M's Story: What I Use for My Dry Nose

Ok, so I’m on this trial treatment for Hep C.  Been on it for about 15 weeks now and to tell you the truth, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.  I’m not sure if I’m receiving the actual “trial” drug or maybe I’m getting the placebo (the sugar pill).  Either way, I am definitely taking either Interferon Alpha OR Interferon Lambda AND Ribavirin, so I’m still feeling the effects of treatment, which is what I wanted to write to you about!!

Muscle aches and pains, indigestion, cramps, tiredness etc., have come and gone, some days have been fine, others.... well, bad!  The one constant, for me, has been the DRYNESS!!!!!!!   I feel like an old dog bone that has been baking in the sun, as though I haven’t got a drop of moisture left in me.  

When you’re waking up every couple of hours at night with lips cracked and peeled back over gums, tongue swollen and throat parched, you have a sip of water. I keep a water bottle with me ALL the time and at night time I keep one by my bed. Tea and coffee seem to be really bad for drying out the mouth and throat so I’ve switched to herbal teas or hot water with lemon, honey and/or ginger.

My skin is SOOOO dry its prickly, I’m REALLY not looking forward to the hot weather when I’m sure it will be worse!!  Been trying EVERYTHING for the itching, Pintarsol seems to help, or oatmeal in the bath, olive oil based moisturisers etc. Although a hot shower provides temporary relief, it’s worse straight afterwards. It’s best to have a luke warm shower and not too often because constant bathing tends to dry the skin as well.  But still, the itch persists!!!!

But OH MY GOD!!!! MY NOSE!!! My poor cracked, dry and bleeding nose!!!  

You know when you have a cold or flu and after a few days of blowing your nose so much, you start feeling like you’re blowing on sandpaper?!! This feels worse than that. 

Every time I wake up, my nostrils are filled with crusty blood boogers, moving my facial muscles too much will make my nostrils move and then the cracking and bleeding starts again. My routine was getting up quickly and going straight to the shower and using the water to soften the scabs and clean my nostrils.  YUK!!! I used paw paw ointment up there but that didn’t seem to do much good. Then I used Vaseline which is great at night but during the day it looks gross and my natural reaction is to blow it out so it’s hard to keep it up there constantly to soothe and soften. 

Anyway, I ended up going to the chemist a couple of weeks ago and mentioned my nostril problems to the pharmacist.  He gave me some “nose oil” ...... it’s FANTASTIC!!! It comes in a little bottle like those nasal spray bottles, you know the ones that you put up your nose and pump.  Its natural ingredients are wheat germ oil, tea tree and vitamin E oil. It really helps to soothe and soften. I probably use it about 3 times a day and Vaseline at night. That keeps my nostrils soft and unbroken. 

The one that I bought is called “Nasalate”. I don’t know if there are any other brands or types but if you have been suffering with your nose..... definitely give it a try. It may just be relief from ONE of the side effects of treatment!!

Good luck and please, if anyone has had any luck with remedies that work, call HepatitisWA and let them know. I have had some really useful suggestions from them!!

— M.

Page last updated: Monday 12 December, 2011