Sinusitis- I can't sleep!

[qwertpoiuy]

Hi. I've had sinusitis the past 2 days and it has got so bad now I can't sleep. I'm trying to read Mumsnet to pass the time but the agony in my head is taking over. I took Lemsip Max for Sinuses at 9pm, only allowed one dose every 8 hours - but the effect has already worn off (not that it deadened the pain much). So I checked with GP on-call and he told me I could take Aspirin on top of Paracetomol. However, I may as well have taken smarties - half an hour later the pain is as bad. I inhaled steam too but no effect. And I'm blowing, blowing, blowing my nose - you'd think that would lessen the pressure but it hasn't.
Any other sufferers out there?

[Geocentric]

Best thing to do is learn lymph drainage - you massage your face with your fingertips and it really helps to unblock the sinuses and drain the stuff away. I'm trying to google a good chart for you - will post link if I find one as its a bit hard to explain in words...

[kickassangel]

I had this recommended by a doctor

she had the good grace to laugh whilst showing me the video, but my word it works!!
tis vile at first, but using it regularly has kept me off anti-bs for over 8 months now - a record for me!

[qwertpoiuy]

Thanks a million for your replies!
Oh, my God, Kickass! Still, I'd like to try anything that will work.
Awaiting Geocentric's chart....

[qwertpoiuy]

Found this video on youtube. Is it something like this?

[Geocentric]

Better than a chart - found this demo on You Tube (it took a while because I looked at a bunch to find the best). Its a bit tricky at first doing it on yourself, but you know when you're hitting the right spots because you can literally taste/feel the mucous draining away down your throat (yes, icky, but better than the pain!)

try this

Good luck!!!! Hope you feel better soon...

[Geocentric]

qwert, I saw that one, but the one I linked to is better...

[qwertpoiuy]

Thanks Geo. Off to look at it now...

[qwertpoiuy]

I'm off to bed now. I'll try that massage while lying down. Thanks a million for your help.

[Bucharest]

Haven't clicked link, but is it a neti pot?
Can't recommend highly enough if it is...(the weirdest bit is that the water goes in one nostril fairly cold and comes out the other warm........)
Also, when I get sinusitis, I find the headache pain is worse than the blocked up feeling, so tend to just take horse-strength painkillers (syndol/paramol) and forego the decongestant (but if I do take one I take Boots own brand with phenylephrine (sp?))

Holding my head over boiling water helps as much as anything tbh....

[GhostWriter]

Have had sinusitis for 10 days. It's getting greener and more painful if you like colourful details. Only on one side now though. I'm thinking I only need half a head. DIY surgery sounds very appealing. The constant thrum and ache is stealing my spirit.

And bfing so can't take anything above paracetamol which does diddly squat. Am going to look at that videos.

[GhostWriter]

that video/those videos. Damn blardy sinusitis is sapping my pedantry. The horrors.

[GhostWriter]

That video is making me cross. I wanted a husk of a woman in a pale colour with red eyes and a hacking cough, curled up on the floor moaning and clutching her head.

I do not want a serene looking woman who is capable of lying there with her mouth shut for 5 minutes and still able to breathe.

I have an overexcitable gag reflex too. If I feel things draining down my throat the emetophobia will kick in.

Twill not do.

Somebody just cut my bloody head off.

[BitOfFun]

I don't dare to click on the links, but I daresay I will later- thanks! I have had maybe two hours sleep last night and the night before with this, I feel your pain! I would say try not to blow, it just seems to inflame things and make you more blocked. Incredibly frustrating though when it feels like just one more snort into a tissue will do the job- it never does though

[Bucharest]

GhostWriter- if it's green it might be an infection....maybe ask GP for some antibs??

[GhostWriter]

It's coming out though. Constantly. Reams and reams of the stuff. Does this mean it's sorting itself out? Is lurid green though.

[qwertpoiuy]

It worked, Geo! I went up to bed and kept doing the massage, next thing I fell asleep and woke up 4 hours later painfree.
BOF, I didn't realise blowing my nose would aggravate the problem!
GhostWriter, I know what you mean by the "patient"! And I couldn't do the bit around my neck as my glands are swollen and sore! Yes, quite unrealistic.
I feel the pain coming back now gradually, I know what I have to do now! Thanks again, Geo.

[Geocentric]

I'm happy it helped!

[stressheaderic]

Suffering with this too - 7 days now. 19 weeks pregnant too, so cannot take bugger all for it - all's I can do is roam around the house in agony awaiting the return from work of DP to make me some chicken soup...and have lots of warm long showers to breathe in the steam. God it's grim.
Yesterday was a low point - it actually hurt to look sideways.
Sympathy to everyone similarly afflicted, and at least we don't look like the scary woman in the video.

[bacon]

Get some super dopper painkillers. Over the counter ones do not touch it. I know the pain it is unbelievable and mine found a weakness in my tooth and the pain was shouting through my teeth. Anti-bios are a waste of time as for some reason they cant reach the sinus.

You can get salt water nasal drops from the chemist and worth a go - I'd slightly warm it up first to soothe the area.

Also nasal sprays can also calm the swelling, I constantly use the Vicks sinus soother from boots and I used it throughout my pregnancy. Nasalonse is also safe in pregnancy but only on prescription.

[qwertpoiuy]

Are you serious Bacon? I nearly went crazy with the pain last night and nothing worked, so I visited GP this am. I have to take antiB's for 2 weeks!! I've started them now so there's no going back. She prescribed Difene too - hope that will get rid of the awful pain.
My sinuses worked out expensive - ?155 in total between the prescription and the GP visit! (I'm in Eire)

[qwertpoiuy]

Like you, Bacon, there's pressure on my upper teeth and I can't open my mouth fully.

[bacon]

I have been constantly told that anti-bios do not work on sinus conditions. Apparently the anti bios dont seem to reach the area and I search on the web for this and looks like its a fact. ANyway, I am sure that it wont hurt but for 2 weeks your body may naturally get rid anyway. Mine lasted 3 weeks and after that my nose was never the same and have suffered from constant rhinitus and am on nasal sprays.

Most GPs are hopeless on sinsus conditions I am being refered to a ENT specialist but not holding my breath. Am considering dairy free for a few week to see if there is a connection there.

[kickassangel]

i quite often get infected sinuses, then a secondary infection, so anti-b's help with that.

by accident, i saw an ENT specialist when i went to out of hours service, he was doing some extra shifts there. since then, i've found a nasal spray & neti pot combo keep me ok, so long as i keep using them at least 3 times a week.

otherwise, i spend the whole time with the vague feeling of shaking off a cold/cough, lose my voice, get tooth ache, headache & about once every six weeks, get an infection so bad that my temp soars & i become insensible.

Seriously USE a neti pot, it works more than you can imagine.