Just looking for a little sympathy...

[Harold Burrell]

I don't mean to whine...then again...yes, I do.

I have put up with various and sundry sinus issues for my entire life. Whether it be colds, allergies, sinus infections...you name it...

However, NEVER have I experienced what I have been dealing with these last 2 weeks. I have the mother of all sinus infections. Sick? Let me tell ya...

I have been on 3 antibiotics. I could basically do nothing. Just going to the Dr.'s office wore me out. The latest development (WARNING: The following is disgusting.) is a putrid, rancid, septic drainage that comes out in globs and leaves a HORRIBLE taste in my mouth and stench in my nostrils.

We're talking "Sinus Infection from Hell".




Anyway...suffice to say, "I am sick & tired of being sick & tired."

[Paul McGaha]

Hope you feel better soon Harold. No fun to be sick, especially around the holidays.

PHM

[Stephen Tashiro]

The latest development (WARNING: The following is disgusting.) is a


I hope you don't get diarrhea too.

[Dennis Peacock]

I used to get sinus infections a lot. What changed for me what a diet improvement, I take 12,000 units of vitamin C each day when I "start" feeling it coming on. I use a Netty-Pot to both flush and hydrate my sinus areas and within 3 days, I'm usually back to my normal healthy self again. I used to think that using a Netty-Pot was gross and that I would drowned while using it, but after the 3rd use of it and the noticeable difference it made in both how I felt and how my sinuses felt that I continued use. YMMV but this is what I do now and I can say that it's been a long time since my last serious sinus infection.

[phil harold]

I hear ya
I have gone thru plenty of my life too
Antibiotics dont work

If Excedrin and my neti pot dont work ,
Medrol pack is my savior reduces swelling so I get drainage which reduces pain

I see the ENT next tuesday, cat scan showed fluid levels in my sinuses...

[Jim Tobias]

Harold,
I can emphathize! I had sinus infections(stuffed up/headaches/etc./etc) for years. I eventually went to an ENT and after normal treatments did not help, I finally had sinus surgery. It turned out the drain openings in my sinuses were too small (one side actually had 2 very small holes instead of 1 larger one). He enlarged the openings to the correct size and I still have some allergies but not sinus infections. I used to wake up nearly every morning with a headache. I am guessing you have gone to an ENT(Ears/Nose?Throat) Dr. , but if you have not give it a try.
I also (like Dennis) use a sinus rinse aid. In my case, I use a Water Pik "Sinus Rinse". It is battery powered and really flushes out your sinuses.
Kind of like a pressure washer for your sinuses.
It sure has changed my pattern of sinus infections.
Jim

[Phil Thien]

That sounds awful. I truly empathize with those of you dealing with recurring sinus troubles. Get better soon.

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Harold, you have my sympathy. I actually had surgery two weeks ago to help with my nose issues. We'll see, but the ENT guy says that it should stop the nonstop sinus infections. The surgery was no fun, I was in the hospital for a week, but I can already tell a big difference. Talk to your ENT doc, you may need it.

I'd been putting the surgery off until my schedule fit, and in the meantime doc said to do what it took to keep the airways open to minimize the chance of infections. There are some nose sprays out there that can help do that, as you are no doubt aware. It's not a permanent solution, but can help.

[Harold Burrell]

Thanks for the sympathy, guys. This "Big Baby" really appreciates it. :o

I don't get sinus infections very often at all (which is quite remarkable given how congested I usually am). I seem to be improving, for the most part, except for one little detail...

I hope you don't get diarrhea too.

Yeah...about 2 hrs after you posted this. Which makes me wonder:

(1) You have experience in these matters...

(2) You are some sort of Prophet...

Or (3) You are some sort of voodoo witch doctor and have placed some kind of hex on me.


;)

[Jim Matthews]

Not to be flip, has your ENT recommened irrigation?

It feels wierd, but is effective at diluting the source of the infection.
I had a bout in the 1990's (when you were still in diapers) and that was a cheap treatment that gave me some relief.

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-pain-pressure-11/neti-pots

[Harold Burrell]

Not to be flip, has your ENT recommened irrigation?

It feels wierd, but is effective at diluting the source of the infection.
I had a bout in the 1990's (when you were still in diapers) and that was a cheap treatment that gave me some relief.

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/sinus-pain-pressure-11/neti-pots

Oh, yeah...I've been "Neti-Potting" alright. It feels good (in a weird kind of way).

Oh, and...BTW...I was no longer in diapers in my 30's. ;)

[Brian Ashton]

I used to get sinus infections a lot. What changed for me what a diet improvement, I take 12,000 units of vitamin C each day when I "start" feeling it coming on. I use a Netty-Pot to both flush and hydrate my sinus areas and within 3 days, I'm usually back to my normal healthy self again. I used to think that using a Netty-Pot was gross and that I would drowned while using it, but after the 3rd use of it and the noticeable difference it made in both how I felt and how my sinuses felt that I continued use. YMMV but this is what I do now and I can say that it's been a long time since my last serious sinus infection.

Can't get them down here. So when I feel a sinus infection coming on I snort salted water. Salt to kill the bacteria and the water to disolves the flem. Clears things out well

[Brian Ashton]

I used to get sinus infections a lot. What changed for me what a diet improvement, I take 12,000 units of vitamin C each day when I "start" feeling it coming on. I use a Netty-Pot to both flush and hydrate my sinus areas and within 3 days, I'm usually back to my normal healthy self again. I used to think that using a Netty-Pot was gross and that I would drowned while using it, but after the 3rd use of it and the noticeable difference it made in both how I felt and how my sinuses felt that I continued use. YMMV but this is what I do now and I can say that it's been a long time since my last serious sinus infection.

Can't get them down here. So when I feel a sinus infection coming on I snort salted water. Salt to kill the bacteria and the water to disolves the flem. Clears things out well

[Mike Cozad]

My step-mother used to suffer similar issues. The last time she had nearly identical issue as you describe. What they finally found (the University of Cincinnati Medical Center really came through) is that she actually had a soft tissue infection in the tissue around her head above her sinuses. The symtoms looked like a sinus infection because the infection drained out through her sinuses. They targetted that tissue with antibiotics and a small outpatient surgical procedure and she has not had a sinus problem in 2 years or so now. It was the weirdest thing I had heard of....


As for it causing diarrhea, is there some connection due to where you may have been keeping your head? I know my wife would say they're connected if i were the sick one.. just sayin...:D

[Jim Matthews]

Oh, and...BTW...I was no longer in diapers in my 30's. ;)

It was an honest mistake - please tell me you can attribute your movie star good looks
to chasing wild women and heavy drinking; things I can actually enjoy in my dotage?

Maybe it's just the flowing locks (store bought or no) that lend your avatar a Devil-may-care 'tude.

******

Have you tried sleeping propped up, or in a recliner?
When things were at their worst, my LaZboy loved me.

[Harold Burrell]

It was an honest mistake - please tell me you can attribute your movie star good looks
to chasing wild women and heavy drinking; things I can actually enjoy in my dotage?

Maybe it's just the flowing locks (store bought or no) that lend your avatar a Devil-may-care 'tude.

******

Have you tried sleeping propped up, or in a recliner?
When things were at their worst, my LaZboy loved me.

Hehe...my avatar is from a video I made for church. I'm the pastor...which should answer the "chasing wild women & heavy drinking" thing. :D The flowing locks are definitely not mine. I'm bald as all get out.

As for me having "movie star good looks", well...I don't know as I have EVER had anyone tell me that before. Especially anyone named Jim. :o

Yes, I am sleeping propped up. The head of my bed is slightly jacked. It does seem to help.

[Brett Robson]

A good friend of mine had suffered for years with many of the same symptoms you've described. After several years of antibiotics, sinus surgery and other meds, she was finally diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which manifested itself in sinus and intestinal problems. After she made the necessary diet changes, no more problems.

[Harold Burrell]

A good friend of mine had suffered for years with many of the same symptoms you've described. After several years of antibiotics, sinus surgery and other meds, she was finally diagnosed with Celiac Disease, which manifested itself in sinus and intestinal problems. After she made the necessary diet changes, no more problems.

Perhaps we need to have a class on "sympathy and encouragement". :eek: ;)

[Jim Koepke]

I don't get sinus infections very often at all (which is quite remarkable given how congested I usually am).

This is similar to my situation.

My cause seems to have been allergies. When we moved from the San Francisco area to southern Washington, it went away. Different flora (& fauna) up here than down there.

I have had almost no problems with illness since moving away from civilization.

You may be having an environmentally caused congestion due to undiagnosed allergy.

jtk

[Erik Loza]

+1 for the neti pot.

Erik Loza
Minimax USA