Thursday, January 10, 2008
Neti Pot Anyone?
So, just pretending I was healthy didn't work. As I said a while back I was diagnosed with a deviated septum and put on a medicinal regimen that just wasn't economically feasible. The ENT Doc wanted me to use two sprays of Nasonex in each nostril every morning and to take Mucinex D everyday. Well, the Nasonex is a name brand prescription and with insurance (thank God I have it) is $30. One bottle lasted just under a month. Now the Mucinex is what hurts. It, of course, is over the counter and about $30 a box for 36 tablets which last 18 days. Oh, and it happens to be one of those drugs that make you feel like a felon to buy. Yeah, that's just what I need someone knocking on my door to confront me about my cold medicine purchases (By the way, does someone have the awful data entry task of logging all those purchases or is this one of those things that's supposed to really make us feel safer rather than actually getting the meth labs closed? I mean, really, the log you have to sign seems a bit outdated for 2008). Back to the rant at hand: so, the total for all the drugs I was prescribed was just under $90 a month. Needless to say, not only for the previously mentioned reason, but also because what person in the world wants to take medicine everyday regardless of whether they are having any symptoms (I had a hard enough time getting on a schedule for taking birth control and the consequences of messing that up are far greater), I didn't do what the doctor recommended and here I am with a cold, which will invariably turn into a sinus infection, needing to head to the drug store where I will have to sign my name and address to purchase some Sudafed. This brings me to my question for all of you out there (really, I'll take any advice, but I'd prefer to hear from those suffering from a deviated septum). Have you used a Neti Pot? and if so, would you recommend it? Evidently, Oprah has, but I'm not willing to go with it on her recommendation alone.
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13 comments:
katherine (my sister KAY to you) SWEARS by it. tries to get me to do it every time i am sick. haven't taken the plunge yet, but she would be very happy to know someone else was brave enough to try :)
Same here. I've never used one, but if I had a dollar for every time someone told me that I SHOULD, I could pay your monthly drug bills.
Last time I was sick I snorted salt water which is close but messier. I guess it helped.
I am going to get an NP the next time I fear a cold coming on, regardless.
I have heard it works - however, something about waterboarding comes to mind....and yes, gotta love the wonderful government intrusion in our lives with these drugs - as for paper signing - Target makes you sign electronically and then tells you you must wait another 24 hours before you get anoter set of pills...ick. Isn't there surgery now for a diviated septum?
I have had the nasal surgery for apnea...it has helped a lot with sinus infections, but not with the snoring or apnea. As for you, Jo, I am not sure you want to mess with nasal surgery as it may change the quality of your vocals.
my mom says it was life changing!
My brother just got Neti Pot for Christmas and it has been very helpful!
I just read an article about Neti Pots as well that was intriguing at http://blogs.dailycents.com/?p=825 talking about how to use a Neti Pot that was really intriguing.
Hopefully you're feeling better by now, but if not, I highly recommend you get one. I have a deviated septum & just tried one for the first time yesterday. I had a cold last week & even though the cold's gone, the nasal cavities weren't draining properly. Like you've experienced, that often leads to sinuse infections & the post nasal drip causes problems with asthma for me.
While it didn't drain as well out of my left nostril, it still helped enormously.
You can get the pots or a squeeze bottle in CVS or GNC (at least in my area). Many come along with saline packets. One thing is you want the water & the pot to be as clean as possible. I boil water in a tea kettle. Then I let it cool enough so it won't melt the plastic of the pot. Then I pour it in & let it cool until it's a comfortable temperature. I wash the pot before & after use with hot water & dish soap.
I was reluctant to try it because I thought I'd drown myself, but you actually tilt your head forward and turn your head to the side. Which keeps it from being inhaled. Also, breathe through your mouth to prevent water from being inhaled. This should be in the instruction booklet which comes along with them.
Even if you're feeling better, which I hope you are, get one anyway. I have allergies & I'm prone to sinus problems, so I think I'm going to do it on a daily basis. At least during allergy season.
PS meant to say it won't drain as well out of the nostril that's blocked by the deviated septum, but it will still help. And it's a lot cheaper than the nasal spray/Mucinex combo.
Another thing about the deviated septum is that it was a really clear illustration of why any headache, sinus infection or ear infection is either solely on the left side of my head or hits a lot worse on the left side (if both are involved). It's hard to get anything to drain out of there. I saw a sinus specialist back in the early 90s who said the deviated septum wasn't bad enough to correct, but I think I'm going for a 2nd opinion on that.
I have a deviated septum and can't get the neti pot to work at ALL. :( It ends up just putting pressure into my ears (GRR) and going into my mouth (GROSS!!)...and no, my head is not in the least bit tilted back.
We don't have insurance and can't afford the $10K for the surgery to fix it... Now I'm wishing I hadn't wasted my $ on the neti pot.
I know lots of people (without deviated septums) who love it, though.
Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!
Call me crazy but since moving to dry New Mexico 19 years ago and using a netti pot, I seem to have more sinus infections. I have a deviated septum. Now I have a theory that flushing the sinuses may drive the bacteria further up into the sinuses.
I suggest you that you always try to neti pot when you have sinus problems.
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NetiPot
I just purchased a Neti Pot a few days ago. I thought that I would use it 2x per day but found that using it before bed was not a good idea.
I have a deviated septum and the water solution does drain a lot slower in one direction. I believe that going directly to bed does not allow it to drain properly (I woke up with a bad headache) and my sinuses have been draining sporadically for a few hours after each use of the Neti Pot. It is not very sexy, but it will be worth it if it helps my allergies and sinus/migraine headaches. Good luck to you.
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