Dangerous Drugs

In this chapter, we will discuss some mistakes to avoid if we are in the early stages of our nasal polyps.

Nasal decongestant

These nasal sprays offer incredibly fast relief. Our airways open up in a minute; a simple spray and we can breathe better than ever before! The comfort that nasal decongestants bring is so intense that it can be tempting to use these drugs more than we should. But these drugs come with a warning: they are not to be used more than three to five times a day and for a few days only. If we use them more, the risk of ravaging our nasal mucosa is real, and that would only make our problems worst. A list of all nasal decongestant is available at www.drugs.com/drug-class/decongestants.html.

We should avoid playing with fire and always use nasal decongestants under the supervision of our ENT physician, even if they are available over the counter. 

Steroids

Steroids are nice. Just two little tablets and our polyps have practically disappeared! I had a friend who loved steroids because it made her skin and hair look better than ever! 

But let’s be serious: steroids are powerful medicine. Yes, they are very helpful against acute nasal polyps outbreaks, but our physicians are very clear: we cannot take more than a few treatments a year. Beyond that, we could endanger our long-term health and end up with systematic problems that are much more severe than nasal polyps. 

We should never take steroids without proper supervision. It’s easy to purchase them online or to get several prescriptions from several physicians, but we would be doing more harm than good in the long run.

We should keep track of the dates we take steroids in a journal. It is an excellent way to measure our progress as our significant outbreaks become less frequent.

Last but not the least, the stupid drug

This drug is one that we create ourselves, one that is very powerful, and that we are all very familiar with: discouragement. When nasal polyps are at their worst, life loses its appeal. But there are numerous success stories about people who have managed to come through it. Our health is precious; we should listen to our symptoms, respect our bodies, and take care of ourselves. There is a light at the end of the tunnel, and we are going for it.

In Summary / Take Action

- If we have used or abused nasal decongestant and steroids without medical supervision, we need to first and foremost get our head out of the sand.

- We should make a list detailing our medicine intake, complete with dates, dosages, and names of medications.

- We should see our physician and tell him everything openly. He is not there to judge but to help us improve our health.

- We should read the rest of this book to see how we can get much better without taking shortcuts. We deserve it as much as anyone else.