Hi I'm new here, I have had this sinus infection for 2 months now
(since the end of February) and I can't get rid of it!!
First I went to the dentist because I thought that I was getting a
toothache well the dentist guy took x-rays and said that it sounds like
I have a sinus infection or TMJ, well he prescribed me Amoxicillian
(the pink liquid stuff being I have a hard time swallowing pills,
well big pills that is) I was on that for 2 weeks well my pain still was
here so then I went to my primary doctor and he prescribed me
another antibotic (Augmentin, a white liquid) I was on that for 10 days
and I was fine for about a week after I was done taking it,
but then my pain came back. Now my doctor prescribed me (Levaquin)
and that only comes in pill form ofcourse and I have taken it for 2 days
and I get a very bad upset stomach so I stopped taking it. My doctor
ordered a ct scan done so I had that done last Friday, now just waiting for the results, and my doctor wants me to go and see a ENT (ear,nose,throat) doctor but the earliest that I can get in is May 25th!! UGH!!
and on top of all of this pain I have chronic permanent nerve damage in my upper abdomen from having gallbladder surgery 17 months ago, so for the past 2 years I have gone thru hell, seeing doctors after doctors for the past 2 years is really wearing me out, and now I get this!!! :-(
do you think that I should go back on the Augmentin being that it helped some?? I just called up my doctor and left a message for him to tell him that the Levaquin causes my stomach to hurt.
I'm at my wits end, pain, pain, pain is all that I ever get in life, it's just not fair!!
I take "ultram" for my chronic nerve pain, I told my doctor that I had to increase my dose (by one pill) because of my sinus pain, he said that, that was ok for me to do until I see this ENT doctor.
I hate taking pills let alone being in constant pain.
I just wish that I could be like I was 2 years ago, no pills and NO PAIN!!
So Sorry this is so long!
Kim

i can totally feel your pain. i went thru sinus stuff for almost a year. i kept on getting put on antibiotics that would kinda work or make me sick. it was sooo frustrating and i missed so much work due to headaches toothaches etc that i got fired. luckily i had surgery about a month ago, and i feel much better. i had exhausted all other avenues. to be able to sleep soo much better and breathe better is like a god send.
talk to your ENT about sinus surgery. i believe it in someways saved my life.

Well my doctors nurse called me and said that my ct scan results came
in today, and she said that everything looks normal.
I said to her "well then how come I have this horrible pain in my jaw and alot
of fluid down my throat?" and she said that I do have a sinus infection but it's not that bad, that I wouldn't need to have surgery (THANK GOD)
she said that the doctor prescribed me "another" antibotic, so hopefully
this one will do the trick, she said that sinus infections are miserable and that sometimes it won't show up on the ct scan even tho that I do indeed have a sinus infection, great here I thought that these tests were so advanced and could tell "EVERYTHING" well I guess not, because having a ct scan and also an mri last year didn't prove anything wrong why I was in so much pain after gallbladder surgery. See these $1,000 tests aren't what they crack out to be!! Kim

i am soo sorry. it sounds like a frustrating turn of events. if you dont mind me asking, what antibiotics are you on? and for how long? i didnt get much help until i was on a 3 week load of antibiotics.
sinus problems stink, and believe you me, i know how you feel.

Kim32,

I can only tell you what I would do under these circumstances. If you have been on one round of antibiotics, and that didn't clear up the problem, the next step is to consider surgery.

I battled a chronic sinus infection for 4 months, and when the doctor said "let's put you on a round of Avelox for 14 days, take another CT Scan, and see how well it works." I said "No way. This problem needs to be solved now, because the medication isn't doing a thing. Cut me!"

It was the best decision I ever made. My structural problems (deviated septum, and a bone spur) were causing the chronic infections. It is well known that antibiotics have a hard time penetrating the sinus cavities, since the infection can penetrate bone as well as soft tissue. If there is a blockage, air cannot penetrate the cavity, and the infection simply festers there as a "low-level" problem.

I went to one doctor who was too conservative, and I suffered. Finally, I found another doctor who was well known in the field for treating tough sinus conditions. He had me in surgery within 5 days. 5 days after that, my sinus problems were GONE. And I mean

1. No post nasal drip
2. No headaches
3. No black circles under the eyes
4. An 80% reduction in allergy symptoms
5. A huge improvement in breathing

If you live in the midwest, I can give you my doctor's name. He is one of the best.

The worst thing you can do with this stuff is try and treat the symptoms without correcting the underlying problem. Some of these antibiotics are dangerous, expecially Levaquin and Avelox. taking them repeatedly increases the chance of an adverse reaction, like an achilles tendon rupture, peripheral neuropathy, chronic joint pain, CNS disturbances, etc. Up to 25% of people who take these drugs develop some kind of problem. Mine is nerve inflammation in my wrists -yet to be corrected.

A good site is www.sinucare.com. Lots of good info and a list of doctors.

Don't worry about the surgery. It was a breeze, and I had the most major kind. What you are going through right now is a lot worse than the recovery from surgery -believe me! For some people, a round of penicillan can clear up a sinus infection. But for people like you and me, more aggressive treatment is necessary.