I went and had my 2nd opinion on my sinus infecton problem this morning at the ENT specialist and now I’m more confused than ever. Sometimes I think 2nd opinions are just meant to confuse the heck out of us and are meant to make us feel like we are losing our marbles. Obviously, anyone who has been around me for the last month can testify to the fact that I have been very sick, but a lot of what the ENT doctor had to say today completely contradicts what my family doctor has been telling me, so now I don’t know what to think.
The up side is that I am starting to feel a lot better, so I am very thankful for that. I have been off work since last Friday and my I know that my CFS-ridden body was begging for the rest. It is amazing what about 5 or 6 days off of work in a row can do for someone with CFS & Fibro!
At all three of my trips to my family doctor over the past month she has been telling me that my ears are full of fluid from the sinus infection, along with my head and a lot of post nasal drainage down the back of my throat.
When the ENT looked in my ears today he said, “You don’t have any fluid in your ears at all.” I told him, “I was just at my doctor’s office 2 days ago and she said my ears were both full of fluid.” He said it LOOKS like my ears are full of fluid because the eardrums have thickened due to repeated sinus infections. This will give the appearance of a cloudy eardrum.
He said that my ears feel full and wet inside all of the time and it feels like stuff is moving around because I have TMJ, which I knew about that. But the wet feeling is coming from TMJ?
My family doctor wanted me to have a CT scan of my sinuses and he said he didn’t think that was necessary either. He said that my chronic health issues, the stress of the past few months, working around the public, and all of the illness that has been going around is just extra hard on my body (no kidding!).
So that is how I made out. My head is still full of congestion, which he did say it was full of! My ears hurt like crazy and feel full, even though it is apparently coming from TMJ, and as usual, everything else is blamed on my chronic health problems that I have no control over and out the door I was sent.
He did notice the swelling in my nasal area, around my eyes, and nose from the sinus infection. He also noted that it should not be taking me so long to recover given the two very strong antibiotics I was given. His concern was that it was hard for HIM to differentiate whether or not the severity of my headaches lately are from the sinuses or from the CFS & Fibromyalgia. I guess it doesn’t matter that I would know the difference since I’m the one that lives with it every day?
Another frustrating day in the life of a chronic illness patient’s doctor visit!
Glad you are feeling better Sandy. Sometimes Doctors don’t know what to do with us. They all have differing opinions but I would go with the ENT’s opinion more. They are specialists in that area and probably know a little more than a family doctor. I think it just takes us so much longer to get rid of any cold, flu or infection that hits us. Our immune systems are not in good shape for one thing. It is a vicious cycle we go through. We have these illnesses that drag our immune systems down, we get an infection, cold or flu virus which further irritates the CFS and Fibro and in turn makes it hard to get rid of the cold, flu virus or infection. Like I said – vicious cycle.
This morning I woke up aching everywhere, particularly in my hips and lower back. I realized we have this terrible storm coming in tonight and it’s like a light bulb is switched on. OK – now I know why I hurt so much worse today. I’m like a barometer!! So I wake up early – aching – which takes away from my sleep (2nd day in a row now) and wonder why when I take a nap this afternoon, I pass out for 2 hours! Thank God I get to take naps to recharge. I don’t know how other sufferers get through the day if they must work all day.
The good thing is my new Doctor called me after looking at my temperature charts and wants to discuss Thyroid meds with me. Finally, someone sees that I need help and is willing to work with me. Hope this is good news for a good relationship with him. In the meantime, I keep pushing through each day looking for that light at the end of the tunnel!
Hi Sandy,
I sure know what you mean about the fact that we know what works for us and what doesn’t, and I hate that whole merry-go-round with the docs.