Chronic Sinus Infection?

[mom2PJS]

OK we're 2 pedi allergists into our adventure and now we don't have any reactions to skin tests. Our first doc handed out RXs like candy on Halloween and just "doubled" the dose when it wasn't working. She also made some documentation errors and evidently some procedural error when testing. So we redid many of the skin tests and all negative. So the latest mission on the new doctor's fishing expediton is to send us for sinus x-rays to check for a sinus infection in a 26 month old. We have year round "allergy" symptoms for the past 16 months and corresponding sleep issues. She responds ok to Claritin and has been on another antihistamine/ decongestant which works great... she can breathe and sleep. But this allergist doesn't think allergies are her underlying problem. I'm back to square one. I'm going to talk to the allergist about food intolerance, but GRRRR I'm really out of my league here.

[mom2PJS]

OK so it really is a sinus infection. 4 ear infections and all of this nasal inflammation that the ped has been calling "allergies" and now hopefully we have an answer, even if I don't like the treatment (4 weeks courses of antibiotics and followup x-rays) The allergist says that thes mimic allergies often, so off we go.

[SAmama]

Wow, that is a long time on abx. Do make sure to have your dc take some serious probiotics a few hours after every abx dose, the whole 4 weeks and after you have completed the abx.
I have always struggled with chronic sinus infection... "from birth" according to my mom. Very rarely has antibiotics taken care of it, never for good. Now I control it with a neti pot, apple cider vinegar and no sugar. I would also only have fermented dairy if I could have dairy (intolerant nursling). There are herbs and what other natural things as well that you can try, at least to prevent recurring infections.

[kjbrown92]

have you tried taking her off dairy? It's a big cause of sinur/ear infections.

[mommydancer]

If the body is fighting a bacterial infection...they should find elevated white blood cell count. Did they check?

Also, I vote you study up on "leaky gut" (and learn how abx wipe out the good bacteria in the gut as well as the bad, it can lead to leakage and intolerance) because this could be something that will worsen an already present problem. I am so sorry, because it is hard to be in a situation where your DC isn't well and you don't know who to believe about what will help.

It is hard to get an allergist to even say the word intolerance.

[duckmom]

I have recently come across several different sources claiming that yeast is often at the root of many sinus and ear infections. if this is true, then obviously abx would make it worse, not better.

so I just now Googled "yeast sinus" and got tons of results.

this might be another avenue worth exploring for you. as someone who used to suffer from chronic sinus infections, this is very intriguing to me.

good luck, mama!

[mom2PJS]

I'm also using the Neti pot with her (soooooo fun ). I have her on probiotics. I read up on fungal sinus infections, and I've read some about leaky gut, but I really am struggling to find balance between listening to the docs and my less than mainstream ideas. I just don't want to be a roadblock to her health because I think I know better than the docs. I don't think the antibiotics helped me when I had a sinus infection, but I was so miserable I would have rubbed dog poo on me if they told me it would help.

I suspect dairy, but DH and I conflict over this. Dairy was a culprit while nursing until about 10 months (he agrees fully on this). I actually work a 48 hour shift and he is home with her, so unless I convince him it won't happen. So we're trying this approach and if it hasn't resolved in 27 days, or returns in a few months maybe I will have found the dedication to eradicate dairy and convince him. Thanks for your advice and support, I'm glad it's not allergies, just want a healthy kid.

[kjbrown92]

You say that dairy was a problem while breastfeeding... I thought my DS "outgrew" his dairy intolerance at a year, when all he did was change symptoms. Went from projectile vomiting, to waking up all night long and drinking a ton. Then I thought he outgrew it again a couple years later, when it turned into a rash on his butt... took it out of his diet.... put it back in after a while, and he started bedwetting.... so if you think it is milk again, try the milk. Go with your gut. Clear the congestion. Give her rice milk. Get some easy dairy free recipes for your DH to use when you're working and buy/make dairy-free snacks. Going off dairy certainly won't hurt her. And if you can keep her clear without all the paraphenalia (abx, neti pots, etc. etc.) then wouldn't it be worth it?