Complications from Sinus Infection/Antibiotics?

[kylet3]

Hi There,

Just posting out there to see if anyone else has gone through the same thing I have recently... What happened is I got a sinus infection, normally I go, get antibiotics and it clears up in about 7-10 days and I'm good to go, but after this last round of antibiotics I think there could be a more complicated problem...

I was prescribed something called clavulin, while I've had it before, this time it completely shredded my insides, nasty stomach ache, side pains, plumbing issues, the works, so after about 4-5 days I stopped it, but this was about two weeks and I'm still having some issues, before the weakness, lethargy, dizziness, etc were really bad, lack of appetite, things are starting to come back slowly, but I don't know, I don't really feel 100% quite yet, I've done all kinds of blood and other kinds of testing but nothing is showing up,

Is there anyone who's gone through something similar? Did you get better?

[beepbeep]

Hi, queen of sinus infection here

Clavulin also causes havoc for me, being the worst

Spoiler

number 2 coming out like number 1

, but that was expected (for me) because of the amoxilin in it.

You really shouldn't have stopped, despite all of the symptoms. If you don't take the full course of antibiotics, the bacteria gets stronger and comes back with vengeance. That is, unless your doctor took you out of the medication,

I'd say the non digestive symptoms are probably related to the infection itself. My doctor always gives me a whole bunch of anti infalmmatories. It takes time for your body to bounce back completely.

Best of luck.

[kylet3]

Oh no, doctor told me to stop taking it because it was just doing a number on my stomach, nose is okay, just a little bit of the phlegm/frog in the throat but that's it for the sinus really, I took biaxin for a few days afterwards just to see if that would work. I hear what you mean for what you put in the spoiler text, that's what was happening to me.

Did you have the lack of appetite, dizziness, nausea and all the other stuff too?

[beepbeep]

Lack of appetite, yes.
Those are common side effects of the amoxilin, but it's strange to still have them two weeks later...

Sorry I can't be much help...

[kylet3]

actually going on week 3...

[A.H.Black]

Dizziness could be an inner ear issue caused either by the infection or the antibiotics. I had that issue with my last bout of flu.

There are some eye exercises you can do that really do help. Try googling dizziness and eye exercises. I was skeptical but they do help and once you get the dizziness under control, the nausea could be helped as well. The other will take some time.

Antibiotics always throw me for a loop and the side effects seem to get more pronounced as I get older. Good luck.

[euterpe]

Antibiotics can destroy the normal bacteria that live in the intestines, triggering diarrhea and digestion problems. One way of dealing with this side effect is to take acidophilus (you can get in in the drugstore) or eat yogurt while on the antibiotics.

I've suffered from chronic sinusitis for years, and sometimes had to be on antibiotics for 4 weeks at a stretch. Acidophilus helped me to avoid severe GI problems. I'm having sinus surgery tomorrow, and hope that puts an end to my problem!

[kylet3]

Deviated septum surgery? Hope it goes well!

[beepbeep]

I've suffered from chronic sinusitis for years, and sometimes had to be on antibiotics for 4 weeks at a stretch. Acidophilus helped me to avoid severe GI problems. I'm having sinus surgery tomorrow, and hope that puts an end to my problem!

Good tip

Good luck on your surgery.
I'm going tomorrow to see a doctor about my nose.
I'm done with it, even if it takes drilling through my nostrlis

[kylet3]

I wish I could get a doctor to do the surgery on me, actually if I had my way, he'd fix the sinuses, take out my tonsils and get rid of my appendix all at the same time

[Badams]

My sister had a bad ear infection a while back and the Dr. put her on a strong antibiotic. She developed Clostridium Difficile Colitis from the antibiotic. She was pretty sick and lost a lot of weight from it.

[numbers123]

I wish I could get a doctor to do the surgery on me, actually if I had my way, he'd fix the sinuses, take out my tonsils and get rid of my appendix all at the same time

because you have problems/serious illnesses with them all?

I've had my appendix out - there were complications related to the manipulation of the gut. A good friend had significant complications including coding once and ongoing wound issues going on 13 months now. Certainly not an elective surgery that I would consider just because I think the appendix is an unnecessary body tissue.

Tonsils are meant to help fight off infections. Some people have issues with their tonsils, but I fought to keep mine. Not had many issues since I was 22 - I did have tonsillitis earlier this summer, probably the first time in 15 years..

Sinus surgery - for me yes. I am certainly a candidate, but my ENT/Surgeon is trying many different options to avoid it. If I have a winter like last winter, we will certainly do it sooner than later. I was on antibiotics all winter (seriously only off antibiotics for 12 days from October through March) and steroids (Oral and inhaled) all but 12 days from October through March. Did aerosol treatments 4 - 6 times most of the winter.

But NONE of those surgeries done on an elective, no reason other than get rid of them, will avoid problems/infections.

If you continue to have problems this many days post antibiotics, I would ask my doctor to do a stool test for C.Diff. It is nasty and could be the reason you still feel weak.

[kylet3]

Did the stool testing already and they didn't find anything apparently.

As for the surgeries it was more as a joke than anything. If I could pick one it would be for the sinus issues, I'm usually about every 3-5 months and it's not pleasant, either way this time it hasn't been fun because of those damn antibiotics, ugh, if that's what it was, never again. :S Either way, it's not been a fun year health wise, kidney stones, sinus infections, you name it. ergh.

[kylet3]

Has anyone tried nasal irrigation? I bought something called the neti-pot. So hopefully that'll work.

[Artemis@BC]

Has anyone tried nasal irrigation? I bought something called the neti-pot. So hopefully that'll work.

I've done it. I sometimes notice a slight improvement, particularly re: the "stale smoke" smell that seems to stay in my nose after I've had a cold or sinusitis. But it's not a lot of fun. Does feel rather like you're drowning.

Do try it to see how it works for you though. My sense is not only is it a personal thing, it's also climate-related -- seems to make more of a difference for people who live in a very dry climate. (Which Vancouver is not!) And if it does work ... well it's relatively inexpensive and free from most side-effects, so great!

[kylet3]

I live in Edmonton, air is drier than the Sahara desert some days...

[euterpe]

I just got back from the hospital after sinus surgery. Wow~ I can breathe through both nostrils for the first time in many years.

I've been using nasal irrigation for the past two years. It helps some, but it's not a cure.

What does help is altitude. When I was at the Lake Placid JGP, I felt a distinct improvement. As soon as I came back to sea level, though, my nose was spurting like Niagara Falls! So glad I had the surgery.

[kylet3]

eutrepe what kind of sinus surgery was it? Deviated septum?

[euterpe]

I had my deviated septem straightened and had a huge polyp removed from the sinus cavity.

[Anita18]

Antibiotics can destroy the normal bacteria that live in the intestines, triggering diarrhea and digestion problems. One way of dealing with this side effect is to take acidophilus (you can get in in the drugstore) or eat yogurt while on the antibiotics.

Yup. This happened to me when I had a relatively minor stomach flu. I developed post-infectious IBS and couldn't eat anything more substantial than an apple a day for a month, and then after that was touch and go to see what my system liked. I lost 10 lbs, which I guess would be welcomed by some but definitely NOT by me. I looked frightening, and felt like crap all the time.

It took almost a year for my stomach to get back to normal. And sometimes my intestines will go through a very minor IBS bout. Since there was nothing really wrong with my stomach, I decided that the nerves around my digestive system had to learn how to behave normally again.

Has anyone tried nasal irrigation? I bought something called the neti-pot. So hopefully that'll work.

I've heard it helps. My sister swears by it, although she doesn't have a classic neti pot, just a nasal irrigation bottle. A coworker of mine used to have raging sinus infections all the time, because food (like rice) would get stuck in there and then it would get infected. Now he just uses the neti pot to flush it out and then good as new.

It only works when you're healthy or when you feel something juuust coming on. When your sinuses are all blocked up for realz, that saline is not going anywhere!