Question for old-timers! - Allergies Message Board

Crossbow · 01-22-2005, 08:45 PM

I was here about a year ago with severe allergic symptoms, but I'd been tested for all the respiratory and food allergies that they can test for, and all were negative.

Some very kind person emailed me about some kind of delayed reation that I should ask about, but I can't remember what it was called or what to look for. Whoever you are, if you are still here, can you please contact me again?

I never did ask my allergist about it because the next time I was in he X-rayed my head and found I had all this stuff in my maxilary sinuses. I had about a million CT scans, and then surgery to clean out the sinuses and widen the passages that drain them. (In the mucus they took out, there was no sign of infection, fungus, or, as the ENT doctor said, "anything funny.")

The symptoms didn't disappear completely but they lessened quite a lot. But all of a sudden this week it's as bad as it ever was! One eye is swollen almost completely shut right now, and the other is swollen and red too. Even though I tested negative for all the allergens, I've been on Zyrtec because it helps, and since my symptoms have been so bad this week I'm also taking Sudafed Sinus, which clears up the sneezing and congestion, but the itchy, watery eyes just get worse and worse.

Before I subject myself to a THIRD round of skin tests, blood tests, and CT scans, I really need some suggestions!

Halls · 01-23-2005, 11:41 AM

You don't have to have bad allergies to have sinus problems. Sometimes your sinus problems could be all structural issues that are causing your problems. I would go back to your ENT and get another CTscan. Possible deviated septum, malformed sinus passages, etc..???? You just never know. I have bad allergies, but I do know that many of my problems are structural and cause me more grief.

Halls

Crossbow · 01-23-2005, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Halls

I would go back to your ENT and get another CTscan. Possible deviated septum, malformed sinus passages, etc..????

They checked for all of that. I still have the scans. It's several dozen pictures, done in two sets about three months apart. The allergist, the ENT dorcot, and my GP all went over them with me. The only structural problem they found was that one of the passages that drains the maxial sinuses was a little small, so they widened that when they did the surgery.