Sinus Congestion

[opie's twisted balls]

Howdy,

My allergies (at least I think its allergies) have been a bitch for the past couple of months. Primarily stuffy nose and when I wake up in the morning I usually have to hack up a good amount of phlegm (VERY thick, usually white but on occasion a light yellow). What seemed to work the best is Claritin Extra (not sure what the equivalent US product would be but it contains 10 mg loratadine USP and 240 mg pseudoephedrine). It worked for the first month or so but then slowly was less effective. Went to the local walk in clinic where the on duty hack prescribed Omnaris (which I think is the same product on both sides of the border).

A couple of problems. 1) I'm too damned stuffed up to inhale the medication and 2) when I have managed to take it I seem to develop sort of a raspy wheezy noise when I exhale (its very slight but I notice it most when I'm trying to fall asleep). Its definitely worse at night and in particular when I go to sleep.

My house is spotless, the furnace and ducts are cleaned every year, vacuum a few times every week, very little dust, no pets that shed, mattress is about a year old. Only thing is its very dry here with a normal relative humidity this time of year of ~30-40%.

Maybe sinusitis or asthma???? Thoughts?

THX

[Dr Steve]

Howdy,

My allergies (at least I think its allergies) have been a bitch for the past couple of months. Primarily stuffy nose and when I wake up in the morning I usually have to hack up a good amount of phlegm (VERY thick, usually white but on occasion a light yellow). What seemed to work the best is Claritin Extra (not sure what the equivalent US product would be but it contains 10 mg loratadine USP and 240 mg pseudoephedrine). It worked for the first month or so but then slowly was less effective. Went to the local walk in clinic where the on duty hack prescribed Omnaris (which I think is the same product on both sides of the border).

A couple of problems. 1) I'm too damned stuffed up to inhale the medication and 2) when I have managed to take it I seem to develop sort of a raspy wheezy noise when I exhale (its very slight but I notice it most when I'm trying to fall asleep). Its definitely worse at night and in particular when I go to sleep.

My house is spotless, the furnace and ducts are cleaned every year, vacuum a few times every week, very little dust, no pets that shed, mattress is about a year old. Only thing is its very dry here with a normal relative humidity this time of year of ~30-40%.

Maybe sinusitis or asthma???? Thoughts?

THX

Hey man,

I've been naughty...I'm 6 weeks behind in answering questions, ugh. Sorry.

When the standard stuff doesn't work, most allergists will recommend stepping up to a steroid spray. These decrease the inflammation in the nasal passages without being significantly absorbed into the bloodstream.

If it's a mucus problem primarily, and antihistamines won't work, then a little-used nasal spray called ATROVENT NS will really help. A lot of docs have forgotten about this one and it's not used nearly as much as it should be.

Another med that can work well for this kind of refractory thing is called SINGULAIR. It's a pill and is an antiinflammatory that works on a different pathway than most others. I take it daily because I have the same crap you do. :smile: I used to be sick for 8-12 weeks every equinox. Now I'm affected very little if at all.

talk to your primary care doc about it, you don't have to live with this.

Can't forget the mighty NETI POT, either...


your friend,



Steve

[opie's twisted balls]

Hiya Doc!

Absolutely no sweat re. the 6 weeks. Still think you're the shiznit!

Thanks for the suggestions for alternate drug therapies. Will look into them further and offer some suggestions to my GP.

[KingGeno]

I wish they made Neti Pot Shotgun Shells for my nose. I would blast out this congestions I constantly have.

[Dr Steve]

I wish they made Neti Pot Shotgun Shells for my nose. I would blast out this congestions I constantly have.

I googled "Neti Pot Shotgun" and got this:

http://www.westom.com/coolsite/nose_neti_pot_treatment_feeling_awful.jpg

perhaps he wanted to shoot himself with a shit-shotgun after consenting to that photo.

[opie's twisted balls]

I think I used to have that shower curtain :eek:

Oh, I have been neti'ing and it does seem to help. Still having problems getting used to the feeling though.

[Dr Steve]

Still my favorite neti pot pic:
http://www.christinas-home-remedies.com/image-files/sinus-nasal-irrigation.gif

and finally, a HOT neti pot pic:

http://www.bestcare-uk.com/images/netipot_000.jpg

[RhinoinMN]

http://www.ronfez.net/forums/showthread.php?t=75564

User tested!

[KingGeno]

I googled "Neti Pot Shotgun" and got this:



perhaps he wanted to shoot himself with a shit-shotgun after consenting to that photo.


I really really tried, but Neti pots left me REALLY over dry and miserable.

[opie's twisted balls]

Dr. Steve,

Don't know if I want to kiss you or strangle you (both hypothetically of course). I went to a walk in clinic and got scripts for both meds (its amazing how easy it is to get drugs) and have been taking them for the past 5 days. The upside is that I'm definitely producing much much much less snot and thats amazing. I forgot what its like to breath clearly and its wonderful! Thank you!

On the down side is the dreams. I did take a quick look at the medbroad and they didn't mention anything but after the dreams I've had this past few days checked out a couple other sources and they do mention a change in sleeping habits or altered dreams as a possible side effect. All my life I've rarely remembered my dreams after waking up and also almost never "realize" I'm dreaming while asleep. I mean I'm sure I am dreaming (don't think I'm a replicant) when asleep but never wake up in the middle of one either happy or sad. Since taking singlular that....has changed. I'm having the most vivid and bizarre dreams that seemingly have no connection to my waking life. They're not either pleasant or disturbing just very weird.

Last nights for example. I start out at the airport with ticket in hand and bags semi packed. Semi since after I check in I realize that I've forgot my dopp bag and underwear....both required items! I look at the clock and can't decide if because of the new security measures I'll have enough time to go home and get the stuff and make it through check in again. I say fuck it and just go to the gate but instead of the normal walk through the terminal its instead a combination disney ride made up of Its a Small World, Haunted Mansion and the Tea Cups. What I remember of the dream pauses for a moment till I'm now standing outside of a nondescript light industrial building. Two stories, cinder block construction, offices in the front shop in the back sort of deal. I don't know what city I'm in but it seems familiar and I'm not at all worried or threatened. What I am however is dead tied. Odd that I can remember being tied while in a dream. So I lug my luggage upstairs to the office and what do I find but a bedroom. OK, thats handy. I crash and sleep. Next I remember being in a bathroom/filing room. I'm sitting on the toilet looking across at a bank of filing cabinets. As I'm letting go a very long fart there's a knock on the door from what turns out to be a cop. I guess the building I decided to crash in didn't belong to me and the rightful owners called the police. They said they wouldn't press charges as long as there wasn't any damage done and I left. I must have still been tired since after the cops left I went back to sleep in my borrowed bed. Next memory of waking up in my dream has me attempting to pack up all my stuff since my good natured hosts want me out. I get that done and go outside to find that I have a rental car waiting for me. Handy! I load it up with my luggage but before I can leave there are cops again and I get arrested. I'm never told what the charges are but I get hauled off to jail where my case is heard almost instantly. The judge and prosecution talk back and forth, I don't seem to have a lawyer yet, until they decide my fate. The judge stands up and in full dramatic pontification ties into me about how I'm the scourge of society, should be punished severely and declares I've been found guilty of murder. What the hell??? I went from goldie locks to being found guilty of murder???? As I'm wandering around the court/jail trying to figure out what's going to happen next someone who seems to be my lawyer comes over and tells me not to worry. Ya I'm guilty but its only of killing three birds and I'm free to leave. Outside of my dreaming I haven't legitimately (i.e. hunting) killed a bird in over a decade so am confused about being found guilty of this crime.

:unsure:

[Dr Steve]

Dr. Steve,

Don't know if I want to kiss you or strangle you (both hypothetically of course).

Can we avoid both? :-)

The dream thing is really interesting, and shows how variable the human body can be in its response to new drugs and stimuli.

Only you can decide whether you can try to "wear it out" and see if it subsides. If you think it's going to drive you crazy, stop one and see which one is causing the problem. Def talk to your health care provider about this. Let me know which medication you think is causing it.

your pal,


steve

[opie's twisted balls]

Can we avoid both? :-)
Oh I guess :)

Only you can decide whether you can try to "wear it out" and see if it subsides. If you think it's going to drive you crazy, stop one and see which one is causing the problem. Def talk to your health care provider about this. Let me know which medication you think is causing it.
Honestly, being able to breath normally is preferable and the funky dreams are thus far tolerable.

Thanks again!!