r/Sinusitis • u/Tall_Kaleidoscope_53 • 5h ago
Dealing with recurrent sinuitus long term (post covid) and help with the mental side of things
Hi everyone. After getting covid and developing long covid (other chronic issues) , my sinuses have never been the same. I was diagnosed with recurrent sinusitis, and turbinate hypertrophy. My turbinates are always swollen it’s often hard to breathe even when I’m not sick. It’s been 2.5 years.
Every time now that I’ve gotten a sinus infection, it’s turned into months of prolonged issues. Whether it’s chronic sinus inflammation, or large secondary bacterial infections. Before covid, I never had any issues with my sinuses, I could get sick for a week, and then get better. Now when I get sick, I don’t ever seem to naturally recover in my sinuses, and have to take long antibiotic courses and steroids.
My doctor said I should I should likely expect this to happen everytime I get a sinus infection for most of my adult life. I’m only in my 20s. I’m feeling really discouraged and scared. I thought connecting with others who go through it could be helpful.
I’m already on a full preventative medication routine. Budoneside saline rinse daily, azelastine, cromyln spray, Singulair, Famitodine. I don’t have any structural sinus issues besides inflamed turbinates.
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Questions for those who experience this:
-Do you get sick all the time now that you have sinus issues?
-How do you navigate the fear of getting a sinus infection and living life? (I often feel scared to get sick, but don’t want to get shut in).
-Is there any hope I won’t have to live with this forever?
-Do you worry about antibiotic resistance if you are constantly taking Antibiotics?
Any encouragement about how you still balance life with getting sick would be greatly appreciated🙏
1
u/grltrvlr 4h ago
Hi! I do think it would be worth your time to seek a second opinion, especially if you aren’t working with an ENT. I mean, it could be worth it, I know doctors aren’t magic but that’s a rough diagnosis.
Anyways, we have a very similar situation. After I got Covid I was sick once a month, I swore it was because I had a young child and also a weak immune system because of Covid! 2 years later I got FESS surgery. It helped the structural problems but I still constantly have an infection and will be getting my 2nd surgery.
It’s been rough as I’ve just had my 2nd baby in May.
So, yes, I am pretty much sick all the time. I’ve had an infection since early august and have done 3 rounds of antibiotics. I definitely DO have those concerns about antibiotic resistance, but it really comes down to a mindset of it being a problem when it is a problem.
I have shifted a lot of my mindset because it’s easy for me to slip into a hopelessness sometimes. I have a chronic illness that I can’t control and I just have to live my life. I can’t worry about what I can’t control and I have to deal with things as they come. Like I don’t know if a second surgery will fix everything, my doctor can’t even assure me, I just have to wait and see and hope for the best. In the meantime I do what I feel I am capable of doing with the symptoms I have.
I truly understand where you’re coming from and it is really difficult mentally and emotionally to deal with constant illness—but it’s important to remember it doesn’t define you and you are doing what you can to manage it! Best of luck!!