Post Nasal Drip/Allergies

[Bosozoku]

I have had post nasal drip for the past year ever since I moved to Florida. I constantly am swallowing it and it never feels very pleasant. I also have a couple of swollen glands on my neck which aren't very big or tender, but they are palpable(My doctor has told me that post nasal drip and allergies can cause some irritation there). My questions I guess is could this all be allergies? I have had every x-ray and blood test under the sun and I keep checking out fine. A MRI I had in the past as an investigation of my dizziness showed a mild septum deviation, but the doctor said that it's not really worth the pain to operate on so I have just learned to live with the mild headaches and dizziness, which gets better during certain times of the year.

I have never really had any health problems until I moved to Florida, so the most sensible thing to me is that it's my surroundings that are doing this to me.

Any response is much appreciated even if it's just a similar story someone wants to share.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Glad the post was of some help to you .

Are you any medications for the reflux? You could take a combination antinausea antireflux medication.

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts. Keep us posted.

Regards.

[Bosozoku]

Went in to the office today after the doctor told me to make an appointment and it turns out that I'm fine. All of the tests came back normal/negative.

He does believe though that I have very bad allergies and that moving, which I am in 2 weeks, is probably better than any medicine he can prescribe me.

Also, he thinks I need to stop drinking orange juice because it's making my acid reflux worse, so no more morning glass of OJ :/

Thanks for talking me through this, it helped out a lot!

Take care.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

I understand when you mention about the appointment being sooner - the wait for a diagnosis is most diifficult.

But with no other option, i guess you can only look out and wait for Wednesday.

Do mention to your doctor about feeling better even off the medications.

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts. Keep us posted about how the appointment goes.

Regards.

[Bosozoku]

I might add that the later part of yesterday and most of today I've felt a little better than usual and oddly enough it's been the two days where I didn't take my allergy medication.

That may be completely unrelated to me feeling better, but I couldn't ignore it.

[Bosozoku]

I have an appointment next Wednesday, so I guess I'm just sitting on my hands until then.

I'll ask for a copy of the reports and everything, I just wish I had an appointment sooner. I'm so sick of waiting.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

No point in making guesses - now that the investigations have been done and the reports are with your doctor , you just need to schedule an appointment to see what is the cause of your symptoms and what needs to be done next.

You should ask your doctor for a copy of the reports and also discuss all your doubts in detail with your doctor.

Let us know about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.

Post us about the reports when they come in.

Regards.

[Bosozoku]

Got a bunch of labs done and a chest x-ray and the doctor's office called and told me to make an appointment to discuss the results.

I guess if it was more serious he would have requested for me to come in immediately? I'm not sure.

I'll keep you posted.

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

Glad the post was of some help to you .

I suggest you try some steam inhalation, warm saline gargles, saline nasal drops and see if it helps with your symptoms.

Let us know how the appointment with your doctor goes.

Post us about how you are doing and if you have any other doubts.

Regards.

[Bosozoku]

Thanks for the response!

I should have pointed out that this all really started out with a sinus infection last summer that hit me pretty hard and since then it feels like I never really recovered all the way from it. The doctors I have seen have told me that it was allergic sinusitis meaning that there was really no infection and that it would just be a sort of chronic condition that I would have to learn to maintain using steam therapy, nasal irrigation, move away from Florida(this sounds lik0e a joke, but it's been suggested.)

I developed a pretty nasty cough about 5 months ago and was put on a 20 day regimen of antibiotics which knocked out the cough and constantly running nose, but I still, since last summer, deal with the constant post nasal drip. At this point in time though, I am no longer coughing up any of this phlegm, so I really couldn't say what color it is.

I have days where I feel alright and other days when I just feel rotten and those are mostly days when there is a high pressure storm system in the area.

I'll add that throughout this whole ordeal I have never ran a fever, so doctors usually see my normal temperature and send me on my way which can be frustrating.

I saw the doctor this week and I am having extensive blood work done, so I will post with some results.

Thanks again for your input!

[BhumikaMD]

Hi,

You may have either an allergy or mild sinusitis. As you rightly pointed out, relocation to Florida might have something to do with it and therefore the allergy is considered suspect. On the other hand, the mild septal deviation may also be the primary cause leading to a some sinusitis or may actually have increased the intensity of the allergy.

In my iew, it is best that you visit your doctor again and get an examination of your nasal passages and throat done. The swollen glands point out towards some immune activity taking place in the throat which may be an infection too. Do you get phlegm/nasal discharge of any sort? What is the color of this discharge?

I think some anti-histamines, steam inhalation and pain killers for the related headaches should also be beneficial.

Let me know if you found the answer helpful or not and also if you may need any more help or information.

Keep us posted.

Best regards