BikeBookBread Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Anyone successfully gotten over a chronic sinus infection without antibiotics? I've had off and on sinus infections since February, and my own Doc has decided to not put me on antibiotics any longer (my stomach was SOOOO messed up). She did put me on Flonase to help deal with the allergies which seem to trigger them. It has helped somewhat, but I'm still miserable. I'm currently rinsing 3x a day with my neti pot (salt/soda and 1 drop of tea tree oil per my Dr.'s suggestion). I've been evaluated for milk allergy (negative) and I'm not gluten intolerant. I just have really small sinus passages (confirmed by x-ray and MRI years ago). Any other suggestions? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 My naturopath had suggested putting 6 drops of liquid garlic in the neti pot water (you get the liquid garlic at a health food store). A naturopath could also prescribe herbs/supplements to boost your immune system as well as some with antibiotic properties. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrsrevmeg Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 This may not be the route you would like to go, but my husband got no relief until he had sinus surgery. Almost a year ago and he has STILL (knock on wood) not had another infection. No more dark circles under the eyes, no more nasal sounding voice , no more antiboitics. He is doing great!! Blessings Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 This may not be the route you would like to go, but my husband got no relief until he had sinus surgery. Almost a year ago and he has STILL (knock on wood) not had another infection. No more dark circles under the eyes, no more nasal sounding voice , no more antiboitics. He is doing great!! Blessings I thought that's what I would hear :( I definitely inherited this from my Dad. He had to give up a career as an Air Force pilot because of his sinuses. I just hope I haven't passed this "gift" along to my girls. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom-ninja. Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Take shots of apple cider vinegar. Try to take 1-2 T twice a day. I just swallow the vinegar really fast, and chash it with honey. It's gross and it burns, but effective. It will raise the acidity of your body, and it's harder for germs to survive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 15, 2009 Author Share Posted June 15, 2009 Take shots of apple cider vinegar. Try to take 1-2 T twice a day. I just swallow the vinegar really fast, and chash it with honey. It's gross and it burns, but effective. It will raise the acidity of your body, and it's harder for germs to survive. You'll think I'm crazy, but I love vinegar. Thanks for the suggestion! That makes sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted June 15, 2009 Share Posted June 15, 2009 Do you take any allergy meds (antihistamines)? I know several people that stopped getting sinus infections once they stopped using ANY and all antihistamines. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lawana Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Even though you tested negative for dairy and gluten allergy, I would consider a trial period such as 4 weeks without each of these. You might be surprized that it has a considerable effect without being an "official" allergy. Lawana Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mom0012 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Even though you tested negative for dairy and gluten allergy, I would consider a trial period such as 4 weeks without each of these. You might be surprized that it has a considerable effect without being an "official" allergy. Lawana I totally agree here. My daughter has horrible problems with dairy that do not show up on any test. Her eardrums will continually rupture if she has normal portions of dairy in her diet on a regular basis. She can tolerate small amounts or the occasional splurge of ice cream or pizza, but add dairy back in the form of yogurt or grilled cheese a few times a week regularly and she is in terrible shape within a few weeks. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
senunk Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Even though you tested negative for dairy and gluten allergy, I would consider a trial period such as 4 weeks without each of these. You might be surprized that it has a considerable effect without being an "official" allergy. Lawana I was going to say something about the allergies, too. Before I realized that I have a sulfite allergy/intolerance, I suffered with sinus infections and bronchitis for months. Once I cut out the sulfites, I've been almost sick-free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendi Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I'm right there with you; I just finished a 10-day round of Cipro, and I'm really not 100% better. I was already using flonase, but it didn't help. So instead I've been using Astepro (an antihistamine you spray in your nose); not sure if it's doing that much, either. My problem sounds similar to yours; with allergies, all the gunk stays up in my sinuses, or drains down my throat, rarely into my nose, which is all swollen up inside. I'm going to go to an ENT. I went to one years ago, and had a Cat scan. He said I might need surgery, but let's try one more round of antibiotic. At the time, it seemed to help, so I never had surgery. But in the last few years, the infections are getting more and more frequent. I've been sick for several months, and it's really taking a toll. I'm tired all the time, have headaches, coughing at night, etc. I do use a nasal irrigator. Ugh, it stinks, doesn't it? Wendi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 I'm right there with you; I just finished a 10-day round of Cipro, and I'm really not 100% better. I was already using flonase, but it didn't help. So instead I've been using Astepro (an antihistamine you spray in your nose); not sure if it's doing that much, either. My problem sounds similar to yours; with allergies, all the gunk stays up in my sinuses, or drains down my throat, rarely into my nose, which is all swollen up inside. I'm going to go to an ENT. I went to one years ago, and had a Cat scan. He said I might need surgery, but let's try one more round of antibiotic. At the time, it seemed to help, so I never had surgery. But in the last few years, the infections are getting more and more frequent. I've been sick for several months, and it's really taking a toll. I'm tired all the time, have headaches, coughing at night, etc. I do use a nasal irrigator. Ugh, it stinks, doesn't it? Wendi YES! I'm SO tired all of the time, and crabby sometimes too :( My husband says I sound like a longshoreman in the morning. I try to explain to him that I can't help it -- I'll start choking if I don't "take care of business". Do you know anyone who has had the surgery? Was it helpful? I've heard it can often make things worse, and is REALLY painful. Best wishes to you! I hope you feel better soon, too :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
choirfarm Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 My dh, who is a surgeon, is going to have this surgery next week. He is dreading it, but has battled these problems forever. I'll let you know how it goes. He also has the narrow sinus cavities, a polyp and bad allergies/asthma. Christine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 My dh, who is a surgeon, is going to have this surgery next week. He is dreading it, but has battled these problems forever. I'll let you know how it goes. He also has the narrow sinus cavities, a polyp and bad allergies/asthma. Christine Thanks! I will pray for his recovery and comfort. I will look forward to an update. (I haven't even called my doc yet...I'm a bit nervous about it.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
naturalmom Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 You should be aware that sinus surgery is not generally a permanent solution. Symptoms return, polyps grow back (half of them grow back within a year)... The limited drainage you have is a lot of the reason antibiotics are very very slow to work. Very little medicine will actually reach the infection area. I have not heard anything about antihystamines being a problem, but decongestants are a definite no-no if you have long term sinus issues. I have chronic sinusitis, and take the Flonase. I also irrigate, though not with a neti pot. I use NeilMed sinus bottles. They apply just a very little bit of pressure and tend to penetrate a little deeper. I have not had antibiotics for 2 1/2 years, though I have had to have Cortisone injections a couple of times (my CT scans are shocking - all my sinus cavities are absolutely full most of the time). Twice I have gotten over a definite infection without antibiotics. (I'm allergic to almost every family of antibiotic). 1st time: it took over a month for results...I ate a vegan diet, with no sugar/sweets (they feed bacteria). I took garlic tablets and Vitamin E. I also took an Echninacea tincture about 3X a day for the first week. I ate lots of fruits/veg. I continued my sinus rinses and my Flonase; tried to rest whenever I felt tired; did steam treatments (boil water and pour in a bowl. Lean over the bowl with a towel over your head). I did my rinses AFTER the steam treatment, so that things were loosened up. Or you could just take a long bath every day. I drank a lot of water. Oh, and I took Mucinex. Mucinex is very helpful. You have to drink lots of water with it, but it draws more fluid into the nasal passage, which helps to get things moving. It's available over the counter. 2nd time: I did a raw food cleanse for 1 week. The first few days were as bad or worse, but then I got a lot better. If I had continued it for another week or two, I think I would have gotten completely over it. I saw temporary relief, and still needed a cortisone shot about 6 weeks later. Definitely: Drink a lot of water. Keep up the nasal rinses. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid sugar and dairy. Look into Mucinex and echinacea. Rest as much as possible. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 16, 2009 Author Share Posted June 16, 2009 Definitely: Drink a lot of water. Keep up the nasal rinses. Eat lots of fruits and vegetables. Avoid sugar and dairy. Look into Mucinex and echinacea. Rest as much as possible. Good luck! THANK YOU SO MUCH! This is valuable information. I am on Flonase (if I remember to take it). I didn't think of Mucinex -- I'll try that. But rest? :smilielol5: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frogpond1 Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Mine were blocked and I had infection after infection. After surgery I've really been great for years. I was on and off antibiotics every couple months for at least 3 years before surgery. It is something to investigate. They widened my sinus passages and straightened the inside of my nose and now my allergies cause sniffles, but not infections. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mom4him Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 Even though you tested negative for dairy and gluten allergy, I would consider a trial period such as 4 weeks without each of these. You might be surprized that it has a considerable effect without being an "official" allergy. Lawana :iagree:I agree with this totally. Also, do you have a cat in the house? I fought sinus infections until, we gave our cats away and I started to restrict my milk intake. There are two products that you can get at hfs or online if you google them. One is call Propolis Plus and the other is FenuThyme. Both are by Soloray and really good. The Propolis Plus builts immune system and the Fenuthyme helps with upper respiratory. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sharon H in IL Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I had chronic rhinitis, not sinus infections. My ENT said surgery was not an option for me, and to continue taking guaifenesin since it was working for me. I assume it is an allergy to something terribly common such as dust, since it doesn't vary by season. The only time I ever went without getting sick was the summer I spent outdoors as a camp counselor. So now I take loratadine (24 hr) 1x day, and Mucinex (slow release guaifenesin) (12 hr) 2x day. As long as I don't run out, I'm fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KrissiK Posted June 16, 2009 Share Posted June 16, 2009 I'll just throw this in to the mix- but I've read that chronic sinus infections can be due to fungal (i.e. candida) infections. So, getting off the sugar, taking pro-biotics may help you, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 My dh, who is a surgeon, is going to have this surgery next week. He is dreading it, but has battled these problems forever. I'll let you know how it goes. He also has the narrow sinus cavities, a polyp and bad allergies/asthma. Christine How did the surgery go? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BikeBookBread Posted June 29, 2009 Author Share Posted June 29, 2009 Since my last post I've gotten clear! Just religiously rinsed with the Nealmed pre-mixed sinus rinse and used the rinsing bottle rather than the neti pot. I also kept up with the Flonase, and have started drinking aloe juice daily. So far, so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LaxMom Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Yes, I got rid of recurring sinus infections and horrible permanent/seasonal allergies two springs ago. First, I used BioAllers Outdoor formula - it's homeopathic. Before that, I lived on Zyrtec for three or four years, with Flonase and the like in the spring/fall. I've been without antihistamines since then, and we've even had the windows wide open since late April, through tree pollen and grass pollen (both biggies for me). For sinus infections, I drank "tomato tea" - heat your favorite tomato/veggie juice in a pan, add 1-2 cloves of minced raw garlic (fresh), 1 tsp lemon juice, and as much hot sauce as you can take to a mug. Pour the hot tomato juice over it and sip like tea. The hot sauce opens up your sinuses and the steam works the garlic essences through (garlic is antimicrobial). The tomato and lemon give you a boost of vitamin C. I use my neti pot when I'm out in really high pollen for a long time, or when it's really dusty, just because my sinuses feel gritty, but I've not had any allergy related issues since using the BioAllers, and that includes living with a cat - when I was allergy tested, the cat protein site blew up like a golf ball. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TraceyS/FL Posted June 29, 2009 Share Posted June 29, 2009 Since my last post I've gotten clear! Just religiously rinsed with the Nealmed pre-mixed sinus rinse and used the rinsing bottle rather than the neti pot. I also kept up with the Flonase, and have started drinking aloe juice daily. So far, so good. My grandma has had multiple sinus surgeries - and the Neils Med sinus stuff is what she swears by these days. Her Doctor went to a conference and came back and put her on it. It seems to be working. Glad you are getting relief - i have a friend that needs to be doing this too. going to send her this thread! LOL!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravin Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 I have one friend who's had a lot of success controlling his allergies with nettles. DH had sinus surgery years ago. He's not prone to sinus infections any more per se, though his allergies are really bad so you'd hardly know it. Baseline healthy for him still requires the morning hack fest and carrying a hanky at all times. He'd probably do better if he had access to prescription meds, but we have no insurance. He'd also do better if he didn't have to sleep a hundred or so yards from a bunch of horses in a tent every night...but that's a temporary situation. He also hasn't had antibiotics in a long time...he just takes zyrtec and carries a hanky, and looks perpetually miserable. I think at this point it would take a dermatologist or plastic surgeon to banish the bags under his eyes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hi_itsgwen Posted June 30, 2009 Share Posted June 30, 2009 Have you ever heard of Xylitol? It's a naturally occuring sugar found in Beech trees and corn husks, among other things. It's now being used by docs in cases of chronic ear infections and being widely used in gums and dental products, as it keeps bacteria from 'sticking' to cells in the throat/mouth. So that may be a good addition to the neti pot! A few notes on Xylitol: it's poisonous to dogs as it causes their blood sugar to crash (but not to humans). It has 40% less calories than sugar. You can cook with it just like sugar, and it's an equivalent sweetner (1 T sugar = same sweetness as 1 T Xylitol) Your body will need to adjust to it...so don't try eating too much at once, or you'll have intestinal issues. (My guess is it messes up your bacterial balance if you eat too much all at once, before your body has a chance to get used to metabolizing it.) I try to avoid any products with phenolalanines, so I look for 100% Xylitol gums/mints. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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