eye swelling, facial rash - left side only?!

Ears, nose and throat
1

Hello,

So, I am on antibiotics for 2 weeks yet again. This makes it my 6th prescription in 8 months of antibiotics and I am getting really fed up with it.

I have an angry looking rash on my face across my left cheek to my neck, my left eye is swollen and puffy with blurry vision (my right eye is perfect) and I have another infection. I feel a mess.

I had another week off work due to the shear fatigue that is coming with this sinusitis plus the dizziness, confusion and fog that goes with heavy congestion. I was useless in work and pretty sure this is my sacking as dealing with this for 2 years now means my attendance has gone downhill dramatically after 10 years of not having a day off work at all..

How can I get it through to my ENT that is condition is ruining everything! I can’t even enjoy a simple walk around the park with my partner due to serve congestion, dizziness and general feeling like death every day. It’s the same battle every morning and it's exhausting. 

I have tried pretty much all antihistamines and nasal sprays over the two years and they make no difference. Antibiotics clear the infection but not the problem.

My symptoms daily are:

Post nasal drop 24/7 (massively excessive production)

Exhaustion – poor sleep / fatigue due to congestion at night

Nasal congestion / sinus congestion

Constant throat clearing and coughing

Scary headaches that go with pressure in head. Deep throb at the base of my head almost constant.

I have a cyst in my left sinus which the ENT said is probably nothing and doesn’t want to remove it, as well as a deviated septum (left again) but I have read both can cause all my problems above! He has instead put it down to chronic sinusitis and discharged me with nothing. My GP has said it's "Anxiety" and keep's giving me SSRI's! - I do have a panic disorder, but that has developed through this sinusitis. 

I get married in 3 months and really worrying about one, my appearance and two, my ability to last the day through this shear fatigue and fog and congestion rolleyes

Any advice at all, anyone in a similar boat found any relief at all?

2

Thomas, I've had sinus since a child, both parents did as well.  I'm going to be 82 this summer, just so you know, I understand this situation.  I now, for almost 2 years of allergy shots and testing from a reputable allergy clinic, am quite a bit better, only having a couple of attacks where antibiotics were needed.  So, the allergy shots plus, and I hate to admit this, a new humidifyer used on occassion have been a saviour.  Something new, to me, this past couple of weeks, is a new symptom, ( I guess ) involving much dizziness, I attributed to an older, diagnosis of positional vertigo.  Have been told this is not new to sinus sufferers.  I take meclizine about once a day, usually at night for that.  I do hope you will get better.  I have a very,very long history of sinus problems.  I do understand!

 

3

This may be a long shot but would you try Reflexology. Warning tho. There are a lot of beauty salons providing it but they're not great. I live in Ireland and go to an excellent practitioner. Bar one really bad infection last month I've had a huge improvement.

Also I drink very little alcohol but have reduced very little to zero to see if it helps. It seems to.

Wishing you a very happy and healthy wedding day.

4

Kid I feel ur pain as I suffer on a day to day basis i have tried so many things including allergy shots and as of yet I have not found any consistent relief I am on my fourth ENT and had my second CT scan in the last four years. My worst time is upon waking up. Like u I have tried every antihistamine possible. Still no relief, I have even tried evening primrose which some one on this site had mentioned and that also had did not provide relief. This ailment is very tough because everyone responds differently to different treatment.

I don't have any answers just letting u know u r not alone. I have been dealing with this for about a 41/2 years now.

5

Thanks for the reply. It is a royal pain isn't it...

​The only thing so far that gives any relief is a neti pot, that just helps relieve some of the pressure and congestion but it still prevent it overall.

​Coffee is a catch 22 - I need it due to the tiredness but it also makes my symptoms much worse throughout the day. 

Trying omeprazole​ now for a month to see if there is any change at all. Apparently something called LPR or silent reflux can cause all the issues above including nasal congestion. Though I have never had any reflux symptoms at all. Worth a try I suppose now though..

6

Best of luck.... I know as a patient we'd try anything! Bar a very bad episode last month, I've had a few good years since starting a course of reflexology three years ago. Not cheap, but I consider it money well spent. Am also on a course of antihistamines at the moment since last bad bout. Good luck Thomas! 🙂

7

yes my ENT mentioned that symptom early on when I started with this ailment he gave me some medicine for it. But like u I did not suffer from acid reflux at the time. I use to have a acid reflux but at the time all of this started acids reflux was not a problem. But anything is worth trying. I do notice that when I am hungry my nasal drip seem to be non stop and rush down the back of my throat. So keep me informed