Larry’s Story
Living with CRS for 6 years
“CRS is a fight – it’s a struggle. I feel like what I’m doing now is just a temporary fix.”
Larry is an Army veteran who works in a warehouse and as a minister. His wife Genobia encouraged him to see a doctor about his sinus issues and snoring six years ago. “I was good until I got into my early 40s, and I never had to worry about my sinuses. I don’t know what happened. I don’t know where this came from.” All of a sudden, he had headaches, runny nose, and facial pressure. “It felt like half my face wanted to fall off.” For the last six years, he has tried several prescription and over-the-counter treatments to get sporadic relief from his CRS.
What a new treatment would mean to him
“What I’m doing now is just a temporary fix – it doesn’t last long enough,” Larry says. “The disease never really goes away. Symptoms go away for a few hours and then come right back.” Larry and his ENT are working through treatment options step by step, before considering sinus surgery.
“I would like to try some more options,” he says. “I think surgery should be the last resort – I know it can bring up other issues.” Larry says a treatment that would take away his pain and symptoms would greatly improve his life. “I would sleep a whole lot better and it would stop my mood swings. I think I’d be more focused. I’d be able to laugh and mingle a little bit more. It would definitely help.”
How CRS impacts his daily life
Larry’s CRS symptoms are like a roller coaster, on again, off again, making him miserable. Temperature changes are a big trigger for him. “If it’s too cold in the house, we got problems. If it’s 70 degrees outside and it goes down to the 50s, here we go again. Sometimes in the car, I have to turn the vent completely off on my side, because air blowing on me is also a trigger.” Sometimes, Larry’s CRS flares up and he has no idea why. “One minute I’m running top speed, and the next, BAM. One day I’m feeling good and the next I just wake up with it.”
Larry’s CRS affects him almost every day. His sleep is often disrupted, leaving him groggy and tired. His wife says he snores – a lot. He has mood swings. In addition, his eyes itch, burn, and alternate between dry and watery. He keeps various treatments with him at all times, in case his symptoms flare up. “Sometimes my wife and I miss family gatherings or events with friends if I’m not feeling well and just not up for being social.” If he does go out, Larry says he’s been told many times that people can see the pain on his face.
His challenges with treatments
About a year after his symptoms appeared, Larry began seeing an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist. This doctor has successfully treated his deviated septum and sinus infections along the way – but his inflamed sinuses continued to cause discomfort, leading to his CRS diagnosis. Since then, with his ENT, Larry has tried to manage his CRS using prescription nasal sprays, decongestant pills and antibiotics, paired with over-the-counter expectorants and pain relievers. “I have spent months trying to figure out which one might work, but nothing is strong enough.” He is looking for another option that provides lasting relief.
