Steroids and AFIB

[drdubb]

I have a chronic sinusitis. The ENT wants to do a surgical procedure to clean it out, but the insurance company won’t approve the procedure unless we’ve tried a spray steroid first. Two years ago, I took an oral steroid and had several AFIB episodes soon after. I’m wary of taking steroids again. The only advice from my electro cardiologist is maybe. Any thoughts?

[10gingercats]

Aside from the afib. aspect.I would enquire carefully how the surgical procedure might be carried out .My Gp warned me off it as being 'extremely unplesant'.

[Hidden]

I can only say that I've had a second corticosteroid injection into my frozen shoulder recently and, with that, and without, I continue to have episodes of Afib, not better but assuredly not worse.

[BobD Volunteer]

I had a rebore in 1979 and still shudder when I think about it.

[Mary63]

I have needed to take an oral steroid (prednisolone) for over five years. Afib started this year. So, for me I don’t think steroids are a factor. This year I am on less than a quarter of the dose I was at the beginning.

[CDreamer in reply to Mary63]

Steroids are a factor and I take steroid sparing drugs which are much more expensive - as advised by my cardiologist to my neurologist as my disease would normally be treated with steroids but taking steroids orally & as nasal spray are very different.

[Cavalierrubie]

Sounds awful - I would run a mile. Go back to your medics. Best of luck.

[Tilly1957]

Hi, drdubb, I get a lot of nasal congestion, congested sinus, sore itchy throat , constant post nasal drip, cough. I have fired out that I react to grains, and specifically wheat. If I stop eating wheat completely, all these symptoms go completely after a few weeks. Not sure yet if other grains affect me like this. 😊 this is my personal experience, not medical, I have had these symptoms for as long as I can recall, even as a child. So it is interesting to see them go with the avoidance of a certain food. I find it difficult to resist bread completely and every so often I cheat and have toast or something - I start to get snotty, throat itches etc. Coincidence? 🤷‍♀️ But if I feel better off the grain.

[CDreamer in reply to Tilly1957]

If it works for you - it works. Sometimes we need to be our own detective.

[Pita]

Hi drdubb, I too have chronic sinusitis with chronic post nasal drip more like a waterfall, I have tried over the years steroid nasal sprays, even Sterimar spray, they don't work for me, in fact steroid nasal spray gives me thrush at the back of the tongue. When I first started the nasal sprays my heart felt a little irritated but soon went after a few hours, did not affect my af.

[CDreamer]

I’ve been taking a steroid nasal spray for 6 months now and works a treat and my doctor told me that as a spray steroids are not absorbed by the blood and I certainly have not had any problems with heart and only affect is I can now breath through my nose - yeah! I also continue to use a nasal rinse daily - that is VERY affective for ensuring I don’t get infections and takes a few minutes in the morning but well worth it!

Nasal steroid drops can be absorbed by the bloodstream and I was wary of using those.

I would also be wary of the surgical procedure - which my ex-husband had some years ago and not only was it very unpleasant, painful but did nothing at all long term.

[Maggimunro in reply to CDreamer]

Absolutely agree with you about nasal lavage or wash out. I don’t do it daily but first sign of a sniffle or hay fever, I’m in the bathroom with a mild warm salt water solution and a small plastic syringe. It works for me.

[Nerja2012]

drdudd. I'm Asthmatic so need steroids for a flare up. Also suffer from Hayfever as we have open farmland behind us so using nasal steroids at the moment. Doesn't affect AF at all.

[Desanthony]

My wife and I have on the advice of my son and daughter-in-Law been using a netti pot to wash out nasal cavities for a long time. We have avoided sniffles and infections for years now I think over 4 years. My wife is asthmatic and also used to get hayfever but has not had this since using the netti pot with medical grade salt in saline solution. So from our combined experience this works. We have a close friend who has chronic sinusitis and has had the operation you describe 3 times. The last time she paid privately thinking it would be done better????? She still has chronic sinusitis. My wife said her GP wanted to refer her for this op back in the late 70's when her hayfever and associated problems were at their worst but she was told then by someone who was also a sufferer that it seldom works long term so not to bother and just use steroids when necessary and not to over use. Thankfully we found out about netti pot cleaning before she was on her current medication as now she is unable to take certain steroids so would be prescribed a bog standard hayfever nasal spray which doesn't really work. It is definitely worth looking into food allergies as if you are allergic to pollen and get hayfever during the hay fever season eating associated grain products can worsen the symptoms so I have been told.

[fairgo45 in reply to Desanthony]

Whats a netti pot?

[Desanthony in reply to fairgo45]

Its like a little jug with a spout which you put saline water in made with medical grade salt and boiled and cooled water and swill your nose out with. You can buy the pots and salt on Amazon - the salt must be medical grade and the water must have been boiled and cooled before the salt goes in - yes it does dissolve. The pots come with instructions. The first few times can be awkward but you soon get the hang of it. We find this works better than a saline spray which we were advised to use by the professor at my wife's lung clinic and its cheaper too. Whatever you do do not attempt to use just water as it will sting like heck and use medical grade salt. You can buy the salt in sachets for single use so already measured in Boots - I think the brand is Neil Med but have not seen them sell netti pots though our Boots pharmacies here are small so maybe larger boots would sell them. You can also probably get them in health food type shops. Since using neither my wife nor my daughter-in-law have had so many bad infections and consequent chest infections they usually get - both are asthmatic so it has helped greatly - My wife also doesn't get her hayfever either. As I said we must have been using this for maybe 7/8 years now. One of the university hospitals was also looking at gargling with medical grade salt saline solution as well as part of a Covid research project but have not heard anything about that for a while. My wife says her Mum who was a junior schoolteacher - so talking all day and shouting on the sports field, used to gargle with saline solution every morning and night on the advice of her dentist to help keep her voice. It was better than sucking mints and rotting teeth.

[fairgo45 in reply to Desanthony]

Thank you I'd never heard of it

[Auriculaire]

I suffered with chronic sinusitis 30 years ago. I was offered the nasty op but declined it to see what a course of acupuncture that I had just started would do. It worked! Not very pleasant as some of the needles were put in the face but I have never had it return.

[Ecki]

During the hay fever season I use a steroid nasal spray, steroid inhaler and steroid eye drops. None of these affect my AF. My husband, who doesn't get AF, had the operation you mention a few years ago. He tried the steroid spray and it gave him oral thrush, very unpleasant. The operation was nasty and, long term, has made no difference. He wouldn't have it again because it was so horrible.

[drdubb]

Thanks for the feedback. Just to note, I've had the balloon procedure, loads of fun. The procedure being suggested is to clean out one of those sinus' behind my forehead. Apparently, the phlegm hardens. This would be done in a hospital. I think I will try the steroids first and just be ready with PIP flecainide. I've had two ablations and only had two AFIB episodes in the last two years, both this summer, I think because of dehydration. I'm fighting hard not to have any episodes as long as possible.