]

i have have had 5 nose surgeries (and im only 15), so i've got a routine down. When i go in, i know exactly what i like in terms of medication, etc. But being a "new-commer" to the nasil surgeries, your doctors will probably ask for you to stay a night. I always ask to stay one night...even though my doctors want me to go home, b/c then the nurses do alot of the things that i need done for my nose. I personally have never had packing, and least not while im awake. Both the surgeons that i've had both didnt like the idea. I've only gotten sick once, and my mom always asks for extra of the medication that helps prevent you from throwing up. Your doctor will probably tell you to use a saline wash, and i recomend simply saline....its pressurized and works great. Make sure you do this! it will help keep them from growing back- i promise! haha... well to end all this rambling i hope you this is your last nasal surgery, and if you doctor and you are up to it, you might want to talk to him about the ibprophen study. since i've had 5 surgeries, i take 1,200 mg of motrin in the morning and another at night- to help keep the swelling down. so far its worked....and no polyps in sight <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

 

[Mockingbird]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Anonymous</b></i><br>Thank you guys for your replies. I figured it would be slightly painful/uncomfortable and a little bloody. They told me (this is kind of funny) that the packing is kind of like tampons that they stick up your nose. The strings hang out of your nose and you pull them out the next day or something like that. I didn't figure in the swelling. That kind of stinks. Oh well. I'll let you guys know how it goes

Margaret

11/11/04<hr></blockquote>

You pull on them yourself? The doctor pulled mine out. For me it didn't hurt that much, just really really wierd feeling... That was the second time, though. The first time they just put nose splints up my nose, and i had to go in for a second surgery to get them replaced with softer ones... or something. Anyway, in a few weeks I sneezed them out, which is what was supposed to happen. =-)Oh yeah, and everytime I have the sugery, they always give me vicadin, but I never use itIt never hurt me that much, not even the first one.

 

[cfmomma]

my son had polyps, tonsils and adenoids removed when he was three. He stayed overnight for observation. He had the packing in his nose with the strings hanging out, we were told that they would remove them at his surgery follow-up a few days later. The ENT's receptionist said she couldn't "squeeze" my son in for over a week. I was pissed, but she said the packing will fall out on it's own. A few days later he walked out his bedroom and the string and packing from one of his nostrils was gone and the next day he pulled the other one out. At his follow up the ENT said he was healing very good, then he got real quiet and ran out of the room. He came back with some nurses and they took him to the procedure room, I was freaked out. It turned out that the packing in one of nostrils had not fallen out but was shoved so far up into his sinuses that they had to numb him up and use a scope to remove it. Nasty!!!!!!!
The moral of the story: pull it out not push it in! Good Luck

 

[anonymous]

CF momma...that was a funny story...although i'm sure not very funny at the time. Thank you for the advice...I will keep that in mind when I'm getting the packing removed. Well it sounds a little more serious than I thought it would be, but hey that's the way it goes right. I will keep you all updated and let you know what happens. Thanks again for your replies
Margaret

 

[Diane]

I dont want to scare you, but when i had my sinus surgery 8 almost 9 years ago, I went in very healthy and came home with b.cepacia. What saddens me the most is i had NO CLUE that could happen. ( it was my first time staying in the hospital) I never even heard of b.cepacia, mrsa, or any of the things that cf patients can get . I was a healthy cf patient and had no idea i needed to protect my self from anything another cf'r could have. Boy how niave i was !! My point in telling you this is.... be careful if they keep you overnight, make sure not to touch anything until it has been disinfected, by you or a family member or friend. Had i had known the risk of ANY of what can be caught in a hospital i would have certainly taken precautions.

 

[anonymous]

I was told that polyps, once removed return. So getting the surgury once is a fantasy. Also, another patient once told me that before his first surgury he never had sinus infections. Though once opened with the removal of polyps, he began to experience sinus infections consistantly. Once he opened the door to pandora's box, there is no shutting it.

I have 90% of my sinuses plugged with polyps. I have obstructed breathing through my nose. However, if I wear those Breath Right strips when i sleep or exercise I receive termendous benefits, (Use the tan ones if you use them, they stay on the nose better than the clear ones.).

Good luck.
Beowolf
CF/33

 

[Emily65Roses]

I don't know about that. I mean, I know my nose is still definitely touchy, and I may have polyps at some point again. But I had polyps removed when I was 5... and I have yet to need another surgery for them.

 

[Mockingbird]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Anonymous</b></i><br>I was told that polyps, once removed return. So getting the surgury once is a fantasy. Also, another patient once told me that before his first surgury he never had sinus infections. Though once opened with the removal of polyps, he began to experience sinus infections consistantly. Once he opened the door to pandora's box, there is no shutting it.

I have 90% of my sinuses plugged with polyps. I have obstructed breathing through my nose. However, if I wear those Breath Right strips when i sleep or exercise I receive termendous benefits, (Use the tan ones if you use them, they stay on the nose better than the clear ones.).

Good luck.

Beowolf

CF/33<hr></blockquote>


Um... Nasal polyps can turn into a very serious condition if they aren't treated. The tissue will keep growing, eventually pushing your nose cartilidge into your brain, causing really bad headaches, blindness, then death. Telling someone not to get the surgery is an extremely stupid thing to do. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-disgusted.gif" border="0">

 

[anonymous]

C-Mockingbird,

I guess I am stupid, and my half dozen physicians are equally so. I have heard similar concerns. I have had polyps my whole life. They blanket my sinuses, with exception of two passages just between my eyes (area). I have some difficulty breathing, never had sinus infections, and will never have sinus/polyp removal surgery, cause I don't value the risk of ongoing sinus problems, or additional surgeries. Ultimately, surgery is risky for anyone and if one can avoid it, one should.

What is stupid is to think that there is only one solution, only one answer to this problem. We each are unique, and we come to this forum to observe the variation among us with CF.

Get some manners and a fresh perspective.

 

[Purplelungs]

I had to have sinus surgery because my sinuses were so infected it was causing me to have lung infections as well....infected drainage going to the lungs. I was fine for a few years and doing really well...then they got really infected again with more polyps, we tried alternatives...like you said it is a last resort. For me I started having so much pressure in my sinuses it was causing severe migraines. Once they went in and cleaned me out my sinuses were 10x worse than what they thought by ct scans and putting that thing up my nose. There was puss growing on the inside of my sinuses which was posing dangerious because it could have infected the bone and rest of the tissue up there.
Like you said above poster we are all unique, and yes sinus surgery is a last resort option. This is just what has happened to me. I am curious though does all your polyps cause alot of pain or pressure? I know I can handle alot of it, its when it turns into migraines I cant. Does all your polyps not cause any mucus production in your sinuses? Just wondering,

 

[Mockingbird]

<blockquote>Quote<br><hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Anonymous</b></i><br>C-Mockingbird,

I guess I am stupid, and my half dozen physicians are equally so. I have heard similar concerns. I have had polyps my whole life. They blanket my sinuses, with exception of two passages just between my eyes (area). I have some difficulty breathing, never had sinus infections, and will never have sinus/polyp removal surgery, cause I don't value the risk of ongoing sinus problems, or additional surgeries. Ultimately, surgery is risky for anyone and if one can avoid it, one should.

What is stupid is to think that there is only one solution, only one answer to this problem. We each are unique, and we come to this forum to observe the variation among us with CF.

Get some manners and a fresh perspective.<hr></blockquote>

Whatever. Beowulf pretty much said the surgery is completely unecessary and said nothing what-so-ever about talking to a doctor. In my opinion, that's the same as saying something like it's okay to go off medication because it causes side effects. I never said everone needed the surgery, I said it can be serious and telling someone how unecessary the surgery is is stupid when you don't know anything about them.

is that okay with you? Do I have your permission to tell someone they're stupid when they give bad advice like that? There have been people on here before looking for an excuse to go off their meds, or take their children off meds; all it takes is one remark like that to make them think nasal surgery is completely unecessary. I don't think I was out of line at all when it comes to things like that, so piss off.

I admit Beowulf didn't really deserve to be called stupid, but this is something I kind of find important, so I did. It helps get peoples' attention, and if the result is I look like a complete as*hole, I'm willing to accept that consequence. All he has to do is put something about him not knowing everything, or to talk to the doctor about it, and it would have been fine. In fact, he can do it right now, just by clicking the edit button. In fact, maybe you're beowulf. you didn't leave your name you little coward, so I have no idea. Whatever the case, I stand by what I said.

 

[JazzysMom]

I think its like hemeroids. Sometimes they return, but you never know for sure until it happens. Everyone is different. My doctor is amazed that I breath as well as I do through my nose, but has never considered it bad enough to need surgery. Maybe I am fortunate enough to keep the inflammation to a minimum.

 

[anonymous]

I had three surgery as a kid for polyp removal - all overnight in the hopital. The first two grew back right away, but after the third (5th grade I think), they didn't need to be removed again until I was in high school. The first three were painful and the packing was very irritating. The last one was done outpatient and I think I was out of there in a couple of hours - they didn't pack it either. They did ask me if I wanted to keep the polyps - gross!!!! Since then, they have grown back but are not bad enough for surgery again.

Barb 33 w/cf

 

[anonymous]

So thank you guys for your responses. I am going to go through with the surgery. The doctor looked at my cat scans and said that all four of my sinus cavities were completely filled with polyps. So this should be loads of fun...and by loads of fun I mean absolutely miserable. My surgery is set for the end of September at Columbia. The reason I am doing it is because I cannot irrigate my sinuses at this point and we are worried about anything dripping into my lungs and causing problems.
So that's the update!
Thanks all
Margaret
Double lung tx 11/11/04

 

[anonymous]

Good Luck Margaret!

Beowolf