Positive stories of sinus infections clearing because I’m so miserably right now!

[L0ts]

As the title suggests, I’m utterly miserable.

2 weeks a go I came down with a cold and it was pretty bad. I started to feel a little better after maybe a week but then suddenly had a fever, face pain, tooth pain, disgusting yellow liquid pouring from my nose and one morning even my eye 🥴

I waited maybe longer than I should have done but then finally caved and went to the doctors last Friday and got antibiotics. Since then I am generally the tiniest bit better but still blocked and runny nose, fuzzy head, coughing up mucous, tooth throbbing pain every so often and the worst of all.. a totally blocked ear. It’s driving me so mad that I practically can’t hear a thing from it!

I have 2 days left of antibiotics but generally don’t feel they’ve helped much at all. Do I need to go back to the doctors? I could cope with everything else if not for the blocked ear, it’s seriously making me miserable 😭

It doesn't sound like the antibiotics are working OP - usually you'd expect to see an improvement after 24-48 hours - so I'd call back and speak to someone about your continuing symptoms.

I had a sinus infection years ago and I still remember how bloody awful it was! They are truly miserable. I've rarely felt so ill in my life.

I had a sinus infection recently and it was absolutely unbearable. I begged the doctor for antibiotics but was told that most sinus infections can’t be treated with them and I should ride it out with painkillers. It got better after about two weeks. Good luck!

I have chronic sinusitis so spend a good chunk of time like that.

Sudafed tablets alongside a nasal rinse spray helps, I think the spray is sterimar breathe easy daily. It's basically a sinus rinse but in a spray which is easier.

Go back to the gp as you may need a steroid nasal spray to help clear it.

The only time antibiotics are used is if you are blowing out green mucus, as the green is a sign of infection. It will clear the infection but not the actual sinusitis

I have an answer! Years ago I had this and my GP printed off a BMJ article about the use of steroid nasal spray for sinusitis. A few days of treatment and everything had settled.
You can buy Beconase over the counter.

disclaimer- I’m not a doctor but it worked for me

Do speak to your doctor OP. There's quite a bit of misinformation here.
Google the symptoms of a bacterial sinusitis and see if it fits.
In my case only one side of my nose/face/one eye socket and one temple were affected which was a sure sign of localised bacteria vs general viral illness. Awful pain. Some other symptoms I didn't have but what was there, was concerning enough.

The antibiotics only made it about 20% better in a week (though they did work), it was at least a couple of weeks of slow recovery after that.

Just watch out for complications, that's the main thing. Most sinusitis cases are viral and most improve in their own time, however, with any missed bacterial complications it can even turn deadly.

I hope you find relief soon.

Get a netipot, wouldn’t be without mine!

I'ld get back in touch with GP. I've had one for ages but my discharge is clear and also one sided and did chemotherapy. My GP recommended beconase which has helped but said it was marketed as for hayfever, has helped me though mine is likely allergy caused. Just got from Sainsburys without a prescription.

Beconase spray.

Steam 3x a day with Olbas oil and a steam mug.

Cutting out cows milk makes a huge difference for me.

Pain killers .

I had a sinus infection recently, it started feeling better the day after I started antibiotics. I would think that the antibiotics aren't helping, either because its viral rather than bacterial (did the doctor check your crp level?) or they're not the right ones for the infection.

Sympathies The blocked ear thing is terrible. I had one late last year, and it was more than a month before I was able to hear properly again. I really thought it might be a non-sinus-related ear problem, but it wasn't in the end. I tried various things to help but in the end only time took it away.

Have you not been offered a nasal steroid spray? I have asthma and when a sinus infection left me with chronic sinusitis I was given a steroid spray and eye drops which do what the asthma inhaler does for my lungs.

Op, definitely contact your GP and ask for more help.

Anti b didn’t help me. I went deaf in one ear. Tooth ache. Fatigue. Dizziness and fever.
Much better now! It took three weeks to be properly ok.
sympathies!

I gave up gluten for other reasons and found peace in my sinuses as a side effect. That was nearly 25 years ago and I will never go back.

I have terrible sinuses and terrible infections so this is what has worked for me differently at various time

Nurofen cold and flu OTC with pseudoephedrine
A saline nasal rinse ( water pulse)
Steroid spray
Antihistamines
Hot water bottle on face
Antibitocis

You do need to go back to the GP and they will try a different antibiotic hopefully

I’ve just got over this, 3 weeks I was ill. I took NAC tablets to help it clear up, this is the same stuff that’s given in France & Spain. Really helps. Fluids too.

Took the last of my 7 days antibiotics today. Yes, it's mostly cleared and I no longer feel like curling up and dying, it can make you feel vile OP, stick with the antibiotics and use the anti inflammatory spray. It will clear. Hope you feel better soon.

I had this once. I held my nose and blew in an attempt to unblock my ear and burst my eardrum. The room turned upside down lol and I've had bouts of vertigo ever since! So don't do that.

It's High Pollen time. Hay-fever can present even if you haven't had it before. Is it possible you have shite sinuses and have developed hay-fever @L0ts?

Have you tried Pseudophedrine hydrochloride? You can get it otc in boots. Its the in sudofed that deals with the pain caused by blocked sinuses Paracetomol won't touch that.

I found I was getting sinus headaches from time to time due to taking an immune suppressant, and probably being slightly perimenopausal. This was the only thing that worked.

You also want Neilmed nasal spray, regularly. I sympathise, not fun!

Nasal rinse!

Honestly, it sounds more like covid omicron variant. I get sinus infections all the time and they're nothing like that. However, I was one of the many infected by the omicron variant in Dec '21 and it was exactly as you describe. There is a new omicron variant circulating from Singapore if I remember correctly.

regardless, I'm sorry you're feeling shite.
My best advice is neti pot/sinus rinse 3x p/day, nasal spray decongestant 3 days; nasal steroid spray prescription; and the usual rest, lots of water, and hot showers/steam to help you breathe (this is the advice my ENT gave me).

I had this for years. Finally I got properly diagnosed with severe hay fever, Im prescribed industrial strength antihistamines now. I occasionally get sinus pain which is relieved with steroid nasal spray.