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Sinuses Draining down Throat for over 8 months

I am 47 years of age, female, and have since probably around June been having a heck of a time with my sinuses draining down the back of my throat. Sometimes to the point of choking me and causing me to vomit. I have often vomited due to this making me nauseated.  If I stand too quickly from either a sitting or prone position also I get dizzy, and have vomited. My husband is military and right now we are in a very remote area so we do not have a regular doctor, which makes it difficult. the last one I saw gave me Nasonex, which has done nothing except cleared up the swollen nasal passages first time I used it and I have had no need for it since. I find I get minor relief from sinus pills but then end up with sinuses bleeding to the same point of blood draining down my throat. I need to know what I should be asking what ever doctor I see next to be looking for so I am not just some lab experiment here. Thank you for any help or advice you can offer.
Best Answer
Avatar universal
What did your doctor diagnose? A sinus infection or allergy?  The other information needed to answer your post is the color of the phlegm that is drowning you.  Is it brownish, yellowish, or greenish?  Or is it clear?
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Avatar universal
SO, i went to another doctor (John's Hopkins this time.  They're supposed to be the best.  STILL no answers.  I'm now getting extreme pressure that causes nausea and progressing dizzy spells.  I want to cry knowing that NO ONE seems to have an answer, like I'm making this S%#*! up!
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1 Comments
I have been experiencing the same problem. Nasal sprays do not work. I wish I had the answer. I want to sleep through the night, without having to constantly trying to get this out of my head!
Avatar universal
I've had the same issue for about 3 years now.  There is NO relief.  I have even had surgery to keep me from choking on it (bone removed from my nose).  This sinus problem is so uncommon there is no medicine for it.  When it comes to sinuses, all doctors seems to understand is "clogging".  Constant draining is foreign to them.  The doctors just gave me barf bags to keep in my car.  My mom said I should be on YouTube because I have Mastered the art of driving and vomiting (mucus) at the same time. It's MISERABLE! It lightened up for about a year and now it's coming back (which is what led me here).  I CAN'T GO THROUGH THIS AGAIN!!!! >:-[
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Avatar universal
"Drowning" perfectly describes how I've been feeling for the better part of a year now.  A head injury brought me to having a ct scan a few months ago where in the massive sinus infection inside my head was discovered, held in by scar tissues blocking it from draining.  It was not related to the injury.  Two weeks ago they did a follow up ct scan, and despite all the antibiotics and sprays, the infection remains.  So they have scheduled me for balloon sinuplasty on frontal, ethnoid, sphenoid, and maxillary sinuses as well as septoplasty...let's pray all that helps, cause I am drowning with all the running down the back of my throat, day and night, I wake up choking often.
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Avatar universal
Thank you,
as soon as I can get the referral to see a specialist (again another problem living in a remote area where a regular family doctor is hard to come by) there is talk of us possibly getting a nurse practitioner soon and she will be able to get this referral for me.
I will post as soon as I am able to see a specialist, to see if this is actually what is going on here.

Thank you for your help,
Marie
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Avatar universal
MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL
Hello and hope you are doing well.

Understand your predicament mam. The best way to get to the bottom of your sinus issues is to see an ENT.  A good examination inside the nose with a camera might give the ENT more information as well as a CT scan of the sinuses.  If it is a chronic sinus infection, 4-6 weeks of antibiotics are pretty standard in addition to nasal steroid sprays, oral steroids, and salt water irrigations of the sinuses.  If this fails to solve the problem, sinus surgery is usually recommended.

Hope this helped and do keep us posted.
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Avatar universal
Thank you Tialee15,
I am completely baffled by this, until this past June, I have always had allergies sure, but, not like this. It started out as normal and progressively worsened.  Instead of the draining lessening as the allergy season went away, as winter set in it increased and is as if someone turned a tap on. Very frustrating! Bad thing about even attempting to experiment with any sort of gluten free life style is where we are located, we are N.E. Alberta and to gain access to any sort of g.f. products would be so darn expensive I would just be forced to go completely without. And dairy, I have been lactose intolerant my whole life so, haven't touched dairy products.
Was actually kinda hoping being this site is supposedly monitored by physicians that one would actually help with a possible idea so when a doctor does come to our area to see patients I know what to ask and what to tell them to test for so as not to waste time, but, it doesn't appear that despite the name and the impression they put out that this is actually the case.
I do thank you though!!
Helpful - 0
4682981 tn?1357944029
My father had a similar problem, it was a sensitivity to gluten. He had a nasal drip for years, phlem and he was starting to lose his voice. He cut out gluten and it went away. Wheat/Gluten causes a whole host of health problems but it's different in everyone. He went to a specialist for years and they didn't think to try to cut certain foods out of his diet. I also hear that dairy can cause a problem as well with this.. hope this helps
Helpful - 0
2 Comments
I've had this issue too. Tialee15, I have wondered about gluten and am going to give it a try! Thanks for the info!
I've had this issue too. Tialee15, I have wondered about gluten and am going to give it a try! Thanks for the info!
Avatar universal
Thanks Friggy,
for this I will have to either have to wait for a doctor to come up to our area or possibly make a visit to the dreaded emergency room. (I have a physical handicap that prevents me from being able to bend down to be able to perform this).
This would be so much easier if the military would just send my husband somewhere a little more accessible. Again, thank you.
Helpful - 0
Avatar universal
Yes, drowning is too strong a term, I was just remembering a time when i woke up with that feeling, and glad you haven't had that experience.

Often when a person gets a sinus infection, a mass of infected mucus forms in the sinuses, and the body's white blood cells can't penetrate the mass, and antibiotics, which travel by bloodstream, can't get inside either.  So the toxins from the infected mucus irritate the membranes lining the sinuses, often to the point that they bleed.  The membranes also swell up, and cause congestion.  

The Nasonex brought down the swelling, but the infected mucus is most likely still there.  The best way to get rid of it is with saline.  If the infection is in the lower sinuses, a Neilmed Sinus Rinse works well, and is available in most drugstores now.  However, if the infection is in the upper sinuses, about the only thing that will reach it is a Sinus Flush, because of gravity.

http://www.medhelp.org/user_journals/show/2322

The Flip-Turn Sinus Flush is mildly risky, because you have to bend over to do it, preferably in a shower, but you can also do it outside on soft ground, or you can kneel down and lean over a bathtub, or perhaps a plastic basin or tub, with the shower running for steam.

Saline is also the best treatment for bleeding membranes.  If you don't see a mass of infected mucus coming out after 3 or 4 days of flushing, then stop, and wait until you can finally see a doctor.
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Avatar universal
"Drowning"? wasn't my choice of words however, but it chokes me to the point I get sick and vomit. Sorry if you misunderstood.
And have yet to be able to see a doctor as where I am right now, we currently do not have a doctor available. And the colour varies at times it is brownish, and can range between that and sometimes almost clear with just a tinge of red to it. But I have never known a sinus infection to last for months on end like this (as I stated this has been occurring since June). Which has me very concerned.
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1 Comments
Did you ever get any relief
Avatar universal
am guessing nobody ever answers these things???
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