is there a doctor in the house??

[sorcamc]

Please help me! I live at Sea Level. The 3rd week of Jan went to Tahoe, Amazing- loved it, little altitude adjustment/headaches, but nothing major. it was SO dry though that I had a hard time sleeping bc I felt like my nostrils were burning. I started having nose bleeds there from the dryness, but nothing crazy...just bloody boogies/snots that I'd blow- not like heavy bleeds. They lasted a few days after return. Then a few days later, I started with a super dry hacking cough that wouldn't go away and sinus pressure/cold type symptoms. Took OTC meds for a week, but with a trip to Breck coming up decided to go to Urgent care. They told me I had an ear infix and prescribed antibiotic, steroid, inhaler, and a cough numbing med...she said, get the sinuses fixed before you travel. That was a Monday, travel was Saturday. Felt GREAT for travel....Great trip, (aside from some altitude sickness at beginning and ears started feeling full/heavy/clogged, but not painful)

Flew home last Friday. Told hubby my right ear felt clogged still and was gonna make appt with ENT. Well, Sunday AM I woke up and felt like Id been punched in the nose..My nose was so swollen! The left side only, but God my nose was huge. It isnt stuffed up, but literally looks like I broke it. My ENT appt isnt for a month. Wondering if I should go to Urgent Care? like, WHAT could cause my nose to swell up so much? i'm taking anti-inflammatories, Neti Pot, Mucinex, Flonase and it goes down a bit, but still super tender to the touch. Could this be as simple as an altitude change? Was I abducted by aliens for a medieval lobotomy? Im curious if anyone has been thru similar and also if I should go to urgent care/derm? I dont want my nose to stay deformed!

 

[shadoj]

Not a doc, but I'd go see your doc / Urgent Care sooner than a month out. Could be still clogged up and/or have a lingering sinus infection. If it's causing you pain/discomfort and/or affecting your quality of life / sleep despite typical OTC symptom remedies... go get things checked out ASAP!

Feel better soon!

 

[sorcamc]

Thank you. I think I will go to derm tomorrow. I can usually get in same day and it's my face..thinking it may be cellulitis or staph infx. Im sure he will have an idea- or at least know where to direct me.

 

[Iwannaski]

All the health systems have HUGE lags. If you go to urgent care, they can probably get you in to ENT consult sooner. I have a mole my primary care physician is worried about. She told me to call a regional derm provider instead of staying in the hospital network because it’s a SIX MONTH WAIT for the derm.

In your case, absolutely sooner rather than later. There’s a lot of complexity in our heads and if you have an infection, it needs addressing.

It sounds really uncomfortable, I’m so sorry.

 

[sorcamc]

thank you, and YES, the medical system is a mess! At least I dont need a pulmonologist..they are like MONTHS out..Def dont ignore problematic mole <3

 

[Chuyi]

Without seeing what u describe its hard to tell. Guessing one of the area that bled in your nose got infected. It's a good thing you can use the neti pot. Make sure that your neti pot has been disinfected (boil it). Make sure you use boiled/sterile water for the saline solution. The hard part is to flush your nose with a quart of saline solution each time & do it at least twice a day. Below is the link to the formula 4 saline solution. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/rinsing-your-sinuses-neti-pots-safe
Most of your symptoms in CO were due to the very dry air made worse by Central heat. The nose swells 2 try humidify the membranes. U describe ur cough as dry. Next time I suggest u get an ultrasonic humidifier add $40 to ur trip cheaper than urgent care (Pure Enrichment® MistAire™ Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier)

 

[sorcamc]

Without seeing what u describe its hard to tell. Guessing one of the area that bled in your nose got infected. It's a good thing you can use the neti pot. Make sure that your neti pot has been disinfected (boil it). Make sure you use boiled/sterile water for the saline solution. The hard part is to flush your nose with a quart of saline solution each time & do it at least twice a day. Below is the link to the formula 4 saline solution. https://www.fda.gov/consumers/consumer-updates/rinsing-your-sinuses-neti-pots-safe
Most of your symptoms in CO were due to the very dry air made worse by Central heat. The nose swells 2 try humidify the membranes. U describe ur cough as dry. Next time I suggest u get an ultrasonic humidifier add $40 to ur trip cheaper than urgent care (Pure Enrichment® MistAire™ Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier)

Good call....I hadn't been boiling it. Def smart to do! I did buy a humidifier for second trip and that really helped with the dryness. Been using every night at home now too.

 

[Abbi]

@sorcamc hope you got in to urgent care with those scary symptoms.

I saw an ENT a few years ago when I was starting to get nose bleeds during ski season. My guy said to try cheap and easy first. That was using a saline spray, and then lining the nostril with Vaseline. I do it twice a day and most of the time I have no problems. Only one nosebleed this winter. And that’s when I wasn’t paying attention. The humidifier at altitude and in dry conditions is still a good idea. I have one at home and one at my Vermont place. that falls into the relatively cheap and easy category! Hope you are doing better!

 

[Jilly]

I get the dry nose and bleeds in the winter too. Dr suggested vaseline too. I noticed last weekend that the condo is really dry. Think I might pick up a cheap vapourizer to look after that. Usually not running the fan when the shower is going is enough, but it's not working this winter.

Electric baseboard heaters are the worst.

 

[Iwannaski]

I just recovered from a bleeder in my nose that had formed a clot. It was almost two full weeks of discomfort which - when combined with COVID - almost made me cry. My JAW hurt from the referred pain. So, I’m really feeling for you.

 

[Little Lightning]

Good call....I hadn't been boiling it. Def smart to do! I did buy a humidifier for second trip and that really helped with the dryness. Been using every night at home now too.

I use distilled water in my sinus rinse bottle. I warm the bottle and water for 20 sec. in the microwave.

 

[sorcamc]

I just recovered from a bleeder in my nose that had formed a clot. It was almost two full weeks of discomfort which - when combined with COVID - almost made me cry. My JAW hurt from the referred pain. So, I’m really feeling for you.

Oh wow, that sounds terrible!! Hope u r all better now!

 

[WaterGirl]

Did you get to the Dr @sorcamc ? Potential Cellulitis and staph dont sound like something you want to wait around on.....

 

[jthree]

Just seeing this thread today. Hope you made it to a doctor and got some good advice.

And as a doctor (but kind of useless for ENT/infection concerns, sorry) in a good functioning medical system you’d have a primary care doctor you could see urgently for something like this. Sounds like you didn’t have that option.

 

[sorcamc]

I did go to my primary doc. got in, wooo! She was kind of stumped...but, she prescribed an antibiotic. Funny enough, she caused two separate bleeds with her deep nasal probing. BUT, I decided I want to follow up w Derm on Monday bc my son had a basal cell carcinoma on is nose and I am almost wondering if that is possibly what might be happening because Im seeing some skin changes also. Hoping that isnt the case, but if it is, at least I know that is very treatable.

 

[Chuyi]

I use distilled water in my sinus rinse bottle. I warm the bottle and water for 20 sec. in the microwave.

Yes warm is better. But saline is better than plain water. Per FDA site "Plain water can irritate your nose. The saline allows the water to pass through delicate nasal membranes with little or no burning or irritation." the salt stops the bleed.

 

[Chuyi]

I did go to my primary doc. got in, wooo! She was kind of stumped...but, she prescribed an antibiotic. Funny enough, she caused two separate bleeds with her deep nasal probing. BUT, I decided I want to follow up w Derm on Monday bc my son had a basal cell carcinoma on is nose and I am almost wondering if that is possibly what might be happening because Im seeing some skin changes also. Hoping that isnt the case, but if it is, at least I know that is very treatable.

Basal cell or squamous cell CA are all caused by UV damage. Snow reflects the sunlight even when it's not shining. Sunscreen needs 2b reapplied every 2 hours. I opted for facemask.

 

[Little Lightning]

Yes warm is better. But saline is better than plain water. Per FDA site "Plain water can irritate your nose. The saline allows the water to pass through delicate nasal membranes with little or no burning or irritation." the salt stops the bleed.

 

[Little Lightning]

I assumed she was using a saline rinse. I use NeilMed Sinus packets. Warm the distilled water before I add the Saline packets.

I seem to do better with an air purifier in my bedroom and lots of water. I aim for 11oz per hour with a little maple syrup and salt added.

 

[sorcamc]

I also use the Neil med packs in Neto pot, but will def boil water ahead of time, let it cool in another bottle and then micro a few seconds to warm it. Maple syrup in purifier…I’m intrigued..what’s that about?

also, derm said the skin changes prob just from the intense swelling. Almost like bruising in my sinus- and since I’m so fair skinned, he told me that’s prob why it looked so bad. Also told me to keep up with UV blockers and come back to him in 6 weeks for follow up. The antibiotic is def working and I’m so so relieved. I was running all
Sorts of wild scenarios in my head.
Thanks for the support