Please note: I am not a doctor and have no medical knowledge whatsoever. Anything you find on this website is merely as a result of my own experiences. If you suspect you are suffering from any condition mentioned here please consult a trained medical practitioner.

The Diary starts from the most recent event. For the whole chronologically accurate boring story go to the bottom and work your way back up here. Good luck and thanks for visiting.

April 2011

Been for my CT Scan. Painless and over very quickly. Polyps on the right hand side are pretty troublesome. Right sode almost always totally blocked. Difficulty getting to sleep due to constant post nasal drip. When I wake up my mouth and throat are usually dried out and sore as the blocked nose means I am unable to sleep with my mouth closed. Also getting really bad morning headaches. Sense of taste practically nil. I am actually looking forward to the operation. Pre- op examination next week then I will get a date.

UPDATE - Preop went well. Oxygen saturation 98%. Pulse 70. BMI 28? Im 6'3" tall and 15 stone. Whats the problem? Operation scheduled in 10 days time. Will probably be an overnight stay. Not looking forward to it but polyps just about out my right nostril so something needs done quick!

If all goes well I will update site with a blow by blow account of the operation and treatment in about 2 weeks.

March 2011

The appointment with the Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) specialist was pretty quick. When I arrived I filled in a multiple choice formin which I grade my recent symptoms from 1-5 depending on how I feel they have affected me. Unfortunately most were graded a 4. The last few weeks have been horrible. Constant post nasal drip, sinus infection causing sore heads nearly every morning, blood running from nose, unable to get to sleep, sense of taste even worse than usual, polyps half way down right nostril so much that the side of my nose is bulging out and slight asthma.

The ENT consultant agreed the prednisolone needs to stop and booked me in for surgery - Polypectomy. He even promised to get them ALL removed this time. Im booked in for a CT Scan of my sinus s and a pre op examination in a few week so hopefully the surgery will be soon.

January 2011

My appointment at the Asthma Clinic where they manage my prednisolone medication wasnt what I expected. The Bone Density scan results show I have Osteopenia (Definition) which means that my results show I am on the way to Osteoporosis.

The polyps are also about an inch away from coming out my right nostril. Left one is nowhere near as bad. Some days its really bad. Constantly blocked nose and post nasal drip. My better half has started sleeping down on the couch as she reckons my snoring is the loudest she has ever heard.

In the mornings my mouth is exremely dry and some times the Uvula - punchbag shaped thing that hangs at the back of the throat - (definition) is very dry and becomes painful and enflamed for the rest of the day.

The prednisolone has caused this by blocking my bodies ability to absorb Calcium. So I am to remain on 10mg prednisolone as a maintenance dose until seen by the E.N.T consultant. This will probably mean another surgery - Polypectomy (Definition).

So, until I get to see the ENT Consultant I keep taking the usual drugs and calcium supplement - Adcal.

Worries - I wont be getting large doses of prednisolone again as its giving me Osteoporosis. Until a cure is found for Allegies I'm going to have to resign myself to surgery every 2 - 4 years. The first OP I had was terrible. I woke up as they were inserting the nasal padding - a long gel covered pad thing that goes right up your nose to aid healing and soak up the blood from the wounds - the pain was unbelievable. During that OP they also damaged the rear of my left eye socket although I was told it was minor and was never referred to any kind of eye specialist.

The second OP went great. I hope when I eventually get the third OP everything goes great too. I have a good life - wife, great kids, nice house, worthwhile job. I want to keep all of that.

.November 2010

I've been having a bit of trouble breathing these last few months. Polyps have returned on the right side and its half way down my nostril. I went for a Bone Density Scan last month and will get the results at my next appointment in January 2011. This is due to my continuing dose of 10mg Prednisolone per day. It lowers my bodys intake of calcium which is hopefully offset by the ADCAL Calcium tablets I take every day. I would have had the appointment sooner but the receptionist I spoke to at the new regional hospital call centre DIDNT bother to make the appointment she assured me she was making.

Now, do I allow the doctors at the asthma clinic to keep me on steroids and probably increase the dose for a month to reduce the polyps or do I arrange for an ENT appointment for further surgery to remove them? Continuing the steroids means not having to go under the knife. Surgery, which has risks, means I get another year of clear breathing and my family and I get a decent sleep if I'm not snoring. Difficult.

.January 2010

The return of the polyps seem to have slowed considerably. This last week I have started waking up with a sore head and dry mouth again as I cant breathe through my nose very well. May be due to some decorating work I did - dust. During december I had to visit a well known perfume retailer and after that I was quite ill for about 2 weeks. Im very allergic to perfume. I also found out that Rinatec, a nasal spray, has an ingredient that also reacts to perfume. Polyps came back but got less troubesome as I continue my medication.

Im getting quite irritable at times. Mostly when I feel unwell due to sore head and poor sleep.

I visited the Allergy Clinic and the Asthma Clinic who manage my steroid medication. I am to remain on 10mg of prednisolone per day for the next year. This seems to be the highest "safe" dose which will give me some sort of quality of life. The allergy clinic cant do any more for me. Their diet sheet has been invaluable in helping me remove salicylates from my diet. Booked in for another Bone Density Scan at end of 2010.

.November 2009

I got my sense of smell back after 3 weeks. Its starting to slowly fade again but those weeks where I could taste, smell, breathe easily and feel great were fantastic. Food is wonderful. All smells are wonderful.

.September 11th 2009

Attended Asthma Clinic at Hospital.

Blood Pressure 121/85 - Pulse 61 bpm - weight 14 st 9lbs

Consultant put me back on a course of Prednisolone corticosteroids. 40mg for 1 week 30mg the next 20mg the next and stay on 10mg till next appointment in January 2010 and also prescribed AdCal which is vitamin D3 and Calcium supplement to combat risk of Osteoporosis. Bone Density scan to be arranged approx 1 year after last one in November. I am assured that my medication will be monitored and side effects will not be severe. Also Keep taking the following daily - nasonex, seretide, Montelukast (Singulair), cetirizine.

At around 10mg of prednisolone or slightly below that my polyps come back. They make my life miserable - sinus infections, complete loss of smell, loss of taste, painful headaches and sore throats after sleep, broken sleep, post nasal drip, snoring, asthmatic symptoms - lack of breath and difficulty exercising due to blocked nose, sore eyes and face, lack of concentration, irritability, listlessness.

Basically the Resumption of the steroids is a quality of life issue. Once the polyps shrink due to steroid treatment I will be normal and happy and well.

I hope.