Sinusitis, 16+5 preg, in absolute agony now, Doc woldn't help. :(

[LadyOfTheFlowers]

As title really.

Went to see Doc yest. morning as eyebrow had been twinging for 3 days following a terrible head cold. (TMI - Thick darkish green snot constantly but nothing else - no aches/general poorly feeling)

Yesterday, pain really kicked in, stabbing/throbbing on inside of right eyebrow only near bridge of nose, feel like I have an arrow through my head or something.

Went to Doc as I suffer from sinuses anyway, more so when preg. In my last preg, old Doc gave me antib's and I felt 80% better within 24 hours. Thought would be the same this time.

She wouldn't give me any, despite me asking and saying I had had them before. She said the best ones to take can cause problems with baby's skeletal development and make thier teeth yellow so I obviously agreed no antib's then and didn't ask if there were any others. Also was told could only have paracetamol and nothing else.

Got back from Docs and within 2 hours it had worsened tenfold. Was crying with pain which made it worse.

Each morning when I wake the constant throbbing is gone, just tender if I touch the area and it gradually comes on.
It is back now and I feel like my eye is closing. The back of my neck is also hurting/feeling tight from the pain.

I called the Doc yest afternoon to ask if Doc could ring me back and maybe prescribe me some cocodamol as paracetamol won't touch it. I had cocodamol at 8 weeks when I had a raging ear infection.

Problem is, I have 3 other kids under 5 to look after and am not functioning properly. I can't cope.

I have rung the Docs again and asked for my family Doc to ring me.

Just have to wait I guess. Has anyone else had this in preg? Please tell me it didn't last 10 days to 3 weeks as the Doc yest told me. I will be suicidal by then.

(

Have you tried using a nasal spray? You can get them with saline in them and it does help

Some people also use netty pots--those watering can-like contraptions to flush out the sinuses.

Steam inhalations are also good.

I was prescribed amoxicillian 2 weeks ago when I was 15 weeks pregnant. The sinusitis went within a day or two. My GP assured me they were safe to take, I hope she was right!

You poor thing. I'm so sorry you're suffering so much, you sound really low.

Is it possible to get a second opinion and speak to another GP at your practice? as yours sounds a bit inflexible. I had dreadful sinusitis while I was ttc, and my GP gave me, i think, amoxicillin? Anyway I know it was a penicillin antibiotic, and she assured me it wasn't a problem in pregnancy. The fact that you're finding it difficult to cope, quite rightly, means you're entitled to get a 2nd opinion.

When the doc phones, if you're feeling really bad, can you get your husband, partner, a friend to talk for you? Sometimes it's easier for someone who is well to explain and argue the case!

Good luck and I really hope you're feeling better soon

I had terrible sinusitis with my pregnancies. I found sleeping on one side only mininises it, as I have one side that is prone to infection, so sleep on the other.
Steam inhalation with olbas oil, to keep the passages clear, paracetamol, and thats about it I'm afraid. It is awful, and I have no idea how I would manage if I'd had 3 other children Is there anyone at all who can come and help out while it goes?

I would try another GP - I always got ABs

I've had this on and off throughout this pregnancy. I have never suffered before but it is hellish - you really have my sympathy

There is a virus going round atm that includes sinus pain. A lot of people I know have had it (even none pg ones) and obviously anti-b's make no difference to viral infections. I did however manage to convince my GP to prescribe some stronger pain killers (codeine based). I only took them when pain was really awful, but they did help.

I also found Olbas oil/vicks in a steam inhalation a couple of times per day helped. Drinks lots of water and hot drinks (try and avoid caffeine though) to try and "dilute" the congestion.

Blimmin' eck! I'll tell you how much it's getting to me.... have read your replies and am bloody crying now!!

Am waiting for my -fave- named family Doc to ring me.
I am sure Amoxicillin rings a bell, for a ear infec and sinus probs in past pregs. I beieve it is not the best one for it, but could help.

I have ssen those sinus rinse things and cant help but think it would hurt more? Am terrified - filled with the awful thought of when I inhaled a load of pool water while swimming with the school. I know sniffing stuff like Vicks/Olbas whatever seems to make the pain worse so am going to try just steam I think.

Am hoping he won't ask me to go in straight away as DS3 is asleep and I don't want to wake him - his naps really help me get through as I can shut my eyes and have a lie down as DS2 watches Dora all day... (Needs must!) DS1 back to school today thank heavens.

I had a terrible, terrible sinus infection a few weeks ago and got antibs for it (and am allergic to penicillin, so they had to give me erithromycin). There are lots you can take even if the 'best' is contradicated.

I used a Neti Pot, Lady, and it did NOT hurt - it made a huge difference. My mother sees an Ear, Nose Throat consultant for ear problems and he says he thinks they are better than any chemical decongestant for sinus difficulties. You will feel some pressure when you use the pot but it should not hurt. It will clear them out even more effectively than steaming. So be brave!

Ok.
Anything I could fashion one out of at home?

No money till DH gets paid on Friday.

Just need to pour water up one nostril with mouth open don't I? Warm water?

What confuses me is I have no nasal congestion/snot at all, airways are clear... ??

Usually have blocked nose with it.

Hmmm. I think the spout has to fit fairly closely in to your nostril (so that it is sealed) for it to work. Then you tilt your head to the side over the sink and pour, and the water will come out the other side. Then you do the other nostril.

The absence of stuffiness may be because it has taken residence in your sinuses!

There are a number of very strange YouTube videos showing how it's done, here's one www.youtube.com/watch?v=rsZeILCedRw&feature=related that is moderately less strange.

I found one for three pounds www.yogamad.com/Yoga/Yoga+Accessories/Neti/Genie+Neti+Pot+with+Lid.html?osCsid=lvllf2ri16f2fagcrp98f vq970 here.

You also need to add salts apparently but there are recipes out there on the net.

Here are instructions on making your own www.ehow.com/how_2138632_own-neti-pot.html

Yes, I am procrasinating. Hope that helps.

Ok, ta, will have a look at those, think I will try anything now!

Doc has rung me back. He had me check my temp on the phone and it was 36.2 so I don't have a fever so don't have an infection, so don't need anti'bs.... which is good I suppose.

He said nasal passages get inflammed as they are the same type of tissue as other parts of you that become inflammed/engorged during preg... catch my drift?

He has put a steroid based nasal spray up for me to collect and a ton of paracetamol.
He said the nasal spray (Beconase or similar) will work directly on my sinus to hopefully open it up a bit?

Will see how it goes and in meantime am going to try to craft something or get my mum to purchase me a proper nose jug - she is going to collect script and meds for me and pick Ds1 up from school at 3pm as she doesn't have Uni till 5pm today.

Thanks for all replies.

I had it at weekend, it's hell. Whole right side of face just throbbed.
I used warm water and sea salt and stole the syringe thingy from DS's ibroprufen box. It relived slightly.
Next day I went to chemist and she gave me menthol crystals. Pop in bowl (just a tiny pinch) with hot (not bioling) water, towel over head. Did this on and off all day and it was such a relief. They are very cheap, raid the kids piggy bank, Im sure I got change from £2!

Oops, typing is shocking, PG brain!

I've suffered from sinus for years and the best advice I ever had was from a consultant who recommend saline water sprays - I get mine from Boots (perfectly safe to use during pregnancy). They are made by Sterimar www.boots.com/en/Sterimar--Hypertonic_851836/

Thanks again for the replies on this.

The spray the Doc gave me is having some effect. Definately better, manageable now, with Paracetamol he gave me. Look the same as the few I had but seem to work better?

By no means gone and feel it's going to hang around a while, but can cope now.

you poor thing sinus problems suck..it sounds like your sinusus might have been blocked rather than infected..your nose would feel fine, my sinus probs have improved te fold after using something called sinus rinse..its made by neil-med and its a more sophisticated version of a neti pot..boots sell it..I use it when I notice the tell tale symptoms and it clears everything out..the problem with steroid sprays is that they tend to cause rebound

argh! memory lapse - what does rebound mean?! it will come back?!

PLEASE God no!

rebound means that initially your symptoms will probably improve but quite often they can come bac if you use the spray for more than a few days

Can you get someone to give you a scalp massage?

As well as generally massaging your scalp quite firmly with flat parts of the fingertips, the following help (you have to be lying on your back):

Imagine a line from the top centre of your head down to your nose. Just above your nose, just above the bit where the scalp dips down into the nose, so almost between the eyebrows, press down firmly with a finger, wiggle around a tiny bit, then press right next to that finger along the imaginary line. Repeat the wiggle. 'Walk' your fingers, index fingers of left and right hands, along that line, take your time, do the wiggle each time, all the way to the top of the head.

Do something similar - pressing with one finger, wiggling, repeating immediately next to the finger - along the brow ridges. Not the eyebrows, but the ridge of bone that frames the eyesockets.

Then do the same from the inner corner of the eye, along the lower edge of the eyesockets, and then back up to the outer corner of the eye.

You may well find certain points excruciatingly painful. Be much gentler on those points, and keep comng back to them with ever firmer pressure.

(You can do the above yourself, but much nicer if someone else does them, and you don't need oils etc.)

The last thing to do, which has to be done by another person, is to have them slide their hands, palms up, beneath your shoulders. Bring their hands towards your spine, so that their longest fingers are on either side of your spine. Curl hands up slightly, and slowly draw them up towards the back of your head. This uses your bodyweight to put quite a lot of pressure on the muscles that tense up when you are in pain, and eases them. Let the person continue to draw their hands up until they just reach the bottom edge of your skull. Then they raise their hands a tiny bit, and gently rock your head up and down, side to side, the tiniest of movements. This presses against the source of most tension headaches - which sinus pain will give you - to help release it.

I hope this helps. Sinus pain is awful, particularly during pregnancy, when there's not mujch you can take for it. Been there myself, but fortunately knew a fantastic massage therapist who rescued me!