I am so sick
I went to a doctor on 1-16. I got there early and had to wait in the office about 45 minutes. The carpet and furniture was radiating toxic fumes. Now, with my nose filter gone, it just about gasses me. Within an hour of leaving there, I was in a breathing panic, nauseous, weak, crying, having blood-tinged mucous come from my nose. The next day, I had a deep cough and sore thorat. By 1-19, which was Saturday, I was so sick, I had to call my doctor on her off hours phone. She called in an antibiotic. A friend came by and confirmed the white patches of strepp throat. It is 1-23. I am still coughing, still have sore throat. I went to a longstanding ENT appt. this morning. I have severe sinus infection. He just treated me for one five weeks ago. I have already been on augmentin 5 days. It was the second time I have seen this doctor. He acknowledged today that I have a condition that is not going to improve. He didn't say what that was, and I didn't ask because I am too sick to think. He said, "We can make you more comfortable." Then I was given an appt. in 5 more weeks. That will make a total of 10 weeks of suffering without any care beyond an antibiotic. Even being able to see a doctor would be helpful--to ask my questions, to share what is happening. He ordered a CT scan and I had it done. But I won't hear what he has to say for 5 weeks? I am so discouraged. I am so desperately sick. And I so am angry. I can't even talk. I look nothing like the person I was just a few months ago.

Have you tried an anti fungal maybe the throat is a thrush infection. Thrush can a be a side effect from steroids or antibiotics. It shows up as white patches.

No, it was strepp. I'd know that feeling anywhere. I woke up in the night Saturday with 10-alarm pain in my throat and ears. There is some other infection, though, because I've also got big ropes of yellow-brown stuff coming out of my sinuses, and on my throat. I am so sick of the dry furry cactus nostrils.

Kris, This used to happen quite often to me. The strong scents in that dr waiting room strained your throat, sent you into a state of severe panic which shut down your immune system which allowed the irritated mucosa in your throat to surrender to the germs that inhabit your respiratory airways, anyway all the time - the strepps - which are usually kept in check - but the irritation plus the panic allowed them to thrive. You empty nose allows anything to come through and the cold and dry relentless air puts you pharynx and larynx at constant risk from developing pharyngitis and laryngitis. You were given antibiotics, not a clever choice but oh well those doctors... Do as they say this time but nect time here is what I suggest: 1. You must sleep with a humidifier even if you don't feel it helps. 2. You must carry at all times some saline spray with you. When ever you feel you are breathing in harmfull chemicals, scents, or even just cold and dry air - simply spray your nose. I have been spraying my nose every day with saline, so much (perhaps a couple of times an hour at least) that it has become a second nature to me. It doesn't bother me and since I have begun doing it - some nine years ago - I haven't had a single case of sore throat which I couldn't get rid off with no antibiotics and in a matter of hours. If you do come down with a sore throat. try not to get to upset, prepare a hypertonic saline solution and simply gargol it to get all these strepps out. If you do it correctly you will probably notice that you spit out a "nice" big piece of yellow phlegm, possibly with little blood attached, and you'll be amazed of how fast having spat that out will cure your throat. "... The inferior turbinal should never be entirely removed... Excessive removal allows a jet of inspired ventilation, the mucus evaporates and becomes so viscid as to impede ciliary action... In some cases where the inferior turbinal has been too freely removed, the loss of valvular action and undue patency of the nostril produce the discomfort of dry pharyngitis and laryngitis, with difficulty in expelling stagnant secretion from the nose. The loss of the turbinal may lead to a condition simulating atrophic rhinitis or even ozaena." (Thomson St. C & Negus VE. Inflammatory diseases. Chronic Rhinitis. Diseases of the nose and throat, 6th edition. London: Cassel & Co. Lmt. 1955; 124-145).

fungal infections in the sinus i believe can cause those symptoms as well. Not saying that is what you have just giving you an option to look into if you find yourself at a loss. Are you using a nasal steroid?

TE, I've done all of that except the gargling. I am doing it now. Better late than never. Thanks for the advice.

jdog, No, I'm not using a nasal steroid. It could be fungus. The antibitoic really worked on the white patches--I am sure that was strepp. But there is another infection that the antibiotic does not seem to be getting rid of. Maybe that is fungus. What is an anti-fungal?

If your feeling well then i woudlnt worry about it. An antifungal would be like difulcan there is anohter one that is a gel that goes in the nose but don't remember its name it starts with an a i think.

Kris, don't be quick to take anti-biotics next time. try irrigating and gargling vigorously first. jdog, It could be anything - fungus, bacteria, you name it. It doesn't matter what the end cause of the infection is, the point I'm making is that the cold, dry and un-filtered air which Kris's nose now supplies his sinuses, throat and lungs, causes constant irritation to the membranes - this in itself causes strepps and other germs that are naturally occupying our airways (anyway) to gather and multiply at the location of irritation, and to that a little bit of stress and panic or simply depression (which all depress the immune system - immediately and severely) and the strepps, fungus, or whatever manage to penetrate through the external layers of the mucosa at the site of irritation and cause infection. Nasal irrigations and constant spraying of nose, whenever you feel the slightest begining of irritation, supplies much of the defense an ENS suffere needs. In fact, this can help any one, not only ENS sufferers, to avoid infections. Since I've been doing it I haven't had one serious nasal or throat infection that lasted more than a couple of hours (for many years now) while prior to this practice I used to get these things constantly. Doctors today are not taght to apply saline irrigation, which one of the simpleset, safest and most effective techniques which man has used for dozens of thousands of years now. Instead the pump antibiotics into you which repress your immune system, make you get infections more frequently, and cause the strepps in your throat to mutate in such a way that will make you need more anti-biotics next time or make them totally immuned to it's effects. This is how "super violent bugs" are created... I say, only use anti-biotics as a last resort and the least the best. Saline, on the other hand, doesn't only get rid of the source of the infection and help heal the irritated mucosa, it also ehnahnces the entire mucociliary defense and waste disposal action of the sinuse, nose and throat.

irragation is very important. Anti biotics i believe tend to cause the same problems they cure if used too often. Im also a big believer that probiotics and prebiotics are important if your on antibiotics alot. But that is debatable in medical circles.

I will try not to do antibitoics again. In my pre-surgery life, I never took antibiotics. I was so sick I thought I could die. It was a pretty desperate situation. I could not even speak. My doctor said she could barely make out what I was saying on the phone. I'm on the 6th day of antibiotic. I just did a rinse and then blew my nose. Out came large amounts of ropey mucous with a lot of blood in it. The antibiotic is not clearing this. What's with the blood?

the blood is simply from dryness. nothing to be worried about. It indicated that you are doing a good job wit hthe irrigations. Don't stop them and take all the anti-biotics you were supposed to take till you finish them.

Best wishes as you figure things out. Pain and illness is never easy.

thanks jdog and te.

Kris, If you have a sore throat try 1-2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. I have been feeling better. One thing I started doing was putting neosporin cream in my nose and nasal washing afterwards..... I feel so bad for you...believe that the impalnt will help if worse comes to worse. Also I never tried it but ear/nose wax that swimmers use could be pinched off and molded and stick into area of nose. Its clear so it can't be detected like cotton, does not absorb water so can stay in for a while and can stick in places in the nose and not move...' try that and see if it works...I never tried it but it makes sense that it might work. One more thing... try an antibiotic/antifungal nasal spray ...might be better than oral antibiotics once your strept is gone..... Also try the cream thing and stop putting peppermint oil in the nose . Essential oils are irritants and this causes infection... What I did was 1. clear my infection via nasal nebulizer 2. all throughout the day I carried a bottle of simply saline and squirted into my nose whenever I felt dryness 3. at night i put a heating pad on my pillow on low and humidity from that helped me sleep and kept nose moist 4. ambian also helped me sleep 5. nasal irrigation in morninng , not at night