Nose cauterisation can someone please help me

[Kathy griffin]

Hi

I am a fellow health anxiety sufferer forever thinking I have something awful. However, I am writing today with something related to my mum. She's had frequent nose bleeds since February (she had a heart attack last year and was put on blood thinners aspirin and clopidogriel) they seems to stop untill last Friday where she had a big one lasting around 20/30 minutes, this repeated itself on th Saturday and again on the Sunday. By Monday we were at the end of our tether and took her down to our ent where they cauterised it. It seemed fine untill Wednesday night where a tiny trickle of blood emerged, on Friday a large clot came out, seeing this back to the ent we went she didn't oppose any concern so my mum felt reassured. No longer than an hour being home a small nose bleed happened again lasting around a minute nothing compared to her bleeds pre cautery but still bleeding. Yesterday another occurred which was brief lasting around two minutes.


We are both very anxious people and it is affecting her day to day life she will not go out n fear for one will start and I'd do anything to take it away from her and have it myself because I hate to see her so miserable. She used to be such an upbeat lady and now she's a husk of the woman she used to be.

I just wondered if anyone could give me any reassuring advice is it normal for these little bleeds to happen n the healing process or will something else need to be done? All I know is I can't bear to see her this way and just want a way of fixing it

Thank you to anyone who can help

[Rennie1989]

You're best asking the ENT doctor because I have not got a clue.

[Daisy Sue]

If they do decide to cauterize, don't worry - my son had it done when he was very little, with no pre-med or local anaesthetic.. it's a 2 minute job and no after effects. (I was more traumatized than he was. ;) )

[Kathy griffin]

Hello there daisy do you mean re-cauterise as she has already had it done last Monday but there's still brief bleeding three have happened now. When she went back on Friday after the clot emerged th ent specialist looked into her nose wth the camera I don't know if this could have disturbed the healing area or if slight bleeding is normal n the healing process

[Lin71]

Hi Kathy

I'm afraid I don't really have any advice but just wanted to reply because we had a similar thing with my mum a year ago. She had an awful nosebleed late at night, after an hour she called me and I went over, there was blood everywhere, we went to A and E and they did the cauterisation thing.

After that, she did have a bit of bleeding but not what I would call a proper bleed. But she was the same as your mum, she was afraid to go anywhere again for ages because the bleed really had been uncontrollable, she just wanted to stay in the house where she could deal with it if it happened. However, after a few weeks with no bleed she got her confidence back and is now totally back to normal. The cause of the bleed was never known.

I think what you say about the camera sounds plausible, I mean a camera up your nose is going to rub against the skin and if there's a delicate bit of tissue it will bleed. Did the ENT give you a phone number to call if you have any problems? It would really be a good idea to speak to them.

Once it's all sorted out she will hopefully have a few weeks without a bleed and gradually feel easier about getting out and about. Hope she feels better soon (and you, I know how worrying it is).

Lin x

[Kathy griffin]

Hello Lin

Thank you for the reply we do have a number yes she called on Friday after another little bleed they said minor bleeding is normal but if a big bleed occurs to go back and they will re cauterise the area. Anxiety is extremely high at the moment I'm probably making it no better by fussing over her I can't help it as I'm just as much of a worrier. I just want her to feel better and I always think the worst and we just both feel constantly on edge don't want to eat hardly sleep just generally miserable at the moment I just want her to feel okay again

[Catherine S]

My daughter had one of her nostrils cauterised when she was six years old, because of another child accidently kicking her in the face and caused her nose to bleed quite a bit. One of the small blood vessels had been damaged and they had to stop the bleeding by cauterising it. Her nose was packed with gauze and as far as I can recall...it was so long ago...after a bit of after bleeding it was fine and although she's had the odd nose bleed over the years, there hasn't been a return of the heavy non-stop bleeding.

ISB x

[Daisy Sue]

Hello there daisy do you mean re-cauterise as she has already had it done last Monday but there's still brief bleeding three have happened now. When she went back on Friday after the clot emerged th ent specialist looked into her nose wth the camera I don't know if this could have disturbed the healing area or if slight bleeding is normal n the healing process

Hiya.. sorry, I missed that bit in your post - I assumed she hadn't had cauterisation yet. I would imagine that a camera going up there could well aggravate the sensitive tissue and cause a little bleeding. Try not to worry - I know that's easier said than done, but this is something that can be put right easily, if it does happen again.

[Kathy griffin]

Thank you Daisy I've read up about alternatives in which they can do instead. I've just googled cautery procedures and read horror stories of not working I know I shouldn't do this as it only makes things worse and I suppose that's rare cases. I should think if it didn't work they wouldn't do it, I just want her to feel better :(

[rebeccad]

Hi my son had had his done twice and both times he had nose bleeds for about 2 weeks after just small ones, the ent said to put some Vaseline up the nostril just whilst it heals x

[Kathy griffin]

Thank you Rebecca that's given me some hope then!

Do you mean vaseline as well as the cream the ent prescribed?

[butterfly00]

i couldhave written your first post word for word. My mum has been on blood thinners following a heart issue and has been having on going nose bleeds the freak her ( and me ) out.
A gp has swabbed for an infection and suggested the ENT after that.
She is thinking about cancelling a trip because she is worried it will happen n the plane.
Not pleasant.

[Kathy griffin]

Mornng all

My mums had another bleed this morning lasting a couple of minutes obviously she's been very anxious once again so I thought enough was enough and called her ent who was very nice and explained minor bleeding can occur. This has made her feel better slightly and the kind lady also gave her a follow up app for two weeks time which we weren't given before that we thought was very strange.

What I find weird is that every time it's bled post cautery it's been where her nose goes extremely dry and cracked feeling and then begins to run and get snotty (tmi sorry) she's using the cream the ent gave her. I'm not sure if it's a case of drying out and then running is causing the scab to move around

I just want her to feel better I feel useless :(

[Catherine S]

Its just in an awkward place to heal quickly. At the point where it was cauterised the blood will clot and form a scab but because of where it is its easy to disturb the scab and that then lets the blood flow again a bit. My blood's on the thin side...not dangerous or anything, but it means if I cut myself it can take a bit longer to heal....cold sores drive me nuts for this reason and always seem to take ages to heal.

ISB x

[Kathy griffin]

Thank you ISB

It's just hard at the moment what with it going on for so long I just want her to feel okay again and better, I know it needs time to heal its in such an awkward place as well for it to heal.

Does anyone know the overall healing time for this procedure google isn't helpful :(

[Catherine S]

Hi Kathy, I think its down to the individual to be honest. You're keeping in touch with them anyway so thats good and they don't seem worried, and if its still bleeding a little when she has the follow up appointment they will make a decision based on that exam as to whether or not it needs doing again. I know it doesn't do anxiety any good at all, but try to think rationally about it if you can and just keep in touch with them about it if you're worried. And stop googling!

ISB x

[Kathy griffin]

Definitely

I think I just need some good news it's been a very hard few years what with anxiety and actual health problems. I'm 23 years old and ever since the age of about eight I've had serious health problems in my family, cancer, heart problems, stomach problems, brain problems, broken bones, serious injuries like my dad breaking his neck. and myself having thyroid cancer, it's ironic that during all of this I never had health anxiety. I don't know if all of this has created the monster that is health anxiety I've been considering cbt as a form of therapy

[Catherine S]

Now there's a list and a half! I think we can keep on coping and getting through all the traumas and dramas life throws at us but eventually it depletes us..takes away our spirit and energy and then one day our brain has just had enough and shuts down, no more can fit in so it comes out of our ears! Chin up girly, you're doing great, believe in yourself and what you can cope with. You're a credit to your mum :flowers:

ISB x

[Kathy griffin]

I hope I am!

I think when these things are happening you tend to just go with it it's not until after you think back and reliase the seriousness of it all, up untill two years ago I never worried or became anxious!

It was when I heard about my mums friend getting a brain tumour that kick started it all, idevloped a headache and convinced myself it was the worst! Google is the worst as well. I should have my internet contract cancelled, does me no favours :/