8 Month Sinus Infection/Eye discharge/Infamed eyelids

[Worstsinuses]

I have a long history of sinus infections and sinus sugeries. I have had 2 frontal obliterations, the first being 22 years ago and the last one being 2 years ago. The latter was found via an MRI and symptoms were Pseudonomas infection for almost 1 year with 5 fungi infections during the last 3 months. Had round of oral antibiotics and 3 months (I believe) of Levaquin via a PIC line....after removal, infection resumed in 1 week.  Now I have had Pseudonomas since April and again am on oral Levaquin. The infection is isolated in the Ethmoid sinuses. When taken off antibiotics, infection resumes in 5 to 10 days. Another symptom, which appeared FIRST and NEVER GOES AWAY, EVEN WHEN ON ANTIBIOTICS, is inflammation of my eyelids which, at first, responded to Oral steroids....Now they do NOT respond to any type of oral or INJECTED steroids (right into the sinus).  I also have blisters now on outside and inside of top of eyelid and now has also spread to lower eyelid. Constant discharge, especially in morning, occurs. The left eyelid is also impacted, but not as great as right eyelid. My right sinus area has always been worse since, during 1st sinus surgery 22 yrs ago, artery was cut during surgery and the bone on right of nose was cut out to cauterize the artery (or I would have been blinded in 5 minutes as eye fills up with blood) and I also had spinal fluid pouring out of my nose as the infection in forehead sinus was so bad on that side that it ate thru the bone covering the brain; thus, while cleaning out the infection, there was no bone to protect the spinal fluid/brain. Within 5 months after this, my left forehead sinus was so infected that it did not show up on MRI, my headaches were unbearable and would I would awaken in middle of night screaming in pain, and thus, my doc did an obliteration within a few weeks. He found that they are only good for about 15-20 years and that's why I had it done again 2 years ago. Now, I believe he will put me on PIC line with antibiotics and my thought is that this will NOT work and again & that he will need to resort to surgery. He said does not want to do surgery as he said the MRI shows the ethmoid area is a mess with bone fragments, etc. and there is a chance of blindness since it is a mess in there. However, I have no energy and cannot work, I ache all over, my sinuses are killing me, I need to be on powerful addictive pain meds, and I cannot think straight. Needless to say, there are people worse off than me, but I cannot function this way, sleeping all day, in chronic pain and doing nothing. I am continuing to get worse every day and need someone to help!!! Plus, if my doc is afraid of operating on me, I do not feel comfortable with him doing the surgery, although he specializes in sinusus. Also, the MRI (in Jan this year) shows excessive tissue in the right sinuses, where the infections and pain is worse. This showed up 4 months before my infections started in April of this year. So my question is that is it the excess tissue that is causing these infections due to their inflammation or is the infection make them flare up? He thinks it's the infection causing the inflammation, however, he said that their is minor inflammation in my sinuses, but my eyelid is ALWAYS swollen....This swelling is obvious to everyone and sometimes my eyelid is only 1/2 open.  HELP!!!

[AshleyLynn]

Have you ever had your immune system tested?

I left you a note in your profile that will tell you a little more about me...but I'm going tomorrow morning to get a really extensive profile done on my immune system because they found a deficiency that causes me to have all of these sinus infections, and hopefully we'll be working towards...something!

I know how you feel though!

Best of luck!
Ashley

[lagnaf]

HI. Check your inbox and email me if you would please. Thanks!

[mjpeterpan]

Just like with anything that has "stuff" on it...the areas within your sinuses, if they are debilitated, need to be cleaned frequently.  Altho ENT's recommend nasal washes, etc., few people adhere to them.  A regimented, frequent use of saline washes, steam up your nostrils, and steriodal sprays immediately following the washes, and then tipping your head upside down (ie, laying on your bed, with head dropped off side) will cause the liquids and meds to open and dry and clean the fungus and debris getting caught in your head. I suggest 3- 4 times a day, without end...you should consider it a part of your life.  This, in conjunction with eating raw broccoli sprouts, which is medically proven to help increase immunity to respiratory assailants by 300%, (google the studies), taking supplements of zinc and vitamen C, in addition to a multivitamin, and most important:  elevate your head at all times when you sleep and do not lay on one side or the other.  if you have difficulty sleeping like this, use sleeping medication (doxylamine succinate seems to work best, as it also has antihistamine properties and is a hypnotic that u do not become overtolerant to) within reason. Of course, don't get hooked on this. use it just to get used to the position and to improve your condition..and then try to lower your head, when your condition improves.   This, in conjunction to the broad-spectrum antibiotic, will work.  And once the antibiotic cycle is complete, you have to keep doing it religiously, no matter where you are, what you are doing, 4 times a day....all of the steps...use saline with high salt, I like the blue bottle of simply saline, as the salt is a dessicant and dries and sterilizes the mucus and helps the debris wash out in the liquid.  Good luck.