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unexplained chronic runny nose - please help!!
My boyfriend occasionally wakes up in the morning with a running nose, which will run like a faucet, maybe with headache and fatigue, for 1-2 days afterward. He believes it is connected to me somehow. We began dating June '08, and began a sexual relationship including frequent sleepovers at both of our houses in July. He noticed this nose problem first beginning in October, and soon concluded that it only happened after seeing me.
October 1 I moved into a new house, mid-October I got a new bed (also new comforter, new pillows, etc.) and of course around that time we also started turning the heat on, I have forced air heat. I had hoped that the problem was from one of these things since he had no problems prior to October, but this happens even when I sleep over at his house. (he has lived there through a prior winter, so turning the heat on there isn't new).
He believes it is not an allergy, since antihistamines don't have any effect, and we've both been told by our doctors that you cannot be allergic to a person. He has also been prescriped a variety of nasal sprays by his dr., (one for allergies, one for colds, one that is supposed to act on the actual running-ness so it wouldn't matter the cause, sorry don't know the names) and none of them help much.
He has started running "experiments" - this weekend, we will only sleep at my house, this weekend we will have no sex, this weekend we will not kiss, etc. There doesn't seem to be any cause we can decipher. Last week he spent Thurs, Fri, and Sat nights at my house, we did not abstain from any contact, and he was fine - we were getting our hopes up, then Sunday morning it hit him and he was ill for two days. This weekend we were at his house, Sat and Sun nights, and Monday morning the nose was running.
We are both getting frustrated and this is putting a serious strain on our relationship. I can hardly blame him for wanting to avoid me at this point, who wants to be sick every week? He is certain it never happens unless he's seen me. I told him to start keeping a detailed journal.
Other background info. - I do not wear makeup or perfumes, and he uses most of my shower stuff even when I'm not around (shampoo, etc). I am, however, a complete chapstick addict. I was also recently told by my Dr. that I have group B strep in my vagina, although everything I've read suggests that shouldn't affect him (or me, unless I'm pregnant, though my Dr. prescribed anitbiotics if I want them)
He has a gluten sensitivity - he gets IBS problems when he eats it. The past few months he has been trying to be much more diligant about avoiding wheat, though every once in a while he just eats something he shouldn't. He doesn't think he is celiac, though he recently had a new blood test for it that he is waiting for the results on. He is also going through a period of depression, he says triggered by winter and holidays though it doesn't necessarily happen every year. He is on no medication for it, except for ambien to help him sleep.
That is all the relevant info. I can think of - please help his doctors have no answers and I don't want to lose a great relationship because of a runny nose, and he does not want to have to choose between seeing his girlfriend and feeling healthy. ANY ideas you have would be helpful.
October 1 I moved into a new house, mid-October I got a new bed (also new comforter, new pillows, etc.) and of course around that time we also started turning the heat on, I have forced air heat. I had hoped that the problem was from one of these things since he had no problems prior to October, but this happens even when I sleep over at his house. (he has lived there through a prior winter, so turning the heat on there isn't new).
He believes it is not an allergy, since antihistamines don't have any effect, and we've both been told by our doctors that you cannot be allergic to a person. He has also been prescriped a variety of nasal sprays by his dr., (one for allergies, one for colds, one that is supposed to act on the actual running-ness so it wouldn't matter the cause, sorry don't know the names) and none of them help much.
He has started running "experiments" - this weekend, we will only sleep at my house, this weekend we will have no sex, this weekend we will not kiss, etc. There doesn't seem to be any cause we can decipher. Last week he spent Thurs, Fri, and Sat nights at my house, we did not abstain from any contact, and he was fine - we were getting our hopes up, then Sunday morning it hit him and he was ill for two days. This weekend we were at his house, Sat and Sun nights, and Monday morning the nose was running.
We are both getting frustrated and this is putting a serious strain on our relationship. I can hardly blame him for wanting to avoid me at this point, who wants to be sick every week? He is certain it never happens unless he's seen me. I told him to start keeping a detailed journal.
Other background info. - I do not wear makeup or perfumes, and he uses most of my shower stuff even when I'm not around (shampoo, etc). I am, however, a complete chapstick addict. I was also recently told by my Dr. that I have group B strep in my vagina, although everything I've read suggests that shouldn't affect him (or me, unless I'm pregnant, though my Dr. prescribed anitbiotics if I want them)
He has a gluten sensitivity - he gets IBS problems when he eats it. The past few months he has been trying to be much more diligant about avoiding wheat, though every once in a while he just eats something he shouldn't. He doesn't think he is celiac, though he recently had a new blood test for it that he is waiting for the results on. He is also going through a period of depression, he says triggered by winter and holidays though it doesn't necessarily happen every year. He is on no medication for it, except for ambien to help him sleep.
That is all the relevant info. I can think of - please help his doctors have no answers and I don't want to lose a great relationship because of a runny nose, and he does not want to have to choose between seeing his girlfriend and feeling healthy. ANY ideas you have would be helpful.
Well this is a 5 year old blog so not sure if your boyfriend ever found relief, but wanted to relay this to you. I read recently that a guy had a runny nose off and on and could not figure it out. It turns out he had a hole in the membrane of his brain and was leaking fluid from it. He eventually had surgery where they injected some type of glue and stopped the leak. Tell your boyfriend to have his Dr. test the fluid to determine if it is cranial fluid.
Good Luck.
Good Luck.
Hi,
A CT scan may describe any changes in the sinuses, which may indicate sinusitis or a deviation of the nasal septum. It may also show a polyp or protrusion which may be obstructing the passage. These are some of the common things which may be demonstrated and also be a cause of his discomfort.
Let us know if you have any other questions and keep us posted on the progress.
Best regards.
A CT scan may describe any changes in the sinuses, which may indicate sinusitis or a deviation of the nasal septum. It may also show a polyp or protrusion which may be obstructing the passage. These are some of the common things which may be demonstrated and also be a cause of his discomfort.
Let us know if you have any other questions and keep us posted on the progress.
Best regards.
He has never had a CT scan though he has tried nasal sprays of multiple types and saline washes. His allergist just told him "you can't be allergic to a person" and that it was all in his head. Psychosomatic or not, it's definitely real. I suggested the CT scan to him, he's going to try a different dr. What kinds of things might a CT scan show?
Hi,
Has a CT scan of the sinuses been done? Do nasal sprays and steroid medications help with the symptoms?
Has he tried saline nasal drops and steam inhalation?
It would be advisable to see an allergy specialist and get a proper clinical examination and relevant investigations done including blood tets, chest xray, CT scan of the sinuses, allergy testing , etc. This would probbaly help in coming to a diagnosis.
Let us know about how he is doing and if you have any doubts.
Regards.
Has a CT scan of the sinuses been done? Do nasal sprays and steroid medications help with the symptoms?
Has he tried saline nasal drops and steam inhalation?
It would be advisable to see an allergy specialist and get a proper clinical examination and relevant investigations done including blood tets, chest xray, CT scan of the sinuses, allergy testing , etc. This would probbaly help in coming to a diagnosis.
Let us know about how he is doing and if you have any doubts.
Regards.
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