Hey everyone, This might not seem like such a big deal but it is to me. First of all Im 22 and Im having my first ever sinus surgery. How many of you have had it, and how was the recovery? I need to know, cause Im completely overwhelmed with nervouseness! Am I worried for nothing?
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Scared, need assurance
- Thread starter anonymous
- Start date
Emily65Roses
New member
I was 5 when I had mine, so I don't really remember much. I am no doctor, so really you should discuss healing time with them... but 2 weeks seems like more than would be necessary. It's no big deal. If it's your first surgery, I understand the worry. And I certainly don't blame you for it. I think we've all been there (some of us more than once). But you asked our opinion on how it was, and really... Unless my memory is way off (my mom would remember better... comment mom!), it wasn't too bad. The only thing I remember besides my hospital gown with clowns on it was that when I woke up, I wanted apple juice and no one would give me any. I was pretty pissed off, considering I was only 5. Hahaha.
L
luke
Guest
I have had 17 different sinus surgeries beginning when I was 4 or 5. My last one was a total sinus revision and deviated septum repair that actually "took"; since then I have had very few sinus problems. With that being said, maybe this one will be the only one you need! Depending on what your having done effects your recovery time. Most sinus surgeries aren't all that painful, the pressure from the packing is the worst part, and once they pull out the packing you will be feeling good (it is almost like a choir singing hallelujah) that is normally after 3-7 days. My last surgery consisted of them rebreaking my nose and "designing" new drain paths through my sinuses and it wasn't that painful, nothing Motrin couldn't fix. So I think you will be just fine!
Good Luck,
Luke
Good Luck,
Luke
serendipity730
New member
I had sinus surgery last summer. It wasn't bad at all. Actually, the worse part for me was the intubation. I had a really sore throat for like 5 days afterwards and couldn't eat much of anything. Hopefully, that won't be an issue for you. I prob just had a bad dr. do it or something. I don't think I would get another sinus surgery unless I had a deviated septum or polyps that made it necessary. I just didn't feel like the surgery did much (I know that prob. isn't what you want to hear.) I have a lot of post nasal drip, and I really thought that the sinus surgery would help with that (and result in less infections.) But, I still use as many tissues as I did before and get sick as often.
i've had around a dozen surgeries in my 27 years and most have been pretty easy. the most vivid memory i have of one is the time i came off anesthesia and immediately asked for some chicken mcnuggets...i got what i asked for and a whole lot more because they came right back up about 5 minutes later because of the nausea i felt. the packing is the worst part of it all. the best? morphine!! even if i don't really feel much pain afterwards i always fudge the 1-10 pain scale a little just to get a little fix...might as well take it when i can get it! <img src="i/expressions/devil.gif" border="0"> usually i am up and around in a few days and the pain and discomfort is gone within about a week.
S/27/M
S/27/M
I guess I don't have any sinus problems, my doctor hasn't mentioned anything.
My questions is HOW do you know you have sinus issues? Should it be very obvious to me (runny nose, constant headaches, etc) if I had a problem? I don't have these symptoms, so assume that I don't have anything to worry about at this time.
I can hardly smell anything, though, but have learned to live with it.
My questions is HOW do you know you have sinus issues? Should it be very obvious to me (runny nose, constant headaches, etc) if I had a problem? I don't have these symptoms, so assume that I don't have anything to worry about at this time.
I can hardly smell anything, though, but have learned to live with it.
CollinsMom
New member
My son is 3 years old and he had it done when he was 2 1/2. He recovered great and he has had no more problems sence except the occasional infection but w/ antibiotics it goes away. When is your surgery?
Collins Mom
Collins Mom
Thanks for all your replies.
I was going to answer the question on "how do you know if you need sinus surgery" Well for me it wasnt even a concern until my doctor told me "every time you come in, your lungs sound great, but you keep complaining that your having trouble breathing and coughing" Then I was refered to a c-scan of my sinuses, and they found a lot of blockage. Then I came to realize that this is the reason why I have such a bad scence of smell, and why my PFTs are so good, yet I feel crummy!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif" border="0"> Anyway, I go to my doctor tomorrow to find out if I get approved for the surgery, healthwise, (meaning if its safe to put me under anesthetic) So I dont know when the surgery is yet. I feel a little better about it though. I guess Im just scared because recently I had a c-section and it was a very uncomfortable thing for me and a very painful recovery. Thanks again everyone!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
I was going to answer the question on "how do you know if you need sinus surgery" Well for me it wasnt even a concern until my doctor told me "every time you come in, your lungs sound great, but you keep complaining that your having trouble breathing and coughing" Then I was refered to a c-scan of my sinuses, and they found a lot of blockage. Then I came to realize that this is the reason why I have such a bad scence of smell, and why my PFTs are so good, yet I feel crummy!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif" border="0"> Anyway, I go to my doctor tomorrow to find out if I get approved for the surgery, healthwise, (meaning if its safe to put me under anesthetic) So I dont know when the surgery is yet. I feel a little better about it though. I guess Im just scared because recently I had a c-section and it was a very uncomfortable thing for me and a very painful recovery. Thanks again everyone!<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">
Emily's memory is pretty good. Her hospital gown did have clowns on it. (not scary a** clowns Em! LOL) Her immediate question was "Can Ihave apple juice?" and she had to wait to completely wake up so she cried for awhile when they said no. She was only 5 when she had her polyps removed. They put her to sleep (at that time, adults were done in a waking state this may have changed over the years) because they said it was to scary for kids to be awake for the surgery. It was just easier to put them out.
Her nose stayed packed for a couple of days and that was the worst part for her. She wanted to keep pulling the packing out. Recovery was really easy for her. AND She never had to have surgery for them again although she has had recurring sinus trouble over the years.<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif" border="0">
Her nose stayed packed for a couple of days and that was the worst part for her. She wanted to keep pulling the packing out. Recovery was really easy for her. AND She never had to have surgery for them again although she has had recurring sinus trouble over the years.<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-frown.gif" border="0">
Purplelungs
New member
They put me out and I think they still do most adults completely out unless the anasthetic can be bad for a certain person. I ahve had serveral surgeries...I would take a week off not two weeks. Only a week because you dont know how you will feel after wards...I feel fine the next day or two days later. Only once when they made new windows and took some bone out did I feel pain for a whole week, and still nothing over the counter pain pills cant handle...they always give me pain meds anyway just in case.
As for post nasal drip, for some this wont be helped. What sinus surgery does is get the nasty stuff out...if you have polyps or even just realy thick mucus it gets stuck up there and blocked and your sinuses keeps making mucus and keeps making....and the cavities get fuller and fuller and builds pressure...and the nasty mucus never leaves so it just gets more infected and nasty. And then the bacteria and infections drip down to the lungs or just some how get there and can (not always) causes lung infections.
How do you know if your sinuses are bothering you? its different person to person...more headaches is one, usually ones between the eyes, behind the eyes are a clue you might have added pressure in the sinuses...also if you press on your cheek bone right under the eye socket next the nose and then right between the eyes...if it hurts or feels tender that can be a sign of sinus pressure which can be a sign of sinus problems. With cfers and the blockages we get and polyps sometimes having no drainage at all not even able to blow the nose can mean something is blocked...so just because you dont need to blow your nose alot doenst mean anything.
Its just a good idea if you think your having sinus trouble ask your CF doc...also if he thinks he sees something when he looks up your nose he will say something or refer you to an ENT...Or you can just ask your doctor and see if you need to just get them checked out just to know.
Amanda
As for post nasal drip, for some this wont be helped. What sinus surgery does is get the nasty stuff out...if you have polyps or even just realy thick mucus it gets stuck up there and blocked and your sinuses keeps making mucus and keeps making....and the cavities get fuller and fuller and builds pressure...and the nasty mucus never leaves so it just gets more infected and nasty. And then the bacteria and infections drip down to the lungs or just some how get there and can (not always) causes lung infections.
How do you know if your sinuses are bothering you? its different person to person...more headaches is one, usually ones between the eyes, behind the eyes are a clue you might have added pressure in the sinuses...also if you press on your cheek bone right under the eye socket next the nose and then right between the eyes...if it hurts or feels tender that can be a sign of sinus pressure which can be a sign of sinus problems. With cfers and the blockages we get and polyps sometimes having no drainage at all not even able to blow the nose can mean something is blocked...so just because you dont need to blow your nose alot doenst mean anything.
Its just a good idea if you think your having sinus trouble ask your CF doc...also if he thinks he sees something when he looks up your nose he will say something or refer you to an ENT...Or you can just ask your doctor and see if you need to just get them checked out just to know.
Amanda
Purplelungs
New member
Oh forgot to say...now when they do surgery depending on what they have to do they use a new packing now. Its gel packing...no gauze up there. The doc used it last time I had surgery in sept. He said i was one of the few CF patients he was using it on cus its new and if it worked like its supposed to he would use it all the time. and it did work even better than he was expecting. Its supposed to reduce scar tissue (a risk of surgery cus sometimes scar tissure causes just as much problems). It felt like I had a slight stuffy nose with the gel packing as aposed to feeling like i had my fingers up my nose all the time from the gauze, and the gauze makes you feel like you cant breath at all. With the gel packing you can breath with it just a little stuffy....it just disolves away over a weeks time no need to get it taking out..with gauze packing taking it out is sometimes the worst part of surgery for some because it feels like picking a scab off a tender spot.
So I hope they use gel packing on you its better than yucky gauze.
So I hope they use gel packing on you its better than yucky gauze.
I would take it easy for 2 weeks. I have had 4 nasal polyp/sinus surgeries and the last one was my nasal cavaties were completely blocked. I felt really good 5 days after surgery and decided to go out four-wheeling with some friends. That night my nose started bleeding and would not stop. I had to got to the ER and felt like crap for another 3-4 days, I lost so much blood. So I would just take the 2 weeks off and enjoy it.
NoDayButToday
New member
A decent point, but I wouldn't equate four wheeling with going to work in terms of the level of stress/strenousness.
I had sinus surgery about two years ago. I had polyps all through my sinus cavities. My doctor was really good. I don't remember him packing my nose at all. I just had to tape some gauze under it to catch drainage, and that was only for the first day. I had the surgery on Thursday and was back to work on Monday with very little pain. I worked at a bank at the time so I was on my feet a lot, but didn't have to do a whole lot of moving around. The only other thing I remember is that he said not to bend over and I couldn't lift anything over 25lbs.
-Ann 25w/cf
-Ann 25w/cf