Sinus surgery?

[tammykrumrey]

My 12 year old had sinus surgery around Thanksgiving last year AND she has done FANTASTIC ever since! She was on oral anitibiotics about once a month due to her sinuses causing her to cough. I was pretty confident that her cough was a sinus issue, and asked for a referral by our CF clinic to have them looked at. And sure enough, she was filled with mucus and polyps! The ENT, who told us upfront that she isn't one to jump into sinus surgery, said that Hannah was a great canidate for the procedure after looking at her.

I was expecting a lot of discomfort and pain for her after the surgery, but she didn't even need the Rx pain meds filled. Just plain tylenol did the trick<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> They told her prior to surgery that she would probably be stuffy afterwards, but she felt SOOOO much better immediately. Like others have mentioned above, she said "I can actually breath through my nose!!!" the first day after surgery<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

It is apparently standard practice by her CF doctor, to start IV meds a week prior to the sinus surgery. That is the only time she has ever been on IV meds. And she was kept over night after the surgery, just to make sure she did ok with the pain.

Again, she would do it over again in a heart beat! She was so tired of a stuffy nose, cough, and almost constant headaches! BTW, she has not needed any oral antibiotics since Thanksgiving, when she had the surgery!!! It really has been a blessing!

 

[tammykrumrey]

My 12 year old had sinus surgery around Thanksgiving last year AND she has done FANTASTIC ever since! She was on oral anitibiotics about once a month due to her sinuses causing her to cough. I was pretty confident that her cough was a sinus issue, and asked for a referral by our CF clinic to have them looked at. And sure enough, she was filled with mucus and polyps! The ENT, who told us upfront that she isn't one to jump into sinus surgery, said that Hannah was a great canidate for the procedure after looking at her.

I was expecting a lot of discomfort and pain for her after the surgery, but she didn't even need the Rx pain meds filled. Just plain tylenol did the trick<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0"> They told her prior to surgery that she would probably be stuffy afterwards, but she felt SOOOO much better immediately. Like others have mentioned above, she said "I can actually breath through my nose!!!" the first day after surgery<img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif" border="0">

It is apparently standard practice by her CF doctor, to start IV meds a week prior to the sinus surgery. That is the only time she has ever been on IV meds. And she was kept over night after the surgery, just to make sure she did ok with the pain.

Again, she would do it over again in a heart beat! She was so tired of a stuffy nose, cough, and almost constant headaches! BTW, she has not needed any oral antibiotics since Thanksgiving, when she had the surgery!!! It really has been a blessing!

 

[Simba15]

I had sinus surgery at age 49 and wish I had done it years earlier. The key is to have an experiences, skilled surgeon. I was under for 3.5 hours. It is delicate surgery. How it helped: now all the mucous comes out. Before it would tsay blocked in and back up and cause infections. I had the surgery and also take 500 mg of biaxin a day. it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to the antibiotic factor.

 

[Simba15]

I had sinus surgery at age 49 and wish I had done it years earlier. The key is to have an experiences, skilled surgeon. I was under for 3.5 hours. It is delicate surgery. How it helped: now all the mucous comes out. Before it would tsay blocked in and back up and cause infections. I had the surgery and also take 500 mg of biaxin a day. it has powerful anti-inflammatory properties, in addition to the antibiotic factor.

 

[ONELIFETOLIVE]

Yes! go for it. I am an old CF'r - 64 & I wouldn't be here today without sinus surgery. I've had probably <strong>20.</strong>
When I was little I had polyps and was always sick with colds & really bad headaches. I had my first polyps removed & sinues cleaned out over 50 years ago, and it wasn't a pretty proceedure back then. (Another older person mentioned the Cocaine & I have very vivid memories of numb teeth & all the ensuing trama. Never could understand the recreational use). Now with the micro surgery it's a snap. In fact 20 + years ago I was in Switzerland and they pioneered the micro sinus surgery on me. One surgery I had when I was twelve, they cut in my mouth above my teeth and pealed back my face to get to the sinuses. Now I have a pretty open sinus area & it always stunns the CT technicians. I hardly ever get sinus headaches anymore - guess there are not much sinus left, but it sure is a relief.
I wasn't diagnosed with CF until I was 54 so all that time they just thought it was allergies & I had "weak Lungs" Don't use Afrin, I have seen too many people hooked on it. I use a saline rinse. Because of all the surgeries I have lots of scar tissue and I get a lot of "crusts" that form and the saline helps clear them out.
Good luck with the surgery, I am sure your CF doc can reccommend an ENT specialist who is familiar with all the ramifications.
<strong>Single Payer health care is the only way!</strong>

 

[ONELIFETOLIVE]

Yes! go for it. I am an old CF'r - 64 & I wouldn't be here today without sinus surgery. I've had probably <strong>20.</strong>
When I was little I had polyps and was always sick with colds & really bad headaches. I had my first polyps removed & sinues cleaned out over 50 years ago, and it wasn't a pretty proceedure back then. (Another older person mentioned the Cocaine & I have very vivid memories of numb teeth & all the ensuing trama. Never could understand the recreational use). Now with the micro surgery it's a snap. In fact 20 + years ago I was in Switzerland and they pioneered the micro sinus surgery on me. One surgery I had when I was twelve, they cut in my mouth above my teeth and pealed back my face to get to the sinuses. Now I have a pretty open sinus area & it always stunns the CT technicians. I hardly ever get sinus headaches anymore - guess there are not much sinus left, but it sure is a relief.
I wasn't diagnosed with CF until I was 54 so all that time they just thought it was allergies & I had "weak Lungs" Don't use Afrin, I have seen too many people hooked on it. I use a saline rinse. Because of all the surgeries I have lots of scar tissue and I get a lot of "crusts" that form and the saline helps clear them out.
Good luck with the surgery, I am sure your CF doc can reccommend an ENT specialist who is familiar with all the ramifications.
<strong>Single Payer health care is the only way!</strong>

 

[jamoncita]

i had a sinus surgery when i was first diagnosed, and no follow-up was done so a scar formed, blocking the airway of my left nostril. being a kid i thought it was polyps that must have grown back. alas, it was a scar, and i had to have a second surgery several years later to remove the scar tissue. it was amazing being able to breathe clearly again through my nose! i only wish i had had a better advocate since i was so young and not very well informed. plus the whole failure to get follow-up sucked because it resulted in a second surgery. not fun.

 

[jamoncita]

i had a sinus surgery when i was first diagnosed, and no follow-up was done so a scar formed, blocking the airway of my left nostril. being a kid i thought it was polyps that must have grown back. alas, it was a scar, and i had to have a second surgery several years later to remove the scar tissue. it was amazing being able to breathe clearly again through my nose! i only wish i had had a better advocate since i was so young and not very well informed. plus the whole failure to get follow-up sucked because it resulted in a second surgery. not fun.