Poll: Are you satisfied with the results from your sinus surgery?

[Mimi1200]

I am getting closer to my sinus surgery date and I'm getting cold feet. Please share your experience with me......

[chigs489]

I had my surgery March 19th. Everything went smoothly, including the follow-up, where they clean the sinuses, etc.

However, the medication they gave me (Avelox) caused nerve damage in my elbows, wrists, and ankles (adverse reaction). It took 15 blood tests, 3 EMGs, and several physical exams to conclude that the Avelox was to blame -not happy at all about that! I later learned that there are thousands of people suffering from these ADRs (Levaquin, Cipro, etc)

So I go in last week to get scar tissue removed, and I refuse any additional steroids or antibiotics. Naturally, 2 days later, I develop a sinus infection. I'm now on Augmentin to clear that up -but I'm worried about the Prednisone. I'll see how I feel tomorrow.

I should say, however, that if you have structural problems with the nose, they should be corrected. But insist on Augmentin, and stay away from the quinolones (Levaquin, Avelox, Floxin, Cipro). Don't let any doctor tell you "it is extremely rare to get a bad side effect" -that's a bunch of b.s.

[Mabulok]

Originally Posted by Mimi1200

I am getting closer to my sinus surgery date and I'm getting cold feet. Please share your experience with me......

I too had surgury about a month and a half ago. It went well and the antibiotics given were Biaxin...no side effects. They drained my right sinus as well as increasing it's size to promote drainage and improved breathing. About 3 weeks following I was increasingly frustrated as the sinus pressure and pain that I went in for initially had not subsided, nor gotten any better for that matter. Had me on the usual clean sinus with saline, spray with decongestant, then steroid spray. Seems I was more congested using this routine than I was ever before! Sooooo, I decided to take matters under my own control and began doing extensive research, and stumbled upon a method of irrigating the sinus upside-down using a mixture of hydrogen peroxide, water, and saline. And to my amazement I finally found some relief. First week's irrigations I was getting some real gross stuff out-thought this was supposed to be removed with surgury...well I guess they missed it. Some research points to it being a fungus. Whatever it was, each time I expelled this crap I felt MUCH better. I've even found where some ENT's are actually doing the irrigation with a cather-type instrument and spraying the entire sinus cavaity with a saline solution to clean it. Now that's the type of treatment I would've like to have. More than likely I needed my sinuses enlarged to prevent another obstruction, but I sure would've like to have them cleaned thoroughly while they were in there Also, I asked my ENT if they found anything in the biopsy from the material removed. His reply: well...we didn't check it since we were removing everything anyway, and had you on antibiotics. Now what kind of garbage is that? Antibiotics are not the cure-all for everything that ails mankind. And I shure would've like to know if that stuff in me was infected, perhaps with a fungus or bacteria. It would've given us a starting point for further treatment since the surgury didn't relieve my sinus pressure!!!

Well, needless to say, if I am EVER recommended for surgury again, regardless of what it's for, I will definitely do a lot more research into finding those physicians on the cutting edge of science, and then make my decision with the information I have obtained. I just believe there are a lot more options for sufferers, and many more less invasive solutions to our problems that in fact may work better! Just some thoughts for you to keep in mind, and some probing questions to ask your physician BEFORE you have surgury...ie. a biopsy in NECESSARY, not an option. I hope I didn't scare you, I just think you should be informed...

[david23m]

Has anyone used tea tree oil?

[angmattoni]

I had sinus surgery several years ago and would never do it again. I should have listened to the others that had it done and noticed no difference. I wouldn't have cared because it was covered by insurance but I was lied to be the office when they said it would not be painful. Well it wasn't that bad until the packing was taken out. There was two pieces in each nostril that had to be removed so that was 4 different times of torture when they pulled them out. I felt a cracking or breaking sensation accoppanied by severe pain each time. My husband was there to support me and he almost passed out from watching it. Just make sure you know how they are going to pack your nose, etc...