Every Time I Blow My Nose...

...I get a nosebleed!  This has happened since my surgery.  Not meaning to be gross here, but you know how you usually blow your nose in the mornings after waking or after taking a shower, when the steam has loosened everything up?  I can't even blow my nose anymore.  I just have to sniffle.  The nosebleeds are bad, too.  Do you suppose it's the heprin they gave me in the hospital?

Really, I have a lot to be thankful for.  This is the only post-op complication I've had. 

I had nosebleeds for 3 weeks. It is because of the blood thinners they give you in the hospital. My doctor said it was normal, unless it didnt stop.

I had severe nose bleeds for several years in my late teenage years. Nothing since RNY though. I made several trips to the ER to have silver nitrate swabbed in the nose, to cauterize the ruptured blood vessels that caused the nose bleed. Some people are more prone to nose bleeds than others. I eventually went to a ENT doctor.  He gave me a "local" in the ER, and placed my head so it hung off of the gurney. He then proceeded to take about 30 inches of a self dissolving medicated gauze and pack it deep into my nasal passages with a long pair of forcepts.  I had to get pain meds and live with them for the next 10 days.  This resolved my nose bleeding issue long term.

I did learn a trick to deal with nose bleed while in the US Navy. Friend's mom was a nurse.  He said she treated many nose bleeds with this trick:  roll up a napkin so it's a little of 2 inches long and about 1/4 inch in diamater. Place this rolled napkin piece between the patients upper gum and upper lip, as far as possible. As patient to concentrate on forcing their upper lip down as far as possible for a few seconds. Normally this process stops nose severe nose bleeds (assuming no tissue has been cut by glass, knife, etc.) within 30 seconds. The action of forcing the upper lip down with the napkin in place greatly restricts the blood flow in the small blood vessels within the nasal passages. This stops nose bleeds pretty fast. I was at one of my boy's soccer games. An opposing team's kid got socked in the nose with the soccer ball.  After noticing they couldn't stop the bleeding in 5 minutes with ice packs, I went over to help. I rolled the napkin, placed it in the boys' mouth, told him what to do.  Everyone looked in amazement when the nose bleed almost stopped immediately.  Good item to know, especially with kids. DAVE

Dave, thanks for that useful tip!  I'm sure I'll have the opportunity to try it.

Yeah, I thought the blood thinners were probably to blame.  I wasn't so prone to nosebleeds before this.  I think the next time I have to have my blood checked, I'll just blow my nose and hold a vial under it instead of letting them stick a needle in my arm!!