Hello all.
Since I was about 10 years old I have been having terrible sinus problems. When I was 12 I had surgery to remove a polyp from my left maxillary sinus when I was 12. Since then my sinus problems had been much much better. I would maybe get one or two infections a year, instead of 10 or 12 infections a year! So I was thinking that everything was going well. I'm 22 now, and have started having really bad sinus headaches again over the past few months. I have just begun student teaching in an elementary school, so I know that I am picking up all kinds of germs.
Here is the problem now. Since about December of last year, I have been getting sinus infections very frequently. Or possibly just one infection that never went away. In late December I saw my Ear Nose and Throat specialist who put me on the anti-biotic Levaquin for 10 days. It seemed to have worked. But then in the middle of January I got another infection. I saw my primary care physician (had an appointment with him for something else, so while I was there he looked in my sinuses). He gave me the anti-biotic Avelox for 10 days. That really didn't work. By that time my throat was starting to hurt really badly too. So, I went back to my PCP and he said that he didn't want to be the one to continue to treat me for this, because an ENT specialist would know better what to do. So I went back and saw my ENT. He ordered a sinus CT Scan and he cultured my nose and throat. Much to my surprise, there is ABSOLUTELY NOTHING wrong with my sinuses! At least, nothing showed up on the scan. The only problem that they found is that I've got an impacted wisdom tooth up in my sinuses. But that has been there for years. So, the throat/nose culture came back and apparently I now have some form of Strep. I am now on 500mg of Ceftin twice a day for 5 days. Then if I still don't feel any better I have to go back and see the ENT dr again. I have also had a low grade fever (99.5-100) on and off for about the last month. I only started on the Ceftin yesterday, but it does seem that the fever is starting to go away.
I don't mean to gross anybody out, but I also have to tell you that I am constantly coughing up green, yellow, and sometimes brown mucus. I also have the same colors coming out of my nose! My nose is extremely congested and I am constantly dizzy and have a lot of pressure in and around my nose and above my eyes. I never knew that strep could cause all of this! My dr is a little difficult to understand because he speaks with an accent and is very soft spoken. He gave me the results of the culture over the phone, and I think I may have heard him say something about infected adenoids or strep in the back of my nose (if this is possible). But if I don't have any sinus problems (as proven by the scan), then what the heck is this all from?
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I am not currently taking any sort of oral anti-histamines or decongestants, because I can't. I have extremely severe dry eyes and could possibly develop an eye ulcer (already had one of those!) if I take anything that could potentially dry me out like an anti-histamine or decongestant. I may end up having to take one just to get rid of this once and for all, but I really really don't want to. I am using the nasal spray Astelin, 2 sprays in each nostril once a day, as well as a saline nasal spray several times a day and also a saline nasal gel to keep my nose moisturized so I don't get the nose bleeds that have become so common with me. (I sometimes wake up in the morning with a bloody nose!) I sleep with a warm air humidifier on in my bedroom because of the dry eye problem. It has done wonders for my eyes, but I am wondering if it has in any way harmed my sinuses due to the excess humidity. It is a germ free, mold free, dust free humidifier (it's got special absorption pads and a UV light to prevent the germs and mold). I also use an air purifier in the bedroom at night when I sleep, and I have allergy covers on all of my pillows and my mattress.
But I still have these persistant sinus headaches and all of this congestion! What do I do? I am also going to post this question on the allergy board, but if anyone has any suggestions for me, please help!
Thank you so much,
Elyse
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