Hi,

From the time I was a little kid, until about age 18, I would get a
lot of acute sinus infections and was always prescribed antibiotics,
which I now think was a terrible thing to do on the doctor's part,
because I'm pretty sure (going by research I've done on my symptoms
and the "saliva test") that I've had, since I was a little kid, a
chronic systemic candida problem, brought on by overuse of
antibiotics, mostly amoxil (sp?). I mention that because I wonder if
it's tied to the chronic sinusitis I now have, have had for about as
long as I can recall. I haven't had a sinus *infection* since high
school, but these chronic symptoms are even worse:
- constant post-nasal drip, like liquid rubber always in my throat,
so bad that sometimes if I eat something
thick like peanut butter, it's painful swallowing.... so bad that
sometimes it feels as if I have a lump in my throat, and I
start to worry if I have a tumor (but, if that were the case the
feeling would be there all the time, right?)
- lips that are costantly dry and peeling, I think because I mouth-
breathe at night, probably because my body, without my
conscious intervention, automatically starts mouth breathing because
it's easier to get air that way, because the nasal
passages are clogged/inflamed
- nasal passages that always feel as if they have something in them,
even after blowing my nose a million times and taking
hot showers
- nasal passages that feel too narrow
- various types and degrees of head and neck pain and stiffness

I had an MRI done several years ago because of severe headaches, and
all they found was that my sinuses were in bad condition. I also
have enlarged adenoids.

I've heard good things about a new sinus surgery, where they can see,
ultrasound-like, where they're going, so there's no risk of
accidentally hitting something outside the sinuses, and so they can
do a thorough job of cleaning them all out. Has anyone here had
that? Was it successful? Any side effects? Did insurance pay?

I'm also interested in natural/herbal/dietary treatments, and am not
closed-minded to drugs, so long as they aren't antibiotics.

Thank you,
Ann