Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I am working on what I think is my second sinus infection in a month. The first one was treated with two rounds of antibiotics. I'm trying to avoid that this time but this one seems much worse than the first. I am using sinus irrigation (like a pulsating neti pot), a humidifier at night, vicks vapor rub under my nose, warm compresses and steamy showers. Nothing is helping. I can't breathe through my nose at all. My OB gave me a list of medicines I can take and they include Tylenol Cold (did nothing to help the congestion) Sudafed and Benedryl. I bought the Sudafed today. They only had one kind so that's what I bought but when I looked at it at home I saw it was 12 hour, extended release, maximum strength. Now I'm hesitant to take it. I've read conflicting information. My husband suggested just cutting the Sudafed tablet in half at first. I could try the Benedryl but the box says it's for itchy eyes and runny nose, not congestion.

Any suggestions or advice? I may just have to suffer until I can talk to the doctor again on Monday.

I was stuffy all through my pregnancy and I think that is common, but it sounds like you have it much worse. My solution was to tell my husband to lie to me when I asked him if I was snoring.

I would probably try the Benadryl if doctor already okayed it; you never know and it might help you sleep. I would wait to ask specifically about the sudafed.

Hope you are feeling better soon!

Unfortunately the Benadryl did nothing to help. I just had the worst night of sleep. If you can call it sleep, it was only about 3 hours total. I'm miserable.

I'm definitely more stuffy but nothing like that. I'd double check with your doctor about the dosage of the stronger meds. Hopefully that will help. I was in a hotel last night traveling and certainly notice mine is worse today from their dry heater. Good luck

Are they sure it's a sinus infection and not bad allergies? I developed horrific allergies when I was pregnant with my second. My OB told me to take zyrtec.

i dont have anything helpful to say other than im sorry you are feeling so crappy. :-(

im sick *again* as well. it just sucks. i had a really bad cold/flu for 2 weeks and the Benedryl and Robitussin did nothing for me.
i got rid of it for the most part and felt ok for about a week and a half and now i have a sore throat and stuffy nose again. :-(
i cant even think of what to do to keep it at bay.

you're already doing all the things i would suggest. keep up the neti pot i think that is the best thing to do.
the only other thing i can think of is drink tons and tons of fluids to help flush the infection out of your body. if you can tolerate OJ that would be good to get more vit C (i have acid reflux so OJ is a no no)

i can really only tolerate water.
also just rest as much as you are able. :-/

everyone keeps telling me how great it is that im not going to be pregnant in the summer and being pregnant through the winter and having a spring baby is so smart (didnt exactly plan it that way but yay!) but im starting to disagree.
being pregnant during the worst part of the cold/flu season SUCKS

feel better soon :-)

I think it is a sinus infection because everything that comes out is gross and green. However, antibiotics might not always help because it can be viral or allergy related and not bacterial, so I'm trying to avoid unnecessary antibiotics again.

Two people (who don't know each other) each suggested I put vapor rub on my FEET and cover them with thick socks. Sounds weird but what could it hurt since I'm already using vapor rub on my nose and chest. After I thought about it I remembered a massage therapist told me that in reflexology your sinuses are connected to your big toe. So maybe it is true? Anyway, I still haven't taken the Sudafed, I talked to a coworker who took it while she was pregnant and said each time she used it the baby would become really active. That scares me because once it's in my system, it's in her system and I can't take it back. I'm keeping up on the neti for now. Yesterday I used it 5 times. I still can't breathe through my nose at all, but the pressure in my head and ears have decreased enough to make me functional. I'm just dreading what sleeping will be like tonight.

I'll keep you posted on how the vapor rub on the feet work. I'm really curious.

We did that for my partner when he had an awful cough. It worked super well. Good luck! Hope you feel better soon.