Who has had sinus surgery before?

[travelbug]

For any who have had sinus surgery before, please tell me about your recovery time. What was it like, how much work did you miss, etc.

TIA!

 

[RNMOM]

I had bilateral ethmoidectomies. They made the opening to my ethmoid and frontal sinuses larger, actually the right one was blocked. It was done by laser and I was heavily sedated but somewhat aware. It was pretty simple other than some pressure and a moderate headache. I needed the nasal sling for drainage for just a day and the packing came out in a couple weeks after.

I think I had surgery on Monday and had family over for dinner on Friday. I had to take a week off from work but don't remember many other restrictions. I didn't use much of the major pain killers. I changed to motrin and was fine.

Does this help?

 

[Beca]

I had some polyps removed and my sinused "scraped" or whatever they do to clean them. I felt AMAZING from the moment I woke up. I could breathe SOO much better!! I left the hospital in a few hours, and had virtually no recovery time.

I guess it depends on what they are doing to you.

Good luck!!!

 

[james'mommy]

I'm not sure what exactly I had done. The nurse at the doctor's office said they did about 8 procedures. My septum was so deviated that it was pushed against the other side of my nose. I had the procedure done on a Wednesday and was supposed to go back to work on Monday. I had my packing taken out on Monday and my sinuses vaccumed out. It was pretty painful so I ended up not going to work that day. Overall the recovery wasn't that bad. The results are wonderful. The only bad thing is that my nose will start dripping snot pretty suddenly every once in a while.

 

[Minniemama350]

I had 4 procedures done, inluding deviated septum and scraping. Recovered for about 1 week. I was on vacation that week anyway. Take the lortab before they take out the splint and it isn't so bad. My doc told me to do that. I have since talked to others whose doc didn't tell them that(they wished they had). The hardest part wa going outside in cld weather. It felt like someone stuck a fork up my nose!I would avoid winter if possible. Very happy with the results.

 

[luvwinnie]

I had deviated septum done 20 years ago and I can't remember much about it except how much better I felt afterwards. 10 yrs ago I had pertty much a cleaning out of scar tissue and it pretty much cured my sinus headaches. I had it on a Wed., Got the packing out next day I think and then went to work Fri. The packing is the worst part. Hard to breathe through your mouth all the time.

 

[justhat]

I had sinus surgery in 2002, deviated septum, enlarged passages to ethmoid and maxillary sinuses, and something else I forget. Surgery was Monday afternoon, I was fine Tuesday. I didn't have any packing, which I hear can make the recovery a bit longer, and relatively no pain, other than throat pain from the intubation. I did have pain meds, but after a day or so didn't need them at all.

 

[Where'sPiglet?]

Not the OP, but how did you decide to get this done? Was it multiple sinus headaches or sinus infections? I have sinus headaches almost every day but was told it's not infections, but it's because of where I live and I have allergies and there is nothing I can do. I don't believe it.

For what it's worth, I have had sinus headaches while living in three different regions/climates of the U.S. and I rarely am given antibiotics for it. I did go to an ENT once, on a day I felt good (and was kind of upset I felt so good on the day I was at the ENT...thought it was pointless if I wasn't sick), and was told my sinuses were all inflamed. I wonder what they'd look like on the days I'm literally dizzy from the sinus pressure.

 

[justhat]

I had chronic sinus infections and after a year with my ENT, prescribing me 1 antibiotic after another, decided it was time for surgery. In my case it was allergy related initially, but grew to be more than that.

 

[dejr_8]

I had 4 procedures done, inluding deviated septum and scraping. Recovered for about 1 week. I was on vacation that week anyway. Take the lortab before they take out the splint and it isn't so bad. My doc told me to do that. I have since talked to others whose doc didn't tell them that(they wished they had). The hardest part wa going outside in cld weather. It felt like someone stuck a fork up my nose!I would avoid winter if possible. Very happy with the results.

What was the splint for?

 

[travelbug]

Thanks everyone! I appreciate hearing your different experiences.

My situation is that the surgeon will fix my badly deviated septum, clean out the infection (he says it's significant according to the CT scans), and also do a bit of exploratory surgery. The scan shows the left half of my head to be almost completely impacted with the infection.

He said a week to recover, possibly two depending on how it goes and what he finds.

Were you guys miserable with the packing in? That's the part that sounds awful. Other than that, I'm looking forward to being free of sinus headaches, constant congestion, etc. It's been years of this, but it's gotten pretty bad lately.

Thanks again for all of your replies.

 

[HOGFAN]

after multiple broken noses(tomboy) I had mine fixed at age 16. Constant headaches, deviated septum. I think they told me they put in 'window' which I think means they just drilled extra drainage holes or made them bigger. The packing wasnt that bad till the doctor took it out. Man, talk about painful.

 

[Golf4food]

I don't remember exactly what it was called but I had sinus surgery when I was 13 due to chronic sinus infections - basically there were cysts and pollyps blocking all but one or two of my sinus cavities so they couldn't drain properly. They removed those and also did some minor correction for my deviated septum. I had to have the packing for three days, change the gauze, would bleed if I tipped my head forward so spent most of that time in a recliner at a 45 degree angle, it hurt to laugh. But after those few days it was much better and I went from having a near constant sinus infection year round to getting just one every year or two like a normal person. I still have some issues and would like to have the deviated septum fixed the rest of the way - I'll see an ENT about it someday.

But if you need surgery GET IT DONE. I'm sure they are much better now - more laser use, faster recovery, less bleeding. Mine was mostly done the old fashioned way from what I remember; it was in the early 90s.

 

[KPeveler]

Did you get a second opinion? i had one dr say he wanted to do complicated surgery on me, and a second dr said that i did not need it...

I just say this because it turns out that it would have done a lot more damage than good, because the first dr was not fully aware of my condition...

If i had the surgery i would have been a couple weeks before i could do anything real... just to give you an idea of my experience...

 

[stevenpensacola]

I had sinus surgery quite a few years back...was plagued with sinus infections...cannot say that the surgery really made an improvement in that regards. Recovery was not really painful, but just uncomfortable for a few days.

About 3 years ago, I started using a sinus rinse

http://www.sinucleanse.com/

whenever I began to feel congested. Using this rinse has really made a difference. Doctor visits for sinus infections have pretty much been eliminated. It's amazing how much stuff the rinse will remove...and how much better you instantly feel.

 

[Explodo]

I had the deviated septum...and narrow sinus passages...and a Pre Cancerous polyp about the size of a golf ball in my right cheek sinus.

They did all the work in one surgery. Woke up with my face packed full of sponges...and two strings hanging out on my Snout. I had to keep the packing in for a weekend. It was horrible in that I bled a significant amount and the sponges expanded...I thought my face was going to explode...hurt so bad. NO telling how much blood went down the back of my throat.

Got the sponges and splint out after 4 days (It was brutal) It was like some kind of wierd clown car...I couldn't believe how large the spnges were...and how long the splints were.

Took about 2 weeks for things to quit bleeding completely. Had to do the sinus wash thing twice a day...always bled like mad for about 20 minutes after each wash.

But I will say this...it was worth it a hundred times over. I'd do it again in a heartbeat. Plus they got all the cancerous parts out of me.

 

[Callie]

I had sinus surgery when I was in 8th grade. They took bone that was blocking my sinuses from draining out, along with shaving down my nose? (it still ooks the same, but he did some work to it). Sadly, a few months later, (and only 2 days after my shoulder operation) I found out the surgery didn't hold right, and I had to have it again. The second time he put a splint in. So MAKE SURE TO HAVE A SPLINT! I would never want to have one again. I was out almost 2 weeks for each one because of the blood and junk draining from my nose, and the pain.

 

[dismom2]

I did, and I think I was off for a week. The worst part for me was trying to sleep with the packing up my nose, as it's difficult for me to breath through my mouth only. It was very uncomfortable having it removed, and having the surgean stick some thing up and down my nose. But, it wasn't unbarable.

 

[Minniemama350]

My splint was for the septum repair. Not much to it. A piece of plastic similar in sizeto a bandaid. Taking it out would have been interestin w/o meds though.