Insomnia After Sinus Surgery

[frazzs]

About a month ago, I had endoscopic sinus surgery, which removed a fungal infection.  Since then, my nose has felt clear - in fact, it's strange how easily I'm now able to breathe through both nostrils.  My problem is that I have been having severe insomnia every night since the surgery.  I have difficulty falling asleep (usually takes an hour), and then wake up early, between 3 AM and 5 AM.  I also have been more anxious, but it's hard to tell if that's related to the insomnia problem.

My ENT says he removed as little of the turbinates as he could to get to the infection, and he is certain I don't have "empty nose syndrome" but he can't understand the insomnia.  I've had bouts of insomnia in the past, but usually they lasted only about 3-5 days, and gradually went away.  The current problem's going on now for almost a month, and shows no signs of easing up.  I'm really stressed about this, because I don't know if it will _ever_ go away, and it's getting harder to function.  There was really no way to have avoided the surgery, but this is just too much!

Have others experienced anything like this, and if so, what turned out to be the problems?  And how have they been treated?

[Enoch Choi, MD]

a month of insomnia is pretty serious, and you have both sleep latency and early wakening.

you need to see your regular doctor and if their initial treatment doesn't help, consider seeing a sleep specialist (neurologist trained with sleep fellowship)

[ch/gh]

how did your endoscopic surgery go? was there a lot of bleeding or a long time to heal there is someone on this site and they seem to be having difficulty. i am getting surgery and i am afraid of empty nose syndrome to  Enoch Choi,MD  in your opinion are those signs of empty nose because frazzs cant sleep any advice is greatly appreciated cause i am getting very nervous about this surgery i already cant sleep because my turbs swell and then to find out i cant sleep because of empty nose syndrome.....  see my question in another post was this  i feel i have an existing infection in my sinuses that wont cure with antibiotics etc...  so i go have the surgery of deviated septum - septoplasty and turbiplasty and in the mean time they get rid of the infection then i really didnt need the turbs cut then thats too much openess because all in all you really only needed the infection gone not the turbs cut      what do you think? thanks ch/gh.

[frazzs]

I had minimal bleeding, and the surgery went well.  I had been having some trouble breathing before surgery; a fungal infection was blocking my nasal passages.  I am wondering if this might be related to the anesthesia I got.

[Enoch Choi, MD]

"empty nose syndrome" is always possible but unlikely

many infections won't respond to antibiotics if the sinuses are filled with fluid/pus/fungus

the turbs may be part of blocking the drainage of the sinuses.

if you're concerned that the ENT is being too cavalier, get a second opinion

[ch/gh]

Thanks for the input   what do you mean the ENT is being too cavalier? sorry what does that mean? thanks ch/gh .

[Enoch Choi, MD]

i mean that if you don't trust them to be taking this seriously enough, see someone at a major university

[ch/gh]

I really like my new doctor maybe i am just over thinking things a bit in your opinion though if i have an infection that is causing the turbs to swell and they get rid of the infection and cut the turbs some will that give me empty nose syndrome because maybe i just need the infection to go away and the turbs wont swell anymore. thanks

[Enoch Choi, MD]

Turbinate swelling can be from many causes, not only infection, but from allergy or even non-allergic rhinitis.  Find a ENT you can trust, it sounds like the new doctor you have is trustworthy.  Talk to them about your fears about empty nose syndrome

[laaz]

I have 24/7 nasal drainage. Swollen under eyes with discoloration - fluid filled like.  I was diagnosed with vasomotor rhinitis. - chronic rhinitis.  I can actually feel the mucus transport throughout all my sinuses and then down the back of my throat.  Tried every nasal spray (steroid) been doing sinus rinse for 6 yrs. twice a day. Had radiofrequency coblation to Right inferior turbinate. - turbinate had mulberry-ing.  Latest CT scan of sinuses shows only slight right maxillary mucosal thickening with left & right maxillary ostia thickening but patent. My question is- why would ENT