It seems that I’ve been blowing my nose daily for as long as I can remember. At least 12-15 years anyway. Allergies? Sure, but nothing more severe than the average person’s common allergies. While it’s true I have several cats and consequently, long haired dust bunnies, I don’t think they are the cause of my constantly running nose.
What I do have is the “Fibromyalgia Flu”. Many people say their Fibromyalgia fatigue feels much like flu symptoms, all the time. Toni Bernhard, author of “How To Be Sick“, stated that she became ill with flu-like symptoms while on a trip to Paris in 2001 and that she has never recovered.
I tend to blow my nose all day long, though it is far worse at night. With sleep apnea and a prescribed CPAP machine, I often wake up streaming from the nose. The pressurized air keeps my airway and nose clear while I’ve got the mask on, but as soon as I take it off I often find I need to blow my nose repeatedly a good while until it clears up. More often than not I have to resort to using Nasonex or whatever OTC nasal spray the hubby got for me.
Fibromyalgia Flu
Having Fibromyalgia and a leaky sinuses is not the same feeling as having a cold. I rarely feel sinus pressure or pain – though it could be I’m so used to it I just don’t notice anymore. I don’t sneeze often, nor are my sinuses blocked. I just seem to have a leaky nose. My doctor prescribe Nasonex for Post Nasal Drip, which I suppose explains the leaky nose symptoms. Nasonex works pretty well for me but doesn’t stop me from blowing my nose either. I’ve always got a roll of tissue paper near my keyboard!
I’ve read many documents online that say blowing your nose could make things worse. If fact, blowing your nose may prolong your cold. People with Fibromyalgia don’t have a cold. Not to say we can’t get a cold and tend to suffer worse with a cold, just that that wonderful perma-flu feeling is common for Fibro sufferers. So even though it is said you shouldn’t blow your nose when you have a cold, if you have to, you are to blow “gently” and one nostril at a time.
Blow Gently
Who does that!? Blow gently? If you’ve got to blow, you blow. My husband teases me about the sounds my nose makes when I blow it. He likens it to “whale-song”. Cheeky monkey or what? Mocking the poor woman with the daily affliction is so unfair when it’s NOT viral and can’t infect him for revenge.
Do you have Fibromyalgia and a perma-flu feeling? Do you have to have tissues handy like me so you can blow your traitorous leaky nose?
p.s. No, I don’t have Rhinitis medicamentosa, I can go many days without using a nasal spray. I am not dependent on nasal spray and use it only when necessary.
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Shannon Hutcheson is a huge fan of Social Media, SEO and blogging. She often has her nose in a Kindle, loves watching tv shows online, cuddling one of her cats or helping out on @MyBlogGuest as a Moderator.
Two more bits of info, then I will leave it, I don’t want to be spamming or anything!
- In the absence of scientific studies it may be of interest to read about people who have been using the protocol for years. This is an online support group: http://community.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-LSOFTDONATIONS.exe?A0=GUAIGROUP
It is organized by topic and has extensive archives you can search.
- There is a big list of doctors who support and work with the guaifinesin protocol on the fibromyalgiatreatment.com page. I found an internist near me on the list and went to her before I started it.
Thanks for letting it lie. This post is NOT about that potential treatment. I won’t approve any more comments on it because it is entirely off topic.
However, since you do seem so convinced and knowledgeable about it, perhaps you’d like to write a guest post on it? I’d be willing to publish it if it was well documented and supported by links to studies and so on.
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Thanks for posting the guai info. At least that way, your readers have a chance to check it out. I’ve been doing the protocol since 2004 and it’s made a big difference in my life, so I wanted to share it, so that others don’t have to live with high levels of pain, fatigue, and other symptoms all their lives. As you seem to have already formed an opinion, I am happy to leave it at that.
It’s too bad you don’t want to write a post about it. My “opinion” is suspicion of anything that claims to cure Fibromyalgia. That’s it, that’s all. Like I said, if you’d like to talk more about it, write a guest post. I’ll publish it here even.
Shannon recently posted..Voluntary Laughter!
Corr. – I meant a sample of guai, not Mucinex per se.
I’m glad I came across this article. I’ve been having a terrible time with my seasonal allergies. By “seasonal” I mean ALL year. Like you, I’m constantly blowing my nose. Here lately, I’ve been having asthma-like symptoms with shortness of breath and, I don’t know what to call it, lung pain? My entire torso – chest, rib cage, and all hurts. I use Astelin nose spray twice every single day, otherwise I’m so blocked up I can’t stand it.
Anyway, what’s funny is that the other day I felt like I had the flu – weak, all-over achy, and such. I really thought I was coming down with something. Then, I realized I forgot to take my meds (Neurontin and Robaxin). Once I took them, I felt better. I have never experienced that before, as I’m used to dealing with myofascial and nerve pain with my fibro and this is a new symptom, but at least now I know. I had no idea fibromyalgia could make me feel like that, but it explains a lot! My fibromyalgia set in just last summer, so I’m still trying to figure things out. Great article!
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Toni, thanks for stopping by! I was just at your fabulous blog and kinda ran amok a bit with replies. Feeling silly tonight.
I’m glad you found the post helpful! While it sucks knowing you also suffer with this leaky nose syndrome, it’s still nice to know I’m not alone.
As for the chest, rib, torso pain.. could it be Costochondritis? It is very common for people with Fibro to have or get Costo as well. It is my primary source of pain and always with me. Tonight is a VBPD (very bad pain day) kind of night. My chest is so tight with pressure and pain that it hurts to breath. Yes, it often feels as if I cannot catch my breath too. Yet I have done nothing to cause myself to be out of breath. It’s probably just the Costo.
Perhaps you should ask your doctor about Costochondritis. There’s really nothing anyone can do but endure it, unfortunately. Costochondtritis usually resolves on its own with rest. Unfortunately, I’ve had this sharp pain and pressure in my sternum for over 2 years now. It doesn’t seem to want to bugger off. When it is really bad, my whole upper body is rigid with pain. I often explain that it feels as though I am wearing an immovable plate of armor that is way too tight. Worse, laying down makes it feel as though someone has reached their two hands into my chest and is ripping it apart. I sincerely hope it never gets that bad for you!
If you have any questions at all, don’t be shy. I started this blog in hopes to help others find the information they needed. Of course I am no expert nor a health care professional of any kind. What I AM expert in is chronic pain lol. If I can’t answer a question, I’m good at wrangling answers out of Google :)
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I have a dx of FM from a neurologist since 2009. I am 60. My nose runs all the time. Just like water. It is worse sometimes than others, but it never stops.
Not happy that you have a perma-running nose like me Judy. Not at all. Yet it is nice to know I’m not alone in it. Seems to be yet another hateful FM symptom.
Shannon recently posted..Fibromyalgia & The Perma Flu
I used to have postnasal drip all the time, was just like you, but not since I’ve been on the guaifinesin protocol. I don’t always follow it properly but it makes a difference to a lot of symptoms. Guai is obviously not a money-maker for big pharma because it is not patented any more, and it’s over-the-counter. But it is the ONLY thing around that purports to tackle the CAUSE of fibro head-on. That cause is spelled out by the doc who came up with it. Won’t go into it here, but just google FMS and guaifinesin and you’ll find him.
Thanks for posting a comment! I’m glad you don’t have post nasal drip anymore. It really sucks lol. My dad has had it his whole life as well, so perhaps it’s just another genetic quirk I inherited somewhere.
As for the Guaifenesin Protocol, I will hold judgement on that one. I have read far too many conflicting theories and opinions to give it any real credibility. Furthermore, I know of only one study that was ever done on it. So, scientifically, it has not been proven to work.
Your bringing up that potential treatment for Fibromyalgia isn’t the first time. I’ve heard several others who claim they are cured by using it. I remain skeptical.
Now I don’t say that to start a discussion here on this page about Fibromyalgia and the Flu, so let’s not go there. I will, however, post a few links for anyone interested reading more about Guaifenesin Protocol.
Truths and Myths about the Guaifenesin Protocol
Guaifenesin Consumer Alert
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Wouldn’t it be fair to post http://www.fibromyalgiatreatment.com/
since the other two links you post are both opinions? The first one is not quite objective, and it does not explain Dr. St. Amand’s theory accurately. And I am very doubtful that guaifinesin is used as a muscle relaxant during surgery. I’ve never heard of this. If that were even slightly true, it would certainly be in conflict with other meds people take for fibro and it definitely does not!
The second link refers to a very old study that was not conducted properly so the results are not useful. Even the author admits to the flaws. Dr. St. Amand has commented on.
More recently, he has published two papers about fibromyalgia.
I have already hinted at the reason there won’t be more studies of guai: nobody will fund it because guai cannot be patented, so there is no money to be made from it. Sad but true.
If you are skeptical, Shannon, I would urge you to try it, because there is really nothing to lose. Giving up a few skin care products for a week or so isn’t so hard, and the cost of guai is relatively low (mucinex is the most expensive – you can order a sample online, I can give you a link if you like).
You will know within a week whether it’s having any effect, and within two months the cycling will slow down and you can start feeling symptoms reduce within two to five months.
If nothing else, maybe you could read the book – “What your doctor doesn’t tell you about fibromyalgia” -I’d like to know what you think! Thanks.