if you're sick, how sick do you have to be before you make a doctor's appointment?

The PCP I have right now is fantastic. I really lucked out as the first office called refused to see me so that's why I ended up going to my current doctor. She's really cool and I can walk to her office from work.

So, it isn't a matter of how crappy you feel so much as what you're down with and what can be done for it.

I'd have to be chronically ill to do it.

Besides, taking time off from work is pretty difficult, trying to tie my normal hours with a docs appointment is nigh on impossible.

exactly. why can't they make antibiotics otc?

Some doctors are great, some doctors are not so great. Don't hate the entire profession because you get a bum one every now and then - change your doctor and get a good one.

But then again, I do live in the UK and GOD SAVE THE NHS. (Can we change the national anthem, please?)

how do i know what a good one is?

I'm a hypochondriac, so I do go to the doctor more than average, I guess. (Apparently Belgian people also tend to visit the doctor more than average, although not as much as the Japanese apparently.) My doctor's great though. He gives me a small lecture every time so I know what's up. I hate being left in the cold (or with a cold - har har), I like to know what's up.

Belgium is great because we have way too many doctors. hah.

However, that does kind of mean that you have to see them before you decide if they're good or not. Which is free in the UK, but I understand costs money in the US.

Ask around - ask your friends or neighbours if they have a decent one. I got mine on the reccomendation of someone who used to live in my neighbourhood.

Because the more you take antibiotics, the less effective they become. Also, if you don't finish the course, the less effective they'll be the next time. Antibiotics are prescription only medicines to make sure they're only taken when necessary (ie. not for the flu, which is what the idiotic majority of the public would take them for, when they won't help one little bit) and so the doctor can give you a talking to about making sure you take them all, even after you start to feel better.

Even the other patients contributed to the place, little old ladies coughing politely, well behaved kids looking at picture books. I wish I'd stayed registered there when I moved away, it would have been worth the two train journeys and twenty minute walk.

My current surgery serves a much much larger area, it's your typical linoleum and melanine place. It sits opposite the most deprived area in town and every member of staff looks ready to blow at any minute.

I miss my posh docs.

I happen to know a thing or two about it. The U&K thing to know is that younger docs have been taught that antibiotics are useless for sinusitis. The "latest and greatest" thinking is that all you need are lots of decongestants and saline nasal spray. This approach is rubbish for an intractable infection, which may require a 15 day course of antibiotics in addition to the decongestants and saline treatment.

Get a doddering old doctor with outdated ideas who'll be certain to prescribe antibiotics for you. Word.

Now go read Madchen's post again.

but i've heard those neti pot kind of things are supposed to be great. or just snorting saltwater, ick as that sounds.

being chronically ill (depending on illness) can teach you that docs are mostly useless.

Also, I was stupid when younger, knew that I had probably had strep throat, but didn't go to the doctor. Got rheumatic fever from it and now have some collateral damage. It's not worth ignoring a persistent sore throat.

which is why i'm hesitant to make an appointment -- i can just go down to the rite aid and get those myself.

Running hot water straight from the tap can work okay if the temp is high enough on your water heater. You do have to be careful though, a person can get a nasty burn from water that's not even close to boiling. The danger is worth it for the relief it brings, for me.

My ex had this thing called a virulizer that shot hot water vapor up your nose, which I thought was a bit much.

1. there are numerous interlinked but not distinct things which cause problems in your sinuses, it's v important to find out the exact one, though it might take ages. but it's difficult to get a diagnosis and so you can spend months "narrowing it down" as such, maybe just cut the timewasting and go see some kind of allergist/sinus specialist asap, I wish I'd done that months ago instead of after 3 months of feeling shit. prepare for many false dawns!

maybe look up the symptoms of sinus infection vs the symptoms of allergies. then go get an allergy test to make sure.

other things I've found which have helped my sinuses

-definitely the steam thing, if only momentarily, but it's definitely worth doing before bed or before work in the morning.

-nasal strips on your nose before you sleep, also quite helpful, be sure and wash your nose before putting them on though, as they are expensive and if you don't they don't stick properly and you waste them!

-steaming hot showers

things which don't help
-ALCOHOL-so sometimes you have a beer or two to relax and cos you want to do what you normally do, but I think I am actually going to stop drinking altogether until I feel better, because the SEARING FUCKING PAIN of hangovers with sinusitis just aren't worth it. I swear I have honest to god woken up after 7 or 8 hours sleep and two beers and felt worse than nights where I got half an hours sleep. alcohol sure makes your sinuses swell!

so yeah in summary, FUCK SINUSITIS.

You can buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain. I discovered this when I started to develop an abscess in the general vicinity of my remaining wisdom tooth when visiting my parents. Nice dentist pointed out it was cheaper for me to buy them over the counter rather than her write me a prescription. The pharmacist I attended was also exceptionally helpful and asked what was wrong and why I wanted them then explained why I should take care to take a full course of them (like a Spanish upthread-Mädchen, in fact).

OTM completely on the alcohol - you'd think since it dries your brain out, it would dry up the rest of your head as well, BUT NO!

see? i need to move back to tucson.

ok, i bought a bunch of crap at the drug store and the vitamin store. gonna see what happens.

I just walked by Perelandra and thought about going in to get on of those neti pots.

The Sudafed Sinus and Allergy formula is working for me today.

carlos dubz!