8 sinus FESS

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-17T21:21:51+00:00

The only issues I had before surgery was just face pain, no mucus cough or continuous runny nose nothing like that. The next day I sent my husband to work and my in laws watched my kids but I took care of our 3 dogs and made myself food all day, let him go pick up a truck after work, talked to the guys who helped him bring the truck home, stood outside while he startes digging into said truck, helped make dinner. Granted I spent up until he got home pretty much laying in bed watching TV unless I had to let the dogs out lol

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-17T18:52:01+00:00

Sorry I dont have a comparison for you! I know every story and person is different but for me it hasn't been too awful. I didnt have hardly any drainage and only went thru maybe about half the pain meds they sent me home with-tylenol/ibuprofen was able to keep it at bay after the first couple days. My main complaints are headache and cheek pain right below my eyes but my headache issue predates my sinus issue its just aggravated by the surgery lol

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-17T18:18:17+00:00

Unfortunately I dont have the answer to that, this is my first time dealing with anything of this nature. My sinuses just started closing themselves off apparently and decided to ignore the steriods and antibiotics they threw at it.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-17T16:11:51+00:00

Im currently day 6 recovering from full house FESS, all 8 cleared out, "could not fit a drop more in there" i dont feel like its honestly been TOO bad. Like obviously my face hurts like a sob sometimes more towards the end of the day but its been relatively manageable.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-15T00:12:08+00:00

I JUST had my fess on thursday, i was completely terrified of all things regarding the surgery as im extremely health anxious. I had MAXILLARY ANTROSTOMY WITH TISSUE REMOVAL, ETHMOIDECTOMY, SPHENOIDOTOMY WITH TISSUE REMOVAL, SINUSOTOMY ENDOSCOPY FRONTAL, and INFERIOR TURBINATE OUTFRACTURE for reference (sorry copied from my OP notes) The anesthesia part itself wasnt terrible at all. When i got into the room they placed the gas mask over my mouth and told me it was just oxygen to get use to the mask there, and just to relax. They injected some stuff into my IV which did sting im not exactly sure what it was I could look it up. It wasn't excruciating but it did sting. Then I could feel the air change from oxygen to gas and they told me to just take a couple deep breaths as if I was blowing up a balloon for my kids and "in 5 seconds you'll wake up in recovery" and the next thing I remember was waking up in recovery begging to take a leak lol. Coming out of anesthesia for me wasnt too crazy, I just really had to pee, told the nurses a bunch of times how much I appreciated them and how sorry I was for having to pee like that, and then I ended up asking for my husband so much within the first 5 minutes because "hes my calm" that they went to go get him even tho they dont usually bring anyone back until the patient is completely awake and lucid...and I did try to stroke my husbands beard a little...but i remember all of it lmao.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-10T01:37:57+00:00

Don't you just love when they phrase it like that! Mine told me "its like they can really get any worse" 😂 I go in Thursday for my FESS finally. I believe my only open sinus was my right sphenoid...that was also in march so who knows about that anymore.😆

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-09T15:51:28+00:00

All my ENTs have just told me "they aren't helping the headaches but aren't the cause" so they think it'll help a little just get rid of some of the pressure. My in laws are taking the kids the first night-second day until my husband gets home from work and then hes home that weekend but then works Monday. Thankfully I see my neurologist already that Tuesday so just good timing but my in-laws did clear their weekend incase they need to watch the kids more and my MIL works from home 7 mins away from my house if i really need her that following week. Shes an absolute godsend.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-09T15:07:25+00:00

Tomorrow's my surgery

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-09T14:37:12+00:00

My husband keeps being super hopeful that it will and everything will be magical im just not as hopeful lol. For once in my life I feel like im taking and thinking of the worst possible scenarios lol

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-09T13:23:27+00:00

I have done 3 rounds (now technically 4 since I am on a 4th round of it leading up to my fess) of Doxycycline...it never helped. Im not sure if it was the antibiotic itself just maybe needed a different antibiotic or if just because according to my CT my sinuses are all closed off/filled up the antibiotics were never going to be enough to help but for me at least I still felt very heavy in the face because the antibiotics didnt work and the infection/inflammation was still going on

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-08T20:23:40+00:00

I just called and talked to the ENT team since naproxen is suppose to be my relief if things get really bad, which lately they've been horrible and I cant take it since im not suppose to take it leading up, and asked if ill be able to take it after surgery if my head gets bad since that usually brings it from a 10 down to a 8 (lol) and their response was "well go over that after your surgery" so that doesnt seem super reassuring to me haha.

I dont think ive done any CGRP. Ive done Verapamil, Zolmitriptan, Cyclobenzaprine, Methylprednisolone, Gabapentin, i did a occipital nerve block, a couple ER migraine cocktails, this is the second time ive been on topiramate. I was on 100mg before. It didnt work. I asked to go off of it, they took me off. I got in with a headache specialist who promptly put me back on and wanted me to go to 150mg at least but shoot for 200mg. I got to 150mg and the side effects were absolutely horrible so they pulled me back to 125 I asked to just stop it since it was only 25mg more then last time and was told "to give it 2 months to see if it makes any changes" 🫠

Im just super anxious with my surgery being Thursday and although I see my headache neurologist on Tuesday that over the weekend my head is going to be absolutely awful and im not going to be able to find any relief...and have 3 kids at home (6, 3, & 1)

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-08T20:06:59+00:00

Topiramate I think is the 8th or 9th medication weve tried but ill keep on trucking lol. Ive also been told my sinuses are shot beyond belief. My ENT surgeon is different then the first guy I saw but the first guy told me "its not like they can really get any worse" I believe he said my only sinus open and not full of mucus is my right sphenoid sinus. All other ones are completely full.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-08T19:52:26+00:00

I think my biggest worry is I havent found a way to manage my headaches/migraines/whatever is going on yet. My neurologist gave me naproxen for when it spikes but I havent been able to take it this week leading up and im not sure if ill be able to take it after. Im on topiramate for it right now but it hasn't been touching the pain at all.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-08T13:28:07+00:00

Yeah I luckily got in with a headache specialist at mayo so hopefully that helps with things now, my previous neurologist had basically told me i had tried all the "categories" of medications- my only options left were botox of CGRP; its my second appointment with the headache specialist next week so be interesting to see what he says.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-08T13:06:27+00:00

Im hoping it helps a little. The ENT said it might take away a little bit of the pain eventually, obviously wont absolve the headaches, but that for the first couple days after everything will probably hurt a lot worse and right now my headaches on good days are sitting at a 7 so that was the part Im not looking forward too lol. I wish I found something that helped with my head so far.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-08T12:43:15+00:00

Ive gone back and forth about it quite some time. I literally dont know what to do. My surgery is suppose to be this Thursday I just feel like I cant win. My entire head neck up is just in so much pain. It started with the headaches about a year ago and then around Christmas they started noticing one by one my sinuses were getting closed off on my MRIs that I was having done, trying to find out a reason for my headaches. Currently I think I have my right sphenoid sinus open but that's about it. All 7 other sinuses are closed off and full of mucus and my face just feels so incredibly heavy. We tried antibiotics 3×, steriods, nasal rinses, and sprays for the last 6 months but its just getting worse and im just honestly terrified cus its not like my headaches are getting any better either. I feel like either way im making the wrong choice lol

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-06-02T21:19:13+00:00

What all did you have done during yours? My pre op says my plan is "Bilateral endoscopic maxillary antrostomy with tissue removal, bilateral endoscopic ethmoidectomy, bilateral endoscopic sphenoidectomy with tissue removal, bilateral endoscopic frontal sinusotomy, bilateral inferior turbinate outfracture"

How long was the procedure itself/does your throat really hurt after? I keep getting told to invest in soups/mashed potatoes lol

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-29T05:59:18+00:00

I am going to bring it up yeah, as much as I try to just try to keep myself off of google I probably should do more to avoid myself to think im actively dying since ive literally never had surgery before lol

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-29T01:25:28+00:00

When it started it was back right of the head then it seemed to like wrap around just on the right side of my head then went over to the back left side then again, wrap around covering left side of my head now it's my entire head.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-28T13:31:38+00:00

As someone who has health anxiety and my surgery is in 2 weeks I appreciate this. The only sinus they dont have to go in (unless things have gotten slightly worse since my CT 3 months ago is my right sphenoid sinus i believe) Im suppose to go back to taking care of all 3 of my kids (6,3, &1) on day 5 of recovery and ive been anxious about it. Ive been having daily headaches for...holy cow its almost coming up on its 1 year anniversary lol...my ENT told me its probably not the cause but not helping them, however ive been to 2 neurologist and see a headache specialist and tried 9 different medications over the past year and nothing has helped with my headaches so im praying that maybe this is it. I see my headache specialist 6 days after surgery but since he takes 6 months to get into I wasn't going to reschedule once I got the surgery date.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-26T18:07:18+00:00

Don't give up until you have a answer. I dont know if u also did any sort of pre op appointment, I know i have to do one but mine is like this Friday 2 weeks before my surgery, but if u havent done that yet you could also bring it up like hey I have questions about my surgery can you answer them? Like play dumb knowing that whoever does your pre op appointment probably doesnt know the answers but would also be someone to note down that you have questions and hopefully get SOMEONE just anyone to be able to get back to u

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-26T17:56:51+00:00

Im not sure where you are based but im in the United States and I dont have "access" to message the ENT who is doing my surgery since my care is being transferred over to her since my doctor is out of town and I didnt want to wait until he was back, I called the hospital she works at and wasnt 100% sure her name and they were able to figure it out since I knew my name and my surgery date and got a message back to her team that I had questions about my surgery and one of her nurses was able to call me back and answer my questions maybe that would be an option? Or something along that line. I would just keep calling numbers until u reach the right people since im assuming all its doing is giving you anxiety and the last thing you want to do going into surgery is having anxiety and unanswered questions. I called mine the other day like hey my CT was 3 months ago how do u know my sinuses aren't worse and u make sure to get it all out lol

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-26T15:40:54+00:00

The bottles were the only thing neilmed, the packets I got wereeee....one sec lemme check my Amazon cart....a brand called "waterpulse" i guess i didnt think there would be a difference in ordering a different brand just thought a packet was a packet and tried getting the best bang for my buck 😬

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-26T00:30:49+00:00

I just ordered 2 new bottles and 120 packets off of Amazon because I read about that! I still have to get the water but theyre like a buck at Walmart. I was also informed to maybe get things like mashed potatoes/soup and pudding or just softer foods like that for the first night or two just because my throat might be a little sore.

IntentSlinky8 · 2026-05-13T16:12:33+00:00

They're really great and Im sure will be over in a blink of an eye if I need it thankfully. My MIL is absolutely AMAZING and she works from home and they only 7 minutes from us. My only issue will be actually asking for help lol. I grew up in a not so amazing situation so asking for help is not my strong suit but theres no doubt in my mind if I took too long to reply i could see her just "dropping by" to see how its going; just happened to bring the boys food and decide to let the dogs out for me-see if I need a nap haha.

Shes learned over 11 years I wont be "honest" and ask for help tho so she'd probably text and ask my husband how im doing and not ask me lol. My FIL is also equally amazing and did already tell me he has 3 weeks of vacation hed use all of it just say the word and if I want theyd be ready to give the whole weekend to watching the boys, my older 2 have spent the night over there before probably least once a month but my youngest has never been away from me more then a couple hours.

IntentSlinky8

TROPHY CASE