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It's not often I get to pose a question so this is kind of exciting to start a discussion again:

On Friday, I am having very minor surgery on my left sinus to re-open it and hopefully release pressure, fluid, and whatever else is going on in there. Never thought I'd be in line for this but I've been having issues, infection, and burning (think water in nose) since December.

After three rounds of antibiotics and two CT scans, the left is closed off and apparently surgery is the best option at this point. (Yes, I just repeated myself but worded it differently.)

I currently take: Azothiaprine (Imuran), Lexapro or Celexa (can't remember; too lazy to go look), Lipitor, Culturelle (literally saved my pouch), estrogen, PRN Hydrocodone and PRN Xanex (panic attacks started a year or so ago).

Of everything I am taking, my ENT is most concerned (only concerned?) about the Azothiaprine and it's effect/affect on the surgery and/or recovery. Anyone else had this done? Any issues given the extreme overaction of your immune system?

He mentioned several "could happens" but gave very good statistics of his occurences for each...very low numbers most in the 1-3 range with a couple of never happeneds. I feel safe and completely trust the doctor. A co-worker just had surgery on both sides a few months ago and sings his praises.

Just a little nervous given the way I grow scar tissue, etc.

Words of wisdom?
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Hi Nocolon 2000.Sorry i don,t know your real name.
Since having my pouch done I hve had 3 sinus/nose operations done,polyp removal and more drains made in my sinuses and they have all worked unfortunately the polyps for me tend to grow back so I get them removed every few years.
The only effect it has on my pouch is that I don,t have any bowel movements for about 24 hours after the op which I think is great but I am on no medication at all.
In your case I would definatley discuss this with the Nose surgeon and Anathesist and be guided by what they say.
Best Regards from Australia.
John.
I might be wrong, but I think the levels of AZ that you take are far less than one would take AZ for for cancer treatment. I remember having these fears while on 6MP for UC. However, I soon learned that I was not taking the therapeutic level that would dramatically lower one's immune system. Is it possible for your GI to weigh in?

Sue Big Grin
I am with Sue on this one. These sorts of things are usually dose driven. Plus, your doctor has to give you all those worst case scenarios. This is not to scare the crap out of you, but to protect his hiney, just in case there are complications.

Another point to consider is: what are your options anyway? You have only three choices. One is to go forward as planned and hope for the best. Two is to stop your Imuran before surgery and risk relapse. Three is to refuse surgery and continue with chronic sinus problems. Seems to me that option one is really the only good option.

If it makes you feel any better, I had an adrenalectomy while taking Humira. My surgeon and the anesthesiologist really had no opinion regarding whether it was a factor or not. So, just for my own comfort level, I skipped one dose before surgery. Surgery was fine (and there were loads of possible bad things that can happen with an adrenalectomy), and I did not relapse. So, all was good.

Jan Smiler
I took half my dose.

Surgery appears to have gone well and I am home to heal... and sleep.

Given my issues, the doc gave me Prophenol(sp?) rather than the regular stuff for anesthesia. Woke up very happy. Hoping it wears off eventually.

The only downside was that they gave me an additional IV for fluids and I ended up waking up having lost control of my bladder. Wore a "diaper" home and passed out before I could change out of it. Oh well, protection, right? But I was a big girl at home and was able to control it better. So glad to be back in "regulars" again. Wink
Glad it all worked so well! He gave you the Michael Jackson drug, very interesting that it had lingering effects.

My sinus surgery was before the j-pouch surgeries and I wish I'd had it when I was a kid. Then maybe I wouldn't have been so overloaded with antibiotics for decades. But they didn't do them back in the olden days Wink

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