Does this sound like nasal polyps?

[CrossCountryWoosh]

I know people can't give medical advice etc and I'll be going to the doctor but I need something to go with iyswim.

No allergies or symptoms of a cold. No muscus in my nose. No injuries. I can eat fine. No weight loss etc. I'm exhausted but I think it's because I'm not sleeping properly because I don't think I'm breathing properly.

• the top of my nose feels like it's squeezed together. Like when the bridge on your glasses is too small. I've always sort of had this but it's really bad recently for the last month or so.
• when I lie down, I've always had to slide my face along the pillow to stretch out my cheeks and "open up" my nose. 🤣 If I just plonk down I can't breath out of my nose at all.
• when I lie down the nostril at the bottom inevitably completely blocks. It's hit and miss if the top one works. Is this normal though?
• most recently, I'm having to swallow a lot. It feels like muscus but I can't spit it out.
• sometimes I find it really hard to swallow, like my muscles forget how to.
• most of the time recently I feel like there is a lump in my throat and sometimes at the back of my mouth. If I look down it actually feels like there is a lump pushing into my neck. Nothing is visible on the outside.
• I can't walk up stairs without feeling out of breath.
• I am thirsty all the time. But I think that's related to the way I'm breathing giving me a dry mouth.

Dr Google says polyps. But I don't know, it doesn't seem quite right?
Again, I will be going to the doctors. 😊 I just want to see if there are any suggestions.

I don't know - I have quite bad nasal polyps (diagnosed a couple months ago - am on the waiting list for surgery). I don't have any of those symptons, my main symptons are a continually blocked nose and sneezing. I actually assumed it was just allergies until recently, it got particularly bad a couple months back and I went to the Dr who looked up my nose and said there were a couple really large polyps. But it's probably one of those things that affects everyone differently.

Thanks. I hope you don't have to wait too long for surgery
X

I have the same issues with swallowing nothing and still being blocked. I have the family sinuses, my sister had (private treatment) what she said was excess tissue removed (but not polyps) and that has cleared things up for her. I have had a camera up there and no polyps or anything else to report! It was the GP seeing bubbles behind my eardrum that prompted that as I had complained of dull/ blocked hearing. I figure it's a eustation tube issue as they pop a lot on swallowing but never clear. I'm 41 and was told I have the hearing of a 21 year old yet the next recommendation was to pay for another private hearing test. It's not my hearing. Would be interested if you find an answer it's really annoying!

@AzureLurker that's really interesting because my ears have always constantly popped. Sonetimes when I'm eating all I hear is pop pop pop. My left ear has always felt bunged up. It's never felt empty.
The ENT told me that my ear canals are the size of a small child's. He said that and then sat and waited for me to respond. He was visibly disappointed when I just said "OK?"
The bones in my ears are fusing together so sadly I do not have the hearing of a small child.
Boots will give you a free hearing test. They give you a print out to take to your doctor if they notice anything.

My Google said dysfunctional eustation tube. It was brought on by a cold a while ago and has gotten worse when head cold ish. This and the throat thing is within the past decade so obviously not a structural thing per se

The popping is annoying isn't is! Especially when blocked up and all you can hear is that and your own saliva. Sorry to hear about your bones fusing no pun intended.

I have similar. Not in the U.K., so was able to see an ENT specialist quickly. I have one nostril slightly narrower than the other, and there was a lot of inflammation. The inflammation improved after a course of antibiotic cream up the nostrils, but the thing that has helped most is nasal irrigation. I use a battery operated device called Sinugator with a solution of water with salt and bicarb. If I miss a day I really notice it! It's worth a try while you wait for a diagnosis. My DH has diagnosed polyps and it helped him too.

I also have a steroid spray which helps if I'm still blocked even with the irrigation, but the ENT said not to use it all the time (previously my GP had said this was OK).