Heavy Congestion And Antihistamines Posted: 12-06-06 18:44pm
I just realized I posted this in the wrong
place, so I posted it here also. Sorry
for the mistake.. New to the forum.
This might be a little long, so I will
apologize in advance. I want to explain
all of this to the best of my ability.
First of all, I am almost 31 weeks
pregnant with my first baby, so I thought
i'd let you all know that before I explain
all this and ask my questions.
Before becoming pregnant, I was diagnosed
with chronic sinunitis, so I have had my
share of sinus infections, etc, and I am
familiar with just about any type of sinus
medicines, antibiotics out there.
However, I also live in an area where our
doctors absolutely suck. I am not
kidding you when I say we do not have any
good doctors where I live. My so called
local doctor is in another town, and my
ob/gyn is almost 2 hours away if that
tells you anything at all.
Anyway, I have been suffering badly with
major sinus congestion on and off the past
couple of months. My nose has been so
stopped up exspecially at night, and i've
had a lot of sinus pressure in my head.
I have tried virtually everything I have
been allowed to try that was safe such as
tylenol cold and sinus, benedryll, cool
mist humidifier, a personal steam inhaler
made by vicks, and showers using a sudafed
type shower soother. I was actually
getting better, and then all of a sudden
over thanksgiving break I took a major
turn for the worst.
To make all this even worse, I am a
inclusive special education teacher, and I
have to travel from classroom to
classroom. Our campus is not all inside
the building, so I have had to walk
outside in freezing cold weather to go
room to room.. And some rooms are way to
hot ... Others right the opposite. I
really think this is what has made me so
sick, and i'm not going to be able to do
it anymore.
Over the thanksgiving break, I became
badly congested again but this time it was
worse. My nose is so plugged up and
swollen inside that I am getting hardly
any sleep at all at night. I went to my
doctor monday, and he gave me an
antibiotic shot (rosephine) and also
prescribed me oral antibotics as well
because he thought I had a sinus infection
and bronchitis since my chest was also
bothering me now. To say the least, I am
no better, and I am actually worse than I
was monday. So I go back to the doctor
today because I am physically exhausted
from not being able to breathe to go to
sleep at night. Basically I am unable to
get any rest at all at this point.
Anyway, today, the doctor tells me that if
I had an infection, the antibiotic shot
would have made me feel better, so he now
says it is just a viral infection.
Here is the deal: he wants me to continue
my oral antibotics, and take benedryll
regularly every 4-6 hours. He also gave
me a prescription for flonase ( 1 time in
each nostril daily) to help with the
swelling.
Here are my questions... I am concerned
about taking the benedryll because it is
an antihistimine and that will dry
everything up. I would think draining it
would be better. This doctor and my
ob/gyn both told me that I would feel
better if I would dry it up, but I am
confused on how that would help if my ear
is stopped up and my nose is plugged and
the sinus pressure. I thought draining
it would make more sense.
Is it good to dry it all up when my ear is
stopped up and I have this pressure?
Also
does anybody know of a way I can taper off
and eventually stop using a nose spray
that I have been using?
I think I have some rebound congestion
from that, and I need to quit it, but I
can not breathe at all without it.
Those are my questions, and any help would
be appreciated. I am so desperate to
feel better, and I have no decent doctors
around here that I can ask these questions
too.
