nasal polyps

hi guys!!!

was at the drs today, as i still have a cold, but also because ny nose is constantly blocked!!!

gp is referring me to ENT to find out if i have polyps in my nose!!

has any one else had this problem, and what did they do for it??

i hope that they can find something to unblock my nose, as it would be great to be able to breathe properly again!!!

tc mrs mac xxxx

Hi,

I've suffered with nasal polyps now for 4 years and I cannot smell at all. I found this seemed to start when I quit smoking in fact I had 2 cigarettes on a night out about 2 years ago and then the next day, I could smell faintly. Recently, I've found something that helps, I'm taking dissolvable (low dose) aspirin altho my smell only returns for a few weeks before going again, I then stop taking the aspirin for a month and then re-take it, and again my smell will return for a few weeks. I've spoken to Doctors about this and they seem slightly confused regarding the aspirin, Any help would be appreciated as I would love my smell (and taste) back permanently. Doctors have advised me not to get the Polyps removed as they think they will come back again as they don’t know what allergy is causing them. I hope my information is of some help to you. 

Thanks Ian

Hi Red_ 34, Thanks for your kind words..The Doc didn't say how soon the polyps would return he just said in ,most cases, they do return. The ENT clinic said they could operate and remove them but there would be a risk of damaging my eye socket altho my Doc disagrees with them. Anyway they both agree that finding what I'm allergic to is the real problem solver here. I did have a basic allergy test where they test you for the basics (pet hair, dust mites etc) and they couldnt find my allergy. The have now told me that there's literally thousands of allergies and it could be anyone of them. I must say that I didn't have the allergy test where they put different things on your skin, mine was a blood test. I may go back and ask for this other test as I really need to get this sorted as I can't smell and can't taste very well. Thanks a lot for your reply Red_34 

Ok Thanks Sherry,

I will follow up this scratch test although here in England, we seem to be in a queue for months for various medical treatments but I will definately make an appointment to get this done, even if I am at the back of the queue,

Thanks a lot for your advice Sherry, much appreciated, (loved your photos also),

Take Care,

Ian x

Hi Ian, sorry I just saw that you added an add on to your post or I would've responded earlier lol Do the doctors have any idea why aspirin would cause you to be able to breathe again? I have a theory and tell me if you think it sounds plausible.......the aspirin thins your blood which causes the blood in your polyps to constrict allowing you to be able to breathe again, so what happens if you were to take an anti-inflammatory such as Advil or Motrin? Have you tried these yet? I'm just curious here because the whole aspirin thingy is quite interesting.

Advil, Motrin and Aleve are OTC meds found at pharmacies. I am not sure if you have it where your from or what it would be called if different, but next time you're there, ask for those or Over the counter Nsaids. I do have to warn you though that if you have stomach ulcers don't take Nsaids because it can make it worse. Or any stomach issues for that matter.
I also found an interesting article regarding nasal polyps. Nasonex (Mometasone nasal) which is a steroidal nasal spray has been found to reduce nasal polyps. Nasonex is readily available here in the states but Mometasone is the generic name for it.

Hi Sherry,
Just to let you know, I've gotta go see my Doctor on Friday to see about the scratch test although I have been told there's nearly a 2 year waiting list to get it done. The receptionist did give me a bit of advise in the fact that she told me to try a chinese herbalist shop (which are popping up everywhere here in the UK at the moment) as they do their own allergy testing where they take a strand of hair and send it off for analysing, the cost of this is about £30 ($45) so I may consider this option to, I'll certainly lety you know whatever course of action I take,
Take Care
Ian

Hi All

I am a new member. I have had allergies, asthma, polyps most of my life.  Until a few years ago I couldn't smell anything unless I had been on Prednesone for my asthma. After the prednisone I would be able to smell and taste better for a few weeks. 4 yrs ago it was discovered I had polyps and some nasal obstruction.I had the surgery to correct this and remove the polyps. The recovery time is short and it was worth it. I was able to smell and taste but even more my asthma was somewhat better.  I do admit that I seem to have to have nasal surgery every 2-3 years but in the long run it helps alot.

The recovery time is usually only a few days. That was what it was for me the first time before other medical factors got in the way.

My case is somewhat strange so don't look at the rest of this post as if it were the average.

I am now recovering from the nasal surgery. Before the surgery I  had a  prolonged asthma aggrivation caused by a cold that triggered sever sinusitis that only made the asthma worse. This is a vicious cycle that seems to effect me at least every two years or so in the winter. It has caused prolonged absences from work as I have had to be near the hospital for the sever asthma attacks as well as the cough gets so bad that I have broken some of my ribs during coughing fits (this is a very painful thing when every breath causes agony) and I am so tired and have no energy I couldn't do my job anyway. It seems to take the doctors so long to decide that my sinuses need to be cleaned and by then I have been admitted to the hospital several times for the asthma. I'll  have broken a few ribs torn many muscles in my chest and my abdomin and gotten so tired and my stamina is totally lacking. It's been 3 weeks since the surgery and my asthma is calming down slowly as long as I don't go outside in the cold or do too much activity.

I am hoping to return to work next week I least I hope so. Life cooped up in a house for 4 months is really getting me down.

Has anyone had a similar experence?

How can I cut down the time it takes for me to get over this awful cycle? Being absent from work every couple of years for 4 months or more isn't helping my status at work.

Sorry for such a long post but I am really frustrated!!!

*sigh* Ian that is so not true. The scratch test is for sensitivity to ANY allergen nasal or otherwise. I used to work at a medical facility and we did the scratch tests there all the time. (I mainly watched because I have absolutely NO medical training but the doctors were kind to me and indulged my questions lol) We tested for pollen, mold, mildew, animal dander etc.....if you are allergic to anything, the scratch test will show as red botches or raised welts. The more advanced allergy test is where they put a thin gage needle under your skin and inject the allergens but usually the scratch test is pretty accurate and does the job. My son had the needle test because when he was tested he was too young to sit still for the scratch test. I was surprised to learn actually what he was allergic to! But things might be different here in the states, I don't know. Either way, I hope this stuff helps you.

Thanks sherry for responding. Hi to all of you.

Hi All

I was just starting to feel better I went out Friday for the first time in 4 months and then on saturday to the library. This morning I came down with a new cold and the asthma and sinuses are really giving me a hard time. I'm taking ventolin 3-4 puffs every 2hrs and still I am not breathing easily. I'm seeing my Dr tommorow at a regularly schedualed visit. I am getting very frustrated, tired, depressed and just completly worn out. HELP