 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
Medical Forum / Diseases and Disorders / Sinusitis / March 2006eternal post-nasal drip
"Eternal" as opposed to "chronic". "Chronic" just doesn't convey enough hopelessness. This feels truly eternal, undefeatable. PND started over 10 years ago. Gummy-sticky feeling at back of throat; constant feeling of drainage at, best I can feel, back of sinus passages. Constantly clearing throat, constantly swallowing. Simultaneous with onset: awful foul taste in back of mouth. Even the best chlorate/chloride mouth-washes offer only very temporary relief (Pro-Fresh, BreathRx). They say you can't smell your own bad breath, but, sorry, WRONG -- you can in certain circumstances. Sometimes it is as if a small animal has crawled down my throat and died there. I doubt involvement of any seasonal allergens. Condition persists regardless of climate or season. Persists regardless of geography, whether I am in the mountains of Vermont, in a desert in New Mexico, or standing in a swamp in Georgia (and I have spent weeks or months in all these locations or situations). I can't seem to find an ENT physician who will take this problem seriously enough, or seems competent enough in the first place. First ENT said I had a "9" deviated septum, on a scale of 1-10. My current ENT sees a only a mild DevSep, sees no polyps through simple visual, and saw nothing on recent CATscan. (Do polyps show up on CATscans?) He has not even mentioned a nasal endoscopy. He tried 2 different -- and very pricey -- prescription sprays: No change. Singulair, Rynex: No effect. Cortisone shot in buttocks: slight amelioration of discharge for a day or two, then nada. He seems to have a fixation on allergies. Wants to set me up for an allergy-shot program that will likely take several years. But expensive tests only showed medium-reactions to ragweed, pine and timothy, and weaker reactions to a few other pollens. No reaction to dustmites. I don't understand his rationale for this approach. I have told them to hold off on putting together any serum "mixes", as his assistant put it. [A disturbing note: through all four visits to this physician, he starts off asking me the exact same questions: "Are you exposed to any chemicals at work or at your worksites?", and a few others aling that line. Each time I respond the same: No, no, no, and no. If he asks me those same queries again (if I go there again), I'll ask him to check my file. If he says it's not there, I'll say "WELL HOW ABOUT WRITING SOME OF THIS DOWN, YOU D---A-- QUACK DOOFUS??" ] I have to find an ENT who knows what this is about, who knows what he's doing. Frankly, I am getting fed up with the whole profession. Suddenly, without warning, mitcheroo exclaimed (08-Mar-06 6:28 PM): > "Eternal" as opposed to "chronic". "Chronic" just doesn't convey > enough hopelessness. This feels truly eternal, undefeatable. [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] > I have to find an ENT who knows what this is about, who knows what he's > doing. Frankly, I am getting fed up with the whole profession. I very much suspect it's acid reflux. This can actually cause post-nasal drip (I know, it is with me!). The bad taste is pretty classic, as is the swallowing. Do you feel like there's a lump in your throat? Or like there's a sticky bit of mucus that just won't clear? All classic, and similar to my symptoms. Cough? Worse at night? I'd suggest you do some googling for GERD, and acid reflux, and see if you've got other symptoms. You could try some OTC meds and see if they help, but you probably should talk to your GP, or mention this possibility to your ENT. Maybe he's missing the forest for the trees. If you think it might be GERD, there's a ng for that too, alt.support.heartburn. Good luck! jmc > Suddenly, without warning, mitcheroo exclaimed (08-Mar-06 6:28 PM): > [quoted text clipped - 52 lines] > throat? Or like there's a sticky bit of mucus that just won't clear? > All classic, and similar to my symptoms. Cough? Worse at night? That's not what my ENT told me. He said that if you're coughing and spitting up discolored phlegm (yellow-green), that's not reflux, that's actual PND from sinusitis. (or from a cold if you just caught one). While you need lab tests to be sure, the color of the phlegm is a dead giveaway.  SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. >He has not even mentioned a nasal endoscopy. That shows that he is not up-to-date. Almost every ENT I have seen (at least 5 or 6) uses the endoscope on every visit. I would get a second opinion at a major University medical center from their most experienced sinus surgeon. You need to get the CTscan films (not just the report) and bring them along....... Welcome to my World!!! My ENT checked to see if GERD was my cause, but I've had PND forever and GERD for only a year or so, so it wasn't. However, I am on Prilosec, but it has not effect on the PND, only the GERD. I've also had surgery, which made it so I can breathe without taking tons of Sudafed, but no effect on the PND. The only thing that I have found to work is nasal irrigation, every day and night, ideally, or at least, every other day. I hate doing it, it takes a lot of time, it's messy, but it works! I use a mixture of salt, baking soda and Alkalol (http://www.alkalolcompany.com/) which works great. I also gargle with the Alkalol, but that really doesn't do very much. It's washing all the "drip" out of your sinuses that will do it. If you wash it all out, there's nothing left to drip. I have an old Waterpik with the Grossan tip and I usually do one tank per side each time. Good Luck. FYI, I buy Alkalol by the case online. It can range in price from $2 to over $5, so check out all the options for the best deal. Last time I ordered from Hocks.com and it was $2.95 per bottle. Also, I saved an old half gallon juice bottle and mix up a full bottle at a time, rather than just a tankful at a time. > PND started over 10 years ago. Gummy-sticky feeling at back of throat; > constant feeling of drainage at, best I can feel, back of sinus > passages. Constantly clearing throat, constantly swallowing. > "Eternal" as opposed to "chronic". "Chronic" just doesn't convey > enough hopelessness. This feels truly eternal, undefeatable. [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > but, sorry, WRONG -- you can in certain circumstances. Sometimes it is > as if a small animal has crawled down my throat and died there. Your best weapon against purulent post nasal drip is nasal irrigation. Try one of the better methods like Hydro Pulse or Sinus-Rinse (search the Internet for them). And when you irrigate, note carefully the color of whatever material you flush out of your sinuses. If it's discolored (yellow, green, brown, etc.), then you have some kind of sinus problem. And that's evidence for your ENT. Finally, find an ENT who will do a nasal endoscopy on you. The best diagnostic tool an ENT has is his own eyes. Good luck. SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. I had a brown discharge as a blew my nose in the shower (yuk) This was after I took Bi Yan Pian A few hours earlier. What does Brownish color meen? The Bi Yan Pian Only opens me up slightly. But it worked this time to the point that 3 large discharges came out. Very thick. gooey yuk. > I had a brown discharge as a blew my nose in the shower (yuk) This was > after I took Bi Yan Pian A few hours earlier. What does Brownish color > meen? My ENT would say it's an indication of infection (though only a culture can prove it for sure). SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. Having been a chronic sufferer for 15 years and now 10 years without, I can relate. What I discovered,a fter the ENT said "You can use that steriod spray the rest of your life or have an operation" and I chose neither, was that my sinusitis was related to my diet. I eliminated milk and chesse of all sorts, reduced and at tiem eliminated wheat and corn (and the gluten thereof) and have not had a sinus infection nor taken an antibotic since!!!! I, the one who had standing Rx's for pills and sprays, am not free of the same. When I don't watch what I eat or ever indulge I have the stuffy morning after blues. So my advice, eliminate milke, chesse and all dairy, stop the wheat and corn (sweeteners and filler) for 30 days and see if you have any changes in your infections and problems. If you are like me, you will be amazed and all your indigestion and stomach issues will disappear as well. Good Luck.....Tim in Phoenix >"Eternal" as opposed to "chronic". "Chronic" just doesn't convey >enough hopelessness. This feels truly eternal, undefeatable. [quoted text clipped - 44 lines] >I have to find an ENT who knows what this is about, who knows what he's >doing. Frankly, I am getting fed up with the whole profession. > Having been a chronic sufferer for 15 years and now 10 years without, I can > relate. What I discovered,a fter the ENT said "You can use that steriod [quoted text clipped - 9 lines] > will be amazed and all your indigestion and stomach issues will disappear as > well. I guess I'm not like you. I never ate dairy before developing sinusitis or after. I was tested for all manner of food allergies by a competent allergist and the results were all negative. What happened to me, unfortunately, isn't in the medical books. I became chronically ill after a severe allergic reaction to a flu shot I took in 1993. SignatureSteven D. Litvintchouk Email: sdlitvin@earthlinkNOSPAM.net Remove the NOSPAM before replying to me. Suddenly, without warning, Steven L. exclaimed (09-Mar-06 10:29 AM): >> Having been a chronic sufferer for 15 years and now 10 years without, >> I can [quoted text clipped - 26 lines] > became chronically ill after a severe allergic reaction to a flu shot I > took in 1993. Keep in mind though, that there are food allergies, and food intolerances. I'm not allergic to anything, but I've recently developed an intolerance to poultry, makes me bloat. I'm also intolerant of aspartame, gives me headaches. So I'd say it still might be worth a try. You could try eliminating one at a time, to see if any one thing is causing problems. I often read that dairy is implicated in thickening mucous, which would worsen sinus problems... jmc On Thu, 09 Mar 2006 16:45:18 +0000, jmc <NOnewsgroupsSPAM@NOjodiBODY.HOMEus> > I often read that dairy is implicated in >thickening mucous, which would worsen sinus problems... According to studies, there is no evidence for this and it is a myth (except in a few individuals with a specific allergy to milk protein). Most adults consume precious little dairy anyway..... |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2008 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.