Ear, Nose and Throat Disorders Forum - Heavy Congestion And Antihistamines

I just realized I posted this in the wrong place, so I posted it here also. Sorry for the mistake.. New to the forum.

This might be a little long, so I will apologize in advance. I want to explain all of this to the best of my ability. First of all, I am almost 31 weeks pregnant with my first baby, so I thought i'd let you all know that before I explain all this and ask my questions.

Before becoming pregnant, I was diagnosed with chronic sinunitis, so I have had my share of sinus infections, etc, and I am familiar with just about any type of sinus medicines, antibiotics out there. However, I also live in an area where our doctors absolutely suck. I am not kidding you when I say we do not have any good doctors where I live. My so called local doctor is in another town, and my ob/gyn is almost 2 hours away if that tells you anything at all.

Anyway, I have been suffering badly with major sinus congestion on and off the past couple of months. My nose has been so stopped up exspecially at night, and i've had a lot of sinus pressure in my head. I have tried virtually everything I have been allowed to try that was safe such as tylenol cold and sinus, benedryll, cool mist humidifier, a personal steam inhaler made by vicks, and showers using a sudafed type shower soother. I was actually getting better, and then all of a sudden over thanksgiving break I took a major turn for the worst.

To make all this even worse, I am a inclusive special education teacher, and I have to travel from classroom to classroom. Our campus is not all inside the building, so I have had to walk outside in freezing cold weather to go room to room.. And some rooms are way to hot ... Others right the opposite. I really think this is what has made me so sick, and i'm not going to be able to do it anymore.

Over the thanksgiving break, I became badly congested again but this time it was worse. My nose is so plugged up and swollen inside that I am getting hardly any sleep at all at night. I went to my doctor monday, and he gave me an antibiotic shot (rosephine) and also prescribed me oral antibotics as well because he thought I had a sinus infection and bronchitis since my chest was also bothering me now. To say the least, I am no better, and I am actually worse than I was monday. So I go back to the doctor today because I am physically exhausted from not being able to breathe to go to sleep at night. Basically I am unable to get any rest at all at this point. Anyway, today, the doctor tells me that if I had an infection, the antibiotic shot would have made me feel better, so he now says it is just a viral infection.

Here is the deal: he wants me to continue my oral antibotics, and take benedryll regularly every 4-6 hours. He also gave me a prescription for flonase ( 1 time in each nostril daily) to help with the swelling.

Here are my questions... I am concerned about taking the benedryll because it is an antihistimine and that will dry everything up. I would think draining it would be better. This doctor and my ob/gyn both told me that I would feel better if I would dry it up, but I am confused on how that would help if my ear is stopped up and my nose is plugged and the sinus pressure. I thought draining it would make more sense.

Is it good to dry it all up when my ear is stopped up and I have this pressure?

Also

does anybody know of a way I can taper off and eventually stop using a nose spray that I have been using?

I think I have some rebound congestion from that, and I need to quit it, but I can not breathe at all without it.

Those are my questions, and any help would be appreciated. I am so desperate to feel better, and I have no decent doctors around here that I can ask these questions too.

Thanks so much!

~brit