Chronic sinus infections, bronchitis, and nasal rinses.

[whatthewhat]

O lordy. Our daughter went to a horrid ENT when we first moved back to SoCal; 6 months after dx she had developed a weird cough and an extreme shortness of breath. The horrid ENT said no way could it be stenosis, that stenosis would have been present from birth, oh, and why don't you put a couple drops of Johnson's Baby Shampoo in your nasal rinses? Our daughter did, because she's a rock star, but I still get queasy now when I smell the stuff, because watching her do that and seeing the bubbles come out was awful*. Thankfully the next ENT, who is also the current ENT, said he thought it would not be helpful in any significant way. *and I say this as someone who used a ruler in photographs of crusties she was removing from those same wee nostrils. You'd think I can handle anything...

[annekat]

I did try Johnson's baby shampoo in my rinses when it was mentioned on here some time ago. I did find that it helped to loosen stuff up and get stuff flowing, but everyone's stuff, and their anatomy, is a little different. I'd give it a shot if I knew there was a bunch of stuff in there that was being super resistant to coming out. Now, I have a lot less mucus, because my nasal cavity is obliterated and there aren't many places for it to be manufactured or to collect. So I'm not bothering with things like the shampoo. But I do need to rinse still, because there is still stuff collecting, I think mainly around where my septum used to be, and there are still some jagged bony areas where it could get caught. I do think the water pik idea could be a really good one, if you get the proper nasal attachment... I have never tried it.

[annekat]

O lordy. Our daughter went to a horrid ENT when we first moved back to SoCal; 6 months after dx she had developed a weird cough and an extreme shortness of breath. The horrid ENT said no way could it be stenosis, that stenosis would have been present from birth, oh, and why don't you put a couple drops of Johnson's Baby Shampoo in your nasal rinses? Our daughter did, because she's a rock star, but I still get queasy now when I smell the stuff, because watching her do that and seeing the bubbles come out was awful*. Thankfully the next ENT, who is also the current ENT, said he thought it would not be helpful in any significant way. *and I say this as someone who used a ruler in photographs of crusties she was removing from those same wee nostrils. You'd think I can handle anything...

Well, that horrid ENT sounds like he needs to go back to medical school, or better yet, find another career that requires less thinking. Even fairly "good" ENTs and other docs tend to be blase' about these things and will make general statements that don't seem helpful. Like they're trying to shirk the responsibility of really looking into things. I've wondered about stenosis from time to time because of breathing and coughing problems. I think I probably don't have it, because my problems come and go, and I think are caused more by mucus running down from the nasal cavity and building up in the trachea and bronchii, becoming thicker, obstructing breathing, and becoming harder to cough up. My ENT said that if I had stenosis, I would have a "stridor", or noise on exhale. I do have that sometimes from the stuff collecting in there. Maybe he meant I'd have it all the time. Typical doc-like vagueness. I did get my trachea scoped a couple of times before dx, due to all the issues I was having, such as barely being able to talk. No stenosis seen at that time, I guess, though I never heard the word until I came to this forum, just before dx. I have not had any scoping for stenosis done by either the ENT or the pulmy since dx. So I guess they don't think I have it. All I get are pulmonary function tests, which tend to go up and down. And I do have seasonal asthma, which enters into things, if I can even get the pulmy to acknowledge that I can have it while being on WG drugs, which he finally did. So I finally have inhalers to help me breathe, and it seems to me they help with the WG coughing and wheezing, too, not only asthma. Some may say otherwise.

[Birdie]

Typical doc-like vagueness.

I think they're so pressed for time that even the best doctor can't do well on every point. I try to push hard on the most critical issues, things I can't or shouldn't research on my own.

[annekat]

I think they're so pressed for time that even the best doctor can't do well on every point. I try to push hard on the most critical issues, things I can't or shouldn't research on my own.

I think that is true, but they also tend to be overly dismissive when answering peoples questions or concerns. I've had docs that weren't that way. My PA is more attentive to questions, as was a former GP whom I had to quit because his group had decided not to take my low-paying state-sponsored insurance anymore.

[jlove]

My ENT also recommended Baby Shampoo in the nasal rinses but I don't think it makes too much of a difference for me as opposed to saline without the shampoo. One thing that's very helpful for me is using lanolin in my nose to keep it from getting too dry. I use Q-tips to coat the inside of my nostrils with it, which was recommended to me by a colleague of my ENT's. Especially as I head into winter where I live, dryness in my nose can make crusting worse or, at the very least, it makes it harder for me to remove the crusts. I think the lanolin prevents the crust from taking the walls of my nose with it on its way out. I use it at least 5 times a day. The only downside for me, is having to explain to my friends why I carry around "soothing relief for sore nipples" or maybe being caught occasionally sticking a Q-tip up my nose. Otherwise, I'm a big fan!

[drz]

My ENT also recommended Baby Shampoo in the nasal rinses but I don't think it makes too much of a difference for me as opposed to saline without the shampoo. One thing that's very helpful for me is using lanolin in my nose to keep it from getting too dry. I use Q-tips to coat the inside of my nostrils with it, which was recommended to me by a colleague of my ENT's. Especially as I head into winter where I live, dryness in my nose can make crusting worse or, at the very least, it makes it harder for me to remove the crusts. I think the lanolin prevents the crust from taking the walls of my nose with it on its way out. I use it at least 5 times a day. The only downside for me, is having to explain to my friends why I carry around "soothing relief for sore nipples" or maybe being caught occasionally sticking a Q-tip up my nose. Otherwise, I'm a big fan!

Another alternative to prevent crusting and keep the nasal area moist is to use the commercial nasal gels. I like the ones by Ayr and Neil-Med. Neil Med comes in a spray bottle so it is easy to apply. Ayr is a tube sort of like those used for chapped lips. I was told another cheap alternative is to apply common K-Y jelly to crusts to soften them up so they rinse out easy without causing bleeding. And a dermatologist also suggested using it on dry skin to avoid itching since it has no alcohol content to dry out your skin.

So far I am having pretty good luck rinsing once or twice a day and taking generic Muccinex to keep mucous thin and and flowing to avoid the buildup. It is also essential to have adequate humidity too in the winter time here once the heating season starts.

[Realpro325]

Drz,
I have had major sinus problems my whole life. I have come up with a system that works for me. I shower every day and rinse my nose after the shower almost every other day with a netti pot of some kind with my own Alkolol solution that the pharmacist helped me with that includes essential oils and home made saline to my liking. I also use two different kinds of nasal spray daily. One is afrin of some kind and fluticasone. The main thing I try to do is rid my nose of mucus with spray each time it gets full and this will keep the infections down as long as you rinse when you feel any substantive irritation from the sprays as they are the culprit. Yes many doctors will tell you not to use afrin spray but my rheumy says I can use all I want as it has worked for me even though some people can't go this route as long as you don't over shrink your nasal passages you won't have to many nose bleeds. I also use nasal strips at night to help me through until the morning. Only buy the good strips as those cheap clear strips are not working for me anyway. I hope this helps you. Let me know. Be blessed.

Merry Christmas,
James

[Titus3:2]

This thread is the reason I popped back in,but it took me a while to find it.The baby shampoo really works.I have been irrigating my nasal cavity two to three times a day since the nineteen eighties.GPA has not been active there for a while.My ENT scoped me through my nose ,and not long after my nasal cavity became extremely inflamed.So,I went back to my ENT thinking it was infection or GPA was back.He told me it was because there was no tissue to keep it moisturized.Well,why wasn't it so inflamed before.I could also feel crusts in there,and it was driving me nuts that I couldn't get them out.I googled nasal irrigation,baby shampoo,and found a study by Baylor.I think.Started adding a teaspoon of the shampoo to my normal mix.After three days my nose felt much better.Around day five the green crusts started coming out.I have not had crusts like that in a very long time.I think the ENT docs scope was contaminated.Thanks DRZ!

[Alysia]

This thread is the reason I popped back in,but it took me a while to find it.The baby shampoo really works.I have been irrigating my nasal cavity two to three times a day since the nineteen eighties.GPA has not been active there for a while.My ENT scoped me through my nose ,and not long after my nasal cavity became extremely inflamed.So,I went back to my ENT thinking it was infection or GPA was back.He told me it was because there was no tissue to keep it moisturized.Well,why wasn't it so inflamed before.I could also feel crusts in there,and it was driving me nuts that I couldn't get them out.I googled nasal irrigation,baby shampoo,and found a study by Baylor.I think.Started adding a teaspoon of the shampoo to my normal mix.After three days my nose felt much better.Around day five the green crusts started coming out.I have not had crusts like that in a very long time.I think the ENT docs scope was contaminated.Thanks DRZ!

Check this thread as well. Lots of good advices from my beautiful dr. Phil ♡

http://www.wegeners-granulomatosis.c...w-about-8.html