Sinus medications?? Our son having real trouble...

[monkey]

My son Ryan is 5 and having great difficulty breathing through his nose at night. (BTW, the little stinker just will NOT breathe through his mouth until - in my opinion - his body is about to just down, and then he'll gasp through his mouth) My sense is that he is 95+% blocked.

Interestingly enough, his lungs have been clear as a bell to this point in his life and he's gained weight fairly well, esp for a CF'er. 75 percentile.

It appears like his "cross to bear" will be his sinuses. He had his sinuses blasted out last October via surgury and it was like a miracle! Problem is, here we are just a few months later and he is definitely in need of another surgury soon.

He is 100% full-on, petal-to-the-metal kinda dude all day long, but at night time, it just tears us up to listen to him try to sleep and breathe.

Question: have any of you had success with any particular sinus medications? We give him saline sinus flushes and they work fair. His doctor recently prescribed .06% Ipratropium Bromide and it also works fair, at best. Of course, Afrin works awesome, but that's a huge risk. We give it to Ryan very rarely and only when he is completely blocked and we are literally worried that something terrible may happen if he doesn't get some air passage via his nose.

Would love to hear thoughts/advice.

Thank you in advance!

Dan
Father of Megan, 8 w/o CF and Ryan, 5 w/ CF D508

 

[coltsfan715]

Hi there,

I have some problems with allergies and constant runny nose and post nasal drip. I have been taking ClaritinD and it has helped some with the allergy part and my difficulty sleeping at night. I talked to my doc about it last week when I went and said to keep taking the ClaritinD for the antihistamine (if your son has allergies maybe you could ask your doc what he would reccomend). My doc also added Flonase nasal spray to my regimine. It is a steroid nose spray. I have only been using it a few days now and I am in heaven.

I was coughing constantly with the post nasal drip and always blowing my nose and so on. I was having a hard time staying asleep as well because of the drainage issue. This has greatly helped. Another thing to it helps ..at least it has helped in the past ... is with nasal polyps. When I have used steroid nasal sprays in years past it has helped to shrink the polyps just a bit - not completely gone but decreased in size. I know that polyps can block your nasal passages too, that is why I mentioned that.

I know one thing too that I have heard of some of my friends doing in the past was to get a mask to do their neb treatment with - it covers the mouth and nose. I have personally never done this, but it may be something that could help your son and get meds into the nose and help to clear him out. A friend of mine here uses one for her H.S. and she says it clears her sinuses out real good. I don't know where she got the mask neb attachment, but I'm sure someone here would know where to get one. If not I'm sure you could ask your docs office about it.

Hope some of that helped.
Lindsey

 

[NoExcuses]

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[Ratatosk]

We asked our doctor a few years ago about sinus medications for congestion and we were told absolutely not. Too drying, does something to the nasal membranes. This was for both decongestants and antihistimines. I'd thought using a nasal decongestant just temporarlily would help DS get some sleep and get stuff cleared out. We were told we could use saline spray. We've gotten a hypertonic aerosol called simply saline that seems to help a bit. L

 

[bmombtoo]

Josh (age 12) had sinus surgery this spring, that is how we found
out about the polyps and the possible CF. He sound much much, much
better than before the surgery. I have noticed some stuffiness
coming back. We use a sinus wash by AYR, doc told us to do this
because he still had dry secretions, and FLONASE He also takes
ZYRTEC for his allergies. Someone mentioned using a mash with the
nebulizer, at his age he could use what's called a pedi-mask.
Problem is it won't fit with some machines. For Josh's newest
machine, my husband had to new a little rigging to get the mask on.
Stores that carry the PULMO-AIDE nebuizer usually carry the
pedi-mask.<br>
We also run a air purifier in his room,. and mine, at night.

 

[anonymous]

DO NOT HAVE SINUS SURGERY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

From the time was was dx @ 2 until i 2was 14 I never had anythign wrong with me other than sinus problems. One infection after another and couldn't find a med. Well my doc suggested it and since them Ive been in and out with lung infections (4-7 a yr)

I would take bad sinus's over lung infections anyday. Plus the surgeries normally only last a couple months then you need another. I have to get one done a yr now.

As for meds to take I've tried them all and heres what I've found: I use the Ocean nasal spray (2 suarts each side)- as needsed -Then I use Rhinocort nose spray (same) and 2x's a day If my sinuses presist I take a hot bath or shower, if that does work Chloratabs was the best and it the only thing I've found. You can get them at walmart ( i used to used the exspencive ones) but these work great if not better They are not children though so ask your doc. But I take three, and they don't make me drowsy. He could prolly take one especailly if he has 95% blockage.

Hope it helps

 

[anonymous]

o yeah and another tip(its gonna sound weird) If his right side is blocked lay on your left and visy versa and if both are lay flat on your back... this helps it drain evenly... It works wonder when you just can't get it to go away

 

[melleemac]

My boys have a heck of a time with nose congestion and polyps. They cant breathe through their nose while sleeping. They use Rhinocort, twice a day. Also when they are really congested we use nasal mists, which they hate!
Mel

 

[MOME2RT]

Reece also HATES nasal sprays...I have to do it when hes asleep & even then he wakes up...what a rude awaking.....I feel soooo bad. He uses Nasonex.

 

[tleigh]

sinus issues are a big thing for me-i have been averaging sinus
surgeries every 2-4 years, between polyps, sinusitis-it can get
pretty miserable.  I have had a lot of luck with saline nasal
washes.  I actually use a water pic and a special attachment
(here is a site that sells it
http://www.achooallergy.com/sinus-grossansinusirrigatortip.asp).
 I mix my own saline with water, sea salt and baking soda.
 wash the nose out once a day regularly and then up to three
times a day if allergies are bad or I'm fighting a sinus infection.
 <br>
<br>
I also use a Gentamycin wash-this is an antibiotic that seems to
keep infection at bay.  I used to use Rhinocort, but now am
using Nasonex.<br>
<br>
It might be hugely beneficial to find an Ear, Nose, and Throat doc.
they might have some other options that would benefit.