Hi, I've been having a cold with sinus pain one month after another for 4 months now. Just when I think its over it comes back. we seem to pass it around in our family. I do have asthma too and have been on meds for that, but I'm at a loss with what to do with chronic colds...maybe a bad winter? I live in the midwest. any suggestions would be appreciated.

Maybe go to a doctor and have a culture done -- viruses rarely hang around that long, if it is the same infection...

In the meantime, try your best to do the fun things mum told you to do when you get a cold http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif Get lots of sleep if you can, humidity is a good idea but the best way is to make sure you drink LOTS of water, as for taking things for it, try to avoid it if you can. Often they're more likely than anything else to just cause more complications.. it's kind of like gooshing on a toothpaste tube -- you make a dent but something else has to give. Relaxing and de-stressing and making sure you don't get chilled (because letting your body get too cold does weaken your immune system) will help.

If your doctor doesn't culture a bug, it's possible you might have a chronic inflammation. It's not likely, but your doctor will know best what to do in this situation.

Thanks Wrin....I know I'm just sick of colds!!

Another annoying problem has arisen...a chest cough again. I'm so worried I'm going to get pneumonia again that I started taking an old presciption of doxycycline hoping it will stop it in it's tracks. I know I'm not suppose to do that, but I didn't want to get sick again. I had just finished up a 10 day presc. of that when this all started again with a cold passed on from family members. Oh well thought I'd throw that in too!!!

If doxycycline didn't work, please don't take more of it. It might make you sicker, and it might make the bugs more drug resistant.

If it didn't work the first time, it's not likely to make you better this time around. Go back to your doctor -- if he does a culture and sensitivity he can put you on a specific antibiotic for that bug or if it's viral, he can give you some advice on what to do.

Have you had the pneumonia shot?

I was better..alot better, then the last day of my medicine I got another cold. I was fine unitl about day 7 when I started coughing again. I am alot better this time taking the doxycycline...I was just feeling bad the day I wrote this. I'll give it another couple days and go back if it's not resolved. Thanks for the advice! http://www.healthboards.com/ubb/smile.gif

If you need another course of antibiotics go get another, full course of antibiotics. No sense in taking a half-course, it won't kill what it's supposed to and just make it stronger.

I am taking a full course it's just 1 yr. old...I suppose it loses it's potency. The doctor's here don't just dole out medicine one right after another. I would need another chest xray, etc...I just thought this would be better right now. I'm getting better so it won't hurt me.

As long as you're taking a full course -- expiry date on most meds is 1-2 years but that can't be guaranteed, especially with antibiotics, where they'll be expecting you to finish everything they gave you within a month.

I can't say I like what you're doing but I can't say it's really my choice, since you sound like you know what you're doing.

I'd just like to urge you to seek help if you don't get better right away.

Yeah, I know its not the best thing to do. I talked to a pharmacist friend and she said I better not take it. she looked it up in a book and said it could be toxic..but she didn't know if that was IV or oral. So I decided to stop it and hope for the best. Hope it doesn't have any bad affects with me. thanks

Yeah. Give it a week or so and then go back to your dr. I know it's the states and this kind of stuff costs money but ultimately the whole prescription end of things is supposed to safeguard against people taking potentially dangerous drugs unnecessarily.

If this has become a constant problem you might need to see an ENT specialist (ears, nose and throat) or possibly a pulmonologist.