Sinusitus And Bronchitus(bronchitis) Which I Keep Getting Over And Over?Help

Ok, This is what I want to know: During the last couple months of bad weather,and huge amts.of pollen,allegies,stuff in the atmosphere,Hot,hot weather,and having bronchitus (bronchitis) & sinusitus together in the late Spring(cause of bad weather,Doc said)at least twice. I got it for the 3rd time in the hot summer.

  My doctor is a good intern,and smart,but not an ENT.He is a good general practictioner.I said,"Should I go to ENT?I am afraid I'm gonna die!!" He says,"No,it is just a very bad year for allergies"(I think lots of other people here,older especially,like me at 58,are sick,too,have a hard time getting over this.)"Everyone is getting sick."  But,he does not have to worrry;I'm the 3-time loser with sinus infection and bronchitus (bronchitis) 3 times in a row,over a whole winter,spring,and summer.

  All he has me doing is: Using Nasonex nose spray,(should I use Flonase?)using saltwater nose spray, five days of Zithromax(again)after which he wants me to use Septra(which I used for years,and it does not work on me anymore,cause of built-up tolerance)and since I have not used the Septra for 2 or 3 years,he says the Septra will work on me;so does the pharmacist. I try to use:a Bronchial steamer,which I wash out religiously,each time I use it,although some of it breaks off in tiny pieces,VicksVapoRub all over my chest,and sinus,and it helps me breathe SO MUCH BETTER.Now,I cannot take:real pill decongestants;why?They conflict with my Effexor medicine(for depression).Honest,I can't use decongestants.This IS A BIG PROBLEM IN HELPING DECONGESTING MY SINUS!

[National Jewish]

It is obvious you are concerned about what is going on and what may happen this winter.  If this is the case, it is reasonable to see an ENT and/or have a CT scan of your sinuses.  This will tell you immediately if the sinuses are a problem and if they are a contributing factor to these other issues.  I would talk with your doctor about your fears and request a referral or have the CT scan under his direction.

[celticmom]

You doc is wrong - it is time to find a good ENT.  I have/had chronic sinusitis which led to multiple lung infections and finally asthma before I was dx'd correctly.  It may be that you just need a long course of antibiotic (not zpac) and a steroid to clear things up or it could require surgery, regardless I think you are way beyond an Internist at this point.

[bactitech]

I used to be a marketing rep for laboratory services. I remember what one GP told me a long time ago. He said that once you refer a patient to a specialist, you essentially lose that patient (AND that patient's income).

He does have a financial incentive (even though they won't admit it) to keep you as his patient rather than refer you to an ENT. You must absolutely insist on the referral or get a different doctor. Septra is the brand name for trimethoprim sulfamethoxasole. It is a sulfa based antibiotic, and you are probably resistant to it by now. Has anyone ever performed a culture of your NP area?

I spoke with an ENT doc over the phone about special cultures just last night at work. He said he had a special speculum that enabled him to go in through the nose to culture the maxillary sinus region in our ER. I would suspect most internists don't have those instruments or expertise available to them.

You probably need some cultures performed to see what exactly is going on in your sinuses. We are seeing a rise in resistance to Z-pak (Azithromycin) in our laboratory. I would suspect this is going on elsewhere also. It's best not to use big gun antibiotics for too long until you discover exactly what you are treating. This is how bacterial resistance comes about. If you have, say, a fungal infection going on, all the antibiotics in the world are not going to cure that.

Good luck.

[jackhammer]

What a great web site.  I have had somewhat the same experience this summer.  I am 33, never smoked a day in my life and run 5 miles 5 days a week.  This year I moved to the UK and was forced to live in a hotel for 2 months.  Within 2 weeks of moving here I dreaded going to my room because of the aircondition.  Soon after I developed what I would call a smokers cough. Soon after the cough was bringing up bright yellow sputum. I lost my sense of smell and taste for a few weeks. My ears wouldn't pressuize for mouths.  I have had a bad taste in my mouth for what seems like months as well.  

My first visit to the doctor had me on amozocillan?? This seemed at first to be working, but the cough came right back along with the sinuses.  The next visit to the doctor had me on Zpac for 5 days.  This cleared up my sinuses but changed the color of my sputum from yellow to more of a light brownish. The sputum was also a lot harder to bring up and came up in large doses.  I went on Zpac for another round, and my cough as subsided by about 70% but still there. I have also had a light sore throat from time to time throught this entire thing along with a lot of mucus in the back of my throat. This has been going on for over 4 months and I have had it.  Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[wilkat]

You might want to try Ketek.  It is fairly new and in the same category as Zithromycin but has better coverage and less resistance.

[julie43]

ok I am 44 and have been told all my life I am a persistent bronchitus (bronchitis) patient??? I cough up blood as well as green and browm ****??? then given very strong antibiotics it clears?, it has taken me soo long to write this for the coughing??  hang on i'll be back in a min.....ok so now its possibliy ashma?? whatever??? how you spell it i'm soo out of breath???
I am told my xray is clear but my GP told me to get Beechams all in one????? have you ever heard such advise??
It will help stop the coughing and save on the amount of antibiotics used ?? and may help me sleep at night ????? well done english GP'S.
Shame I didn't live in America my insurance would pay for more tests and they might get to the bottom of it?( a specialist)??
Yes I was a smoker and my father died of lung cancer I am now waiting for my brown sputum to turn to coffee like granules ...(dried blood) then I know I have lung cancer<<,,,, English patients ,,, diagnose yourselves >>> G.P's ... are general practitioners they do not specialize they try this and that and then it's too late the waiting list is too long to help you
in england you have to fight for your life... cough .....cough
and tell your GP you need a specialist.. and if they say no .. don't take it... be firm.. after all they are not the specialist.
US ENGLISH NEED TO BE FIRM AND DEMAND MORE...AFTER ALL ITS YOUR LIFE. REMEMBER G.P!S ARE JUST GENERAL DOCTORS THEY MAKE MISTAKES AND YOUR LIFE IS IN THEIR HANDS?? if you don't agree go over their heads.. I am doing that .. keep you posted

[julie43]

ok I am 44 and have been told all my life I am a persistent bronchitus (bronchitis) patient??? I cough up blood as well as green and browm ****??? then given very strong antibiotics it clears?, it has taken me soo long to write this for the coughing??  hang on i'll be back in a min.....ok so now its possibliy ashma?? whatever??? how you spell it i'm soo out of breath???
I am told my xray is clear but my GP told me to get Beechams all in one????? have you ever heard such advise??
It will help stop the coughing and save on the amount of antibiotics used ?? and may help me sleep at night ????? well done english GP'S.
Shame I didn't live in America my insurance would pay for more tests and they might get to the bottom of it?( a specialist)??
Yes I was a smoker and my father died of lung cancer I am now waiting for my brown sputum to turn to coffee like granules ...(dried blood) then I know I have lung cancer<<,,,, English patients ,,, diagnose yourselves >>> G.P's ... are general practitioners they do not specialize they try this and that and then it's too late the waiting list is too long to help you
in england you have to fight for your life... cough .....cough
and tell your GP you need a specialist.. and if they say no .. don't take it... be firm.. after all they are not the specialist.
US ENGLISH NEED TO BE FIRM AND DEMAND MORE...AFTER ALL ITS YOUR LIFE. REMEMBER G.P!S ARE JUST GENERAL DOCTORS THEY MAKE MISTAKES AND YOUR LIFE IS IN THEIR HANDS?? if you don't agree go over their heads.. I am doing that .. keep you posted

[margwil]

A related discussion, sinus problems was started.