Sinus Surgery questions...

[lightNlife]

I had my first sinus surgery when I was 15. All I remember about that one was that it was one of the best naps I'd had in awhile...hahaha. They sent me home with some disolvable packing in my nose along with what's called a "mustache." A mustache is a small hammock type thing that loops over your ears and holds some gauze by your nostrils in case you bleed in the first few hours after surgery. The discomfort of the packing was really minimal. The hardest thing was to not blow my nose as it healed. Once everything was healed though, it was like a whole new world had literally opened up! A world of smells! (And when you live on a dairy, there are PLENTY of smells to behold.)

My second surgery was 10 years later, and didn't go as well. The doctor was in a hurry because the surgery schedule all got crazy because the hospital ended up needing every OR to perform multiple organ transplants. The doctor didn't remember that I have a long clotting time. I was sick as a dog from the anethesia and threw up all over the place at first. Then I got a bloody nose that wouldn't quit, so we ended up having to go to the ER for something in there to be cauterized. Ouch!

So all in all I've had a 50/50 experience with sinus surgeries. I'm very hopeful that my next one in a few weeks will be more like the first once. I think having had the best and the worst possible scenarios has made me more comfortable to be honest. I know what to expect now and I know how to fix things that don't go right.

 

[lightNlife]

I had my first sinus surgery when I was 15. All I remember about that one was that it was one of the best naps I'd had in awhile...hahaha. They sent me home with some disolvable packing in my nose along with what's called a "mustache." A mustache is a small hammock type thing that loops over your ears and holds some gauze by your nostrils in case you bleed in the first few hours after surgery. The discomfort of the packing was really minimal. The hardest thing was to not blow my nose as it healed. Once everything was healed though, it was like a whole new world had literally opened up! A world of smells! (And when you live on a dairy, there are PLENTY of smells to behold.)

My second surgery was 10 years later, and didn't go as well. The doctor was in a hurry because the surgery schedule all got crazy because the hospital ended up needing every OR to perform multiple organ transplants. The doctor didn't remember that I have a long clotting time. I was sick as a dog from the anethesia and threw up all over the place at first. Then I got a bloody nose that wouldn't quit, so we ended up having to go to the ER for something in there to be cauterized. Ouch!

So all in all I've had a 50/50 experience with sinus surgeries. I'm very hopeful that my next one in a few weeks will be more like the first once. I think having had the best and the worst possible scenarios has made me more comfortable to be honest. I know what to expect now and I know how to fix things that don't go right.

 

[lightNlife]

I had my first sinus surgery when I was 15. All I remember about that one was that it was one of the best naps I'd had in awhile...hahaha. They sent me home with some disolvable packing in my nose along with what's called a "mustache." A mustache is a small hammock type thing that loops over your ears and holds some gauze by your nostrils in case you bleed in the first few hours after surgery. The discomfort of the packing was really minimal. The hardest thing was to not blow my nose as it healed. Once everything was healed though, it was like a whole new world had literally opened up! A world of smells! (And when you live on a dairy, there are PLENTY of smells to behold.)

My second surgery was 10 years later, and didn't go as well. The doctor was in a hurry because the surgery schedule all got crazy because the hospital ended up needing every OR to perform multiple organ transplants. The doctor didn't remember that I have a long clotting time. I was sick as a dog from the anethesia and threw up all over the place at first. Then I got a bloody nose that wouldn't quit, so we ended up having to go to the ER for something in there to be cauterized. Ouch!

So all in all I've had a 50/50 experience with sinus surgeries. I'm very hopeful that my next one in a few weeks will be more like the first once. I think having had the best and the worst possible scenarios has made me more comfortable to be honest. I know what to expect now and I know how to fix things that don't go right.

 

[lightNlife]

I had my first sinus surgery when I was 15. All I remember about that one was that it was one of the best naps I'd had in awhile...hahaha. They sent me home with some disolvable packing in my nose along with what's called a "mustache." A mustache is a small hammock type thing that loops over your ears and holds some gauze by your nostrils in case you bleed in the first few hours after surgery. The discomfort of the packing was really minimal. The hardest thing was to not blow my nose as it healed. Once everything was healed though, it was like a whole new world had literally opened up! A world of smells! (And when you live on a dairy, there are PLENTY of smells to behold.)

My second surgery was 10 years later, and didn't go as well. The doctor was in a hurry because the surgery schedule all got crazy because the hospital ended up needing every OR to perform multiple organ transplants. The doctor didn't remember that I have a long clotting time. I was sick as a dog from the anethesia and threw up all over the place at first. Then I got a bloody nose that wouldn't quit, so we ended up having to go to the ER for something in there to be cauterized. Ouch!

So all in all I've had a 50/50 experience with sinus surgeries. I'm very hopeful that my next one in a few weeks will be more like the first once. I think having had the best and the worst possible scenarios has made me more comfortable to be honest. I know what to expect now and I know how to fix things that don't go right.

 

[lightNlife]

I had my first sinus surgery when I was 15. All I remember about that one was that it was one of the best naps I'd had in awhile...hahaha. They sent me home with some disolvable packing in my nose along with what's called a "mustache." A mustache is a small hammock type thing that loops over your ears and holds some gauze by your nostrils in case you bleed in the first few hours after surgery. The discomfort of the packing was really minimal. The hardest thing was to not blow my nose as it healed. Once everything was healed though, it was like a whole new world had literally opened up! A world of smells! (And when you live on a dairy, there are PLENTY of smells to behold.)
<br />
<br />My second surgery was 10 years later, and didn't go as well. The doctor was in a hurry because the surgery schedule all got crazy because the hospital ended up needing every OR to perform multiple organ transplants. The doctor didn't remember that I have a long clotting time. I was sick as a dog from the anethesia and threw up all over the place at first. Then I got a bloody nose that wouldn't quit, so we ended up having to go to the ER for something in there to be cauterized. Ouch!
<br />
<br />So all in all I've had a 50/50 experience with sinus surgeries. I'm very hopeful that my next one in a few weeks will be more like the first once. I think having had the best and the worst possible scenarios has made me more comfortable to be honest. I know what to expect now and I know how to fix things that don't go right.

 

[missgunky]

I had my 1st sinus surgery two years ago.
The surgery itself went fine. I had nausea after the surgery, but successfully "held it down" cuz I didn't want anything burning my newly-cleaned sinuse. It was annoying not being able to blow my nose afterward, but the mustache dressing they put under my nose was all the bandaging I had. I replaced it every time it got full (kind of like a pad - haha). I didn't have a lot of pain...
Until I went to the ENT for follow-up visits, and she dislodged scabs so that my nasal passages would heal better. That hurt like the dickens! So make sure you have good pain killers that work for you if your doc wants to go up your nose with a metal suction tool post-op!
Now, I'm doing great. I can breathe! No recurring polyps! Less severe headaches. No pus in there. Yuck. Good luck with that surgery!

 

[missgunky]

I had my 1st sinus surgery two years ago.
The surgery itself went fine. I had nausea after the surgery, but successfully "held it down" cuz I didn't want anything burning my newly-cleaned sinuse. It was annoying not being able to blow my nose afterward, but the mustache dressing they put under my nose was all the bandaging I had. I replaced it every time it got full (kind of like a pad - haha). I didn't have a lot of pain...
Until I went to the ENT for follow-up visits, and she dislodged scabs so that my nasal passages would heal better. That hurt like the dickens! So make sure you have good pain killers that work for you if your doc wants to go up your nose with a metal suction tool post-op!
Now, I'm doing great. I can breathe! No recurring polyps! Less severe headaches. No pus in there. Yuck. Good luck with that surgery!

 

[missgunky]

I had my 1st sinus surgery two years ago.
The surgery itself went fine. I had nausea after the surgery, but successfully "held it down" cuz I didn't want anything burning my newly-cleaned sinuse. It was annoying not being able to blow my nose afterward, but the mustache dressing they put under my nose was all the bandaging I had. I replaced it every time it got full (kind of like a pad - haha). I didn't have a lot of pain...
Until I went to the ENT for follow-up visits, and she dislodged scabs so that my nasal passages would heal better. That hurt like the dickens! So make sure you have good pain killers that work for you if your doc wants to go up your nose with a metal suction tool post-op!
Now, I'm doing great. I can breathe! No recurring polyps! Less severe headaches. No pus in there. Yuck. Good luck with that surgery!

 

[missgunky]

I had my 1st sinus surgery two years ago.
The surgery itself went fine. I had nausea after the surgery, but successfully "held it down" cuz I didn't want anything burning my newly-cleaned sinuse. It was annoying not being able to blow my nose afterward, but the mustache dressing they put under my nose was all the bandaging I had. I replaced it every time it got full (kind of like a pad - haha). I didn't have a lot of pain...
Until I went to the ENT for follow-up visits, and she dislodged scabs so that my nasal passages would heal better. That hurt like the dickens! So make sure you have good pain killers that work for you if your doc wants to go up your nose with a metal suction tool post-op!
Now, I'm doing great. I can breathe! No recurring polyps! Less severe headaches. No pus in there. Yuck. Good luck with that surgery!

 

[missgunky]

I had my 1st sinus surgery two years ago.
<br />The surgery itself went fine. I had nausea after the surgery, but successfully "held it down" cuz I didn't want anything burning my newly-cleaned sinuse. It was annoying not being able to blow my nose afterward, but the mustache dressing they put under my nose was all the bandaging I had. I replaced it every time it got full (kind of like a pad - haha). I didn't have a lot of pain...
<br />Until I went to the ENT for follow-up visits, and she dislodged scabs so that my nasal passages would heal better. That hurt like the dickens! So make sure you have good pain killers that work for you if your doc wants to go up your nose with a metal suction tool post-op!
<br />Now, I'm doing great. I can breathe! No recurring polyps! Less severe headaches. No pus in there. Yuck. Good luck with that surgery!

 

[Juliet]

I had sinus surgery in 2006. As surgeries went it was pretty straight forward, and it was actually done in an outpatient center. I did NOT have my sinuses packed. As others stated you need to be pretty religiously doing the rinses especially in the first few weeks after surgery. I was given the option for packing or rinsing ahead of time by my surgeon. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> He suggested I take the rinsing option. As others mentioned the 'professional nose picking' after surgery to remove scabs and clots was the worst part of the procedure. My doctor did that in the office after numbing my sinuses. While it was not a pleasant feeling at all I always felt much better afterwards. Now a few years after surgery I have been (except for once) sinus infection free and able to breathe and smell through my nose. A great result for me has been a reduction in post nasal drip and lung infections. It has definitely been worth the effort for the procedure. ~Juliet

 

[Juliet]

I had sinus surgery in 2006. As surgeries went it was pretty straight forward, and it was actually done in an outpatient center. I did NOT have my sinuses packed. As others stated you need to be pretty religiously doing the rinses especially in the first few weeks after surgery. I was given the option for packing or rinsing ahead of time by my surgeon. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> He suggested I take the rinsing option. As others mentioned the 'professional nose picking' after surgery to remove scabs and clots was the worst part of the procedure. My doctor did that in the office after numbing my sinuses. While it was not a pleasant feeling at all I always felt much better afterwards. Now a few years after surgery I have been (except for once) sinus infection free and able to breathe and smell through my nose. A great result for me has been a reduction in post nasal drip and lung infections. It has definitely been worth the effort for the procedure. ~Juliet

 

[Juliet]

I had sinus surgery in 2006. As surgeries went it was pretty straight forward, and it was actually done in an outpatient center. I did NOT have my sinuses packed. As others stated you need to be pretty religiously doing the rinses especially in the first few weeks after surgery. I was given the option for packing or rinsing ahead of time by my surgeon. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> He suggested I take the rinsing option. As others mentioned the 'professional nose picking' after surgery to remove scabs and clots was the worst part of the procedure. My doctor did that in the office after numbing my sinuses. While it was not a pleasant feeling at all I always felt much better afterwards. Now a few years after surgery I have been (except for once) sinus infection free and able to breathe and smell through my nose. A great result for me has been a reduction in post nasal drip and lung infections. It has definitely been worth the effort for the procedure. ~Juliet

 

[Juliet]

I had sinus surgery in 2006. As surgeries went it was pretty straight forward, and it was actually done in an outpatient center. I did NOT have my sinuses packed. As others stated you need to be pretty religiously doing the rinses especially in the first few weeks after surgery. I was given the option for packing or rinsing ahead of time by my surgeon. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> He suggested I take the rinsing option. As others mentioned the 'professional nose picking' after surgery to remove scabs and clots was the worst part of the procedure. My doctor did that in the office after numbing my sinuses. While it was not a pleasant feeling at all I always felt much better afterwards. Now a few years after surgery I have been (except for once) sinus infection free and able to breathe and smell through my nose. A great result for me has been a reduction in post nasal drip and lung infections. It has definitely been worth the effort for the procedure. ~Juliet

 

[Juliet]

I had sinus surgery in 2006. As surgeries went it was pretty straight forward, and it was actually done in an outpatient center. I did NOT have my sinuses packed. As others stated you need to be pretty religiously doing the rinses especially in the first few weeks after surgery. I was given the option for packing or rinsing ahead of time by my surgeon. <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> He suggested I take the rinsing option. As others mentioned the 'professional nose picking' after surgery to remove scabs and clots was the worst part of the procedure. My doctor did that in the office after numbing my sinuses. While it was not a pleasant feeling at all I always felt much better afterwards. Now a few years after surgery I have been (except for once) sinus infection free and able to breathe and smell through my nose. A great result for me has been a reduction in post nasal drip and lung infections. It has definitely been worth the effort for the procedure. ~Juliet