# doxycycline for sinusitis Q.... please!



## blue skies (Jun 8, 2008)

Hi there

I'm not pg for starters, but I hope you can help.

I've had sinusitis for about 3 months.  It arrived following a series of colds which DD brought home from nursery and passed to me - I think my sinuses were just under so much pressure.  I went to the GP after 3 weeks and she prescribed co-amoxyclav which worked brilliantly.  I had no sinusitus for 3 weeks afterwards.  Then dd passed me yet another cold and again I ended up with sinusitis.  I put up with it for another 3/4 weeks hoping this time it might just go itself, but instead I got tonsilitis as well (the GP said it was from the "gunk" going down my throat) so she gave me another antibiotic (penicillin based, amoxycillin I think) and although this cleared the throat problem, the sinus problem remained.  I was so fed up, but again just "gave it time" and hoped it would go, but another 3 weeks on and I started coming down with another spotted sore throat, glands up, fever - you guessed it - tonsilitis back again (same cause, I suspect). 

I ended up this weekend in the emergency docs who has given me 100mg doxycycline.  I took 2 tablets on Saturday and one thereafter every day.  I have 3 left to take.

There has been no improvement whatsoever, and I was wondering if the doxycycline was going to work, should I at least have seen an improvement by now? If I should have seen an improvement, should I go back to the docs now or wait until the course has finished before jumping the gun that it hasn't worked?

I just feel so fed up at the thought that this might not be something that can be cleared.  I don't have a running nose all the time or anything, but I am utterly bunged up, can't breate, can't blow it out it just drains down my throat constantly and I feel like I have a lump of glue sliding down my neck - it's revolting.  I can't smell or taste and my head feels all woolly and I don't get more than an hours sleep as I can't breathe through my nose and it's been like this since February.  I've tried breathing steam, olbas, facial massage,  decongestants,  I'm getting so desperate.  

Apart from anything else I get married soon and I can't stand the thought of saying my vows sounding like I have a peg on my nose!!

Any help over the meds would be appreciated....

Sophie


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## mazv (Jul 31, 2006)

Hi blueskies,

Oh boy I can totally sympathise   Just getting over my third bout of sinusitis in the last 4 months  Could wallpaper the entire house with the contents of my sinuses  

Most of the infections we get in sinus passages are in general penicillin sensitive (caused by staphylococcus organisms) so amoxicillin should clear them and co-amoxiclav (broader spectrum) almost definitely will  It may be that the emergencgy docs were concerned about a resistant infection or perhaps one that is atypical (not standard staph bug) and therfore decided to try another class of antibiotic? Has anyone taken a sample of 'gunk' from you to see if it grows anything?

Best to take the whole course before heaidng back to Docs as although the bugs might be cleared the inflammation and gunk takes a bit longer so sinuses can take a good few days still to clear up totally. Problem with recurrent infections is that you can get residual/dormant bugs in there that will just flare up everytime you develop a cold too ;( Unfortunately some people are just prone to this  

Really hope it clears and you feel better soon  
Maz x


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