8 sinus infections in 9 months

[sporadic55]

I have had 8 sinus infections in 9 months. If I don't take antibiotics they won't go away.  It seems abnormal to me to have that many infections in such a short time.  It averages out  to almost one infection per month.  Should go see a specialist? My family doctor said it was mostly up to me.  Any advice you have would be wonderful.

[National Jewish]

It is most likely that you have had only one sinus infection over this entire period of time. It has been suppressed by antibiotics, but not eliminated and thus the symptoms keep coming back. This is not an uncommon problem and is often associated with a blocked opening of one or more of the sinus cavities. This blockage prevents the infection from easily being eliminated. There are several medical options and often surgical options, as well. I would suggest seeing a specialist who will further evaluate this situation and direct an appropriate course of action.

[starion]

Dear Friend,
I suspect (as my pulmonologist later vocalized) that we often don't fully clear up some infections & the antibiotic just causes it to subside a bit & mutate into a stronger form, even though we take it for the recommended course.  I finally ended up being prescribed Biaxin for several months @ 500 mg 2x/day.  It finally got the post-nasal drip & colored mucous to stop!  Since then, whenever I do get another infection, we start antibiotics much sooner and take it until there is no post-nasal drip and no discolored mucous, which tends to be considerably longer than the "recommended course."  My primary doctor was not comfortable with these longer courses, but my pulmonologist has much more clinical experience with folks with chronic lung conditions and has had a great deal of success having his patients take longer courses of antibiotics.
Sometimes, our bodies don't respond to the first antibiotic we take either, so sometimes we have to have our doctors switch us to a different medication.
Also, if you have allergies which affect your nose (as I do), that can also be a catalyst for starting a sinus infection.  You might want to consult an allergist for allergy testing and treatment--discuss it with your doctor.  8 sinus infections in 9 months sounds miserable to me!  (I've been there.)
Aloha,
Starion--thriving in HI

[twingirl]

My daughter and I have sinus problems a lot.  As you, my daughter would have sinus infections all the time taking antibiotics all the time even low doses for three months at a time.  I don't see where it would do any harm to see an ENT just to get an evaluation and to make sure nothing else is going on.  I have a diviated septum which causes me a lot of problems with sinus infections. My daughter has has had two sinus surgeries after putting up with sinus infections and taking too many antibiotics.  The sinus surgeries were nothing radical, and they have helped her immensely. Good luck!

[yacool]

I am 55 yrs old.female.  over the past 30 years or so I hv had many problems that hv with time deteriorated of course. For all this length of time I hv had high ESR. No doctor had ever been able to find reason for this. I was alwsys generally energetic, healthy looking and overactive. I hv never looked "sickly", therefore I was never taken seriously when I went to doctors. As years progressed, all the problems I hv had hv worsened. I hv had pneumonia 4 times in the last 6 yrs. I hv an auto immune disease that nobody seems to know what it is. I vhv been over the last few yrs been told I hv chronic bronchitis, asthma, etc., Every morning, without fail, I cough up heaps of mucus for about half an hour or so. I hv very bad sinuses. I hv to take anti histemines every day (non drousy). I hv ever since I can remeber myself, always suffered from many many allergies and still do. I am incompatible with most drugs, antibiotics etc., I am riddled with athritis, all my bones hurt. I hv osteo athritis in upper neck and slipped discs (2) in lower back. I could go on and on. What I am trying to point out is, I personally think that all these problems, or the majority are linked. I cannot sleep at night as my legs ache, althugh when this does not occur, I am a good sleeper. Could I at my age (or 30 years ago) hv cystic fibrosis?Reading one of yr pages, my symptoms are much the same as this. Or what do you think. Please help me.

[yacool]

Dear Nurse/Doctor,
This is my second letter. I wrote you regarding my ESR and other problems, but because there are so many, forgot about my stomach.  I would say out of all my problems, my stomach is the biggest, especially at present. I hv had barium meal approx. 6 to 7 yrs ago. I wss then diagnosed with hiatus hernia, esophagitis anf ulcers.  I was given Losec for a year which seemed then to ease the tremendous pains. However, about a yar or so after I stopped Losec, everything came back and worse. I hv all the pains, heartburn, and an added bloated feeling, very uncomfortable where you cant wear anything at all slightly tight on or near dtomach, like bra, panties or ever slacks. I seem to bloat up enormously. This has been accompanied by phlem and coughing to the point of wetting myself at times when the cough is dry or dry retching when phlemmy. I dont know for sure, but feel this is coming from my stomach, but doctor thinks maybe from lungs or sinuses. I had an untra sound whic showed enlarged aorta. Doctor suspected aneurism so had CT (but without injection because of my allergies) and that shwed normal. I am so confused. As I told you in my 1st letter, I hv had high ESR fpr approx. 30 yrs. now, and I know there is something seriously wrong with me, but no one has been able to track what this is down. Please help me. Awaiting your reply. Yacool.