How long to get over sinus enlargement surgery?

@phxbarb
I am assuming you had surgery to increase the holes in sinuses that allow sinuses to drain.

I had this surgery back in 2002. It takes a while as surgery will cause those very sensitive sinuses tissues to swell. That takes time but I can tell you for me it did and has made all the world differences in my having good sinus drainage and stopped me getting sinus infection every other week as sinuses were blocked.

The irrigation is going to remove old blood etc. Water stained with blood will come out unti sinus heals. Did your surgeon mentioned using a ice pack on sinuses to help with pain and inflamation? If not asked about doing that as I did that routine and really helped me.

If your surgeon did a good job you should be able to breathe better. Just remember it is going to take some time for those sinuses to go back to normal as they are swollen and inflamed right now.

It was several weeks for me and even then it was a slow process.

@jc76 Thank you so much. That is exactly what is happening for me. And, as usual, I am impatient to have this overwith. I still have bloody gook in my head and I can bring it up and spit it out. Yuk. I appreciate your reply and that this helped you so much. I hope it helps me too. I should have done it years ago ! Barb

@phxbarb
Glad could help with my experience. Had the same thing after my surgery. But it did get better each week that past.

Ask you surgeon about using a cold pack on your sinuses. I used one. Also how much to blow your nose and how. That will help reduce the drainage down your throat.

Just remember those sinuses have been through surgery and are going to be irritated, inflamed, and just not going to be able to breathe through your nose normally for a while. It does get better.
Hang in there!!

@jc76 I am cheating on the nasal rinses cause it seems so useless. And today I was so bored, went outside and did a lot of gardening chores, including bending, trimming and moving heavy bags. What a mistake. Great big headache and exhausted. Took a long nap and I told myself I was dumb because I am trying to heal !! But laying around is miserable. No patience here.

@phxbarb
My wife also has sinus surgery. Her's was to open up the nose area and they remove so bones. She had to do the sinus rinses daily. And yes for couple weeks had small clots and bleeding but it did get better and she now breathes a lot better. Try to keep up your nasal rinses. They help clean the sinuses even if you did not have sinus surgery.

Bending over brings blood to your brain and sinuses. Would have thought that increase in blood flow would cause some pain and discomfort when bending over.

Did you asked your surgeon about using a cold pack for sinuses and or sinus pressure. I used in and helped. My wife also did it and helped.

Try to keep your head up and not down which increases blood flow to head and sinuses. Lifting heavy objects will cause a rise in BP which can cause headaches and also may lead to increase in bleeding in sinus surgery area as BP goes up.

It takes time. Do you like to read. How about treating yourself to a movie (at home). Do some research on sinus surgery and recovery on your comuter. Just keep busy.

Don't be so hard on yourself. You had surgery on your sinuses and is one of the most sensitive and slow recovery. But from my surgeons and ENT keep up those sinuses rinses. I am told to do them even now to keep my sinuses clean, move out pollen and dust. It will help rinse out scabs, dried blood, etc.
Hang in there it will get better. I had two sinuses surgeries and my wife had one.

Oh no ! Don’t bend over ! Do the sinus rinses faithfully ! They really help your healing

I was told moist air helps so I bought a small cool air humidifier … it took a 500ml water bottle .

I hurt for days and days breathing was agony . ENT says the mucus gets hard like cement in the sinuses .

I was given 2 months to heal and go to a follow up

Be patient , often the drugs given lessen pain but also relax you so you rest . Watch tv , listen to pod casts or audio books

Blessings
I’ve gone threw this 3x

@shandra Three x ?? I was told by the ENT office "Once and done" and it would last a lifetime. Now I am hearing that's not true. thanks for your advice. Everything you said is exactly what ENT told me to do. I just hate staying home all the time ! Barb

@jc76 Hi again. Why two times for sinus surgery? Now I am hearing that once may not be enough, when the ENT said once is all for a lifetime. And no help with after surgery either. Just said "No it doesn't hurt" but never said you will be miserable for weeks after.
Thank you for your encouragement ! I will get the ice pak and try that. Barb

@phxbarb once and done ! That’s hopeful . I’ve had it done 3 times 5 years apart because I have polyps too . My sinus cavities basically close up . Last time I went in I was clean and clear because I’d had been faithfully rinsing every morning and afternoon but also maybe something to do with hormone changes I had no polyps … who knows ! Take care

@phxbarb
Barb,
The first time my ENT found polyps in my sinuses. They were blocking my sinus passages and was getting sinus infection every other week. He went in and removed all the polyps.

After a couple of years I started getting sinus infections again. ENT found polyps again and wanted to help drainage of sinuses. ENT second surgery went in again and removed the polyps but then did surgery to open all the sinus drainage.

The sinus infections stopped. But with that had constant drainage down my throad and nose. Was 100% better than having sinus infections so I am not complaining but do have a recurrring cough with drainage down my throat.

It is going to take several weeks for that inflamation of the surgery to go down. The ice pack work for me. Just be careful you don't put the ice directly on your skin put in wash cloth or something like that.

My wife just had eye surgery and one of the things she had to do was put ice pack (with a gauze type barrier) to help reduce pain and inflamation in the eye muscle (the muscle was were surgery was done.)