sinus problems making me crazy!

[swgrl09]

About 3 weeks ago my sinuses started getting congested. A week after, I had a fever and was given antibiotics. Started to feel a little better, then felt worse and sprung a fever again so I figured it must be viral. Now a week after that, no fever yet but just still congested. The pressure is so annoying.

I know I have allergies, but I am taking Zyrtec and started using Nasalcrom too. I am also using my neti-pot nightly. It helps a little, but just can't seem to kick this thing.

Any other tips? Antihistamines and all the other things I am trying just aren't cutting it. It's making my anxiety worse too because I don't know why these things aren't helping.

[klg1975]

I call myself the sinus queen. I constantly get sinus and the dreaded post nasal drip. Im thinking about getting an xray on the sinuses to find out why this is happening. I am allergic yo dustmites so dont know if this is the cause or not. Somebody suggested I try something called salt therapy. Basically the sessions involve sitting in an enclosed room and you enhale some sort of dry salt substance (a bit vague sorry, need to find out more info). This which works wonders apparently for people who suffer from sinus, asthma, respiratory problems. This is in Australia so not sure if you have this where you are. Will keep you posted!

[batgirl1980]

I am suffering with sinuses. Lots of other symptoms as well. EnT advised saline washouts i use neilmed. They gave me steroid drops. Had 7 antibiotic courses in 15 months. I still feel bunged up, headache pressure. Now getting aches in joints and muscles, nausea, temperatures, recurrent infection ie thrush throat and fatigue. Dizziness is awful I aren't worried about what it might be I just want to feel better and get on with my so called life. Everyone thinks it is anxiety related. Psychosomatic. Its like the chicken and the egg...which came first. Having CT on tues I expect that will be ok too.

I know as well as salt washes you can get salt pipes which you inhale they are supposed to be good. You can get them off web. I am in UK.

Good luck!

K x

[swgrl09]

I never heard of salt therapy before, that's interesting. Let me know how it goes.

I am using sinus rinses too and read that hydrogen peroxide (few drops) in it can help. It seems to help but then by the next day I get clogged up and dizzy. It's weird. I take my zyrtec (plain, not D) at night and then by like 3 PM the next day I feel all heavy and pressured again. I am guessing it's because it's when it wears off. But I never used to have it be this bad... so I don't know if it's something in the environment or my usual allergies just getting worse.

I might try claritin ... haven't tried it in 3 years because it didn't do anything but Allegra and zyrtec aren't doing it anymore. Maybe I should try Zyrtec D?

I feel your pain to both of the posters above - literally! I tested positive to being allergic to dust, mold, cats (I have 2), dogs, cockroaches, a few different kinds of trees, weeds/ragweed, and a few types of grass. But honestly my allergies weren't unbearable .. I'd be fine/little stuffy with my antihistamine. I went through a phase two years ago in the summer like this where it wouldn't stop being clogged. But then I started allegra and got better.

So I don't really know what's going on. It's really frustrating, as it sounds like yours are too ... and for me it's only been really bad for a few weeks. So i can't imagine what you both are going through.

[Fishmanpa]

So I don't really know what's going on. It's really frustrating, as it sounds like yours are too ... and for me it's only been really bad for a few weeks. So i can't imagine what you both are going through.

I don't know where you're at in the states but I'm in the Shenandoah Valley in VA and allergies this year have been brutal. My wife, who never suffers is having a time of it. She's been taking generic Claritin. It should improve after the first frost.

Positive thoughts

[swgrl09]

I'm in Connecticut ... hope your wife sees some improvement! I feel like the allergies are getting worse every year where I live.

[swgrl09]

Well, yesterday I felt awful again. Congestion and fullness behind my eyes and forehead, fatigue, couldn't keep my eyes open, and headache. I'm away with my husband for the weekend and figured I can't take this all weekend so went to the pharmacy and picked up afrin and nasacort. I know afrin can only be used three days, and it's been a week since I used a spray so I am using it to get through the weekend. I'm using nasacort in conjunction, which is how my doctor prescribed it another time I had a bad sinus infection. It wasn't nasacort but nasonex, which is just another corticosteroid.

Anyway has anybody used nasacort? It's over the counter now and I guess slowly the others will be too (nasonex, Flonase). I've used the other two before but not this one even though it's similar.

The only thing that makes me a bit nervous is when I was on nasonex I had the worst virus of my life ... Went into my muscles, high fever, etc and I saw these can make you more susceptible to viruses ... So I don't want that to happen again. I don't know if my virus was bc of the drug or just coincidence but stopped the nasonex after that.

Not really sure any other option though as this is so bad. My allergist said my options were antihistamine and nasal spray or shots, but I really don't have time to get shorts as my allergist was far away and you have to start out going like three times a week. And they haven't really helped my sisters and my dad.

[paul78]

Take some drops of menthol oil and mix into hot water and take its steam to ur face . I tryed it and it works. Try this 3-4 times a day.

[swgrl09]

That's interesting, Paul. Menthol does seem to clear me up when I use icy hot on my back. Where can you get menthol oil?