Ears and nose stuffy?

RogerRN43

Is it supposed to feel like a perpetual cold?

I'm am 10 days post rad and both my ears feel a little stuffed so my hearing gets affected. I can still plug my nose and pop them and that makes them feel a bit better. More frequently and usually overnight, my nose or one nostril gets plugged, which makes me breathe through my mouth and ends up drying everything up inside, not fun trying to sleep for long periods, otherwise my mouth and tongue are still fairly moist. During the day, my nose is clear.

Both par for the course? I know I'm still cooking, and I realize my mouth will probably start getting fairly dry and stay that way, but did anybody get permanent hearing changes? I did not get tinnitus from the Cisplatin so it's not that.

KTeacher

No Chemo here
But, I often feel like I have a cold. The mucus this second time gets yucky, not always there but when it comes, not fun. Nose sometimes just lets loose, I had surgery on my upper lip--no feeling, I let people know that they need to let me know if I need a Kleenex. I hang around with alot of 5 and 6 year olds and I don't want to look like they do sometimes with snot running down the chin! When mucus is discolored I go in for antibiotics. I only had one sinus infection last winter. You might look into the saline solution, especially before bed (check Dr. Mary's post about neti pots) I have rubbed Vick's on my chest in the evening and that seems to help a bit. You might try a humidifier, with the heater on, everything dries out. I also have asthma and allergies so I have a ton of medications to use, when they don't work I am usually sick.

sweetblood22

Do you have humidifier to
Do you have humidifier to run? That can really help, especially trying to sleep at night. I have that running, and i crack my window, because i cannot freakin breathe. My gram wants it hotter in here than i would like. We have a box on the thermostat so she cannot put it on 80 degrees anymore, but my dad makes me keep it at 71 degrees. Too hot to try and sleep when it's that warm, so, my window, is always open and my door stays closed with humidifier running. Keep an eye on the ears, you really don't want a double ear infection. You may just want to get checked out with that. I've had ear issues since July. Apparently, the eustachan tubes can be effected by the radiation.

RogerRN43

sweetblood22 said:

Do you have humidifier to
Do you have humidifier to run? That can really help, especially trying to sleep at night. I have that running, and i crack my window, because i cannot freakin breathe. My gram wants it hotter in here than i would like. We have a box on the thermostat so she cannot put it on 80 degrees anymore, but my dad makes me keep it at 71 degrees. Too hot to try and sleep when it's that warm, so, my window, is always open and my door stays closed with humidifier running. Keep an eye on the ears, you really don't want a double ear infection. You may just want to get checked out with that. I've had ear issues since July. Apparently, the eustachan tubes can be effected by the radiation.

Yes, I run a humidifier
Yes, I run a humidifier beside me at night. Woke up this morning and my ears are ok. I think they feel a little stuffy, the same way my sinuses get stuffed with mucus because when my nose and throat are clear of mucus, my ears are usually okay too. It's all connected I suppose and rad, like you said, probably inflamed the ear tubes a bit.

I guess it's hard to tell as I'm still in transition having finished rads just 10d ago, I just don't know what to expect.

RogerRN43

KTeacher said:

No Chemo here
But, I often feel like I have a cold. The mucus this second time gets yucky, not always there but when it comes, not fun. Nose sometimes just lets loose, I had surgery on my upper lip--no feeling, I let people know that they need to let me know if I need a Kleenex. I hang around with alot of 5 and 6 year olds and I don't want to look like they do sometimes with snot running down the chin! When mucus is discolored I go in for antibiotics. I only had one sinus infection last winter. You might look into the saline solution, especially before bed (check Dr. Mary's post about neti pots) I have rubbed Vick's on my chest in the evening and that seems to help a bit. You might try a humidifier, with the heater on, everything dries out. I also have asthma and allergies so I have a ton of medications to use, when they don't work I am usually sick.

Vick's and nasal saline
I'll try them both, thanks.

Pam M

RogerRN43 said:

Yes, I run a humidifier
Yes, I run a humidifier beside me at night. Woke up this morning and my ears are ok. I think they feel a little stuffy, the same way my sinuses get stuffed with mucus because when my nose and throat are clear of mucus, my ears are usually okay too. It's all connected I suppose and rad, like you said, probably inflamed the ear tubes a bit.

I guess it's hard to tell as I'm still in transition having finished rads just 10d ago, I just don't know what to expect.

Inflammation
So you'll be more sensitive for a while - so even a "normal" amount of mucus will seem like a lot to your body. For what it's worth, I'm 18 months post radiation, and have been whining about increased mucus lately.

HydroLar

Hi Roger
Perpetual cold? Seems like it. The mucus drainage is unbelievable and still that way for me 5 months post radiation. The Dr finally put me on Singlair which took a couple weeks to kick in and works somewhat.

I also use a humidifier while sleeping and an air machine that kills germs and bacteria with UV. And I vacuum a lot. I also use the neti pot which someone else has mentioned here - I'd really recommend getting one.

All this combined makes the mucus problem tolerable.

I did not have any hearing changes but did have vision changes and I now get heartburn after never having it before in my entire life.

D Lewis

In my dreams...
I'm wishing I had some of that mucus. I've got a dry mouth, dry nose and dry eyes. I do believe I've had a few 'mucus-free' colds. Nasal passages and sinuses are swollen, eyes itch, throat is scratchy (more so than my usual daily scratchy) but no mucus to speak off, except what has accumulated in my throat every morning. Ever had a 'dry sneeze'? Eeeek. It's like a small, painful explosion. My middle ear passages are often stuffed up, making my hearing muffled and my ears pop. I'm really really hoping this is some kind of phase I am working through, and I will come to a better place someday... It has, however, been roughly 21 months since treatment ended.

Other than that, things are fine!

Deb