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Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Sinusitis / November 2005alcohol and chronic sinusitus
Hello, My name is Alex Boryszewski and I am 21 years old. I am in college and go to a university and have a question regarding alcohol and chronic sinusitis. I will briefly update you on my story.....Doctors found nasal polyps in both sinusis a couple years ago and I had surgery two august's ago and about 7 months later the polyps returned, I had surgery this past august and two months later the polyps were back. I was put on oral steroids for about 4 weeks to shrink them and i just finished my steroids and I am feeling great. The problem with steroids is that I have already been on them too much and it is dangerous to be on prendisone for too long. My question comes regarding the fact that in the past few years when I drink alcohol it seems my problems get worst, even to the affect that i started to think alchol could be creating a lot of my chronic problems. After talking to my doctor we decided I needed to stop drinking beer and wine. I asked him about liquor and he said it could effect me too. Whiskey and Rum, I noticed, caused the same problems, but they also have some of the same ingrediants as beer and wine. Being at college and being in a social fraternity has caused me to be depressed being the only one that doesnt drink. It has been pretty hard not to but I do understand that my health is more important so I havent touched a drop for over a month and a half. I was wondering if anyoen can give me input on their experience with this and if they have any advice on if there is any type of alcohol I can drink that would not cause my problems. I know every case is different but I am just curious on other's experience regarding this subject. Sorry for the long letter but I hope many will reply. Thank you very much, Alex > My question comes regarding the fact that in the past few years when I > drink alcohol it seems my problems get worst, even to the affect that i [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > this and if they have any advice on if there is any type of alcohol I > can drink that would not cause my problems. It's the ethyl alcohol itself that is known to worsen sinusitis, by both swelling the nasal and sinus membranes, and by acting as a diuretic, resulting in drying out the nasal passages. Though the sulfites and congeners in whiskey and wine can be even worse. Not recommended for anyone with sinus problems. If you absolutely have to drink some alcoholic beverage, try vodka--it's just alcohol and water without a lot of other crap in it, so it's the least objectionable drink I can think of. Some brands are purer than others. A pure vodka, without any congeners, should be tasteless (and nearly hangover free). If you don't like tasteless drinks, put some orange juice in it and mix yourself a Screwdriver. And when you drink an alcoholic beverage, always drink a LOT of water as well. You want to make sure that the diuretic effect of the alcohol doesn't dehydrate you and dry out your nasal passages.  SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. Thank you for your reply and you seem knowledgeable on the situation. I have a question for you if you dont mind answering, if you know. Is the cogeners the main thing that would be causing my membrane to swell and worstening the sinusitis? Thanks, alex > Thank you for your reply and you seem knowledgeable on the situation. > I have a question for you if you dont mind answering, if you know. Is > the cogeners the main thing that would be causing my membrane to swell > and worstening the sinusitis? No. As I said, it's the alcohol itself. The congeners, sulfites and other ingredients may make that even worse, if you're sensitive to those ingredients. But alcohol itself swells the nasal passages and dries them out by acting as a diuretic. That's why alcoholic beverages of any kind should be avoided if you have sinusitis. Vodka is nearly pure alcohol and water. So at least you won't have to worry about your nose reacting to sulfites or congeners. And if you drink a lot of water with it, you can prevent the drying effect caused by alcohol's diuretic effect. So if you absolutely must have an alcoholic beverage, watered-down vodka is your best bet. SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. >> Thank you for your reply and you seem knowledgeable on the situation. >> I have a question for you if you dont mind answering, if you know. Is [quoted text clipped - 12 lines] > by alcohol's diuretic effect. So if you absolutely must have an > alcoholic beverage, watered-down vodka is your best bet. Yabbut, some of us drink for pleasure, not for a buzz. I drink red wine, occasionally, sometimes semi regularly. It's good for my lipids and blood sugar and I like it. Why can't I just drink extra water when I have wine, to compensate for any drying? Susan > Yabbut, some of us drink for pleasure, not for a buzz. Sure. But I assume that the original poster and his college frat brothers are looking to get buzzed on Saturday nite. > I drink red wine, occasionally, sometimes semi regularly. It's good for > my lipids and blood sugar and I like it. Don't they sell non-alcoholic wines in your locale? They're sold in my area but I don't buy them. > Why can't I just drink extra water when I have wine, to compensate for > any drying? You can. But I think that alcohol is not just a diuretic. It can also cause the blood vessels to dilate, which in turn can cause the nasal passages to swell. (It's the dilation effect that causes a flushed face when you drink enough alcohol. Afrin works by being a vasoconstrictor--opposite effect.) Drinking water will alleviate the diuretic effect but not the dilation effect. Since you've said you don't need the buzz, you might try non-alcoholic wines. SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. > Sure. But I assume that the original poster and his college frat > brothers are looking to get buzzed on Saturday nite. Okay. > Don't they sell non-alcoholic wines in your locale? They're sold in my > area but I don't buy them. I'm not drinking it only for the medicinal properties, I like to drink *good* wine. > You can. But I think that alcohol is not just a diuretic. It can also > cause the blood vessels to dilate, which in turn can cause the nasal > passages to swell. (It's the dilation effect that causes a flushed face > when you drink enough alcohol. I'd fall over dead before I could drink enough alchohol to flush my face red. Half a glass puts me away. I guess that means I never drink "enough alchohol." :-) > Afrin works by being a > vasoconstrictor--opposite effect.) Drinking water will alleviate the > diuretic effect but not the dilation effect. I haven't noticed a problem with stuffiness. I am having sinus trubs again, but that seems to be the result of a cold. > Since you've said you don't need the buzz, you might try non-alcoholic > wines. I doubt I'd be enjoying them and I think the half glass I'm capable of drinking on the sporadic occasions I have wine will do much damage to my sinus (I have one troublesome one, right ethmoid). Good tip about extra water, though. Susan What vodka is tasteless? I would like 1-2 shots some days. But I must be buying junk. Any certain brands without being taken for spam. Thanks. One thing I learned is stay away from wine. It clogs me up. Beer seems ok. Let me know. Thanks > What vodka is tasteless? I would like 1-2 shots some days. But I must be > buying junk. Any certain brands without being taken for spam. Thanks. > One thing I learned is stay away from wine. It clogs me up. Beer seems > ok. Let me know. Thanks Vodka is supposed to be tasteless. You'll have to ask why and for the best brand in alt.culture.true-russian.alcoholics. Hey yeah I'm a 22 year old college sutdent mslelf and I had the same problem with drinking. I just last week and my last endoscopic sinus surgery (hopefully) and while I'm breathing better, I'm afraid to take a drink. From what I'm reading on this post, a really good screwdriver is my best bet? > Hey yeah I'm a 22 year old college sutdent mslelf and I had the same > problem with drinking. I just last week and my last endoscopic sinus > surgery (hopefully) and while I'm breathing better, I'm afraid to take > a drink. From what I'm reading on this post, a really good screwdriver > is my best bet? Right now, you shouldn't drink anything alcoholic at least until your sinuses have healed. Sinus surgery isn't like having your gall bladder removed. After the surgery your sinuses undergo a long healing process that can take months. Try not to do anything to disrupt that process: Avoid alcohol; wash your hands frequently to avoid catching colds; don't go swimming; etc. SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. Thanks my doc did not say that it could take months to heal. Man I would have screwed them right back up on New Years lol > Hello, > [quoted text clipped - 32 lines] > > Alex Your story sounds exactly like mine. I don't drink excessively but like a beer or two on the weekends. I had to totally stop because it was a severe allergic reaction. Then I read that taking acidophilis could help. I popped anywhere from 4 to 16 capsules a day for several months. My sinusitis got better but not perfect. I decided to try beer again and had no reaction. I'm drinking an Anchor Steam as I type. No lie.
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