I have suffered from an ongoing sinus infection for over a decade. Sometimes it's worse than others, but it's never gone. I don't have insurance but I have braved the clinic a few times and gotten antibiotics. They didn't work. Sometimes the infection would be so bad that I would have nosebleeds coming from my sinuses. It was frustrating. During that same time I started sneezing up these green balls of mold. I tried to talk to the doctors about it maybe being fungal instead of bacterial, but nobody would listen to me. It was always a two week treatment and then a return visit - sometimes with more antibiotics that still didn't work.
I have tried a few home remedies with various results. I couldn't do a nasal wash because generally I couldn't get anything through the sinus cavities. It was a little helpful, but not super effective. The same could be said of allergy medication, sinus medication and nose sprays.
I have read about using a wash made of hydrogen peroxide and saline water. I was a little leery about trying it because the bubbles in my sinus cavity sounded terrible.
This week I was in pain, having some blood (not a full nosebleed) and sneezing up the largest mold balls I have seen in my long history of sinus problems.
.jpg)
I decided to give the peroxide thing a try. I got out my nasal pot, some saline packets and hydrogen peroxide. First I added a few drops to the water and while it foamed a bit on contact with my nose, it didn't seem to have much effect. Then I decided to bite the bullet and make add about 50% water and 50% of peroxide. That made it a 1.5% ratio I think.
At first it didn't have much effect. My sinuses were pretty badly blocked. Then it started getting in and OUCH! it burned. I didn't want to swallow anything so I spit out anything that went down my throat. I didn't clear up enough to get water coming out of the other nostril, but it seemed to have some effect.
I took an allergy pill and a hit of nasal spray before bed. In the past these methods have kept me clear for about 2 hours - long enough to get some sleep in. I was still clear when I woke up this morning. Better than I have been in ages. I'm still having some colorful mucus, but no mold balls so far. I can smell stuff now too. It's been awhile since I was able to smell things this well.
I did a second hit of the peroxide wash. This time with clearer nasal passages I was able to get it in there good. OMFG! I didn't abbreviate when I yelled it. Burn, pain, fire!!! SOB! was yelled a few times too. It hurt. This time it did come out of the other nostril though. Again I was trying not to swallow peroxide so I spit out anything that went down my throat. It was gross and full of crap, but that's crap that wasn't in my sinus anymore. This afternoon I think I am going to try a nasal wash without the peroxide to keep things flowing clear. I'll decide tomorrow morning if I am going to do another treatment with hydrogen peroxide. I probably am, but at least this time I will be braced for the pain.
I'm sure there are other methods of treating fungal infections, but I won't have insurance until Friday and I can't afford the duductable anyway, so I hope this works. If it doesn't I will try to get some surgery to get all the stuff out. Provided I can find a doctor to listen to me.
