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Sinusitis and deviated septum

I've had sinusitis since I had a cold/flu 2 months ago. I've had it once many years before, but it went away after about a week of antibiotics. This time, after numerous GP visits, I've taken doxycycline (1 week), then prednisone (1 week) together with roxithromycin (20 days) without much effect. A CT scan showed major blockage of sinuses on my left hand side, but clear on the right. I went to an ENT specialist 2 weeks ago who gave me a longer dose of prednisone (2 more weeks) and roxithromycin (6 more weeks). I'm also regularly using a budescodine nasal spray.

The specialist advised me to stay on the antibiotics for 6 weeks, and go for surgery if it does not improve by then. But he offered me the option of going to surgery earlier if I want.

However, I still have not seen any improvement, and I'm taking panadol once or twice every day. Over the weekend it seems that it has gotten worse - I have had slightly more pressure than normal, and my mucus has gone greener and it stinks. It has changed colour on and off, but I haven't had the odour problem in a while, which seems to indicate to me that the antibiotics are not helping or that I'm getting worse and not better.

I'm wondering whether it would be best to make a return trip to the specialist and ask to have the surgery or whether to wait out the 4 more weeks of antibiotics as he initially suggested.

I'm sort of leaning towards going for surgery, because the CT scan also showed that I have a deviated nasal septum that has been giving me a lot of breathing problems for a lot of my life (it was misdiagnosed as hay fever), that I would like to have fixed with another surgery - and the ENT specialist said that I can have the 2 surgeries together, which will save me some time and trouble.
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Avatar universal
The sinus surgery will get rid of it.  Weird, I had the same issues, even the blockage on the left side.

Anyway, before you do the surgery, discuss the pain management with your doctor.  This is very important.  Some people are more sensitive than other.  Most doctors will only prescribe to you the very lowest amount of pain meds.  If you are the type of person who experiences pain easily, this will NOT be enough.

I needed oxycodone to control my pain and had to go to the hospital to get it, cause the ENT on call absolutely REFUSED to prescribe anything above 5/500 hydrocodone.  He told me to "live with the pain" it would get better.  I didn't even ask for oxycodone at the hospital, but I lucked out and the doctor that saw me had sinus surgery and KNEW it was painful.  I just wanted the higher dose hydrocodone.    Needless to say, I had nose bleeds for two weeks after it and it was very painful. My advice, discuss what the doctor will give you for pain meds BEFORE the surgery.  If they act like, "oh that will be plenty for you."  Tell them you'll look elsewhere for a doctor who will be more interested in how you will feel, not everyone else.
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Avatar universal
hey there,

one last thing about the surgery i forgot to mention!!! since the surgery my top lip is uneven. its not really noticable to most, but for me, i see it. its a little fuller on one side than the other. not sure why that happened to me since the surgery was for my nose, but it has. makes it hard when applying lipstick, lol.

jenn
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
When I started the Sinus Flush journal a few years back, I saw it as the last resort for sinus infections after surgery.  It has moved up a notch, and sinus surgery is now the last resort, for chronic infection, for most people.

I'd recommend the septoplasty, as a deviated septum can cause drainage problems as well as breathing problems, and a sinus flush would get more risky as you get older.

However, based on the many stories I've seen here, including worst-case scenarios like irishghost, I would resist anybody messing with my turbinates.
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Avatar universal
hey there,

i don't want to scare you out of treatment, but i had the turbinate, septoplasty, and broken nose surgery about 2 years ago. it was the worst thing i could of ever done. the only thing good that came out of it was i can breath a little easier, but everything else is much much worse. i have chronic infections, with these mucus/boogers, sorry so gross, but they are huge, like the size of golf balls. i don't know how they even come out of my nose they are so big. they are mainly green in color, but sometime a little yellow and bloody. they smell and taste so bad!!! i also suffer from chronic headaches since the surgery. everyone is right on telling you that you need to find a doc that will help you with the pain if you choose to do the surgery. after my surgery, i was sooooo sick and in soooooo much pain. i had the worst headaches for three days. all i can remember is passing out alot from the pain, and that i was praying to die. now thats just sad. my hubby called the ent because if was too weak to do so, and told him about the pain i was in. he said it will pass, and pretty much called me a baby!!! was he freaking kidding me?? it had to be bad pain for me to pass out. i have a very high threshhold of pain, i always did. i had these headaches for about 3 days, then they turned into migrains, which at least i was able to get myself to the hospital then. the er doc ordered a cat scan for me and upon looking at the results, he said that he had never seen anyone with so much crap in their face, ever. i was full of infection completely in all my sinus cavities. i was lucky he sent me home with some pain meds, i think they were oyx's, and it helped with some of the pain. it was the worst thing i have ever went through. i would rather give birth to a 20lb baby than ever go through it again. ever since then, i have had worst symptoms then i did before the surgery. i now suffer from chronic infections, nasal pain, my septom is terrible(he ruined it), constant pressure in my face(worse during the fall, winter and spring), constant swelling, horrible allergies, constant nasal drip in my throat, lungs and nose, chronic headaches 24/7, dizziness, nausea, lung infections, throat infections, severe nerve pain in my face(cheeks, nose, eyes, jaw, ears, neck, head and teeth), loss of taste and smell most days, and just miserable. i went to this doc because he came highly recommended by alot of others. he said the surgery would make me 100% better, and he is a liar. i now have to live with this everyday, everyday i'm in pain. i now just found out i have lupus. i am not saying the surgery caused it, but i do think it opened the door for it. i was not sick like this before the surgery, but since, i'm always sick!!! i went back to him a few times after the surgery and he said he could not understand why my sinuses are sooo bad. i have had antibiotics so many times i lost count. he said he was baffled about my condition and then acted like i was bothering him for wanting to know why as well. when i went back to him the last time, he didn't want to take the time for me, kinda ignored me a little, so i never went back. i have a new ent now, and he is trying to help me. he wanted to do another surgery on me, but i will not do it, not even when hell freezes over!!! i figure i'm stuck like this for the rest of my life, so i'm coping with it. make sure you get a really great ent to do your surgery if you decide to go through with it. get 3 and 4 opinions before letting someone come near you. make sure the doc is gonna give you the proper pain meds you need, not some weak hydrocodone, but something stronger. make sure the ent will be there after the surgery if you have questions or need help. i pray for you, and wish you the best!!!

jenn

if you have any questions, please feel free to ask me!!!
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
I should mention that for the first 3 or 4 days you may not get satisfactory results--it may take that long for the saline to shrink the swollen nasal passages.  Around the 4th or 5th day you should expect some of that green stuff to be coming out.
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Avatar universal
Thanks for the advice. I'll give that Flip-Turn Sinus Flush a go.
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Avatar universal
Here is the cure for sinusitis that resists antibiotics:

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/2322

The Flip-Turn Sinus Flush is mildly risky, because you have to bend over to do it, preferably in a shower, but you can also do it outside on soft ground.

Continue taking the antibiotics, like your doctor said. You may feel a little worse before you get better.

When it is cleared up, your deviated septum surgery will be easier for everybody.
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