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A cold for 2 years?

Posted , 9 users are following.

Pibmac
Pibmac

Hello, in august 2012 I caught what I thought was a cold which I then had for around 4 months straight. Constant sneezing, headaches, runny nose and coughing. I saw my GP who gave me a nasal spray and antihistamines, they failed to work and I was referred to an ENT specialist. They stuck a camera up my nose said it was extremely swollen, booked me for a CT and said I may have sinusitis and gave me a bunch of meds which again did not work. 3 months pass I went back, saw a new person who said CT was fine, stuck a camera up nose again and said I may have rhinitis and gave me more meds, they did not work. 3 months pass again, I went back and they gave me more meds and nasal steroids this time, which caused me to have serious nose bleeds but I was told to keep taking them and I'd be seen in 6 months. I finished that course of meds and went back and was told to come off all meds and see how that goes.. Its half way through 2013 at this point, now my symptoms have worsened, I have a cough all the time, my nose never stops running and sneezing, it's ALWAYS blocked, I can't breath out of it, my head hurts all the time and my life is extremely miserable. December arrives and I lose my job because I can no longer perform at work due to my nose causing havoc, symptoms worse. I still have all the above and now a constant itchy throat which I'm also struggling to breath through sometimes, eyes constantly watering and itchy, sleepless nights as I wake up every hour because I have pain in my nose, can't breath, my nose runs and I sneeze and cough so I get maybe 4 hours a night. I'm now almost suicidal because I can't live a normal life. I see my GP, they offer me anti depressants and tell me to take 2 antihistamines a day everyday until I go back to ENT.. I only took the antihistamines and take 2 everyday, they do not help and I'm still waiting to go back to ENT. I'm now jobless, spend a fortune on tissues, hate going to bed because I know what night I'm in for and hate waking up because I know what day I'm in for. I've had what feels like a cold for almost 2 years now and I'm at an end.. what do I do?

- Perry Mace

0 likes, 13 replies

13 Replies

  • rae10
    rae10

    Posted

    SOUNDS LIKE ALLERGIC RHINITIS AS I TOO SUFFERED AND USE NASONEX DILY AS WELL AS ZYRTEC IN MORNING & PHENERGAN AT NIGHT, I AM TAKING THESE WHILE I AM BEING DESENSITISED TO MY ALLERGIES AS MY ENT REFERRED ME, WORST ALLERGY IS TO DUST MITE, BUT SHOCKED THAT CIGARETTE AND TOBACCO SMOKE IS THE THING THAT MAKES ME THE WORST, AND ITS HARD TO AVOID IT OUT IN PUBLIC SO WEAR A MASK NO-ONE GIVES A SECOND LOO AFTER A WHILE AND EVEN ASK HAVE YOU GOT A COLD AND THANKS FOR WEARING A MASK, HAVE FLU VACCINE EVERY YEAR AND I USE FLO DAILY WHEN I WAS BAD TO WASH SINUSES OUT, BUT NOW JUST USE IT WHEN ITS BAD, WAS SO SURPRISED AND SHOCKED WHEN ENT PRESCRIBED THE FLO WASH AND WAS EVEN MORE SURPRISED AT AMOUNT OF MUCOUS THAT COMES OUT, I DO IN SHOWER AS IT FREAKS ME TO DO OVER SINK, YEAH ALLERGIC RHINITIS IS LIKE A NEVER ENDING COLD SO KNOW HOW HORRIBLE IT CAN BE, HOPE THIS HELPS
  • Pibmac
    Pibmac

    Posted

    Sounds like a horrible gruelling daily process of medication, are your symptoms now under control? Are you permenantly on them? Also what is the desensitisation process your on..? Thank you for your response it's slightly relieving to know I'm not the only one going through this.
  • rae10
    rae10

    Posted

    i am having monthly shots of the dust mite allergen, and am nearly completed the course, trust me it is worth it and am glad that i was finally diagnosed as i also suffered debilitating dizzy spells that were diagnosed and treated with exercises but i believe it all stemmed from the allergic rhinitis, you can use rhinocort and or use steroids for quick relief but it soon comes back, would rather take these for the interim until the desensinf finsihes, only side effect is dry mouth so use biotene but wll worth it as i kept telling my husband i was sick of being sick, because thats how i felt, my ENT sent me to the Immunotherapy clinic, they tested me for my allergies, i now have a latex mattress, latex pillows, new leather couch, all wooden and tiles floors, and now soon to have a robomaid to vacuum while i am asleep to keep dust down, i also got new cabinets made to hold ornaments to stop dust collecting and can get cupboards capped right up to roof to stop dust building up on top, yes glad to be sneeze, snuffle snotty free, i only use the flo wash when i get flareups usually caused by smokers when out n about but well worth it
  • Pibmac
    Pibmac

    Posted

    My oh my! Sounds like you've been through the war to try get rid of this.. and my doctors can't even get it right. What does the dust mite allergen shots do? Reverse your allergy to them or just help? Did you get help during any of this as it must have been expensive and have a big impact on your life? That's my main worry because financially this had really messed up my life in a lot of ways lately and I'm struggling.. really do appreciate your advice it will all help when I get to see my GP and ENT
  • rae10
    rae10

    Posted

    All my treatement and medical assistance has been free except the prescriptions for the dust mite allergens kits, and now the maintenance doses as scripts & is only available at the one hospital where the ENT clinic is as well as the Allergy/Immunology Clinic, all free and sometimes wait a bit but the tea lady from womens auxillary come round with tea & treats trolley so it helps, and yeah the dust mite injections might give me a red lump and its gone before a weeks up, they wont let you go til 40 mins after each injection that is now done at my doctors not clinic and nurses have all info clinic at hospital gave them and dr has to see me before injections each month but worth it, alas as i said only the hopital is only place you can get scripts from as no other pharmacies sell it, but could order it if you let them know you will be using it for 2 years and every month as its made in france, but its all worth it ans better than having an eternal cold, cos this led to dizzy spells that i wanted to die from, that turned out to be many types of nuerology in the inner ear (BPPV,meniers, labrynthitis, vestibular disorder to same a few i was dianosed with) ALL from the sinus infection that led to ear infection and the dizzy's which is by far the worst thing to have EVER so i rather take the ant hystamines and injections and nasal washes too, trust me its worth it and dont give up, go elsewhere or ask for another opinion or another doctor
  • Pibmac
    Pibmac

    Posted

    Thank you for everything Rae it really means alot, at least I have something I can take to them now and hopefully get something sorted. Your help has really been appreciated and I hope your problems are over sooner then later. All the best and thanks again!
  • rae10
    rae10

    Posted

    no worries and glad to help when I can, some of my posts and links haven't been approved by this site of the places that helped me but the net also helped me to get where I got to also, don't despair and end up suicidal like I did because I am so happy now and glad that a sie like this was able to help me too, take care and hope it all works out cos life is great and I haven't got a permanent head cold or blocked stuffy nose and that's what changed my life for the better, hope it helps, take care and share it when you can, cheers rae
  • dave38221
    dave38221

    Posted

    The NHS is Rubish with this kind of sickness I will start my own forum with my case but be aware you have the right to request copy io the scan an tests and compare these yourself with other information on internet. To start, have they done an allergic test yet? Be picky and inflexible requesting for one. If positive there's now a new spray call dymista. I got it with an allergy specialist in Dublin and now I get it with my GP. But don't assume is that, enquire your ENT explore all possibilities including fungal infections. I am also on dust mite immunotherapy but in this case private and sublingual as I basicly sent the NHS away when they sent me to an specialist who after more than 70 repeated bouts of sinus since the 90's tried to dismiss me with a Nety pot (the last vogue I see) it was me who requested the allergy test to that useless. After taking care of the allergy (I am not British and I freaked out when I saw the little knowledge of the NHS of allergies). I requested a new ENT and I am waiting for ct scan results. Btw, I live in Scotland so seeking a private allergy specialist was hopeless in here.
  • beth92078
    beth92078 Pibmac

    Posted

    Hi there Pibmac, I have had a blocked/ runny nose for 3 years now, I do cough but only occasionally. I also have anemia, a high white blood cell count and high inflammatory markers (sore joints and spine.) but no doctor can tell me what's wrong. I have had a ct scan and such which showed my sinuses were fine, I hve had antihistamine, Nasonex and the like. I have had cortico steriods which helped at bit..... I am now on sulfasalazine which is a disease modifying, anti rhuematic drug, I feel that as a person I have beeen treated horribly as for 3 years no one can tell me what's wrong, in the past 3 years I have had over 40 blood tests. I feel bad as no one will employ me while I'm sick and I am having a hard time taking care of my son. so you are not alone in the world. x
  • arpit1611
    arpit1611 Pibmac

    Posted

    Hi,

    I am Arpit from India. And I can understand your exact problem as I went through it and recovering now a days. 

    I also affected from the symptoms you told exactly plus I also had hair fall. Extremely Dry hair, as I wasn't able to breath properly, hence this result.

    I tried many treatments but finaly I got a treatment which is the most effective in last 8 years.

    I am 70 % improved in last 2 months. And I am sure that I will be cured in next 2 months.

    Traditional Indian Therapy. Here it is - 

    You will need Black Pepper - 50 grams, Sugar Patasha (Puffed Sugar Balls) - 250 grams, Turmeric Powder.

    Make powder of Black Pepper 50 grams and Puffed Sugar Balls 250 grams. Mix them well.

    Take this with 1 cup of warm milk with 1/4 teaspoon of turmeric powder. Heat it properly. And dring this hot milk after filtering. Every morning after waking up and Night before sleep.

    You will see improvements in a month and will be cured eventually as your immunity will get improved.

  • arpit1611
    arpit1611 Pibmac

    Posted

    Start from Half tea spoon of that mixed powder. Increase it slowly as much as it suits to your body.
  • umair84338
    umair84338 Pibmac

    Posted

    Perry it's really irriatable becasue I have the same situation three month before when I am in london hopefully you are feeling better than before if not my suggestion is that first of all discuss with ent why your nose is blocked if it's because of polyps or deviated septum then the rhino surgery is only the solution if not then discuss with gp about these medicine fist one is montelukast sodium 2) novatris T day( compound name levocetrizine dihydrocholride ) 3) flixonase or nasonex but don't take without doctor recomendation I had seen by Dr adrian Morris he is a good allergy specilist instead of seen by NHs gp or try sinus bottle of saline water may be it's work but after Gp suggestion 
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