This is my first post and would love it if someone has has any information that will help me. I'll start at the beginning. Brace for a story.

In December I started with producing green from my sinuses and slight fever, every few days. On 12/26 I got what I thought was a cold. Fever coughing, colored product (sorry for the description), which didn't get better.

I went to the Dr and was put on Augmentin and started to feel better, but had this pressure in my ears, a headache and fatigue. The ear problem was most noticable when I swallowed. This continued and back to the Dr. In March I went for a Ct and was told that I had a sinus infection and back on antibiotics (Levaquin) which caused me to feel terrible. I always tolerated medication well and this was new to me. He switched me to Augmentin again and I started to feel better, then my stomach started to really bother me so I was not able to finish the course.

I was sent to an ENT and he said that there was no sign of infection and I must be suffering from reflux and put me on a diet (which I followed for 2 mos with no relief). Anyway I have seen the ENT twice and to an Allergist. I was told that I may have an allergy, but only had a simple skin test which showed ragweed and nothing else. I am extremely allergic to cats and only after I left his office from our 5 minute post testing chat did cats and dust blow up on my arm. He refused to test me further because as he stated "There are alot of people who do not feel good and we can't test for everything". I was also evaluated by the behavioral helth team, as my Dr tried to blame this all on depression/anxiety. 3 antidepressants and xanax, all besides the xanax were worse than the disease! I was told by a psychologist that I paid for on my own that there is a certain ammount of these things happening, but more the effect rather than the cause of my symptoms. I have also become sensitive to many meds.

I was admitted to the hospital and they ran every blood test known to man and did an MRI of my brain, stem, sunis and inner ear, as well as untrasiound of my sleen, kidneys, pancreas, liver and gallbladder all clear. The only thing that has shown up was a mild thickening of my suinuses via MRI.

Today I saw an ear specialist who was refered by the ENT who said I may have a migrane problem and follow this diet. Hopefully I may feel better in a month or two. ARGGH! :)

I'm not sure who to believe.All of my medical care has been at Loyola Hospital near Chicago, which is suppposed to be one of the best in the country. I have to wait until the end of July to see a Neurologist. I'm even seeing a Chiropractic Dr to see what he can do.

My current and almost always present symptoms are:

Stuffy nose, post nasal drip with a large brown and green plug produced every few days. Terribly weak legs legs, a feeling of being off balance. My head feels like a bowling ball and my ears always pop, sometimes it can be heard by others and they occasionally hurt. Wind doesn't help.

I am a Lieutenent on a Ladder Company with the F.D. and am on medical leave, which will run out in 4.5 mos if I'm not better and after 6 mos I'm really wondering.. I have rarely been sick in the past and am beginning to think that I will one day get better and never have an answer!

Thanks for listening to my rant and if I can help anyone I will gladly do it.

Thank you in advance!!

Yikes

...." saw an ear specialist who was refered by the ENT"....

What type of ear specialist was it???? Nuerotologist?? (not to be confused with a "Neurologist" u say ur sked to see end of Jul)

...."may have a migrane problem"....

Symptoms u describe are not accounted for under that Dx....

Sounds more aligned with----sinuses---middle ear infection---Eustachian tubes(which connects the back of the nose to the middle ear)....etc...

But just a guess......

:cool:

Just wanted to pop in and say hey to a fellow FF. I know what it is like to have to take time off for something like this, sometimes it is hard to explain to others when you can't really see it, I used to think I would take a broken leg over this anyday.
Can you do light duty to offset some of your sick leave?
My situation was a little different with a viral infection 4 years ago leaving me with Labyrinthitis and then last summer had a bad case of BPPV and in both cases I had to completely re-work my balance which I obviously need for the job.
Hope you can work this all out soon,
Good luck

Yikes,

When all this first started for me, I spent the first 3 months with tons of mucas draining from somewhere. My nose was never stuffy and I really couldn't blow anything out either. I would spend the first few hours of each morning coughing and gaging on the mucas that I have no idea where it was draining from. I would eventually vomit about a half a cup full and then feel a little better. I had excessive mucas that just sat in my throat and I would constantly clear my throat. I did have pressure behind my nose along with the ears and head pressure. It felt as if someone was inside my head pushing on the back of my nose. Incidently my mucas was clear so it would concern me a little with discolored mucas (although discolored mucas is not always a sign of infection).

I am happy to say, even though I am still suffering from this ear problem the mucas did finally stop after about 2 1/2 to 3 months.

Take care and feel better soon.
Gloria

Yikes

...." saw an ear specialist who was refered by the ENT"....

What type of ear specialist was it???? Nuerotologist?? (not to be confused with a "Neurologist" u say ur sked to see end of Jul)

...."may have a migrane problem"....

Symptoms u describe are not accounted for under that Dx....

Sounds more aligned with----sinuses---middle ear infection---Eustachian tubes(which connects the back of the nose to the middle ear)....etc...

But just a guess......

:cool:

Hi and thank you. I agree. While I am not a Doctor, after all of the research I have done I'm still not convinced that this is a migrane type of situation. I always have post nasal drip and occasionally am able to get clear fluid from my left ear when I (scrunch) it with my finger, which gives me some relief, but I don't want to make it a habbit as I'm not sure what harm it could be causing.

The ear specialist is an ENT, but works mostly with ear disorders.
Have a great fourth!

Just wanted to pop in and say hey to a fellow FF. I know what it is like to have to take time off for something like this, sometimes it is hard to explain to others when you can't really see it, I used to think I would take a broken leg over this anyday.
Can you do light duty to offset some of your sick leave?
My situation was a little different with a viral infection 4 years ago leaving me with Labyrinthitis and then last summer had a bad case of BPPV and in both cases I had to completely re-work my balance which I obviously need for the job.
Hope you can work this all out soon,
Good luck

Hello!

I agree with the broken leg theory. I can deal with injuries, but not knowing what to fight or how long it may be there is extremely frustratiing.

We do not have light duty. We have a short term disability program which allows us to go off for up to 6 months at 2/3 pay. I thought I might need a few eeks and now I am starting to wonder what may happen at the 6 month mark! I really miss work and the people. I'm a Lt. on a ladder company and it makes me useless to be so off balance and weak.

The odd thing, we had another guy who works at the same house as I but on another shift who was off last year with almost the exact same thing.. Makes you wonder.

As for you, how are you doing? Are you able to function "normally"? I hope so. I wouldn't wish this on anyone.

Be well and stay safe!

Yikes,

When all this first started for me, I spent the first 3 months with tons of mucas draining from somewhere. My nose was never stuffy and I really couldn't blow anything out either. I would spend the first few hours of each morning coughing and gaging on the mucas that I have no idea where it was draining from. I would eventually vomit about a half a cup full and then feel a little better. I had excessive mucas that just sat in my throat and I would constantly clear my throat. I did have pressure behind my nose along with the ears and head pressure. It felt as if someone was inside my head pushing on the back of my nose. Incidently my mucas was clear so it would concern me a little with discolored mucas (although discolored mucas is not always a sign of infection).

I am happy to say, even though I am still suffering from this ear problem the mucas did finally stop after about 2 1/2 to 3 months.

Take care and feel better soon.
Gloria


Hi and thanks for the reply.

Now that's alot of mucus! Mine seems to be worse at some times , but is always there. I know when it's time to produce, as I get extremely raw in the back of my throat, but up higher.

I'm glad that you have improved, but would like to hear that you're 100% again! Did you ever get a diagnosis?

Have a great 4th!

Hey Yikes
I think by most people's standards I am functioning normally. I just feel off in my head sometimes. I am trying to keep moving and doing the same things I have always done. I am at work too which is good, I have taken considerable time off when this first happened and my balance wasn't good enough to work. I have done lots of balance work to keep that up, I won't go to work if I can't perform! It's funny how I can be at work feeling pretty gross sitting around between any firehall duties etc, then we get a call where I have to spring into action and I always seem to be fine while I'm at the call. I don't know if it is adrenaline kicking in, or that when I am just sitting around I am just thinking too much about it, but it all seems to work out. I don't have as many of those bad days now thank goodness, I am at about 90% most of the time, but in the past four years I have had some pretty bad times when I thought I would never get back on the truck again.
I am pretty fortunate compared to you in that our dept has lots of light duty positions so if I tell the fire chief I can't work on the floor, he will assign me to another position for as long as I need. We have had guys off for a year or two, some of them never come back and they find a permanent position in fire prevention or air management etc. When I first came down with this you find out others who have had the same thing, but lots of them recover faster for some reason. One girl in my dragon boat team was on the floor spinning last week for a whole day and then got up and functioned normally the next day...go figure! I was preparing her for months of rehab and then she shows up to paddle two days later feeling normal! Jealous? yeah but like you said, wouldn't wish it on anyone!
Hope you get to the bottom of this. As hard as it is, try to think positively, don't let this thing control you, you are not your illness!
Good luck with everything!