Aa
2 sinus surgeries
Im 45 y.o. female. In 2004 I started allergies injections for a variety of household/outdoor allergens. Started Neils Rinse, Gentamycin solutions, nasonex, nexium, rx antihistamines only to be diagnosed with chronic sinusitis. 02/07 RLL pneumonia , severe bronchitis and was hospitalized and at the same time had bilat FESS.
The physician claimed the surgery did not go well because I was so abcessed. I was treated with various IV ABT's and sent home with diagnosis of strep pneumonia. Swelling was a huge issue for me and steroids were the iv course switched to oral. I had a very hard time getting off. I developed very sensitive chest pain (cardiac and GI evaluated)
I finally was found to have non-acid bile reflux on 24 hr impedence study and GERD under control for Barretts (short segment). I had and have been immunized. In may of last year I "got well" after 5 hospital admissions. After another 6 week infection in the summer I got a second opinion which claimed my sinus' were worse and I underwent a bilateral caldwel-luc procedure (radical is to put it politely).
I finally got and Baylor Internist who has carefully been observing and testing me this year. I have been fully worked up from a medical standpoint, PET, MRI with false positive adrenal issues yet am still wondering how I came down with Pneumonia/Bronchitis and admitted into hospital again 2 wks ago basically my phlegm never stays clear and I continue to suffer on and off resp infections I believe from my sinus then to my lungs with so much irritation it causes me to wheeze and cough but FEV only moderately effected.
My tissues are still swelling if the air is not perfect, humidified or changes and it shunts straight to lungs.
I am on double antigen therapy . Neils rinse works one day and then many other blows up my sinuses.
I am trying to wean down medrol right now and take guifenisen 120-240mg per day to keep it thin.
CF (neg) runs in the family.
The physician claimed the surgery did not go well because I was so abcessed. I was treated with various IV ABT's and sent home with diagnosis of strep pneumonia. Swelling was a huge issue for me and steroids were the iv course switched to oral. I had a very hard time getting off. I developed very sensitive chest pain (cardiac and GI evaluated)
I finally was found to have non-acid bile reflux on 24 hr impedence study and GERD under control for Barretts (short segment). I had and have been immunized. In may of last year I "got well" after 5 hospital admissions. After another 6 week infection in the summer I got a second opinion which claimed my sinus' were worse and I underwent a bilateral caldwel-luc procedure (radical is to put it politely).
I finally got and Baylor Internist who has carefully been observing and testing me this year. I have been fully worked up from a medical standpoint, PET, MRI with false positive adrenal issues yet am still wondering how I came down with Pneumonia/Bronchitis and admitted into hospital again 2 wks ago basically my phlegm never stays clear and I continue to suffer on and off resp infections I believe from my sinus then to my lungs with so much irritation it causes me to wheeze and cough but FEV only moderately effected.
My tissues are still swelling if the air is not perfect, humidified or changes and it shunts straight to lungs.
I am on double antigen therapy . Neils rinse works one day and then many other blows up my sinuses.
I am trying to wean down medrol right now and take guifenisen 120-240mg per day to keep it thin.
CF (neg) runs in the family.
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
The health problems you describe have obviously been an absolutely dreadful experience and you have our sympathy for having had so much suffering.
Your history raises several questions. With the combination of severe upper (sinuses) and lower (pneumonia) respiratory infection have you been thoroughly tested for a variety of immunodeficiency states, including serum IgA deficiency? If not, you should be tested. Did the physician who did the FESS request thorough cultures of the abscess noted at surgery and was the tissue removed from your sinuses subjected to careful pathology exam to exclude an underlying disease such as granulomatous disease of the sinuses?
In that same vein, have you had comprehensive genetic testing, and not just a sweat test, for CF?
That your sputum never stays clear and assuming the phlegm originates in your lungs and not just your sinuses, suggests that there may be some type of structural lung damage/disease and/or an impairment of mucociliary clearance. Have you had a CT Scan of your lungs and bronchoscopy?
We suggest that you seek consultation with both an experienced pulmonary specialist and with an infectious disease specialist. The questions of atypical infection, immunodeficiency, and/or an underlying auto-immune disease state that predisposed you to these serial upper and lower respiratory infections, must be answered, if you are to get well.
Good luck
Your history raises several questions. With the combination of severe upper (sinuses) and lower (pneumonia) respiratory infection have you been thoroughly tested for a variety of immunodeficiency states, including serum IgA deficiency? If not, you should be tested. Did the physician who did the FESS request thorough cultures of the abscess noted at surgery and was the tissue removed from your sinuses subjected to careful pathology exam to exclude an underlying disease such as granulomatous disease of the sinuses?
In that same vein, have you had comprehensive genetic testing, and not just a sweat test, for CF?
That your sputum never stays clear and assuming the phlegm originates in your lungs and not just your sinuses, suggests that there may be some type of structural lung damage/disease and/or an impairment of mucociliary clearance. Have you had a CT Scan of your lungs and bronchoscopy?
We suggest that you seek consultation with both an experienced pulmonary specialist and with an infectious disease specialist. The questions of atypical infection, immunodeficiency, and/or an underlying auto-immune disease state that predisposed you to these serial upper and lower respiratory infections, must be answered, if you are to get well.
Good luck
Sorry to read of your problems. I think you would benefit from being tested for Cystic Fibrosis. My son has had multiple sinus infections, 3 surgeries and he is only 22. He is going in for a sweat chloride test this week. There have been previous discussions on this site re;CF. My son is also being tested for an immune deficiency. Even though his total IGg levels were normal, a blood test was ordered - Humoral Panel- that looked at his antibody levels. A few were low and he was immunized with pneumovax. Hib and DT. Then his bloodwork will be retested in about 4-6 weeks to see if he amde antibodies. Hope this helps a bit. Good luck.
Addendum:
This last time I was in the hospital for ? pneumonia, right lower lobe including "bronchiectasis" was the final diagnosis. Sent home from IV-Zitromax to PO.
Infection has gone but the phlegm battle and chest irritation from secretions has not!
Thnks,
Rbn
This last time I was in the hospital for ? pneumonia, right lower lobe including "bronchiectasis" was the final diagnosis. Sent home from IV-Zitromax to PO.
Infection has gone but the phlegm battle and chest irritation from secretions has not!
Thnks,
Rbn
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