Does anyone suffer from relentless post nasal drip? For the past year I have suffered from this condition. It started after a cold but has never stopped. I have seen several doctors, been on several medications, and have tried nasal irrigation. Nothing has helped. Allergy testing showed only a slight reaction to dust. Nothing I do stops the drip which due to the constant swallowing, gagging, and coughing, is affecting my life. Is there anything out there that actually is effective against this condition. I need help.
Joan

I've got the same thing going on! It's only been going on since about November, though. I've been to at least 8 doctors who say it's probably just an allergy thing, so I'm on Claritin-D 12-Hour Extended Release. It works okay, but it's still not totally gone. I'm a little freaked, I don't know if this means I have a bad immune system or something very bad or ... ?

I have the same thing going on. I have a constant post nasal drip since a cold I had in October of 2000.

No medicine has helped me and the nasal irrigation didn't do anything either.
I am on flonase and seems to help a little but still worthless.
I had a Cat Scan done and it showed some blockage and fluids.
I just saw a surgeon yesterday and he didn't think it was severe enough for surgery. He recommended allergy shots. I am suppose to go back to him in 4 months if that doesn't help.
My Father had the same problem when he was around my age and he said allergy shots is what got him over it.

Hope the shots work because I don't want to have surgery.

Dave

JoanL -- I developed post-nasal drip which I, too, found very bothersome daily. It was mostly due to my TMJ causing muscle tension in the head. I'm wearing a splint over my teeth which has helped. Tussin, an o-t-counter medicine helped. Flonase helped me too. Dimetapp helped as well. Do you hear any clicking or noise in your jaw. If so, that may be the root of the problem.

Good luck
Gengrrl

I saw a doctor today and she believes since it's clear, watery fluid that it's probably allergies and not really a sinus infection. I don't have a fever, but my nose feels a tad stuffy, and there is no real cough except hacking to clear out the mucus. I don't really have sneezing or itchy/watery eyes. I don't know what to make of it, though. I don't know if it's the strange winter we've been having here in Missouri, or if there's something in the air, or if it's dust, or what the problem is. I've had allergies/sinus problems in the past, my pediatrician had said I was on the verge of developing asthma once. And this does run in the family, because my mom was on allergy shots for a while. But I've never had p-n drip last this long though (since November-December 2001). Is it something that usually "pops up" in early adulthood?

I'm wondering if this means I have an immune system problem? I had read some person's weblog where he was saying how HIV+ people have post-nasal drip...I don't remember engaging in unprotected sex or needle-sharing though. Maybe my mind is overactive? Am I overanalyzing? Is this a somewhat common condition or is there real reason for concern?

I've currently suffering from post nasal drip. I've had 3 bouts of colds/sinusitis this year (2002). Don't know what's going on. Maybe this is chronic sinusitis.

Have you ever coughed so hard that your skin hurt (e.g. stinging)?

Here are some websites about the causes of post-nasal drip:

http://www.mamc.amedd.army.mil/referral/guidelines/pulmadult_chroncough.htm

http://www.rochester.edu/uhs/respiratory.htm


[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 10-03-2002).]

Bumping this back to the top...anyone else suffering from this? Have joanl or TexasJeep been to the doctor since? What did they say?

I started my shots this week. It will be a several months at least before you can see an improvement.

I think the Cat Scan showed scarring in my sinuses and this is causing my problems. Allergy shots can prevent them and in some cases relieve the scarring.
My Allergist thought I should have surgery and then get on shots to prevent any future problems.
The surgeon wanted to try the shots first and see if that would take care of it, so I won't have to have surgery.
Hope the shots help and soon

Good luck

Ref: Texas Jeep (above)

That's funny, I had the opposite experience. Predictably my allergist recommended avoiding surgery and beginning the shots. My ENT recommended surgery as the first course of action and was unenthusiastic about the shots. Go figure.

One of the best things I,ve found for post nasal drip is Rhinocort Aqua nasal spray. It has a steroid in it and I find it really works for me.

------------------

So this must be a common thing? Did everyone else's start after a cold and never stop? What was your diagnosis? Any other existing conditions? Did it happen suddenly or was it something that started early in life and just continued?

Interesting, because my PCP didn't want me to get shots and I went ahead and got them anyway.

I had them from October 1996 until May 1998 with every shot, I got a reaction. (I'm supposedly allergic to trees and grass)

As you know, you're supposed to sit in the office 30 minutes after the shot. I did.

The nurse claimed she decreased the shot on my last visit. I believe she increased the dosage. In 5 minutes, my entire body broke out in hives and I had to get a shot of Benedryl, Epinephrin (sp?) and Adrenalin. I have no idea how I drove home after that and remember being in the office for about an hour to make sure I was okay with my breathing.

The first introduction I got from the allergist is that one *could* die from the shots. That day I almost did. Never again would I subject myself to that.

My allergies are now worse after the shot therapy.
Be careful when going the shot route. It's not for everyone!

Christine.

bluesea,
My allergist is against surgery but after seeing my cat scan he thought it may be best. My allergist referred me to my ENT knowing he is conservative and would not just do surgery. My ENT thought it was not severe enough to require surgery. Your experience is the usual. Most ENTs want to operate and most allergist want to give shots.

Kyieren
I guess it is relatively common. Mine started after a cold and never stopped. I was treated for chronic sinuses several times.
My main complaint is fatigue. I also seem to have a constant pressure headache. It does not hurt bad but I can tell it is there. My head also feels heavy whenever I move it to one side or the other. My problems started right after my cold and it has gotten worse over time. What are your other symptoms?

chrissiek
Why did you keep going for so long if you got a reaction after each shot? Did they think you would adjust to it or get over it?

Dave

Well, it's May and the post-nasal drip is still going. It's been six months now. No medicine has helped, and I don't have the dough to keep throwing away on prescription after prescription. I wake up in the morning, still hacking, sneezing, and having a runny nose. It's mostly clear, sticky fluid, but sometimes some stuff comes up with a light yellow color (as if I'm congested somewhere).

What should be my next step? I'm getting tired of this!

I have suffered from a similar thing for the past 5 years , it started off as a dry cough and has developed into a constant need to clear my throat. It is due to post nasal drip and it is the most annoying thing in the world. I too have seen many doctors and spent mega bucks on allergy medicines that do not help. I dont smoke and have no other symptoms other than a chronic need to cough and clear my throat . sometimes I will cough all day without a break , mainly just trying to clear my throat from the post nasal drip. If anyone has a idea or just something to try please let me know , I am so sick of coughing!

thanks much
jcg

JCG,
In a few months it will be 2 years that I have had a constant post nasal drip. Everyday it feels like a water hose in the back of my throat. It doesn't affect me like it does you. Mine just seems to drain and thats it. I don't have to clear my throat and I don't cough. Occasionally I seem to have a real bad coughing fit.
My father had the post nasal drip with coughing and throat clearing problem when he was my age and he believes allergy shots is what got him over it.
I have blocked sinuses and hopefully after I have surgery that will get rid of it.

Have you been allergy tested and taken allergy shots?

I've had post-nasal drip for, oh, about two years now. I've almost forgotten what it feels like to swallow and not have a gob of mucushanging around in the back of my throat! How gross!

I got so frustrated today, that I put in a search for chronic post nasal drip, and eventually I came across an aritcle about nasal irrigation. Then I did a search about "neti," which is a well-known practice in ayurvedic (sp?)/yoga circles, I found out. I used my measuring cup and had to help my nose conform to the shape of the spout so the water would flow in right, but I did it! And I got rid of all the junk in the back of my throat!!! It has been about 5 hours now, and I do feel better. I'm hoping that with some practice and a few days, that the back of my throat will also start to feel better. Time will tell, but I'm optimistic right now!

(Let me also say that in the past I have tried Claritin and Zyrtec, and they did not really help. And the nasal sprays, even the steroid ones, did not clear up this PND problem.)
wr

[This message has been edited by moderator2 (edited 10-03-2002).]

Sorry, Joan, I just reread your letter and now see that you already tried nasal irrigation... You know, when you start getting old, your eyes don't work either!
wr

Originally posted by TexasJeep:

chrissiek
Why did you keep going for so long if you got a reaction after each shot? Did they think you would adjust to it or get over it?

Dave[/B]

Hi Dave, sorry it took me so long to answer but I never got a response that someone read my post.

You got it. They kept having a reaction in one arm, so they switched arms to "avoid the hives" I got after every shot. After the first two shots (I was told by my new allergy doctor) they should've stopped, but then if they stopped, they would lose the money from the Insurance company.

Had I known I wasn't supposed to get this reaction every time, I would've stopped them. I wasn't educated enought about the shots and thought that it would get better. It didn't. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

I never saw the doctor - only the nurses that gave the shots and they thought nothing of the reactions. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

Christine.

Originally posted by joanl:
Does anyone suffer from relentless post nasal drip? For the past year I have suffered from this condition. It started after a cold but has never stopped. I have seen several doctors, been on several medications, and have tried nasal irrigation. Nothing has helped. Allergy testing showed only a slight reaction to dust. Nothing I do stops the drip which due to the constant swallowing, gagging, and coughing, is affecting my life. Is there anything out there that actually is effective against this condition. I need help.
Joan

The last week has been HORRIBLE for me and I'm not sure what to do. All this drainage is causing me to have tightness in the neck, if the wind blows on my neck, the tightness and irritation increases, I keep having to snuff back because it won't come out my nose, it feels like there is a lump in my neck (like the part where you could have a double chin) and I can't touch the skin around my neck because it's so sensitive.

I called my skin doctor today because the skin keeps feeling tight and my anxiety isn't helping it. THe ENT told me to get a hetti (sp?) pot to try to irrigate it. I'm going to purchase one tomorrow.

I don't know what more I can do. I was exposed to an extreme amount of molds (allergy testing showed I wasn't allergic to molds, but what if you're exposed 24/7 and have mono (immune system shot)?)

I've had this for a year, and I'm about at my wit's end. I can't wear anything around my neck, and now the wind is bothering it (doesn't help that winter is coming soon.) Anyone hear of something like this or know where I could get help? So far I've been to Rochester,NY (an hour outside of Buffalo) to see a thyroid doctor but it wasn't my thyroid. I'm thinking of going back to the occupational portion of the hospital because this could've been caused by something in the old files I worked with 8 hours per day, 5 days per week.

I don't know what else to do. http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/frown.gif

Christine.

This is gross, but what is your PND like when you cough it up?

When I cough up, which is usually late evening or early morning, mine is usually a clear-to-white fluid, usually pretty sticky, with little air bubbles in it. Sometimes it seems yellowish but it's only temporary.

In the mornings it feels like chest congestion, which is why I had been taking meds for chest congestion early on. But I'd been to the doctor and they said it was "trademark allergies" symptoms.

I tried Allegra-D, Claritin-D, Flonase, all worthless. I was on Nasalcrom for a while, an OTC nasal inhaler, but it was like $10 a pop and I lost the bottle. Oh well.

I find that it helps to keep the airway moist and drink water. At night, I am a big fan of...well, using the fan, and it dries me out and I cough up horribly in the morning. But if I don't use the fan, it still comes up, just less so.

Sometimes during the day I cough up something, but if my mind is distracted I usually don't.

Anyway, how can I get over this? It's approaching the anniversary since it started and I don't want to have to go for another prescription/visit.

What's effective? I've heard neti pots, irrigation (I had a large syringe to do that with but lost it!), what else is good?

Do my symptoms match yours?

does the rhinocort aqua cause u to have a dry cough, my doctor gave it to me, and i took it for 5 days and then i just stopped and now i have a dry cough