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8 Month Sinus Infection/Eye discharge/Infamed eyelids
I have a long history of sinus infections and sinus sugeries. I have had 2 frontal obliterations, the first being 22 years ago and the last one being 2 years ago. The latter was found via an MRI and symptoms were Pseudonomas infection for almost 1 year with 5 fungi infections during the last 3 months. Had round of oral antibiotics and 3 months (I believe) of Levaquin via a PIC line....after removal, infection resumed in 1 week. Now I have had Pseudonomas since April and again am on oral Levaquin. The infection is isolated in the Ethmoid sinuses. When taken off antibiotics, infection resumes in 5 to 10 days. Another symptom, which appeared FIRST and NEVER GOES AWAY, EVEN WHEN ON ANTIBIOTICS, is inflammation of my eyelids which, at first, responded to Oral steroids....Now they do NOT respond to any type of oral or INJECTED steroids (right into the sinus). I also have blisters now on outside and inside of top of eyelid and now has also spread to lower eyelid. Constant discharge, especially in morning, occurs. The left eyelid is also impacted, but not as great as right eyelid. My right sinus area has always been worse since, during 1st sinus surgery 22 yrs ago, artery was cut during surgery and the bone on right of nose was cut out to cauterize the artery (or I would have been blinded in 5 minutes as eye fills up with blood) and I also had spinal fluid pouring out of my nose as the infection in forehead sinus was so bad on that side that it ate thru the bone covering the brain; thus, while cleaning out the infection, there was no bone to protect the spinal fluid/brain. Within 5 months after this, my left forehead sinus was so infected that it did not show up on MRI, my headaches were unbearable and would I would awaken in middle of night screaming in pain, and thus, my doc did an obliteration within a few weeks. He found that they are only good for about 15-20 years and that's why I had it done again 2 years ago. Now, I believe he will put me on PIC line with antibiotics and my thought is that this will NOT work and again & that he will need to resort to surgery. He said does not want to do surgery as he said the MRI shows the ethmoid area is a mess with bone fragments, etc. and there is a chance of blindness since it is a mess in there. However, I have no energy and cannot work, I ache all over, my sinuses are killing me, I need to be on powerful addictive pain meds, and I cannot think straight. Needless to say, there are people worse off than me, but I cannot function this way, sleeping all day, in chronic pain and doing nothing. I am continuing to get worse every day and need someone to help!!! Plus, if my doc is afraid of operating on me, I do not feel comfortable with him doing the surgery, although he specializes in sinusus. Also, the MRI (in Jan this year) shows excessive tissue in the right sinuses, where the infections and pain is worse. This showed up 4 months before my infections started in April of this year. So my question is that is it the excess tissue that is causing these infections due to their inflammation or is the infection make them flare up? He thinks it's the infection causing the inflammation, however, he said that their is minor inflammation in my sinuses, but my eyelid is ALWAYS swollen....This swelling is obvious to everyone and sometimes my eyelid is only 1/2 open. HELP!!!
Do you have any problems, with your teeth? I used to have HORRIFYING headaches and was constantly being treated for Sinus Infections. Prednisone shot, pred pak and antibiotics, every time, and every time, my pain would go away (because of the Prednisone) for about a week, but would return. Then, after I discovered, that it was the Prednisone, that was taking care of the pain, I asked the Dr., to put me on 20mg of Pred, daily. I also found, that I needed to take the antibiotics, too, so I stayed on antibiotics and pred, for 3 1/2 yrs.!!!
At the end of the 3 1/2 yrs, I went to the Dentist, for a severe tooth ache and he told me, that I would need to have all but two of my teeth extracted, due to severe decay. Apparently, my lack of saliva (I produce very little), was responsible for the decay. Anyway, at first, they gave me 13 shots of anesthetic, but it wouldn't dull the pain. I scoured the internet, until I found out, that infection causes inflammation, and inflammation prevents medications from working properly (including anesthetics, used in Dentistry). So, I had my Pred increased, and went back to the Dentist. Oh, also, they had done an impression, previously, for my dentures (well, upper denture and lower partial). This time, it was still very painful, but I somehow got through it. They extracted several teeth, each time, for three visits, until they finally referred me to an oral surgeon. He managed pull the rest of my teeth (except for two of them), without a lot of pain (except for one, which was really painful)!
I returned to the Dentist, where they reinforced my two remaining teeth and gave me my first dentures (they put the first set in, to make adjustments, and then send them off, for the final set, to be made). It took me two more visits, before I actually got to take them home. They still didn't fit, and they totally changed my appearance and my speech. When I eat, they constantly come loose and I end up getting food under them, and unable to reseat them, unless I pull them out (so, I have to either excuse myself, to the bathroom, or wait till no one is watching and shield my mouth, with my napkin). Anyway, I began having less swelling, in my face, and began to suspect that my problem may have been caused by the abscesses, that they discovered, when they extracted my teeth. The crazy thing is, the abscesses didn't show up, on my dental x-rays, but when they were pulling the teeth, the infection came out!
I asked my Primary Doctor to taper me off of the Prednisone (by this point, I was almost 400 pounds, which was 150 pounds, caused by the Prednisone, so I was ready to get off of that stuff!). The Doctor said that I could taper down, over a few days, because I was only taking 20mg a day, at that point. I asked him, if maybe I shouldn't take at least two weeks, to do it, and he said, "Sure. That would be fine". A week later, I was admitted to the hospital, because of rapid weight gain (I was taking on massive amounts of fluid!). Ten days later, they discharged me, without a diagnosis or treatment (other than increasing my diuretics, which I had been on, for many years, and adding a similar-acting drug, to give the diuretics a boost). They wrapped my legs, in wet bandages and sent me on my way.
Luckily, over the next two years, I lost the humpback, the extra padding and the moon face. 10 months ago, I discovered (through testing), that I'm allergic to corn. After omitting it, from my diet, I began losing more weight. So, I was able to get around, better - walking a little, etc.. Now, I'm down to 239 pounds and I'm walking easier. Oh, I should mention, that I have been suspect as having Dejerine-Sottas Disease (an Inherited Neurological Disease), for which I discovered, that High-Doses of Ester-C, are highly beneficial. My seizures are down, by 95%. My mobility is up, by 60%. And, my neurological pain is down, by 50%. Unfortunately, I've started having puffy eyelids, again, along with itching and extreme sleepiness. I suspect an allergy, but the Doctor was unable to find any others (except for a mild mold allergy). It's possible, that I have some other process going on, which causes itching and sleepiness, but it sounds so typical, for an allergic reaction. Anyway, my bottom line is (hehe, took me a while, to get here), that in my case, it turned out to be hidden dental abscesses, that were causing my headaches, facial swelling and bizarre facial pains/sensations.
Feel free, to write to me, if you have any questions, about anything I've written. I'll be happy, to reply.
At the end of the 3 1/2 yrs, I went to the Dentist, for a severe tooth ache and he told me, that I would need to have all but two of my teeth extracted, due to severe decay. Apparently, my lack of saliva (I produce very little), was responsible for the decay. Anyway, at first, they gave me 13 shots of anesthetic, but it wouldn't dull the pain. I scoured the internet, until I found out, that infection causes inflammation, and inflammation prevents medications from working properly (including anesthetics, used in Dentistry). So, I had my Pred increased, and went back to the Dentist. Oh, also, they had done an impression, previously, for my dentures (well, upper denture and lower partial). This time, it was still very painful, but I somehow got through it. They extracted several teeth, each time, for three visits, until they finally referred me to an oral surgeon. He managed pull the rest of my teeth (except for two of them), without a lot of pain (except for one, which was really painful)!
I returned to the Dentist, where they reinforced my two remaining teeth and gave me my first dentures (they put the first set in, to make adjustments, and then send them off, for the final set, to be made). It took me two more visits, before I actually got to take them home. They still didn't fit, and they totally changed my appearance and my speech. When I eat, they constantly come loose and I end up getting food under them, and unable to reseat them, unless I pull them out (so, I have to either excuse myself, to the bathroom, or wait till no one is watching and shield my mouth, with my napkin). Anyway, I began having less swelling, in my face, and began to suspect that my problem may have been caused by the abscesses, that they discovered, when they extracted my teeth. The crazy thing is, the abscesses didn't show up, on my dental x-rays, but when they were pulling the teeth, the infection came out!
I asked my Primary Doctor to taper me off of the Prednisone (by this point, I was almost 400 pounds, which was 150 pounds, caused by the Prednisone, so I was ready to get off of that stuff!). The Doctor said that I could taper down, over a few days, because I was only taking 20mg a day, at that point. I asked him, if maybe I shouldn't take at least two weeks, to do it, and he said, "Sure. That would be fine". A week later, I was admitted to the hospital, because of rapid weight gain (I was taking on massive amounts of fluid!). Ten days later, they discharged me, without a diagnosis or treatment (other than increasing my diuretics, which I had been on, for many years, and adding a similar-acting drug, to give the diuretics a boost). They wrapped my legs, in wet bandages and sent me on my way.
Luckily, over the next two years, I lost the humpback, the extra padding and the moon face. 10 months ago, I discovered (through testing), that I'm allergic to corn. After omitting it, from my diet, I began losing more weight. So, I was able to get around, better - walking a little, etc.. Now, I'm down to 239 pounds and I'm walking easier. Oh, I should mention, that I have been suspect as having Dejerine-Sottas Disease (an Inherited Neurological Disease), for which I discovered, that High-Doses of Ester-C, are highly beneficial. My seizures are down, by 95%. My mobility is up, by 60%. And, my neurological pain is down, by 50%. Unfortunately, I've started having puffy eyelids, again, along with itching and extreme sleepiness. I suspect an allergy, but the Doctor was unable to find any others (except for a mild mold allergy). It's possible, that I have some other process going on, which causes itching and sleepiness, but it sounds so typical, for an allergic reaction. Anyway, my bottom line is (hehe, took me a while, to get here), that in my case, it turned out to be hidden dental abscesses, that were causing my headaches, facial swelling and bizarre facial pains/sensations.
Feel free, to write to me, if you have any questions, about anything I've written. I'll be happy, to reply.
Just like with anything that has "stuff" on it...the areas within your sinuses, if they are debilitated, need to be cleaned frequently. Altho ENT's recommend nasal washes, etc., few people adhere to them. A regimented, frequent use of saline washes, steam up your nostrils, and steriodal sprays immediately following the washes, and then tipping your head upside down (ie, laying on your bed, with head dropped off side) will cause the liquids and meds to open and dry and clean the fungus and debris getting caught in your head. I suggest 3- 4 times a day, without end...you should consider it a part of your life. This, in conjunction with eating raw broccoli sprouts, which is medically proven to help increase immunity to respiratory assailants by 300%, (google the studies), taking supplements of zinc and vitamen C, in addition to a multivitamin, and most important: elevate your head at all times when you sleep and do not lay on one side or the other. if you have difficulty sleeping like this, use sleeping medication (doxylamine succinate seems to work best, as it also has antihistamine properties and is a hypnotic that u do not become overtolerant to) within reason. Of course, don't get hooked on this. use it just to get used to the position and to improve your condition..and then try to lower your head, when your condition improves. This, in conjunction to the broad-spectrum antibiotic, will work. And once the antibiotic cycle is complete, you have to keep doing it religiously, no matter where you are, what you are doing, 4 times a day....all of the steps...use saline with high salt, I like the blue bottle of simply saline, as the salt is a dessicant and dries and sterilizes the mucus and helps the debris wash out in the liquid. Good luck.
Have you ever had your immune system tested?
I left you a note in your profile that will tell you a little more about me...but I'm going tomorrow morning to get a really extensive profile done on my immune system because they found a deficiency that causes me to have all of these sinus infections, and hopefully we'll be working towards...something!
I know how you feel though!
Best of luck!
Ashley
I left you a note in your profile that will tell you a little more about me...but I'm going tomorrow morning to get a really extensive profile done on my immune system because they found a deficiency that causes me to have all of these sinus infections, and hopefully we'll be working towards...something!
I know how you feel though!
Best of luck!
Ashley
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