Swollen everything....

[sofieg23]

For the past 5-6 months I have had some severe swelling from my neck up. Behind my right ear is where it started. Doc said I had a sinus infection so he gave me antibiotics. They didn't work so I tried a different antibiotic. Those didnt work either so finally he gave me Levaquin. It cleared it up for a little while, but I still had the swelling in my neck and the pain behind my ear. So I went to see my dentist because I thought maybe my wisdom tooth is putting pressure on my sinus cavity. When he pulled my tooth, my nose started to run like a faucet and I felt relief. But about a month later I had the swelling again so I went to my doc who prescribed my prednisone. It worked for about a week after I finished the script and then the swelling came back. So he gave me Medrol and the same thing happened with that. I am absolutely miserable and I really just want some relief. On top of all of that I have the pressure putting pain on my right eye and the right side of the base of my head. My muscles in my neck are very rigid and my lymph nodes are very swollen. I'm going to see my ENT in 2 weeks. I have a lot of stuffiness in my ears and I can hear what sounds like my heart beat in my ears and it can get very loud. I do have a post nasal drip going on and when I have these episodes of swelling, my throat feels very sore and swollen as well. Any ideas??

[Ricobord]

It sure sounds like an infection.  The prednisone and Medrol would reduce swelling, but would also suppress your immune system allowing an infection to get worse. Whatever infection you have, the antibiotics you have taken so far were insufficient to kill it.  

Try going back to your doctor and ask about getting some blood tests done for strep, staph (MRSA), meningitis, and any other possible tough-to-kill bugs your doctor might think of.  You should have those results in before your ENT appointment, which will make that appointment more productive.

I would not take any more steroids if I were you.  If it gets intolerable or you develop any frightening symptoms or a fever, go to urgent care or the ER and tell them your symptoms and all drugs taken so far.

[jessica_b]

allergies to something maybe an animal