WHAT is wrong with me? Chronically ill, pregnant and feeling like I'll never be 'well' again.

[itsallinmyhead]

I'll try to keep this as short as possible, while giving as much info as is relevant.

Last Christmas I experienced sinusitis for the first time in my 31 yrs. The pain was excruciating & it was the straw that broke the camels back & urged me, after weeks of feeling poorly, to attend my go. I was also diagnosed with a chest infection and influenza on that visit and was prescribed a very strong antibiotic.

A week later, I required yet another strong antibiotic and the symptoms eased, if not disappeared.

In the (almost) year since, i've been prescribed a further 2 rounds of, different, strong antibiotics for the chronic sinusitis but it never 'gets better'.

It's really affecting my whole life and is now really getting me down.

I've tried to explain to my gp but he just says antibiotics only work for 75% of the population & I feel that I need something else from him like a referral to an ENT consultant, as I also have chronic tonsillitis and since becoming pregnant, have been diagnosed with an underactive thyroid, for which I had a thyroxine prescription.

I've not had a great pregnancy & have SPD & anaemia too!

I haven't felt well, at all, in almost one year, with one thing after another & woke up in the early hours of this morning gagging, to find my uvula is swollen, as are the tonsils again, and I just feel so blue.

I feel like a lot of these are connected and believe there must be an underlying something going on.

I don't feel listened to by my gp & I'm just wondering if it's just me feeling ungrateful for what he has done or if there is more that he can/should be offering.

Please offer your thoughts MN's. I feel so down about my general chronic ill health.

[larrygrylls]

It is hardly surprising that you are succumbing to a string of infections if you are both pregnant and anaemic. Pregnancy, in itself, makes you immunocompromised. It is the compromise the body makes to not have the immune system attack the embryo/foetus. And, you have had a run of infections and antibiotics, which will again leave you susceptible to infection. T

So, I imagine that your GP is thinking that, once you have had your baby, things should revert to normal. I am not sure what you are expecting from an ENT referral right now. Clearly there is a limit to what drugs they could prescribe and, also, they would be unlikely to operate on something non urgent during pregnancy.

I know all of the above is a bore and you are probably feeling awful. Only you know how bad you are feeling and if you really need further treatment right now. I would make another appointment with your GP and have a proper discussion of how you feel and what you would like to happen (e.g referral). Then write it down and don't be fobbed off. On the other hand, listen to him, and, if he does explain himself well and give good reasons, maybe it will at least allay your fears.

[MyLastDuchess]

What larry said.

I had a nightmare pregnancy (without having anything life-threatening mind you) with DC1 and I swear by the end of it, I was just not enjoying my life any more. Always felt rubbish, no energy, couldn't walk, blah blah.

Once DC1 was born I felt so much better within a few days.

Pregnancy is just so hard on your system. As well as the immune issues, by the end of it your body is just so overtaxed (eg I am currently 40+3 with DC2. I had a blood test last week which left a messive bruise. My bruises usually clear up within a few days but a week later this one is still massive and purple ... M system just can't cope right now.)

I'm not sure how far along you are by now? I had ongoing sinus issues before my first pregnancy and after 2 rounds of antibiotics had not cleared it up, I was sent for a skull x-ray just to check that there was nothing else going on (obviously you won't be doing that while pregnant!). After that my doctor felt that it was most likely a sort of tension headache (with sinusitis which had been cleared by the antibiotics) and sent me to a type of movement specialist we have here in NL (Mensendieck). With exercises etc it all cleared up. But again, at this stage I tend to agree with larry as to what's going on with you.

You have to hang in there until you give birth, as you may well find that things change rapidly after that. And if they don't, you will have many more diagnostic and treatment options.

I'm sorry you're going through this, I know just how rubbish a difficult pregnancy can be.

[HipHopOpotomus]

I've been treated for similar complaints to you for years here in England.
Then I got VERY sick with sinusitis (worst case ever - I was completely debilitated) on a plane going on holiday. I went to doctor (in NZ) who actually took the time TO LOOK UP MY NOSE. Despite repeat visits to GP in UK, not one doctor had ever done this.

I have a large polyp in my nose - it is most likely the source of the ongoing infections and ENT issues I have suffered with for years. I'm still amazed that doctors just keep handing out prescriptions etc, yet not once did anyone look up my nose - it seems such a basic & obvious thing to do.

I know how ground down ongoing ENT issues can make you feel OP - It won't be like this forever. Keep going back to docs, ask them to check for polyps if they haven't already - you possibly have a similar situation where something is triggering the repeated ENT issues.

On a slightly different tip I suffered with every apparently 'minor' complaint when PG with DD2 - it was a miserable time when sleep eluded me and food gave me the worst indigestion ever, plus I had SPD etc. The moment DD2 was born, my first thought was "thank goodness I'm not PG anymore" . I did feel instantly better though

[itsallinmyhead]

Thank you, both, for your input. It truly is appreciated.

I'm not entirely sure what I expect from an ENT consultation, Larry, maybe some explanations as to what's going on with me.

I started this thread to seek unbiased perspective, as I'm well aware I'm not seeing the wood for the trees. Thanks again, both for providing this.

Duchess I'm 38 weeks, with an ELCS booked a week on Monday (thank goodness). Good luck with your DC2.

[HipHopOpotomus]

As you've had so many courses of Anti-B's in the last year, it might pay to take a course of pro-biotics to re boost your so called 'friendly' gut bacteria - they are strongly linked to good performance of the immune system and overall general health but the balance in the gut gets affected by taking anti-B's.

[itsallinmyhead]

Thank you HipHop I'm not ashamed to admit I've hated every minute of this pregnancy since around 16 weeks. I love my DC2 already but never again!

I'll speak to my gp about possibility of polyps, thank you.