Recurring Nose Infection

[moldy]

I've had non allergic rhinitis for a number of years, principally while living in Bangkok but I had nasal problems in Farangland too. I sense too that I suffer from general sinusitis and xrays have confirmed the odd bout. The traffic pollution is a dominant factor to say the least. I gave up smoking one month ago, appear to be very fit for a 47 year old and am healthy, with a good blood count, immune system, etc.

Anyway I've noticed a common pattern that has me worried.

I'm going to see a specialist I've decided, but can anyone comment in the meantime?

Typically if I come back from holiday my nose starts to smart a little and is a bit runny. Progessively it feels swollen and then I get a chemically sulhuric type taste and smell. I might get an allergy attack, sneezing, stingy eyes and generalised stretching numb pain across my face and sometimes forehead (a bit like a mask). After about 4 days I'll typically have one big sneeze and out comes some healthy darkened yellow snot (a bit like evo stik -sorry bout that).

But it never quite goes away and won't until I get a prescription for antibiotics (usually amoxycillin). Within a day the symptoms disappear totally, which is good, but come back again within a week or so of me stopping the antibiotics, which is why I am worried as I obviously the problem is never fully cleared.

Any comments ?

[Shuddee]

Sinusitis is a pain in the butt. I used to have serious bouts of the stuff. Didn't grow up in a particularly polluted area of town, but my parents smoked like chimneys, and I breathed in a lot of second-hand smoke. Never had rhinitis and I'm due for a physical/checkup myself, but I did used to get many sinus infections. They stopped in my mid 20s though. I remember once, probably the worst thing I ever had, was double pneumonia. When you have an allergy to something like penicillin, it's not always easy for the doctors to tackle it, so you have to take one of the mycins, like Eurythromycin (sp).

This definitely sounds like a chronic problem that you have. One thing you have to do, is to make sure you take ALL of the antibiotics. In Thailand, sometimes it's hard to tell which of the many bags of pills you get is the antibiotic, but this one must be taken until it's gone...otherwise your infection will come back, and may even become immune to the previous antibiotic that you used. Somewhere along the way you may have done this.

One thing you can thank God you've never had is labyrinthitis. I got this darn thing once. It's terrible. It's like being stone drunk, the world is spinning so much and you can't even get out of bed, you just want to vomit and everything is sideways. It's an inflammation of the inner ear. I thank my stars I don't get sinus infections like I used to (and hopefully never will again), and I can sympathize with you. Hope this helps.

[DavidS]

I gave up smoking one month ago, appear to be very fit for a 47 year old and am healthy, with a good blood count, immune system, etc.

I'm going to see a specialist I've decided, but can anyone comment in the meantime?

Any comments ?

Moldy, you plan on seeing a specialist, so please do not let anything I say deter you from that.

What rang a bell was you quit smoking 1 month ago. Well, I quit 2 years ago, and the first six months was hel_l. My sinuses were worse than they had ever been. I basically ignored it because there was no seriously discoloured mucous, a sign of infection I believe. But slightly discoloured mucous there was aplenty, as my body cleaned itself of the tar and muck I had been feeding it for 33 years.

One reason I did not fret was I had seen others who quit and had a variety of reactions to the cleansing and adjustment period. One chap had a cough for the first 6 months, with quite a bit of phlegm to boot. I just said thank goodness I didn't cough, had quite enough of that and bronchitis as a smoker. I do not know why, but about 6 months seems to be the magic period.

Today, what remains is the sensitivity I wrote about in my other post. And once every few weeks, I wake up with my sinuses so totally congested that I go through about 4 Kleenex clearing them.

Other than that, its just greater sensitivity and learning what triggers a bad spell. Last weekend, I discovered that walking about a basement carpark of a busy mall is a bad idea. Too much crap in the air for my nose to take.

So, if the specialist gives you the all clear, hang in there and you may well find it settles down somewhat.

Edited February 27, 2008 by DavidS

[Boksida]

Recurring Nose , It's gone, it's back again

If it is any consolation, Michael Jackson has the same problem.

[huggybear]

I've had non allergic rhinitis for a number of years, principally while living in Bangkok but I had nasal problems in Farangland too. I sense too that I suffer from general sinusitis and xrays have confirmed the odd bout. The traffic pollution is a dominant factor to say the least. I gave up smoking one month ago, appear to be very fit for a 47 year old and am healthy, with a good blood count, immune system, etc.

Anyway I've noticed a common pattern that has me worried.

I'm going to see a specialist I've decided, but can anyone comment in the meantime?

Typically if I come back from holiday my nose starts to smart a little and is a bit runny. Progessively it feels swollen and then I get a chemically sulhuric type taste and smell. I might get an allergy attack, sneezing, stingy eyes and generalised stretching numb pain across my face and sometimes forehead (a bit like a mask). After about 4 days I'll typically have one big sneeze and out comes some healthy darkened yellow snot (a bit like evo stik -sorry bout that).

But it never quite goes away and won't until I get a prescription for antibiotics (usually amoxycillin). Within a day the symptoms disappear totally, which is good, but come back again within a week or so of me stopping the antibiotics, which is why I am worried as I obviously the problem is never fully cleared.

Any comments ?

Aircon-notorious for holding bad molds and blasting them about. If you use an aircon, have the thing cleaned regularly.

"Typically if I come back from holiday"-riding in an airplane? Same thing, the germs that linger in an airliners air system are notorious for massive germs.

[marshbags]

Recurring Nose , It's gone, it's back again

If it is any consolation, Michael Jackson has the same problem.

:D

Sorry, i know it,s a serious enquiry moldy and i do sympathise as i,m sure Boksida does.

On a serious note i hope it is nothing more than an allergy problem.

marshbags

Edited February 27, 2008 by marshbags

[moldy]

Recurring Nose , It's gone, it's back again

If it is any consolation, Michael Jackson has the same problem.

Sorry, i know it,s a serious enquiry moldy and i do sympathise as i,m sure Boksida does.

On a serious note i hope it is nothing more than an allergy problem.

marshbags

Thanks everybody. It all helps.

Unlike Mr Jackson at least I won't have to sell my ranch just yet . Actually I have noticed just how laughter helps my condition, I'm sure it's stress related too.

I've been reading up on the net and vaso motor rhinitis (a version of non allergic rhinitis) rings many bells, not the least the sensitivity to traffic pollution and atmospheric changes. It appears to be on the increase and is linked to ozone and co2 emissions too.

Bangkok appears to be a particular 'allergy soup' doesn't it ?

The thing that worries me is the continual bruised feeling in the nose and a sort of sulphuric smell.

I thought the antibiotics were doing good, but they just coincided with spells indoors. Not going out seems to be a factor in my improvement.

A move is being planned!

In the meantime any drug suggestions would be most useful- I'm currently giving zyrtec a whirl.

And again if anyone does know where to buy a cyclists mask I'd be most grateful.

[marshbags]

Recurring Nose , It's gone, it's back again

If it is any consolation, Michael Jackson has the same problem.

Sorry, i know it,s a serious enquiry moldy and i do sympathise as i,m sure Boksida does.

On a serious note i hope it is nothing more than an allergy problem.

marshbags

Thanks everybody. It all helps.

Unlike Mr Jackson at least I won't have to sell my ranch just yet . Actually I have noticed just how laughter helps my condition, I'm sure it's stress related too.

I've been reading up on the net and vaso motor rhinitis (a version of non allergic rhinitis) rings many bells, not the least the sensitivity to traffic pollution and atmospheric changes. It appears to be on the increase and is linked to ozone and co2 emissions too.

Bangkok appears to be a particular 'allergy soup' doesn't it ?

The thing that worries me is the continual bruised feeling in the nose and a sort of sulphuric smell.

I thought the antibiotics were doing good, but they just coincided with spells indoors. Not going out seems to be a factor in my improvement.

A move is being planned!

In the meantime any drug suggestions would be most useful- I'm currently giving zyrtec a whirl.

And again if anyone does know where to buy a cyclists mask I'd be most grateful.

Well done moldy, for taking it light hearted like it was intended

I suffer from asthmatic problems and when i first came to Thailand i was horrified by the state of the atmosphere and the heavy pollution, especially in the down town area of Bangkok.

It has as we all know got really unhealthy in the 15 years since then.

I moved to Pattaya and communted to the capitol as and when it was needed to attend business meetings ect.

( That,s another story, i can rant on about, talk about unbelievable, but for me it was worth it. !!!!!! )

I don,t know if it,s still possible now, but then, you could see all the way down Sukhumvit road, were straight parts allowed you to and it was really clear and polution free earlier on a Sunday mornings and B. holidays, before the traffic built up.

Now when i,m here in Thailand, i spend most of my time in the N.East and it,s a different world, health wise.

Perhaps if you are able to, and as you posibly indicate ?, try living in another area that has / is a more health friendly in relation to the pollution, for a trail period and see if this helps.

At least you will get some idea on if it is indeed related to the infamous enviroment of the capitol, or indeed possibly a more serious issue relating to other reasons.

Just a thought and and at the same time, letting you have my way of dealing with the horrendous traffic induced pollution and how i solved it.

Incidently my ashma is easier to control here and i do not need to use my inhalers like back home.

May it long continue.

marshbags

Edited February 29, 2008 by marshbags