Still clogged after all these days...

[parrotheadlois]

Any ideas:

About a week before the cruise, I had laryngitis. I went to the doctor and although he thought it was probably viral, just in case he gave me antibiotics (the "Zith pak"). Flew to Fl on the 8th, got a stuffy ear which seemed to get better on the cruise. Flew home on th 13th. It happened again, but now, more than 2 weeks later, it's still continuing. Since then, I called the doctor who suggested Allegra and Flonase (did that for a week), called back and am now finishing up a Prednisone 6-day treatment and still, it continues.....

Any good ideas?

I've held my nose and tried to 'blow it out'
Taken decongestants
Used a neti-pot

I'm at my wit's end

Maybe now I need an Otolaryngist.

it's a nightmare.

 

[IWISHFORDISNEY]

My husband was sick for about a month and ended up taking Claritin twice a day not once and Tylenol sinus. Nothing else worked. I am sure he overdosed himself. LOL.

 

[dpuck1998]

I had the same problem. It is finally starting to break.

 

[SGB13]

Try adding Mucinex tablets. It is an expectorant and is supposed to help thin the mucus to help it get out. Works in the head as well as the chest. And drink lots of water. Hope you feel better.

 

[parrotheadlois]

I had the same problem. It is finally starting to break.

Oh Don, I hate to say I'm glad to hear it, but I'm glad I'm not the only one.

 

[parrotheadlois]

Try adding Mucinex tablets. It is an expectorant and is supposed to help thin the mucus to help it get out. Works in the head as well as the chest. And drink lots of water. Hope you feel better.

Ya know, I was taking Mucinex, just yesterday I decided to try Sudafed. Drinking water is one thing I have to really think about doing, for the first week I probably didn't drink nearly enough. I'm trying to drink much more now.

Thanks.

 

[parrotheadlois]

My husband was sick for about a month and ended up taking Claritin twice a day not once and Tylenol sinus. Nothing else worked. I am sure he overdosed himself. LOL.

(I don't know how to multi-quote). If overdosing fixed him, I'm all for it!!

 

[tlcoke]

Stay on top of it, if it doesn't clear up soon ask your doctor for a referral to a ENT (Ear Nose Throat) Doctor. It may lead to a severe ear infection that would require surgery if it doesn't get better. This happened to a friend of mine after our trip to Hawaii in 2006. She got a sinus infection on the trip and it never cleared up after multiple rounds of Antibiotics from the Doctor. She had to have surgery to drain the blockage in her inner ear.

 

[Tonya2426]

You might try using hotter water in the neti pot.

And a second course of antibiotics may be in order. I get sick quite a bit and most of the time it ends up with a sinus infections. One particularly bad one completely blocked one sinus cavity and required a second course of old school antibiotics (2 weeks worth) to finally clear it up.

Hang in there and keep taking the antihistimines and using the neti pot - they help manage things.

 

[DVCsince02]

I also got a sinus infection on the trip. Luckily it didn't get too bad to require antibiotics this time, but still had to buy sudafed on the ship.

NOTE: Sudafed and DATW is an interesting combination.

 

[pal-mickey]

I wish I had a good suggestion, but I am suffering through the same problem. Although I haven't been on antibiotics yet. On Friday my sinus headache was so bad I thought I was going to die.

 

[parrotheadlois]

oh Pal Mickey, I so feel your pain. I was just googling ENT doctors in the area. I don't need a referral, so I'm looking for someone close to work.

Gurgling ears = yuch.....

 

[parrotheadlois]

oh Pal Mickey, I so feel your pain. I was just googling ENT doctors in the area. I don't need a referral, so I'm looking for someone close to work.

Gurgling ears = yuch.....

OK, I've gone ahead and made an appointment. Hopefully there's a magic cure. Pixie dust!!

 

[SamIAm21]

On a trip to Las Vegas a few years back, I caught a head cold while there. Well you are never supposed to fly with a head cold, but I had to get back to work, etc. I took Sudafed and Advil before flying and didn't experience too much discomfort, but did suffer from baro-trauma with holes in my eardrums etc. I did end up with severe ear pain about 24 hours later and I was still very congested.

The point to my story is to get to that Dr. as soon as possible. I was "this" close to losing a great deal of my hearing!

 

[SGB13]

Good luck with the ENT. Keep up with all your meds until you get there. Hope you feel better soon!

 

[parrotheadlois]

My appointment is Wednesday afternoon, update to follow.

 

[parrotheadlois]

quick update,
1. Thanks to Tonya, I used hotter water in the neti pot and that actually seemed to have helped.

2. Went to the ENT - looked in my ear and my nose and my throat (ok, for an ENT, that seems like a start). Ear looks ok, no wax, eardrum ok. What I've been doing is ok.

I have a follow-up appointment for a hearing test to see how the fluid is affecting my hearing, then we can take it from there.

But after the hotter water/neti pot thing - at least the gurgling sound went away - that was nasty!!!

So, now gotta wait 2 weeks for hearing test.

thanks all!

 

[disneyholic family]

Maybe now I need an Otolaryngist.

it's a nightmare.

this happens rather too frequently to DD, so she's a regular visitor to her ear doctor...he can usually help...

and now she has an ear tube in the problem ear, so no more problems flying...(she's 24 years old....kind of old to get tubes in the ears, but it worked)...


(there is a super great nose spray here that usually gets through to even the most difficult stuffed ear - but unfortunately it's not sold in the US - it's swiss....)

 

[parrotheadlois]

this happens rather too frequently to DD, so she's a regular visitor to her ear doctor...he can usually help...

and now she has an ear tube in the problem ear, so no more problems flying...(she's 24 years old....kind of old to get tubes in the ears, but it worked)...


(there is a super great nose spray here that usually gets through to even the most difficult stuffed ear - but unfortunately it's not sold in the US - it's swiss....)

Ear tubes are sounding better and better so I wouldn't have to worry about this again. So I can't find the terrific nose spray online anywhere? Hmmm, maybe my UK friends could get it for me...

 

[SamIAm21]

ParrotheadLois,

So glad to "hear" you are making some progress. I hope everything clears up for you soon. Best wishes!!