Plugged nose

David* has the worst continually plugged nose in my practice. Now that is quite a distinction. While I am totally frustrated at improving my treatment of his condition, he also has got me laughing with his good-natured humor.  Today he is wearing a Superman t-shirt.

So, here is this scrawny 17-year-old boy with his Superman t-shirt hanging loosely on him, his voice sounding as if he were pinching his nose shut with his fingers, his mother who is on the other side of the room bantering back and forth with the kid, and I’m cracking up with laughter. My curiosity has got the best of me now so I ask him why has had a Superman t-shirt. His mother answers that everyone calls him “Super Dave”, so he decided to wear the Superman t-shirt to go with the name. I asked him if he feels that his nose is congested and he answers, “No.”

I think maybe I shouldn’t worry about how bad he sounds, but then I think if we improve his congestion he won’t have as many sinus infections.  David has tried just about every allergy, sinus, and asthma medicine. He has been to the dentist, the ENT doctor and even had nose and sinus surgery. He took allergy shots for a while but refused to take them anymore because he didn’t like the needles. When he gets a sinus infection I prescribe antibiotics. I think he has been through all of them too, everything from good old Amoxil to a new one called Trovan (Links). He thinks the Z pack works the best.   Still joking around I see him out of the office today reminding him to take his Vancenase (Link) nose spray regularly, increased his dose of Zyrtec (Link) and added Entex .. I will see him back in 2 weeks. I wonder if he’ll wear his Superman t-shirt.