Has anyone had surgery to deal with constant nasal congestion?

[Arkady Renko]

For the past few years, my allergies have been really bad and hardly manageable with standard allergy medication (or the medication made me extremely tired). My allergies lead to really bad nasal congestion at night and it's hard to get a good night's rest most nights. Allergy shots have only slightly made it better.

 

There's only so much one can do with his environment, so I am beginning to look into this laser surgery they can do at an ENT doc where they open up your nasal passages a bit more or cauterize the stuff that causes nasal congestion.

 

I know this is probably fairly rare, but has anyone here done something like this. If so, what were the results?

[ajzepp]

I've not had it, but I have a couple friends who have. They say it's well worth it, but the recovery is a beyotch.

[Arkady Renko]

I've not had it, but I have a couple friends who have. They say it's well worth it, but the recovery is a beyotch.

 

What kind of recovery? Another question I have is whether insurance normally gets on board.

[RayFinkle]

For the past few years, my allergies have been really bad and hardly manageable with standard allergy medication (or the medication made me extremely tired). My allergies lead to really bad nasal congestion at night and it's hard to get a good night's rest most nights. Allergy shots have only slightly made it better.

 

There's only so much one can do with his environment, so I am beginning to look into this laser surgery they can do at an ENT doc where they open up your nasal passages a bit more or cauterize the stuff that causes nasal congestion.

 

I know this is probably fairly rare, but has anyone here done something like this. If so, what were the results?

I am in the same boat. I have a deviated septum, which is quite common, but my allergies are a B word. Both of them combined have been making my life miserable at times for more than a few years now. I basically breathe through one nostril. I am too much of a kitty to go under the knife though.

[RayFinkle]

What kind of recovery? Another question I have is whether insurance normally gets on board.

Insurance should cover it if you have half way decent coverage. I have known people here at my work who have had similar procedures and it was fully covered.

[Arkady Renko]

I am in the same boat. I have a deviated septum, which is quite common, but my allergies are a B word. Both of them combined have been making my life miserable at times for more than a few years now. I basically breathe through one nostril. I am too much of a kitty to go under the knife though.

 

An ENT said that there were some out-patient procedures that could be done with a laser. My septum is not very deviated, so maybe I have different options.

[Arkady Renko]

Insurance should cover it if you have half way decent coverage. I have known people here at my work who have had similar procedures and it was fully covered.

 

What was the recovery like? Do you know. I am getting married in a few months and am in grad school, so I am wondering about the timing.

[Fires]

I've had the surgery to enlarge the nasal passage done twice. Both times in the Dr's Office. You're conscious through the whole thing. The only wierd part is when they numb your face with lots of Novocaine. They pack your nose full of cotton for 2 days which sucks, but other than that it was worth it.

I had to have it done twice because many times it grows back within 2 years. 2nd Operation was 4 years ago, and it's still doing good.

[Albany,n.y.]

I had a cyst in my sinus area 7 years ago. They did similar surgery to what your saying. In my case, it was nothing like what the above posters are saying. I think they did it arthriscopically. I had no outward appearance of surgery. Inside my nose was pretty bloodied up & I had to squirt a salt & baking soda solution mixed with water there every day. Additionally there were follow ups with the surgeon where he would go in and get the extra dried blood out.

I was able to go to a game in December in Buffalo less than 2 weeks after.

Long term, it worked well, but I do get a sinus infection every now & then due to my alergies. The worst was the 1st year when they were tearing up the streets around work & putting a lot of dust in the air.

For me there was no option since the cyst was causing stuff to gush out & keeping me awake half the night.

If they do it the way my surgeon did it rather than the black eye stuff described above, I'd recommend it. Recovery was not bad, although the 1st week was a little nausiating.

[beerme1]

From what I have learned through a soon to be brother in law, the recovery is significant and painfull and miserable and as others have said a beyotch. Although, I dont recall him saying it was a laser treatment and that may be helpful to your situation, or not.

No way would I get something like this done with a wedding three months out.

What the hell is the doctor telling you about this procedure and the recovery time and condition?

[Arkady Renko]

From what I have learned through a soon to be brother in law, the recovery is significant and painfull and miserable and as others have said a beyotch. Although, I dont recall him saying it was a laser treatment and that may be helpful to your situation, or not.

No way would I get something like this done with a wedding three months out.

What the hell is the doctor telling you about this procedure and the recovery time and condition?

 

It was only mentioned to me as an aside when I saw an ENT a couple of weeks ago ( I cannot see him affordably this year b/c of a change in my insurance). My allergies were killing me this past week with my lack of sleep and I was just like, I am sick of this... maybe there's a better way to breathe again at night.

[Arkady Renko]

I've had the surgery to enlarge the nasal passage done twice. Both times in the Dr's Office. You're conscious through the whole thing. The only wierd part is when they numb your face with lots of Novocaine. They pack your nose full of cotton for 2 days which sucks, but other than that it was worth it.

I had to have it done twice because many times it grows back within 2 years. 2nd Operation was 4 years ago, and it's still doing good.

 

Don't have much nasal congestion now?

[Fires]

Don't have much nasal congestion now?

No. I still have to use Saline or other nose spray a couple times a week. But it's no where close to what the congestion was before the surgery.

[beerme1]

Use of Saline daily/nightly is good.

Johnny it may sound stupid but have you tried Breathe Right Strips? They may help just a little but enough to let you sleep.

[Arkady Renko]

Use of Saline daily/nightly is good.

Johnny it may sound stupid but have you tried Breathe Right Strips? They may help just a little but enough to let you sleep.

 

Yeah, I have, but it feels like the congestion is too deep and so they are not making a difference. Thanks for the try though.

[Arkady Renko]

No. I still have to use Saline or other nose spray a couple times a week. But it's no where close to what the congestion was before the surgery.

Are saline sprays the kind that cause rebound congestion or is that something else?

[beerme1]

Afrin causes rebound. Saline doesn't. Ask a Pharmacist about Ocean Saline spray.

[ajzepp]

Are saline sprays the kind that cause rebound congestion or is that something else?

 

Saline shouldn't cause any rebound congestion....Afrin, on the other hand....

[Phlegm Alley]

I am in the same boat. I have a deviated septum, which is quite common, but my allergies are a B word. Both of them combined have been making my life miserable at times for more than a few years now. I basically breathe through one nostril. I am too much of a kitty to go under the knife though.

 

 

I've had a septoplasty along with partial nasal reconstruction surgery. Everything is done through the nostril, but I did have to wear a nose splint for about a week. There were moments of exteme uncomfortableness. My nose healed straight but I may have to have some more work done on it which I am not looking forward to. My insurance company wouldn't pick up the cost of the anesthesiologist either, which set me back financially even though it was an accident and wasn't considered cosmetic. Breathing is a lot better though, but I wouldn't ever consider having it done unless it was absolutely necessary.

[Beerball]

Both of them combined have been making my life miserable at times for more than a few years now.

Well, at least now we know the reason why you're always so cranky.