Chronic blocked nose, can somebody help?

[grapelovingweirdo]

Five weeks ago I had a really bad cold which resulted in a nose so blocked that even the nasal spray I use for allergy related blockages (usually works instantly) didn't work.

Five weeks later, I'm still suffering. I'm constantly blocked on my right side and nothing is relieving it. Decongestent tablets are helping somewhat but not fully and I don't take these longer than two days at a time (worried about becoming reliant).

TMI but probably relevant: mucus is clear and slightly excessive and I sometimes feel a "popping" in my ears.

I've tried steam, albus oil, Sudafed and nothing helps. My sleep is seriously suffering and I'm getting quite depressed (not depression, I do understand the difference) about it.

To make things worse, I'm a singer. Luckily you can't really hear it when I sing on stage but it's still a worry.

I feel like my life is over. Lack of sleep and discomfort is taking it's toll.

Really sorry to say that about something so seemingly trivial, a lot of people on here are depressed about genuinely awful things, but it's how I feel at the moment and I'm reaching out for someone to tell me this is normal and that it will go away.

[jchocchip]

Er you've tried lots of things, surely its time to see a doctor... Hope you feel better soon.

[grapelovingweirdo]

I'll be seeing my GP first thing on Monday :)

[Noren]

Decongestant tablets can actually make things worse is what my GP told me. I would recommend getting one of these: www.amazon.co.uk/NeilMed-SinusRinse-Saline-Nasal-Rinse/dp/B000RDZFZ0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1364034382&sr=8-1&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-21

[grapelovingweirdo]

Thanks Noren! How does this stuff work? :)

[tb]

Try n-Acetyl Cysteine - from H+B in a bottle of 600mg capsules for about £10, 600mg is a daily dose.

Alternatively available from your gp on prescription. If they haven't heard of it, it's mentioned on the back of the statutory instrument that told them they don't have to do weekend/night time working.

IMVHO a lot of gp's stopped reading at that page, and went out to celebrate without reading that nac was again available on prescription.

Alternatively, hop on a channel ferry and buy a box of sachets for about ?4 in France. You can also get carbocysteine linctus - caramel flavoured.

Cysteine is an amino acid - the carbo/acetyl are just to protect it against stomach acid. It's a mucolytic - it splits thick gungy mucous into thinner mucous which can drain/run more easily. (Chronic sinusitis sufferer with dd with glue ear).

In France there is also a nasal spray called Euvanol which contains geranium oil. It works, but the smell of geranium oil makes me want to throw up. It's probably available online. Think it costs about ?9.

The problem with decongestants like sudafed and other pseudoephedrine-containing products is that they can cause rebound congestion. Nasty. And, they make shed-loads of money for the manufacturers.

I seem to remember hearing in the UK that they were doing a trial of carbocysteine at Crewe+Leighton hospital for people suffering copd.

[Costypop]

Sounds like you have infected sinuses,

[Noren]

Basically you fill the bottle with pre-boiled water and one of the sachets that come with the pack (I like to do this in advance then gently warm it up in the microwave), blow your nose, lean over a sink and squirt half the bottle slowly up one nostril (it feels REALLY REALLY WEIRD and all the snot falls out of the other nostril but it feels less weird once you're used to it). Then you blow your nose and do the other nostril. You can do it more than once a day, sometimes it takes a few tries if it's backed up into the sinuses.

It is of course undignified and not all that pleasant but oh it really helped me like nothing else. I do it now if I get a cold or anything. I bought mine because I had sinusitis and nothing would help.