The Swamp

I'm seeing a specialist in a couple weeks who's credentials read "Grand Valley State, 2018" which gives me the same confidence level.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 11:44 am I’ve been getting sinus headaches every day for about a month now. Taking Flonase and ibuprofen every day works, but I’m tired of it. Checked with my doc and he seems unworried.

I posted this over 4 months ago, on November 9th. Still getting regular sinus headaches. Awhile back, I got referred by my GP to the Ear/Nose/Throat specialist. After his initial suggestions didn't fix it, he had me get a CT scan, which showed complete "opacification" of my right sinus. Completely plugged. He suggested surgery.

Sooo... I'm going in to surgery today, leaving in about a half hour. The specialist is going in to my sinus to take out a couple very small "potato chip thin" bones, to allow air to flow into my sinuses. Complete anesthesia, but out-patient surgery, meaning I won't spend a night away from home. He said I should feel fine "in a week or two".

So, I got that going for me...

Jeez. Good luck, SC.

Good luck man

sancarlos wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 12:27 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 11:44 am I’ve been getting sinus headaches every day for about a month now. Taking Flonase and ibuprofen every day works, but I’m tired of it. Checked with my doc and he seems unworried.

I posted this over 4 months ago, on November 9th. Still getting regular sinus headaches. Awhile back, I got referred by my GP to the Ear/Nose/Throat specialist. After his initial suggestions didn't fix it, he had me get a CT scan, which showed complete "opacification" of my right sinus. Completely plugged. He suggested surgery.

Sooo... I'm going in to surgery today, leaving in about a half hour. The specialist is going in to my sinus to take out a couple very small "potato chip thin" bones, to allow air to flow into my sinuses. Complete anesthesia, but out-patient surgery, meaning I won't spend a night away from home. He said I should feel fine "in a week or two".

So, I got that going for me...

hope this doesn't impact your ability to launch a great snot rocket.

Shit he went from a rifle to double barreled shotgun!

Shoulda done more coke.

Good luck SC.

Sorry to hear this SC. Had my sinuses cleared a decade or so. It's a shitty night, that gets better with the meds.

Good luck, bud.

Rush2112 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 3:03 pm Sorry to hear this SC. Had my sinuses cleared a decade or so. It's a shitty night, that gets better with the meds.

I like to imagine Rush sitting around ...'WHY IS THERE SO MUCH AIR?!?!?!"

A_B wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 3:43 pm

Rush2112 wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 3:03 pm Sorry to hear this SC. Had my sinuses cleared a decade or so. It's a shitty night, that gets better with the meds.

I like to imagine Rush sitting around ...'WHY IS THERE SO MUCH AIR?!?!?!"

I wake up plugged up a lot during the winter and I certainly have felt this after blowing the nose out in the morning.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Mon Mar 14, 2022 12:27 pm

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Nov 09, 2021 11:44 am I’ve been getting sinus headaches every day for about a month now. Taking Flonase and ibuprofen every day works, but I’m tired of it. Checked with my doc and he seems unworried.

I posted this over 4 months ago, on November 9th. Still getting regular sinus headaches. Awhile back, I got referred by my GP to the Ear/Nose/Throat specialist. After his initial suggestions didn't fix it, he had me get a CT scan, which showed complete "opacification" of my right sinus. Completely plugged. He suggested surgery.

Sooo... I'm going in to surgery today, leaving in about a half hour. The specialist is going in to my sinus to take out a couple very small "potato chip thin" bones, to allow air to flow into my sinuses. Complete anesthesia, but out-patient surgery, meaning I won't spend a night away from home. He said I should feel fine "in a week or two".

So, I got that going for me...

I hope this turned out for the best! (One thing I’ve noticed as I’ve gotten older is I’m not breathing through my nostrils as easily as I once did)

Thanks guys. I’m home now. Three-hour surgery yesterday - one more than projected. Pretty sore right now, nose still bleeding, and sleeping most of the time. Vicodin helps. But, the surgeon told my wife that it went successfully.

Best wishes, sancarlos.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:22 am Thanks guys. I’m home now. Three-hour surgery yesterday - one more than projected. Pretty sore right now, nose still bleeding, and sleeping most of the time. Vicodin helps. But, the surgeon told my wife that it went successfully.

Feel better. I've been putting off surgery for a deviated septum, not sure if it's worth it.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:32 am

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:22 am Thanks guys. I’m home now. Three-hour surgery yesterday - one more than projected. Pretty sore right now, nose still bleeding, and sleeping most of the time. Vicodin helps. But, the surgeon told my wife that it went successfully.

Feel better. I've been putting off surgery for a deviated septum, not sure if it's worth it.

Buddy of mine had that surgery done two weeks ago. He's feeling better and says that his breathing is a lot clearer.

Caveat: He also hasn't smoked weed in two weeks, and he was at least 2 joints a day, so his recovery may have been sped along by that.

pruitt2 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:55 am

The Sybian wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:32 am

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:22 am Thanks guys. I’m home now. Three-hour surgery yesterday - one more than projected. Pretty sore right now, nose still bleeding, and sleeping most of the time. Vicodin helps. But, the surgeon told my wife that it went successfully.

Feel better. I've been putting off surgery for a deviated septum, not sure if it's worth it.

Buddy of mine had that surgery done two weeks ago. He's feeling better and says that his breathing is a lot clearer.

Caveat: He also hasn't smoked weed in two weeks, and he was at least 2 joints a day, so his recovery may have been sped along by that.

I've heard they've come up with a less barbaric surgery, inflating a balloon in the sinus cavity to expand it, rather than the surgery. A friend's description scared me off and it doesn't seem worth it. I get sinus congestion and headaches frequently, but using a neti pot or Tylenol Sinus prevents the 2 or 3 sinus infections a year I used to get.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 12:09 pm
I've heard they've come up with a less barbaric surgery, inflating a balloon in the sinus cavity to expand it, rather than the surgery. A friend's description scared me off and it doesn't seem worth it. I get sinus congestion and headaches frequently, but using a neti pot or Tylenol Sinus prevents the 2 or 3 sinus infections a year I used to get.

My sister (who gets nasty sinus infections) finally got the surgery after I've been pestering her for years and is so much better for it. I look at it as a shitty weekend vs. dealing with the sinus shit all the time and having to shoot water up your nose. As SC mentioned they give you painkillers so you sleep the weekend away anyway, which is good cause the wadding up your nose does suck. If they have to break your nose for a deviated septum or whatever, the splints aren't bad until late in the week when the splints start to itch...plus you get some gnarly boogers from the release and aftermath of the surgery. I had a mucus plug when I had my splints out that I swear was covering my brain. That first breath was heaven.

Rush2112 wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 12:17 pm

The Sybian wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 12:09 pm
I've heard they've come up with a less barbaric surgery, inflating a balloon in the sinus cavity to expand it, rather than the surgery. A friend's description scared me off and it doesn't seem worth it. I get sinus congestion and headaches frequently, but using a neti pot or Tylenol Sinus prevents the 2 or 3 sinus infections a year I used to get.

My sister (who gets nasty sinus infections) finally got the surgery after I've been pestering her for years and is so much better for it. I look at it as a shitty weekend vs. dealing with the sinus shit all the time and having to shoot water up your nose. As SC mentioned they give you painkillers so you sleep the weekend away anyway, which is good cause the wadding up your nose does suck. If they have to break your nose for a deviated septum or whatever, the splints aren't bad until late in the week when the splints start to itch...plus you get some gnarly boogers from the release and aftermath of the surgery. I had a mucus plug when I had my splints out that I swear was covering my brain. That first breath was heaven.

Rush: "You know how you've built up in your head an irrational fear of that surgery? It's not. It's actually worse, but man. It's worth it."

I had my deviated septum operation when I was in my late 20s and it was a total game changer. Went from 2 or 3 super debilitating sinus infections to one every 4 or 5 years. And, really, I don't remember the last time I had that truly put me down like they used to... God, those infections were horrible.

The Sybian wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 12:09 pm
I've heard they've come up with a less barbaric surgery, inflating a balloon in the sinus cavity to expand it, rather than the surgery. A friend's description scared me off and it doesn't seem worth it. I get sinus congestion and headaches frequently, but using a neti pot or Tylenol Sinus prevents the 2 or 3 sinus infections a year I used to get.

They put a stent in his nasals for a few days.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 11:22 am Thanks guys. I’m home now. Three-hour surgery yesterday - one more than projected. Pretty sore right now, nose still bleeding, and sleeping most of the time. Vicodin helps. But, the surgeon told my wife that it went successfully.

Of course, successful for you and successful for your wife may be different things.

Steve of phpBB wrote: ↑Tue Mar 15, 2022 4:22 pm Of course, successful for you and successful for your wife may be different things.

Heh heh.

Damnit, all this talk of sinus issues, and my sore throat moved into a sinus cold. Within a day or two of unmasking in school, my daughter came home with a major cold. I came down with it on Monday, thought I was getting better, now major sinus congestion. I think I'll avoid a full blown infection. Neti potted a minute ago, and there was an insane amount of mucus.

Its like everyone's repeating the first few months of daycare all over again.

… assuming the first few months of daycare includes stomach bug / norovirus or something like that.

I was just hit with the nasty cold/sinus shit. I mentioned I felt pretty bad on Friday, but after a good long nap, some OTC and herbal supplements I felt fine on Saturday and went to the concert. Felt fine for most of Sunday, but as I was cutting the grass my throat became sore and my head started draining. Felt OK to come to work on Monday then about 2 PM that day hit a wall. Stayed home for three days and until yesterday about 2, I could barely hold up my head for more than ten minutes. Just laid down for about 60 straight hours. No appetite, headache, sore throat. Took the home covid test and got a negative and docs said just kind of have to run it out. Feel OK enough to come in today.

That said, my wife had it a wek before me and is still dry coughing. So not a lot of fun around the homestead for a couple of weeks.

And I 100% think it's because for two whole years I actively avoided people and was careful about mask wearing. I think I had it before I got around 60,000 of my closest friends for the concert, but it's a bad strain around here for sure. Wife's whole office has had it to varying degrees and not a single person tested postivie for COVID so it really is just getting back to where the body has to work after not having to do so for so long.

That sounds a lot like my Covid pattern, especially starting with explosive sinuses, but I tested positive on Day 2 of symptoms (and again at an urgent care to confirm). Took my wife another 3 days to be positive. And that cough feels like its never going away. Just a part of what we do now.

So....after getting hit by a car on Saturday (see the random thoughts thread), I've felt mostly ok...sore, with some bruises on my hip. But then yesterday morning, I'm doing my standard morning back stretches, and when I do the "cat" part of the cat-cow stretch, everything starts to spin wildly. I closed my eyes and laid down, and it went away, but I felt "off" most of the rest of the day. I made a dr appt, and he said it was vertigo, and it happens sometimes, but it likely wasn't related to my fall (I did hit my head, but I was wearing a helmet, and the medics did a concussion check and said I looked ok).

But then...this morning...same thing...only the spinning sensation lasted longer this time.

Wondering if I need to make another doctors appointment...or just stop doing that one stretch.

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 6:50 pm So....after getting hit by a car on Saturday (see the random thoughts thread), I've felt mostly ok...sore, with some bruises on my hip. But then yesterday morning, I'm doing my standard morning back stretches, and when I do the "cat" part of the cat-cow stretch, everything starts to spin wildly. I closed my eyes and laid down, and it went away, but I felt "off" most of the rest of the day. I made a dr appt, and he said it was vertigo, and it happens sometimes, but it likely wasn't related to my fall (I did hit my head, but I was wearing a helmet, and the medics did a concussion check and said I looked ok).

But then...this morning...same thing...only the spinning sensation lasted longer this time.

Wondering if I need to make another doctors appointment...or just stop doing that one stretch.

Henny Youngman has a recommendation

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 6:50 pm So....after getting hit by a car on Saturday (see the random thoughts thread), I've felt mostly ok...sore, with some bruises on my hip. But then yesterday morning, I'm doing my standard morning back stretches, and when I do the "cat" part of the cat-cow stretch, everything starts to spin wildly. I closed my eyes and laid down, and it went away, but I felt "off" most of the rest of the day. I made a dr appt, and he said it was vertigo, and it happens sometimes, but it likely wasn't related to my fall (I did hit my head, but I was wearing a helmet, and the medics did a concussion check and said I looked ok).

But then...this morning...same thing...only the spinning sensation lasted longer this time.

Wondering if I need to make another doctors appointment...or just stop doing that one stretch.

Tell your doc it happened again, though he will likely tell you to stop with the exercises so that your body can properly heal.

There are muscles in your neck that if they get swollen you can lose your sight (temporarily)...

Some of the crystals in your inner ear may have gotten knocked loose in the crash, which can cause vertigo when you move your head in odd ways.

(It took me several months and a trip to a neurologist to figure this out when it happened to me.)

If that is the case, it can be cured by the Epley maneuver. Apparently people can do the Epley maneuver on their own, but if it's not done right, it can make things worse. If it gets to that point, I'd have a physical therapist do it.

Vertigo is no joke. Ruined a good friend's vacation. But he did mention the epley maneuver when he was trying to get over it.

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Tue Aug 16, 2022 6:50 pm So....after getting hit by a car on Saturday (see the random thoughts thread), I've felt mostly ok...sore, with some bruises on my hip. But then yesterday morning, I'm doing my standard morning back stretches, and when I do the "cat" part of the cat-cow stretch, everything starts to spin wildly. I closed my eyes and laid down, and it went away, but I felt "off" most of the rest of the day. I made a dr appt, and he said it was vertigo, and it happens sometimes, but it likely wasn't related to my fall (I did hit my head, but I was wearing a helmet, and the medics did a concussion check and said I looked ok).

But then...this morning...same thing...only the spinning sensation lasted longer this time.

Wondering if I need to make another doctors appointment...or just stop doing that one stretch.

Go see a chiropractor. I see that all the time after whiplash. Even if your not having typical symptoms of whiplash, it's most likely you do. Also whiplash symptoms can sometimes take several weeks before the symptoms of pain can manifest.

Gout! Son-of-a-bitch...

My prescription ran out for allopurinol...and when I put in for the refill, the doc said I needed to come in for a checkup. Unfortunately, I was going out of town for 10 days, so didn't get a refill before I left.

And sure enough, the joint on my right big toe hurts and is stiff and swollen...just nasty stuff.

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 11:56 am Gout! Son-of-a-bitch...

My prescription ran out for allopurinol...and when I put in for the refill, the doc said I needed to come in for a checkup. Unfortunately, I was going out of town for 10 days, so didn't get a refill before I left.

And sure enough, the joint on my right big toe hurts and is stiff and swollen...just nasty stuff.

Weird. I associate gout with old, fat, sedentary guys. Yet, you are this active biker and sailor, and I … haven’t gotten it yet.

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:17 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 11:56 am Gout! Son-of-a-bitch...

My prescription ran out for allopurinol...and when I put in for the refill, the doc said I needed to come in for a checkup. Unfortunately, I was going out of town for 10 days, so didn't get a refill before I left.

And sure enough, the joint on my right big toe hurts and is stiff and swollen...just nasty stuff.

Weird. I associate gout with old, fat, sedentary guys. Yet, you are this active biker and sailor, and I … haven’t gotten it yet.

Dave is a gourmand though, so it is probably from his refined diet of indulgent foods. (orange font)

sancarlos wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 12:17 pm

DaveInSeattle wrote: ↑Wed Oct 19, 2022 11:56 am Gout! Son-of-a-bitch...

My prescription ran out for allopurinol...and when I put in for the refill, the doc said I needed to come in for a checkup. Unfortunately, I was going out of town for 10 days, so didn't get a refill before I left.

And sure enough, the joint on my right big toe hurts and is stiff and swollen...just nasty stuff.

Weird. I associate gout with old, fat, sedentary guys. Yet, you are this active biker and sailor, and I … haven’t gotten it yet.

It runs in my family. My father gets it bad...