r/Sinusitis

I ve been having a lot of mucus buildup in my nose which has been a big reason of me not being able to breath and constantly having infections. I have been going back and fourth to the ent specialist and she has been testing different cortisol doses for this continuous or what she called chronic inflammation. Nothing helped and we reached like the max dose. She has been telling me that i have polyps grade 3-4 in both sides, and i told her after doing a lot of research that they are the reason why inhave a lot of infections and mucus buildup. After going back and fourth for almost 1 year and a half, she wanted to take a biopsy from the polyps that are on my right nostril to send to the pathologist. She took the part that was blocking my breathing. Kid me not i thought it was weird the process of her taking the part because she pulled out one bit in two pulling trys. It was like she was plaging tug war with them from inside my nose. She succesfully took out two bits that are blocking my right nostril. Now i can breathe properly and no mucus buildup at all, i had my first good night sleep. The irony is she told me she still has to pull some other polyps and i was like if now i can breathe good from my nose imagine how its gonna be when im polyp free. I miss that feeling.

I’m having FESS surgery next week (and possibly a septoplasty, though my doctor said he doesn’t think he’ll end up needing to do one), and I’m a little nervous. I’ve never been under anesthesia before, and I’m also anxious about the recovery. I’ve heard mixed things, so I’m just curious to hear from anyone who’s gone through it!

This is going to be a long-ish post and I just want to see if anyone else has had a similar experience or anything that’s helped them. Ever since January of 2025 I’ve been battling bacterial sinus infections.

In January 2025, I was treated with Augmentin. In March 2025, I was again treated with Augmentin. In May 2025, I was treated with Augmentin and then Cefdinir. In August 2025, I was treated with Doxycycline and Augmentin. In October I finally ended up seeing an ENT where they did a nasal swab. Cultures showed Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and Staphylococcus aureus, and I was treated with Cefdinir and then Bactrim. In December 2025, cultures showed Moraxella catarrhalis and Haemophilus influenzae, and I was treated with Augmentin. I also had sinus surgery/septoplasty (along with fixing my turbinates and concha bullosa) in December 2025. Then in January 2026, cultures showed Staphylococcus aureus, and I was treated with Cefdinir and then Bactrim. From January through February, I continued treatment with Bactrim. In March 2026, cultures showed Haemophilus influenzae, and I was treated with Augmentin. In April 2026, cultures again showed Haemophilus influenzae, and I was treated with Bactrim twice. From April through May 2026, I was treated with Bactrim, Doxycycline, and Augmentin.

My daily regimen includes Claritin, Flonase, Astepro, saline nasal rinses, xylitol nasal spray, Sudafed, Mucinex, and immune support gummies. I truly don’t understand why I keep getting so many sinus infections, especially after having surgery.

suddenly felt a slight dizzy or vertigo floaty feeling one day that never faded, two weeks later felt sinus pressure in ears and nose. this has kept me up at night causing sleep deprivation like insomnia and had me feeling paranoid, anxious and extremely worried because ive seen a doctor and spoken to multiple doctors on the phone and they cant give me exact answers all in all its been nearly 3 weeks

Since around October 2024 (but worsening in the past year) I’ve had symptoms and have been seeing an ENT for about a year with no resolution:

- Every morning I wake up with a very sore, dry throat
- Throughout the day I have a constant feeling of something stuck in the back of my throat that I can’t clear, like there is mucus or something sitting there that won’t move
- Sometimes I’m able to cough out small bits of mucus, other times I feel like something is there but can’t get anything out
- Daily postnasal drip and constant throat clearing and nose blowing
- Occasional muffled/weird sensation in my ears
- Symptoms temporarily improve after eating, drinking, or using a neti pot but always come back within hours

What I’ve tried: Omeprazole 40mg, Flonase, Zyrtec, Mucinex 1200mg, azelastine nasal spray, amoxicillin-clavulanate antibiotics, regular neti pot use.

Currently trying ipratropium bromide nasal spray for the past 2 days so far, recommended in this Reddit post where they mentioned very similar symptoms.

After my ENT tried all of the above, they recommended a MRI to check for potential cysts.

MRI findings:

1.	Small 5mm nasopharyngeal cyst  
2.	Mucosal thickening in paranasal sinuses possibly indicative of sinus disease

My ENT is recommending excision of the cyst but also acknowledged that a 5mm cyst typically does not cause any symptoms.

They attributed the mucosal thickening to potential allergies, but I have confirmed dust mite and grass allergies and have been on Flonase and multiple other allergy medications for months with nothing helping. I also clean my bedroom frequently, have good airflow, and a powerful air purifier running.

So I’m not sure if the surgery would help, or the sinus disease is the real problem. Would you do the surgery? Has anyone been through something similar?

Hey everyone,

I’m looking for some genuine advice here. I’ve been suffering from chronic sinusitis for years now. One of my biggest struggles is that the inside of my nose constantly forms these hard, dry crusts/boogers. They completely block my nasal passages and make it really difficult to breathe properly.

Has anyone else dealt with this? What are some effective ways or routines you've found to manage or solve this issue?

I would be incredibly grateful for any tips or insights you can share. Thanks in advance!

As advertised. I've been dealing with this for about 3 years. Constantly coughing up phlegm, infections, steroids, nasal rinses, vitamin d, crazy fatigue, you name it, I've had it. Took like 2 years to even get a solid answer on what it was. Chronic sinusitis for the win.

So now that we know, my ENT has suggested FESS. Saw him today. He had a candid convo with me about what to expect, and basically told me my immune system has "reset" , and there is no external cause or reason for my inflammation. In other words there is no allergen or trigger -- my immune system may actually be causing the inflammation because it's been dealing with this for so long. Great.

Because of that, he suggested the FESS may only do so much, and I'll likely be using steroids for a while...or forever? He was very wishy washy about it, and of course, I know he can't give me any guarantees.

People who have had FESS (or anyone, really) -- how have you reduced the inflammation when your own body is the one causing it? I feel like there's a million rabbit holes I need to go down, and I'm just so tired of this.

Anyway, any and all help appreciated. No bad answers. Thanks

I think as young as 10 years old I was already struggling with this condition almost everyday. I did some allergy tests and found I was allergic to pet dander, cockroach, dust, grass, and pollens. There were times my allergies were very serious that I'd end up having difficulty breathing, migraines, ear pain, and skin itchiness.

I've been prescribed Mometasone spray, saline solution nasal spray, as well as antihistamines. The problem with sprays is it sometimes hurt my nose and was a bit uncomfortable. It also felt like it didn't work for me, so for the most part, I heavily relied on antihistamines such as Montelukast and Cetirizine.

However, my allergies really have been getting worse now that I'm older. The symptoms showing were more frequent. I've been frustrated for about 2 weeks because I haven't been getting the rest and sleep I needed, especially with exams coming up. It has been the main cause of my anxiety lately.

I switched to Benadryl, and have been taking it for about a week now. It would give me immediate relief but I'd end up sleeping for most of the following day, which would have been time for studying.

My mother and I have yet to visit the doctor for an appointment, but I'd just like to ask if any of you here have experienced Cetirizine not working anymore, rhinitis getting worse, sleep apnea problems and what you've done or procedures that have been followed through to overcome them.

I think I'm getting badly depressed because of this.

I’m 23 and have sinus infections yearly for my entire life. I suffered with chronic nose bleeds as a kid and it slowed down as I got older. I still get them every so often and when I do it’s either a lot and last a minute, or I have to stand over the sink for quite a few mins… currently fighting my yearly sinus infection with an extremely swollen turbinate almost to the point of closing the opening. I was given medrol dose pac and amoxicillin and have an ent appt on Thursday. I also had my tonsils taken out due to reoccurring strep throat and tonsil stones about 3-4 years ago, just wonder if any connection between the two possible.
Anyways, just looking for advice from those sharing similar issues and experiences, any advice is greatly appreciated:)

Has anyone experienced episodic severe “sinus” symptoms that seem to come and go rapidly, but without an apparent infection?

For years I’ve had episodes where I suddenly become congested or blocked, often more on one side than the other. When this happens, I don’t just feel stuffed up — I feel genuinely ill.

I get:

facial/sinus pressure
ear fullness/popping
headache
dizziness/off feeling
exhaustion/malaise
mild sore throat/postnasal drip at times

The strange part is how quickly it can change. I can go from breathing relatively normally to feeling severely blocked within a short period of time, and then sometimes it improves just as quickly, just to return again.

I can go weeks and sometimes months without an ‘episode’, but often it affects me daily, weekly, etc.

A few things that seem relevant:

Steam/hot showers help significantly
Pulling my cheek outward improves airflow noticeably
Nasal strips help somewhat
I already had a septoplasty and turbinate reduction years ago
CPAP has gotten difficult for me because I can’t breathe well thru my nose (I think that’s why)
Symptoms seem worse in perimenopause
I also have migraines/suspected migraine involvement

I’m starting to wonder whether this is more related to nasal valve collapse, autonomic dysfunction, migraine, vasomotor/nonallergic rhinitis, hormone changes, or some combination of all of them.

Has anyone experienced something similar? If so:
What diagnosis did you ultimately receive?
Did anything actually help?
Did hormone changes/perimenopause worsen it for you?
Did treating migraines or sleep issues improve the nasal symptoms?

So end of 2024 I was at work & someone’s car caught on fire & I had to sit in it for the whole day because of where I worked but before then I had moved into a place with damp air , possible mold. But after a few months my nose had started acting up early 2025.

I didn’t think anything of it until now because I would think I was sick & take musinex but it would make me dizzy my temples felt swollen at first & I went to the E.R but they brushed it off.

One visit they did do antibiotics & a nasal spray but I had never used the nasal spray(which I should’ve ) but over time I developed serious anxiety and panic could this be due to my sinuses I feel like it’s chronic sinusitis because I have green boogers & I’m not sick plus sometimes my nostrils flare up & the only thing that helps is the steroids or Sudafed.

Anyone else experiencing the anxiety or panic attacks? I never had them until late June 2026 up until now & I’ve been to cardiologist & other tests but I go to the ENT next month because I believe it’s due to my sinus.

Hi everyone. I’ve been dealing with this for almost 2 years now and I honestly feel completely lost about what to do next. I don’t know how much longer I can deal with it physically and mentally.

My symptoms are:
- 24/7 post-nasal drip
- bad breath
- white tongue
- constant fatigue
- really bad brain fog

Over the past few years, I’ve seen 3 different ENTs. The first two recommended FESS surgery, but I never went through with it. I’ve also done:
- 21 days of doxycycline
- saline rinses
- steroid rinses/sprays to calm inflammation

As a last resort, I recently saw a new ENT and got a CT scan done. The CT showed my sinuses are clear and that there’s nothing blocked. So now I’m confused — if my sinuses are “fine,” why do I still have nonstop post-nasal drip?

Another weird symptom is that when I do saline rinses or use nasal spray, I sometimes smell a fishy odor deep in my nose. I also feel pressure mostly on the left side of my face, where I happen to have a dental implant. I saw my oral surgeon and they said the implant looks completely fine.

What’s also frustrating is that the ENT who ordered the CT scan didn’t even look inside my nose with a scope. But the previous ENTs who did look inside my nose were the ones recommending surgery without ever doing a CT scan first. So now I feel like I’m getting conflicting opinions from everyone.

At this point, I don’t know what this even is anymore:
- Silent reflux/LPR?
- A sinus issue that somehow isn’t showing on CT?
- Something dental-related
- Chronic infection?
- Gut-related?

For reference, I’m in the U.S., and navigating healthcare here has honestly been exhausting.

Has anyone experienced something similar — especially the post-nasal drip + bad breath + white tongue + brain fog combination? Did you ever figure out the root cause? And if so, what actually helped?

I’m exhausted and just looking for answers at this point.

Hello! I've had chronic sinusitis for about two years. I'm waiting for surgery through the public healthcare system, which keeps getting delayed. The ENT prescribed a corticosteroid nasal spray to use for two months before the operation, but it's been postponed for at least nine months. I use four sprays every twelve hours, but I think using corticosteroids for so many months isn't good. It affects my hormones, increases swelling, and even causes weight gain... It's true that using it continuously improves the drainage of pus, but I'm afraid of the side effects. Since I'm waiting for the surgery, I don't have contact with the ENT, so I'm asking if any of you have used this type of medication and what side effects you experienced? For me, it causes facial swelling, anxiety, and mood swings/hunger?I don't know if I should just stop and suffer with the sinusitis or what to do. Any advice would be helpful, thanks in advance! The spray i was prescribed is called Nasonex, I live in Spain.

Okay so long post. New to this. Today I had enough. After months of feeling like crap I went to the ER after feeling the brain like zaps / brain fog, and spitting and blowing enough yellow mucus to fill a Gatorade bottle Daily.

They did ct scan with and without contrast and There is severe paranasal sinus disease, including mucosal thickening and air-fluid levels feel weird in the head. The doctor said it was very inflamed.

This is after the ENT last month said it’s just anxiety. Because I explained I feel weird brain fog / depersonalization or off with brain like zaps and ear ringing bad.

It started off with headaches and jaw aches 2 months ago. I did not have any sinus symptom. My other first symptom was some body aches mostly back and neck,and ear ringing., the big one was I felt Kinda depersonalized, or weird in the head. Hard to explain but just off. Jaw pain and tooth pain. I thought anxiety or Lyme etc. I never once thought this at first. About a month in I started getting really stuffed up. A month later I can barely breathe. A steroid packed helped for a few days but it came back worse after.

some days I have felt decent , some days I feel like I’m so sick and sore. Today I was so cold I couldn’t warm up.

This is completely new to me. I never had any long term sinus issues ever. I will be going back to the ENT in 3 weeks. I have to ask. Has anyone ever had some of these weird symptoms? Like brain fog/ depersonalization/ brain like zaps? Teeth pain, I was thinking it was something neurology wise. But the scans were clean other than the sever sinus inflammation.

Thanks for reading!
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I have suffered with chronic sinusitis off and on since 2016. In 2017 and 2018, I had 2 surgeries. This was life changing and gave me 6 nearly symptom free years. Unfortunately in Nov 2024 it started to creep back up. I got back to back bacterial infections despite doing the nasal rinses. I got a CT scan and the allergist said it did not look good, especially in the sphenoid part.

Got referred to an ENT again and they prescribed me 2 different nasal sprays. As well as an anti fungal (he found a fungal infection) and steroid for my rinse. I was doing those twice a day. But usually every 2 months it would just return. He found polyps, and we discussed Dupixent. But then my next follow up visit he said the polyps were gone, and that I may not be a good candidate for Dupixent. Since then, he’s sort of given up on me it feels like. He also said he’s worried another surgery wouldn’t be effective. I reached a breaking point when I got another bacterial infection a month ago and I kept constantly smelling a rotting flesh smell. The mucus and smell went away after a week of 2x a day rinses. But the headaches persisted.

I was put on bactrim without him doing a culture, and got a full body rash and hives (which was odd since I’ve taken if before). Had to immediately stop and he prescribed doxycycline. Now 3 days in I’m getting even more headaches on top of my already existing ones, and I think it may be the doxycycline, as this happens maybe 30 min after taking easy dose. At this point I’m hesitant to reach out to him again, but I don’t want to finish the course if it’s making my headaches this bad (I’m on day 4 of 10 days).

I have a new patient allergist appointment this Thursday. The ENT had suggested he thinks seasonal allergies may be the underlying cause (yay central Texas). I have never gotten allergy tested before, but I’m willing to eat the cost at this point. I just don’t know what an allergist can do to solve this in the immediate future. I leave for Mexico City this Saturday and I’m terrified of my trip now. While it seems like such a wonderful city, the pollution there is bad and the elevation is high. I need to bring a neti rinse with me and i’m sure I can find distilled water there. But these headaches are just still so bad that I can’t go if I’m feeling like this. Does anyone have any tips for travel? And has anyone been through the wringer where your providers just aren’t getting to the bottom of things? I just need some sort of immediate solution to buy me time while I can hopefully get to the bottom of this.

Looking for opinions:
- sick for 3 weeks in April, by third week it was gobs of colored mucus coming out
- urgent care said likely bacterial sinus infection, so I took 10 days of augmentin, felt better within days and breathed clearly
- 5 days after stopping, it came back but much more mild and seemed to clear up within a week
- ENT didn’t see anything in her scope but says she would have given me longer course of meds so since I already did 10 days she’ll give me 14 more on antibiotics to make sure it clears up

Does the ENT’s logic make sense? I haven’t started them yet because my symptoms are super mild and almost cleared up (only feel slight swelling/pain, minuscule amount of green mucus). I also have allergies and a young child who brought back another cold so it could have just been a bout of viral infection or irritation. I’m already doing the rinse and sprays…do I take the second round or no??

Hey everyone,

Just hit 6 weeks post full house FESS (frontal, maxillary, ethmoid and sphenoid all opened up) and looking for some reassurance or shared experiences from others with eosinophilic CRS.

Background:

• Eosinophilic CRS, Type 2 inflammation — high eosinophil count in nasal tissue
• Full house FESS approximately 6 weeks ago
• On twice daily Pulmicort (budesonide) saline rinses + daily saline flush

My main issue: The frontal sinus area is giving me more grief now than it did before surgery. Intermittent pressure, tenderness over the frontal bone, and a general malaise/fatigue on bad days. Two ENTs have scoped me recently and said everything looks clear structurally — no blockage or polyps.

My surgeon said the frontal pain isn't "normal" but hasn't given me much more guidance than that. I understand Pulmicort takes months to really work on eosinophilic tissue.

Questions for the community:

1. Did anyone else experience worse frontal symptoms post FESS than before, especially with an eosinophilic profile?
2. When did things start to genuinely improve for you?
3. Any tips for managing the frontal sinus specifically beyond the Pulmicort rinses?

Would really appreciate hearing from others who've been through this. It's a long recovery and the medical guidance has been pretty minimal day to day.

Thanks