Health Journey Update: Sinus Headaches, CrossFit Progress, HRT Questions & Appetite Improvements

One thing I've learned through this health journey is that progress doesn't always look the way we expect it to. Sometimes it's two steps forward and one step back, but I'm continuing to trust God and keep moving forward one day at a time.

Recently, my sinus issues have evolved a bit. In addition to the congestion and pressure I've been dealing with, I've started experiencing sinus headaches. They can definitely make for challenging days, but I'm continuing to monitor my symptoms and work through them as best I can. Chronic health issues have a way of teaching patience, even when patience isn't something we particularly want to learn.  I can't wait to see the ENT in September and, hopefully, get some answers.

I've also been experiencing some itching that may be related to hormone replacement therapy (HRT). At this point, I'm still trying to determine whether there is a connection, but it's another reminder that our bodies are complex and that every change seems to bring new questions. As frustrating as that can be, I'm trying to approach it with curiosity rather than discouragement.  I am trying a soothing body wash until I see my OB in October.

One encouraging update is that my appetite continues to improve. It's something that may sound small to others, but it feels like a significant victory to me. Better nutrition helps support healing, energy, and overall well-being, so I'm grateful to see positive movement in that area.

I'm also continuing to participate in CrossFit three times a week. Not every workout looks the way it once did, and scaling movements has become an important part of my routine. I've come to realize that scaling isn't giving up; it's simply adapting. The goal is to keep moving, keep building strength, and keep showing up. Some days are better than others, but consistency has become more important than perfection.

Through all of these ups and downs, I continue to be reminded that God is faithful. While I may not have all the answers or understand every twist and turn in this journey, I know that He walks beside me through each challenge and each victory.

One verse that has been especially encouraging is Isaiah 40:31; scripture image is from YouVersion.

Living with Chronic Sinus Issues: Tracking Symptoms, Treatments, and Hope for Answers

If you regularly read the blog or are a friend in real life, you know I've been struggling with sinus issues since the beginning of this year.  After 23 years in a building, I began getting ill within an hour of arriving.  After a week of vacation and feeling well, I decided to document, document, and document!

A couple weeks ago, I got a cold from my husband.  Unfortunately, since that time, my compromised right sinus has been clogged then draining.  On top of it, I've started getting headaches within the last week.  

I recently shared at my women's AA meeting that I came to AA because I was sick and tired of being sick and tired.  Here I am at 11 years sober feeling sick & tired but at least it isn't from drinking.

The appointment with the ENT in September feels years away although I'm sure it will be here before I know it.  I am praying that she will be able to use the CBCT scans from my dentist and any other tests she wishes to run to find a treatment.

I'm trying to advocate and protect my health while still performing my paid job and doing things I enjoy with people that I enjoy.

I have made a few changes in the last week:

I switched from Advil to Tylenol and delay taking the Tylenol until I absolutely have to.  I've been taking 4 caplets a day since I started this a few days ago.

I bought a Nasal Fresh Sinus cleaning device.  I have experimented with the best time of day to use and midday seems to work.  Do know that the images on the Amazon product page are enhanced and your mucus doesn't show up bright green; at least mine hasn't.  

I bought Badger Balm Headache Soother to help extend the time where I need to take Tylenol.  This comes in a stick and is easy to apply and the scent is not overly strong.  The package said to apply anywhere you feel tense.  With a couple of work days I had last week, I would have needed a full body applicator!

I tried a pillow that my husband had bought which has been laying in our TV room for months.  The first night was great, the second night OK, and the third night had me changing back to my regular pillow. It was actually giving me a headache on the third night after I'd taken an evening dose of Tylenol with the hope of getting a good night's sleep.

I am documenting all of these things in the spreadsheet I've been keeping since March.  I will use Copilot to help me create a summary to take to my ENT appointment in September. I already provided the CBCT scan report and images to the ENT office which shares clinical space with the allergist that I saw in early August.  

I appreciate all of you who have been following along on this journey.

Resources:

Scripture image from YouVersion

Weathering Life's Storms: Finding Strength Through Rain and Sinus Struggles

The weather the past week has reminded me of Snoopy at his typewriter when he typed out "It was a dark and stormy night." It has been stormy morning, noon and night at times.  I was supposed to run an errand on Tuesday afternoon; it had cleared up after a morning with tornado sirens blaring only for those sirens to blare once again shortly before I planned to leave.  I moved my errand to Thursday.

I shared on socials that our yard was a mess with tree branches, leaves, and lots of weeds in our flowerbeds but I quickly said I'm blessed that's all we had to deal with.  Friends, loved ones, and strangers around Ohio have experienced storm damage and flooding.  It's Sunday and the thunder has been rumbling again.  I turned off my alarm and allowed myself to get some extra sleep instead of going to my women's AA meeting.  I enjoyed a slow morning of water, coffee, and peanut butter toast with reading and coloring after prayer.  I did go outside and removed weeds from the front flower beds and picked up branches from the back yard.  

After returning home from the National Scout Jamboree, my husband Jon got hit with a bad head cold.  He unintentionally shared it with me. While the worst of it has passed, my sinuses, especially the right one, have been very "stormy" so to speak.  I've mentioned as part of my recovery from sinus issues after being in a sick building that my dentist did a 360 scan of my head which uncovered some structural issues with my right sinus.  I will be seeing an ENT in September for diagnostics and treatment.  Meanwhile, I've gone through a million tissues and decided to buy a nasal cleaning device.  The canned saline mist I've been using isn't enough.  If you have children/grandchildren, you might have used a nasal aspirator or a "boogie sucker" during infancy to clean out noses.  What I ordered is a the adult version of a "boogie sucker" which is USB rechargeable, had good customer reviews plus a recommendation from Howie Mandel!  We'll see how well it works when it arrives later today.

My thoughts and prayers are with those who are dealing with storm damage and cleanup.  Do not forget that God is with us through all of life's storms.

Resources:

YouVersion - Scripture Image

Window Pic - my personal picture of a very weedy flower bed before I cleaned it.

Advocating for My Health: The Zyrtec Washout Challenge

One thing I've learned throughout this health journey is that getting answers often requires patience, persistence, and sometimes a willingness to be uncomfortable for a little while.

As I prepare for my upcoming allergy testing appointment, I've entered what allergists call a "washout period." For those who haven't experienced it, this means stopping antihistamines, including Zyrtec, before testing so the results can accurately reflect how my body responds to potential allergens.

On paper, it sounds simple.

In reality, it's another reminder that medical testing isn't always convenient.

For quite some time, Zyrtec has helped manage many of the symptoms I've been experiencing. Stepping away from that support, even temporarily, means allowing symptoms to return so the testing can provide the clearest possible picture. It's not particularly enjoyable, but it's necessary.  There was vomiting & dry heaves which left an upset stomach making refueling and rehydrating a challenge.  There is also fatigue - physical, emotional, and mental.

What strikes me is how perfectly this fits into the larger lesson I've been learning over the past several months: advocating for your health often requires short-term sacrifices in pursuit of long-term answers.

There are no shortcuts.

Just as I've been coordinating between my primary care physician, allergist, dentist, and workplace accommodation process, this washout period is another step in gathering information. It's another piece of the puzzle. Another opportunity to understand what's really happening instead of simply treating symptoms and hoping for the best.

The experience has also reinforced something I've written about before: uncertainty can be exhausting.

When symptoms return, it's tempting to question whether you're making progress. It's tempting to want immediate solutions. But sometimes progress looks less like feeling better today and more like obtaining the information needed to make better decisions tomorrow.

That's where endurance comes in again.

Endurance isn't only showing up for appointments. It's following testing requirements even when they're inconvenient. It's trusting the process when you would rather skip ahead to the answers. It's recognizing that temporary discomfort sometimes serves a greater purpose.  It is being honest with family and friends about how you're feeling whether it's telling my husband that I need bland foods or sharing with my Crossfit coach that I'm not 100% but I want to participate in class & move.

As I've entered this washout period, I've found myself reminded that advocating for my health isn't about demanding immediate certainty. It's about taking the next step, one step at a time, even when the finish line isn't yet visible.

I don't know what the allergy testing will reveal.

I don't know what recommendations will come afterward.

What I do know is that accurate information matters. And sometimes obtaining that information requires walking through an uncomfortable season first.

For now, the goal remains the same: keep moving forward, keep asking questions, keep working with my medical team, and keep trusting that each step brings me closer to clarity.

Because advocating for our health isn't just about seeking answers.

Sometimes it's about doing what is necessary to find them.

Scripture Reflection

"Let us not grow weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up." — Galatians 6:9

This washout period may be temporary, but the answers it helps uncover could have a lasting impact. For now, I'm focusing on the next step and trusting the process.

Resources:

Copilot for SEO optimization.

YouVersion - Scriptures