Somebody kill me. I've got a sinus infection that would make Satan cry! Advice??

[nicANDjethro]

Okay.

So...no sympathy stuff here - just a question...

A few days ago, my sinuses started burning (actually, I noticed it while watching a band - in a smokey club - Sunday night).

Monday - Sinuses were still burning...I knew it was coming...

Tuesday - Started feeling like shit. Had a 100 temp that night - took 2 Excedrin PM and slept like a baby.

Wednesday - Ears started popping...throat is sore...all stuffy (but mainly in my head...nose only gets congested on occasion, and it's always on the same side). I also started taking Sudafed (which totally drugs me out). I blew my nose late in the night (around 9pm) and my right ear popped and it hasn't returned to normal yet (it sounds closed up).

Thursday - Fever this morning...very tender throat...I have some Biaxin (500mg Clarithromycin) from a previous cold -- I wasn't gonna take any harsh meds (like antibiotics, which I HATE) until I saw the definite signs of an infection (mind you I've ignored the fever). So, I blew my nose and YUCK!!! Green messy goop. How nasty is THAT?? So...it's "officially" an infection.

I don't want to go to a doctor. The only thing they'll do is charge me for the visit and prescribe the same shit I'm already taking....and charge me for that, too.

My question is -

Can someone suggest something to relieve the congestion in my EARS?

My right ear has been "clogged" for 12 hours now, and it's driving me INSANE! It's like I've given up the "in stereo" benefit I have by having two ears.

And, does cold medicine TOTALLY mess with you guys?
I swear, whatever is in Sudafed should almost be illegal...

I get all nervous and light headed - and it makes it hard for me to sleep. I mean, I feel sleepy, but once I lay down, I'm restless as hell. AND, it makes me HOT...as in "someone turn the goddamn air down or I'm gonna FLIP OUT!" hot.


(please bear with my titty-baby whiney crap...I feel like poo)
Nic

[nicANDjethro]

Ah. Just after I typed this, I blew my nose and my right ear SQUEAKED, cleared a little for a moment, and then returned to it's normal "clogged" state.

BAH!

[nirak]

I don't have any advice, but I hope you feel better soon.

Sinus infections suck ass. :P

-k

[Cam]

My only advice is the doctor thing, sorry. Antibiotics might be needed, and that's the only place I know of to get them.

[Hobisibo]

You have Sinusitis.

You must go see a MD asap.

You need an antibiotic.

Sudafed will not stop this, you must have amxocillin or something similar.

Sinusitis can develop into Bronchitis or worse.

Go see a doctor, seriously.



:a

[nicANDjethro]

Hey guys...I have some Biaxin (500mg Clarithromycin) from a previous cold...

(I'm not too good with finishing my antibiotics, I have a whole "EZ Pack" of strong antibiotics from a previous sinus experience)

I'll definately start taking that...

I'm just wanting my ears to even out.


*grumble*
Nic

[laru]

*hands Nic an extra soft puff tissue*

i feel for you as i suffer from chronic sinus infections and have ever since i was a child. (I have a deviated septum, so i can only breathe out of one side of my nose and that causes problems.) In any event if the meds from the previous cold do not start to work within the next 24hrs, you need to get to a dr. immediately if you let this go untreated without the proper antibiotics it could lead to a lenghty hospital stay. Sinusitis is very dangerous and can cause a large number of problems if not treated properly. Please please go to the dr. if this does not improve.

I hope you feel better soon! i know how miserable sinus infections can be.

~laru

[zebra]

hey nic - being deaf in one ear, i agree that it sucks major ass.
but you get used to it : leaning when you walk; turning your head 180 degrees when someone talks into your dead ear, me saying WHA ?? like i'm an 97 year old invalid.

so suck it up (literally). it too shall pass.

(that's about as much sympathy as this boy can muster)

[nicANDjethro]

Okay. Info for anyone who's had infections...

I did a little research on the antibiotics I have...Biaxin.
I also found out what's going on in my ear...

I seem to have an Upper RTI - Respiratory Tract Infection (duh!) -- this involves Otitis media (the thing with my ear), Sinusitis (apparent) and maybe even a bit of Pharyngitis (which explains the sore, itchy throat and the drainage between my ears and throat).

Here's what the official Biaxin website said:

*************

Understanding Respiratory Tract Infections (RTIs)


A hoarse voice, an unending series of sneezes and congestion, a severe cough: We've all suffered through these conditions, regardless of age. While these symptoms may indicate a cold or the flu, sometimes, however, these symptoms may be the result of a bacterial infection.

Caused by either viruses or bacteria, respiratory tract infections--also known as RTIs--affect the lungs and airways and are commonly categorized into two groups: upper respiratory tract infections (URTI) and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI). Upper RTIs affect the sinuses, throat, and related air passages, while lower RTIs act on the windpipe, other airways to the lungs, and the lungs.

Examples of upper respiratory tract infections include otitis media, pharyngitis, sinusitis, and tonsillitis, which involve inflammation of the middle ear, throat, sinuses, and tonsils, respectively.

---

(I had my tonsils out when I was 17 - they would get really bad every year.)

I also found this on a another site:

What Are the Symptoms of Otitis Media?

The most prominent symptom of acute otitis media is earache, associated with a feeling of pressure and blockage in the ear. Children who cannot describe earache may simply tug or rub the affected ear. Fever often accompanies the earache, especially in children.


Hearing is usually muffled. This happens because the fluid in the middle ear prevents the eardrum (see diagram) from vibrating as it should. With proper treatment, this hearing loss is temporary; once the fluid drains, full hearing is restored. Without proper treatment, however, hearing loss may become chronic or permanent.

-------------

So, although I rarely experience this much ear stuff, I'm apparently a sufferer of "otitis media" to accompany my "RTI". :)

And, thank goodness, I have the right antibiotics...

Now, I'll just play the "rest and drink lots of fluids" game.



Dr. Nic

[Lathan]

(This may have been said before but) Go to a doctor.

A good friend of mine had something similar and it turned out that the infection (or some related infection?) perforated her eardrum. If she hadn't gotten medicine, it could have gotten much, much worse.

[nicANDjethro]

Micky - I told yas....

I don't need sympathy - I need some RELIEF! ;)

But, thanks...

Maybe I could swing a 3 day weekend? Yeah?

If I continue to feel like shit, maybe I'll do that...

(Cam - don't tell anyone I played hookie 2 weeks ago, okay?)

[zebra]

EWW. you're gross. You need yellow police tape around you.

[nicANDjethro]

Okay, okay....now, THAT humored me.

;l

[Christine]

I second the chiropractor thing.

I've heard that antibiotics don't work for sinus infections or ear infections. It's just unnecessary meds that fuck up the balance in your digestive system and other things.

I hate antibiotics too, but if you choose to take them, please take them correctly. If you don't take them until they're gone, you can build up a resistence, and they may not work if you take them again. This happens too often, and this is why we are in a crisis because old antibiotics aren't working anymore, and it's hard to come up with new ones.

Feel better. Do you have an appetite? Soup is good. I love soup when I'm sick. Well, I love soup any time, but it's hard to find good vegetarian soup.

[nicANDjethro]

I have a bit of an appetite - i've been eating, even though nothing sounds good...(nothing tastes that good, for that matter).

Thanks for the suggestions, guys.

:)

[THE sisterjanet]

eeep! I knew there was something *wrong* when I heard ya alllllll stuffy & stuff. GET WELL SOOOOOON!!!!

;k
~~j

[IrisMagpie]

*raises hand* Chronic sinus infection sufferer here girl. I feel ya. Some tips:

Sudafed does that to me too. Try taking only half the reccomended dose, then stopping somtime around 4 pm. That might help with the sleeplessness. BTW, pretty much ANY cold medication that says "decongestant" has the active ingredient of Sudafed in it, including Nyquil. Its pseudoenephrine hydrocloride or something like that. You see that in a medicine, it's got Sudafed in it. Can't take Nyquil, the Sudafed keeps me awake.

Usually, the doctor gives me the zithromax z-pack. 5 days of antibiotics. Last time, tho, I had to take 3 different rounds of antibiotics for it to clear up. Blah. Seriously, if you're gonna take antibiotics, take 'em correctly, ok?

The only other thing I can think of is maybe the doctor can give you some sort of nasal inhaler for the drainage. If your snot is still green and your ears are still clogged after 3 or 4 days, get yo'self to the doc, ok?

Send Chris to the store for some lotion kleenex and some cough drops!

[Gnomesane]

You too laru? I also have a deviated septum. I sometimes wonder why the hell I have two nostrils. They have never worked at the same time. Currently, I can only breathe out of the left one. Gimme an hour and the right side will clear up only to leave the left one blocked.
Nic, get some rest. Try sniffing some eucalyptus oil if you have any. That'll help to clear the nasal passages.
At the same time though, don't blow your nose too much because that may cause the infection to lodge further up you nasal cavity. The act of blowing too forcefully feels good because you're getting the gunk out, but in fact it causes the germs to go deeper in on the inhale after the blow.
Unfortunately, I know my nasal cavities very well....
Gnomesane?

[nicANDjethro]

Know what I think?

When I blow, it pushes whatever is in my ear further in...

It'll feel like it's gonna free up - and when I yawn, it'll "clear up" for a second...

Then, when I blow, it's like the fluid backs back up into my eustachian tube.

blah blah and more blah

I'm actually feeling a bit queazy right now...I may call it a day and go home soon.

Nic

[Julie]

I get one about every year or so... the pinnacle is when you FINALLY cough or blow up that big wad of green snot.. best feeling in the world! I know... eww...

You might try a neti pot. Have you seen those? It's a little white ceramic thing that you fill with warm saline solution and it clears out the goo from your sinuses. I can't tolerate it myself (never liked water going up my nose) but my boyfriend swears by it. Health food stores usuallly have them.

Go to a doctor too.

[laru]

Originally posted by Gnomesane
You too laru? I also have a deviated septum. I sometimes wonder why the hell I have two nostrils. They have never worked at the same time. Currently, I can only breathe out of the left one. Gimme an hour and the right side will clear up only to leave the left one blocked.


i can only breathe out of my right nostril, i can usually get a little air out of my left one but not a noticeable amount. I am talking to an ear and nose dr, my insurance said it would cover a surgery that could fix the problem...i don't know what i would do if i were able to breathe out of BOTH nostrils normally...lol

Nic- glad to hear that you are on the right meds, i hope you continue to get less stuffy and feel better soon! :)

~laru

[Silver Teardrop]

My best friend/roomie has a deviated septum I believe. I know she can rarely breathe out of her nose at all. If she can, it's only one side. Perennially stuffed up. Her ears are always plugged a bit as well.
Her ears always plug terribly on plane rides, so last time she tried Tylenol Sinus before getting on. It was like a miracle. Her ears cleared out, she could breathe better.

But since it sounds like you have an infection, I don't think that will help much.

[THE sisterjanet]

tylenol sinus = tylenol & sudafed.

always read the labels so you don't overdose. too much can be a bad thing.

sudafed is great from opening you up, so that definitely makes sense for your friend Silver Teardrop. :)

rxsuperstar
~~J

ja ja ja Nic! saline nasal spray--it's natural--it's nonaddictive....sounds like a good idea.

[Kai]

Nic,

Give the antibiotics 7 days. If you don't see any improvement, go to a doctor.

Sinus infections are commonly difficult to get rid of. You might need a stronger antibiotics, like Zythromax. If you go on a stronger antibiotic, eat yogurt with acidopolus (not spelled right) to keep from getting a yeast infection.

My husband, Scott, used to get sinus infections all the time. The very last one, 3 years ago, took 4 months to go away. He had an antibiotic resistant bacteria, and had to try all sort of nasty meds. This is what he does that has prevented any more sinus infections. And Nic, you can try this, I've done it when I was sick and it did help.

Irrigate your sinuses. Scott does his twice a day. You can mix up your own solution, but we found that was a pain. So we buy saline solution for senstive eyes (contact solution). You must get the sensitive eyes version, it only has saline in it.

Lay down on the bed, and hang your head off the bed. Have a good amount of paper towels near you. Put the bottle nozzle in one nostril, close the other one, and fill your sinus cavity. Don't swallow, you'll know when you hit the back of your throat - that's when you're done. Grab the paper towels and blow. Repeat with other nostril. When I'm sick, I do it many, many times a day. It will not hurt you at all.

By flushing out his sinuses everyday, nothing has a chance to hang around and get infected. My allergy/asthma doctor has all of his patients do this.

Nic, you can also look for a product called Nose Better gel at your drugstore. It's a tube of a blue gel. You put it in your nose, it tingles at first, and it gets rid of that "hot nose" feeling.

Drink tons of water. My doc says 10, 8 oz glasses a day when you are sick. Do as little as possible so you don't wear out. Eat right, whenever you feel like eating. Get as much sleep as you can.

I hope you feel better!

Ann

[Julie]

Kai,

That's exactlly what a Neti pot is, and it really does work, you're right. :) You can actually mix your own saline solution-- you use a very small amount of salt to a very large amount of water (proportionally)... the directions are sold with the neti pot, which I find easier to use than a drug-store nasal irrigator (the bulb variety).

http://www.internatural.com/ingr/ingr251100.cfm

That's a link to a place that sells Neti pots.

http://www.scand-yoga.org/english/shop/uk_neti.html

And that's a link to why you should do it, though they say not to use sea salt.. the Neti pot I own says to use sea salt... so I guess use whatever works for you.

[piano_girl76]

Sounds like the Virus I had 2 weeks ago. On top of that I got bronchitis and an ear infection. I had the same exact symptoms and they gave me keflex and it didn't seem to really help. So it just had to works itself out of my system which has taken over 2 weeks now. I'm finally feeling better though and the congestion is clearing up.

Hope you feel better Nic!! Go see the doc if you don't start feeling better.

*hugs*:)

[Julie]

There are certain antibiotics that work better with certain infections. For example, Zithromax works much better on upper respiratory things than bladder infections/UTIs (according to my GP.. my old (and I mean he's 80) gyno used to prescribe Zithromax for my recurrent yeast infections), while Keflex (Cephalexin) works much better on UTIs. That may be why your Keflex doesn't work-- it's not as effective on that type of infection (again, according to my GP).

Anywho, don't forget to take all of your medicine-- it'll keep you from becoming resistant, and it'll make sure all of the nasties go away.

[655321]

Originally posted by laru
(I have a deviated septum, so i can only breathe out of one side of my nose and that causes problems.)


ahh, laru and gnomesane are my deviated septum buddies!

i've had a deviated septum since i was a little boy. i could only breathe through my left nostril, and if i leaned over on my left side, my left side would get clogged which sucked because my left would be clogged and i can't breathe well through my right.

but about a month ago, i got the surgery to get it fixed! our insurance covered it, so i said, might as well.

let me tell you, the first week (ESPECIALLY the first day) after the surgery SUCK TOTAL ASS since you can't breathe through your nose AT ALL. but after that first week, boy will you be grateful you did it. now i can breathe through both nostrils AT THE SAME TIME. heh. it is great being able to roll over in bed and not worry that i won't be able to breathe.

so yeah, that's my geek-sinus story.

sorry for the thread hijack...