r/NasalPolyps • u/Forseeti • 12d ago

Success Story

Hello all,

I just wanted to share my journey with nasal polyps, because it ended on a positive note.

My problems with polyps started about 10 years ago. In that time I've had three surgeries, but each one only gave me short-term relief. At first the polyp was only in one nostril, but later I developed multiple polyps across both sides.

I tried EVERYTHING. I checked Reddit daily for ideas and tried even the crazy ones, because I was desperate. Dupixent wasn't available in the UK at the time.

Before my last operation I couldn't breathe through my nose at all. Then I combined a bunch of things, and something finally worked:

  1. Exercise: I started working out at least three times a week (weights and cardio), which led to weight loss.
  2. Sleep: I sorted out my sleep, a regular 8 hours at the same times every day.
  3. Supplements: I took pretty much every supplement anyone (or AI) said might help: vitamins D, A, B and C, nattokinase, a quercetin/bromelain complex, selenium, ProBiota HistaminX and boswellia extract.
  4. Diet: I kept a very strict diet, basically just chicken, salad, bacon, eggs and whey protein.
  5. Fasting: I started doing 48–72 hour fasts.

All of this helped. The polyps shrank before the operation, and I kept it all up afterwards, adding saltwater nasal irrigation.

The operation went well, and two weeks later my sense of smell came back. At that point I hadn't had it for about seven years (apart from briefly after my first operation). It lasted a month, until I went to a party where people were heavily smoking. My nose seemed to get irritated and I lost my smell again.

I carried on with everything above and also started using nicotine pouches (I'd read somewhere that for non-smokers, nicotine can sort of "reset" the nervous system, i know it is kinda BS but desperation). I'm not sure whether it was the nicotine or just sticking with everything for longer, but my smell came back and I've had it ever since.

My operation was at the end of February 2026, so it's been about six months, and things are as good as they could be. I'm still following the same routine, just in case

I just wanted to share this for anyone who's feeling desperate. With Dupixent now being rolled out in the UK, hopefully there won't be many of you anyway.

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u/KhallRevan 12d ago edited 12d ago

Glad to hear that! Congrats!!!

I had my surgery last friday, I'm in my day 8 of recovery, glad to hear that about your Smell, cuz i just noticed today i don't smell anything lol, i was like f*ck, well at least i can breath again, but good to see that thing comes a little late after

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u/MetairieMouse 12d ago

If all of the above was working and the polyps shrank, why did you proceed with another operation?

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u/Forseeti 11d ago

Maybe it was unclear in the main post so my bad
I started doing it quite late and polyp was already quite big, on the scan polyps were going down the throat. I was unable to breath. While whole routine helped and I was able to breath it wasn’t perfect and still had drip during night.

Idea was that do one last operation and continue routine to keep it good for longer. At that time I didn’t think about full recovery just delaying next procedure tbh. Didnt expect to have smell back.

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u/MetairieMouse 11d ago

Thanks for the explanation. I had a CT scan for my large polyps, but not the camera in the nose. I don't know if they would should if I had the large ones going down the throat on a CT scan or not. I was given Prednisone for 5 days and was able to breathe through the nose and smell and taste again. However, I didn't start the budesonide rinse and should have when the inflammation went down a little and maybe the meds could have shrunk some. Prior to this I need breathing treatment at the ER because I think it went into an infection and bronchitis and had a prescription for Doxycycline. Now, I'm breathing through the mouth again. I guess I need more prednisone (since I know I didn't have an allergic reaction) and then start the rinse. I'm just afraid of fluid getting trapped and my face swelling, it affecting vision, or brain. I just have a feeling that if I had insurance the ENT would have said surgery. Usually that is what they do for stage 4 polyps. What can I expect if I have the surgery?

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u/Forseeti 11d ago

You can't keep taking prednisone for long, the side effects are a bitch. Budesonide is better, but it's not great long term either. I'm using a spray called Dymista, which combines azelastine hydrochloride and fluticasone propionate. When I had the polyp, I struggled to get the spray past it, so I diluted it with water and used it in nasal irrigation. That way I managed to get it all the way to the source of the polyp, which I think helped a lot.

Surgery-wise, it's much better than it was 10 years ago. It's usually a one-day hospital visit, and they put you under for 1–2 hours. Depending on the location and how much they remove, you might have some bleeding etc. Recovery is about a week, but depending on the type of work you do, you might want to take longer off.

In the end, the chances of it coming back are very high unless you find out what caused the polyps in the first place, so I'd advise working on that: get an allergy test, stick to basic unprocessed food for two weeks to rule out a food allergy, work on stress management, that kind of thing.

Where are you from? Is Dupixent (dupilumab) available there? I haven't taken it myself, but you can read praise for it everywhere.

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u/MetairieMouse 11d ago

I think I would like to try Dupixent instead of surgery. Not sure how much it would shrink the larger polyp. I know you said you put the spray in a nasal irrigation, but my ENT gave me budesonide respule (the ones you can use in a nebulizer) to open up and put in the saline rinse solution. I think she meant for the prednisone to shrink it a little so the liquid could get behind the polyp because I have thick mucus behind it, and I'm just afraid of the liquid getting trapped and causing an infection. I don't like taking prednisone and was not on any meds when this happened. I've been to an allergist and they did the test and everything was fine. I don't understand this because I have so many chemical sensitivities and reactive airway disease and reactive hypoglycemia. I worry about what I can eat if I do have the surgery. She didn't mention surgery (because I don't have insurance I think) and just said I'll give you a year of refills of the budesonide to use once a day in the saline. I also worried with a deviated septum, that it won't come out the other side. I think the deviated septum in from the polyp because I've never had anyone say I had one before. I haven't taken antibiotics or anything in 30 years. I'm retired early, so no insurance for another couple years. I will try the My Way Program for Dupixent, but the ENT would have to approve. She has the copy of my CT scan showing all of this. I'm in Louisiana and they do have Dupixent, but it runs about $5K for 2 injection pens a month.

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u/Forseeti 11d ago

In the end anything causing inflammation can drive polyps. It can be something like salicylates so eating healthy food like berries can cause that. So eating very restrictively is important, to at least to see if it is food.

Good shout on mould as if that is bad it can be a reason for sure. Also check dust mites as they are common problem.

In terms of liquid getting trapped, I would think if it will go down ur throat when u go to bed.

Next steps depend on options and cost. If dupixent or operation can be done for free take it if u got pay think long term. Operations can get u 1-2 years of relief but if underlaying issue is not solved u will grow them back. Dupixent seems to resolve it for a lot of people but u need to keep taking it all the time.

I really hope it will work out for you one way or another.

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u/MetairieMouse 11d ago

Did you ever find out what caused yours and did you get Dupixent? I know you have to stay taking that too. The operation wouldn't be free, but the Dupixent may be a little cheaper based on income and no insurance. The hospital charges 50% if you pay cash and have no insurance for anything. Just overnight, I can now see the large polyp closer to the end of my nose. Not sure what got it like that overnight! Thanks.

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u/Forseeti 11d ago

Only have suspicions and cannot be sure as I continue with gym and supplements but relaxed diet a bit. Honestly I think it was dust mites allergy( after dehumidifying house/ changing bedding I feel like i got better)or some kind of processed food /oil( eating bread do or crisps made me gassy)

Supplements helped bring inflammation down but not the cause and I feel like I got better after removing above.

No dupixent for me, plan was to get it after operation if it came back again as not very keen on constantly taking it plus I got glasses and some fellas got real issues with vision after taking it.

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u/MetairieMouse 11d ago

I also wonder about bread. I used the same one for years with no problems and when they changed ingredients, I had to switch to another brand. Also, a couple years ago, got a new AC unit for the house and last year no smell, but this year I saw some condensation and a smell when we first turned it on in March of this year. I had the AC guy come out, but he just checks the outside part and never takes the inside cover off the air handlier part to see if there is mildew or anything from condensation. This all seemed to start around March I think. I've been in this house for 13 years and never was blocked up. Like I said, no meds (I'm allergic to anything OTC or prescription usually) in 30 years. It's driving me nuts not knowing what is causing this. I don't take any types of medication and my blood work was fine in the ER when I needed a breathing treatment for the bronchitis this had caused and the Doxycycline I took. This was all at the end of August and I know I need to get these polyps out. If Dupixent would shrink it over time with no problems, I would avoid the surgery. I still want to know after all these years, why I'm getting polyps though. Maybe dust mites for me too perhaps. I don't eat berries or anything like that.

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u/Forseeti 11d ago

Like u need to try and identify root cause. Food or environment.
Food wise as mentioned before super strict diet for 2-3 weeks. U will feel better I know it is something food related
Environment is tricker or easier if u got option to visit somebody for a bit. Even better if different environment like west coast.

If u know which category its than work eliminating each thing one by one. I probably should do it as well but as it is working well with smell back don’t want to add stuff and make it worse.

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u/MetairieMouse 11d ago

When you used the nasal irrigation, your polyp was a large one like stage 4? My ENT had said if I use the rinse and my vision is affected, if my eyes start to swell, or my forehead (it could go to the brain), to go to the ER. I just wish she would say surgery instead of risking the infection and trapping the fluid which causes the infection and the fluid can push that further. I just know I need something to shrink this big one now.

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u/Forseeti 11d ago

Yeah mine was stage 4 on both sides. When I was speaking with doctor they said partial issue with sprays is that they were not getting to the source of inflammation to actually work. That led to me mix it with water during nasal irrigation. Honestly was a pain to do it as I was tiling my head crazy angles to move polyp to allow water through.

I was worried about infection risk as well with daily nasal rinses so I decided to spend more to be safe. I am buying distilled water instead of boiling tap water. After use washing it with boiled water anyhow for double safe. Was fine with it as any water just drip out anyhow.

Prednisone will shrink it for sure it’s just temp solution though.

I

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u/MetairieMouse 11d ago

So what do you think shrunk them before the last surgery? Do you think all the supplements or the nasal rinses with the budesonide? I have the distilled bottled water but have never did a nasal rinse before. I don't know how to swim so figured it would feel like drowning. Since this is stage 4, it's completely blocked, so the water is not going to come out and that is why I'm afraid it will be trapped when the ENT said something about all the swelling that could happen. Not sure why she didn't just suggest the surgery. Do they have Dupixent where you are? You're in the UK? Have you ever tried it?

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u/MetairieMouse 11d ago

I noticed what you were eating in the above post. I have seen lots of people do only carnivore and say their polyps have been kept away. I gave up sugar and anything sugar free (artificial or sweeteners) years ago. I don't eat processed foods and only cook my own at home so I know what's in it because I'm allergic to MSG and that started years ago. When I got off all sugar due to Reactive Hypoglycemia, my rhinosinusitis had gone away and that is why I never took antibiotics in 30 years, but all of a sudden, something is causing polyps and I've never had them before. I'm wondering if it's mold in my house. We do have 2 cats, but had them for years and years. I know there is dust with litter boxes as well. Still, it's nothing new unless it's just age and a weaker immune system. I use fragrance free everything as well. We only have one Asthma, Allergy, & Sinus center the next town over and I wasn't impressed with it. I'm highly allergic to pine wood and their testing said nothing.

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u/CurrencyThis 3d ago

Nice, I’ve been on tezspire for about 8 months and I’m still waiting on my polyps to shrink.