uncurable sinus infection

[ItWillPass]

Hi Everyone

My anxiety right now is seriously through the roof. For almost two months I have had a sinus infection. I have been on 4 courses of antibiotics and I would feel better, and then after finishing the antibiotics the horrible symptoms (fatigue, swollen glands, body aches, facial pressure, dizziness) would return. At one point I felt so ill I went to the ER. They did a CT scan which showed "mild sinusitis" The ER doctor even said I should forget about the antibiotics. But, I followed my real doctors advice and continued on course 4 of antibiotics (keflex). I have one more day left, and I am already feeling those horrible symptoms again. The doctor thought maybe I should try something stronger, but I have terrible reactions to almost all antibiotics! I really am feeling very damned if I do and damned if I dont in that I am terrified of leaving this infection untreated, but I am also terrified of taking a stronger antibiotic. I was wondering if anyone here has ever let a sinus infection run its own course? Does it eventually go away? Is it possible that I am just having sinus inflamation as opposed to an actual infection? If anyone has any advice on this situation Id greatly appreciate it. I feel so lost... so tired and so sick of being sick.

[tayside lassie]

hiya ..i know how you feel i too suffer constant sinus probes ..around 12 year ago something like that i was sent to a hospital app as they thought i had asthma turns out to be sinus probs ive had every nasal spray prescribed to me by g.p and as of now im back to the first one i was prescribed 12 year ago ..i have weeks of feeling great then my sinuses become inflamed again and so its back to all the symptoms you mention plus i get ear probes now too with it .my sinus canals can now become so inflamed the nostrils so so dry that i feel i cant breath sometimes ..at the mo im getting over this cold/coughing virus that's doing the rounds over here , it will take at least 3 months for my sinuses to clear up "a bit " ..

i believe it was my sinus probes that led to my anxiety/panic you know because of the dizziness ..i can offer you no advice i'm afraid except to say if there is no infection in your sinuses and its a case of swollen nasal canals id stick to nasal sprays and lay off antibiotics ....

[LeeBee]

I had sinusitis that went on for about 3 months last year. Since then the sinusitis has gone away but a mild version comes back every now and then - seems I'm going to have ongoing problems with it for a while.

Is your doctor SURE that it's a bacterial infection? It's very unusual for a bacterial sinusitis to last so long - it's more commonly a virus. Antibiotics won't help if it is a virus. Perhaps that's what the ER doctor was thinking when he told you not to bother with antibs anymore. Mine was viral and my doctor did not prescribe antibiotics for that reason. I had one course of antibiotics during my illness but that was to treat a secondary bacterial middle ear infection.

I found with my sinusitis that it went through cycles over the 3 months - it got slightly better and then worse again. Perhaps it's that cycle that you're seeing when you take the antibs, and that the antibs aren't really helping that much...? Obviously you should follow your doctor's advice, but perhaps ask them if they think it is bacterial (in which case antibiotics will help) or viral (in which case antibiotics won't help).

I know how you feel - it feels like it will never go away. But it will eventually. Try to reduce your stress levels, get lots of rest, fluids and nutritious food. Good luck :hugs:.

[Trish]

I use to suffer so badly with it that i was getting to stage where i would have an infection every other week and talking antibiotics like smarties:blush:

I got to the stage where i could stand it no more and went privately to see a ENT specialist as the NHS list was so long a wait.

Within a week of seeing him i was admitted and had a 'wash out' he also found i had a piece of bone that was blocking a passage which he removed.

Thank the Lord i've not suffered since:D After the op it wasn't pleasant for a while, but so much better than having the feeling my head was going to explode with the infections.

I hope you feel better soon, i really do know what your going through.:bighug1: