My sinus infection always require antibiotics and I feel so much better within 24-48 hrs. One time the antibiotics didn't work (symptoms improved but never cleared) and I went back for a different type of antibiotics and that worked right away. Next time I had a sinus infection I was concerned the antibiotics wouldn't work again, but it did work. It depends on the type of bacteria with each infection.
I think it is well worth the $30. When I wait too late to get treatment my nose starts dripping a sickly yellow liquidy substance non-stop.
Mary
DS Summer '05
DD Fall '08
2 1/2 week + using natural remedies then over the counter stuff... and broke down and went to the Dr. Co-pay + Rx costs were WORTH EVERY PENNY! It was getting worse daily and I was missing out on life. I want to play with my kids and have a FUN time, I was not. i was blowing my nose, was stuffed up, talked funny, and a sore throat,... and then the nausea and fever came.
I should have gone earlier. I have been able to wear contacts today, a first for weeks! Started the Rx 2 days ago.
Another reason to go to the Dr was today I was scheduled to be a chaperone for a class trip. I was responsible for the care of kids AND I did not want to get them ill.
I am going to look into the spray mentioned. I have had 2 infections this winter so far.
Be well
I'm in the same boat with the sinus infection. I have chronic sinusitis so I know when I need antibiotics to battle my infection. Problem is I get yeast infections easily too so I try to hold off on taking antibiotics. I currently have a sinus infection and was prescribed amox two days ago but I still haven't taken it. I was hoping I could win the battle but its starting to kick my butt.
So my question is, sinus infection or yeast infection: which is worse??! I do overload on probiotics when I'm taking an antibiotic but sometimes it's not enough to keep the yeast away. I got a 5yr old and a 2yr old and am currently 6mos pregnant so not sure how much of a fight I have left in me. Should I just take it and risk the yeast infection that may follow??
Medpage today had something up a while back about this. I think you may need a login to read but I'll try to cut and paste some bits from it.
http://www.medpagetoday.com/Infectio...RItheFlu/31754
Between 90% and 98% of sinus infections won't respond to antibiotics, so doctors should hesitate before reaching for the prescription pad, according to new guidelines for the treatment of rhinosinusitis from the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
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It also discusses viral vs. bacterial and says most are indeed viral.
Then this:
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Although most cases are viral, the guidelines suggest suspecting a bacterial cause when:
- Symptoms or signs are persistent, lasting at least 10 days without any evidence of clinical improvement.
- The disease onset is characterized by severe symptoms or signs of high fever (of at least 39° C or 102° F) and purulent nasal discharge or facial pain lasting for at least three or four days.
- The disease gets worse with a new onset of fever, headache, or increase in nasal discharge following a typical viral upper respiratory infection that lasted five or six days and had appeared to be improving.
It also mentions because of drug resistance, some of the common abx should be avoided. It mentions 5-7 days rather than 10-14 is probably sufficient for adults; children should be treated for 10-14 days. They say nasal saline irrigation may be helpful for comfort.
Mama to DS-2004
DD-2006
and a new addition-ds born march 2010
This is essentially what the doctor told me the last time I went in for a sinus infection. She said nasal rinses are equally effective and recommended I try a week of that first. I've never felt that antibiotics did much for my sinus infections so I've pretty much given up on them. I hope you feel better soon! Sinus infections are the worst.
Wow, so much information here! I was suitably impressed with how quickly my 1yo bounced back from a sinus infection once he's had about 2 doses in him, which is also consistent with what happened to my 5yo neighbor. My adult friend, however is on day 9 of sinus infection with little relief...
I do think I'll wait at least the weekend or go into urgent care if it gets awful.
Ugh, sinus infections suck. I used to get them all the time, but none since I went gluten-free over a year ago.
There's nothing wrong with getting antibiotics for it, and sometimes that's all that will help, IME. But, once I was so desperate for something to help right away, and couldn't get to the doctor so I Googled around looking for home cure ideas. I came across a recommendation someone said they'd gotten from an ENT to add 2-3 drops of Betadine to the regular saline neti pot solution and rinse with that frequently (I think it said 5-6 times a day). It's supposed to cure 80% of sinus infections - the doc said "if it can reach it, it'll cure it, and it'll reach 80% of infections." It has worked wonderfully for me and my husband. We do neti pot every day in the shower, and we keep a bottle of Betadine in there, too. Now, whenever we get colds, we just add Betadine to the neti pot. It has helped us many times.
I have gotten ABX for that when I can as well. I ended up with a bad one when I was pregnant with DD2 so no ABX, but Multi Symptom Rubitussin worked like wonders. The night time stuff is the closest thing to the old NyQuil with all of the good stuff in it.
Annie
WOHM to two wonderful little girls born in April
DD E, 17
DD L, 13,
baby 2, 4-2009 (our Tri-18 baby)
I got a horrible sinus infection a few years ago and didn't have insurance at the time. I would use the neti pot and would get tons of thick yellow snot coming out. I was so close to finding some type of urgent care walk-in place when I finally got myself some goldenseal tincture. I took the maximum dose of that (30 drops 4 times times a day), along with echinacea tincture (half your body weight in drops 5 times a day), and was 100 times better by the next day. Since then I've always taken goldenseal tincture to get rid of anything that lingers. It's supposedly as strong as antibiotics. The tincture is nasty tasting, but I just mix it with a little juice and chug it down with the echinacea (which is tasteless).