CONSTANT STUFFINESS DESPITE SURGERY

My sinus dilemma (any advice appreciated)

I've never posted regarding my health before- but this forum seemed to contain a lot of stories similar to mine so I thought maybe someone can assist me...
I'm going to try make this as thorough as possible so I can receive the best feedback possible.
It isn't perfect, but I have edited it a few times for your convenience.

MEDICAL HISTORY

I am overall healthy, 180, 6'0” Male 28 years German/Polish/Slovak/Hungarian/American.  
I have fair skin and lots of freckles.  I sunburn easily.
I have had cold sores, Herpes 1 since birth.  I often get an outbreak at same time as sinus symptoms.
I had had minor TMJ issues since 18- no treatment.
I grew up in a household which smoked indoors and in cars 7- 15 yrs of age.
I smoked myself from age 16-21.
I have allergy, to many ragweeds(ENT said highest he's seen 8 on a 1-10 scale), also dustmites, etc.
I've been in a 3 rear end accidents and rolled one car ages 16, 17, 18, and 22 respectively.
I've had some head trauma, another child's teeth punctured my forehead at 10, fell out of a tree onto my head at 12, and my forehead head hit windshield of car at 17.  I also hit my head on the side of a stage which required only staples.
I had migraines during college.  They would affect my vision to the point I needed to close all blinds and throw a cover over my head to stop the pain and seemed to be somehow stress related.

At 23 I had my first sinus infection ever... likely a combination of a 60hr a week job and a mold problem existing in the 1922 home I lived in.  I did not know what it was and did not have health insurance at the time.  I was plagued for months by a cold(i thought) which would go away for a couple days and then return with a constant sore throat.  After reading lots of books and even an Otolaryngology text  I finally went to the Dr to get an anti-biotic which cleared this up.  I also went to an allergist and began doing allergy shots.  During the hurricane’s of 05 our refrigerator lost power and I don't know if it affected the allergy vials but when I took a dose it had an adverse inflaming affect and I stopped taking them at that point(after near 6 months treatment).  From here I went generally symptom free for sometime.

Then, at around age 25 I began again getting sinus infections chronically.  I couldn't bear the constancy of them and I took my ENT's suggestion for the most minimum available surgery of the maxillary sinus.  After surgery I felt like a kid again.  However, almost one year after the surgery, symptoms and inflammation began to return.  When these returned I began doing more research.  And I decided to go on a near Vegan diet for almost 2 years which I believe helped.  I went off it because symptoms seems to be continuing regardless of the diet(which I was having some difficulty maintaining just due to the time invested in planning, etc).  

ENVIRONMENT
I currently sell auto insurance by phone, so I sit in a chair in front of a computer with a headset talking to maybe 20-40 people per day.  I am a top performer at work, in what I consider a very repetitious and stressfull job- wikipedia says call center employees usually burnout after 12-18 months.  I have been in this career 2 years.  The building has near 2000 people in and out per week and ventilation systems typical for a four story corporate building.  Outside of work I regularly do construction related work, install tile, landscaping, wood work, paint etc.

I live in a 1942 frame house with window unit air/heat in the living room only.  I had a mold test done from my bedroom which suggested no mold beyond what is typically found outdoors.  I live in Central Florida(lots of Oak and citrus).

SYMPTOMS
Almost always when I have this sinus pressure it also comes with a lot of tension in the cerebellum, shoulders, and the area just at the base of my skull where the neck connects(i often massage the mastoid bone to decrease the pain).  It affects the sides of my head and I get a burning through my sinuses.  I sometimes get sharp pain near my hairline at left and right at times.  Even when I can breath well I often feel an aching in my nose.  I get incredible fatigue and randomly my teeth hurt.  Lately I even get cold sore outbreaks which accompany the sinus congestion.  Also it sometimes makes the inside of my ears hurt and/or itch.  In addition I get a temporary confusion/dizziness/loss of balance/bump into things etc.

I rarely have any cough or chest issues or sore throat unless I have a genuine cold which is maybe ten percent of the time I experience sinusitis.  The most recent bout has gone on since March 2010 and I have had along with it I get 6-10 sinus infections since then(I stopped allergy injections at this time because I was advised not to be stressing my system unduly).  Actually 2 weeks off from symptoms is the best I have had in the last 8 months.  Whether I take a 14 day antibiotic or a 20 day steroid(prednisone- which made me feel great except for the horrible chest pain side effect toward the end) the symptoms return within 1 week of stopping treatment.

Most of the time I am on a daily antihistamine fenofexadine, and a nasal spray steroid nasonex.  I do regular sinus rinses with salt water when neccesary 0-4 times daily.  (sometimes sinus rinses are extremely productive and other times nothing comes out after 4 times- I almost think more water goes in than comes out 25% of the time)  Similarly, sometimes I blow my nose and feel something is stuck but I dont have the force to blow it out... but depending on the angle of my head(usually from left to right it will be more or less productive.   Last night for instance I went to sleep with one nostril blocked and it was still blocked when I woke up.  As I was twisting my neck rolling over to get out of bed, all the inflammation seemes to release, a gob of infected snot rolled out of my nose thankfull, but then within 5 minutes the nostril was locked up tight again.  For the last several months I will often sleep with a humidifier.  When I feel stuffy,  I drink hot tea or take sudafed and sometimes benadryl.

DR RECCOMENDATIONS...

My original surgery ENT after repeated visitis and MRIs told me I looked fine(through the scope up my nose) and did not need to return for AT LEAST(and he stressed this) 8 months.  I was so offended that I have not gone back since then- because truly the pain gets severe.

I went to a second ENT for another opinion who did a CT scan which he says showed inflammation totally blocking the sinus between my eyes. After a 20 day steroid which showed a large reduction in this inflammation suggested I am a candidate for a more thorough surgery.

I went to a third ENT who agreed with the second Drs recommendation (after he asked me and I told him the other docs opinion).  He also pointed out on the CT scan a partial obstruction toward the bottom of one of the frontal sinuses.

ALT THERAPY
I tried a candida cleanse once which seemed to help some.  And I sometimes use the ear candles which relieves my ears some.  And I've also gone to a Vietnamese herbalist who put together a concoction which did help.  I can't afford ongoing medicine like this at $60 a week any better than I like other remedies...

[stuffyinthesouth]

CONCERNS  WITH SURGERY

I realize there can be immediate benefits by going through with the surgery.  However, more than 3 people in my job place alone have had sinus problems where they have performed 5! sinus surgeries... and they still have unresolved issues.  I don't want to cal sinus surgery a racket.... but it seems like and easy prescription which may not be addressing the root cause of the problem.  And I am very concerned that it could cause permanent damage. I have read people become more susceptible to infection there after because functional cilia tissue is now scar tissue, etc.   (If I can make an observation that it merely sounds like it makes good business sense, for instance: if this is at all a common outcome it creates a customer for life.  It's almost like a flooring contractor suggesting laminate flooring in a bathroom or kitchen, where tile would be more appropriate in case of broken pipe or a leaking waterline to your refrigerator’s ice-maker.  But maybe the contractor doesn't mind because you come right back to him when it does flood and he makes his money on both ends.)

SOLUTION??
Honestly, I am beginning to get desperate for a solution and willing to do anything- as before the first sinus surgery.  I just cant handle the symptoms or all of the maintenance and down time.  Today I am off all antibiotics and nose sprays.  I just took two days off work for bed rest because I got a cold/infection.  I took an Epsom salt bath and rinse my nose and take OTC decongestants as needed and I am feeling better.  But I don't feel like I am at the end of this.  But I do feel like I am at the end of my rope.  All the reading and all the DR's I talk to seems to be very unproductive- all they want to do is dish out pharmaceuticals and perform $10,000 surgeries.  So please is there someone who has knowledge of the underlying cause, a permanent solution, input, and/or just an honest opinion?  If you can relate to this scenario, please give me some feedback.

Best Regards,
Stuffy in the south