Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Sinusitis- what the fuck?!

131 replies

LottieLou90 · 31/03/2019 05:28

Hi all,

Apologies, posting here for traffic.

I’m sure I have sinusitis. I am currently getting over what has been an awful cold / flu thing and I feel like my head is going to explode now.

My nose is blocked to fuck, my eyes, ears, head, cheeks, jaw basically my whole face and head is so bloody painful I want to cry but I can’t because I might pass out from the pain. Also, my nose is making this ‘clicking’ sound like it’s attempting morse code and whenever I blow my nose, it’s like I’m blowing Slimer from Ghostbusters out (sorry tmi)

I’ve managed about 2 hours sleep so far. The things I have tried, and failed, to ease the pain - warm flannel over face, propping myself up in bed, paracetamol and ibuprofen, vicks rub under my nostrils and temples, massaging (practically rubbing) my head and face.

Nothings working. I’m fucking fucked off, DD6 will be up in about an hour as she is excited about mother’s day and it’s my birthday in a couple of days 😫

I just want to sleep. I’ve gone from feeling very sorry for myself to just pure anger from the agony.

Please, does anyone have any tips or advice? Does this sound like sinusitis? Need to hopefully minimise the pain for today at least.

Thanks.

OP posts:
MitziK · 31/03/2019 18:30

Thank you, @pinegreen. For context, all I can say is that mine was so bad, I was referred for an emergency brain scan at one point.

I'd been diagnosed with migraine from around the age of 9, but nothing I was given ever worked. When I was 26, I mentioned to a yoga teacher that I couldn't do some of the poses because leaning forward hurt and she suggested I looked into sinusitis and treatments, including nasal rinsing. I didn't do that at first because it sounded icky (I still hate it, but needs must at times), but I tried a Sudafed after three weeks of uninterrupted pain with absolute agony by the last weekend. That gave me shortlived, but blissful relief - she was right about that, so I finally tried the rinsing and in the years since, I've had the grand sum of about four headaches plus any due to flu, as at the first hint of tenderness, I'll take the tablets and start the other things.

Hence my patented Hit-the-Bastard-With-Everything-You've-Got technique. It's certainly got me to the point of pharmacists not actually daring to contradict me when I ask for Pseudoephedrine tablets by themselves or I just look too old to be cooking up crystal meth in the kitchen these days.

AmIRightOrAMeringue · 31/03/2019 18:34

I had this recently it was horrible, I had to take antibiotics and it improved a lot over the next couple of days but took 3 weeks to get better

The only thing that made me feel temporarily better was a very hot curry

Nearlythere1 · 31/03/2019 21:17

@Ivegotthedecaff sorry I don't know about tiger balm and pregnancy!

Nearlythere1 · 31/03/2019 21:18

Also agree with the other poster, don't put it near your eyes. Temples and forehead ok though.

Jemima4309 · 31/03/2019 21:25

Had this on and of for 15 years - nasal spray (Nasonex) keeps it at bay. Tea made with fresh ginger, lime juice and honey relieves the symptoms. Steam room with Olbas oil also helps. Plus would also recommend decongestant tablets, max strength.

TeenagersandFurbabies · 31/03/2019 21:27

Actifed tablets from the pharmacy and Pirinase steroid nasal spray usually work for me.

DinoMamasaurus · 31/03/2019 21:33

I’m going through this too now. It is absolutely horrendous unbelievably painful. 31 weeks pregnant too so limited on what I can have :(

On day 4 so far the idea of this taking 3+ weeks to clear up is unimaginable. Going to call GP in the morning. Feel a bit worried about antibiotics when preg and also doubtful as to whether they will help if it is viral.

I really hope everyone suffering is better soon - I feel like i’m hanging by a thread!

Babooshkar · 31/03/2019 21:41

Antihistamines and beconase spray help me. Sterimar also very good for nasal cleaning :)

lookybooky · 31/03/2019 21:57

There are a couple of YouTube videos on massage for sinusitis that you could follow. The one I watched had a lady doctor taking you through drainage techniques.I actually noticed a bit of difference (I get sinusitis a lot too). I'd make sure you do all you can to relieve the pressure. I've had a horrible ear infection as a result of it a few years ago and only 2 months ago got vertigo as a result of it. That was truly worse than the sinusitis so now I hit back hard with my neilmed sinus rinse, otravine, massage, long steam sessions (at least 8 mins of deep breathing. don't give up too soon as it takes a while. I add a bit of massage too while steaming). The fear of vertigo returning means I've researched everything! Oh and yes, drink lots of water!

Surfingtheweb · 31/03/2019 22:04

Get a nasal douche or spray from the chemist, sudafed really helps too.

Aeroflotgirl · 31/03/2019 22:37

Oh no, I suffered from this since childhood and what I found helpful is taking 2 Sudafed pressure and pain and Sudafed blocked nose spray.

Original poster
LottieLou90 · 31/03/2019 23:04

Thank you all so much for your replies and advice.

Finally sat down on the bed after a very long day. The nasal spray eased it a tiny tiny bit but back to full on agony after 15 mins.

I’ve tried the shower (this morning and evening), olbas oil, cold compress instead of hot, bending over to blow after nasal spray and fuck did that cause even more pressure!! My god. My ears feel like they have their own heartbeat right now which are in sync with my clicking nostrils. Feel like the end is nigh.

I bought some co codamol over the counter today and taken those. I don’t have any tiger balm but have vicks.

@MitziK thank you for your very detailed reply. I’m going down to pharmacy tomorrow with what you have suggested.

Everything that PPs have said that it feels like being hit in the face with a brick, a baseball bat etc is spot on. Feels like a vice is tightening around my head and face.

Vertigo with it sounds absolutely unbearable and total sympathy to the PPs that experienced that and those that are currently suffering with sinusitis. It truly is horrid.

OP posts:
Jog22 · 31/03/2019 23:08

Snort apple cider vinegar. (Diluted a bit).

EL8888 · 31/03/2019 23:18

Yep sounds like sinusitis to me. I'm prone to it and it's grim. The pressure and pain are indescribable. Sinutab and steam will help. Drink lots of water. I've sometimes had it so bad it goes through each colour of the traffic lights 🤮. Green, yellow and then red. I think l inherited my Dad's deviated septum. The swollen head like a pumpkin l get with it is very attractive! Get well soon

nonevernotever · 31/03/2019 23:29

Another prone to bouts of it too. Nasal washes with warm boiled water plus salt and bicarbonate of soda (1tsp of each to 1pint of water) can bring almost instant relief to the toothache. Steaming, particularly with menthol crystals, also helps, along with plenty of water to drink and paracetamol /ibuprofen. I also find as much fresh air as possible can help, particularly when the pressure above my eyes is pushing my eyelids shut. Hope you are feeling a bit better soon - it really is a bastard thing.

SomethingOnce · 31/03/2019 23:33

I was going to say Stérimar. Hope it clears up soon, OP.

Nearlythere1 · 31/03/2019 23:44

Vicks should do the job instead of tiger balm. Remember it's just for a distracting sensation rather than a cure though. Hope it helps a bit x

HoppyHop · 31/03/2019 23:47

Following nasal surgery I was recommended this. It is fabulous for rinsing sinuses (& personally I find what comes out both satisfying & gross!!). Hope you feel better soon, sinusitis is horrible.

www.boots.com/neilmed-sinus-rinse-kit-10077009

Lexilooo · 31/03/2019 23:50

Sink full of very hot water with a few drops of olbas oil or a dollop of vicks in. Big towel over the back of your head and the sink to trap the steam while you bend over the sink and breath.

Olbas oil on your pillow.

Hot drinks.

Sudafed.

Doctor for antibiotics if the snot goes green.

Redyoyo · 01/04/2019 00:04

I'm prone to sinusitis the best thing is sudofed but it has to be the liquid one and original, the non drowsy doesn't work.
Strong painkillers, sudofed, vicks on your chest and back prop yourself up on pillows and you'll sleep.

Science9 · 01/04/2019 00:07

Menthol crystals are amazing for sinusitis. You just put one or two in boiling water and inhale the steam and it's like vicks x 100. Another life saver for me was a saline nasal spray

Hope it passes soon as I know how utterly horrible it is. Get well soon x

Leeeeemon36 · 01/04/2019 01:32

OP, wishing you speedy recovery. I think you have every bit of good advice here. Going to save this thread fir the next bastard sinusitis

SurgeHopper · 01/04/2019 01:45

Yes, it's awful. I had it a while back. I finally got some relief by using a nasal rinse, then managed to hack up what can only be described as an enormous lump of gristle whilst walking to walk... It was the size of a 50p and solid Confused Felt better afterwards though.

Montydey · 01/04/2019 01:54

I use a neti pot and this sounds weird but I use a clean! vibrator and I go along from my ears right to my nose along my cheeks with it on vibrate, it really helps and gets the gunk moving and relieved the pressure.

DinoMamasaurus · 01/04/2019 16:48

So I’ve just come back from the doctors for mine. He said they don’t prescribe antibiotics for it unless you have had it for two weeks. He also said limited evidence that they work for it. I’m guessing for most people it is viral rather than bacterial. He did also recommend the NeilMed sinus rinse kit
www.boots.com/neilmed-sinus-rinse-kit-10077009

Going to give that a try and also try not to think about living with the face demons for two weeks. I’m more limited on what I can have being pregnant - no decongestant, vicks, menthol etc :(

Hope you are feeling better OP!