Sinus...with no congestion!!!

[ahall]

Hi everyone, I really hope I can get some advice here. 8 months ago, while watching TV out of the blue, the room started spinning around me. I was terrified. The entire experience lasted 8 hours, during which I threw up and sat in one spot terrified until it stopped. The following day I went to the doctor who told me my ears were not infected, I had no congestion and it would probably never happen again. Well, it did, for just as long. I went to a new doctor who treated me for inner ear inflammation with Medrol and sent me for an MRI. It showed a chronic sinus infection, but I had no congestion or drainage, just infection in the cavaties. I had told my doctor that I felt like someone was pushing on my forehead in the center with intense pressure, and I was having horrible headaches, but she said my symptoms were not consistent with sinus because Im not congested, however, she put me on antibiotics for 10 days, and another Medrol dose pack, and flonase. By the 10th day, I was feeling pretty good but not over it, and it all came back again. I called her and asked if I could do 2 weeks on the antibiotics, which I did, and I felt really good after it. (That was last week) Well, two days ago I went for a walk at 7pm, and the severe spinning started again until 2am. I went back to her on Friday, and she said that this may all be caused by allergies, which I've never had in my life (Im 38). She put me on Allegra and another Medrol pack, in case of inner ear inflammation. I took my first Allegra this morning, and I've been soooo thirsty all day, is that normal? On the days between the spinning, I feel like someone who just got off a boat, sort of wobbly. Does anyone here with allergies have these terrible spinning episodes or severe dizziness? Can anyone tell me if Allegra (180 mg) is good or not? and is it normal to make a person this thirsty I would appreciate any advice. She said we'll try this for 3 months and see a neurologist if it doesn't work. Thank you.

[littlejmb]

I suffer from severe allergies and was on allergy shots for six years, which helped tremendously. However, I still have spring and fall allergy problems, and consequently - am suffering right now. I take Allegra D and it helps me tremendously. The antihistime in it dries you out, so it does make you thirsty. Even my lips get dried out. Since having lasik surgery on my eyes last year, it makes my eyes extra dry too, so I have started cutting my pills in half so it won't do that as bad. I used to get so dizzy in the midst of allergy season, I couldn't even sit up sometimes. The only way I would feel halfway decent was to lay face down! It would also make me nauseated. The doctor told me that my eustacian tubes in my ears were blocked, and causing this. Have you been to an allergist to be tested? I always thought I had sinus problems until I went to the ENT and he told me he suspected allergies and recommended that I see an allergist. I went and tested allergic to almost everything!

[ahall]

Thank you for your post, I feel so relieved to hear symptoms like mine, maybe they're finally closing in on whats wrong. I didn't see an allergist, I saw an ENT, who said my ears were perfect, he sent me to an eye specialist to see if it could possibly be from eye strain, because of the headaches, but my vision was perfect. I even went to a heart specialist to see if I had Mitral Valve Prolapse, which I had had 10 years ago and that used to make me dizzy, but that had actually fixed itself and didn't show anymore, so this allergy medication is another test. My daughter had that test for her asthma and it looked horrible, she sobbed through the whole procedure. They put 70 stick marks on her back, still, I'll do it no problem, if it will help stop this dizziness, and its strange you should say what you did about laying face down, because I found the dizziness got worst when I tried to go in any position other then sit straight up, but if I could lay on my left side, it wasn't as bad as laying at an angle or my right side!!!! Whats confusing them is the chronic sinus infection, but no congestion, draining, nothing. After I was treated for that infection, they sent me for a CT scan (in February), which showed everything was clear and the infection was gone, but within a few weeks I was back having all the same symptoms of sinus, so I guess it didn't stay clear for long. This is why my doctor thinks the Allegra will prevent it from coming back.

[Halls]

You don't have to have sinus drainage and congestion to have sinus inflammation. The sinuses can be so inflammed and nothing is coming out. I have this and it is caused my either allergy or a genetic disorder. My ENT says that swelling in the sinus causes dizziness and it doesn't mean it is infected, just inflammed. Also, he said it is like reverse Asthma but in the sinus.

Really, antibiotics won't do anything for it. You need a CTscan to see if their is some structural problem making the inflammtion worse and a blockage. You may need these corrected with surgery. Once that is done than take rouns of steriods to reduce the inflammation once and for all. However, if no surgery you may need to go on Steroids for long term, not just a week or so. The last time I took one it was for a month and it helped my dizziness a lot.

I am still dizzy and going to ahve my 3rd sinus surgery after a year or so. It is hard to deal with, but i understand your pain and misery. Sinus inflammtion can be dealt with and don't let some doctor tell you otherwise. Some just don't understand the dizziness and sinus relation. My ENT didn't really, but he is so good he is willing to work with me and figure everything out and fix it once and for all. A good ENT/Allergist is worth it!

[littlejmb]

Ahall, wow, I went outside this morning, and now I have the spinning, dizzy feeling and the pressure between my eyes just like you describe. Just like someone has there thumb pressing in really hard. I just took some allergy medicine and hope it goes away. I feel for you, I know EXACTLY how you feel. Everything is blooming here, and it's reaking havoc on me! Now my ears are starting to hurt too.....