Epic Sinus Infection

I'm just getting over a sinus infection.  I first noticed it on the morning of Wednesday, November 28, as I readied myself for an appointment at the dentist.  But I think the trigger occurred on Sunday October 7, when I inhaled a cloud of dust from a bale of moldy hay at a local farm.  In fact, on Sunday afternoon and into the night, I had more and more trouble breathing.  I experienced the worst case of asthma ever, and I went in for a breathing treatment at the walk-in clinic.

I brushed off the sinus infection thinking that with my low-inflammation diet, herbal remedies, neti pot, steam treatments, Reiki and over-the-counter decongestants that I could recover without medical intervention.  But after a while not even the Sudafed could open my nasal passages, so steam and neti pot became futile.

My condition worsened while off from work for Christmas.  And I was surprised.  I had expected to improve once we had a nice layer of snow to seal off the mold from leaf decay.  It was the waves of throbbing head pain that clinched it.  Not wanting to start 2013 sick, I decided to finally visit my Primary Care Physician (PCP) on New Years Eve Day.

He prescribed Ceftin and recommended Mucinex and steam treatments.  I discontinued the Sudafed.  It wasn't working, and it would only increase my borderline high intraocular pressure (glaucoma).  Very soon I started to improve.  The headache was gone within several hours.  I was thrilled with every wrinkled, dense, yellowish-green booger I could dislodge.

But after four days I stopped improving, reached a plateau, and thereafter slowly got worse.  With one day's dose of Ceftin remaining, I called the doctor and explained the problem.  He responded with a prescription for Medrol and Levaquin.  Yes, this was what I needed.  I've been through this once before, and the combination of a systemic steroid and powerful antibiotic (plus a steroidal nasal inhaler) restored me several years ago.

I'm on Day Four of the six-day course of Medrol and ten-day antibiotic.  If I were to just stay as well as I am now, I'll be happy.

I 've heard from others in my circle who are also battling their own sinus infections.  One theory for this confluence of illness is that mold developed here in the Northeast from the flooding from Hurricane Sandy and aggravated many.

How has your health been in 2013?