Post COVID - Sinuses fill when I lie down preventing sleep!

Posted by pez @pez, Sep 29, 2023

I had Covid just before Christmas/ end of 2021. Since then I have suffered each night when I lie down with Post Nasal Drip /catarrh. I have not had close to a good night’s sleep now since and it’s really affecting my mood and quality of life.

I have considered and been treated for allergies and feel certain my condition is not a reaction to environmental or seasonal allergy – see below:

I have suffered from hay fever, and cat allergies in the past – resulting in streaming nose and eyes – but a simple antihistamine has dramatically reduced my symptoms. With the catarrh, the predominant symptom appears to be the continuous collection of thick mucus (or whatever it is) from behind my nose which I continuously feel the need to draw down into my throat and swallow as I am lying down. I have also been through ten continuous seasons now, and travelled abroad, with no discernible difference to my symptoms.

Regardless of where I am in the world; pets or no pets; carpet or no carpet; indoors or outdoors; or what medication I take the catarrh persists. So far I have taken courses of loratadine, cetirizine, promethazine, fexofenadine hydrochloride, benadryl, prednisolone, flixonase/fluticasone, montelukast, sterimar nasal solution, dymista and doxycycline.

In addition, I have introduced an air purifier into the bedroom, and a humidifier. I also perform regular nasal washes especially before bed and have tried sleeping propped up.

Any combination of the above may have reduced my symptoms by some 10-20%, but I might just have imagined it as some nights are better than others.

I remain convinced that my condition is somehow Covid related as I did not suffer at all with it before I had Covid in 2021, but I have suffered ever since.

Of course I am keen to resolve this issue as I cannot imagine living with it indefinitely - I am so exhausted by it and the resultant insomnia which is really taking its toll.

It would be great to know I'm not alone with this problem, and of course any shared remedies would be most welcome.

Thank you.

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Post-COVID Recovery & COVID-19 Support Group.

I too have had this sinus problem & Post nasal drip each night since having a bout of Covid. it just does not go away even after 2 or 3 sessions with antibiotics that are supposed to take care of it. I'm going to try some herb and old-time remedies and see if they help. Lois

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Your symptoms sound exactly like my husband's. Except the dripping gets into his lungs and he coughs until he gets it out every morning. He has tried everything, even a six-week dose of acid reducer. If you discover anything to help please let us know!! I've heard that CBD orally can do wonders for anything. Not sure I believe it!

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@koleke

Your symptoms sound exactly like my husband's. Except the dripping gets into his lungs and he coughs until he gets it out every morning. He has tried everything, even a six-week dose of acid reducer. If you discover anything to help please let us know!! I've heard that CBD orally can do wonders for anything. Not sure I believe it!

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Thanks for your response, I'm sorry to hear about your husband's experience. It probably affects you too - my wife spends most nights in our spare room!

I am on a waiting list for a nasal cryotheraphy, but it may be some way away and not certain to help. If I find ANYTHING that helps I will surely report back - I know how desperate it can make one feel.

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@thepirate

I too have had this sinus problem & Post nasal drip each night since having a bout of Covid. it just does not go away even after 2 or 3 sessions with antibiotics that are supposed to take care of it. I'm going to try some herb and old-time remedies and see if they help. Lois

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I tried antibiotics too, but no cigar. My consultant is convinced that my symptoms are allergy related and that Covid has just triggered the response. I was tested for allergies and told that I was allergic to just about everything, dogs, cats, grass, dust, etc. But the FACT remains that I had NO symptoms before Covid!

If you find anything that works, please let me know. I've read about and tried Citracidal which some have claimed works for sinusitis, but sadly it didn't work for me.

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Pez, God Bless You. I had COVID Augus of 2022 and I am battling the same thing. I was diagnosed with Long COVID this past July. I am awaiting to see a Pulmonologist in October. I have this mucousy thick saliva in the back of my throat every day. Sometimes at night I get choked on it. I have tried everything....prescription & natural. The COVID clinic said that COVID had attacked my gut, acid reflux, joints & lungs and hince backup in my throat. The only thing that gives me temporary relief is irrigating my sinuses daily, salt water rinse in my mouth and Azelastine (SP?) (prescription antihistamine) daily & Cromalyn Spray which works a little differntly (over the counter). I do find that eating anything really salty makes it worse. I scrape my tongue several times a day to get this stuff off. Once I get the morning stuff cleared out, it helps, but, builds back up during the day. I take Guaifenisin 600 mg mucous thinner sustained released 12 hour (over the counter) in the a.m. and before bedtime which helps. I am taking a probiotic (Mega sporebiotic...it's very potent so you have to start slow.....Amazon) to hopefully put some good flora back in my gut due to all the antibiotics/steroids I was on for COVID pneumonia, asthmatic bronchitis & sinus infection. I clear my throat constantly. I drink lemon ginger tea which does seem to help for a little while. I drink water to help thin out the mucous. I went to 5 doctors about this and one of them cultured my mouth and it came back normal mouth bacteria. I had an endoscopy done in May due to so much reflux (Long COVID again) and he said all looked normal and there was no candida in the esophagus. I was thrilled about that as I had a lot of thrush after all the antibiotic and steroids. I personally think my gut is playing a big part in this from all the meds AND COVID wrecked havoc on the mucosa in my mouth. I was told to not eat citrus fruits by the COVID clinic as that could make mucosy saliva worse. My immune system is not good....I am going to an Integrative Medicine doctor who thinks he can help me with this and getting IV infusions to boost my immune system. I too use a humidifier & hepa filter (2 in the house due to allergies). This summer was incredily hot and humid and I had pneumonia again, asthmatic bronchitis again & sinus infection again for about 2 1/2 months. Never had a summer like this until I had COVID last year, although. I will say the humidity was the worst here this summer and it aggravated upper respiratory. Please consult with doctor before trying any of these. Praying for you and all us COVID long haulers that this stuff will wear itself out. Doctors are not there yet with treating COVID and are learning as this is new and everyone that has had COVID reacts differently. God Bless You and I am sorry you are battling this. I empathize.

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@covidstinks2023

Pez, God Bless You. I had COVID Augus of 2022 and I am battling the same thing. I was diagnosed with Long COVID this past July. I am awaiting to see a Pulmonologist in October. I have this mucousy thick saliva in the back of my throat every day. Sometimes at night I get choked on it. I have tried everything....prescription & natural. The COVID clinic said that COVID had attacked my gut, acid reflux, joints & lungs and hince backup in my throat. The only thing that gives me temporary relief is irrigating my sinuses daily, salt water rinse in my mouth and Azelastine (SP?) (prescription antihistamine) daily & Cromalyn Spray which works a little differntly (over the counter). I do find that eating anything really salty makes it worse. I scrape my tongue several times a day to get this stuff off. Once I get the morning stuff cleared out, it helps, but, builds back up during the day. I take Guaifenisin 600 mg mucous thinner sustained released 12 hour (over the counter) in the a.m. and before bedtime which helps. I am taking a probiotic (Mega sporebiotic...it's very potent so you have to start slow.....Amazon) to hopefully put some good flora back in my gut due to all the antibiotics/steroids I was on for COVID pneumonia, asthmatic bronchitis & sinus infection. I clear my throat constantly. I drink lemon ginger tea which does seem to help for a little while. I drink water to help thin out the mucous. I went to 5 doctors about this and one of them cultured my mouth and it came back normal mouth bacteria. I had an endoscopy done in May due to so much reflux (Long COVID again) and he said all looked normal and there was no candida in the esophagus. I was thrilled about that as I had a lot of thrush after all the antibiotic and steroids. I personally think my gut is playing a big part in this from all the meds AND COVID wrecked havoc on the mucosa in my mouth. I was told to not eat citrus fruits by the COVID clinic as that could make mucosy saliva worse. My immune system is not good....I am going to an Integrative Medicine doctor who thinks he can help me with this and getting IV infusions to boost my immune system. I too use a humidifier & hepa filter (2 in the house due to allergies). This summer was incredily hot and humid and I had pneumonia again, asthmatic bronchitis again & sinus infection again for about 2 1/2 months. Never had a summer like this until I had COVID last year, although. I will say the humidity was the worst here this summer and it aggravated upper respiratory. Please consult with doctor before trying any of these. Praying for you and all us COVID long haulers that this stuff will wear itself out. Doctors are not there yet with treating COVID and are learning as this is new and everyone that has had COVID reacts differently. God Bless You and I am sorry you are battling this. I empathize.

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Covid certainly stinks!!

Thanks for all of your kind suggestions. I will leave no stone unturned. I wish you all the best with finding something that helps you, and quick - it sounds really horrible, I feel your pain. Bon chance!

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Sorry to hear about this. Have you gone to an ENT doctor? If so, what was their diagnosis?

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@dnelson720

Sorry to hear about this. Have you gone to an ENT doctor? If so, what was their diagnosis?

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Yes I have. They are convinced it is an allergy, and that perhaps Covid has exacerbated my symptoms - but there weren't any before covid, so I remain sceptical.

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Hello,

I thought I'd make another entry to share an idea that I have just learned about. I've not yet had a chance to try it but I wanted to let others know in case they might want to try it too - sooner rather than later.

It might sound crazy, but it turns out that different foods contain different levels of histamine, and this is the interesting bit... I've cut and pasted it from where I found it so you can make up your own minds:

dr-healthcare.com/en/2020/03/27/dao-deficiency-and-the-covid-19-pandemic/

"Under normal conditions, when histamine levels rise above a certain threshold, the enzymes responsible for its metabolism, specifically DAO (Diamino Oxidase) and, to a lesser extent, histamine N-methyl transferase (HNMT), rapidly degrade the excess this amine. However, when the degradation rate is insufficient to cope with the excess, the total level of histamine in the body rises. At a certain critical level, signs and symptoms occur as a result of histamine coupling to its receptors in specific cells.

Histamine is a mediator that intervenes in the inflammation of the immune system by activating intracellular pathways that induce the production of cytokines in the lungs. Cytokines are signaling proteins that regulate interactions of cells of the immune system, thus producing an amplification of inflammatory reactions."

So it seems to me that one can do 2 things. 1) Try and reduce the histamine 2) Try and increase the levels of DAO. Here's another link to a post I read about trying to get to the bottom of things, which I am going to try as of today. Although, I've decided to work backwards, so rather than eliminate almost everything from my diet, I will eliminate or drastically reduce foods which are high in histamine to see where that takes me. In addition I have started to take supplimentary vitamins, especially vitamin C which is supposed to be good for increasing DAO health. So here we go - please, let this be the one!!!

graduatefitness.com/histamine-intolerance-guide/

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@koleke

Your symptoms sound exactly like my husband's. Except the dripping gets into his lungs and he coughs until he gets it out every morning. He has tried everything, even a six-week dose of acid reducer. If you discover anything to help please let us know!! I've heard that CBD orally can do wonders for anything. Not sure I believe it!

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I thought about you and your husband as I read the info in my last post timed just now. Please see if it might be of interest to you..... good luck!

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