Bactrim for sinus infection, worried about c-diff

I think you have every reason to feel paranoid about taking antibiotics. After my bout of c. diff. and 2 subsequent surgeries to repair the damage, I get it. I will not take antibiotics unless proven I need them.

That said, I would check with my GP before beginning antibiotics. These days, the recommendations have changed regarding prescribing antibiotics for some types of sinusitis. Your clear nasal drainage makes me thinks other things but I am not a doctor. You might be able to clear your sinuses equally as well with steam and/or saline sprays. Last time my sinuses got bad I took pseudoephdrine and used Simple Saline. Simply Saline comes in a can you can spray into the higher parts of your nose. It really helps to loosen the nasal discharge so it can drain.

Again, check with your GP. I feel your apprehension...c. diff is a nasty bug....

Thanks ides and Jenn. I am going to hold off a few more days and try the saline spray in the can and pseudoephedrine and a humidifier. I have been using a neti pot and squeeze bottle spray saline which help temporarily. I think I need a bit more time to get over this and will crossy fingers that my crohns won't go crazy in the meantime.

Thanks again!

I was going to suggest the NeilMed nasal rinse as well. I am so paranoid about antibiotics now as well. Use the nasal rise 3 times a day for right now, or more if you need it. Whenever the pressure starts to build up. Squeeze gently, or it can hurt your ears and get fluids behind them. Also, try taking a decongestant round-the-clock. It also wouldn't hurt to start taking probiotics now in case you do end up needing antibiotics.

I've had way more than my share of experience in this area (six sinus surgeries, 50-100 sinus infections in a 10 year period).

You've been given good suggestions - use the saline spray or neti-pot or whichever method you prefer. And use it a lot! A humidifier in your room can help, too, if you're in a dry/wintry location now. Also use the pseudoephedrine decongestant (it's better than the OTC phenylephrine). Also drink lots of warm liquids, preferably water. Try not to "blow your nose" but instead use the saline spray/netipot, get everything moist and moving, then close one nostril with fingers and gently "snort" so that any drainage goes down the throat (then spit out as needed). Blowing the nose can actually force drainage that is seeping from the sinus cavities back into the cavities - the opposite of what you want. You want to promote the sinuses to drain - by decongesting the nasal passage so the openings are, well, open, and by moistening the passages.

Some people also use Mucinex (guaifenesin), because it can thin the drainage and make it come out easier. But this med can cause an upset stomach so some people with Crohn's are sensitive to it.

Having clear drainage may mean you don't truly have a bacterial infection. But it may mean you DO, and that the infection just hasn't started to drain out of the sinus cavity yet. It's also possible the sinus pain/inflammation is just viral, a result of the flu virus, and that you really don't have a bacterial infection at all. Viruses can certainly cause sinus inflammation that mimics a true bacterial sinus infection.

So my advice is try the things suggested above, and only use the antibiotics if your symptoms get *worse* as the next few days pass (meaning your sinus pain & congestion worsens and you may get a low grade fever). Usually a bacterial sinus infection that follows a viral infection will follow a pattern of starting to feel better from the virus, then having a turn and getting worse when you should be getting better. If you follow that pattern of improvement then downturn, that's often an indicator of a bacterial sinus infection following the virus.

Also, bacterial infections are more commonly one-side (but not always), whereas viral inflammation of the sinuses is more often both sided. So if yours is both sides fairly equally, it's more likely viral inflammation.

I actually really like DayQuil, the liquid kind. It absorbs better for me because it's liquid instead of a pill. I haven't had it irritate my Crohn's. For the first 5-10 minutes after taking it my stomach kind of burns a little, but it doesn't actually cause real problems, if that makes sense.