Sinus Infection
Tuesday July 29, 2008 | 3 comments
I had a major panic episode this weekend that involved calling several doctors on Sunday morning, bright and early. I hate doing this, really, and it always seems that these moments strike on weekends and after hours. I feel bad for the doctors who, I imagine, are settling in for dinner or are on their way to brunch with family and friends. And then I call and they have to handle me. I suppose that’s why they are making the big bucks though, right?
Anyway, Sunday morning a vicious headache jarred me out of bed, half-awake. It took me a few seconds to pin-point the location and it was, in fact, on the right side. Headaches in pregnancy are dangerous. Headaches in pregnancy combined with an AVM diagnosis can be more than dangerous.
I took a few moments to really focus on the pain and identify it. Have I felt this before? I was hoping it wasn’t an AVM headache, but it hurt in the exact same way and there were slight visual changes. I freaked out and I am being very honest here. I really did. I lost it. I wanted to bawl, but it hurt so bad, I really didn’t have a choice. Then, I went totally blank and suddenly had no idea what to do. All rational thought processes vanished from my brain.
I am so thankful my husband was home because he stayed totally cool. I am sure he was freaking out more than I, but he didn’t show it. He just said, here is your phone, here are some numbers, call your doctors. And I did.
My OB said call the neurosurgeon. The neurosurgeon said he wouldn’t admit me to the hospital because I hadn’t had a seizure. I told him, with all due respect, sir, I am PREGNANT and I am not waiting until I have a seizure, thank you. He said, in that case, I can come in for an evaluation, a CT scan and whatnot, or I could stay at home, holed up in a dark room hoping the headache passes.
The OB seconded neurosurgeon’s suggestions, so I told her if I am to wait this thing out, I need some meds to knock me out. She prescribed Vicodin and sent me on my way, so to speak. I was scared, to say the least. The pain was so intense, I just wanted to chop my head off because that would have hurt a lot less than the sharp jabs I was feeling.
I was also nervous about taking Vicodin while pregnant. I realize that the OB would not have prescribed it if it were that harmful for me, but still. I hate taking medicine and I especially hate doing this now when I know my baby might be affected, but it was either that or pain and I am guessing the latter would have been much more stressful for baby.
Well, a few hours later the headache shifted and I started feeling like my eyeballs were being punched by thousands of microscopic fists. I couldn’t keep my eyes open for more than two seconds at a time. This made me think that, maybe, just maybe, I wasn’t in the middle of an AVM wrath, but rather a vengeful sinus infection.
And let me just say that I have never had so many sinus problems in my entire life. I hate Texas weather and climate and pollens and whatever else around here that makes me this sick. I have had four rounds of antibiotics in the last nine months. More than I’ve had in the last nine years. This is becoming really frustrating and I am thinking I need to visit a specialist to figure this thing out.
Back to the story—the next day I was convinced this wasn’t an AVM headache, so I called the OB and she said she’d be willing to try antibiotics to see if that works. I am not comfortable with this way of diagnosing problems—let me prescribe you five thousand medications and let’s see which one works. I didn’t like this approach, but it did work. I went back to work today and I feel like I really do want to stay alive.
We are supposed to go back to the OB in a couple of weeks and I am going to have a serious talk with her about this sinus stuff. Fall has always been bad for me, so I am really dreading it now. I hope we can get things under control so I am not taking antibiotics every week.
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I am so glad you are OK! I have probably asked you about this before, but have you tried the neti pot? I had the same sinus issues, I had to miss work sometimes it happened so much, and then once I started using the neti pot, it doesn’t happen anymore! It is amazing. You can get them at Walgreens. Check out YouTube for videos of random people doing the neti pot :-)
Jenny: I am getting sick of these sinus problems. I think I am going to start using the neti pot soon because I never want to have another sinus infection ever again, especially not when I am pregnant.
If you are having recurring sinus infections, you should visit www.sinusinfectionstore.com to choose from a selection of natural sinus remedies.