Nasal polyps removal: Boston or Bergen?

November 20, 2009 8:53 AM

I'm thinking of getting surgery to remove nasal polyps. Should I get it done in the Boston area, where I have no insurance, or in Bergen, Norway, where I'll be returning for work in January (with a worker's visa)? Or should I have it done at all?
posted by anonymous to health & fitness (8 comments total)

Before you do it, make sure you try Nasonex or another nasal steroid for at least two or three months. I had horrible polyps but my ENT doctor convinced me to keep going on Nasonex and they're now 70% smaller than they were, I can breathe out of my nose, and I had a cold that didn't end with a sinus infection. Imagine that!
posted by kathrineg at 9:01 AM on November 20, 2009

Oh, I've had the surgery before, and it really sucks. It's not the worst thing in the world, but it helped about as much as 2 months of Nasonex. Not worth it, and I wouldn't do it again unless I had no other choice.
posted by kathrineg at 9:02 AM on November 20, 2009

I don't have any advice particular to nasal polyps, but unless you have a ton of extra cash lying around, you should probably wait until you have insurance-- especially if the surgery involves a hospital stay of any length. You'll be charged out the nose (forgive the pun).
posted by oinopaponton at 9:20 AM on November 20, 2009

I also have polyps (small ones) and my ENT doctor in Canada suggests the surgery is generally useless, because they grow back, and agrees that Nasonex is the best solution to keep them at bay.
posted by gillianr at 10:53 AM on November 20, 2009

My wife had the surgery done and she got about two months of relief before they grew back. Complete and utter waste of money.
posted by JaredSeth at 11:15 AM on November 20, 2009

I wouldn't have surgery, insurance or no, without an ENT's evaluation and professional opinon. If you have seen an ENT and they recommend the surgery, do it where you have insurance.
posted by canine epigram at 4:14 PM on November 20, 2009

I had nasal polyps. Had them removed about 5 years ago, and have had no recurrence. I had insurance.

I agree with kathrineg, the surgery wiped me out for about two weeks before I felt normal again.
posted by adamwolf at 8:47 PM on November 20, 2009

I had/have polyps. Surgery is the only treatment that had any effect (and I've had it done many multiple times). The thing is that if you have a chronic condition, the surgery will have to be re-done every so often.

No typical steroid spray had any significant effect. However, a few years ago my ENT here started me on a treatment of a steroid solution in saline, that I use as a rinse (kind of like that goofy neti pot thing).

For some reason, this particular treatment has been amazing. I'm mostly polyp-free now, 2.5 years after my most recent surgery, and before using this I had to have them removed every two years.

So, for me, the surgery worked but needed to be re-done pretty frequently. And while the normal kinds of nasal sprays (flonase, vancenase, nasonex) did nothing, the triamcinalone solution has been revolutionary.

You have some options, but as others have said, go find a good ENT.
posted by Gorgik at 9:09 PM on November 20, 2009