Feel as though I can't bear another day with Sinus Pain; can you help?

[Earthymama]

I've suffered from sinus problems for about 10 years. I've always had anti bios, though I also have a Neti Pot and steam inhaler. I do a sinus massage that helps ease the stuffed up feeling.
I also have psoriasis, arthritis, bit of IBS.
Since Sept 10, when I had a viral infection I have been so ill. It comes in waves and knocks me off my feet completely. Exhaustion comes in waves, though i am unable to sleep well and wake as tired as when I get into bed. I can't function in my normal routine.
I have had sinus infection coming on for 2 weeks, also had throat infection,
TMI, a great hard lump of green mucus covered in blood came away on Saturday, I was shocked that had been in my head.
I've got an anti bio and my throat has responded.
I have been up since 4.30 am, my head is swollen and throbbing. Right side of my nose is bleeding slightly. I have tried Neti, inhaling etc, nothing is helping. I can't bear it any longer, I can't face the rest of my life being like this.
I'm going for bloods on Friday. What else can I say to my sympathetic GP? I never break down in front if him as I have with poor poor DP this morning. Maybe he doesn't know how bad it is.
Any ideas?

Have ou tried ephedrine nose drops, which are a decongestant? They were recommended to me by my GP when I had sinusitis, and I always use them now if I have sinusitis again, and find them very effective. They are available over the counter.

How about asking for a referal to a ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist?
Or to an oral surgeon who will work closely with ENT?
x

My GP is lovely but as I had really awful in depression in the past always seems to locate problems there rather than in physical causes.
My friend has just called in and said she has never seen me look so ill!
I will ask for a referral, I am a scaredy cat but anything is better than this.
I had heard that sinus surgery isn't very effective?
I feel like getting a bottle brush and stuffing up my nose!
Surely Lakeland have one just for that purpose?

Please ask for a steroid spray. I suffered for years with recurring sinus pain until one of the gps finally had the intelligence to prescribe a Beclometasone spray. I haven't suffered since. It's worth a try. If I feel them tingling I just have a couple of sprays and it's gone.

Thanks just phoned GP, I asked for spray and they will ring me back as soon as they can.
I had a grocery delivery as cant bear the wind on my head and it has taken me over 3 hours to out away
As an aside, I love my surgery and ALL the staff, they are kind, helpful friendly. The GPs listen, the nurses are effecient and kind.
I really do know how lucky we are to be registered with them.

You're lucky, my practice is full of quacks

I suffer from sinus pain a lot and I find that the only effective pain killer is solpadeine though it only numbs it for about 3 hours. On first sign, I start taking sudafed tablets, a GP once told me they were the best thing and if I had no relief once the box was empty I needed antibiotics. Along with the sudafed and solpadeine, I usually take an antihistamine because this reduces any inflammation. I have a humidifier and also use Olbas oil on my pillow and on hankies.

I was once given solpadol because I couldn't function with the pain and I've 3 under 5 and struggling. These were great and I actually got about 5 hours pain relief with them but they can 'bung up' the works if too many are taken.

Have you tried anything for pain relief?

I keep threatening to ask for a referral but not sure where it would get me but it might be better than feeling like I've a cleaver wedged down the middle of my head.

Pleiadies45, I really do feel your pain!
I take dihydrocodeine for arthritic pain.It takes the edge off but nothing seems to touch the real core of pain. I do find Neti Pot helps.

This morning I told DP i can't envisage living like this, I can't function at all when it is at its worst. I'm having blood tests so there may be something else wrong too.

I'm going for the referal, I'll let you know how I get on

D you know what blood tests you're having?

Ask to have your thyroid hormone levels checked. The tiredness and sleep problems ring a bell with me as I was pre dignosis of hypothyroid.

How is your skin, your bowels, hair?

That sounds just awful, no wonder you feel so miserable.
I had an x ray a few years ago following lots of sinus pain and both my GP and I were surprised to find it came back clear - turned out it was allergy related, which the blood test helped to pinpoint. I take anti histamines anyway for hay fever, but my discomfort was linked to rhinitus.
I've just found out I have a nut allergy too!
Tell your GP quite how bad it is.

I'm going to investigate the neti pot, might be useful for me. I hate going to the doctor looking for antibiotics, I hate having to take them and I hate having to justify that I've done everything I can and that this is my last resort.

Another thing occurred to me last night. For a while my sinus pain seemed to be worse when I was due AF and on a couple of occasions I noticed I wasn't actually feeling congested but just had the pain. It turned out to be a migraine, more likely due to my age and things changing..

Anyhow, I thought I just mention it because it might help someone out there. I thought I was suffering from a constant sinus problem for months and was enduring it because I just didn't want to take antibiotics again.

I was in the same situation a number of years ago and recall in my nightmares the pain and misery of continual sinus infections.

I had a deviated septum and went through an operation to straighten it,improving the opening on the left side of my nose, had the nasal lining cut out and a wash out, followed by anti-biotics.

I have to say that things really improved for me, but the operation was just awful. I suffered an anaesthetic "accident" and had to have physio afterwards (you couldn't make it up). I panicked at first because I couldn't breathe and crying made it much worse.

Long term it did improve matters but I do get occasional problems. I was off work quite a while due to what happened but I have heard of others who had the operation on a Wednesday and were back at work on the Monday!

Sorry to be so frank but I have been down the road you are considering.

I hear you, have been suffering from chronic rhinitis and crippling sinus pain (with from the scalp down sinus to neck and arm) for years. Bad episodes will have me lying in the dark for 48 hours holding my breath in fear

The only think that works is called flixonase in the UK (steroid nasal spray) + powerful pain relief such as codeine.

I have learnt to manage it whilst PG though (no medicine) with neti flushes (the squirt bottle) humidifier ad olbas oil. Works just as well actually.
Also a homeopathic remedy worked really well for me: pulsatilla. sinus cleared in 2 days.

I think you need to approach this in a holistic way and boost your immunity (I suffer from psoriasis too). Omega 3-6-9 really do help. A liitle liver flush with milk thisltle and a daily dose of pre-probiotics will not harm either.
PS: AM NOT A DR!!!!!

If your GP is sympathetic but you're not sure he truly understands how bad it is, could you take your DP or the friend who said she'd never seen you look so bad with you when you go tomorrow? They might be able to add bits of information to help your GP build up a picture of how it affects you. I've done this for my DP in the past, and I do think that the fact that I'd come with him and was clearly also worried and able to fill in the gaps in the story helped the GP to decide to take my DP's very vague but unpleasant symptoms seriously.

Thanks Again, In some perverse way it helps that I'm not alone as I think when one says it's my sinuses, people think you have a bit of a cold.

Naoko, DP who is doctor-phobic very bravely came with me as i was convinced DR would think I am shamming. As I have known him for 15 years and he is wonderful I dont know why I was so unsure of myself, I do wonder if the swollen sinuses press on bits of the brain.

Slim22 My shoulder and arm was crippling me last week! I thought I might have fibromyalgia as I get dreadfully cold hands and feet, sore joints and muscles. I will try your recommendations, I'll try anything.

Off to wash out with Neti pot, inhale Olbas, Sort out Mooncup, take meds and wonder why on earth DP still loves me!!

Just re-reading Pleiadies45,and realised that I was at my worst just before AF,
I also feel as though my body is 'agin' me, I am longing for a pain free day, a day full of energy.
It seems like a dream, but hey-ho. sinus pain is reduced to tiny constant throbbing so not as invasive.

DS gets married in two weeks so I will probably be begging for anti-bios again.
Though if I follow all these great ideas maybe I'll calm and serene on the day.
That would be a miracle as I'm a chopsy bugger, and cry at the drop of a het!

hope you feeling better!

Just wanted to add, that ostheopathy worked for me.

I get terrible tension headaches when i feel a sinusitis is looming and a particularly bad episode (2 weeks of horrible relentless scalp/neck/frozen shoulder) was sorted with ONE session.

It was my first ever (am very weary of chiro/ostheo as often it leads to a lifetime of sessions). I was shocked by the result.

Congratulations on the wedding!

Earthymama - I have been up all night with sinus pain and am going mad for just that ONE night. To have it on and off for 10 years sounds utterly miserable. I really hope they can sort this out for you.

Please try and get a referral. DH used to suffer from terrible sinus problems. He was referred to an ENT specialist and an osteome (benign tumour) was discovered in his sinuses behind his right eyebrow. It was putting pressure on the sinus and blocking it. It was removed and he was out of hospital in 4 days with rapid recovery and since then (touch wood) not a single sinus infection.

Good luck.

BTW have you had allergy tests? DH is very allergic to dust and house mites so removing soft furnishings and getting anti mite covers for things also really helped.

my problem was made worse as I had been using products like beconase for a couple of years and it can actually lead to more problems the surgeon said it was a blowback effect - i did end up getting a sinus operation as the headaches got worse and worse - afterwords I used Sterimar as they had given me that to use in the hospital after I had it done - i havent had any problems since

Just thought that I wouldcome back and say thank you for your kindness and advice.
The anti-histimine spray really helped and I'm continuing with massage and neti pot.
I have asked for a referrall so fingers crossed.
Thanks again to all of you

Another sinus-y person here. If the suffering gets you down, please go to a doctor. I've had 3 ops when I was a kid through to late teens - and they made SO MUCH difference! I had to have my sinuses drilled, as mine were too small, hence they were not able to drain. Now I am mostly fine, but use THIS daily, which I find better than a neti pot, although it is exact same principle, just different design. Infections are rare for me now; I have not had AB's (for sinus) in about a decade.

NB second the oint that steroid/pseudoephidrine/sudafed/flixonase sprays should only be used for temporary relief. And they really work too! But if used for a longer period of time they WILL make the problem worse, unfortunately.

Earthymama - hope you don't mind me saying, but it does sound like something else is going on with you as well? Have you had bad experiences with doctors in the past? Could it be that the sinus stuff is affecting your sleep, which is also affecting mood? Were you able to tell doctor exactly how you are feeling - not only sinus but everything else?