southerngrrl :- Ear, Nose & Throat Community -: Support Group

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Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hello - About 15 months ago I came down with what seemed to be a bacterial infection...

Hello -

About 15 months ago I came down with what seemed to be a bacterial infection in my left nostril which would not heal on its own. I had recently had a baby (2 months earlier) and so hadn't seen a doctor about it til it got pretty bad as I wasn't really looking after myself that well and not sleeping, breastfeeding around the clock, etc! The doctor gave me Naseptin and swabbed the inside of my nostril (which came back negative). The Naspetin did not clear the infection and so the doctor gave me a round of Penicillan and Bactroban and my GP sent me to an ENT as he thought there was some kind of cavity inside my nostril. The ENT said when he saw me (after examining and using the scope) that my nose looked fine, no polyps or anything, no cavity they could see and that it looked like it was healing from an infection and that I had a deviated septum (which deviated into the side I'd been having the trouble with). This seemed to clear it up, for a short while. It soon came back and I had another round of antibiotics and more bactroban. I got to where I would use Bactroban every day to try to keep the infection from getting too bad. I had a third round of antibiotics which seemed to clear the infection for another couple of months. It soon flared up again and this time started to affect my sinus in my cheek. I would get headaches and extreme tiredness and irritability. After more antibiotics it seemed to calm down. I had another ENT appointment then which unfortunately when my appointment came along there wasn't much to show him. He said for me to call him when it flared up again. The next time it flared I couldn't get an appointment with him and I had another round of stronger antibiotics designed to beat bacteria that penicillin doesn't, and it didn't clear the infection. I remember flying in an airplane around this time (May of this year) and feeling loads of popping in my cheeks and feeling some relief from the pressure. I continued using the Bactroban and for the first time it seemed to go away on its own and stayed away for about four weeks. I then got a cold and when the cold seemed to go away it all flared up again. Starts with tinging/burning in the tip of my nose which seems to also tingle in the top of the left front tooth. Soon after I would notice the septum would turn really red and raw with bit of mucous on it, some extremely sticky mucous but not a lot of it. Sometimes upon my own examination I could see spots of blood on the septum. I start using the Bactroban then about 4 times a day. The days then are all different, some days I'll have serious sinus pain and headaches, sometimes the pain will be restricted to my nostril, and sometimes it will be the nerve type pain in the tip of the nose and my tooth. I'm beginning to notice that I also tend to have random joint pain around the time that things flare up. I have had odd trouble with my joints over the past four years, in particular my knees. I have been tested for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Lupus and both came back negative. I have also been tested for diabetes which came back negative. About to go for another appointment with a new doctor but am so exhausted from trying to tell the whole story every time I go in. I also feel very stressed by the whole situation as I'm scared at what could be the underlying problem and have two small children to look after on top of all of this. My husband has Herpes which he will get on his face, not really on his mouth, but this has really been under control over the last few years. My mother has Fibromyalgia and has had several Squamous Cell Carcinomas removed from her face. I myself have had a non-cancerous cyst removed from under the skin of my lip (left side) 13 years ago, my tonsils removed 14 years ago and had Mono 14 years ago. Otherwise I have been pretty well. I would really appreciate if anyone could give me advice on things to mention to my doctor or routes to go down. I'm open to anything! Thank you!View Thread

Posted bysoutherngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hello - About 15 months ago I came down with what seemed to be a bacterial infection...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Thanks Dr Moser. Is there any way of knowing the underlying cause of the thickening?...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Thanks Dr Moser. Is there any way of knowing the underlying cause of the thickening?...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hello Dr Moser, Wow 2 months ago, has it really been that long? I finally met with...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hello Dr Moser, Wow 2 months ago, has it really been that long? I finally met with...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hi Dr Moser, I've had my appointment come through for my CT Scan which is in a week...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hi Dr Moser, I've had my appointment come through for my CT Scan which is in a week...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hi Dr Moser, Thought I'd give you an update on what's been going on over the past...

Posted by southerngrrl

Hi Dr Moser,

Thought I'd give you an update on what's been going on over the past couple of months. After I took the antibiotics and had the X Ray come back "normal" a lot of my symptoms improved quite a lot. It wasn't until after I got a cold about two weeks ago that the symptoms started back up again. Strange nerve feelings from tip of nose to top left front tooth, burning septum, pain in left cheek, bridge of nose and in between eyes, tiredness and headaches. I also have some swollen lymph nodes in my neck, a couple that have been there for quite some time but the doctor doesn't seem concerned about them.

I had my ENT appointment yesterday. I honestly don't think I've ever met a doctor with less "bedside manner". When I tried to explain my symptoms he would stop me and say "That's not what I asked," and wasn't interested in hearing the history of my problems. He checked my ears, throat, and looked in my nose, then checked my neck and nerves in my face. He used a long metal instrument to look into each nostril. He said that I did have a deviated septum and the membranes looked inflamed. He wasn't sure about what was causing all of my symptoms. He gave me a prescription for Nasonex to be used two sprays each side once a day (the prescription had written by provisional diagnosis : allergic rhinitis) and has put in for me to have a "scan" of my head/sinuses. I don't know what kind of scan this is but I assume it is a CT scan. Will be waiting for the appointment to come through in the mail. (NHS in Northern Ireland...these things are free but you don't have much choice).

Yesterday evening I noticed a small white pimple like sore on the edge of my left nostril, right where the nerve is that bothers me sometimes and thought, could it be herpes? I went to the doctor today to show her in case it was something useful. She said she thought it looked like an irritated follicle or perhaps that the ENT scratched it when he was examining my nostril with his instrument. She gave me a swab to take home with me and said to leave it alone but if it started to get worse and/or crust over to swab it, put it in the fridge, and bring it in tomorrow or at some point this weekend bring it into the hospital if the doctor's office is closed.

I tell you things like this do a number on your psychological well being. The anxiety and worry is hard to keep at bay. I can't help thinking I have cancer or some kind of horrendous infection or autoimmune disorder.

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Posted bysoutherngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hi Dr Moser, Thought I'd give you an update on what's been going on over the past...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hi Dr Moser, Thanks for replying. I got the results back over the phone for the swab...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hi Dr Moser, Thanks for replying. I got the results back over the phone for the swab...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hi Dr Moser, Well I had another Dr appointment yesterday as I was having more pain...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hi Dr Moser, Well I had another Dr appointment yesterday as I was having more pain...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Okay Dr Moser, I will mention that. Thanks for your response. What would be your...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Okay Dr Moser, I will mention that. Thanks for your response. What would be your...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hello Dr Moser, Thought I would write to you with an update. I finished my course of...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hello Dr Moser, Thought I would write to you with an update. I finished my course of...

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Reply: Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing ...

Hi Dr Moser, thanks so much for your response. I was able to get an appointment today...

Posted by southerngrrl

19 Replies | Reply | Watch This DiscussionReport This| Share this:Could really use some advice regarding an ongoing problem with recurrent nostril infections and pain for over a year... Hi Dr Moser, thanks so much for your response. I was able to get an appointment today...

southerngrrl

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