Stress Center Peer Support

DeeDee00,

Anybody with anxiety is never supposed to take Sudafed--that fact is straight from my psychiatrist. It contains pseudoephinephrine (sp), which is like epinephrine and will really hype us anxious types up. He told me that what triggered my first panic attack was a dental extraction where the dentist gave me lidocaine and epinephrine. He said both those molecules are similar to cocaine, which can also trigger panic attacks. No wonder you have been freaking out--your "meds" were making your anxiety symptoms worse. One of my internists uses a neti pot and he told me it really helped his sinus problems. I can't use one of those because I have a deviated septum, but I buy Simply Saline at Walgreens and use it for my sinuses. It does help me with nasal congestion if I have a cold because I can't take the Sudafed.

When I am on antibiotics, I also take a probiotic pill every day(my doc likes Flora Q). There is a generic version of it, but I have not used it. You can buy them from a pharmacist--you just have to ask them for it at their window. I also eat lots of yogurt with active cultures because those antibiotics, although wonderful at killing bacteria, also kill the good ones in our gut that help with our immune system.

Sorry to turn into "Miss Medical" on you, but your doctor should have known better than to tell a patient with anxiety disorder to take Sudafed. They are too rushed these days. He/she probably forgot about your anxiety problem and they don't like to prescribe antibiotics unless they have to.

I am glad you and your nephew can help each other out. A good support system is a major plus.

Just keep taking good care of yourself and be patient with your body. It will get better.

Samcat,

you are so right on!

My doc knows NOTHING about anxiety, that's why I'm looking for another one now. I chose her because she's close to where I moved.

My sister AND my pharmacist told me that I should find a new doctor.

I'm going to buy a neti pot tomorrow and see how that works. But just the thought of pouring liquid in my nose scares me.

Dr. Oz had a lady do it Oprah one day. It is supposed to go in one nostril and out the other, cleaning out your sinuses in the meantime. It looked easy enough and the internist told me his sinuses had tormented him until he used the neti pot. Maybe your pharmacist could recommend a good doctor to you and also show you how to do the neti pot thing. If it really freaks you out, try the Simply Saline. I don't think it will be as effective, but it should help. You sound like you have a good pharmacist, so pick her brain. One of my friends is a pharmacist and she has been able to give me a lot of good advice.

DeeDee,

My mother passed a lot of nice qualities down to me, but one not so nice: sinus issues. I have dealt with my sinuses all my life and it progressively gets worse as I age. This time of year is very rough, because the barometric pressure is changing in the atmosphere as the cold comes in. Cold air is more dense and is therefore a lot more pressurized than warm air. I get every symptom you described. Dizziness, pressure in my head so bad I feel as though I'm going to fall over and pass out, feeling like the floor is moving when I walk, feeling completely off balance, headaches every morning, random dizzy spells that are so random and quick I have to hold my head in my heads until it goes away, fluids in my head draining, everything.

I'm sure you are anxious over the anticipation over your next sinus attack. It is not fun, but it is just a part of dealing with sinus issues. I've heard those nedi-pots help (spelling?) and I take aleve cold and sinus sometimes when mine is very bad, which helps amazingly.

Hi Karilynn!

You are right. I do fear the next one. I'm always thinking about it lately.

It's so horrible.

I hope these antbiotics work.

DeeDee-

I've had terrible sinus infections before and I've felt completely off balance from them. A lot of times when you get a snius infection your ears build up with fluid and that throws ya off balance, because that's where your balance comes from. You'll most likely start feeling better pretty soon from the anti-biotics You're going to be ok! Sinus infections do suck, big time. But you'll get through it!

Thank you so much aliengal!!

I'm looking forward to feeling better. I was fearful of fainting with the lightheadness just from the anxiety. So you KNOW this scared me! LOL.

Hi DeedeeOO I wanted to see how your sinuses was doing by today. I hope the few days on your antibiotics that helped you out a lot make sure you're eating yogurt whenever you are taking any type of antibiotics. feel better and don't anticipant another sinus headache coming.

Linda of San Francisco, ca. But born and raised in Chicago!

hey sis from Chicago!!

It's working really slow. I see "hints" of progress. I want to really feel better.

I took the three day azithromycin. One pill for 3 days. But it continues to work for up to 10 days. Tha pharmacist told me to give it a few more days to see progress.

Thanks for checking on me.

Originally posted by LLINDA:
Hi DeedeeOO I wanted to see how your sinuses was doing by today. I hope the few days on your antibiotics that helped you out a lot make sure you're eating yogurt whenever you are taking any type of antibiotics. feel better and don't anticipant another sinus headache coming.

Linda of San Francisco, ca. But born and raised in Chicago!

Hey DeeDee,

Just thought I would check in and see if your sinuses are all better now. You have been on your antibiotics for quite a while now, so I'm hoping you're feeling much better.

I have been real busy getting ready for Christmas.

Take care.