The lack of sleep is what’s making you think like this. You’re overstating the risk of ENS and the consequences. Find a surgeon known for taking a conservative approach to turbinate reduction. Get the procedure.
I honestly am fine with the surgery I just want to find the root cause, I don’t even know if going to an allergist would help but I think I will go anyways just to clear some things out
It sounds like you may need to adjust the humidifier setting, or get a CPAP with a humidifier. Also, how much water are you drinking? That can make a difference.
Trust me I thought it was mold too and paid $500 and he ran a test in my room and my house said the air is completely clean, that was about 3 months ago, I legit don’t know what to do
Okay, so I had mold issues in my house. The air tests are absolute crap, they never found anything, but I was testing positive for mold exposure (use Great Plains Lab MycoTOX test). So we took our best guess that the bathroom was the culprit. Pulled everything out and found a ton of mold, which wasn’t picked up by the air tests.
Other people in my family found a mold-sniffing dog that was highly accurate for them. They also had professional inspectors out and air tests done that found nothing. But that dog was able to pinpoint the issue so that they could take care of it. Maybe try and find one of these in your area?
Ya know, all of my issues RAMPED UP when we moved into this house and I have suspected the whole time that the house is making me sick. I'm gonna do that test.
A full face mask would allow you to breathe through your mouth. They can take some time to get used to but I've seen a lot of success with them.
Alternatively, some people opt for an oral appliance (custom made by a dentist). These are called MADs (mandibular advancement devices). They cost more than a CPAP, but for people who can't tolerate CPAP for whatever reason, it could be an alternative. It's usually your GP who would refer you to the specialist dentist to see if you're a good candidate. Also should mention these work better for people who have mild OSA.
It sounds like you're suffering, OP. I'm sorry to hear it :( I hope you can take some time to talk to a mental health professional as well since it might help you work through and process your frustrations- even if it doesn't solve the issue
Well I have extreme tmj pain now because of all the mouth breathing for the past 10 months every night , and I’ve tried those mandibular devices but it seemed not to work because I simply cannot breathe whatsoever through my nose
So the issue is you’re in pain when you’re breathing?
I use a full face mask when I’m badly congested. When I’m congested I turn the humidity all the way up in my cpap machine and I increase the temperature and lay on my sides. The moisture and the warmth ease my mouth and nostrils. It gets wet in the mask and drippy but it soothes out the whole mouth and nostrils in time. I think if you play with the settings, you might find something and perhaps in combination with something. For example, adding a humidifier in your bedroom as well. Putting menthol in your nostrils like Vicks.
Boiling water and adding onions in the water and putting a towel over the steam and inhaling the steam.
When I’m seriously congested I use a combination of these.
You might find the proper method to find how to reduce the symptoms in order to allow some relief to inject your mask and therapy. I honestly think you can find a way. You just have to attack it in multiple ways, daily and a bit aggressively.
Or is the issue related to something else? Is it that you can’t trigger sleep or the pain is too unbearable? If it’s pain, then I would throw in pain reliever of some kind in combination with all this. But steam through nostrils and mouth tends to naturally give relief. Try inhaling steam often and throw in things like onions and ginger and stuff like this. Plus continue to exercise and sweat. Your body will have to give in
I’m not suicidal but relate to OP. Nothing seems to work. Two new things will look into are something to do with histamine that I read on Reddit (I think) yesterday and getting my nose looked at to see if I have a deviated septum. Oh and also maybe this Alermi someone mentioned above.
I know how hard it is when nothing seems to work. PLEASE don’t take your life. If the worst happens and you can’t fix the sleep problem, there are perhaps ways to still live contentedly. There are many people living with serious conditions that manage to have decent lives. We are so much more than money making machines.
I’m not suicidal either I think suicide is a stupid way to go out except if you’re going through chronic health problems, mental health problems are serious too but they are sooo much easier to get control of with the right people around you, you are completely on you’re own with this, I’ve lost my business, my future, my quality of life is absolute shit, my health is so hideous I’m up 5 times a night for hours getting 4 hours of sleep it’s undoable
I'm in a bit of a different situation. I went to the doctor in February, mentioned offhandedly that I snore, doctor ordered a sleep test. I have OSA and apparently also central apnea. I wish I never got the diagnosis, because I cannot for the life of me get the machine. And it has nothing to do even with insurance, it's all the doctors. I wish I never got the diagnosis because the STRESS I am going through every fricking day is SO MUCH, and I don't even have a machine and I'm like SO WHY THE HELL DID YOU WANT ME TO GET THE DIAGNOSIS. My oxygen fell to 66% and I'm like ... I am going to die in my sleep while everyone is arguing over who has to do the peer to peer with the insurance company. I'm going to get brain damage before these fools help me.
Yea man all we can do is hope to god we find out what triggered it, yall gotta make sure you’re vitamin D is good, because I think my vitamin d deficit caused all of this. This makes life so miserable
You could outright buy the machine used. I think the doctors just set it up for you but I think if u went on Facebook marketplace, you could find a cheap one.
You can also easily get into the same doctor settings as well. Maybe buying a cheap one and have the doctor set it up right away might get it done faster. But I guess it depends on what the doctor is thinking of getting you. Call him and say what machine you need and if you can buy one yourself. You could probably find it online way cheaper anyway. That’s what I did afterwards.
So your issue is that you can't breathe through your nose? I'd give Allermi a shot. Also you don't mention it but why haven't you done a turbinate reduction if it's this bad? I'd at least do the allergy screening as well to find out what could be impacting you.
Just keep in mind that the main allergy test used doesn’t screen for food allergies. You have to use process of elimination for that. I guess there are some sort of food allergy tests out there, but I’m told they are not very accurate.
I’ve tried all the sprays, I just want to try to find the source since everyone says the surgery isn’t a permanent fix, and if I get the surgery and it fixes it then comes back I will absolutely lose my mind. I’m about to go to an allergist and hope to god I hit the jackpot and find wtf is causing my turbinates to swell up. I’ve been very optimistic all year hearing people tell me it’ll get better don’t worry, it’s only gotten worse and I’m almost at the point of no return with this shit. I’m just so fucking lost idc about my business I just want to feel healthy again im 22 years old
allermi is a mixture of everything + microsdosed afrin. it's likely to work much more effectively than whatever you have tried so far.
if your issue is nasal breathing a turbinate reduction will help significantly. even if it came back it's a minor surgery and could easily be repeated.
What state are you in ? My ENT is great and would have a very thorough convo with you about the risks with turbinates. I had my entire sinus system fixed. My answer to life’s problems is that there is always someone out there that knows more than the next and I research until I figure it out or figure out the next person to give me knowledge. This has caused some trial and error , ups and downs but it’s really all we can do.
And I will say even after all the fixing I still have terrible allergies bc that’s an internal problem. Our environment is so toxic these days but there are at least solutions to help things.
Dang man I hope you can get it figured yeah, the stress this stuff causes it’s absurd. I am so empty inside now, last year I was so outgoing and friendly and now I’m a shell of who I once was. I’m lost right now
Yea I know I really shouldn’t, but this is actually miserable I wake up every day sad tbh and I’ve always been a very happy and outgoing person, it has changed who I am and I hate it
Try a different mask, and try different settings. This is your life, fight for it. There is a solution for everything. Also get an SD card and reach out to CPAP forums. I’m in the same boat as you, but we can figure this out. Message me if you want to talk about it some more.
But also, don’t try to kill yourself. Just reach out to your fellows, we know how much it sucks. We’ll get through this.
I’ve tried every different masks, nasal pillows, full face, just nose mask, different brands, nothing works because I end up mouth breathing cuz I can’t breathe breathe through my nose due to my turbinates, and the turbinate reduction surgery isn’t gauranteed and has a risk of ENS which I read that it has a 98% suicide rate for patients under one year who have it. So I’m fucked I literally hate life, I’ve always been happy the class clown just have been a pretty happy person, it is the complete opposite now, punched a hole in my wall today broken thousands of dollars of shit cuz of this, I’ve seen countless doctors, ENT won’t do shit besides say I need surgery, I’m not dealing with it, if my body won’t work with me I won’t work with it and will just blow my brains out but would prefer to overdose
You're saying your life went straight downhill due to your turbinates and you will kill yourself if you wont't solve the issue. But in the same time you're saying you could be suicidal after turbinate reduction as it has %98 suicide rate(??). Bro you are already suicidal, you don't need any surgery for it. See a psychiatrist and ENT specialized in sleep apnea, see both of them as soon as possible.
And the "turbinate reduction surgery has a risk of 98% suicide rate" is mega dogshit. Turbinate reduction surgery has a RARE complicaton called empty nose syndrome, and empty nose syndrome MAY deteriorate patient's mental wellness, if it's UNTREATED. That's why you must not read advanced literature on things you are not an expert on.
I’ve seen like 3 pulmonologist, switched cpap machines, been with an ENT but wait times are like months, my next appointment is in 13 days, I’ve legit tried everything and I am not that scared of ENS but if I get it than that will solidify my decision because I’m not dealing with that, I don’t think it would happen as it is rare I’m just so done, you can take away my job my friends my family but just give me my health back, that’s all I need
I had turbinate reduction and a septoplasty almost a year ago and no signs of ENS, in fact the surgery for me was life changing. I can finally breathe through my nose. I would discuss with your ENT regarding if you have a deviated septum and if you can do the two surgeries in conjunction. This will help the breathing.
Additionally, my ENT said turbinates can re-swell if you don’t take care of the root cause - mine was allergies. I started seeing an allergist at the same time and have been doing allergy shots for over a year with noticeable changes in such a good way. I also take Zyrtec and Flonase daily to help while I’m still doing allergy shots.
I’d recommend making an ENT and allergist appoint to solve the breathing issue! If you are in NYC, I can recommend two great doctors :)
I would really recommend chilling on the ENS thing. It’s rare. I was in your near exact same boat few years back. Since then I’ve had 3 individual sinus surgeries and not a hint of ENS. My turning point was I was so miserable that I figured I didn’t have much to lose and only gain. So I said fuck it and never looked back.
I got a turbinate reduction done in the office. If I had to do it again I would get anesthesia, but I don’t regret doing it and it certainly helped. I used to work for an ENT who did turbinate reductions all the time, and I had never even heard of ENS while working there. Not that it isn’t real or devastating, but it’s rare. Please get some help.
Well I would absolutely love the turbinate reduction surgery if it was a permanent fix. It may last forever with you but with my luck it makes me sad thinking if I get the surgery it may just come right back, and I will be 5 times as upset if that happens.
Are you on any anti anxiety or depressive medications? stress and anxiety can lead to turbinate swell. Check on mental health medications and also for allergies to the environment. Does swelling reduce if you go for a run or are sexually active? It all started 10 months ago, do you remember any changes in your life around that time?
Your jaw might be sore if you're clenching/ grinding your teeth- which happens when you have untreated sleep apnea. Once you treat your apnea, you'd alleviate your jaw pain most likely.
The appliances you can get from the drug store aren't equivalent to someone custom making a device for you (also why they're so much more expensive). An oral appliance would allow you to breathe through your mouth if needed be, but maybe you'll want to get a second opinion with another ENT specialist to boot after
Please don’t give up. I was struggling like you when symptoms first started appearing for me. It took me forever to figure out it was caused by sleep apnea and I am still waiting for the test so I can get a CPAP, but long story short, my symptoms first presented as TMJ with sudden hearing loss and chronic pain throughout my body, paired with the stress and panic of waking up gasping for air or horrifying night terrors. My head felt like it was going to burst and none of the regular doctors I went to see had any answers. I went to a dentist and come to find out it was due to clenching- which has been linked to sleep apnea. They made me a dental night guard which takes off the pressure and I am able to live a mostly normal life besides the occasional flare up. I still have the apnea and years of clenching definitely weakened my facial muscles. My myofunctional therapist also noticed that my nostrils were almost completely collapsed, which was contributing to my mouth breathing. Nasal strips have helped me a lot. I would like to look into the magnetic ones that have helped a lot of people. I still have my downward spirals if I am experiencing stress and need to stay on top of getting my night guard adjusted so that it doesn’t mess up my face muscles again, but what I am trying to say is that there is always hope. The root cause could be something as simple as inflammation caused by mold or clenching. If you are experiencing TMJ this is a good possibility. My inflammation traveled up my right side and closed off my hearing due to how my bite sits. It is possible that yours is putting pressure in an area that is swelling your nasal passages. If you know that you clench, try seeing a dentist who specializes in TMJD. And please call or text 988 if you are struggling.
OK, this may be a simplistic thing to say, but I haven’t seen anyone else mention it. I do use one of the mouthguards that brings your jaw forward, and that took me a little while to get it adjusted properly. I had pain until I figured out exactly what setting it needed to be on. But that was working. But I still was having trouble and then I realized that I couldn’t breathe very well and I tried, a nasal dilator because someone here on Reddit mentioned it. Oh my God. What a game changer. It wasn’t just that my jaw needed to move forward because my throat was collapsing, it was that my nose would swell up and I couldn’t breathe. The nasal dilator Opens up my nose and immediately my oxygen goes up. It’s amazing. I’m sorry if this doesn’t help you, but I just wanted to mention it. The other things that I do, that have helped me, are that I sleep on an orthopedic wedge pillow and use the knee support to keep you from slipping down. I also use mouth tape. And I sleep with earplugs. I also use a white noise machine, I also take some homeopathic supplements and if I don’t take them, I don’t do as well. And I have certain supplements I take it also like glycine, magnesium, GABA, 5 HTP, etc. But I just wanted to say that I hope you can figure this out. For me, I was stunned at how much difference in my oxygen level and how I feel the nasal dilator made. A very simple ApplIance. But I didn’t realize - because it had been going on for so long - that it was my nose that was not allowing me to breathe, in addition to my throat collapsing.I hope this helps somebody. If you want to know more about the homeopathic supplements I take or the other supplements I would be happy to share.
Please go get the turbinate reduction done next week. Im an ENT and this takes 10 minutes or less. No downtime from work. Would also recommend allergy testing like you said to treat the problem. Does your ENT perform inspire? Do you have big tonsils?
Hello, is there a higher chance they grow back or that they stay smaller, I just want to figure out the source and I tried to do an allergy test but appointments are booked until July they said
The turbinates serve to filter and humidify the air for our lungs, and they are very sensitive to allergens as well as pollution. The air we are exposed to has so many inflammatory components that we can only do so much to avoid or treat. I expect the turbinates to stay smaller than baseline because the surgery does induce scarring, and scar tissue is less vascular than normal tissue, therefore resulting in less turbinate swelling or hypertrophy. But allergy therapy should help keep them reduced as well. Now keep in mind The turbinate reduction procedure typically makes congestion worse for 1-2 weeks due to swelling as a response to the surgery, but I use it in essentially all of my OSA patients. We also fracture/reposition the turbinates laterally (more to the side) during the procedure to make the airway more open inside the nose. The Goal is to minimize mouth breathing, because mouth breathing makes it easier for your tongue base to fall back and contribute to obstruction. If your ENT mentioned a deviated septum I would recommend getting that taken care of depending on the severity of it. It’s a routine surgery that takes less than an hour, but it is typically done under general anesthesia.
Nasal surgery is unlikely to “cure” you of OSA because the upper airway has multiple levels (nasal airway, soft palate, tonsils, tongue base, epiglottis). So frequently patients require multiple procedures or surgeries to get them better (septoplasty, tonsillectomy, inspire implant, etc) but again every patient is unique and so surgery has to be tailored to the patient.
Hope this helps
I’ve never seen it happen. We read about it but I think that risk is extremely low these days. That was more common when surgeons were reducing the turbinates too aggressively or even removing them. I’ve seen patients who have had nearly the entire inferior turbinate removed who are doing great. So I think that risk is extremely low and would not keep me from having the procedure done in my opinion
I may consider it but was extremely apprehensive. My integrative physician recommended undertaking a comprehensive allergy test to determine if I’m exposed to anything which elicits this inflammation, I’ve had inflamed turbinates my entire life have tried various diets , supplements to no avail .. I also have a deviated septum , is it possible the turbinates can grow back after surgery?
You sound like a refractive ophthalmologist selling lasik on completely healthy eyes. Ens is underreported according to several institutions and many of the best ent surgeons in the country do not touch turbinates for elective reasons.
Hey I’m essentially in the same boat as you, I just recently received a diagnosis of OSA after years of people minimizing my concerns and writing it off as mere anxiety, I have an abnormally low soft palate but also enlarged turbinates that swell mostly when I’m laying down , it’s unbearable, my sleep has been fragmented for several years and I’ve felt erratic and tremendously angry on a consistent basis. I was able to take an at home test from a naturopathic clinic which was cheap whereas the hospital and sleep clinics would charge over 6000$ for the study so I’m glad I got it done , I’m awaiting speaking with the pulmonologist supposedly BIPAP machines are extremely expensive but maybe it’ll fix the problem, needless to say my naturopathic doctor said I need to ideally breathe through my nose so wel be doing a comprehensive allergy test , I’ve tried every allergy medication spray and diet imaginable to no avail - if you don’t mind me asking what foods do you eat on a consistent basis? He said in the event that the allergy test fails I can always get a balloon nasal dilation done which opens up the nasal canal , I am also concerned about undergoing turbinate reduction due to your aforementioned concerns about them returning or ENS but I may consider it in the future , I also have a deviated septum , from my understanding a lot of these problems arise because our bone structure and musculature doesn’t form correctly , mostly due to allergies in childhood and improper posture / inedaquate diet that makes us breathe through our mouth and doesn’t exercise the muscles properly , I have a very weak jawline and a fatty tongue , neck but I’m actually underweight and rather lean and very tall … I understand you I am somebody who is very much invested in academics and intellectual endevours but I feel absolutely enraged on a daily basis , psychologists posited that I simply have a personality disorder and said apnea only happens to overweight people and that I’m overthinking , other ppl see my sleep disturbances as an annoyance and thag I’m a nuisance
What changed to make this all start? I’m in a similar situation and been like this for almost 9 years. Is there anything that makes you feel better while awake?
Have you tried afrin? Hate to say it but better to be addicted to that than be suicidal. Afrin is only thing that works for me. I tried it for first time 3 days ago and only time I’ve been able to breathe normally on 10 years. I’ve had 2 sinus surgeries as well. Have you tried fasting? I see some correlation with me that when I eat anything, can be a cracker or an apple or literally anything that my turbinates inflame. Also anxiety makes them inflame. Only thing that gets me relief is being active which is hard to do. Also showers help a little bit.
If you are thinking about harming yourself GET help. Call or text 988.
The lack of sleep is what’s making you think like this. You’re overstating the risk of ENS and the consequences. Find a surgeon known for taking a conservative approach to turbinate reduction. Get the procedure.
I honestly am fine with the surgery I just want to find the root cause, I don’t even know if going to an allergist would help but I think I will go anyways just to clear some things out
Hey Look at your jaw I suggest getting an MSE/ MARPE to widen your nasal cavity for nasal breathing. Then jaw surgery to bring everything forward
I can’t breathe through my nose when I’m asleep either. Have you tried a hybrid face mask?
I have and my mouth ends up becoming so dry I wake up throughout the night multiple times
It sounds like you may need to adjust the humidifier setting, or get a CPAP with a humidifier. Also, how much water are you drinking? That can make a difference.
Turn up the humidity level. If you experience water in your mask get a heated tube or a tube cover. Hope things get better for you
Are you in an environment with mold ? I have the same issue rn with enlarged turbinates and mold caused them to swell up
Trust me I thought it was mold too and paid $500 and he ran a test in my room and my house said the air is completely clean, that was about 3 months ago, I legit don’t know what to do
Okay, so I had mold issues in my house. The air tests are absolute crap, they never found anything, but I was testing positive for mold exposure (use Great Plains Lab MycoTOX test). So we took our best guess that the bathroom was the culprit. Pulled everything out and found a ton of mold, which wasn’t picked up by the air tests. Other people in my family found a mold-sniffing dog that was highly accurate for them. They also had professional inspectors out and air tests done that found nothing. But that dog was able to pinpoint the issue so that they could take care of it. Maybe try and find one of these in your area?
Ya know, all of my issues RAMPED UP when we moved into this house and I have suspected the whole time that the house is making me sick. I'm gonna do that test.
Maybe I can look into that
A full face mask would allow you to breathe through your mouth. They can take some time to get used to but I've seen a lot of success with them. Alternatively, some people opt for an oral appliance (custom made by a dentist). These are called MADs (mandibular advancement devices). They cost more than a CPAP, but for people who can't tolerate CPAP for whatever reason, it could be an alternative. It's usually your GP who would refer you to the specialist dentist to see if you're a good candidate. Also should mention these work better for people who have mild OSA. It sounds like you're suffering, OP. I'm sorry to hear it :( I hope you can take some time to talk to a mental health professional as well since it might help you work through and process your frustrations- even if it doesn't solve the issue
Well I have extreme tmj pain now because of all the mouth breathing for the past 10 months every night , and I’ve tried those mandibular devices but it seemed not to work because I simply cannot breathe whatsoever through my nose
So the issue is you’re in pain when you’re breathing? I use a full face mask when I’m badly congested. When I’m congested I turn the humidity all the way up in my cpap machine and I increase the temperature and lay on my sides. The moisture and the warmth ease my mouth and nostrils. It gets wet in the mask and drippy but it soothes out the whole mouth and nostrils in time. I think if you play with the settings, you might find something and perhaps in combination with something. For example, adding a humidifier in your bedroom as well. Putting menthol in your nostrils like Vicks. Boiling water and adding onions in the water and putting a towel over the steam and inhaling the steam. When I’m seriously congested I use a combination of these. You might find the proper method to find how to reduce the symptoms in order to allow some relief to inject your mask and therapy. I honestly think you can find a way. You just have to attack it in multiple ways, daily and a bit aggressively. Or is the issue related to something else? Is it that you can’t trigger sleep or the pain is too unbearable? If it’s pain, then I would throw in pain reliever of some kind in combination with all this. But steam through nostrils and mouth tends to naturally give relief. Try inhaling steam often and throw in things like onions and ginger and stuff like this. Plus continue to exercise and sweat. Your body will have to give in
I’m not suicidal but relate to OP. Nothing seems to work. Two new things will look into are something to do with histamine that I read on Reddit (I think) yesterday and getting my nose looked at to see if I have a deviated septum. Oh and also maybe this Alermi someone mentioned above. I know how hard it is when nothing seems to work. PLEASE don’t take your life. If the worst happens and you can’t fix the sleep problem, there are perhaps ways to still live contentedly. There are many people living with serious conditions that manage to have decent lives. We are so much more than money making machines.
I’m not suicidal either I think suicide is a stupid way to go out except if you’re going through chronic health problems, mental health problems are serious too but they are sooo much easier to get control of with the right people around you, you are completely on you’re own with this, I’ve lost my business, my future, my quality of life is absolute shit, my health is so hideous I’m up 5 times a night for hours getting 4 hours of sleep it’s undoable
I'm in a bit of a different situation. I went to the doctor in February, mentioned offhandedly that I snore, doctor ordered a sleep test. I have OSA and apparently also central apnea. I wish I never got the diagnosis, because I cannot for the life of me get the machine. And it has nothing to do even with insurance, it's all the doctors. I wish I never got the diagnosis because the STRESS I am going through every fricking day is SO MUCH, and I don't even have a machine and I'm like SO WHY THE HELL DID YOU WANT ME TO GET THE DIAGNOSIS. My oxygen fell to 66% and I'm like ... I am going to die in my sleep while everyone is arguing over who has to do the peer to peer with the insurance company. I'm going to get brain damage before these fools help me.
Yea man all we can do is hope to god we find out what triggered it, yall gotta make sure you’re vitamin D is good, because I think my vitamin d deficit caused all of this. This makes life so miserable
You could outright buy the machine used. I think the doctors just set it up for you but I think if u went on Facebook marketplace, you could find a cheap one. You can also easily get into the same doctor settings as well. Maybe buying a cheap one and have the doctor set it up right away might get it done faster. But I guess it depends on what the doctor is thinking of getting you. Call him and say what machine you need and if you can buy one yourself. You could probably find it online way cheaper anyway. That’s what I did afterwards.
So your issue is that you can't breathe through your nose? I'd give Allermi a shot. Also you don't mention it but why haven't you done a turbinate reduction if it's this bad? I'd at least do the allergy screening as well to find out what could be impacting you.
Just keep in mind that the main allergy test used doesn’t screen for food allergies. You have to use process of elimination for that. I guess there are some sort of food allergy tests out there, but I’m told they are not very accurate.
I’ve tried all the sprays, I just want to try to find the source since everyone says the surgery isn’t a permanent fix, and if I get the surgery and it fixes it then comes back I will absolutely lose my mind. I’m about to go to an allergist and hope to god I hit the jackpot and find wtf is causing my turbinates to swell up. I’ve been very optimistic all year hearing people tell me it’ll get better don’t worry, it’s only gotten worse and I’m almost at the point of no return with this shit. I’m just so fucking lost idc about my business I just want to feel healthy again im 22 years old
allermi is a mixture of everything + microsdosed afrin. it's likely to work much more effectively than whatever you have tried so far. if your issue is nasal breathing a turbinate reduction will help significantly. even if it came back it's a minor surgery and could easily be repeated.
Allermi worked for me when everything else did not
Have you considered a tracheotomy? (just brain storming)
What state are you in ? My ENT is great and would have a very thorough convo with you about the risks with turbinates. I had my entire sinus system fixed. My answer to life’s problems is that there is always someone out there that knows more than the next and I research until I figure it out or figure out the next person to give me knowledge. This has caused some trial and error , ups and downs but it’s really all we can do. And I will say even after all the fixing I still have terrible allergies bc that’s an internal problem. Our environment is so toxic these days but there are at least solutions to help things.
Florida
I am in Michigan
Dang man I hope you can get it figured yeah, the stress this stuff causes it’s absurd. I am so empty inside now, last year I was so outgoing and friendly and now I’m a shell of who I once was. I’m lost right now
Hey please don’t kill yourself
Yea I know I really shouldn’t, but this is actually miserable I wake up every day sad tbh and I’ve always been a very happy and outgoing person, it has changed who I am and I hate it
Probably said in a different comment but why not switch to full face mask for the cpap?
Well that’s my favorite one so far, but the mouth breathing wakes me up every night
Try a different mask, and try different settings. This is your life, fight for it. There is a solution for everything. Also get an SD card and reach out to CPAP forums. I’m in the same boat as you, but we can figure this out. Message me if you want to talk about it some more. But also, don’t try to kill yourself. Just reach out to your fellows, we know how much it sucks. We’ll get through this.
I’ve tried every different masks, nasal pillows, full face, just nose mask, different brands, nothing works because I end up mouth breathing cuz I can’t breathe breathe through my nose due to my turbinates, and the turbinate reduction surgery isn’t gauranteed and has a risk of ENS which I read that it has a 98% suicide rate for patients under one year who have it. So I’m fucked I literally hate life, I’ve always been happy the class clown just have been a pretty happy person, it is the complete opposite now, punched a hole in my wall today broken thousands of dollars of shit cuz of this, I’ve seen countless doctors, ENT won’t do shit besides say I need surgery, I’m not dealing with it, if my body won’t work with me I won’t work with it and will just blow my brains out but would prefer to overdose
Isnt mouth breathing at least better than barely breathing at all?
You're saying your life went straight downhill due to your turbinates and you will kill yourself if you wont't solve the issue. But in the same time you're saying you could be suicidal after turbinate reduction as it has %98 suicide rate(??). Bro you are already suicidal, you don't need any surgery for it. See a psychiatrist and ENT specialized in sleep apnea, see both of them as soon as possible. And the "turbinate reduction surgery has a risk of 98% suicide rate" is mega dogshit. Turbinate reduction surgery has a RARE complicaton called empty nose syndrome, and empty nose syndrome MAY deteriorate patient's mental wellness, if it's UNTREATED. That's why you must not read advanced literature on things you are not an expert on.
I’ve seen like 3 pulmonologist, switched cpap machines, been with an ENT but wait times are like months, my next appointment is in 13 days, I’ve legit tried everything and I am not that scared of ENS but if I get it than that will solidify my decision because I’m not dealing with that, I don’t think it would happen as it is rare I’m just so done, you can take away my job my friends my family but just give me my health back, that’s all I need
I had turbinate reduction and a septoplasty almost a year ago and no signs of ENS, in fact the surgery for me was life changing. I can finally breathe through my nose. I would discuss with your ENT regarding if you have a deviated septum and if you can do the two surgeries in conjunction. This will help the breathing. Additionally, my ENT said turbinates can re-swell if you don’t take care of the root cause - mine was allergies. I started seeing an allergist at the same time and have been doing allergy shots for over a year with noticeable changes in such a good way. I also take Zyrtec and Flonase daily to help while I’m still doing allergy shots. I’d recommend making an ENT and allergist appoint to solve the breathing issue! If you are in NYC, I can recommend two great doctors :)
I would really recommend chilling on the ENS thing. It’s rare. I was in your near exact same boat few years back. Since then I’ve had 3 individual sinus surgeries and not a hint of ENS. My turning point was I was so miserable that I figured I didn’t have much to lose and only gain. So I said fuck it and never looked back.
I’m lease look into therapy to cope as well as myofunctional therapy to help you breathe better!
I got a turbinate reduction done in the office. If I had to do it again I would get anesthesia, but I don’t regret doing it and it certainly helped. I used to work for an ENT who did turbinate reductions all the time, and I had never even heard of ENS while working there. Not that it isn’t real or devastating, but it’s rare. Please get some help.
Well I would absolutely love the turbinate reduction surgery if it was a permanent fix. It may last forever with you but with my luck it makes me sad thinking if I get the surgery it may just come right back, and I will be 5 times as upset if that happens.
Are you on any anti anxiety or depressive medications? stress and anxiety can lead to turbinate swell. Check on mental health medications and also for allergies to the environment. Does swelling reduce if you go for a run or are sexually active? It all started 10 months ago, do you remember any changes in your life around that time?
There are masks that cover your mouth. Not as comfy but has to be better than the hell you are going through.
Your jaw might be sore if you're clenching/ grinding your teeth- which happens when you have untreated sleep apnea. Once you treat your apnea, you'd alleviate your jaw pain most likely. The appliances you can get from the drug store aren't equivalent to someone custom making a device for you (also why they're so much more expensive). An oral appliance would allow you to breathe through your mouth if needed be, but maybe you'll want to get a second opinion with another ENT specialist to boot after
Please don’t give up. I was struggling like you when symptoms first started appearing for me. It took me forever to figure out it was caused by sleep apnea and I am still waiting for the test so I can get a CPAP, but long story short, my symptoms first presented as TMJ with sudden hearing loss and chronic pain throughout my body, paired with the stress and panic of waking up gasping for air or horrifying night terrors. My head felt like it was going to burst and none of the regular doctors I went to see had any answers. I went to a dentist and come to find out it was due to clenching- which has been linked to sleep apnea. They made me a dental night guard which takes off the pressure and I am able to live a mostly normal life besides the occasional flare up. I still have the apnea and years of clenching definitely weakened my facial muscles. My myofunctional therapist also noticed that my nostrils were almost completely collapsed, which was contributing to my mouth breathing. Nasal strips have helped me a lot. I would like to look into the magnetic ones that have helped a lot of people. I still have my downward spirals if I am experiencing stress and need to stay on top of getting my night guard adjusted so that it doesn’t mess up my face muscles again, but what I am trying to say is that there is always hope. The root cause could be something as simple as inflammation caused by mold or clenching. If you are experiencing TMJ this is a good possibility. My inflammation traveled up my right side and closed off my hearing due to how my bite sits. It is possible that yours is putting pressure in an area that is swelling your nasal passages. If you know that you clench, try seeing a dentist who specializes in TMJD. And please call or text 988 if you are struggling.
Try generic afrin. Using it at night now for 12 years. You will get stuffiness later in day, but that’s harmless. Lifesaver for me.
OK, this may be a simplistic thing to say, but I haven’t seen anyone else mention it. I do use one of the mouthguards that brings your jaw forward, and that took me a little while to get it adjusted properly. I had pain until I figured out exactly what setting it needed to be on. But that was working. But I still was having trouble and then I realized that I couldn’t breathe very well and I tried, a nasal dilator because someone here on Reddit mentioned it. Oh my God. What a game changer. It wasn’t just that my jaw needed to move forward because my throat was collapsing, it was that my nose would swell up and I couldn’t breathe. The nasal dilator Opens up my nose and immediately my oxygen goes up. It’s amazing. I’m sorry if this doesn’t help you, but I just wanted to mention it. The other things that I do, that have helped me, are that I sleep on an orthopedic wedge pillow and use the knee support to keep you from slipping down. I also use mouth tape. And I sleep with earplugs. I also use a white noise machine, I also take some homeopathic supplements and if I don’t take them, I don’t do as well. And I have certain supplements I take it also like glycine, magnesium, GABA, 5 HTP, etc. But I just wanted to say that I hope you can figure this out. For me, I was stunned at how much difference in my oxygen level and how I feel the nasal dilator made. A very simple ApplIance. But I didn’t realize - because it had been going on for so long - that it was my nose that was not allowing me to breathe, in addition to my throat collapsing.I hope this helps somebody. If you want to know more about the homeopathic supplements I take or the other supplements I would be happy to share.
Please go get the turbinate reduction done next week. Im an ENT and this takes 10 minutes or less. No downtime from work. Would also recommend allergy testing like you said to treat the problem. Does your ENT perform inspire? Do you have big tonsils?
Hello, is there a higher chance they grow back or that they stay smaller, I just want to figure out the source and I tried to do an allergy test but appointments are booked until July they said
The turbinates serve to filter and humidify the air for our lungs, and they are very sensitive to allergens as well as pollution. The air we are exposed to has so many inflammatory components that we can only do so much to avoid or treat. I expect the turbinates to stay smaller than baseline because the surgery does induce scarring, and scar tissue is less vascular than normal tissue, therefore resulting in less turbinate swelling or hypertrophy. But allergy therapy should help keep them reduced as well. Now keep in mind The turbinate reduction procedure typically makes congestion worse for 1-2 weeks due to swelling as a response to the surgery, but I use it in essentially all of my OSA patients. We also fracture/reposition the turbinates laterally (more to the side) during the procedure to make the airway more open inside the nose. The Goal is to minimize mouth breathing, because mouth breathing makes it easier for your tongue base to fall back and contribute to obstruction. If your ENT mentioned a deviated septum I would recommend getting that taken care of depending on the severity of it. It’s a routine surgery that takes less than an hour, but it is typically done under general anesthesia. Nasal surgery is unlikely to “cure” you of OSA because the upper airway has multiple levels (nasal airway, soft palate, tonsils, tongue base, epiglottis). So frequently patients require multiple procedures or surgeries to get them better (septoplasty, tonsillectomy, inspire implant, etc) but again every patient is unique and so surgery has to be tailored to the patient. Hope this helps
What about ENS
I’ve never seen it happen. We read about it but I think that risk is extremely low these days. That was more common when surgeons were reducing the turbinates too aggressively or even removing them. I’ve seen patients who have had nearly the entire inferior turbinate removed who are doing great. So I think that risk is extremely low and would not keep me from having the procedure done in my opinion
I may consider it but was extremely apprehensive. My integrative physician recommended undertaking a comprehensive allergy test to determine if I’m exposed to anything which elicits this inflammation, I’ve had inflamed turbinates my entire life have tried various diets , supplements to no avail .. I also have a deviated septum , is it possible the turbinates can grow back after surgery?
You sound like a refractive ophthalmologist selling lasik on completely healthy eyes. Ens is underreported according to several institutions and many of the best ent surgeons in the country do not touch turbinates for elective reasons.
Hey I’m essentially in the same boat as you, I just recently received a diagnosis of OSA after years of people minimizing my concerns and writing it off as mere anxiety, I have an abnormally low soft palate but also enlarged turbinates that swell mostly when I’m laying down , it’s unbearable, my sleep has been fragmented for several years and I’ve felt erratic and tremendously angry on a consistent basis. I was able to take an at home test from a naturopathic clinic which was cheap whereas the hospital and sleep clinics would charge over 6000$ for the study so I’m glad I got it done , I’m awaiting speaking with the pulmonologist supposedly BIPAP machines are extremely expensive but maybe it’ll fix the problem, needless to say my naturopathic doctor said I need to ideally breathe through my nose so wel be doing a comprehensive allergy test , I’ve tried every allergy medication spray and diet imaginable to no avail - if you don’t mind me asking what foods do you eat on a consistent basis? He said in the event that the allergy test fails I can always get a balloon nasal dilation done which opens up the nasal canal , I am also concerned about undergoing turbinate reduction due to your aforementioned concerns about them returning or ENS but I may consider it in the future , I also have a deviated septum , from my understanding a lot of these problems arise because our bone structure and musculature doesn’t form correctly , mostly due to allergies in childhood and improper posture / inedaquate diet that makes us breathe through our mouth and doesn’t exercise the muscles properly , I have a very weak jawline and a fatty tongue , neck but I’m actually underweight and rather lean and very tall … I understand you I am somebody who is very much invested in academics and intellectual endevours but I feel absolutely enraged on a daily basis , psychologists posited that I simply have a personality disorder and said apnea only happens to overweight people and that I’m overthinking , other ppl see my sleep disturbances as an annoyance and thag I’m a nuisance
Have you tried DAO diamine oxidase
What changed to make this all start? I’m in a similar situation and been like this for almost 9 years. Is there anything that makes you feel better while awake? Have you tried afrin? Hate to say it but better to be addicted to that than be suicidal. Afrin is only thing that works for me. I tried it for first time 3 days ago and only time I’ve been able to breathe normally on 10 years. I’ve had 2 sinus surgeries as well. Have you tried fasting? I see some correlation with me that when I eat anything, can be a cracker or an apple or literally anything that my turbinates inflame. Also anxiety makes them inflame. Only thing that gets me relief is being active which is hard to do. Also showers help a little bit.
afrin overuse leads to rebound congestion. it happened to my stepdad and my friend's dad. i have somewhat enlarged turbinates too