Square & Compas

Most ear, nose and throat specialists do not use the gauze packing any more. They use an absorbable gel that will absorb and dissolve over time and you will clear some of it out as you gently blow your nose after the surgery. As far as breathing, you will naturally breath through your mouth, especially when you sleep, just like when you have a bad head cold. It is not impossible to breathe through your nose, just difficult. Your body will naturally switch to breathing through your mouth as a matter of instinct.

I use a CPAP to sleep at night, part of what this surgery is doing is to either reduce the pressure I need from my CPAP or eliminate it's use completely. I normally use a nasal mask only, it just covers my nose and that is how I breath with using the machine. Because of the surgery I had to get a full face mask, it covers both my mouth and nose and it worked fine. Half way through last night I woke up and switched to the nasal mask because my sinuses are becoming more and more clear. One of the things I was instructed to do is use Afrin spray. The Afrin does 2 things. I t relevies sinus congestion and the first couple of days after the surgery I used it to control the post surgery bleeding. The drainage is normal and ok. but if it is too red with more or mostly blood that is not a good thing. I guess you can also use Afrin if you ever get a bloody nose to slow it down and stop it. There is something in it that restricts the blood vessels and helps them clsoe if they rupture and you have a bloody nose. Too much Afrin use can cause what is called rebound and cause sinus congestion.

This is part one of the surgery I need. Part 2 will be in about 6 months to remove my tonsils and trim the area in the back of my throat. Again this is to reduce or eliminate the use of the CPAP. That surgery will be very painful after. From what I understand I will not be able to eat anything solid for about 10 days.