Another Sinus Surgery?

[mi5les]

I have been battling 5 years of chronic sinusitis and sinus infections.  The same doctor performed two sinus surgeries (1st, deviated septum, turbinate reduction and 2nd one to clear blocked maxillary sinuses).  I still have at least 10 sinus infections a year with terrible headaches, fever and fatigue.  I have some mild allergies and am getting weekly shots.  I have been on all kinds of antibotics, nasal sprays, antihistamines and steriods, but I still keep getting infections whenever I get a cold.

I just went to a new ENT doctor who looked down into my sinuses and said that he does surgery differently than my previous Dr, hinting that did not have all done that needed to be.  He put me on antibotics (another sinus infection) and we have a CAT scan scheduled and probably surgery.  Am I on the right track going through another surgery, what could the other Dr have missed?  Thank you for your input.

[National Jewish Health]

Unless the CT scan clearly demonstrates a need for surgery, you should avoid surgery and consider getting a second opinion from an ENT, unrelated to the first ENT, both personally and professionally, perhaps at an institution such as the Mayo Clinic, the Cleveland Clinic or comparable clinics.  If surgery is recommended, ask to be told exactly what is to be done, why it is indicated, what should be your reasonable expectations, as a result of the surgery.  Also ask the surgeon about his/her experience with the proposed surgery, both performance and outcomes and also foreseeable complications or adverse events.

The reason for your recurrent infections may be immunologic, rather than anatomic.  That is, you may have some type of immunodeficiency, such as common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) that would predispose you to recurrent sinusitis.  You should be checked for this type of condition, before ever agreeing to more surgery.

[mi5les]

Thanks for your comments.  After much consideration and research I am going through with another surgery.  I reviewed my CT scan with my new ENT Dr and he showed me how my Maxillary sinuses were open, but a full sinus surgrey was not done on me.  He is going to open up my Ethmoid and possibly my Frontal sinuses.

I am also continuing my allergy shots.  I did have blood work on my immune system which came back normal.

I just don't see what else I can do.  I am miserable this winter with constant sinus headaches and pressure and foggy head.

I hope you find relief soon too.

[lifelongcold]

I too have had head cold since I was a baby. do you get an odor from your nose or mouth,  I get crust in my nose, but  I never get headaches. nothing has helped I do rinse with salt water, but after a few hours I feel the crust comes back again. the smell is what bothers me the most, the rest I can live with

[andysdarling]

Hi,

I've been going through the same thing. Since I was 13 years old I've had three sinus surgeries. I'll be 24 this Sunday. I still have chronic sinus infections, but out of fear of excessive scar tissue or possible brain fluid leakage (yes, for people that have had prior sinuses surgeries the the risk goes much higher for complications). There is a new surgery out there called ballonoplasty. It looks promising, and there's not really any cutting done. I would check it out before going under the knife again.  You can see information on it here;  http://www.acclarent.com/professional/balloon.html

Also, after doing long rounds of anti-biotics I ended really sick with other things. But, I've been doing rounds of anti-biotics for about 10 years.

Hey, am I the only one that has resorted to odd behaviour to feel relief from my sinuses? I do the washes, but then I swab my nostrils out with sterilized cotton swabs. Sometimes after I do that, if I go deep enough, I get this gushing of discoloured mucus. It brings great relief for about 10 min. I know I shouldn't, but that temporary relief feels amazing.

[rigirl2]

I am going through the same exact thing!
I have already had sinus surgery.
I have sinus infections every other month and recently I can not get rid of the one I got in July.  
I am suffering badly.

I have recently had an MRI which showed Severe  inflammation in the Sphenoid sinuse which is directly in the ceter of the head.
I have recently seen an ENTwho specializes in this since it is so close to the brain.   He looked at the recent ct scan I had and said that the amount of inflammation does not really call for surgery.
My other symptoms are:
-facial swelling from cheek bones up
-confusion and foggy thinking
-on & off dull headaches that are in my forehead and between eyes.
-very light headed.

Also, one other thing, when I bend over I feel a rush type of burning pressure sensation up my nose... I know this sounds weird.

The only thing that seems to make all of the above go away within about 3 days is a high dose of prednizone.   Because I have had migraine headaches in my left eye in the past, the doctor had given prednizone to me for a 3 week period just to break the migraine.
well, at the time I got the migraine I already had the above listed symptoms and within approx 2 days my face was no longer swelled, the confusion and foggy head went away and dull headache gone.

I am desperatly trying to find out if this is truly due to the sinus inflamation.  With the symptoms that I have I can't  see how it could be anything else.  

I truely know what your going through.
Let me know if you have any additonal info on this and I will let you know as well.
I am going back to see the ENT on mon and he just wanted to do an allergy scratch test again and include testing for mold.
Although in the past I did not appear to have allergic reations to the test he wants to re-do at this time.  

My biggest problem right now is that the foggy head and confusion & swollen face is real bad.  It is to a point that as of yesterday I took a leave of absence from work. I need to resolve this ASAP as it is causing a real serious problem.

I'm sorry that this info is not a solution or answer but I will let you know what I find out from my doc on monday.

Also,  I read an article of protocol steps in curing chronic sinus infection:

-1st was antibiotic and a saline salt rinse a few times a day
- more aggressive treatment was taking a culture of the
  sinus fluid or mucuous from within your nose and sinus.
  I believe they send to a lab and have a culture done and add
  antibodies to the specimen then they use that as the antibiotic
  to take to try to cure it which should be specific to the infection
  that exists.  
  Long term oral antibiotic and  or antibiotic by intravenous or actually
  putting the antibiotic in your sinuses.
  
  Sorry that the above description is not in any medical terms but
  I am just going by memory of what I read.  I do have the artical but not with me.


oh,  I just found an artical that I saved.  there is a copy of it,  ;I'll just copy & past it:  see below:

I tried to copy & past but it was too large to fit in this area.
try clicking on the below link to view the artical

http://www.webmd.com/content/article/4/1680_51943.htm