2nd Update in OP: Have you done anything concrete that has noticeably improved your immune system?

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

The essence is in the title.  

I am a relatively healthy 30-something year old.  I exercise and eat well.  But a few times a year, I get a cold-turned-sinus-infection that lasts over a month.  I'm a month into a cold/sinusitis right now, with no real end in sight.  Two nights ago, the pain/pressure in my face was bad enough to wake me up.  Now I have an aching jaw, which I assume is related.  

I'm seeing my doctor on Wednesday and I'm guessing he'll give me a steroid nose spray type thing.  I hate nose sprays.  Gag.  I'm pretty good at using them when I'm actually sick, but don't like the idea of needing maintenance nose spray.  I know I have a deviated septum, but the ENT doc doesn't think the surgery is worth the risk for the number of sinus infections I get per year.  (I did get a second opinion on this, which was the same.  I was really hoping for that silver bullet).

So now I'm asking for other silver bullets.  A daily multivitamin?  A specific supplement?  Probiotics?  

I don't mind being sick.  It's being sick for over a month that gets to me!!!  

 

UPDATE 1

Saw my doc, got antibiotics.  Next steps, he is making me a new appointment with the ENT- based on a month long infection this winter, and a double eardrum rupture from last winter... the time has come to get my septum fixed he thinks.  Finally, ortho appointment for jaw pain to see if it might be tooth alignment related.  

Let this be a lesson to everyone:  When your parents pay to have your teeth straightened in your teens, WEAR YOUR RETAINER AFTER.  Oh I just want to go back and kick myself!!!  

In terms of immunity, he says I'm never sick aside from the sinus infections....  which is true... so he doesn't think I can "boost" it in a meaningful way without correcting the structural problems.  

Thank you to all for your help and responses! 

 

UPDATE 2

In case you're still following my saga...  I saw the ENT today, who thinks I actually have an abx resistant strain of bacteria going on, because even after my 10 days abx course, he still sees signs of infection.  So, he stuck a ten foot long q tip (only a slight exaggeration...) up into my sinuses and rubbed it around, and that will be sent off to the lab.  I actually saw stars, and thanks to the doc's quick reflexes, I was flat with my legs elevated before I actually passed out.  But being a vaso-vagal "fainter" from past various medical things, I know I came very close!!!  

Anyway, he says I'm definitely a candidate for the septum repair, but we've got to address any lingering chronic bacterial infection first.  

 

Edited March 28, 2019 by Monica_in_Switzerland

[aaplank]

At this point, you probably have a bad sinus infection that needs antibiotics.  But as far as daily maintenance goes, to keep from having recurring sinus infections, 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar  (with the mother) per day seems to do the trick for me.

[Arcadia]

Elderberry works for some people. For me, megadose of Vitamin C timed release works well for me during seasonal allergies. I have asthma and swimming works for boosting cardio pulmonary health for me. It really is trial and error what would work well for you as everyone’s sensitivity triggers and nutrition deficiencies are different.

[Miss Tick]

Can you do something specifically to help keep your sinuses healthy? Saline spray (I know, more nasal sprays)? One of those neti(?)pot things? We have a Breathe Easy tea from the grocery store that helps me when I get sinus pressure. It has eucalyptus, black licorice, etc. but that is treatment rather than preventative.

[gardenmom5]

at one point, I had a compromised immune system.  one year - I had a sinus infection every single month.

 

cut sugar, sleep more. wash hands frequently, drink lots of plain water.

 

when i start to get a cold, I will take vitamin C and echinacea every. single. hour.  usually, it will derail it from getting worse.

[solascriptura]

Do you sleep well?  I get a cold (usually very mild) every few years.  I honestly can't remember the last time I was sick.  I do a few things that I think help me, but they don't require any conscious effort on my part.  

1. I eat well.  Tons of fruits, veggies, whole grains, moderate on the meat.

2. I consume a lot of foods that have probiotics.  These are cultural foods for me, so again, no effort here.  I don't believe that probiotics in pills do anything.

3. While I'm not saying that you don't have a cold or not, you may want to check out getting a UV light for your HVAC.  My husband has a mold/spore allergy and once we had it installed, his sinus issues reduced by 95 if not 100%.  The poor guy basically always had a "cold" and sore inflamed sinuses.  The air passing through the UV light kills off the spores before going into the rest of the HVAC.

4. I sleep well.

 

 

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Thank you for all of the replies!  

To answer a couple of questions:  

- I actually sleep extremely well (typically between 8-9 hours per night, and of those, between 3-4 hours deep sleep, which, from what I find online, is INSANELY good sleep).  I do know I am a person who requires a solid 8 hours and always have been.  

- I don't have stress, or at least, my stress level is extremely low.  I'm a laid-back person, my kids are extremely well-behaved, and things tend to go smoothly.  My doc always asks about my stress level and I can't seem to convince him that it's possible to have four kids and be low-stress.  (He has 7 himself, but I guess his wife isnt' as zen as me, lol)

 

Most of my illnesses are sinus-specific, but I do think I've also got bronchitis right now because I've got a bit of tightness in the chest when I take deep breaths.  Once I'm feeling better, I do feel like I need to re-consider the septum repair.  Both ENTs said I was borderline and could make the final call myself... maybe I just need to do it.  

 

 

[athena1277]

25 minutes ago, solascriptura said:

 

3. While I'm not saying that you don't have a cold or not, you may want to check out getting a UV light for your HVAC.  My husband has a mold/spore allergy and once we had it installed, his sinus issues reduced by 95 if not 100%.  The poor guy basically always had a "cold" and sore inflamed sinuses.  The air passing through the UV light kills off the spores before going into the rest of the HVAC.

 

 

 

Not to derail this discussion, but can you tell us more about this?  Where do you get one?  Is it expensive or complicated to install?  Your husband sounds a lot like mine.  I wonder if this would help.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

Oh yes, meant to say regarding HVAC- we have in floor heating through heater water pipes, not air.  And no AC.  Which is not to say we don't have mold, but we luckily don't have all the filter issues that can occur with HVAC and vents.  

[Carol in Cal.]

I don't think this is exactly en pointe, but I do jump harder on nasel congestion than I used to, and that has prevented me from getting actual asthma or sinus infections for a long time.  I hit the (real) Sudafed at the first sign of congestion, whether it's from a cold or allergies.  I take allegra more often than I used to for allergy symptoms.  And I use Mucinex DM if I feel like coughing.

Those don't beef up my immune system, but they do help prevent the minor irritants from turning into big issues.

Also, if I feel a cold coming on I suck zinc under my tongue every 2 hours for two days.  This generally reduces the severity and length of the cold, and if I still get a bad, persistent sore throat and feel very exhausted after 4 days, I get my butt over to the doctor because it's strep.  (good to know.)

[mmasc]

As far as ongoing building immune system health, I’ve got nothing other than what was mentioned. But, I had a dr tell me a few years ago, when I was going in every couple of months for a sinus inf, that if I’d use Flonase until Memorial Day I’d see a reduction in infections. Well, I didn’t use it unless I was sick bc like you I don’t want daily nose spray. Fast forward to this year: went in with my first sinus inf of the year and the dr told me the same thing. She explained that with my particular sinuses, colds make the mucus build up and get stuck in my sinuses and cause an infection. (Mine apparently don’t drain as well as most people’s) She said if I’d use Flonase every day during the winter that I wouldn’t have as many problems with colds turning to infections. I took the advice this time and have vowed to use it daily until it’s hot! She recommended the Flonase Sensimist (light blue bottle) because it doesn’t have drying alcohol in it. That was a couple of weeks before Christmas and so far so good! I also decided to use a steam vaporizer in my room every night (even when I’m not sick) to keep my sinuses moist. I think those two things might actually be helping. 

I agree that you most likely need antibiotics this time around, but hopefully you can figure out a way to keep the infections away after this one!

[SeaConquest]

I very seldom get sick now, even though I volunteer in a hospital and am a nursing student. I was sick all the time when I was an attorney. The stress was killing me, to be sure.

1) I am a compulsive handwasher and use bleach wipes/carry hand sanitizer everywhere!!!!

2) I sleep 8-10 hours per night and try to keep my stress levels low.

3) I take bariatric vitamins to ensure no vitamin deficiencies after my gastric bypass (especially iron, for women still menstruating).

4) My vitamin D levels are very high because I live in Southern California.

5) I take liquid fish oil and probiotics.

6) I have air purifiers in our home with UV lights.

7) I drink wine and eat garlic regularly.

8. I get regular massage and use the sauna as much as I can (it lengthens your telomeres).

9) I stay current on my vaccines and check my titers.

Ideally, I should also eat more vegetables, do more intermittent fasting (which preserves our mitochondria), and get more regular exercise, but I'm not super consistent about those yet.

Edited March 11, 2019 by SeaConquest

[Skippy]

2 hours ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

 I hate nose sprays.  Gag.  I'm pretty good at using them when I'm actually sick, but don't like the idea of needing maintenance nose spray.  I know I have a deviated septum...

My husband has a deviated septum and is prone to sinus infections. Now he uses saline nasal spray daily, and never gets infections anymore. Sorry, I know this is not what you wanted to hear.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

10 minutes ago, Skippy said:

My husband has a deviated septum and is prone to sinus infections. Now he uses saline nasal spray daily, and never gets infections anymore. Sorry, I know this is not what you wanted to hear.

 

If it's true, then it's true.  😂  I just hate those things!  I get that feeling like when you get water up your nose at the swimming pool.  Ugh.  

[Skippy]

Just now, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

 

If it's true, then it's true.  😂  I just hate those things!  I get that feeling like when you get water up your nose at the swimming pool.  Ugh.  

I can empathize. It works great for him, but I agree - I hate that feeling.

[Katy]

I eat a lower histamine diet, try to push more cinnamon, turmeric, and ginger when I feel rotten and I (hangs head in shame) take a cocktail of essential oils in an empty capsule whenever I feel like I'm on the verge of needing antibiotics.  NOT MLM oils, mostly NOW oils available at the grocery store and Amazon.  I wouldn't give them to my kids because of the lack of long term safety studies but I had this recurrent mycoplasma pneumonia that kept coming back and I started googling out of desperation and found some studies about the different oils that kill mycoplasma and antibiotic resistant bacteria.  I don't want to be responsible for someone causing liver damage by sharing precisely what they are and what doses are considered safe, but if you allot about 6 hours to google you can probably find everything I know.

[Carol in Cal.]

Oh, I almost forgot--two years ago I started to affirmatively overexpose myself to sunshine as much as possible without actually burning.  I can feel the difference all winter long, truly.  

Also, I do use steeped ginger a lot to keep GERD minimized, and that is supposed to help your immune system and reduce inflammation as well.

[solascriptura]

2 hours ago, athena1277 said:

Not to derail this discussion, but can you tell us more about this?  Where do you get one?  Is it expensive or complicated to install?  Your husband sounds a lot like mine.  I wonder if this would help.

Our HVAC guy installed it.  I do believe that a handy DIYer could do it though.  In fact, if I could do it again, I would buy the product independently and then hire someone to install it.  It will be way way cheaper that way.   The air that is filtered through the HVAC is exposed to UV rays and thus it kills spores and even reduces smells in the house.  We are both rather skeptical people, but at the time we were both desperate for some relief for him.  The benefits were so immediate that it was startling.  After a year of using it, when we sold our house, we had our HVAC guy remove it from the old house and install it in the new house.  Lol.  Before we had the UV light, he suffered with sinus issues for the majority of the year.  I literally cannot remember the last time he had a problem since we put in the light.  

I can't remember the exact name of the one we have.  I looked on Amazon and searched for HVAC UV light.  The Bio-Shield might be similar.

Edited March 11, 2019 by solascriptura
more info

[BeachGal]

Humming at a low pitch can help prevent and treat sinusitis. Humming produces about 15 to 20 times more nitric oxide (NO) in our nasal passages and sinuses. NO is antibacterial, antifungal and antiviral.

If you have a deviated septum, it's possible that you could be breathing through your mouth at times, especially at night, and that would reduce the amount of NO produced. If you don't breathe easily through both nostrils, you could wear a little device at night to help keep your nostrils open.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306987705006328

[Alicia64]

I just want to encourage you to take this really seriously. In mid-40s every cold I had turned into a nasal infection or bronchitis. I was just like you in how I handled it. Annoyed that it went on so long.

I've later learned that serious infections can wreak havoc with your health. I won't bore you w/ details, but do not take this lightly.

I'm 54 now and get colds that are just colds, so whatever happened w/ infections stopped happening.

But please take this seriously and jump right on it,

Alley

[Petrichor]

I've noticed that stress weakens my immune system, so cutting that out as much as possible, or taking time to take care of ME when I can't get rid of the stressors helps.

Vitamin D has helped the most. I used to get sick (1-2 week long colds) 6+ times per year. Since I've been taking vitamin D daily (5000 IU, especially in the winter) I've been only getting sick 1-2 times per year, and when I do get sick, it usually only lasts about a day. It's also had a significant impact on my SAD/depression-like symptoms.

 

 

[Innisfree]

For years dh has had recurrent respiratory and sinus infections which can get very bad, requiring multiple courses of antibiotics and weeks out of work. He noticed a significant reduction in their number and severity after his doctor told him to get a pneumonia vaccination, even though he never actually got a pneumonia diagnosis. He's been recommending the vaccine to others.

[Petrichor]

4 hours ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

 

If it's true, then it's true.  😂  I just hate those things!  I get that feeling like when you get water up your nose at the swimming pool.  Ugh.  

Have you tried a neti pot? It works like the spray, but without the pressure and surprise of a spray. It is a surreal feeling though.

[Lucy the Valiant]

14 minutes ago, Petrichor said:

Have you tried a neti pot? It works like the spray, but without the pressure and surprise of a spray. It is a surreal feeling though.

And if you nearly drown yourself using a neti pot like I did, there is also a squeeze-bottle that does exactly the same thing. My dear (Indian) girlfriend hooked me up, and it makes a HUGE difference for my sinuses - I do it ~2-3 times a week through the winters, and it eliminates both bloody noses (from excessively dry air) as well as sinus infections. 

[Farrar]

Does getting my kids out of the germiest kid stage count? Honestly, that's what's made the difference. You still have a couple more years to go there, I think...

[Lecka]

Getting more sleep.  I get sick more easily when I stay up too late at night or get woken up a lot at night.  

[KathyBC]

DH has allergies and polyps. Many colds turned into sinus infections until he began daily use of a sinus rinse kit. He still uses the steroid nasal spray as needed.

Edited March 12, 2019 by KathyBC

[Liz CA]

I have been taking Immune Stimulator for years beginning in late September / early October each year. For years, I never got a cold. Now that I work with a more varied clietele, I do get about one cold a year lasting about a week....however, usually dh brings it into the house. 🙂

Immune Stimulator by Nature's Sunshine

Edited March 12, 2019 by Liz CA

[Ausmumof3]

This is going to sound nuts and I have no idea if it’s a conincidence but last time I started having sinus trouble I happened to be doing yoga with Adrienne and the video for the day had the pranayama (spelling?) breathing technique.  I swear that it helped fix the sinus issue.  Maybe it’s like the humming thing?  Worth a try if you don’t mind feeling a bit silly anyway!

[Teaching3bears]

I was like you in my 30s, though more throat infections than sinus. in my 40s , I had much less sleep, much more stress. Somehow my immune system got better.

[geodob]

If your deviated septum, is restricting the flow from your sinus/es?  Then this provides the perfect breeding ground, for bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.
It's a bit like putting a bandage on an infected wound, then not changing the bandage.  So the bacteria causing the infection, will continue to grow.
So that 'improving your immune system' wont help?
The only real solution, is to have the surgery. So that you sinus/es can drain freely.
 

[Zinnias]

We got dehumidifiers for our house.  Several.  I think it decreased the amount of low level mold and mildew floating about, and it made a big difference ijn how sick we were.

[PeterPan]

Well I was getting very sick (pneumonia, bronchitis) 3-4 times a year the last few years, and I kept noticing that each practitioner went said I had inflammation. The pneumonia and bronchitis were inflammation, the chiro was saying I was inflamed, on and on. I started taking tumeric, which has research behind it for inflammation and asthma, and no antibiotics in 8 1/2 months.

I would also look at your vitamin D levels, since there's plenty of research correlating vitamin D and immune system. We now have my levels at the top of the normal range. I take k2 with it to make it work better.

And look to see if you're digesting well or have clogged bowels. (too much dairy and white flour, etc.)

[PeterPan]

19 hours ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

I've got a bit of tightness in the chest when I take deep breaths.

Or maybe it's asthma? Asthma is kind of a funny thing, with symptoms you don't expect like coughing.

Yeah, sounds like you should be tackling your structural problems. Doesn't sound fun, but might be worth it.

[TravelingChris]

I had to stop volunteering with children in schools.  But I do not want to be a hermit so I still get some.  Many of mine are listed above--- enough sleep, less stress (one of my new motto's is Stress Kills)  Washing or sanitizing hands, immunizations, covering up mouth when around sick people, etc.  For sinus troubles, moisture is super important to let the junk drain.  So saline nose sprays, long showers, 

[Angie in VA]

19 hours ago, mmasc said:

As far as ongoing building immune system health, I’ve got nothing other than what was mentioned. But, I had a dr tell me a few years ago, when I was going in every couple of months for a sinus inf, that if I’d use Flonase until Memorial Day I’d see a reduction in infections. Well, I didn’t use it unless I was sick bc like you I don’t want daily nose spray. Fast forward to this year: went in with my first sinus inf of the year and the dr told me the same thing. She explained that with my particular sinuses, colds make the mucus build up and get stuck in my sinuses and cause an infection. (Mine apparently don’t drain as well as most people’s) She said if I’d use Flonase every day during the winter that I wouldn’t have as many problems with colds turning to infections. I took the advice this time and have vowed to use it daily until it’s hot! She recommended the Flonase Sensimist (light blue bottle) because it doesn’t have drying alcohol in it. That was a couple of weeks before Christmas and so far so good! I also decided to use a steam vaporizer in my room every night (even when I’m not sick) to keep my sinuses moist. I think those two things might actually be helping. 

I agree that you most likely need antibiotics this time around, but hopefully you can figure out a way to keep the infections away after this one!

 

I wonder if a chiro or osteopath could help w/ this? I had a bad cold and had just started to feel human again, but my ears were full of fluid. I woke up in the wee hours of the night w/ ear pain. A few hours later my eardrum ruptured. I was deaf in that ear for nearly a month. When I had another bad cold a few months later, I went to a chiro. He used his activator on my face and adjusted me and my ears started draining on the ride home. I wonder if a similar manipulation/adjustment would help you?

[Angie in VA]

44 minutes ago, PeterPan said:

Well I was getting very sick (pneumonia, bronchitis) 3-4 times a year the last few years, and I kept noticing that each practitioner went said I had inflammation. The pneumonia and bronchitis were inflammation, the chiro was saying I was inflamed, on and on. I started taking tumeric, which has research behind it for inflammation and asthma, and no antibiotics in 8 1/2 months.

I would also look at your vitamin D levels, since there's plenty of research correlating vitamin D and immune system. We now have my levels at the top of the normal range. I take k2 with it to make it work better.

And look to see if you're digesting well or have clogged bowels. (too much dairy and white flour, etc.)

 

What brands do you recommend for vitamin D and K2?

[EKS]

Taking vitamin D.

(By the way, if you read the literature about vitamin C, the idea that it helps with colds is something that Linus Pauling essentially made up, and everyone believed him because...Linus Pauling.  And I say that having tremendous respect for the man.)

[elegantlion]

I have a permanently suppressed immune system because I have no spleen, removed during cancer tx for lymphoma. Getting through the little kid phase was important. Ds would bring stuff home from church or school and I'd get sick. When we started homeschooling and quit going to church (different reasons), those illnesses stopped. 

I also avoid sick people in public. I have been known to change my route while grocery shopping because someone is coughing. 

Washing hands

sleep/low stress

treating at first symptoms - this is really important for me

In my undergrad, I figured I'd get sick a lot. I only got sick one year. Now I've got sick a few weeks ago and was out of commission for a week. I haven't been sick in a long while. I starting taking meds and doing a lot of herbal stuff right away, but it still took me nearly 5 days to quit coughing. 

I also don't shake hands with people during this time of year. Most people are grateful. 

 

[mmasc]

50 minutes ago, Angie in VA said:

 

I wonder if a chiro or osteopath could help w/ this? I had a bad cold and had just started to feel human again, but my ears were full of fluid. I woke up in the wee hours of the night w/ ear pain. A few hours later my eardrum ruptured. I was deaf in that ear for nearly a month. When I had another bad cold a few months later, I went to a chiro. He used his activator on my face and adjusted me and my ears started draining on the ride home. I wonder if a similar manipulation/adjustment would help you?

Interesting...I’ll look into this further. No dr has ever told me that I need sinus surgery, just that there’s something going on with them that make them not drain well. So this might be a possibility with helping. Thanks for the info!

[Pen]

I had some really bad sinusitis/ sinus infections in past and thought surgery would probably be needed, but seem to have managed to avoid that.

Many things have already been mentioned above. 

Vitamins/mineral: multi; D sometimes with full spectrum lights in winter;  A or A containing foods; C as powder usually with bioflavonoids etc. and quite a bit (every half hour to hour to tolerance) does help me personally with illnesses, I also munch rose hips if I see them, when I lived in a place with citrus fruit, that was helpful, but where I am now, I think it’s not fresh enough to help much, though when I eat it I try to eat as much inner peel as possible for the bioflavonoids there; 15 mg zinc most days

sleep  ideally in position suited to good air flow and sinus drainage 

washing hands and not touching eyes or mucous membranes when out and about 

breathing meditation regularly 

limiting or eliminating sugar, grains

 

 

A few that I haven’t noticed:

In winter: keeping warm, especially ears, nose area,   Avoiding cold winds such as off ocean

If sinuses seem clogged: staying well hydrated with water or fluids with electrolytes,  

finding positions that help sinuses to drain, tapping techniques that can help drain,

nostril flaring,

pinch nostrils and head dips exercises 

 pseudoephedrine (ephedrine tea if legal in your country can be even better),

breathing steam from tea or hot shower...

If nostrils seem dry/scabby I sometimes use some coconut oil 

I tried nostril dilators—I find them too uncomfortable to sleep in them, but used for awhile when awake seems to improve air flow.

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, Angie in VA said:

 

What brands do you recommend for vitamin D and K2?

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07G3BM83Z/ref=twister_B07CVLDK9S?_encoding=UTF8&th=1  There are a couple kinds (something mk-7, etc.). I just take plain old normal k2.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00F45EQ4W/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0032BH76O/ref=oh_aui_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 

I've also used Vitamin Shoppe brand. When I first started, I was using dry capsules kinds and gummy kinds to get it into my ds. The dry and gummy don't work as well, just my experience. Apparently it's fat soluble so getting the D in the gel caps makes it work better. 

There's discussion on dosing, and I think I recently saw some numbers to calculate per pound of body weight. I actually have a genetic defect of the VDR (vitamin D receptor gene) and so do my kids, so we all take a sturdy dose and increase in the winter. I am taking 15k IU a day right now and my ds is now up to 12k. In the summer he goes down to around 7k (or at least he did before his growth spurt) and I only need 10k. But like I said, that's with an actual genetic defect. Shows up in the cheapest 23andme testing btw, just if it interests you.

You can get some combo products that have both the k2 and D. I think I tried one from Vitamin Shoppe and it was fine even though it wasn't gel/oil based. I just like being able to control the dose, and the combo pill was more expensive. This is pretty stupid cheap this way. 

[PeterPan]

1 hour ago, EKS said:

if you read the literature about vitamin C, the idea that it helps with colds is something that Linus Pauling essentially made up, and everyone believed him because...Linus Pauling.  And I say that having tremendous respect for the man.)

I had never heard that!! Might explain why taking large amounts doesn't seem to help, sigh. Now a cruise helps. That's vitamin C I can definitely endorse. I went finishing up the Tamiflu and hoping it wouldn't turn into anything worse and came back nicely recovered. 

Edited March 12, 2019 by PeterPan

[PeterPan]

15 minutes ago, Pen said:

breathing meditation regularly

Just as a total aside for the op, another thing like this to look for is the steam room at the Y or a local gym. Not the dry heat sauna but the steam room. Some people will take oils with them that are supposed to be good. If nothing else, it's a chance to unwind, breath, do your mindfulness, etc.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

1 hour ago, Angie in VA said:

 

I wonder if a chiro or osteopath could help w/ this? I had a bad cold and had just started to feel human again, but my ears were full of fluid. I woke up in the wee hours of the night w/ ear pain. A few hours later my eardrum ruptured. I was deaf in that ear for nearly a month. When I had another bad cold a few months later, I went to a chiro. He used his activator on my face and adjusted me and my ears started draining on the ride home. I wonder if a similar manipulation/adjustment would help you?

 

I'll be asking for referral to the osteo tomorrow!

[Pen]

Vitamins etc may help (or not help) different people differently, and it may also be that they help more or less depending on the type of illness, and the exact form, amount, and dosing regimen...

 

Re: Vitamin C.              😄

 

 

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170330115246.htm

[Pen]

1 minute ago, Monica_in_Switzerland said:

 

I'll be asking for referral to the osteo tomorrow!

 

You can also look up on you tube an see some self draining techniques 

[Carol in Cal.]

17 hours ago, Lucy the Valiant said:

And if you nearly drown yourself using a neti pot like I did, there is also a squeeze-bottle that does exactly the same thing. My dear (Indian) girlfriend hooked me up, and it makes a HUGE difference for my sinuses - I do it ~2-3 times a week through the winters, and it eliminates both bloody noses (from excessively dry air) as well as sinus infections. 

The key to avoiding that drowning feeling is to NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH while using the neti pot.  You have to keep breathing continuously through your mouth, which closes the connection between your nose and your lungs.

[Monica_in_Switzerland]

2 hours ago, Carol in Cal. said:

The key to avoiding that drowning feeling is to NOT HOLD YOUR BREATH while using the neti pot.  You have to keep breathing continuously through your mouth, which closes the connection between your nose and your lungs.

 

This is good to know!  I have *almost* worked up my nerve to try this.  😬

[ktgrok]

Wait, you lasted a month through the sinus infection before getting antibiotics? Why? If you are prone to sinus infections, the key is to jump on them right away, so the mucus doesn't sit there stagnating. I have a horribly deviated septum (it is actually S shaped, so blocks both sides!) but i stopped the infections by 1. avoiding or treating allergens 2. take regular behind the counter Sudafed and mucinex at the first sign of congestion and if pressure I also take ibuprofen and drink a bathtub of fluids. If that doesn't work go right away to get antibiotics, don't wait!!!!

The surgery is pretty intense, my mom had it. Ive done as well as her just by using Sudafed regularly when needed, instead of ignoring sinus stuff and hoping it gets better, like she does. 

Oh, and I try to avoid using benedryl as it dries things out and makes all the mucus stickier. The nasal spray really does work, and if you haven't used them in a long time they are nothing like when we were kids and felt like a squirt gun up your nose. The new technology in them make them a mist you can't even really feel. Seriously. I will take Zyrtec as needed, but never benedryl as it is too drying. 

All this advice is from an old ENT who was a client at the animal clinic. Ever since following it I have had no issues. Oddly, no other ENT ever gave the same advice. That old man was really smart and I don't know if his advice was just old school, or what. He is also the one that told me that over the counter Claritin is useless for serious allergies. When it was developed they wanted something that was non drowsy, but at levels that actually work for allergies it was too sleep inducing. So they cut the dosage to make it non drowsy, but the dosage is now so low it doesn't do much for most people. He advised chlortrimeton for short term use (so hard to find now!) and zyrtec for longer stuff. 

Also, warning, if you have a badly deviated septum often Neti Pots will not work. Ask me how I know, lol. Mine is so bad that I was supposed to have a test where they put a tiny probe down your nose and into your esophagus and they couldn't get it down either side, due to the deviated septum. Hit a wall both sides. And yet, with Sudafed, and prompt usage of it, I'm fine. 

I'd REALLY give it one more go of treating promptly rather than hoping for the best, and see if you can avoid the surgery. My mom really found it a hard slog.