Anyone had balloon sinuplasty procedure?

[Masquernom]

I have a problem with my sinuses plugging when I lay down to sleep. I got a CPAP machine with humidity control, which helps some. But sometimes both sinuses plug at the same time. I'm considering seeing an ENT clinic and maybe trying balloon sinuplasty.

Has anyone has that procedure? How did it go?

 

[Piper20]

I have the same issue usually early morning with a Cpap. Sometimes during the day without the Cpap. I did purchase a nasal rinse kit at the drugstore and that helps.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

I've thought about getting this, after life-long congestion struggles, mostly at night. For several years I've been doing the lavage thing, combined with a nasal steroid (like "aller-flo"), which seems to help a lot. Let us know if you get the sinuplasty and how it goes for you.

 

[Montecfo]

In my view, first step is guafenesin tablets which thin mucous to help it drain. Available at Walmart cheap.

Azelastine spray might help too. Prescription required.

But yes visit an ENT and get a sinus scan to make sure nothing serious is going on there.

 

[tfudtuckerpucker]

Azelastine just became OTC . I tried it but didn't find it helped for my case. The lavage treatment washes out pollen and other irritants, and I noticed a big difference with that, combined with a topical steroid. I have seasonal allergies, so it also helped to move from an area with severe pollen problems- especially oak and cedar.

 

[gamboolman]

Masquernom

In late 2021 the Docs put me CPAP. But like you - I couldn't breathe good with it.
Went to ENT who said he was surprised I was able to breathe at all

Over most of 2022 - 2 Separate Hospital stays for 4 Surgeries, multiple visits to the ENT due to Stints & Packing being blown out and the Doc shoving them back up into my head, passing out from blood loss from Nose bleeding......
I can now breathe good and don't need CPAP

It was a painful year. Now, I am glad I got it done...now. Not so much for most of 2022.

I don't know what all this means but it is what he did over the year, and he had to repeat a couple of them:
1. Nasal Septoplasty
2. Submucous Resection Turbinate
3. Repair Nasal Vestibular Stenosis
4. Lysis Intranasal Synechia Septal Dermatoplasty

The root cause of all this was playing rough as kids and getting hit in the face and Nose alot from about 7 to 14 year old....I quit playing football then and using my face to tear up the other boys knuckles ha....but the damage to the Nostrils had been done.

So basically all my life, I couldn't breathe good but did not know it.

I have not had a cold or Sinus issue since

ETA: ms gamboolgal has vowed that she will not let the Doc near her Nose after having to put up with all my whining last year.... ha !

 

[Northforker]

I had it done about 20 years ago, the recovery process for the first month or so was pretty awful. Saved me from being prescribed a CPAP. It was worth it. Still dont snore. Wife says apnea symptoms are minimal.

 

[Masquernom]

Thanks for all the replies. I had deviated septum surgery a while ago. I also asked for turbinate reduction surgery. Neither helped. I went to 3 different allergy tests. Two said no allergy except maybe a little to corn pollen. The third I determined to be a scam artist. He found allergies in everyone he tested and sold monthly injections. People were starting to compare notes and it wasn't good.

I'll do a little Googling on nasal stents. I hadn't heard of that before.

 

[bmcgonig]

I’m scheduled this week for the Vivaer procedure

https://www.houstonent.com/the-viva...ng-procedure-reasons-indications-and-benefits

It opens up the nasal passages permanently without surgery. I.e., no cutting etc. local anesthesia. 20 minute procedure, and 19 of that is waiting for the local to take effect. So very fast. After effects supposedly will feel like I have a bad cold for a week or two, I.e., swelling inside nasal passages. Might be worth checking out?


Also doing a procedure called Clarifix which supposedly reduces post nasal drip by freezing a nerve at the back of your nose. Again a 10 min procedure.

These CAN be both “in office” procedures.

 

[Toast]

I’m scheduled this week for the Vivaer procedure.

I’ve never heard of the Vivaer procedure. I hope it goes smoothly for you and is successful. I’d appreciate you posting an update following the procedure and your opinion on its ultimate effectiveness.

 

[Linney]

I’m scheduled this week for the Vivaer procedure

I’ve never heard of the Vivaer procedure. I hope it goes smoothly for you and is successful. I’d appreciate you posting an update following the procedure and your opinion on its ultimate effectiveness.

+1. I have ongoing sinus issues and would be interested in hearing the outcome as well.

 

[bmcgonig]

+1. I have ongoing sinus issues and would be interested in hearing the outcome as well.

Apparently it takes about six weeks to feel the full effect. I will let you know.

 

[Masquernom]

Sounds like an interesting procedure. I'm schedule to visit the ENT doc on September 21. Hopefully he has some help for me.

 

[bmcgonig]

Apparently it takes about six weeks to feel the full effect. I will let you know.

Had the procedures this morning. It all took about 30 minutes, but most of that is prep work. It’s quite uncomfortable mostly because they numb your nasal passages using lidocaine soaked pads, then injections etc. After that the actual procedure takes a couple minutes. You can see videos online ..look for Vivaer. The videos portray it as much easier than my experience though. Maybe I’m just wimpy [emoji28] But again, it’s all done in around 30 mins.

At the moment my breathing is great. As good as when I have those nasal inserts inside the nose. Apparently for the next week he told me I’ll be all “goopy and runny” and then the next few weeks “crusty”. So obviously not looking forward to that, but at the end of this if my breathing reverts to as good as it is now, I would definitely deem it a success.

The wonderful thing about it is not surgery. No cutting, stitches etc. so if you guys think it might help, it’s worth checking into.