My doctor always does a nasal endoscopy to get culture material, and he sends fungal cultures both to Mayo and to Quest. They take weeks to grow out.

I was cultured last Monday, for instance, and the bacterial cultures are back, growing out two rather resistant organisms, but they ARE sensitive to Wilson's solution, so my sinus guy has called the pharmacy to compound Gentamicin for irrigation.

I disagree strongly about pushing the bacteria inside when irrigating, and I really don't want to see anybody with sinus problems urged to stop this miracle step. Irrigating helps wash out pus accumulating in the sinuses, and it's pretty visible. It helps thins the thickened mucus. If you use the grossan irrigator, it even helps stimulate cilia to beat. And antibiotics can be put in it.

Mucinex, btw, is now making a nasal spray. I haven't seen it or read its contents, but I did come across an ad.

And in terms of irritability: I can vouch for sinus infections making one irritable. It's hard to feel good with inflammation that close to the brain. It feels like the brain is involved.