Sudden significant, difficult to control nasal bleeding

Posted by delia74 @delia74, Mar 30, 2024

On March 18th, I awakened around 6 AM to the sensation of a runny nose, only to learn that it was blood --- lots of blood! Made my way to the bathroom and saw blood actually squirting out of left nostril, flowing out the right one. I could feel the warm blood seeming to rush down my throat, and a pulsing sensation within the left side of sinuses. There's a great deal to what transpired over the next 10 hours, but it involved two ERS and a private otolaryngologist (she removed a device called a Rocket which an overambitious PA had inserted without giving specifics and not having asked any questions about my medical issues, and the dang Rocket set off intense nerve pain in my face and left eye. I wanted it OUT and the otolaryn-gologist did so and then cauterized it. She also removed several nasty blood clots out of my throat (no wonder I couldn't swallow water!). She gave me advice and instructions on what to do in the event of another episode, and I left exhausted but relieved to have had the bleeding attended by her. One week later (March 25) almost to the exact same time in the morning, I experienced ground hog day with SAME SITUATION. I took care of it by following the steps given to me by the doctor the previous week, and pinched my nostrils for 1 1/2 hrs until our local Urgent Care opened. The department is on the ground floor of our huge medical group (with many specialists and even radiology and Blood Lab), and yet not ONE of the staff in the ENT department was willing to see me "...because she has active bleeding..." and directed me to go to county medical center (where in the past I sat for HOURS with my elderly mother just waiting to be seen). That was not an option for me, so I went home and tended to my own care. The bleeding was not as significant this time, and stopped by using what I'd been instructed. I did see an ENT the following day (he agreed to see me ONLY because I had "no active bleeding." Examined me and said that he could see "nothing significant, other than a deviated septum and an area of exposed bone." Did not explain well when I questioned the "exposed bone." Told me that if it happened again, to go to medical center, and I told him NO, I would NOT go sit for hours in the ER of the medical center, but would definitely return to the otolaryngologist who had so wonderfully attended to me the prior week.
So I left, and the week went fine. I felt unwell from all the stress, etc., and other health issues, but all went well for balance of week....until this morning! AGAIN nose bleed episode! But I was seriously experienced and prepared THIS time, and with my husband's help, Afrin sprayed cotton pads inserted into nostrils, leaning downward, AND tightly squeezing my Mose, the bleeding came into control. Today is Saturday, and first thing Monday morning, a call will be placed to the private otolaryngologist who helped me the first time I experienced this. Right now, I have the cotton pad plugs in both nostrils. When removed, there is no bleeding but there is light tinge on the plugs.

So THREE nasal bleeding episodes almost exactly a week apart, and I have never had nosebleeds in my life, and I turn 76 in August.

No, I do not take blood thinners and stopped taking low dose aspirin which had been prescribed by my cardiologist, but I ran out about 2 months ago and just forgot to buy more (prescribed dose was one 82 mg tiny aspirin nightly). I also stopped the Omega supplement, about 3 to 4 weeks ago. So NO blood thinners at all.

I would so appreciate any info that can be shared by anyone who has experienced what I'm undergoing.

Thanks for taking the time to read this long post...would have been much longer if I had described the horrible experience that I underwent in the first ER, which is why I left and went to the second one! In the second ER is where the PA called the otolaryngologist who saw me within hours (we had to go home first so my husband could eat since he's diabetic and can't go long hours without nourishment or it causes nasty side effects). I am so indebted to her for her professionalism and willingness to see me when NOT ONE other ENT would do so.

Gracias 💖....

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) Support Group.

Have you ever been checked for HHT? You can google CureHHT.org. The reason I ask is your report of massive nose bleeds. Especially if you have a heriditary connection to nose bleeds, you should ck it out.

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I joined this group today and also had my left nostril packed today after a fourth cauterization for a weekly bleed that’s been happening for 7 months now—a non healing blood vessel, they call it. Can’t wait for this dissolvable material to clear out of my tightly packed nose. Both sides have been dripping all day and my sinuses still burn from the silver nitrate solution the ENTs at the cancer hospital painted on. Then they packed, then sprayed Afrin chemical on the whole thing.

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Profile picture for jolnafieldthomas @jolnafieldthomas

Have you ever been checked for HHT? You can google CureHHT.org. The reason I ask is your report of massive nose bleeds. Especially if you have a heriditary connection to nose bleeds, you should ck it out.

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I will check it out, thanks. My nosebleeds, though, aren’t massive, just frequent. The scab build up, then loosens, then a bleed starts, roughly once a week or sooner.

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Profile picture for olivias74 @olivias74

I will check it out, thanks. My nosebleeds, though, aren’t massive, just frequent. The scab build up, then loosens, then a bleed starts, roughly once a week or sooner.

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olivias 74, Just a thought....ask your doctor about prescription Mupirocin nasal ointment antibiotic for the places where scabs form to help heal them. It is a very strong antibiotic.

Someone else posted on here about using it after sinus surgery in their nose....I know yours is
different.

Blessings & Prayers for you to get better.

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Profile picture for covidstinks2023 @covidstinks2023

olivias 74, Just a thought....ask your doctor about prescription Mupirocin nasal ointment antibiotic for the places where scabs form to help heal them. It is a very strong antibiotic.

Someone else posted on here about using it after sinus surgery in their nose....I know yours is
different.

Blessings & Prayers for you to get better.

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Thank you. I should have given more of my total history in the beginning. I was using Mupirocin for several weeks in the beginning of my saga when I saw my asthma AP nurse who used to prescribe it to treat bleeding when she worked in the ER. After that, Ayr saline nasal gel was all that was suggested by the Ap nurse at the cancer hospital. I'm wondering if I need a biopsy.

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Profile picture for jolnafieldthomas @jolnafieldthomas

Have you ever been checked for HHT? You can google CureHHT.org. The reason I ask is your report of massive nose bleeds. Especially if you have a heriditary connection to nose bleeds, you should ck it out.

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Thank you, I'll check out HHT.
I've learned that the epistaxis episodes that I endured is referred to as posterior nasal bleeding, which is considered potentially escalating to a more serious situation than what I faced. Really pitiful that the ER staff had no clue, were ill prepared to deal with me b/c the nurse and the PA kept leaving me alone, and it was during one of those absences that I had the rush of warm bood etc., and vomited copious blood and clots into the basin on my lap. I have YET to hear from the hospital president...but I did file a report with the state dept of health, as well as filed with the Discipline department for the hell that the nurse and PA put me through. Trying to locate legal help but not one lawyer deals with the issues that are involved, which included HIPAA violations.
I located a highy regarded rhinologist not far from our home, and will be seeing him in July. I ad gone to a well regarded ENT but he did nthing. Just looked into the left nostril and shrugged "There's nothing there now." Seriously??! So I kept searching until I located a medical group that has so many great specialists, even imaging within the expansive campus. I'm looking forward to that visit.

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I had an on and off nose bleed many years ago and turned out I had a sinus abscess!

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Hi, came across your story and — first, so sorry about all of it!!— and, second, have you found a cause for it?

I am 56 and recently have had many, scary, gushing bleeds… never have before. Thought they were initiated by constipation straining (probably were) but now seem precipitated by a nose peel (or pick lol), reflux, and other things. Wondering if I damaged a vessel initially and now it’s fragile?

Went to urgent care and was told it looks anterior (yay) but I wonder, since it’s gushing/spraying, hard to stop, and from both nostrils (though one might be from ‘overflow’— the other nostril is the main and initial gusher.

I too have a deviated septum. It was ‘fixed’ at 16 but then I walked into two doors in my 20s 😆 But that was long ago.

I have low blood pressure but I do have thinning skin and dryness due to goddam menopause.

Hoping to see ENT this week…

Glad I didn’t get the rocket (UC doc warned me about it and I decided never to let anyone do that to me 🤞🏼) So sorry about the insensitive PA 😱

Thanks for listening and just thought I’d check in. Hope you are doing ok. Best— J

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FYI: I don't know if this is applicable to any of you, but, some folks get nose bleeds from using Flonase nasal
spray and have to switch to something else.

Blessings & Prayers for relief....

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Profile picture for delia74 @delia74

Thank you so much for responding and sharing your experience. 🌺

At least I was ready when I had the repeat performance of my scary nose bleed yesterday.
I hated waking up my husband since he has sleep interruptions due to severe neuropathic pain in his feet but I needed his help with doing what I had been informed would stop the bleeding (and avoid yet another event like the first one on March 18th).

The plugs that he helped me shape from small cotton square rolled into "plugs" sprayed with Afrin absolutely did work! My doctor had suggested cotton balls but the little square pads were great. Took about hour with them in place, and having to replace them twice before the bleeding stopped (as did the disgusting warm blood down my throat and gagging!) and I was able to kinda sleep sitting up, propped by many comfy pillows on the family room sofa. It was difficult having to breathe through my mouth because I'd keep jerking awake whenever my mouth would close and I guess my brain registered "Wake up! No oxygen getting to me!" After getting up, showering, and having a light lunch, I actually was able to go over to our older daughter's home (she lives about 5 minutes away in same town) and do a laundry. Yeah, our washer chose to just stop working this week, to add to my stress level. And you are absolutely spot on when you indicate blood pressure being a factor! Despite metoprolol succinate extended release and losartan, my BP was elevated this week due to the stress of the unknown etiology of the sudden nasal bleeds but also brought on by dealing with a dead washer (that had clothes in it when it chose to stop working), getting a repairman to the house and then learning that the mother board needed replacement so it was not worthwhile saving the 12 yr old appliance, and then coming to grips that I would replace BOTH appliances so that they would both have a distal demise...the dryer had been "hiccuping" for the past month also, with at times extending a dry time of 28 minutes to over an hour and then upping it again by 47 minutes, which meant that I had to keep an eye on the dry cycle...so yes, the stress of facing a major output of money for new appliances had my heart palpitating (I also have irregular beats but not atrial fibrillation thank God).

I did have blood drawn at the second ER that I was in on the first nose bleed event (March 18). And all those tests were normal, no low or high readings of crucial items. But of course it did not include specifics that you indicate your primary ordered. I had a Virtual Visit with my outstanding primary this past Tuesday (day after the second nasal episode) and she had the blood work results done on the 18th so she was pleased to see that all had been fine. Of course I will drop off a note at her office here in town (literally 4 minutes from our home) regarding what you indicated. I drop off notes rather than email via the patient portal since the portal does not always work for me. It's a new system for the medical group and still is quirky, so dropping off a note is way more efficient and direct since her nurse attends to it right way, making sure that my doctor reads it. Her nurse is amazing and she is the one who gives me my monthly B12 shot. So I'll drop off a note tomorrow (she's in the office on Mondays which works out great), asking if she might consider having those specific levels tested. She will definitely be concerned that after speaking with her on Tuesday via Virtual Visit that I had yet another event just 4 days later. The lab is within the same building so it will be easy to get blood drawn.

I do know that I have osteopenia but not osteoporosis. I have fallen several times and thank God no breaks or fissures of any kind. I've had balance issues for over 9 yrs now, and just recently got a diagnosis that explains why, but I can't share that just yet...still wrapping my head around it and the impact on our lives...

Your reply and that of another member have both been very useful and appreciated. The fact that you experienced a similar situation at least relieves a bit of the stress of thinking it could be a vascular issue (although I will be contacting my vascular cardiologist this week to get his input as well). Two otolaryngologists have indicated that the problem lies within the nose passages itself. I will be making an appointment with the one that cauterized the left nostril (the one that literally pulsed and gushed warm blood out the opening as well as flowed down my throat). I vetted her and learned about her incredible education and experience, and that she is also an outstanding surgeon (just in the event that it should be required). The doctor at my medical group pales in comparison, so of course I'd choose her!

Can you share how you are doing now, since having had the parathyroid tumor addressed? Was it excised or treated by another means? It would be helpful for me to know.

Be well, and thank you again💖.

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@delia74
I just finished reading your account of severe bloody noses, all while holding a paper towel squeezing my soft nose parts to stop the second bloody nose I've had in the last few weeks. As I live in dry Montana and am of a slightly old age (69), I am not too concerned. That being said I agree that bloody noses are an unsightly and uncomfortable nuisance!
I wish you the best in figuring out what is causing your bleeding and also want you to know how much I appreciate your thoughtful and well written letters. Best of Luck!

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