Nose-breathing Difficulty 13 years after Bilateral Inferior Turbinectomy

I have been experiencing difficulty in breathing through the nose since 2008. The last time I had this problem was from 1993-1997. I am allergic to dogs, & the nasal congestion was resolved only after I underwent inferior turbinectomy in Apr 1997. (After the procedure, I began bleeding non-stop from my eyes while on the recovery table, & the surgeon removed some of the nasal packing -- he said I am "prone to bleeding". Post-surgery, I stayed 5 days in the hospital.)

This time round, my nasal congestion is caused by having to share office space full-time with with 2 colleagues who are dog-owners (note: they never brought their dogs to work, & I found out by incident only after my symptoms recurred). I eventually left the company in Aug 2009 -- in large part because of this nose-breathing problem & its unpleasant side-effects.

To date (Jan 2010), my nasal congestion has not gone away. Daily intake of histamines (Clarinase/ Zyrtec-D/ Clarityn) on their own do not help. Neither do saline washes. OTC nasal sprays offer almost immediate relief, which lasts only for a week or so due to rebound congestion. Since Oct 2010, I have been taking a combination of oral antihistamines & steroid sprays (Flixonase or Budesonide) at night before bedtime -- this takes around 1 hr to take effect, lasts for 4-6 hrs, & relieves the congestion & facial pressure sufficiently so that I can at least sleep for a while. Otherwise. I would be awake trying to keep my mouth open for breathing; or if I got too tired & my mouth involuntarily closes, I end up semi-waking every few seconds/minutes (?) trying to catch a breath. During the day, I try my best to bear with the congestion & facial discomfort until bedtime. It is rather unpleasant to have to do it every single day, & the effort to consciously keep breathing through my mouth (... sometimes I forget) leave me rather groggy, thus often affecting my concentration & memory.

A visit to the hospital ENT center yesterday ended up with the MO telling me that my nasal passageway is clear, & that he could see to my throat with a fiberscope. After less than 5 minutes of consultation, he prescribed more nasal steroid sprays & wanted to move on to the next patient. At this point, I had already been waiting since Oct 2010 for an appointment (& >1.5 hrs in the hospital itself), & felt skeptical that more sprays would make a real difference. The MO then suggested that I might be feeling some anxiety & asked if I want him to refer me to the psychiatrist -- I suppose he's implying that my symptoms are psychological ! But can anxiety cause nasal congestion in the first place ? I am able to breathe through my mouth, & I have no other non ENT-related symptoms.

Besides nasal swelling, I experience concurrent facial pressure (over the upper nose region & below eyes) & post-nasal drip (but no runny nose or sneezing). The congestion seems to worsen if I lie down flat on my back. If I lie on my sides, my nose goes "clicking" slowly for a minute of so whenever I alternate sides. Since 2008/9, people often say that I sound like having a blocked nose/ a cold. My nasal septum has a S-shaped deviation. I also have tinnitus ( a high-pitched ringing noise in my ears/head) since Oct 2005 & a TMJ disorder in my right jaw (ever since my wisdom tooth surgery in 1996). My right ear drips a clear fluid every few days for no reason. My ANA (antinuclear antibody) blood-tests have been coming up positive since I was first tested in 2003 -- although I don't know what is the reason.

I am seeking a better quality of life that is not dependent on daily-rationed antihistamines & steroid sprays, or having to consciously keep reminding myself to keep my mouth open 24/7 just to breathe. Since I already had my inferior turbinates removed in 1997, what might be causing the nasal congestion this time ? Could it be the middle turbinates that are blocking something in my nasal passageway that the hospital MO could not see ? Thanks for reading -- any advice would be much appreciated.