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General health

Am I Being Paranoid? WWYD?...

28 replies

Finvim · 04/04/2013 13:38

Hi everyone, I really can't decide whether I'm overreacting and being paranoid about something very trivial, or whether I'm underreacting and should be at the Doctors!

Yesterday, the PILs were over and all of a sudden I had a gush of clear water-like fluid pour from my nose, it only lasted a second and it was probably just over a teaspoon of fluid. It stopped as suddenly as it started. I was a bit freaked out because it wasn't like mucus, but I wasn't sure what to make of it, so carried on like normal. It happened again 2 or 3 times after this, but nowhere near as bad as the first time. I've never had sinus problems (but both of my parents do) and I don't use neti-pots or anything similar (so it's not just leftover water from that) and I don't currently have a cold/allergies/illnesses etc.

I woke up this morning with the feeling that I had fluid dripping down my throat, but I wasn't really sure whether I'm just trying to find something wrong because I'm thinking about what happened yesterday iyswim? It hasn't happened again today.

But stupidly I just googled my symptoms and the closest thing I could find to what had happened to me was a News Story about a Lady who had a similar problem (albeit much worse) and was told she had allergies when in fact she was leaking cerebrospinal (brain) fluid from her nose and was at risk of catching meningitis, needing surgery. Confused Apparently it's very rare for it to randomly occur, but is more common after car crashes. Reading this reminded me that yesterday morning, baby DS accidentally headbutted me really hard in the nose, making my eyes water and I was surprised it hadn't given me a nosebleed because it really was quite a whack!

Now if I hadn't read this on google, I'd probably be inclined to leave it and if it happened again to go and see the Doctor, I mean, I'd be really embarrassed if I had loads of tests and they said "Err... it's just a runny nose!" but I'm really don't know...!

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Finvim · 04/04/2013 13:43

Oh, and sorry it's so ridiculously long!! Blush

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AnythingNotEverything · 04/04/2013 13:49

Ok. I think it's time to put dr google down.

If you're still like this in a week, see the doctor then.

Sorry for the lack of sympathy ... Hope this is the kind I response you wanted!

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Finvim · 04/04/2013 13:52

Thank you! That's exactly what I wanted to hear. I find it hard to decide when to go to the Doctors because I had such an awful one when I was a teenager and being made to feel like I was overreacting when I was actually very poorly.

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LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 04/04/2013 14:09

It is odd...unless someone else comes along who knows better, but if it does it again I'd phone NHS Direct. To give you a measure - I very, very rarely go to Drs or call NHS D for myself or DS. I'd be concerned if it was me.

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Twosugarsplease · 04/04/2013 20:08

Just to perhaps reassure you, for past couple of days my nose has been dripping like water, no cold etc but I just Thought might be coming down with one, have you any other symptoms that would indicate something else yet ?

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Finvim · 04/04/2013 20:35

Thank you both for your replies!
I agree it's really odd, and typically just when I'd reassured myself I was overreacting and was fine, I had another gush. It's just so sudden and there's so much of it! It is worse when I lean forwards though.
No one I know has been ill recently, no colds or anything, and it's definitely not a "normal" runny nose, so I'm kind of doubtful it's that... I suppose it could be a sinus thing though. I'm not feeling ill otherwise though, I've got a mild headache, but that's not really unusual since it's leading up to that time of the month. It just seems like such a trivial thing!
I think I'm going to see my GP tomorrow, hopefully it'll put my mind at rest and I won't have to worry about my brains leaking out of my nose Grin

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lougle · 04/04/2013 21:06

If it is a CSF leak, the doctor can check quite easily by putting a urine analysis stick under your nose/in any drips you catch. CSF contains glucose, snot doesn't.

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lougle · 04/04/2013 21:07

Incidentally, my pastor had a CSF leak which went undetected and he almost died - he'd been given less than a week to live when they decided to do an autologous blood patch and that fixed him.

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Finvim · 04/04/2013 21:16

Thanks, lougle, it's good to know it's easy and quick to detect.. I'll definitely see my doctor tomorrow after reading that. Thank goodness your Pastor's CSF leak was caught in time! Shock That's very scary!

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LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 04/04/2013 22:10

Good luck at the doctors, let us know what he/she says.

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hellhasnofurylikeahungrywoman · 04/04/2013 22:17

My nose used to do this when I had sinus problems, clear, watery fluid just as you describe would leak from my nose without warning then nothing would happen for ages. It was just like a tap being turned on and it embarrassed the hell out of me. I had no signs of a cold and no other signs of sinusitis.

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Finvim · 05/04/2013 10:58

Well the Doctors didn't have any appointments left, so I called NHS direct and they took it very seriously and have sent me to A&E! Just waiting for PILs to come and get DS.. Sad

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Lucyellensmum95 · 05/04/2013 11:05

flippin eck! :( How worrying for you - hope you get seen soon so you don't get too bored waiting you'll be ok x

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sannaville · 05/04/2013 11:34

Bloody hell hope ur ok keep us posted! Always better to be safe than sorry!

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digerd · 05/04/2013 12:59

Also saw a programme on TV and it was a hole in the brain that was leaking brain fluid through the nose.

Once you are in hospital you will be in the right place.
Good luck

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ReluctantBeing · 05/04/2013 13:03

I'm so glad you have gone to A&E. it sounds worrying to me.

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digerd · 05/04/2013 13:05

ps
Not a hole in the brain but the skull and the brain fluid membrane.

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LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 05/04/2013 14:03

Gosh Finvim...hope all will be well, will be thinking of you this afternoon. Keep us posted.

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Finvim · 05/04/2013 18:45

Thanks everyone for your lovely messages!
I spent an hour in A&E to be sent to a minor injuries unit by a horrible nurse who was so dismissive of my concerns. The lovely nurses at the Minor Injuries Unit were outraged that I'd been sent there where there weren't any doctors! So in the end, it took me 5 hours to be sent home with an apology and a glucose stick!
Anyway, the nurse thought it was most likely to be my sinuses, but if my glucose stick turns Brown I need to go back to A&E again. If not, doctors on Monday to see what's up! Can't wait to spend my Friday night leaning over a stick catching stuff from my nose!

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LifeIsBetterInFlipFlops · 05/04/2013 19:41

Thanks for the update...what a complete pavlova, but at least hopefully worth it for peace of mind.

Hope the glucose sticks remain clear.

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Meganlillymai · 05/04/2013 19:52

I've had a runny nose for around 9 months lol comes and goes and also the dropping in my throat. DON'T WORRY! I am a worrier I have been since I was a young teen but unless you get dizzyness or breathless for no reason then go to docs.

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IwishIwasmoreorganised · 05/04/2013 19:55

Any update?

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digerd · 05/04/2013 21:49

5 hours in A&E is a disgrace! and then no drs there anyway?

I phoned NHS direct when I had a swollen tongue which was so big I couldn't talk properly. They did know how life threatening that was as can choke or suffocate you if swells into the back.
They sent an ambulance for me, treated me in the ambulance , rushed me to a bed and a dr came immediately and had an IV of steroids. Had a blood test and a chest x-ray, and that was on Easter Bank Holiday Monday 3 years ago.

Did they say what it means if it turns brown?

Hope it's nothing serious.

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Montybojangles · 06/04/2013 07:53

It's a glucose strip so if it turns brown the fluid tested contains glucose Digerd.
It was minor injuries that didn't have a dr I think, not A&E.

Hope you were CSF negative finvim.

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ReluctantBeing · 06/04/2013 12:55

Any news?

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