Think Flu but with no fever. Right. All the symptoms of a
bad flu but no fever. Argh. I’m wondering if I can give up breathing for another week or not. Do I need to breathe?
I’m setting up a shrine to the man who invented suphedrine. Bless him.
Be back soon.
I had severe sinus infections for years. Finally the docs got curious as to why that was the case and off to the CAT scan I went. That revealed cysts, polyps, a large bone spur, a rather significant septum deviation, a missing membrane, and in the words of my doctor, “…more things wrong in a single CAT scan than I can remember seeing.” The right sinus was essentially blocked off; the passages were so narrow as to make us all wonder how I could breathe at all out of that side in the first place. (My doc actually speculated that I may have had the same infection for at least four years–it probably could not drain very well. They’d treat me with antibiotics, I’d get somewhat better; antibiotic treatment would end, and two weeks later I’d be sick again.)
So man I hear you on the infections thing. Not breathing was bad enough, but the headaches were just plain evil. At times, the swelling would be so bad in the sinuses cavaties behind my eyes that my vision would blur. I remember how I’d sit on a sofa and hit my forehead with a larger remote control over and over again, just because it was a relief (albeit somewhat painful) of the pressure.
Due to the mess that was my sinuses, I had surgery on them five years ago. I had a few infections in the next couple of years following, but nothing like I’d had before. I’m actually setting a personal record–I haven’t been on an antibiotic for a sinus infection in nearly two years!
My recommendation? See your doctor, of course. After (or before) that…Afrin, used only at night. That stuff will clear everything up so you can breathe (and thus, sleep). Don’t use it during the day though; repeated use of the stuff can actually create a tolerance in your schnoz and thus–a dependence of it. I find using it (at night only) for a week works just fine with no ill effect. Sudafed (cold and allergy formula) is the only OTC decongestant that ever did me any good. For headaches, 600mg (3 pills) of ibuprofen works. It’s actually an anti-inflammatory (my doc says), and the headache is more about inflammation than general pain (which Tylenol is better at treating).
Here’s a long distance, germ-free hug for yah Saint…
{{{{{Saint Zero}}}}}
////Saint Zero\\
Spider hugs aren’t the warmest (they are coldblooded), but my wishes for your recovery are. I hope you feel better soon.
-----
—////\\
Hey Ruffian, I had the same surgery about 8-9 years ago. Polyps, deviated septum, the whole works. I had been a mouth-breather for years. Try as I might, I couldn’t even blow my nose. The grossest part was the fact that undrained infected sinuses become very rancid.
The surgery changed my life. Every once in a while I have to go on steroids (prednisone or celestone), and take a steroid-based spray such as Nasalide or Flonase. Occassional decongestant or Benadryl, and I’m good to go!
I repeat, the surgery changed my life. I can breathe! I can breathe! I am no longer a sniffling, stuffed up, rancid-headed outcast from society!
Hijack
Say “Sinus Infections Stink” five times fast.
unhijack
one of my friend’s fathers died Tuesday from a sinus infection, he had severe sinus infections for 2.5 months and finally the pressure burst his nasal cavities and the fluid filled his skull drowning his brain in his own snot…
what a way to go, eh?
Oh, sorry, umm… that wasn’t meant to be a downer… heh… Sorry for the slight Hijack-
but yes, Sinus infections stink.
my father gets them every summer, so I probably will also, which is really very re-assuring 
also, I have seen my father doing that bang-your-head-with-the-remote-even-though-your-wife-looks-like-you-are-insane-your-kids-run-away-and-your-cat-thinks-you-are-crazier-than-he-is routine, seems to work for him
Now there’s an enchanting thought for us sinus sufferers. Poor soul.
But it does reinforce the point: See your doctor, Zero, if you haven’t gone already. All that suphedrine isn’t good for you, and if it’s infected it’s not going to get better on its own. Hope you feel better soon {{Zero}}