Anyone else dealing with Sinus infections/headaches this summer? (allergy, infection, surgery)
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I thought I had my allergies pretty much licked; and I've cut my sinus infections down to two a year.
A couple of years ago, I ditched the allergy shots and maintained a regimen of sudafed, muxinex, Allegra, NeilMed Sinus Rinse, flonase and Astelin spray when needed.
Good as gold.
But the past month has been AWFUL. Today is the 2nd week-end I've spent with a terrible sinus headache and that . . disconnected feeling that I'm not really all here. No amount of sudafed and advil seems to help.
I'm almost done with an antiobiotic my Doc gave me last Tuesday - Augmentin - and I feel like it's not working OR I didn't have an infection to begin with.
Oh yes!!! I was telling a new provider who I saw last week, that I could teach a class on this! Sadly, I've dealt with it for years. What I have found is that while Astelin controls allergies, it thickens mucous which can lead to more sinus infections.
So your provider know you are on all those meds? I'm curious if they feel you need all of them? To me Allegra is like taking a tic tac
Have you checked the pollen count in your areas via pollen.com? It could be you are more sensitive this year to grasses?
As to Augmentin, I find it gets rid of my infections 50% of the time. I'd talk with your doc as to whether you improved slightly on it, or no change. There is a bug going around now that mimics a sinus infection but a few days later, the aches come and chills. It's viral.
Good luck, hope your doc can get to the bottom of it! I know it can be misery.
Sinus rinses -- I've tried 'em all -- aren't always as effective as I'd like. Have you tried lots of fluids and/or steam?
We have a steam shower (though a steamy bathroom ought to work too) and I usually take 10 - 12 deep breaths, then gently blow one nostril at a time.
Summer is usually allergy-free but August has been miserable with coughing and chest congestion. I'm going to have to give in and beg for some pred, I guess.
Everything blooms here all year round and we have hardly have any rain to clean the air up...but I can't remember when I last had sinus infection or sinus issues...and thanks to DAILY dosing of grape seed ex. Got rid of allergy/sinus drugs over 22 yrs ago.
As for doctors, forget them I say, I went that route for years with their drugs and shots never getting better or improvement...getting to the root of it all, does work.
Oh yes!!! I was telling a new provider who I saw last week, that I could teach a class on this! Sadly, I've dealt with it for years. What I have found is that while Astelin controls allergies, it thickens mucous which can lead to more sinus infections.
So your provider know you are on all those meds? I'm curious if they feel you need all of them? To me Allegra is like taking a tic tac
Have you checked the pollen count in your areas via pollen.com? It could be you are more sensitive this year to grasses?
As to Augmentin, I find it gets rid of my infections 50% of the time. I'd talk with your doc as to whether you improved slightly on it, or no change. There is a bug going around now that mimics a sinus infection but a few days later, the aches come and chills. It's viral.
Good luck, hope your doc can get to the bottom of it! I know it can be misery.
Yes, they do know. I slept with my sliding door cracked on Saturday night and think maybe that contributed? Anyhow, my head hurt so bad on Sunday that I couldn't even make conversation with people.
I'll see how I feel when the Augmentin gone; that's all I can do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by fluffythewondercat
Sinus rinses -- I've tried 'em all -- aren't always as effective as I'd like. Have you tried lots of fluids and/or steam?
We have a steam shower (though a steamy bathroom ought to work too) and I usually take 10 - 12 deep breaths, then gently blow one nostril at a time.
Summer is usually allergy-free but August has been miserable with coughing and chest congestion. I'm going to have to give in and beg for some pred, I guess.
I haven't had to take prednisone in about 5 years but maybe that's what I need to.
I almost had sinus surgery but when I got a second opinion, that ENT said - no - try the Sinus rinse (not the Neti pot) but the one that just goes straight up your nose with a bit more force. It's been godsend for me but . . not this summer!
I will try a steamy shower in addition to and see what happens.
I get sinus related migraines about 5x per month. I neti but it doesn't work but for a few minutes. Saw specialists and said nothing is wrong with me and they don't know why I get them so often. I will try the sinus rinse as opposed to the neti pot.
I get sinus related migraines about 5x per month. I neti but it doesn't work but for a few minutes. Saw specialists and said nothing is wrong with me and they don't know why I get them so often. I will try the sinus rinse as opposed to the neti pot.
Good luck! If you use any nose sprays - use them right after the sinus rinse.
I get sinus related migraines about 5x per month. I neti but it doesn't work but for a few minutes. Saw specialists and said nothing is wrong with me and they don't know why I get them so often. I will try the sinus rinse as opposed to the neti pot.
If you can find an ENT who does chemical cautery, that might help. It has cut way back on how much sudafed I've used this year (though July got pretty bad for me thanks to monsoon season here in Albuquerque). Unfortunately, sinus chemical cautery doesn't seem to be all that widely practiced.
It's not a magic bullet anyway, and for me it's been most helpful for dealing with sensitivity to mild barometric pressure changes, not so much allergies or storm systems. But still, it has made a measurable difference in how much sudafed I am using.
OP, I have found the Chinese herbal formula Long Dan Xie Gan Wan (and its variant, Coptis Purge Fire) to be helpful for sinus infections as well. It's a bit rough on the digestive system though. (If you try it, I recommend not using it an hour before or after a meal. A longer gap is probably even better.) Might be worth a try as a temporary measure.
Also, I will once again recommend the Sinupulse Elite Nasal Irrigation System as preferable to both a neti pot or a squeeze bottle (both of which I have also tried). It provides a continuous stream of liquid, at a relatively stable pressure (which you can adjust).
Last edited by ApartmentNomad; 08-15-2017 at 07:02 PM..
Watch what you eat. I had sinus problems for years until I final found a ENT who got me off all those bad medicines everyone takes and switch to a gluten free diet. Made a difference in 3 days. He also recommended the Neti Rinse bottle with a few drops of baby shampoo in it for any flare-ups, it works wonders.
You may be surprised to find that many ingredients in food products you ingest cause allergic symptoms. Wheat and dairy products are some of the worst.
Not all ENTS or allergist specialists/doctors check for food allergies, most check you for pollinating plants in your environment.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
