Nose bleeds that will not stop

[maryaz]

I was not going to do such a big post on this subject. Someone else posted one about their bad experience and I thought I should also post. Below is just what I posted in that topic. Just so you know the references I made came from.

I had no intention of posting this but after reading Pat's experience, I just have to share.

I have never read about anyone having this serious of a nose bleed until tonight.

Tuesday morning, October 20th my husband got a bad nose bleed. It was really bleeding. He was concerned about swallowing it and was having quite a time. It would not stop. I finally called paramedics. They were not much help. They just sort of ran over the run of the mill things such as does he use a humidifier on his concentrator that he sleeps with. Dry noses and bleeding. If they took him to ER and it was filed with insurance as bloody nose, they probably would not cover the ride.

Paramedics highly suggested a family member or neighbor take him. I called his sister who it would take at least 30 minutes to get here. My husband wanted to wait but I didn’t like that idea. The blood was pouring out. This was around 8 AM. My last Paramedic ride was billed at $750 plus.

I don’t have this exactly right but in the hospital was explained about the dryness and causing something around the vessels lacking. Maybe Pat can come up with a good explanation. Anyway this is what caused his ‘blood vessel to rupture‘. That was why he was bleeding so profusely.

I just shared Pat’s post with my husband and he said he got the balloons also. He agreed very painful. I feel absolutely awful that I cannot go to the hospital when he goes. Even for his cancer. I only went once. I just cannot get around good enough. They wanted him seen by an ENT and not one works at the hospital we use near the house. They called one ENT my husband had seen one time recently and he said “I don’t have time to go to hospitals”. They transferred him to a hospital 18 miles from us, where they had an ENT.
This happened on Tuesday and he did not come home until Thursday afternoon. Instructions to not eat or drink any hot food. No lifting and no bending. He had to call the ENT on Sunday and meet him at the hospital and the ENT repacked his nose. He finally got to take the packing out, just today, over a week later. I can see that he feels better. He was doing a lot of sleeping. In his case he had some pain meds. He had morphine in the hospital but made him sick.

Pat, it sounds like a lot of what the two of you experienced was similar.

My son finally came in and he went and got our neighbor to take my husband. We were instructed by 911 to save everything that has blood on it. I am sharing this if anyone else ever has such an experience. I think it is to determine how much blood is lost. He later showed a low blood count. He couldn’t sleep in the hospital and looked pale when he did come home. I hope this never happens again.

Pat, my husband liked the ENT at the hospital too. He was a doctor for 35 years in Colorado and retired and now does this part time.

BTW friends. This is part of why I have been gone. The other is I had a sleep study done this past Friday. BIG MISTAKE. NEVER AGAIN.

[sue]

I remember years ago a neighbor had a severe nosebleed like that and refused to go to the hospital. A neighbor happened to find her and came and got me to take her to the ER. They admitted her. Dont remember the cause and all that. Lots of blood and clots, I do remember that and the fact that she filled up a small wastebasket. I had my husband scoop her up and put her in the car along with the wastebasket and basically took her against her will as I was afraid she would bleed to death.

[Cherylmcc]

Mary - I'm glad your Joe is feeling better now that the packing is out. It must have been very uncomfortable.

[virginiaal]

This is why i had to go see an ENT today. For 6 months my nose bleeds about once a month or more sometime will just start bleeding, I woke one night with my face full of blood all over the bed and it was in my throat that woke me,I had stopped bleeding by that time. but everytime it did and to me it stopped soon enough, didn't think I was in danger, but when i told my Doctor she said it was from the oxygen prongs that sit in my nose, she didn't believe me!! i guess but Tuesday it started and was pretty bad, I went to the doctor (had taken a picture of the blood) I told her I wanted her to get me an appointment with an Ent, she did i went today...He said I was so dry up in my sinus's that when i used the nose cleans with the pumps that i had scabs in there and they would break loose. said my skin over the blood vessels were very thin.He gave me a gel to keep it moist, and the saline rinse, and Afrin that would help close the vessels up or make them tighter.So I hope this works and Mary it wasn't as bad as Joes I still worry about him. that was an awful lot to have to be packed , and then again.YOu felt like you were so helpless i know...One of the paramedics would have offered to take him on your car, and Sue bless you for taking someones life in your hands and do something, not many people will do that now.

[maryaz]

I thought I had replied to you Virginia. I don't know what I did. I remember it in my mind. I was thinking of posting, or I wrote it and clicked the wrong button.

I remember wanting to ask what the gel is that you got from the ENT. I have a serious dryness also. I would rather avoid problems. I have had Ayr Gel for years but nothing really helps.

Joe's blood count was low at one point in the hospital. In checking I found a good link to explain two types of nose bleeds and this is worth reading if not familiar with it.
www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/Nosebleeds.cfm

The same site on another page is more good information. Years back in Pulmonary Rehab the RT there did a class and I always remembered he often shared that one of the first things they after hearing it.
Warms
Filters
Humidifies
That is part of what this page is stating.
www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/lungGuardian.cfm

[virginiaal]

Mary, the doctor told me 3 things to use...nasal Saline spray4-5 times a day to keep the nose moist..

Then use nasel Saline Gel at night bfore going to bed , a small amount on your finger placed about where you 02 prongs sit, once you lay down,it will melt and run down,keeping things moist
.
If you begin to bleed, sit up and sit still.,activity will make you bleed more.spray a couple of puffs of alfrinin the side thats bleeding, or spray alfrin on a cotton ball and place it just inside the nose.

[maryaz]

Hi Virginia, I am a little dense lately. Could you be more specific. Do you mean like the Ocean nasal spray. I know there are generics but is that what you mean. I use Ayr Gel and is that the same kind of gel.

My husband was told, and I have been before, about the Nasal Rinsing. Interesting about the gel and laying down.

Joe's nose started bleeding again tonight. Just little but we all were concerned. Think it stopped. Been 3 hours.

Is yours better and just what did you buy or going to buy. Thanks. Hope you are feeling better.

We got Wendy home. Now we worry about poor Merry. I cannot believe that.

[virginiaal]

About Merry, I had a gut feeling things weren't not right for her now I just hope the process of healing will be good..
Mary, all mine are generic he had them himself , said when he told patients what to take, they would call him from the pharmacy to ask, is it generic,So he keeps his supply..
but if all this doesnt help go to hospital.
The mist, and gel is by (neilmed) the Afrin is NASAL DECONGESTANT 12 hour spray...max strength and to use it as soon as you start bleeding..spray on cotton ball and put it in the nose , not way up thereMary, I really like it my nose is not dry like it was. Have not bled any since...
ASk me whatever, I will tell you... my brother goes to him and has helped him so much with his sinus's.

[maryaz]

Check this page out. NeilMed is a good product. It is confusing tho. There are Sinus RINSE and Sinus WASH. I have no idea what the difference is.
www.neilmed.com/usa/products.php

There is also Hypertonic and Isotonic, whatever that is.

Not sure the gel was not flipping something around.

VERY CONFUSING to me.

I feel like I have to go to school everything I want to buy something new? On the serious side I am interested in all of this.

[virginiaal]

I didn't realize they had so many, He said the nasal one with the pump was to rough shooting it up in the nose.On my last post , said i did bleed since, I meant to say I had not...I should proof read all my post.
I sent you an email...

[blondie]

Mary, call me goofy if you want, but I don't recall my post to you about your Joe's nose bleeds. Could you copy and paste it so it'll job my memory...duh Pat

[maryaz]

Pat, the beginning of my post said:

"I was not going to do such a big post on this subject. Someone else posted one about their bad experience and I thought I should also post. Below is just what I posted in that topic. Just so you know the references I made came from."

The Pat was a Pat on CI where she posted about her problem. It was worse than Joe's. That was when I decided I would post about him. As I learned more, I thought it would be good to share with everyone.

Virginia, I got the email. Thank you. I see the pictures. I wonder which one is the nasal one with the pump. I am having a he_ _ of a time figuring simple little nasal bottles/cans out. I use a plastic bottle and squirt it in your nose.

Here is what I have been using.
flemingpharma.com/content/view/111/91/
The first one I just got. Joe bought it. I have not used the irrigate yet. It works 2 ways. Has 2 different caps. The second one I have used. That is the spray in a can. I have used the 3rd one once. It is a gel. I use Ayr Gel and same type of thing. I also have used a lot of the last item. The last item at the right end.

I wonder if that is a pump? My nose is still dry. Nothing moistures my nose well. Enough of this for tonight. Will continue tomorrow.

[Adina]

Oh Mary, I just checked in here and see what all you and Joe have been through, and I am SO sorry. I'm equally as glad, though, that Joe is doing better and hope that both of you find the right remedy for the dryness. I think most of us suffer from that in a variety of degrees.

Also, do you have the results of your sleep study yet, Mary?

I wish you and Joe continuing recovery and will keep you in my thoughts and prayers.

Adina

[bobbic]

Mary, I.m sorry you and your hubby have had so many problems. I'm sure the nose bleed are scary, I have had a couple of mild ones but now I am coumadin, so it could be harder to get them stopped. And when you have them, do you put the nasal canula in your mouth to get oxygen?
I'll keep the afrin in mind.

[blondie]

Ok Mary... Now I'm not confused anymore. I thought, wow, did I write the post in my sleep? lol Mary I hope Joe gets over this and he get on with his life. Pat

[maryaz]

Hello again Adina. I just answered in the sleep study for that question. I do have sleep apnea. No surprise really. We are all glad Joe is doing better. This was all a little too much close together. Joe needs attention on some other things and is getting more SOB lately. I don’t like him always running me around if difficult for him. That was like the night after he got out of the hospital, was taking me in wheelchair to the sleep study.

He had to cancel a Pet Scan, Port Flush while in the hospital. Also doctor there noted what looked like a cancer on his eyelid and now has doctor appointment for that. He sees the oncologist about every 3 months and does blood work. Ongoing with the heart doctor which I am not happy about their ways but doesn’t matter what I think. It is good and bad I guess. He now has some kind of spurs in his neck. That one is still being worked on. Need a new doctor. ENTs are hard to find. Hearing Aid didn’t work out but the guy is going to try a different one. Now he has diabetes for sure. That has been on and off. I questioned that some before when he said he didn't have it, after told he did. Is scheduling appointment for class on that and appointment for angiogram.

I am sure I missed a lot but just want others to understand when I say that I feel really bad having him have to take me. I think he thinks the SOB leans toward another blocked artery. I don’t think so. I think it is the lungs. He had 2 lower lobes of his right lung removed. He moves around too fast. Me too, though.

Bobbic, It was very scary the way it was bleeding. Joe is on Plavix. They told us you should not wait over 20 minutes trying to stop it. Joe only uses o2 to sleep and so not sure on mouth and the cannula. That sounds good to be. He was having a real problem with the blood running down his throat and kept having to spit it out. Sorry for the grossness of this. Grossness, it’s a word. ;D I am typing in my word processor and it didn’t correct it. I never used that word. Laughing at myself. :oWhat else do you do.

You never want to use Afrin more than a few days in a row. Something about a rebound effect. Someone else can explain that one.

Pat, I never thought of you reading that and thinking that . Sorry. I feel like I am losing my mind all the time. You can tell me almost anything today and I would believe it. I wish he could get on with his life too. Ever since about 2005 it seems he is always going to the doctor.

Starting about 2005, it took 18 months going to doctors to find he needed a heart Stent. Stent done in September, 2006. After that was not real bad for a year and then nothing but doctors since it seems. I just wish he could really get to being okay.

Thanks for listening to me and for all the help and caring.

[bobbic]

I'm so grateful for the nose bleed discussion. I had one this a.m.(my o2 water bottle was dry) . I am on coumadin so was really frightening. I applied ice and pressure and used the Afrin that was suggested. The Afrin stopped it almost immediately. Thanks friends.

[maryaz]

Bobbi, so glad that it worked out. My husband also shared with me what they do at the hospital. They put K-Y Gel on the end of whatever they pack in your nose to stop it. That is because otherwise the packing would stick and when removed would cause it to bleed again.

He also has a nose clip that they used on him at the hospital. If you ever see one you might pick it up. I am so glad you at least had the information. At least you also would have known to get further help if it had not stopped.

Joe has not yet seen an ENT because we just don't know where to go yet. His started to bleed a couple times and he just packed it and put the clip on and worked good. It was not a bad bleed. He has so many doctor appointments and I cannot keep up with him.

Take care, and hope all else is okay.