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Intranasal swelling and congestion 4 weeks after SeptoRhino
By Dallas8303 on 02 Feb 2011
I am exactly 4 wks post a comprehensive SeptoRhino. While I am thrilled about the outside appearance of the nose, I have become increasingly apprehensive about the internal swelling. I am still very congested and have a lot of swelling inside & it's not getting any better really. Driving me crazy!!
Would you say the congestion and swelling has gotten worse?
When I was a few weeks to several months post op, I used alcohol-soaked Q-tips to clean out my nose. It really helped. Are you able to use saline spray? That might help also.
Otherwise, I would contact your surgeon about this.
I can tell you that I was swollen for much longer than a month after surgery. It took months for my voice to lose it's nasally twang.
Thanks for responding. A few days ago I went to Emergency room because I was in total misery. It had competely gotten worse over the past 4 days. They ran a scan and it turns out I have a full blown sinus infection. Ugh! I went today to my PS and he reviewed the scan and also did an endocopy and looked all over my nose. He didn't see anything wrong at all except of course the sinus blockage. The sinus infection hit at about 3 weeks post op (which I have antibiotics for it now). Before that, I wasn't getting worse at all, but I didn't feel like it was getting much better. I had been on Flonase for a week to help with the swelling. I actually don't sound congested at all, I just can't breathe through my nose and I think it really is just a lot of swelling.
You mentioned in one of your posts that your breathing never really returned to normal after the surgery. Is it still impaired a little? You may have had your surgery a long time ago, but can you remember around what month you had full breathing through your nose again... that is if you ever regained it. I'm sorry with all the questions, it's just that no one else has this issue it seems like.
Thanks again.
Sadly, yes, my breathing is not perfect. It's good enough. I rarely think about it. But if it's allergy season I sometimes have to wear a nose strip to bed. I think I was breathing through my nose after the first week.
I'm sorry about your sinus infection! I'm so glad you had it checked out. Hopefully once that clears up, you'll be able to breathe through your nose again. We don't realize how much we need it until we don't have it.