Nose polyps

[Hedgehog11]

I have just be told I have nose polyps and offered surgery has anyone had surgery and how was it

[Hidden]

I have just had a polyp removed, 3 weeks ago. Mine was ok. Despite being on warfarin, I didn't come out with any packing. I was in theater for 45 minutes. No pain at all. Tho i am just getting over a post surgery infection that was far worse than the main event.

Hope all goes well

[Poobah]

I had nasal polyps but was able to deal with them by using a steroid nasal spray. If the spray is going to have an effect on the polyps it could take anywhere up to three months. It took about six months for me to get the full benefit. However, if the steroid spray hadn't worked then surgery would have been an option.

One of my colleagues had an operation to remove her nasal polyps but unfortunately they returned over time and had a second operation. She didn't get on with the steroid nasal spray or steroids in general. Like me, she had an aspirin sensitivity which I believe is common for people with a propensity for nasal polyps.

I hope your surgery goes well.

[Thomas45]

I've had nasal polyps twice, twenty years between them. On both occasions they were removed by an operation under general anesthesia. The first time about thirty five years ago. After the polyps had been removed, each nostril wás packed with a sort of gauze bandage. The first time its removal showed no blood and the padding came out easily.

The second time, about fifteen years ago, there was a lot of internal bleeding which had dried on the padding so it was a little uncomfortable when it was removed, but it didn't take much more than a minute to remove the padding.. On that second occasion, which I had done in a private hospital because NHS waiting lists were too long, I was told that I had had removed about twenty five polyps from each nostril and nasal passage, and none was cancerous. On that second occasion a friend took me to the hospital for 7.30am. I had the operation from 9.45 to 10.30, and then back in my room I slept through lunchtime, tea time, dinner time and the following breakfast time.. I saw the surgeon about 11am, and he said that he would discharge me after lunch, as I should have some benefit from the hospital fees.

I stress that was fifteen years ago. Advances in medicine may mean things have changed.

There's nothing to worry about. I hope I've helped to put your mind at rest. I should have added that I've been prescribed and used a steroid nasal spray since I had the last operation, and continue to use it daily.

[Hippopotamai]

***Warning*** ***Graphic content***

I had the functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) in August 2016. I had been trying the steroidal nasal spray which I hated as it felt like acid and burned the inside of my nose. I was also taking my asthma inhalers (seretide 250 & ventolin) and OTC antihistamines(loratadine). I got referred to ENT and was offered FESS. I had the operation and when I came to I had gauze rolled up and packed into each nostril. I experienced terrible pain post op (morning session with general anaesthetic) and had to stay on overnight but the surgical ward made me wait until early hours before offering IV paracetamol which was such a relief when I eventually had it. Up until then I couldn't eat, sleep, cry or rest without feeling pain. The following morning you will have to lean forward over a bowl so the nurse can pull out the packaged gauze which has string linking them like a convenient handle. Not fun as the clotted mass of gauze and blood will cause a little bleed and you may have to spit out some clots. Traumatic at the time but once I had the pain under control and the messy part was over I felt the benefit of the surgery. ENT explained that the nasal polyps were allergic type from the pathology report so are likely to return but timescales vary between individuals. I had about a good 6 months where I could breath through my nose again and even some sense of smell returned before they came back. I put up with the inevitable return of permanent nasal congestion, anosmia or phantosmia (phantom burning smell) and accepted my new normal until the beginning of this year when the nasal polyps started to significantly affect my sleep and I was having permanent pressure headaches, constant post nasal drip and breathlessness.

Pandemic made it very difficult to get the right help and by this point I was having asthma attacks. I was told by my GP practice to not go to A&E, I couldn't go to my GP either. They just kept sending me a short course of prednisolone every few weeks. Eventually, I got them to change my medication so I was given fexofenadine a prescription antihistamine instead of a OTC option. I was started back on steroidal nasal spray then told to replace with nasal drops which are more effective. This time around the GP says that ENT referral for surgery is deemed to be a treatment failure as FESS only offers a short term solution but is obviously more invasive. I can't say I was looking forward to having a repeat FESS but I would have if it offered me to improve breathing. Thankfully my new combination regimen of medication is working for me. I can currently breath through my nose, I occasionally can smell things and as I continue with the steroidal nasal drops this appears to be getting more consistent. I sleep through the night again so am less fatigued during the day and I don't wake up gasping for air anymore. I will point out pre-op the nasal sprays had no effect but post op they do now (years later).

I do have a lot of the common sensitivities associated with nasal polyps including asprin and alcohol.

I have some medical email subscriptions for work and continuous professional development when I got sent this recently:

reference.medscape.com/view...

It's a short medical quiz (doesn't matter if you don't know the answer, it's also multiple choice so choose any answer to progress. I found the surrounding information very useful. I should also point out that it is a American quiz so treatment and investigation elements may differ from UK practice.

I should point out I am not medical or surgical trained so what I offer is my personal experience and not medical or professional advice.

I hope find what works for you.

[Frankli78 in reply to Hippopotamai]

What does the burning smell indicate? I had covid 3 months ago...lost my taste and smell and not come back yet. Now got awful burning smell and asthma attacks, makes me wonder if I have polyps? I get sinusitis all winter, every year.

Any advice gratefully received

[Hippopotamai in reply to Frankli78]

Phantom burning smell is often associated with chronic sinusitis and nasal polyps. It can also indicate a sinus infection. Check in with your GP is the best thing. They can review your medication and perhaps offer you something else that will help.

When my chronic sinusitis was playing hell it prevented me from controlling my asthma. So definitely worth getting your GP to intervene. You can get OTC steroidal nasal spray and rinses that may help but the nasal drops are good if they don't work. For me at least.

I hope you find a regimen that works for you

Just remember to stick at it. It will take time to build up in your system.

[Thomas45]

There's a Patient's guide from East Kent Hospitals at: file:///C:/Users/OWNER/Downloads/FESS%20October%202019.pdf

They even use dissolveable dressings these days.

[Alliecat]

I had it done a few years ago....remember the packing was the only thing I didn't like but the rest was ok... had another operation to clean my sinuses a few years later but the ent consultant said it may not help to have another operation so he discharged me....I take a nasal spray which sometimes works ....also take antihistamines every day

[jdylm]

I was diagnosed with nasal polyps about 30 years ago. The specialist, of course, recommended surgery. My allergist, however, who also had such polyps herself, put it this way: If I had the surgery, there was a very high likelihood of the polyps returning, and hence a need for further surgeries... *unless* I used an OTC steroid nasal spray. So, she reasoned, why not just use the spray to shrink the polyps and avoid surgery altogether? I took her advice. Three decades later, no surgery but completely controlled polyps. I use an OTC generic of Flonase. Best to you.