• Welcome to Phoenix Rising!

    Created in 2008, Phoenix Rising is the largest and oldest forum dedicated to furthering the understanding of and finding treatments for complex chronic illnesses such as chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), fibromyalgia (FM), long COVID, postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS), and allied diseases.

    To become a member, simply click the Register button at the top right.

Sinus Problems- should I take antibiotics/antihistamines?

Messages
37
Hi, another question for you all. I just found out that, like I knew already, I've had chronic sinus infections for probably most of my life. Growing up, we thought I just had allergies but since I had them year round I figured it was an infection which was confirmed at an ENT appointment.

So he prescribed neil med sinus rinse in the morning followed by antihistamines, and then antibiotics. Every day for 4 weeks then they'll scan it and see if the infections gone down.

I really don't want to disappoint the doctor, but I'm kind of afraid of taking antihistamines. I'm not totally sure on this, but I think they've worsened my CFS symptoms in the past. I'm also afraid of taking antibiotics, but not as much, and mostly because I did some fecal transplants over a year ago and feel it did help my health a little overall except for possibly making my autoimmune issues worse. What do you think? I realize I'm probably overthinking this, but I recently have felt that my health has been stalling and don't want to risk making things worse.

I'll add that I'm seeing an integrative doctor for CFS in a couple months who might be able to help with the infection plus I'm starting ozone saunas which might help, but in the meantime I'm not sure if I should just bite the bullet and take the antibiotics or not. It's amoxicillin, by the way. And the antihistamine is fluticasone.

Sorry that got really ranty. I'm just confused as I don't want to alienate my local medical system. Not that that's likely to happen, but you never know.
 

TigerLilea

Senior Member
Messages
1,147
Location
Vancouver, British Columbia
How do the sinus infections make you feel? Run down? Malaise? If so, then you probably do need the antibiotic. Whenever I have a bacterial sinus infection they knock me right down. I understand your reluctance to take them as I feel that it was antibiotics that started my CFS and have made it much worse in the last year. Unfortunately, I don't know of any other way to get rid of a bacterial sinus infection that won't go away on it's own.
 

realturbo

Senior Member
Messages
143
Unfortunately, I don't know of any other way to get rid of a bacterial sinus infection that won't go away on it's own.
I think I've probably been suffering from bacterial sinus infection for a couple of years. I have recently been using pine needle oil (diluted 50/50 in baby oil) in my nostrils at night, and this seems to have helped with my sinus congestion problems. I also put a few drops of the oil (neat) into the back of my throat. I decided to try using this oil after reading this thread discussing possible benefits of pine oil.,,
 
Last edited:

CFS_for_19_years

Hoarder of biscuits
Messages
2,396
Location
USA
Chronic sinus infections are a sign that your allergies are out of control. That is what my allergy doc told me. When your body is reacting to the allergic substances it has a hard time mounting a defense to infections.

You need to do everything your ENT doctor told you to do. The daily nasal rinses will reduce the allergens in your nose and reduce your overall allergy load. The antihistamines will control the allergic response that is making it hard for your body to fight the bacterial infection. The antibiotics are necessary to clear out the bacterial infection. Sometimes you may need to go to a stronger antibiotic like Augmentin. See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amoxicillin/clavulanic_acid

For the long-term outlook you may need to have immunotherapy (allergy shots) and somehow control your exposure to allergens. Has any doctor done allergy testing on you? They poke you with several dozen allergens on your back and see how big the red mark is after 30 minutes or so. Then based on your reactions, they make an allergy mix specifically for you to be injected over the space of a year or two.

When I first came down with ME/CFS, I was inundated with chronic sinus infections. I was treated with several courses of antibiotics and also had allergy shots. When all of that failed to resolve the sinus infections I went to a naturopath who gave me natural herbal remedies which eventually stopped the chronic sinus infections.

It is good that you will be seeing an integrative doctor since they may be able to recommend other supplements. However, you might want to consider seeing a naturopath if things don't work out with the intregrative doc.

Like other people have said here, they have felt much worse when battling chronic sinus infections. I would have to agree with that. You will feel much better once they are under control. Keep doing the daily rinses, take the antihistamines and the antibiotics. Your integrative doc might be able to recommend some probiotics to restore normal gut flora after the antibiotic treatment.

It's not fun, it won't be quick and you've got to be patient; do persevere and don't give up.

I would also avoid anything having to do with ozone since it's possible to have an allergic reaction to ozone. Just google "ozone allergy" to see the health problems that ozone causes. Here's just one article:
http://www.nbcnews.com/id/3076762/n...ollution-spurs-allergies-asthma/#.V8-GhzXgnps
Several studies have shown ozone can exacerbate one’s allergies, says Dr. David Peden, a professor of pediatrics at the University of North Carolina School of Medicine and director of the UNC Center for Environmental Medicine, Asthma and Lung Biology.

Peden and his colleagues looked at the effects of ozone on people allergic to dust mites. Not only did ozone worsen allergy symptoms immediately, but among patients with asthma, researchers found there was a chronic inflammation of the airways that could be measured the next day.

This may explain why studies have shown people tend to show up in the emergency room one or two days after a high ozone day, Peden says. “There seems to be a time lag between the start of the inflammation and the effects that bring people to the ER.”

I've also used nasal steroid sprays (similar to fluticasone) which caused nosebleeds. If that happens, you should notify your doctor. They may tell you to stop using the fluticasone and just use saline spray throughout the day from a spray bottle until the bleeding subsides.
 
Last edited:

ahmo

Senior Member
Messages
4,805
Location
Northcoast NSW, Australia
I get good results using rutin for antihistamine. ( not citrus-based, as some are. I use NOW brand). Also quercetin and luteolin. Also royal jelly and mangosteen for mast cell stabilizers. I've currently been having significant nasal congestion, but without infection. Seems to be mast cell issue. I've gotten some help by putting royal jelly in nostrils.

Saline rinses!!