Nasal Polyps from asthma

[macada]

I'm wondering if anyone else who has asthma also suffers from nasal polyps. I'm on a corticosteroid inhaler for my asthma and corticosteroid nose spray for my nasal polyps, they seem worse in the winter, sometimes completely blocking my nasal passages. If anyone else suffers from these have you found anything that helps them other than nasal spray? Thanks!

[Poobah]

I had nasal polyps for years and I had to use my steroid nasal spray like a wash. Directly after taking the spray, I would lie on my bed with my head over the side in order to keep the spray in the nasal cavity for as long as possible, moving my head from side to side to get full benefit. That made quite a difference, but over a long time, the benefits being slow to arrive. I believe you can get steroid drops if the spray isn't a sufficient treatment.

Montelukast was eventually added to my treatment and that really made a difference, with my sense of smell returning after years of not being able to smell anything. I had to learn to breath through my nose as well and I still practice that daily, just to overcome the dysfunctional breathing that polyps create.

I also stick to a low omega 6 diet as that is a major trigger if your polyps are linked to aspirin sensitivity. But there are other conditions that present with polyps and asthma, understanding what causes the polyps is key to the right treatment. Surgery is an option and biologics (almost impossible to get for the treatment of just polyps if you're in the UK, despite great results in other countries). Trouble with surgery is the trigger remains and the polyps grow back.

I now only use the nasal spray if I get a head cold as my polyps are now under control with just the Montelukast and low omega 6 diet.

[Jimmy-Lyden in reply to Poobah]

Hi, I'd never heard about the omega 6 trigger. I'll need to look into this to hopefully avoid op No. 9... at this point my sense of smell is pretty much non existant and I really don't want another op as the last one was hellish.

Cheers!

[Poobah in reply to Jimmy-Lyden]

The low omega 6 diet is very specific to aspirin sensitivity (aspirin exacerbated respiratory disease, AKA samters triad). Over the years, I figured out my food triggers, but they seemed so random and didn't make any sense, whereas the foods on the low salicylates diet didn't bother me at all. The NHS still recommend the low salicylates diet. By pure chance I came across the Samers Society website and found my people. All my food triggers were listed and the link explained as omega 6. Huge light bulb moment. It's helped me recognise the problem with plant based oils too and cutting them out was difficult, but beneficial. Palm oil is poison, but it's in everything. Soya is impossible to avoid, thanks to it being a major animal feed, so it's in the food chain. Can't imagine how vegans with Samters cope, as soya is a major source of plant protein.

Certain alcohol can be a major trigger too, wines & beers especially.

If you do have an aspirin sensitivity I recommend samterssociety.org/and their corresponding Facebook group. They also list specialists in the UK who understand the condition.

[Jimmy-Lyden in reply to Poobah]

This is all news to me. I don't think I have any food triggers and I haven't taken asprin since the late 80's when I was first told I had nasal polyps. Another source of info! Cheers, I'll check out the website.

Many thanks!

[crille]

Hi macada, I have like you both asthma and (had) nasal polyps. I use Relvar Ellipta 92/22 for the asthma and Budesonide 64 for the nasal polyps. The Relvar, one inhalation every day and the Budesonide, one spray once a day, 25 days /month with five rest days. Have used this combo for more than ten years now, and it works very well. Before my doctor put me on Budesonide, I used another nasal spray, but had to stop because of intolerance to an ingredient (benzalkonium chloride). Quite a few of the cortisone nasal sprays have this benzalkonium chloride, But it is not found in Budesonide spray. I had a lot of nasal problems before I switched to Budesonide. Now, I see my asthma Doctor and my E/N/T specialist only once a year. Both my asthma and polyps are well controlled.

I hope that there will be a solution for you. Good luck!

[peege]

I shall watch for replies to your interesting post. My nasal. Polyps were diagnosed years before asthma was, sinus cavitieswere chronically full of 'matter' that couldn'tescape. I'd learnt never to drink wine as almost immediately my nose was stuffed up since my 20s. I had a nasal op in 2007 in my early 50s after being treated for migraine headaches for many years even though I often had antibiotics for chronic sinusitis 🙄. ENT many suggested I use Neilsmed Saline rinse &/ Sterimar & px steroidal spray. I think if I drank more fluids mucus could be thinner & not block sinuses. Having moved new gp promptly cut nasal spray (and HRT) off my prescription, told me to buy my own from 2015. Annoying because it's expensive so I only use it when I feel the pressure build up in my head.

This doesn't help you much however, I recommend the saline rinse or spray if you can afford them. I might start them up again!

[Mark-f]

hi I have them and have done for around 20yrs .. I have two endoscopic sinus surgery’s to remove when they get really bad , unfortunately they grow back over time .. I use flixanase drops

[macada in reply to Mark-f]

Thanks. I don't want surgery because I know they grow back, I'm wondering f certain foods trigger them. Mine are worse in the winter and early spring.

[Nanto4]

Im prescribed Dymista spray pretty much all year round ,but doesnt make a lot of difference, polyps are a symptom of eosophilic asthma which its been discovered is what i have and im on biologic injections which clinic hope will help with polyps as well

[Shawshank62]

hi - just reading your post. Theses are all symptoms I have with my asthma and have been given nose drops and sprays various. How do you know if you have nasal polyps??

[Wizzerwood in reply to Shawshank62]

I can easily see mine in my nose when they're bad - they look a bit like a small green grape.

[macada in reply to Wizzerwood]

Yes, years ago when I was blowing my nose I blew one down and it looked like a large red grape. I haven't seen them since because they are so high up.

[crille in reply to Shawshank62]

Hi, To know if you have nasal polyps, you should see an E/N/T specialist. That way you get a correct diagnosis and, hopefully, the proper treatment. Good luck!

[Shawshank62 in reply to crille]

👍

[macada in reply to Shawshank62]

Your nasal passages are completely blocked and you have to breathe through your mouth. Some people can see them but mine are high up. Mine are worse in the winter months. Sometimes a saline solution will help keep everything moist and my Alvesco does help keep them smaller but I don't like to have to be on a corticosteroid nose spray if I don't have to be. I was just wondering if anybody discovered that certain foods are triggers.

[macada in reply to macada]

I should have said my Avamys nose spray helps keep them smaller, I use the Alvesco inhaler for my asthma.

[Shawshank62 in reply to macada]

👍

[Healingasthma]

I had both. However my asthma was kept under control with steroid sprays. My polyps on the other hand would not respond to sprays and I ended up having them removed. However, they came back. This time, I tried everything. From steroid sprays to herbal medicine, homeopathy and Chinese medicine. I basically was unable to breath through my nose for almost 10 years. Eventually I had to have an operation again and have since managed to keep things calm by using the Neil med nasal rinse on a daily basis. I really hope you find something that helps

[macada in reply to Healingasthma]

Thank you. I do use Avamys nose spray which my ENT said is the best for nasal polyps. They are worse in the winter and early spring, I think having the heat on dries everything out, so I also use a saline nose spray.

[macada in reply to Healingasthma]

Thank you. Right now they are ok but when late fall and winter hits, they are bad. Saline sprays have helped a bit as well as my Avamys spray.

[Healingasthma in reply to macada]

Glad to hear that. When mine were bad, nothing helped. It’s good to hear that you can keep it under control

[Wizzerwood]

Hi Macada, I've also suffered with asthma and nasal polyps, particularly since I hit the perimenopause. I've decided not to go down the route of having an operation as I'd heard horror stories of them removing more than they should leaving people with terrible issues - and as others have said, they grow back anyway.I tried a steroid nasal spray but that only helped for a short while, and again doesn't seem to be a good long term solution because of side effects.

I now spray with otrivine natural with eucalyptus. This has been really helpful and seems to have helped with prevention of colds too. I also now take a 1/3 of a cetirazine tablet along with Qvar 50 which has also helped my asthma and polyps.

But I still often can't breathe properly at night through my nose which makes my asthma worse and my teeth/gums. I try taping my mouth but sometimes it's too bad for me to keep it on. My next thing to try is a nasal dilator.

But polyps and asthma are a nightmare and the NHS never seem interested in prevention or anything that doesn't involve steroids, which is frustrating! Buteyko breathing is still the best treatment I've found for my asthma but most doctors and nurses haven't even heard of it - even though it's free!

[macada in reply to Wizzerwood]

Thank you. My asthma is controlled with an Alvesco inhaler, I've never needed to use the Salbutamol rescue inhaler. My nasal polyps are worse through the winter and early spring, sometimes my nasal passages are completely blocked, although using a saline nasal spray does help to keep things moist.

[PArforThecourse]

Hi. I had nasal polyps for years which grew so big, they came out of my nose. The consultant said they were like bunches of grapes. I had more procedures than I care to remember. Plus, with it the asthma that was at times quite unstable. I noticed on my blood results that I had a high Eosinophil level and to cut an extremely long story and many hours of research short, I discovered a correlation between polyps and eosinophilia. At that time my asthma was very unstable. I was eventually diagnosed with eosinophilic asthma. My hospital consultant made a case for a Clonal Biologic and I have been using Nucala ever since. It’s a life changer. No polyps, asthma much better controlled. The Nucala site states up to 90% of nasal polyps are driven by Eosiniphilic inflammation. Like others, I couldn’t even sniff alcohol without my nose pouring and trying to eat and sleep was simply miserable. I still use Montelukast, sprays and pumps. Check your eosiniphil levels. Good luck.

[macada in reply to PArforThecourse]

Thank you!

[Thomas45]

I've had nasal polyps removed by surgery twice, twenty years apart. I haven't had any apparent regrowth since the second operation which was about thirty years ago. I did use a nasal spray for many years after the 2nd until it was found to cause loss of the sense of smell.

[macada in reply to Thomas45]

Thank you!

[MostlyWhiteRose in reply to Thomas45]

This is interesting to know. I had nasal polyps for around 5 years and lost sense of smell and taste but gained constant Tinnitus. I had surgery 2 years ago but was told the return of the senses wasn't a guarantee. Still nothing (except raging Tinnitus). Some days it really gets me down, eating is no fun and i really miss things like the smell of flowers and coffee. I worry that i dont smell things like burning food (on more than one occasion I've forgotten things in the oven and come to discover things burnt to a crisp! At work once, the office filled with fumes from the next door mechanic businesses, i wouldnt have known if not for my colleagues. I use Avamys, but not daily as my memory is crap. Has anyone regained their senses (ha!) after a long time without? I live in hope...

[macada in reply to MostlyWhiteRose]

I use Avamys daily, every evening when I use my Alvesco inhaler. I do one spray on Avamys each nostril during spring and summer but by late fall and winter I use it twice a day. Right now my nasal passages are fairly clear and I can smell. Certain foods trigger inflammation, especially foods high in histamine. I can't eat whole wheat or anything with a bacterial culture like yogurt.

[Jimmy-Lyden]

I feel your pain. Nasal polyps are hellish. I've been getting them for over 35 years and I dread them. They block yor nose so you breathe through your mouth and end up with all sorts of chest infections. As many have said, certain nasal sprays and a tablet or two may help but sometimes you just need to get an op. One thing I realised a few years ago, I had picked up a chest infection and was given antibiotics & Prednisolone. The Prednisolone actually worked on my polyps. Unfortunately they came back about a week after finishing the course... but it was a good week.

[Jadzeys]

Suffered with polyps / mild asthma for 40 years. Had about 13 operatons in that time. A pharmacist in Luxembourg sold me a steroid spray; Mometasone Furoate. If taken regularly it seems to work better than Avamys, which just seems to bung up the nose even more. ENT consultant recommended taking a short course of prednisolone tablets once or twice a year, but my GP is against that because of side effects. Seeing a doctor in the UK is difficult and they are not very sympathetic to the problems.