Relief from sinus infection?

[CatLadyToddlerMother]

Went to doctors 2 weeks ago with migraine headache i'd had for a week and told I had a sinus infection.

I was prescribed Co-Codamol, Naproxen and a nasal spray. All have run out.

I'm mostly ok, but wake up with a headache and if I don't take paracetamol this progresses to cheek and nasal pain. If I let myself get hungry or thirsty I can't get rid of the headache that comes with it.

I can't sleep as it hurts my cheek too much and painkillers don't touch the pain at night.

I can't get into the doctors for 2 weeks as it takes 200+ phonecalls to get through for a same day and they're all gone by the time I get through.

So what can I do to relieve the pain? I have a 3 year old so can't just rest.

Doctor gave me the purple otravine spray on prescription just found the box. It helped until it ran out after a week of using it 3 times a day.

Got an appointment for later today. Got to Nursery for 7.32 and was at the surgery in record time of 8.05am so just after opening.

Another Sinutab user here for sinus infections - it's the only one that works for me, one of the own labels has exactly the same decongestant. That and hanging my head backwards to almost upside down.

Doesn't your surgery offer appointment booking online?

Not for same day appointments no, can only book routine ones online

I had a persistent sinus problem which lasted about 9 months.

Things that helped

Very hot bath in steamy bathroom
Steam rooms
Drinking very hot tea
Squeezing top of nose near the bridge to release the tiny openings to the sinus so it drains to back of nose

Eventually an ENT prescribed a very strong steroid spray and I combined that with a holiday somewhere very dry. Sinuses dried up and problem cured

I’ve seen the doctor, prescribed Doxycyclone, a different decongestant, naproxen and codiene been told to alternate the codiene with paracetamol.

They’re worried about the swelling of my cheek so I’m back in next week to make sure it goes down.

Fellow sufferer here.

Can you get this..... Sterimar hayfever and allergy spray. I find it brilliant.

I've been told not to use anything other than the prescribed products for now as they're trying to work out what's caused it and don't want me to make it worse again.

I've been told not to use anything other than the prescribed products for now as they're trying to work out what's caused it and don't want me to make it worse again.

Fellow sufferer here too, used to get them 3 or 3 times a year, also suffer from allergies. They are horrible and last 2 weeks if not longer. Antibiotics are unlikely to help or speed up the process. Little cure but to bear it until it goes but... I had one of my worse one in France, lost all sense of smell and lost 10 pounds in two weeks as too miserable to eat. When to local pharmacy and they gave me something available over the counter there which is a liquidifier, normally given for chest infection to get rid of mucous but in France also used for sinus. She told me to try this next time from the moment the infection start.

This was over 10 years ago and sure enough, I still get bad colds but not one has turned into a full on sinus infection since. I stack up every time I go to France.

Another one who suffers so handhold from me. I remember a few years ago I went to the GP early into the infection and was told it was viral (despite me saying I always require antibiotics and have a strong history of sinus infections). I got given the lecture of new protocol or whatever. Anyway. Ended up with severe infection and happened to be in the US at the time. Within 24 hours of the antibiotics (3 weeks after my initial visit to the dr!) I was a different person. Antibiotics should kick in soon, hope you're feeling better!

Antibiotics are really not the answer. You probably started to feel better because you were naturally coming towards the end of it. Sinus infections are almost always viral and antibiotics will do nothing for this and actually do more arm. It is normal for a sinus infection to take 2cor 3 weeks to go away. It's an absolute pain to go through but antibiotics is not the answer. People die every day of infections caused by antibiotics resistance when they really needed them.

I didn’t ask for antibiotics, the doctor prescribed them. All I wanted was some more pain relief but he was worried about the swelling in my face so gave me the antibiotics.

Although I had a rough night the swelling is reducing and I’m beginning to feel less run down and ill. I actually think the antibiotics are working.

@swingofthings your advice is incorrect and potentially life threatening. Sinus infections can be bacterial and they can also kill you.

"Antibiotics are standard treatments for bacterial sinus infections. Antibiotics are usually taken from 3 to 28 days, depending on the type of antibiotic. Because the sinuses are deep-seated in the bones, and blood supply is limited, longer treatments may be prescribed for people with longer lasting or severe cases.
Overuse and abuse of antibiotics have been causing a major increase in antibiotic resistance. Therefore, patients with sinus symptoms should consider taking an antibiotic only if symptoms (including discolored nasal discharge) persist beyond 7-10 days.
Antibiotics help eliminate a sinus infection by attacking the bacteria that cause it, but until the drugs take effect, they do not do much to alleviate symptoms. Some over-the-counter medications can help provide relief."

acaai.org/allergies/types/sinus-infection

@panago, read my post again, I said that sinus infections are ALMOST always viral, I didn't say never. You have much more chance of dying from sepsis that doesn't respond to antibiotics because you've developed antibiotics resistance through takibg too much antibiotics than dying from a sinus infection.

Doctors are being trained over and over to stop prescribing antibiotics like sweets. The shift is happening but some gps will prescribe then because its easier.

If there is concern that an infection is bacterial, the gp should run a test to confirm the nature of the infection before prescribing antibiotics.

What utter nonsense. A blood test to confirm infection when it's been over 10 days-2 weeks? With an NHS that has scarce resources as it is? Whilst I agree with guidelines stating to give it time, there is also a time and place for antibiotics.

You said in a previous post that me feeling better (after 3 weeks and 2 failed courses of amoxicillin) that it was "coincidence" that I felt better. Rubbish. I had a severe bacterial infection and required strong antibiotics, as it sounds like the OP does too. Not all sinus infections are viral. My infection (and the OP's) could have been prevented had I been prescribed antibiotics when I initially requested them.

To those who said a sinus infection isn't serious.

I was in hospital this morning, as my headache wouldn't go away to the point I was vomiting.

Went to a+e after dropping my DD off and ended up having an MRI, Xray and being given Morphine.

I'm thankfully fine but they said I did the absolute right thing going in and being checked as my sinuses could of become blocked with the infection.

So NEVER IGNORE SINUS PAIN or think "it's not serious", please.

Hope you’re ok OP. Incidentally, you’re not still on naproxen are you? It’s just that you said you can’t take ibuprofen because of the asthma, but naproxen is an NSAID too so should be taken with caution if you have asthma. I know because I’ve got asthma and unfortunately I’ve also got arthritis and naproxen works to help with the flare ups but I have to be VERY careful with it due to the asthma. Anyway, hope you’re on the mend.

No didn't end up taking the naproxen past the first day. I was aware I wasn't supposed to be on it though and was very careful to only take it when absolutely necessary.

I had a bastard sinus infection this time last year. Three fucking months of antibiotics finally shifted it. It left enough damage that I had to have nose surgery to re-open my sinuses recently, though.

On the plus side, I can breath now. It's amazing.