Sinus Pain!

[Creed3]

Hi Everyone!
I need some help here today and I hope someone will have an answer for me. My kids and I have been very sick this past week. We have all been checked out and it is viral. The only thing is my five year old developed an ear infection and then had a reaction to her meds. I was getting better and then the whole thing went right to my sinuses. I am having a lot of pain behind my right eye, my right cheek etc...It is even going into my teeth and feels like a toothache. I know there is not very much out there they will allow me to take other than tylenol and vicks vapor rub. Is there anything that would be safe for me to take to and would help with the sinus problem? The meds I take are Coumadin, Toprol and Prozac. Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks & Take Care!
Gail

 

[Ross]

You have a severe sinus infection. Nothing over the counter is going to do much of anything for you. Get your tail into the Doctor pronto before it gets even worse, and yes, it can get worse!

 

[Creed3]

Thanks Ross!
Right after I started this thread, I called my doctor and I'm waiting for them to call me back. Boy, I hope they give me something to help this. I would think they would put me on an antibiotic as well as something for the pain. The sinus infection could and most likely has become bacterial. That just shows you eventhough you get checked out and are told it is a viral infection that you still have to be aware of what is going on. Viral infections can easily change to bacterial when it comes to the ears and the sinuses and it can change very quickly.

Take Care & God Bless!
Gail

 

[Ross]

My wife had that deal and she was in agonizing pain after a day or two. Don't let it get too far out of hand and end up like her. She won't go to a Doctor until she's ready to die and by then it's too late. They put her on antibiotics and gave her some stuff to clear out and dry up the sinuses.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Oh yes.........

Oh yes.........

Gail,

Recall that pain all too well. After 2-3 doses of the antibotic..that pressure will subside. You will also need a decongestant.

Feel better

 

[Creed3]

Just heard from the doctor. They are putting me on an antibiotic and also a decongestant. They also told me to take ibuprofin, but I distinctly remember the docs after my surgery telling me that I couldn't take that anymore and that I could only take tylenol. The nurse at my PCP told me that it would be ok to take IB for a short period of time. I'm just wondering what all this is going to do to my INR. My last INR on Monday was 2.9. My cardio nurse told me that she wants me to get my INR done the first week in February. That is two weeks after my last one. Usually I only go once a month, but because I have been sick she wants to keep a closer eye on it.

Take Care & God Bless!
Gail

 

[Georgia]

I don't know - when I had a miserable sore throat that was viral and tylenol just didn't do the trick, they gave me darvocet. NO ibuprofin (losing ibuprofin is the most dastardly thing about coumadin therapy, I think).

Per Al Lodwick, Aleve is the nsaid to take if you really need one. They haven't found proof that it causes problems with the anticoagulation therapy (as with the others).

My daughter is a veteran of the sinus wars - the trick for relief is alternating heat and cold packs - 20 minutes cold, 20 minutes heat. According to her ent, using heat packs for too long can cause the bacterial infections to spread.

I pity you - the viruses going around this winter are the pits.

 

[Marty]

Sinus Blockage

Sinus Blockage

Medication may take care of this problem. Our ENT people occasionally order X-rays, CT is best, for stubborn cases. Sometimes sinuses need to be surgically drained, particularly the maxillary under the cheek.

 

[EVELYN]

Hi Gail

I've had that sinus surgery that Marty is talking about----definitely worth it for chronic situations.

Every time I've had a sinus infection, I've been usually put on Ceftin....and for a 2 week period. Apparently it takes quite a long time to clean out those cavities....that's why they give me the antibiotics for 2 weeks, along with Flonase spray.....definitely seems to work.

Also was told to drink lots of fluids, but I don't know how well that one works. Once those sinus cavities are infected, it can take quite a bit of time to clear them up. I had surgery 3 years ago and it has been absolutely wonderful since!!! Easy procedure, ambulatory, and very little, if no, recovery time. Would have it done again if Iever need it.

Be well!!

Evelyn

 

[tommy]

Hopefully, the prescription decongestant will relieve the pressure back there.....and hopefully soon!

I wouldn't have expected the ibuprofen recommendation. Does ibuprofen show up on the INR?

The active ingredients in Aleve are an anti inflammatory and decongestant. I'd hesitate to double on on the decongestants, so I'd go with a straight anti-inflammatory/analgesic (tyleno/ibuprofen) in addition to the prescription decongestant (just like the doctor ordered).

Checking the INR more frequently is a great thing. Your body is a little screwed up with the "bug" and the medicines. Also, you may not be eating as consistently.

If its viral, the antibiotic won't help. If is a bacterial infection, the antibiotic should provide relief in a day or so. Even if the bug is viral, it could turn into a bacterial infection. As long as you are checking the INR more frequently, I think the antiobiotic is good insurance.

Drink lots of fluids.

Hope you get relief real soon.

 

[LUVMyBirman]

Now that I think about it my "chronic" sinusitis has
"subsided" since moving back north. Less mold.
Arthritc pain which I lost most of moving south is back though

Lost one and gained another This just proves moving around the country can do you some good. Just have to find that happy medium

 

[Creed3]

Well here is the latest.
I just heard from my cardios office and they are having a hissy fit over what my pcp told me. The only thing that I should be taking is the antibiotic. The decongestant I can not take because it raises the blood pressure and I am on blood pressure meds. They also told me that there is no way I should take IB because the mix of that with coumadin can cause a stomach bleed. My cardio said the only thing I can take for my sinuses is benadryl or claritan as long as they don't have anything in them to keep me from getting tired. She also said there is a med out there that people who take hbp meds can take. It is over the counter and doesn't have a decongestant in it. I think it is called Coriciden or something like that. I have since called my PCP back and they are going to find out what is going on. I told them what my cardio said and they are going to pull my chart and find out why those meds were ordered. I told my pcp that they have to be very very careful with me because there are things that I can not take due to my history. Really they should be being very very careful with every patient. Every patient has a very different history. It's a good thing that I decided to double check all this with my cardio. I just remember being told that I should never take a decongestant or IB. Thanks all for your input. Hopefully the antibiotic will kick in soon and I will start to feel some relief.

Take Care & God Bless!
Gail

 

[Birky]

medications

medications

I have found that nothing is simple anymore when I need a prescription or something changed. I feel more comfortable calling the Cardiologist than the GP. I finally got a prescription for a beta blocker for the headaches. GP would not order anything until he talked to the Cardiologist. Can only take for one month and have to watch my blood pressure. I am taking more medicine than before the mitral valve replacement. Is anyone else doing the same thing? I feel so great otherwise that I guess this will have to be one of the tradeoffs. I do get bummed at times with taking all this medicine.

 

[Ross]

I'm in disagreement here. You need that decongestant if what you have is anything remotely resembling what my wife had. You will not get better without it. I realize your a delicate balance, but if they pursue an overly protective manor, they aren't going to be doing you much good. You need to get rid of that build up and pressure now, not 2 or 3 days from now.

 

[Nancy]

Joe can't take decongestants either anymore. He can take Allegra but not Allegra D.

He takes 16 medications at the present time. I always carry a list with me and all of his doctors are very careful to check out what they prescribe, plus I ask the pharmacist if it's something that's a potential problem. He has one medication that is not prescribed very often, and there are a lot of question marks with it.

What everyone has to be careful of with Joe is having an interaction with one medication which would then cause a compounded interaction with other medications, or with the whole shooting match or with any one of his conditions. It can become very tricky.

He actually has a pharmacy doctor working with him along with his cardiologist from time to time.

I sympathize.

 

[Creed3]

Hi Ross!
I'm not really sure if your wife and I have the exact same thing. I usually don't get sinus infections or at least not very often. I thought I was getting better from my cold, but then BAM, this morning I was mess. I know my mother takes meds for hbp and she can never take a decongestant either. They never really knew what caused my dissection, possibly a congenital weakness. They don't know if there is another weakness somewhere or not and I think that is why they want to keep my bp down. Just a precautionary method. I have always been borderline hbp all my life. I have been taking the antibiotics for a full day and I am still in pain, but I am starting to get a little relief. We'll see how I do over night.
I actually had called my pcp back later in the afternoon. They told me a few people have reviewed my chart and they don't understand why I was told to take a decongestant or IB. They told me two or three people have reviewed it and they are now going to have the Director of the physician office review it and get back to me. So, I guess I will hear what he has to say. I'm thinking maybe my pcp and cardiologist need to keep in touch more often when it comes to treating me for things. Well, I'm going on and on here again. Sorry about that.

Take Care & God Bless!
Gail

 

[Guest]

A guy dies and he gets to the Pearly Gates and St. Peter asks, "How did you die"?

Seenus trouble.

It is pronounced sigh-nus and frankly since the people discovered antibiotics, I have hardly ever known anyone to die from it.

No this was seenus trouble.

Explain yourself.

Me and this gal was checking into a motel when her husband seenus.

You ain't passing through here, dude.

 

[Creed3]

Al,
That was really cute. Made me laugh a little about my whole situation today.

Take Care!
Gail

 

[terry40]

creed

creed

There are a few different kinds of Coriciden HBP, some have extra ingredients, like tylenol.

The main antihistamine ingredient to look for is "Chlorpheniramine Maleate" I've found several different brands that have this antihistamine, "Chlor-trimeton & Teldrin" to name two.

They say Benadryl is safe too, but some packages have additional ingredients also.

I hope those antibiotics start working fast, feel better soon,

Terry40

 

[Georgia]

Hey, Gail

Hey, Gail

Hope you're feeling better today.

I ratted my pcp out to my cardio (the pcp was wrong) and the pcp wrote me a letter saying that since I didn't trust him and we disagreed, I'd better find a new doc.

Which suited me fine. And I'm really happy with the new guy. But you never know what these galoots are going to do.

I'm not sure why I should have agreed with him, since he'd misdiagnosed me right into chf; and then was screwing up my inr right good!

Hope you get all straightened out - those sinuses are awful.