Follow help needed regarding earlier "Sinuses" thread:

[TOBEY32]

Phoned the doc's office that reduced my Pred from 20mg to 10mg. His nurse said to return to 20mg would stop the dripping/gunk, but that it's only a mask and the infection would actually still be underlying. Doc wants to prescribe 10 days of an anti-b: Augmentin, but keep the Pred at 10mg.
I'm SO totally confused.
I think back to december when this all started with an ear infection that wouldn't heal. Two months and FOUR anti-b's later I still had it. A month or so after that I was Weg's diagnosed.
I'm afraid this anti-b won't (totally) clear the sinus infection like the anti-b's never touched my ear infection.
And a Q:
Should I go ahead and bump my Pred back to 20mg on my own?

[pberggren1]

This is a tough one to know what to do.

It almost sounds as if this sinus infection is actually Wegs creaping up again. Was anything cultured from your nose to determine what bacteria it is and what antibiotic to use?

I am not sure I totally understand you, but the nurse said one thing and the doc said another?

I would be more prone to go back to 20mg of pred and then taper more slowly, like 2.5mg every 2 weeks.

I have been tapering fast myself. I am at 20mg right now and will go down to 15mg tomorrow.

I am not familiar with augmentin, but if that is what your doc wants I think I would go that rout as long as he is confindent that it will work for sinus infection.

I can't remember what other meds you are on right now?

[Psyborg]

Is your doctor a Wegs specialist (or consulting with one)? I'd be reluctant to suggest someone go against Doctor's orders, and if you do have an infection this time he would be correct. If you don't see pretty quick results on augmentin I'd guess it is not an infection.

[TOBEY32]

So if an anti-b DOESN'T do its job it's because the Weg's is preventing this from happening - correct?

My other med is CY: (2) 50mg tabs/day.

[Sangye]

I think your doctor's advice is reasonable considering that you have that odd smell in your sinuses. That usually indicates an infection, not Wegs. I do not recommend increasing the pred to 20mg if your doc says no. It's very hard on the body to do that and can make an infection much worse.

[pberggren1]

Listen to Sangye. I did not compute everything in my head very well and forgot what some of the things you said. I guess it is one of those nasty pred days.

[malin]

I would do what Sangye says and listen to your doc.

Also, regarding this:

I'm afraid this anti-b won't (totally) clear the sinus infection like the anti-b's never touched my ear infection.

The reason the anti-b didn't do anything to your ears is probably because it wasn't and infection at all, it was prob all down to Wegs. So just cus anti-b's didn't work there, doesn't mean they wont work for other things in the future as long as the problem is infection and not Wegs. I would think perhaps it is always best to try a course of anti-b first and then if that doesn't work then consider it is Wegs playing up and go on to alter/add Wegs drugs instead?

[Sangye]

The reason the anti-b didn't do anything to your ears is probably because it wasn't and infection at all, it was prob all down to Wegs. So just cus anti-b's didn't work there, doesn't mean they wont work for other things in the future as long as the problem is infection and not Wegs.

Exactly.