astrid Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I saw the post earlier about the ER and impending surgery for a hive member's nosebleeds, and have been meaning to ask here about them for a week. Last week Molly had two really bad nosebleeds on the same day. Right before she boarded the bus from her music camp to head across the state to the final concert, her nose just started to GUSH. Of course, she was dressed in her concert black and whites, and her shirt was pretty bloody. The camp nurse got it to slow down a bit, packed her nostrils with gauze, gave her a basin and sat with her on the bus all the way to the concert site, which was about an hour ride. Molly's friend called me to let me know what was happening, and to ask me to bring another white shirt to the concert. Molly texted me from the venue, saying the bleed had stopped but the nurse told her to not to rehearse-- she plays the oboe which means she uses tremendous pressure. I brought a towel with me to the concert just in case she got another one on the way home-- another hour 's ride. She made it through the concert but as SOON as we walked in the door at 11:30 pm it started to gush again. It was almost exactly 12 hours after the first one, and it was pretty gruesome. It didn't drip, it streamed. When she blew her nose, a clot came out that was about three inches in diameter. It was pretty freaky-- I've never had a nosebleed in my life. Molly wasn't too disturbed, and she's had a few in the past, but nothing like these two. Should I call the pediatrician? Is this a regular teenage thing or is it something that should be addressed? She seems fine otherwise. Anyone else have nosebleeds like this??? astrid Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barb_ Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have 2 kids that have those blowout type nosebleeds, and one who has occasional ones. 4 are like me and have never had them. I think it's hereditary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Both of mine are regular gushers. I've seen the blood clot before too. Eewww gross. :ack2: On another note, oxiclean does wonders with blood on clothes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I talk to the trees Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Oh, the poor dear! Oboes and nosebleeds do not mix! Kudos to her for making it through the performance! I think I would put in a call to the dr. or ask-a-nurse line, but it doesn't seem like something to panic about, since it stopped on its own (and you know the pressure of playing probably contributed to the second bleed.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommy5 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 It can be a sign of low platelets, so I would call a dr. just to have her checked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nono Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Astrid, my younger gets them from being in air conditioning too much. He is lucky we live at the shore where we don't have to depend on it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ocelotmom Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Two in close succession would not worry me excessively. Most likely the clot from the first just got dislodged. If it continues beyond that, she might need it cauterized or something. If it happens again after she's had a reasonable chance to heal, or if she has other abnormal bleeding or bruising, I'd take her in for bloodwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ellesmere Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 When I was eight or nine, I had to have my nose cauterized. I had one, big, bad nosebleed that kept going and the school nurse called my mom. It was not a huge deal and I was otherwise fine. Looking back, I went through times when I had seemingly random and frequent nosebleeds, but only once did I have to get medical attention for one. If it were me, I wouldn't hesitate to chat with the nurse at our MD's office, as she is great with questions like this. It could be nothing (for me, it was the only time I've ever had a problem like that) but I'd want to at least check in with the doctor's office about it. Glad to hear she wasn't disturbed by it. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I would take her to an ENT dr. if the nosebleeds keep happening. My ds had his nose cauterized on one side. It's an easy procedure. Here are the instructions his dr. gives to all her nosebleed patients: 1. Do not blow your nose or pick at nose for three weeks. 2. Sneezing: Cover/pinch nose before sneezing and sneeze out through the mouth for three weeks. 3. Avoid aspirin containing products for a few weeks, if approved by primary care physician. 4. Use a nighttime humidifier. 5.Apply generic antibiotic ointment three times a day for the first three weeks to the nasal passages. 6. Thereafter, apply Vaseline to the nasal passages once at bedtime. 7. No strenuous activity for three weeks. 8.Use over the counter Colace stool softener for any degree of constipation. 9. Use over the counter nasal saline spray--two sprays in each nostril 3-4 times a day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chaos Coordinator Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Say the Vaseline is a good idea. My older gets them but only very occasionally (once or twice q year). I've never had one in my life, but his seem to be from dry irritated nasal passages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I am sorry that happened, she is a trooper! My twin and I always had random nosebleeds and my youngest and her oldest as well so I think, in our case, it is hereditary. I would still see an ent though, to be safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudoMom Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I wouldn't worry about it unless it keeps happening. Ds10 gets them fairly often, and ds8 gets them as well (though not as often). I think they're due to the dry air and allergies. We've mentioned them at well child visits and their pediatrician isn't concerned. What is really scary is when they have them overnight while they're sleeping, and when you go to wake them up in the morning it looks like they were attacked :eek:. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Impish Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Wolf had them all the time as a kid, and had to have his nose cauterized. Tazzie also gets nosebleeds, but nowhere near as horrific as Wolf's as a kid. We figure that for Wolf, there was a nutritional issue as well. Dry air is absolutely a big culprit around here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 2 out of 3 of my boys get nosebleeds out of the blue. My youngest co-sleeps with us and one night he had a nosebleed during the night while he slept. I rolled over and my hand hit a warm sticky spot. I turned on my book light and saw red all over the sheet and my hand. For a second I almost screamed. DH says that his brother got them all the time so I guess they got those genes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snickerdoodle Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Speaking of bloody noses, I woke this morning to find a trail of blood leading down the hall to the bathroom and bloody tissues filling the trash. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Ds has always gotten nosebleeds, though they've tapered off as he got older. He just got one the other day though, and they come out of the blue. I would keep an eye on her, and if they start happening regularly, have it checked out. I don't know if there's an issue, since it's something new for her. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I would never put a petroleum based jelly in the nasal passage. Many doctors advise against this now. I think there are saline gels available, but I'm not sure what they contain. My ds only used the medicated ointment (also petroleum based) and Vaseline for a short time after a bad nosebleed, before he finally had his nose cauterized. (He had already been routinely using Ayr saline gel at night but it wasn't moisturizing enough to last all night.) He's been doing really well after having one side cauterized but still uses the Ayr gel on a Qtip at night. He's never been willing to try the spray form so I don't know how the two compare. I think the biggest problem with using Vaseline, or something else oil-based, would be using too much. Putting a big glob of it in the nostril would be a bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2_girls_mommy Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 I have a gusher too. She gets bad ones and she gets them often, and she gets not so bad ones, and she gets them often. It happens as soon as it gets hot and the ACs are going and the air outside is so hot and dry like an oven. She will wake up with them at night. She has even gotten them in the shower. What helps is having her flush her nose with Saline spray everyday. Once we start that they virtually dissappear. It is just part of her toothbrushing/deoderant/chapstick/nosespray morning routine now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cougarmom4 Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 My ds only used the medicated ointment (also petroleum based) and Vaseline for a short time after a bad nosebleed, before he finally had his nose cauterized. (He had already been routinely using Ayr saline gel at night but it wasn't moisturizing enough to last all night.) He's been doing really well after having one side cauterized but still uses the Ayr gel on a Qtip at night. He's never been willing to try the spray form so I don't know how the two compare. I think the biggest problem with using Vaseline, or something else oil-based, would be using too much. Putting a big glob of it in the nostril would be a bad idea. Dd4 gets these kinds of nosebleeds and my pediatrician just recently recommended the Vaseline thing, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meggie Posted July 5, 2012 Share Posted July 5, 2012 Pigby used to get them really bad. He had to have one side of his nose cauterized. That helped immensely. They seem to come in waves, so the first one happens, then he'll get a bunch more. We give him half a vitamin K tablet every day until they stop so that they can clot easier. Last week we were up for an hour and a half with one. He had two more the next two days that were only about a minute. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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