Reassuring to know it is a common side affect but can anybody tell me how long it will last – very embarrassing at work continuously sneezing! Felt the strong oxyen in my right nostril. The incidence of nasal symptoms and hypoxia were assessed.RESULTS: The incidence of rhinitis symptoms was significantly higher in the NC group (7.1%) than in the TNC (0.4%) and NM (0%) groups (P<0.001). Still have runny nose, like a faucet at times. But I feel a little better every day. What will happen after an upper endoscopy? I didn’t have any signs of a cold before I went under. The best thing so far that has worked for me is a sinus rinse and believe it or not being outside makes it way better for me can’t explain that but that’s what’s happening. Some patients complain of profuse rhinorrhea and/or sneezing after the procedure, which results in additional medical costs and patient dissatisfaction.OBJECTIVES: To determine the causal relationship between the route of oxygen … Literally, on contact, the burning and feeling like someone was holding black pepper under my nose dramatically improved. Endoscopy is a diagnostic medical procedure thats minimally invasive. Immediately upon waking and so far 12 hours later, the sneezing started with a severe runny nose, Rhinitis! I stumbled onto the cause being oxygen and not the propofol! She said it may be the plastic?!? She told ME that it was impossible to link the two and that I must have had a head cold lingering before the procedure. I find it hard to believe that only 3% of the population suffer from this. , Exactly the same i am part of the 3% LOL i will take decongestant tomorrow ! It’s 9 days later and though I’m 80% better, my right eye is still watering, I’m still sneezing, and my right nasal cavity still burns if I breathe deeply through the nose. Oxygen mask during colonoscopy 3 days ago, no cold symptoms going in, woke up with a head full of clear mucus. I was telling my best friend and she had the same as well. All was normal Which is good but I feel like I wasted my time and now I feel sick. Didn’t make sense. No problems before but the same as you all. In afternoon became worse. These are only the ones we have heard about. A simple, innovative way to reduce rhinitis symptoms after sedation during endoscopy. Soon as they wheeled me into recovery the sneezing started. Immediately called the doctor but he had no idea what it was. Call the office and her nurse said, not possible. When I researched this info online. It was given to me after they took my glasses away! I have also tried Benadryl, Sudafed, nasal spray and flonase but nothing has worked. How can rhinitis after endoscopy be treated? the moist heat pack seems to provide the most relief. Is there an additive which could be causing this? I used Sudafed and I believe being on a CPap helped me quite a bit. I asked for tissue before anything else! Thank you for your comments as I wouldn’t have known about this effect with this list. I will definitely mention this to the anesthesiologist if I ever have this done in the future. The symptoms of chronic rhinitis may not be completely resolved after the procedure and some patients may still require additional medical therapy or … Had an endoscopy a month ago and did not have this reaction. Rhinitis and sinusitis are closely related afflictions. Nurse said the reason for this is that the oxygen cannulas deliver oxygen only to one nostril. I had my second colonoscopy today and they used a nasal cannula for oxygen, which I have never had before in a procedure. I hope you feel better soon. I have had over 20 colonoscopies and over 8 endoscopies with no problems, but had another colonoscopy yesterday. I had a colonoscopy this morning, my fifth one. Strange? I started sneezing before I left the facility. but this after reaction…of runny nose, watery eyes & sneezing…is miserable…. The diagnosis of the gastroscopy was hiatus hernia, and now I am in such excruciating hernia pain from all the sneezing. Can’t even see properly – eyes are so swollen. I didn’t have saline spray so used hot wet towel which helped some. I wonder ,how to prevent going through this in future again, if going under before procedure, what can one say to the anaesthetist. Anesthetist ignored me Will let them know. Don’t want to go through this again 5 months +! I started sneezing immediately after the oxygen was removed. Never had this happen. This has happened in the past after previous colonoscopies but I always attributed it to perhaps a cold since I had the procedures in the winter. If not I will try a saline spray. Woke up with a tingling right nostril. Either way, I’m miserable and have to go to work tomorrow. The same thing just happened to me starting when I was in recovery it is the next day and I still have a symptom. 24 hours later, mucus suddenly turned yellow and in the last 24 hours, has moved down to my bronchial area. Never had acid reflux before. So, after further research, I found this website / blog and my explanation. My nose has been running and dripping continually and my sneezing has been violent and continual. Nose; irritation. Just an infection! Now, at least I know why. I thought they had run something up my nostril and punctured something. I’ve read all comments looking to find solution but none was found. I have an apt. During covid 2020 I had an epidermal lower back in a.m. by noon my left nostril, sneezing started, nose like a hose I don’t have a cold. They just told me to contact my pcp who via phone call prescribed antibiotics. I tried to adjust it several times but thought this must be normal, I guess. I did use Afrin last night because I was so stopped up, maybe I’ll try again today. I can’t go to work tomorrow with Kleenex stuck in my nostrils. I just had an endoscopy/colonoscopy today, with the O2 tubes in my nose. Immediately after the procedure, I experienced the sneezing and runny nose. Was told it was a reaction to the oxygen. When I woke up the next morning, I only sneezed a few times and it all seemed to clear up within 48 hours. Oxygen levels and lungs were fine. I applied as deep as I can. He thought it would abate in a few hours, but it is still bad and I had a tiny bit of bleeding in my left nostril this morning. If anyone has any questions or if I can help anyone with any questions please ask. After reading through these comments I found one where a Dr said there were preservatives in the oxygen that could cause problems. I searched and searched and glad to come across this. This seems to be common enough it ought to be mentioned in discharge instructions. Glad I found all your comments. And immediately sedated me; still going on 3 days later running The sneezing abated (not sure if that is the result of the decongestant I took earlier or the Flonase) but still runny nose and eyes. It is outrageous that patients are not advised of these possible side effects and provided with guidance on how to lessen them. So far tried Benedryl & saline solution. We present a rarely described complication of unilateral rhinorrhea and sneezing in a patient who received intravenous sedation with propofol and supplemental oxygen via a nasal cannula during upper gastrointestinal endoscopy. I have had colonoscopies in the past (with oxygen) and have never had this happen to me before. After reading this site I understand I am one of the 3%. ding these comments I think it’s more than 3 %!! Have never had this reaction to oxygen before, very concerning. My throat was sore, I can barely talk. When will this stop. My left eye is swollen. I just had my third colonoscopy. Symptoms of rhinitis include sneezing, rhinorrhea (runny nose), itchy nose, tearing. Last night I applied chap stick using q-tip inside my nose and that did the trick. For some, treatment is necessary. Michael C hope it will be gone tomorrow . The endoscopy was a piece of cake but the runny nose is awful.I. (By the way, I was SO NERVOUS about the procedure, crying at times beforehand, etc., but the propofol is amazing--knocked out, don't remember a thing!). In the car ride home I felt my right nostril was very dry. I felt like I had a terrible head cold and wondered if the oxygen tube was clean? An ear, nose, and throat doctor (otolaryngologist) will often do this procedure in his or her office. I asked the anesthesiologist if that was the medicine to put me to sleep and was told no – it must be the oxygen that was just increased. I am hopeful that it will go away but it is VERY uncomfortable, as you all here know. I am having same issues only on the right side. In the case of rhinitis medicamentosa, the doctor will ask the patient about the use of … I’ve had many colonoscopies and even open heart surgery a year ago, never ever had this problem before. My md office called to see how I was doing and I told her about my condition. Had same thing really bad for 10 days. OMG! A CT scan or a nasal endoscopy can also rule out sinusitis. 69 y.o. All hypoxia events were transient (ie, less than 30 s in duration). Woke up in recovery and began sneezing with runny nose. I began sneezing immediately upon waking and have not stopped sneezing in the last 18 hours. I know that sounds strange because my nose was running like a fauset. Now my eyes are tearing up. Haven’t stopped sneezing, runny nose, headache ! Misery loves company. I suggest this condition has been around for a very long time. Hope it stops soon. Praying this subsided by morning! Horrid! Immediately started sneezing and blowing my nose after waking up. Nose is running like a water faucet. Couldn’t figure out why since I was fine before the procedure. I noticed a slight discomfort in my right nostril when the oxygen cannula was applied but I thought I was just anxious. They heard mine no one said anything me mentioned it to doc.she just said oh my. Thanks for everyone’s comments.. Same as everyone else. Took a decongestant as suggested in the article and slept with small piece of cotton in my right nostril. Woke up with my nose so plugged I couldn’t breath. I already have chronic sinus problems and when I woke up I told the nurse I couldn’t stop sneezing but not one of the staff seemed to be aware of this reaction ! I’m going to try chapstick now!! MD. She said it didn’t come from surgery. It started about 4 hours after the procedure & >24 hours later, my nose is still running. Nasal sprays makr my nose burn. Will try the the salve later. They told me to take benedryl, It has not helped. I started having breathing problems right after being released and went to the ER. I am so glad I decided not to work today, just in case, I would have found it very difficult. My first endoscopy, third colonoscopy. I thought I’d have a look if this is related to an allergy to the anaesthesia and found this article. I’m one of the 3% this happens to. And runny nose, eyes, just like a cold. Corrado OJ, Osman J, Davies RJ. I started sneezing as soon as I woke up after my colonoscopy yesterday. It’s best to do it before going to bed and by morning you’ll feel better. My eyes are so swollen, and still sneezing, now 3 days later. And glad I found this so I know it’s a “thing”. As soon as they removed the oxygen the itching and runny nose started. I will bookmark this site and come back daily until I’m 100% normal again. My nose has been running non stop, more sneezing, I have never had an issue like this! They called a few times to check on me. I am glad other people are confirming this. Needed food but did not want to go anywhere with all that going on. Glad I found this site; I was looking for answers. I took an antihistamine on arrival home. As I was waiting for discharge, my left nostril felt itchy and produced mucus. I wonder if the doctors take this seriously. I have found a neti pot provides temporary relief. These symptoms only occur in about 3% of patients. 14 hours later and still going thru this !! When I woke from my procedure, I immediately felt a pain in my left nostril and ask the nurse for a tissue. Waiting for the dr office to call back. It was the worst experience I have had with this procedure. after coming home from my colonoscopy !!! I’ll be watching this list to see what the solution is and meanwhile I’ll try the Flonase, saline nasal spray and the neosporin though I don’t know why that last one in particular would work. The level of serum IgE, eosinophil counts, and cytokines did not alter after medication. OMG! I am 56 years old and had the same procedure 4 years ago and don’t remember any issues ? The first night it was difficult to sleep because my nostril felt so inflamed when I took a breath. Some people only get allergic rhinitis for a few months at a time because they're sensitive to seasonal allergens, such as tree or grass pollen. Off I went to drugstore and they didn’t work either. It seems to be working!!! Further investigation regarding the efficiency of oxygen supplementation is warranted in the design of novel oxygen delivery devices. 2 days later, itchy stuffy nose n sneezing. Not happy ! Hope it goes away soon! When I mentioned this in recovery no one said a thing. I have been using flonase and swabbing vaseline on the inside of both nostrils. It is a nuisance but not unbearable. I had the same experience following a colonoscopy – nasal cannula with odd-smelling oxygen before procedure, followed by drippy nose/sneezing/ burning, tickly nostril/teary eyes. Now I know. The canulla they used was really long and went way up into my nostril and only flowed into the right nostril. I felt the flow a lot in my right nostril, so they turned it down which was better. Colonoscopy went well and now I’m stuck with this. As stated, it has been 9 days. Michael C I am giving an update on my situation as of 9/18/19. This was my first time ever being sedated. This is the second day. Had a colonoscopy and EGD today and have joined the club. Plus the anesthesia is keeping me jet lagged today. As others said, lucky us the 3%. Really not good. Had a colonoscopy 2 days ago & still suffering. I had my colonoscopy yesterday (this is my 4th colonoscopy/endoscopy) and this is the first time I’m having runny nose like everyone is describing here. It would not stop. I will be looking for someone to respond to this maybe has a better relieve solution. I am miserable. Immediately woke up with the symptoms. How long does it take to restore the lining? Not better at all. Right after the colonoscopy I woke up with a runny nose and sneezing. No sneezing, like you all have had. You may have an upper endoscopy done in your doctor'… Still having to breathe mostly through the mouth. So it took 3 days to go away. Nai-Liang Li, Shiang-Chung Tseng, Che-Chang Hsu, Wei-Ju Lai, Hung-Chang Su, Tsun-I Cheng, Wei-Chun Chen, Wen-Ling Peng, "A Simple, Innovative Way to Reduce Rhinitis Symptoms After Sedation during Endoscopy", Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, vol. Had colonoscopy done this morning and woke up with an itchy nose that developed into a faucet this evening. I feel a persistent tickle and possible swelling high up in my right nostril and sneeze immediately if I touch the right side of my nose. Had Colonscopy and endoscopy done last Friday. No one ever mentioned this side effect. Thank you for the post and commenters. It is awful. Just one nostril irritated. Burning nostril, runny nose, whole nine yards. Have been reading all the complaints.Same for me had the colonoscopy yesterday started sneezing whilst being wheeled into recovery .I had one done a few years ago but did not get those symptoms.Was so misreable last night hope it goes away . I will report it this morning as it has been almost 48 hours later. I did a saline wash to both sides to get relief and it didn’t help. My right nostril is running constantly. I’m home and miserable with the sn eezing and pouring nose! She found nodules on my vocal folds. If I had the procedure would have been cancelled. She asked if it was a cold. When I got home I took a nap and woke up with my right eye swollen and my right nose and eye watering like a faucet. Jennifer Symptoms of rhinitis include sneezing, rhinorrhea (runny nose), itchy nose, tearing. I will be trying the chapstick tonight as well. Talk to your doctor. I am a 62 yr old female and I just had a colonoscopy today and immediately after my nose started running. I’ve never had this before, and it was a faucet for three days, and painful, and watering eye…only on one side, but that septum is narrower (I think that’s true for most people…) Awful! I had colonoscopy on Nov. 30 and woke up from surgery with sneezing, burning nose, dripping nose and watery eye. No more runny nose! Middle of the night, what can I do? I had a colonoscopy today. Whether or not this was included in the risks and complications I signed, I do not know. I’m going to call the facility to inform them of my reaction. The clariton i took didn’t help .. thank god i found this blog …. I’m so glad I found this article! I looked online and there was a study about this, and it’s better when using a nasal mask. Nice to know I’m not alone. I understand that it apparently affects about 3% but, the way I feel right now … This is a symptom / side effect / annoyance / discomfort that should be mentioned pre-colonoscopy or pre- any procedure that a patient could be a part of the 3%. My nose is dripping but what is really bothering me are my eyes. I was 100% after about 4-5 days. I’ve gone through at least one box of kleenex. I have lots of allergies to meds, so I was concerned I was having a reaction to something. Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. I treated again every 12 hours and it help. My nose feels better and I don’t feel like sneezing and it’s stopped running!! Cut to 7 hours after getting home, and I’ve probably gone through a box of tissues and a multitude of napkins and the restaurant we ate at when I got done at hospital. Still don’t understand what I should do. If the nurse had been more attentive and asked whether I was comfortable I would have said something but I passed out soon afterwards. My experience (Australia) – I had 2 endoscopies about 15 years ago, no problem. Sneezing, streaming and feeling like my nostril is raw! But they must have heard my constant sneezes in recovery. I mentioned it to her. Thanks so much for your posts. Just read an NIH study that showed 7% of patients who had a nasal cannula for oxygen during endoscopy got the rhinitis. What causes this? It is now…9-1/2 hours later Faucet-like nose running since my procedure this morning. I am going to give a copy to my gastroenterologist and the surgery center I went to for a colonoscopy. Just had a colonoscopy today. Until I read all this, I didn’t think it was caused by the procedure. Same here! I was not informed of any possible side effects of the oxygen administered. I feel the patient should be made aware of possible consequences and asked to consent. I was screened for Covid-19 before the procedure and had zero symptoms. My nose has a swollen place inside and been running like crazy. Today, along with my nose, my left eye is streaming, and add sneezing to the mix. Couldn’t go out for 10 because couldn’t take the tissue plugs out of my nose. I’m also feeling more tired than normal. My nose is still running and very sore and red from blowing. Today is Saturday Feb. 2nd and I am still in pain. I feel miserable. Just had another colonoscopy and arrived home with a very tickly nostril , sneezing and headache. It’s progressively got worse all night to point I’m nearly crying with the throbbing in my left nostril along with the most awful tingling,aching n runny nose non stop ! I tried sinus medicine but it didn’t work. 1, 2 They should occur on ≥2 consecutive days and for >1 hour on most days. I did have bleeding from the nose, also. Maybe there’s a connection there? I started sneezing as soon as I woke up. Just had a colonoscopy today and my nose has not stopped running since. I stumbled on this while looking for suggestions for treating sneezing and running nose while using Flonase, and was shocked after reading because I just had a colonoscopy yesterday afternoon! Also, if this additive to the oxygen is causing allergic reactions why are they still using it? Told me to take Benadryl which didn’t help at all. I tried flonase, didn’t help. Glad to know I’m not over reacting. I am miserable but not sick feeling like with a cold. Not sure what to do t this point. I had my wisdom teeth out today w/sedation and woke up with same exact symptoms in left notstril and puffy left eye.feels like a burn. The sneezing has also continued but is improved. Hope it stops. at DR this morning they will probably tell me to get tested for covid and not take this simtom alone seriously. I had no signs of a cold when I went in for my colonoscopy this morning and started to sneeze and had a runny nose before I left the surgical center. Told me to call the dr who did the procedure. I am 9 days after having a colonoscopy and endoscopy. It has been more than 28 hours and there is no sign of it stopping. I had a colostomy yesterday. I always have odd ball side effects from drugs, etc, but now that I know others have experienced this, I know I’m not alone! Four nurses working in endoscopy units complained of respiratory symptoms on exposure to alkaline glutaraldehyde used as a disinfectant for fibre-optic endoscopes. omg – thankful i found this as i am sitting here with a tissue up my left nostril from suffering all day yesterday …. my nose hurts from using Kleenex, my left eye and nostril constantly running, and sneezing. Definitely not congested and it’s frustrating. I’ve been home awhile and I’m still sick. If you have had this problem before, be sure to inform your physician before your procedure. It’s almost like the lining of my nose was burned away and all the nerves are exposed. An hour after I got home, I was sneezing with runny nose and left eye tearing like crazy. This is a thin, flexible tube with a tiny camera and a light. I too felt discomfort with o2 but went out before I could say anything. Seems strange as I had oxygen prior and also for childbirth but never had this issue. I am assuming this will go away soon. We need more research on who is prone to this condition. I swabbed vaseline into the nostrils instead as I have that handy. Physicians use it to view interior surfaces of a tissue or organ, allowing them access to certain cavities of the body they normally can't see while performing a standard examination procedure. Had a colonoscopy a couple days ago and have been fighting this runny nose, headache, and itchy eyes since. Not working. So glad to have found this guide as it’s been so helpful. It has now been about 32 hours. And I am joining the ranks…I had an endoscopy yesterday morning and since then I have been sneezing uncontrollably and my left eye and nose are dripping, also uncontrollably. I read online that the oxygen drys out your nose and it will run until the moisture comes back. Conversely, brachycephalic breeds (such as the French Bulldog, English Bulldog, Pug and Boxer) are prone to pollution-induced tumors that can cause rhinitis. After awakening from a nap the sneezing episodes continued. There’s dozens of us on this page alone. This never happened before and it’s still going strong, with a huge tickle just on one side. I was advised to take benadryl by the hospital dr office when I reported this issue. My nose will not stop running – sneezing is constant – feel sick even though I was completely fine before I went in. Just an update,symptoms finally seized in February 2019. Tomorrow I will call the doctor and let them know. Required fields are marked *. I did tell nurse, who just said vaguely “oh yeah oxygen does that sometimes”. Just woken up at 3 in the morning and googled and so relieved to find this site. Cannula and 02 Woke up from procedure, my right eye watering, right nostril burning, stopped up, and then started flowing like a water faucet, and the urge to sneeze almost constantly. Still sneezing and running nose and watering eyes today. Third one yesterday, and woke up with an itchy left nostril and started sneezing in recovery. I use a cpap and that seemed to really help. I became concerned and contacted the doctor who said it is not common and recommended saline nasal spray stating that oxygen causes drying of the nostril. I too.was one of the lucky 3%. Appreciate your comment. I’m trying to take different otc`s, but pain and runNY is terrible. The tech shrugged and said the oxygen dries out your nasal passages. I feel this is a lot more than just occurring in 3% . Dr. Richard Romano answered. I still have those symptoms… Both refer to swelling; sinusitis refers specifically to the swelling of nasal passages while rhinitis refers to swelling of the nose. I had a colonoscopy Aug 13th with the sensation of very cold air piercing up my right nostril right before the anesthesia kicked in. I’m so glad to hear everyone’s comments. Some say use saline solution I’m going to try if nothing works calling the Doctor cause this is horrible! That said, why don’t they deliver it to the nostril you are not lying upon for the colonoscopy? Hopefully it will go away quickly. I am miserable, feels like I have a head cold! I went into the hospital with chest pains long story but I ended up getting a Catheter to look at my arteries in my heart this procedure is different than a endoscopy or Colonoscopy I had both so I know this requires you to be in twilight not out completely which I did not like but had to have this done to know what was going on. It started with the sneezing and runny nose as soon as I woke up. I had egd done yesterday a few hours later nose running like a faucet and right nostil burning. As you all say no warning from medical profession. I had colonoscopy on TH and started sneezing in recovery but had no idea what was to come. Thanks to everyone for recording their experiences. Had colonoscopy 6 weeks ago. I’ll try the Q-tip with neosporin next. The oxygen seemed too forceful, and the cannula hurt my nose. Decongestants may be in tablet form like Sudafed or nasal spray like Afrin. Last night I did a saline flush and will do so again today. First two I never had any issues. Colonoscopy this AM. Same here, came on suddenly once awoke from nap on return home from colonoscopy. But when I woke up I cold get enough Kleenex. This side effect has been driving me crazy all day since my colonoscopy! I’m a mess. Wish someone out there could shed more light on this and maybe provide a better form of relieve. BACKGROUND: Supplemental oxygen is routinely given via nasal cannula (NC) to patients undergoing moderate sedation for endoscopy. It is definitely worse than the actual procedure being done. Surgery center called to see how I was doing and I told them all the agony. It’s my 3rd colonoscopy and it has never happened before. I have the very same symptoms after my colonoscopy and endoscopy. Nasal endoscopy is a procedure to look at the nasal and sinus passages. Is there any consensus on how long this lasts? I’ve never had an oxygen cannula before but it hurt as soon as it was put in my nose (on the right side) but I passed out before I could say something. Had an endoscopy and colonoscopy this afternoon. Some patients complain of profuse rhinorrhea and⁄or sneezing after the procedure, which results in additional medical costs and patient dissatisfaction. Very uncomfortable… After very many endo and colonoscopy procedures, yesterday was the first time I woke up with non-stop sneezing while still on the table. I just had a colonoscopy today and about 6 hours I suddenly started sneezing and have a runny itchy nose . Looks like I’m part if the club:( had colonoscopy yesterday and started sneezing 10 minutes after waking up. (I thought this was so odd.) I had an endoscopy yesterday with oxygen administered via a mast. An upper endoscopy is a procedure used to visually examine your upper digestive system with a tiny camera on the end of a long, flexible tube. One minute after the application of drugs, hypotension of 60/30 mmHg and tachycardia of 130 was observed. Now Sunday morning and no sign of things improving. Hope it’s gone tomorrow! The nurse told me it was from the oxygen and that studies had been done but still no real answers as to why it happens to some people. Far worse than the pain in the butt! I’ll check back in to let you know what works or seems to work and when. You might know I would be one! I didn’t have a cold. If possible, limit oxygen supplemental rate to 2 to 4 liters per minute. Oh my goodness! I followed this article and started with saline spray that helped a bit then later a decongestant that got me through the night, then today Flonase.