Sinusitis - I give up

[Jumpi]

I’d really appreciate any advice or suggestions, I’m at the end of my tether.

I’ve suffered with sinus infections for a couple of years now. The past year has been spent with almost daily sinus pain, blocked nose, sneezing, etc. I also keep getting connected ear and eye infections.

I’ve visited the gp so many times I can’t even remember the number. I’ve done nasal rinses, steam baths, decongestants, OTC pain killers, heat packs, antihistamines and so on. You name it, I’ve tried it. Nothing budged it.

I’ve had 4 months on a steroid nasal spray that helps with the sneezing but nothing else. After 14 months I was given antibiotics against the NICE guidelines and it made no difference. I was then referred to an ENT specialist with a 3 month wait, appointment is in January.

Since then I’ve developed a nasty cough that won’t go away. It leaves me short of breath to the point where I collapsed after climbing a set of stairs. I went back to the GP who didn’t listen to my chest but said it’ll be a post nasal drip and there’s nothing else they could do and my ENT appointment isn’t too far away.

It happened again. This time I was out and the cold hit my chest, I went to walk from my car to the supermarket and I collapsed. Same response from a different GP.

Fortunately I can work from home and have done so, mostly from my bed, for the past 2 months but now have such fatigue that I could easily sleep the day away so I’m missing a lot.

I’m no use to anyone, I look like shit and feel like I’m counting down the days until I see the ENT but dread that nothing will happen then either.

Sorry for the length. Has anyone experienced this? Will an ENT even help a cough?
Any advice would be appreciated.

Hi,my health problem isn't exactly like yours but not getting answers and a cure is. I've had ear/balance problems for 18 months now,GP visits,ENT appointments,scans etc and they still can't find what is causes it. Like you said about sinusitis I've been suffering the same for last 6 months,when it starts up I ALWAYS get an ear infection so I had a CT sinus scan, I was told the scan was fine there's nothing wrong with my sinuses, unbelievable, every few weeks to a month I'm in agony with pain behind my eye,nostril, throat and ear,all on the right side,I'm in bed for days when it's at it's worst. Now the ENT is concentrating just on my right ear,had another scan done afew weeks ago,I cant take another all clear result,something is causing these problems and I need to know. Hope you get answers and help soon I understand how frustrating it can be.

You have my sympathies. The fatigue is very debilitating. I am glad you have an ENT appointment. Hopefully they will do a scan and can see if there are any blockages/deformities with your sinuses.

Neilmed sinus rinse twice a day, steaming, a daily antihistamine (fenafexadine or certirizine) and avamys steroid spray in the mornings work best for me.

I too was told that my persistent cough was a post-nasal drip but it wasn't (it was laryngeal hypersensitivity syndrome).

If you are collapsing I really think you should go back to the GP or a walk-in centre (or A&E if you are very concerned). You could have a chest infection or something.

I hope you feel better soon.