Sinus Surgery, thinking about it?

[xabain2003]

Hi All

Would like to here your comment about a topic that has been discussed several times in this Forum and for what I would like to hear your avice as I am very confuse with what path to follow and cosidering if stoping diving should be my best decision althougt I love it.

During 2018 I had my first incident with the Sinus ; during one dive I was unable to go down due to a terrible pain in the right etmoide (between the eye and the nose) .

Visit a ENT who advised my to take some oral esteroids and Avamys. After one month out I went to the Red Sea and was able to dive without further issue during 7 days.

But since them I was never fully confortable or secure and have been taking Iburoprofene to assure no issues descending.

After 3 years with not problems in the third dive this season again the terrible pain. So I started taking the Avamys and now in order to be able to dive I need to take a Iburoprofen .

I visit two Docs; one tells me that as I do not have any serious issues (apart from sneering) in my daily live a surgery is a risk that I should not follow and that he will not do it and suggest me to stop diving; but another one advise the following:

Septoplasty, Turbinectomy, and Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

He says that without it I may have periods where I could dive and anothers when I can not.

I really wonder if is worthy the risk as I have been really scared by some people who had a surgery and they said the postoperation and packs remove is very hard.

For your knowlege I use the Neti Pot on regular basic and I am with Avamys since two months.

Thanks
Kind Regards
Xabain2003

 

[rhwestfall]

Having suffered multiple significant trauma (nose broken/smashed numerous times during a basketball career), a rhinoplasty procedure restored complete and efficient breathing in what had been 80% blockage. Surgery was tolerable, but the removal of the splints/packing was one of the most painful experiences of my life. ALL WORTH IT!

Having suffered another significant trauma a few years back that has undone much of the corrective work, I am again pondering an additional procedure...

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Goodmorning.

I've undergone 3 surgeries for a deviated septum and blockages in the last 8 years (pretty much 1 every 2 years up until my last one). The 1st 2 surgeries were not at all worth my time. The 1st doctor left me black and blue for a good 2 weeks, and even the ladies in his office told me to stop coming to him. They said he was a good doctor, no longer a good surgeon though. Really kind of scary.

The 2nd doctor was newer, she didn't do as bad as he did, but she didn't fix anything either.

The 3rd doctor was spot on. He did a rhinoplasty as @rhwestfall had and I've never felt better. Looking back I can correlate each doctors abilities to the size / shape of their office. The last doctor was hands down the best, and his office was by far the nicest. He is an ENT but also a fairly renowned plastic surgeon. I guess that helps, I'm not sure.

Point being, the surgery matters and will work wonders, but it really boils down to the doctor performing. I would get a million referrals before letting another doctor operate on me.... they're really not all they're quacked up to be. I think you'll find experience on both sides of the fence, either worked wonders or didn't do a damned thing. In either case it more than likely boils down to the doctor doing it.

My surgeries were to help with general breathing. I could not breath through my nose, would snore, slept with my mouth open. If you sewed my mouth shut I would die from not being able to breath through my nose. It was less than you could pull through a straw between both sides. After surgery 3 I still have slight sinus issues (maybe just normal now?). Greatly reduced the amount of infections I used to get, like 8 a year down to maybe 1 in the last 2 years since surgery.

Most of the time equalizing works without taking anything but I still try to remember to take sudafed or equivalent, especially if doing multiple dives. It always seems like I get a little more blocked the more I do, but not with OTC meds. I still use flonase on occasion also. I do rinse with saline twice a day, but I did that before surgery.

The one downside to surgery (and I have no idea which surgery did it) is there's a chance that you get dryer nasal passages. Might be temporary or permanent. My right side feels perfect, but my left side is always dry feeling, except after a nice hot shower or a good sinus rinse. I really need to setup a humidifier and see if that does anything for me.

I think that's all I have to offer, feel free to ask me anything.

 

[jadairiii]

I have suffered from a really bad deviated septum and also pretty much destroyed one of my nasal cavities by pushing past the pain while on a dive (suffering for about 5 year long, poorly diagnosed, sinus infection). That was about 30 years ago

That said, I would never go under the knife without trying non-evasive or less-evasive procedures. For 30+ years I now use Nasacort before diving without any issue. I also visit my ENT regularly.

Their office is now doing Balloon sinuplasty, you may want to look up that procedure. Its pretty new

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Having suffered another significant trauma a few years back that has undone much of the corrective work, I am again pondering an additional procedure...

I guess you learned not a good idea to back talk Mrs. rhwestfall again, huh??

 

[rhwestfall]

I guess you learned not a good idea to back talk Mrs. rhwestfall again, huh??

Actually, winch strap broke while cranking the boat up to sit tight to the bow post. I was on an upward crank, and double fisted my face. Man, can I throw a punch....

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Actually, winch strap broke while cranking the boat up to sit tight to the bow post. I was on an upward crank, and double fisted my face. Man, can I throw a punch....

That.sucks. My nose is still a little tender so I can't imagine.

A friend of the family waited years to get the surgery to fix his snoz. He finally did it and 3 weeks later broke it working on a truck doing almost exactly what you did but with a wrench. Still hasn't gone back to get it redone, and that was probably 20 years ago at least.

 

[rhwestfall]

When my college basketball career ended, I got it done. Was something like '90 or '91. Smashed it again back like 6 years ago. Had a long run of great breathing... not so much lately...

 

[Duke Dive Medicine]

Hi All

Would like to here your comment about a topic that has been discussed several times in this Forum and for what I would like to hear your avice as I am very confuse with what path to follow and cosidering if stoping diving should be my best decision althougt I love it.

During 2018 I had my first incident with the Sinus ; during one dive I was unable to go down due to a terrible pain in the right etmoide (between the eye and the nose) .

Visit a ENT who advised my to take some oral esteroids and Avamys. After one month out I went to the Red Sea and was able to dive without further issue during 7 days.

But since them I was never fully confortable or secure and have been taking Iburoprofene to assure no issues descending.

After 3 years with not problems in the third dive this season again the terrible pain. So I started taking the Avamys and now in order to be able to dive I need to take a Iburoprofen .

I visit two Docs; one tells me that as I do not have any serious issues (apart from sneering) in my daily live a surgery is a risk that I should not follow and that he will not do it and suggest me to stop diving; but another one advise the following:

Septoplasty, Turbinectomy, and Functional Endoscopic Sinus Surgery.

He says that without it I may have periods where I could dive and anothers when I can not.

I really wonder if is worthy the risk as I have been really scared by some people who had a surgery and they said the postoperation and packs remove is very hard.

For your knowlege I use the Neti Pot on regular basic and I am with Avamys since two months.

Thanks
Kind Regards
Xabain2003

Just a thought, but have seasonal allergies been ruled out? If not, it might be something to consider before undergoing surgery.

Assuming that they have, the second physician may have found a mechanical obstruction that is causing your intermittent sinus barotrauma and is giving you the option of corrective surgery. Adding @doctormike here to double-check my anatomic knowledge.

Best regards,
DDM

 

[rob.mwpropane]

during one dive I was unable to go down due to a terrible pain in the right etmoide (between the eye and the nose) .

Last weekend I had a horrible pain in my left, went all the way up to my forehead. I know it's something to do with my sinuses. It sucked, took forever to move up or down in the water. Not sure what the heck to do about that. I took sudafed earlier in the day, but there was def something blocked up there.

Any suggestions? I'm diving again today, man I hope it's gone.