Ever had the

[Putty]

I have a sinus infection that is resistent to anti-biotic treatments, that has been kicking my ass for a couple months. Somedays I cannot even move,...others I am fairly ambulatory if the biotics are suppressing the bacteria sufficiently.

Any ideas?? Anyone else out there that can offer a ray of hope, perhaps via different treatments?

[XRe]

I've had a couple of entertaining ones, but nothing that bad...

Aside from making sure that you've been on the right antibiotics (my understanding is that for sinus infections, you want antibiotics that are used on bone infections, and the like), no ideas from me...

[SiG Lady]

I have permanent sinus and ear damage (not to mention intermittent, recurring discomfort on one side of my face) from BAD a sinus infection I had probably about 12 years ago. So whenever I DO happen to get any sort of sinus bug (rare any more, thankfully), I can't shake it on my own and have to resort to antibiotics. I've lost about 20-25% of my hearing on the right side and go thru a sort of hell each spring with pollen allergies. (I lost 20-25% in the LEFT ear as a youngster from a sinus infection on THAT side at the time.)

I'm convinced sinus infections can actually KILL you. ...as they've been known to.

So, somewhere along the way, I earned the right to say, "I feel your pain." Been there, endured it, nearly gave up on Life while it was happening. It tried to suck the life outa me like a Dementor.

[LadyinBlue]

I have suffered for years with sinus infections. They move from my sinuses into my gums and teeth and back again. I am allergic to amoxicillan and the cillan family so I can't take them anymore. I do take Ceftin when I need to. But I have used Hydrogen Peroxide to fight from getting it. I have put some in a spray bottle and spray the back on my throat and my nose...not sniffed into sinus just the nostril. DO NOT SWALLOW THAT STUFF!!!!!

I also don't get colds anymore either. Hope it works for ya!

~Nanci~

[SiG Lady]

This March I was prescribed a five-day course (one tablet per day) of Zithromax, formulated specifically for ear/sinus infections. Tended to work pretty well. My most recent episode was treated with Azithromycin, an apparent evolution of Zithromax, dosed in just three tablets for three days. It worked. Thankfully.

I hadn't been sick in years. It was the culmination about about 5 days of Life-Stupidly-Crashing-Down-Around-Me and the loss of a lot of sleep during the process. Got tired, got pi**ed, then got sick. It was a terribly insulting way to end that week.

[GentlemanJim]

Two months of sick?

I sure hope you get feeling better soon!!!

Prayers sent.

Jim

[FranDoc]

Obviously without going 'hands on', I wouldn't consider attempting to diagnose the problem, but I can offer something that's simple, inexpensive, and MAY make you feel subjectively better while the rest of the medical ministrations do their job.

Saline nasal spray. Non-prescription, used 3-4(+) times/day ad lib. Plain saline, no other 'stuff' in it. Buy it in the pharmacy sections of your favourite grocery/discount store. It just hydrates the nasal (and to some extent the sinus) mucosa. A moist mucus membrane is a better barrier against the outside world.

If you're in A/C during the summer, does your nose feel dry all the time? If so, the saline spray MAY help you feel a bit better.

It's not a cure-all, it's a suggestion. I've had friends/patients use it with good results. May be worth a try, IMHO.

Good luck.

[buddy_fuentes]

OK gang, suffer no more. Until about 1935 Colloidal Silver was used as an antibiotic. It was put on the back burner when antibiotics came to the forefront. It kills, on contact, over 650 virus and bacteria "cooties". It is used in burn units today to kill the bacteria that could enter the wounds.

It is nothing more than silver particles suspended in purified water. However, it kills those suckers on contact. The "cooties" cannot live in the presence of silver, it cuts off the oxygen supply. This stuff is great.

I have killed a skin cancer on my earlobe with it and have gotten rid of sinus infections and ear infections. It is great for the sore throat, too. You can use it topical or internally.

Don't take my word...do a search and read the testimonials. Then rush out to a health food store and buy a bottle. They sell many different strengths (parts per million), but 15 ppm is all that is needed. A four ounce bottle will cost about $20.00 and will last a very long time.

Nope, I don't sell it, but I am sold on it.

Hope you feel better.

Buddy

[lcs]

Sandoz, Do not fool around with the infection any longer. Get the doctor to do a sinus x-ray. My infection was so bad after several months it was eating my cheekbone. Surgery was next and while not painful, the surgery was not pleasant. The surgery was less painfull than the constant sinus infection.

Good luck.

[Chris Keen]

Obviously without going 'hands on', I wouldn't consider attempting to diagnose the problem, but I can offer something that's simple, inexpensive, and MAY make you feel subjectively better while the rest of the medical ministrations do their job.

Saline nasal spray. Non-prescription, used 3-4(+) times/day ad lib. Plain saline, no other 'stuff' in it. Buy it in the pharmacy sections of your favourite grocery/discount store. It just hydrates the nasal (and to some extent the sinus) mucosa. A moist mucus membrane is a better barrier against the outside world.

If you're in A/C during the summer, does your nose feel dry all the time? If so, the saline spray MAY help you feel a bit better.

Good thinking FranDoc.

I've recently been getting that 'dryness' in my nose from all the A/C lately and then this weekend ... BAM ... I got sick with a cold. I think you may have hit the nail on the head. Maybe my resistance was down just enough to let a bug get in.

Thanks. I'll try it.

[FranDoc]

Of course, if you're on other medications, especially other nasal sprays, please DO check with your prescribing doc just to make sure that anything you add -- even something as benign as saline -- won't counteract something else.

It may simply be a matter of timing or use order: saline AFTER another spray may rinse out the med (that you paid how much for ...?); saline BEFORE the med may provide a more conducive environment for the medication to work. Prescribing can be an art form ....

Check with the professional who's actually examined you before flying off willy-nilly into any extensive self-treatment.

Again, good luck ending the misery while there are still good days in the outdoor shooting season!

[Putty]

Thanks for all your input and kind words. Great Be'rs you all are.

Hows this for a kicker....the pharmacy put the wrong prescription on the new meds and I was sweating profusely, sick and disoriented for a couple days till my wife told me to stop taking them. It was not to exceed 600mg per day, and they typed 1200mg. doc said to stop taking the meds immeadiately, and now I have to wait a week for the meds to clear, before he can re-assess. Bummer, now I have to shoot area 1 miserable.

[SiG Lady]

GAH!!!! Criminy, it was bad enough you were SICK, let alone poisoned by your own meds!!!!!!!!! GAH!!!!!

[AustinMike]

I get sinus infections 2 or 3 times a year, but anti-biotics usually clears it up pretty quickly. I hate to take anti-biotics so often, so I try and use more preventative measures, which seems to be working. My Dr. said my infections are probably kick started by my allergies, so I use a saline spray to clean and moisturize the sinuses daily and use Nasonex every day to keep the allergies at bay. I've gotten many infections that made me feel like crap, but not as bad as you describe. They've been much more rare since using the Nasonex.

[cking]

This won't cure your sinus infection but after you get it under control try ZiCam. I tried it for colds and worked great but the side effect is that my allergies and sinus don't bother me when I use some each night before bed.

Zicam doesn't have any bad stuff in it and you can use it as much as you want.

[Bear23]

See your doc.

zithromax and the other macrolide antibiotics are the best for sinus problems, if you have an infection. You may have seasonal allergies and post nasal drip which irritates your mucosa...Which gets the infection going.

[kimel]

My doc turned me on to sinus irrigation with saline a couple years ago and now I swear by it. With the very dry, dusty, smokey, etc. air around here these days (I am about 80 miles south of Sandoz) it and Flonase are the only things keeping me upright and breathing.

Saline irrigation is NOT a sinus spray. We are talking 8oz of saline flushed through the sinuses. Seems weird but it is no worse than getting water in your sinuses when you go swimming.

Some folks feel like they are drowning and can't do it. I never had that problem.

[reneet]

My doc turned me on to sinus irrigation with saline a couple years ago and now I swear by it.

+1

I used to get at least 2 infections per year. Haven't had one since I began using Ocean Spray or similar generic around 1995. My favorite generic is Sam's Member Mark @ about $ 3.50 / 2 Pk.