Sinusitis FAQ

Surgery looming :/ (long)

Question:

Hello… I have had polypectomy & ethmoidectomy performed twice.  Once with the conventional surgery and 5 years later with endoscopic micro-surgery.  The first surgery was miserable–long post-op and painful.  The technique was so primitive that  when the second surgeon examined me five years later, he asked if I had ever used cocaine ( I hadn’t).  I was lucky enough to find one of the pioneers of the endoscopic techniques, Dr. Stankiewicz at Loyola University Medical Center in the Chicago.  He performed the procedure on an outpatient basis, and I returned to work in a couple of days.  Unlike the first surgery there was minimal swelling & pain, and no  endless trail of packing to be removed (just a couple of stents to keep passages open).  If your doctor uses modern techniques, you should do well.  Just avoid the Caldwell-Luc procedure! Good Luck! – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -E. Upchurch wrote: > I have following this ng for a while now, getting that much needed support > from knowing I’m not alone in this.  Now my fears have been confirmed and > I’m a bit worried.  I’m trying to keep my sense of humor in check – so > please read this with a smile. > After 6 years of chronic infections, pain, etc.  In Feb. I had what I can > only describe as an "attack" like a migraine in my left cheek.  All my sinus > trouble has been left side oriented.  And like so many of you I have gone > through the gauntlet of "it’s an infection, take these pills…".  Also, > "it’s allergies… take these other pills…". > After the Feb nightmare, I went to an ENT here (San Jose, CA where I just > moved to from the east coast), did the ct scan.  Somehow it’s comforting to > know for a fact that there is a legitimate problem and it’s not "all in my > head" (sorry for the pun) . > I have the ‘dreaded’ fungal sinusitis, polyps (on a funny note: anyone have > fungus and polyps and notice the polyps look like little nose-mushrooms?) > , a ‘mass’ in my left max. and a triple than normal bone density around > the left cavities which they believe is due to all the years of infection. >  I have no more drainage up through the top because of this and none > through the bottom because my septum is (guess what, big suprise here…) > deviated to the left. > My ent (who is also certified in facial surgery) sent me to Stanford > Medical’s sinus clinic because he didn’t know what to do :/.  Due to a > previous surgery I had in 1986 (not sinus related), I have screws up through > the bones of my cheeks which make getting into my face a bit problematic. > This also may be what some of the problems are stemming from. > I go in March 23rd, though they haven’t yet decided how they are going to > get to the sinus.  Battery of visits are coming up next week for more scans > and consults.  They have me on a week of prednisone and 3 weeks of levaquin > (thank god it’s not augmentin anymore).  At this point I do not many > questions – other than wanting to know how bad the post op will be.  Since > there is no way knowing yet how they are going in – no one can tell me what > to expect.  (though the Dr did say I could look forward to looking like a > train hit me in the face) . > What I find truly funny is that the scans showed my right side drainage > opening is double in size than ‘normal’ (which they called a possible birth > defect – I call it a gods send) and explains my lack of problems on the > right side. > So, though I had hoped maybe irrigation or laser would be my path – after > seeing my scans I do believe surgery is my only option at this point.  I’m > not looking forward to it but if any of you have had this done (polyps, > mass removed, septum straightened, scooped out, etc) I would like to hear > about your post op.  Especially if there was anything you know now (to make > yourself more comfortable) that you wish you knew then.  I understand > surgery hasn’t worked on a lot of people – I’m keeping my fingers crossed. > Thank you for listening, > Elizabeth > For email use: betast…@clanoski.com

Response:

 Hi Elizabeth, Sorry to here you are having so much trouble.  I hope this surgery will at least help with some drainage.  I have had 4 surgeries, the last one was in 1/99.  I felt the most improvement from this surgery.  I had less post op problems.  I had polyps removed and my sphenoid sinus opened.  I am not tryin to scare you, I think surgery sounds like your best bet.  I was also told that i would look like I was beaten up but I only bruised slightly, depends on the surgery and the person.  Please let me know how things go.  You will be in my prayers.  Also, the best thing to do for releief after surgery is sinus irrigation. Good luck, Chris H. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text -E. Upchurch wrote: > I have following this ng for a while now, getting that much needed support > from knowing I’m not alone in this.  Now my fears have been confirmed and > I’m a bit worried.  I’m trying to keep my sense of humor in check – so > please read this with a smile. > After 6 years of chronic infections, pain, etc.  In Feb. I had what I can > only describe as an "attack" like a migraine in my left cheek.  All my sinus > trouble has been left side oriented.  And like so many of you I have gone > through the gauntlet of "it’s an infection, take these pills…".  Also, > "it’s allergies… take these other pills…". > After the Feb nightmare, I went to an ENT here (San Jose, CA where I just > moved to from the east coast), did the ct scan.  Somehow it’s comforting to > know for a fact that there is a legitimate problem and it’s not "all in my > head" (sorry for the pun) . > I have the ‘dreaded’ fungal sinusitis, polyps (on a funny note: anyone have > fungus and polyps and notice the polyps look like little nose-mushrooms?) > , a ‘mass’ in my left max. and a triple than normal bone density around > the left cavities which they believe is due to all the years of infection. >  I have no more drainage up through the top because of this and none > through the bottom because my septum is (guess what, big suprise here…) > deviated to the left. > My ent (who is also certified in facial surgery) sent me to Stanford > Medical’s sinus clinic because he didn’t know what to do :/.  Due to a > previous surgery I had in 1986 (not sinus related), I have screws up through > the bones of my cheeks which make getting into my face a bit problematic. > This also may be what some of the problems are stemming from. > I go in March 23rd, though they haven’t yet decided how they are going to > get to the sinus.  Battery of visits are coming up next week for more scans > and consults.  They have me on a week of prednisone and 3 weeks of levaquin > (thank god it’s not augmentin anymore).  At this point I do not many > questions – other than wanting to know how bad the post op will be.  Since > there is no way knowing yet how they are going in – no one can tell me what > to expect.  (though the Dr did say I could look forward to looking like a > train hit me in the face) . > What I find truly funny is that the scans showed my right side drainage > opening is double in size than ‘normal’ (which they called a possible birth > defect – I call it a gods send) and explains my lack of problems on the > right side. > So, though I had hoped maybe irrigation or laser would be my path – after > seeing my scans I do believe surgery is my only option at this point.  I’m > not looking forward to it but if any of you have had this done (polyps, > mass removed, septum straightened, scooped out, etc) I would like to hear > about your post op.  Especially if there was anything you know now (to make > yourself more comfortable) that you wish you knew then.  I understand > surgery hasn’t worked on a lot of people – I’m keeping my fingers crossed. > Thank you for listening, > Elizabeth > For email use: betast…@clanoski.com

Response:

I have following this ng for a while now, getting that much needed support from knowing I’m not alone in this.  Now my fears have been confirmed and I’m a bit worried.  I’m trying to keep my sense of humor in check – so please read this with a smile. After 6 years of chronic infections, pain, etc.  In Feb. I had what I can only describe as an "attack" like a migraine in my left cheek.  All my sinus trouble has been left side oriented.  And like so many of you I have gone through the gauntlet of "it’s an infection, take these pills…".  Also, "it’s allergies… take these other pills…". After the Feb nightmare, I went to an ENT here (San Jose, CA where I just moved to from the east coast), did the ct scan.  Somehow it’s comforting to know for a fact that there is a legitimate problem and it’s not "all in my head" (sorry for the pun) . I have the ‘dreaded’ fungal sinusitis, polyps (on a funny note: anyone have fungus and polyps and notice the polyps look like little nose-mushrooms?) , a ‘mass’ in my left max. and a triple than normal bone density around the left cavities which they believe is due to all the years of infection.  I have no more drainage up through the top because of this and none through the bottom because my septum is (guess what, big suprise here…) deviated to the left. My ent (who is also certified in facial surgery) sent me to Stanford Medical’s sinus clinic because he didn’t know what to do :/.  Due to a previous surgery I had in 1986 (not sinus related), I have screws up through the bones of my cheeks which make getting into my face a bit problematic. This also may be what some of the problems are stemming from. I go in March 23rd, though they haven’t yet decided how they are going to get to the sinus.  Battery of visits are coming up next week for more scans and consults.  They have me on a week of prednisone and 3 weeks of levaquin (thank god it’s not augmentin anymore).  At this point I do not many questions – other than wanting to know how bad the post op will be.  Since there is no way knowing yet how they are going in – no one can tell me what to expect.  (though the Dr did say I could look forward to looking like a train hit me in the face) . What I find truly funny is that the scans showed my right side drainage opening is double in size than ‘normal’ (which they called a possible birth defect – I call it a gods send) and explains my lack of problems on the right side. So, though I had hoped maybe irrigation or laser would be my path – after seeing my scans I do believe surgery is my only option at this point.  I’m not looking forward to it but if any of you have had this done (polyps, mass removed, septum straightened, scooped out, etc) I would like to hear about your post op.  Especially if there was anything you know now (to make yourself more comfortable) that you wish you knew then.  I understand surgery hasn’t worked on a lot of people – I’m keeping my fingers crossed. Thank you for listening, Elizabeth For email use: betast…@clanoski.com

Response:

Filed under: Sphenoid sinusitis

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