Source
r/covidlonghaulers•
OverDistribution2

Ok guys, I know its really pathetic of me to keep doing this, but I need hope that the nose numbness (and lack of sensation of air going through it) will subside eventually.

Mental Health/Support

I've been telling myself that its not empty nose syndrome. (because any further inkling that it somehow is, just drives me further to the edge, I've already got a suicide plan in place) as that is a permanent condition due to complications of nasal and sinus surgery which I have not received.

I'm unable to contact r/Tenseventeen1701/ who seems to have since recovered, about how she dealt with it.

Am I going to be ok?

I'm doing this because I've already written out my Last Will & Testament.

I can either recover (which I prefer and hope for) or I have to go I'm afraid.

Posted Dec 5, 2022, 11:43 AM UTC

656
firstrevolutionary•

Sometimes neurons take time to regenerate after an injury from covid. Stick around and try a few things. Weren't people trying methylene blue?

Also, the near death experiences where people committed suicide are enough to deter me. No happy loving white light, just scary bad things. Whatever deity, if there is one, that created us, finds it highly disrespectful to take ones own life.

5
ImAHappyKangaroo•

What near death experiences involving suicide? I haven't heard about that.

1
Desperate-Judgment-22 yr+•

Like surviving a gunshot to the head and being left badly disfigured with permanent brain damage. I know several people this happened to. It is more common than you would think.

3
lgd_throwaway•

It can get better because I had this exact symptom and it is a lot better now.

I got reduced sensation all over my body from asymptomatic covid or the vax. At one point my nose was really numb and my nose was probably 90% congested to the point I could hear a clicking in my nose/sinuses. I was focused on my breath 24/7 because I could barely feel any air coming through my nose or sinuses and I had repeated dark thoughts too. I also had terrible insomnia which meant I got maybe 2-3 hours a day of respite from this.

That period probably lasted 2-3 months, I don't remember exactly. One morning I woke up without the congestion and my nose had a little more feeling. It was such an amazing feeling to be able to breath somewhat normally. As of now I still have reduced feeling in my nose but it is better than it was.

I also get the cold nose, fingertips, and toes. I ended up being diagnosed with small fiber neuropathy. I'll be honest doctors were of little to no help. Prayer, family, and therapy are what got me through this.

5
OverDistribution2OP•

The thing is, when my nostrils are open it feels like there is no air going in.

1
lgd_throwaway•

At one point I experienced that too. Even when my nose was clear I couldn't feel air around my nostrils or in my nose. It did get better, I can now feel some air but I'm not 100% better. Do you have numbness on other parts of your body?

2
OverDistribution2OP•

Sort of in my legs. They feel slightly weaker.

so do you think this thing actually isn't empty nose and I'll recover?

​

Edit: The legs are slightly weak because a few nights ago I felt pins and needles all over my body. My legs feel slightly hollow. This could be Neuropathy too.

1
lgd_throwaway•

It sounds like it's a widespread neuropathy which definitely can get better. If covid caused a massive amount of inflammation in your body or if there were microclots the nerves would be affected. Once the inflammation or microclots are reduced your body will start healing. This is what I suspect happened in my case because the neuropathy has not gotten worse and seems to be slightly getting better. If it was a chronic issue I would expect things to stay the same or get worse.

You have to distract yourself best you can while your body is trying to heal up. I was holding on by a thread for the 2-3 months that this thing attacked my nose/breathing.

3
[deleted]•

Please call a therapist it’s not ok to want to give up your whole entire life just because your nose is numb.

3
OverDistribution2OP•

I'm scared its empty nose syndrome (which is permanent and a lot of people have killed themselves because of it, though it is caused by nose/sinus surgery) When your nose is numb and you can't feel the air, even though you're breathing fine, your brain doesn't realise that and still thinks your suffocating. So when you go to sleep your aren't getting any rest.

I really don't want that to be the case with me. Someone else did mention they also had a numb nose and couldn't feel the air coming through. But they have now recovered from Long Covid. I can't contact them about it and how it resolved for them.

I need to see more stories like that.

1
pandaypira•

I have this also. At first I have to touch my nose trying to check if there's air going inside and outside. My hands are on stomach while sleeping trying to trick my brain that I'm breathing and it helps. What helps me a lot is searching what triggers breathing. And found out that it's not because we need oxygen but because our body have too much carbon dioxide. And that discovery makes me feel safe during my sleep. Assuring that I'll wake up every morning. Read the book Breath by James Nestor it's amazing how just breathing through the nose helps me a lot. You can recover my friend. I've been there. I'm 2 months now not taking bilastine and not spraying nasonex and my breathing is not manual anymore and I can sense the air coming to my nose. You will be cured.

2
[deleted]•

[deleted]

-1
OverDistribution2OP•

They won't able to make it go away. I need this to go away, I need to know it will go away.

Thats the only way my mental health will get better. I need the stories of people who've gone through what I have and recovered, but I'm not seeing many. I want to make it, but I doubt it.

0
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
Spunksy_3102 yr+•

It will subside eventually.

Damn COVID has messed up my entire nervous system, I had that symptom for like 6 months, now it's barely noticeable.

2
OverDistribution2OP•

Fucks with sleep too.

2
OverDistribution2OP•

Was there anything you did to help it?

1
Substantial-Law-4461•

I hope this goes soon for you. I understand the anxiety it can cause x

2
OverDistribution2OP•

Have you had it too?

1
Substantial-Law-4461•

Yes. Have you ever had anxiety meds? May or may not help the situation. Could ask you Dr about it. I really think the anxiety around it all is making it all worse for you. I have messed up anxiety at the moment just in my chest over nothing. It’s so tiring. I have insomnia to. I understand the suicidal feelings around it all but since it’s your nose I really think it will improve in time. Suicide does also fail a lot. That’s why I wish the did assisted dying. I don’t want to be more messed up but I struggle a lot living with anxiety and insomnia constantly and the other symptoms on top.

2
OverDistribution2OP•

I hope I can recover from this.

1
cookie_doughx•

Try fasting. Some patients had some great improvements from a fasting program.

https://youtu.be/NHXvhgJ1R1E

Likely due to inflammation affecting nerves.

2
pandaypira•

I do intermittent fasting 16/8 every saturday and sunday. And I noticed I breath easier now.

1
Healthy_Operation327•

I had this!! It was one of my first symptoms and it felt like I was suffocating almost. Really hard to describe to somebody who hasn't experienced it personally. Mine did go away. The first 6 months were awful, but it did clear up completely after about a year. Hylamist nasal spray was a life-saver. It would give my nose enough moisture to feel air resistance.

2
OverDistribution2OP•

I hope I will make it through this.

1
Healthy_Operation327•

You will. I remember trying to find answers online and I was getting real freaked out about what I was reading. I was trying to convey how life-altering it was to family members but no one was really getting it. To be honest, I actually forgot about how bad it was until I read your post here. I did get beyond it. It doesnt even cross my mind anymore. Stay strong. Hang in there.

2
OverDistribution2OP•

I take it, time was the biggest factor in helping?

2
Healthy_Operation327•

Yes. But that HylaMist was a real life saver in the meantime. I would pump a couple sprays in each nostril, to almost mimic congestion and it helped SO much. Sometimes I would put a little coconut oil on a q-tip and circle it around my nostrils too. But the spray worked the best for me.

2
tp_51•

You’re going to get through it, i was worried I wouldn’t but it’s gotten better. Ask your doc for flonase nasal spray

2
Tenounces•

Hi, just checking in to see how your numb nose is doing these days?

2
OverDistribution2OP•

Its a bit better actually.

2
Tenounces•

Yes! Can you elaborate? My numbness is better too. Only in my nose now, and it fluctuates. Had a trigeminal nerve mri today.

2
OverDistribution2OP•

I can slightly feel the air going in.

2
Tenounces•

Just updating you: i went to Neurologist for numb nose/ face and he ordered am MRI with a Trigeminal Protocol. I’m happy to have found out its completely negative. No nerve compression, no inflammation or any other finding. While this is good news, I still have the nose numbness. So maybe it’s “just” small fiber neuropathy.?

2
Tenounces•

I’m think your finding would be the same. It’s a post covid issue that I hope will get better with time and go away eventually! Good luck to us!

2
sarabubu•

has it gotten better for you? i’ve been going through this for months. i can only feel little airflow for a few seconds and it goes back to nothing. my nose isn’t congested at all, but i can never really feel airflow /:

2
Tenounces•

I have this too. For 3 months now. Nose inside is numb. Varies how numb, with one side worse than the other. Can’t feel myself breathing, but sometimes get feeling of really cold air in my nose for a few minutes at a time.

1
Hiddenbeing•

Hey I have that but with lungs, can't feel air going in my mouth and lungs and my body wakes me up at night probably cause it thinks it's dying. I adapted I think

1
[deleted]•

[deleted]

1
Desperate-Judgment-22 yr+•

Dude. I have tried to tell you my sinuses got better. I couldn't feel air in my sinus passages for almost a year. Check out my faces of Covid video if you don't believe how bad it was. My nose was totally impacted with mucous for the first 8 months. My nose was useless except for discharging copious amounts of diseased mucous constantly.

It sucks so bad. I get it. I'm not trying to discount your symptoms. Everyone seems to have that one symptom they find the most intolerable. Texas Roadhouse founder Kent Taylor complained of severe tinnitus before committing suicide. You never know what will push someone over the edge.

There are a ton of things that can be done to treat the sinus issues. I used the Neilmed sinus rinse or Navage rinse system twice per day. I often add a tablespoon of hydrogen peroxide to the saline to loosen crusts, etc. Plus, you are going to know immediately whether you have feeling in your nose if you do this. Alternatively you can add a teaspoon of betadine (just never both as they react chemically).

The last time it felt like I was getting a sinus infection I did iodine rinses twice per day for 2 weeks. Knocked it out cold.

1
OverDistribution2OP•

When my nostrils are open I still can't feel the air going in. Is that what you had? My symptom seems more in line with lgd_throwaway's reply on neuropathy.

2
Desperate-Judgment-22 yr+•

I couldn't feel air in my upper sinus at all. Nose, sure. If you aren't having a lot of other sinus issues, it might be something like nerve damage. Mine was probably due to blockage so very little air was ever contacting the sinus wall. I had blockage all over on my CT scan.

1
OverDistribution2OP•

Coming back to this, before your surgery did you ever get dried, bloody crusts of mucus and your nose was red on the inside.

1
Desperate-Judgment-22 yr+•

My nose was always red and inflamed inside. I didn't get dried blood crusts because I did sinus rinses twice per day for around a year. What came out looked like big, wet blood clots and mucous.

2
[deleted]•

[removed]

1
Pookya9mos•

I haven't experienced this myself, but please speak to a doctor, there might be a treatable cause. I also get the impression you are panicking a lot, so please get some mental health support to help you get through this. Especially if you are feeling suicidal, you really shouldn't have left it this long to get some help. This does sound like a really horrible symptom, but it may get better or go away on its own. LC is weird, and my symptoms change every few months, so there is a possibility it will get better by itself. Nobody here, or anywhere in the world has a magic cure for this, but lots of people do at least partially recover from LC. Unfortunately, nobody can tell you if you are going to be okay or recover, but it seems that most people's symptoms do get at least slightly better over time. If you haven't had any nose surgery, and that is theoretically the only way of getting it (I don't know, I'm not an expert), then surely you don't have empty nose? There is obviously something going wrong somewhere, but if you don't know what it is, then it may not be permanent

1