Flying poorly (tomorrow) ?

[SENSummer]

So we fly first thing tomorrow on a family holiday (me, hubby and two kids <6).

A week ago I started with cold and have had horrid sinus/general cold symptoms. Went to the doctors got a steroid spray (they were thoroughly disinterested as I didn’t have a temperature) but the sinus pain was so bad I felt sick. The steroid spray did very little, I’ve been struggling all week. Doesn’t seem to be improving and awful post nasal drip (tmi sorry). I just feel rubbish but it’s been a week now usually I shake things off or they at least improve. I’ve spent today in bed covered in Vicks and felt awfully sick.

I said to hubby I didn’t think I’d manage it tomorrow. I struggle with my sinuses on planes at the best of times and it can be really painful. He looked at me like I was nuts because it’s ’just a cold’.

We have insurance but given I’m ’not that unwell’ and the doctors shrugged it off I doubt we’d be able to claim on it. Hubby thinks I’m at the end of it and will start to feel better in the next couple of days so should just push through. I do push through things quite well usually but I just feel grotty and so disappointed that it’s a week in and I’m still this rubbish!

There’s a difference between sinusitis and a cold.

Agree with sterimar

It’s useless against true sinusitis

Are you actually aware of the crap that people go to their Dr with?

If the sinus inflammation is too deep in your sinuses you could see if doc thinks betmethazone steroid drops would be a good idea.

Have you tried an antihistamine to ease off the post nasal drip? It can help

Can you clear your ears? Congestion can cause issues with ears, and with the pressure changes you are at a higher risk of barotrauma (which is really not nice, lasts weeks, and can at worse case cause permanent ear damage).

If you can, there is obviously a risk of passing on an infection if you have one. Particularly within a recycled air tube. But you may well be past the riskiest point now. So difficult to know, if you feel up for travelling, but clearing the ears is the biggest thing I would check with a sinus infection.

I’ve had sinus issues in this area-that’s where your deep sinuses are which can be hard to reach with spray. I found after a few days of betmethazone drops they opened up, then fluticazone drops for a while after. Also had a course of steroid tablets. But I wasn’t having post nasal drip it was all trapped in my sinus then flooded out when sinuses inflammation shrank down.

You are absolutely right about the ears but sinus barotrauma all by itself can be debilitating in certain circumstances...

Do it. Dose yourself up on Day Nurse or whatever and wear a mask. But you can cope for a couple of hours and sleep when you get there.

^ This

I went to the docs because it was presenting so oddly. Intense pain in my sinuses but not cold or flu symptoms and at that point the post nasal drip hadn’t started so I didn’t know what the heck was going on.

Ive noted the comments about going deaf after flying. I’ve not struggled with my ears (touch wood) and I have had hubby (he is a doctor but not an ENT or anything) look in my ears and he thinks they look fine. Understand that congestion wouldn’t always be visible but still it’s something.

I live in a remote village and ventured to the petrol station which is the only things nearby open on a Sunday with medical stuff. There was not much unfortunately but hubby says there’s a boots in the terminal.

Ive perked up a bit tonight. It keeps happening in fairness, mornings and evenings seem ok ish but 10-4 is generally horrid.

They gave me memetosone spray which for two weeks. I took it for 5 days and stopped yesterday because it seemed to make it worse. Worried that was stupid but hubby is saying he wouldn’t re start it now. It just seemed like I was better on a morning/evening and then struggling through the day whilst I was using it much more.

I’ve just been desperate to feel better all week but no idea what to do

Hubby is also adamant it isn’t sinusitis or an infection as such as no temperature he just keeps telling me ‘it’s a viral thing’ and rolling his eyes when I’ve read the comments RE antibiotics

Migraine?

I initially thought that as the pain was so bad I was seeing spots and that was a contributing factor to hubby suggesting I get seen. Since the post nasal drip started it’s much clearer it’s sinus related

You don't need anything at home to steam your head, so please do try that tonight. It's really surprisingly effective.

As a health professional it drives me mad when I read in mumsnet that usually the OP’s husband is a Dr and gaslights the wife that there is nothing wrong with them then the wife is usually ill requiring antibiotics - depending on where you are going OP the pharmacies are usually pretty good in most European countries so you may need to visit one of them I imagine as if you are already having ENT/ sinusitis issues then flying is only going to make it worse

I've had post nasal drip for a year now (after a virus). Mine didn't present like normal sinusitis. No congestion or anything. Was treated with a long course of antibiotics and ENT referral later. Nothing has helped. Basically have to live with it. Flying was fine btw...flown twice and no associated pain. I'm presuming because my sinuses aren't actually blocked.

guaifenesin liquid - usually marketed as chesty cough syrup.

Will clear post nasal drip

See I love this comment. Generally IRL if I ever mention DH is a doctor people seem to assume I am in receipt of stellar health care at home. Like ‘oh you’re lucky to have your own doctor’ and who knows perhaps if I had a serious medical emergency he would be great…but day to day he’s just immensely invested in my ability to crack on and generally bemoans other healthcare professionals actually treating me or the kids as being over cautious. His speciality means that if you’re breathing independently he’s basically not interested 😬

He obviously does not want me to drop dead but neither does he care if I’m in pain on the flight or have side effects from my current illness. It’s just inconvenient. All weeks he’s been telling me I’d likely be recovered by now and it’s annoying I’m not.

I had a sinus infection from hell last year. I know technically, GPs won’t prescribe antibiotics for them until you’ve had symptoms for at least 2 weeks but I ended up making an appointment after a few days.

I was sweating, shivering and a high fever. My home thermometer was showing 37 but when they took it at the surgery, it was almost 39. I was also seeing black spots and had an awful pain at the top of my neck. The nurse prescribed antibiotics and took it quite seriously. She said if my fever didn’t go down by the end of the day, I needed to go to A&E.

Thankfully a few days, I felt a lot better.

You seem to be avoiding the questions about Covid OP. No doubt as your husband is a doctor you’ll both understand the importance of protecting others who may be vulnerable (on the plane and elsewhere) by wearing a mask. 😷

Did you have pain with it and if so did you fly with any pain?

Honestly hubby says Covid isn’t a big deal anymore, no precautions are taken even in the hospitals it’s basically just another common cold/virus like all the rest. I asked if it might be Covid and his response was ‘probably there’s so many strains of it now’ I asked if I should test and he said no there’s no point. Sorry I wasn’t avoiding that question.

This is the DH you were in the throes of divorcing six months ago, right?