Anyone had their sinuses drained?

[minxthemanx]

Have had recurring sinusitis for years, and this year seem to have a semi-permanent banging sinus headache. Antibiotics sort it for a while, but before long, hey ho, the banging above the eyebrows and on the cheekbones is back. Miserable. Am wondering whether to bite the bullet and get referred to hospital - has anyone had them done, was it hideous, and did it help?

Well I've been referred but my consultant didn't think any type of procedure would be worthwhile and I have permanently congested sinuses and polyps which mean I have no sense of smell.

What has helped are oral steroids (just 5 days) and flixonase nasal capsules but I can only have those 3 times a year.

Its horrid but something to be managed rather than cured in my consultant's opinion.

Ok thanks for that, it's horrible isn't it! You have my sympathy.

Oh its hideous - Dr reckoned years and years of hay fever may have damaged my sinuses.

I do lots of steam inhalations which help a bit.

Sympathy too

My Dh had it done a few months back and polyps removed. His nose etc is still settling down but it seems to have worked.

oh- and it was not hideous! he was a day case, and had no pain or anything afterwards- but did have 2 weeks off work as felt very tired- but they had drained an abscess up there so he was knackered anyway as had been living with it for a year- tried all theusual ABs and steroids to no avail.

Thanks Amelia, maybe I'll mention it to GP. Am fed up with constant hot, banging pain in sinuses.

Good luck to all. I had same and had an initial op to drain sinuses and remove a concha bullosa which is an air bubble in the turbinate. Also deviated septum caused by the concha bullosa. Yucky old sinuses which needed a second go. Take all the painkillers as v sore

Oh thats interesting Walsingham - I hope it goes well.

I'm suffering dreadfully today and soooo sick of it - also down to my last capsule of flixonase so know will now have another couple of months of it being awful.

Anti-biotics made no difference to me at all and had 3 courses of differing ones.

Thanks ladies - interesting posts. I'm, too, very fed up with the constant background pain on cheekbones and above eyes, and every 3 weeks being asked 'ooh, have you got a bad cold?' as I sound so bunged up. I'll bite the bullet and have a word with GP in the near future.

Has anyone tried antihistamine for sinus pain? I found this helped me when other things often failed, before surgery that is

Hi I'm bumping this as I'd be interested to know how everyone's getting along? In particular if anyone had surgery - has it cured you or just improved things?

I have low level chronic sinusitis which has flared up this week (boak at the stuff I am producing) & it's made me realise how miserable it is living with the background ache all the time. I feel c

Going to see my GP & push for something more radical. I am constantly being asked if I have a cold - must sound really nasal!

I saw the ENT specialist last week after increasing sinusitis over years (rather overshadowed by other health issues). Facial pain, headache, lost smell, fevers and blocked nose are part of life for me.
I've been sent for a CT scan, and put on steroid drops. ( I have been on nasal sprays for years and oral steroids on and off for asthma and pnemonia). Functional endoscopic sinus surgery was mentioned to remove polypse and improve sinus drainage, but the CT needs to be done before the details are sorted.
It was all very matter of fact and I was listened to and taken seriously - which did not happen at my last referral 5 years ago !!

walsingham when did you start to feel better? I had FESS and septoplasty 2 weeks ago today and still feel awful - sinus pain becuase everything still blocked though I am using saline to rinse. But my nose is so tender and very painful to touch and inside my nose it is terribly swollen and red. I expect to feel poorly still but this is hard, especially as on Easter hols with ds's and trying to work from home as well! On painkillers all day. Can you give me some good news? Or tips? Thanks

Thanks everyone for updates - really helpful thread. Glad all going well Walsingham & hope you start to feel better soon knighty.

Thanks both. Guess I just have to see it out though day by day, it does improve slightly. Still washing out nasty gunk which is quite satisfying! And yes I agree the anaesthetic really knocks you sideways.

Have to think this is a means to an end. Hope all goes well for anybody else undergoing the same type of procedures.

Hi wondered how you are getting on as I have indeed been listed for Fess and septoplasty etc. I am wondering how long you needed to be off work or more specifically whether I need extra support to care for my highly energetic sn child! Reading through it sounds like anything from a couple of days to a couple of weeks?

My daughter had her maxillary sinus drained and also drilled. Gave some relief for a while but within a year it was back as bad as ever with, now, a permanently thickened lining to the sinus according to a recent MRI scan and neuralgia from the effect on nearby nerves. Everything has been tried - antibiotics, antihistamines, steroid sprays, painkillers, anti-epileptics and anti-depressants for the nerve pains. Nothing, but nothing works. She must have had at least 20 bouts of sinusitis since a teenager, the worse of them triggering trigeminal neuralgia (aka the suicide disease) a few years ago.

Now the neurological consultant has even suggested acupuncture as everything, including carbamazepine and gabapentin for the neuralgia doesn't work.

Minx - I'm sure you are right to explore options, but be aware that sometimes everything only works temporarily. Of course, I really hope you get lucky as it is a miserable disease and neuralgia is a bastard.

Magso, yes you will need help at home, my lovely MIL stayed for 5 days and did all housework, school pick ups and cooking, along with help from dh. So arrange a back-up plan if you can.

Sad to say I still don't feel great and I agree with grimble, it never seems to go away. Funnily enough, I thought about acupuncture too. I worry that further operations (I have had FESS and septoplasty twice in 2 years) will just aggravate everything.

Sorry you are still suffering knightynight, and thank you for replying. Hmm wonder if it's essential to have the op.?