[caroldiem]

Hi Ladies,

I have a really bad sinus infection i had it just before i conceived this little one and i took antibiotics and that did the trick but ofcourse it has returned with a vengeance. I don't know what to do the headaches are so bad, the pain behind my eyes, and my neck is very sore.......

Panadol doesn't seem to be working at all and i can feel all my sinuses really blocked up

I am so miserable

Please HELP!!!

[tweedle-dee]

Hi caroldiem, firstly as you are posting in preg questions section, I'm guessing you are pregnant again...after your heartache of earlier this year, a huge congratulations to you...such wonderful news.

I recently had sinus infection while in first trimester and Gp put me on antibiotics (which I resisted until she convinced me it was most important I get myself better and that ABs were perfectly safe for me and bub. When seeing my ob in the follwing week, she suggested continuing ABs and also holding my head over bowl of steaming water with vicks for 10mins at time to help relief pressure and loosen congestion.

I feel your misery of blocked sinuses...good luck and hope u feeling better soon

[caroldiem]

Thanks tweedle-dee looks like i need another trip to the doctors then.

And yes i am pregnant again, although i say this with a mixed bag full of emotions it hasn't been easy.

And the big shocker it was announced yesterday that my SIL is also pregnant and she is due 5 days before me but noone in the family knows about me except my MIL my hubby accidentally let it slip but she is good at keeping secrets so i really hope she says nothing

[Koobie83]

Hey OP - my sinus has been a pain in the butt right from the beginning. No infections so far though. Do you use Fess? Fess works great for me. Make sure you tip your head over (almost upside down) when spraying for maximum entry into your sinus. It's a saline spray too so perfectly safe.

[BJBubbles]

Sinus infections suck at the best of times, but are just horrible when pregnant!

Honestly, if it's actually infected, you need antibiotics. It's the only thing that will really help.

I tried to get rid of a cold for a week before I gave in and got AB's - by that time I wanted to pull my eyes out, and my teeth were aching because of the pressure!

My GP put me on a course of Amoxicycillin (Sp?) (penicillin - category A for pregnancy, so entirely safe!) plus gave me 2 different nose sprays (prescription Rhinocourt and OTC Otrivin). I was also using the Fess sinus cleanse twice a day (not just the spray - the cleanse is gross but really moves the gunk. I recommend doing it in the shower...).

She also said I could take any of the panadol's depending on the pain - so Panadol, Panadeine, or Panadol Extra as Paracetamol and Codeine are both Cat A drugs too.

All that being said, I was 29ish weeks when I got sick, so you really do need to speak to your GP as different drugs can be safe at different times I believe.

I hope you can get some relief soon!

[meljb]

Try a nasal rinse or neti pot, it's a saline rinse that you squeeze up and it rinses everything out. It's a bit gross but more effective than fess. I was able to knock a sinus infection on its head when I was pg by using that. I was developing another one just before Christmas this year and there was no way I could get to a doctor but I was able to fight it off with the nasal rinse. I got my rinse from the chemist, Neil Med brand I think it is.

[caroldiem]

Thankyou for all your help ladies.........


I have just started using the Netti Pot it has relieved some of the pressure.

How do you know if you have an actual sinus infection vs one that is starting???

[BJBubbles]

The neti pot seems similar to the sinus cleanse I was using. I agree with PP that the normal fess nose spray does nothing!

Regarding the infection - for me it was the pain/aching.
When it's just a cold, my nose is blocked and I feel yuck etc, but once it got infected there was a lot more pressure and discomfort in my sinuses - behind my eyes, on my brow, and like I said, my teeth started to ache.

Other "normal" signs of infection are temperature etc.

My OB basically said if you've had symptoms for 3 or so days without improvement to get checked by the GP just in case...

[caroldiem]

Thanks BJBubbles then i definitely have a infection oh well my GP is on holidays and she won't be back until next Friday i have to wait a whole week i am hoping the Netti Pot can get me through until then teh pain is pretty excruciating. I am hoping my chinese doctor can help me to next wednesday

[*Lena*]

Congrats on the pregnancy!

Sinus is the worse I have suffered all my life. During my first pregnancy I was really bad but for some strange reason each child I have it is improving.

Boil some water and put it in a bowl. Put a towel over the bowl and your head and breath in the steam. It will loosen the gunk so blow as much out as you can. Do this regularly. Try to keep the mucus moving as much as possible.