# Chronic Sinusitis, anyone?

Category: Health and Wellness

## Post 1 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Thursday, 13-Sep-2012 13:15:47

I have had a cough for well over seven months now. after seeing my primary care physician who wrote a prescription for FlowNaze, ordered a chest x-ray (which came back normal), ordered a lung function test, had me go on a five-day course of an antibiotic and another thirty days on advaire because she thought it was mild bronchitis with no success, and finally referred me to a pulminologist because the lung function test had come back normal.
The pulminologist tried a couple of medications. Thinking alergies were the cause, I was instructed to take Claritin in the morning and Singulaire at night to assist with shortness of breath which was happening when I was lying down. It still happens every now and then. Anyway, those medications did nothing either. the pulminologist then gave me two choices: more meds or a cat scan of my sinuses to see if that could pick up anything. I went with my gut instinct, and said no more medication until we have a diagnosis, and asked him to order the cat scan. When I got the results later that week, it turned out I was right in following my inner ... whatever. I've always been right about whatever my body is telling me in the past. I do have chronic sinusitis unfortunately. Seven freakin months just to figure this shit out! He said at that point over the phone if the antibiotic he was prescribing didn't help with draining the trapped fluid, I would have to be referred to a specialist who would place me under general anasthesia and it would have to be drained surgically. Sorry for the long-winded explanation. I'm wondering if anyone here has had this procedure, either the older way of doing it or the balloon sinuplasty, which was approved by the FDA in 2005. I need all the info I can get at this point. thank you for your feedback.

## Post 2 by UniqueOne (I'll have the last word, thank you!) on Tuesday, 18-Sep-2012 1:42:20

I think it's great you went with the cT scann. I had to do that when I had pnymonia and that's how they found it when the chest XRay came back normal as in your case.
Unfortunately, I don't have this issue (that I'm aware of..) but I do understand what you're going through. it took the doctors nearly over a year to figure out my lung issues. I take a zertek and singular

## Post 3 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Saturday, 22-Sep-2012 18:12:08

Well, I'm back with an update. unfortunately, I had to meet with the ear nose and throat specialist this past Monday. He says my sinus cavity is a mess, according to the cat scan results. Typically, there are eight pockets of air where sinus fluid can drain away in a normal-looking sinus cavity, but in my case, half of them are blocked with infected tissue. as for how long this stuff has been there, he doesn't know.
The two choices he gave me for getting rid of tihs stuff were medications, (one of which would have interfered with my seizure medicine), or surgery. Rather than mess around with medication doses for a month, I opted to go with the surgery. I've had enough with pills and it's time for this cough to leave me once and for all. Plus, I'd rather not take any medicine that would put my health in danger where epilepsy is concerned. Enough is enough. So I will be undergoing surgery to remove the infected tissue from my sinuses on the tenth of October, bright and early. This will be an outpatient procedure, thank goodness. I will update you on recovery as soon as I can. Now I'm nervous as hell, just waiting to get it over with. Time is not my friend.

## Post 4 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Thursday, 01-Nov-2012 7:45:09

Well, folks, I'm back with an update. the operation went well. The follow-up visit was supposed to take place in the office nine days after surgery, but I could not tolerate numbing spray going up my nose or what was going to be done immediately after. The doctor needed to suction stuff out in order to insert a scope to look and see how healing was going, and I was panicking the entire time. So, I had to return to the operating room on the twenty-fourth for my safety, as well as that of the assistant and the doctor. I was flailing around too much and he had asked me to keep still, which was definitely not happening. I was way too nervous. I swear, if this is what is to be expected every time I go into the office, maybe they should prescribe the strongest sedative I can take orally before I go in so I won't remember or feel anything. I can't continue going into the hospital for follow-up care all the time. Thoughts?

## Post 5 by Reyami (I've broken five thousand! any more awards going?) on Monday, 18-Feb-2013 11:49:33

The follow-up procedure went fine, and three months later, I'm doing well. I've had two appointments with the surgeon so he could have a look and see how things were healing. The last one was ten days ago, during which he told me I'm finished seeing him unless sinus pressure, sinus pain, or breathing problems involving my nose return. all I have to do is continue sinus rinse once a day, twice if i catch a cold.

## Post 6 by LeoGuardian (You mean there is something outside of this room with my computer in it?) on Monday, 18-Feb-2013 15:30:49

Wow sorry you had to go through all that. My wife had the sinus surgery about 6 years ago now I believe, maybe 5. Anyway, yeah that stuf is tough.