Salivary gland infection- HELP!

[Sharon]

I developed a salivary gland infection following my Prednisone trial.
I figure this occurred because the Prednisone weaked my immune system.
Symptoms: Swelling parotids (one side in particular), strong PAIN in the salivary glands and
a bitter taste in my saliva.
I had the same thing last year and it went undiagnosed for so long that I eventually needed to undergo a salivary gland endoscopy procedure to flush the glands out with antibiotics to resolve the problem. It was an expensive and incredibly painful (traumatic) procedure and I don't wish to ever undergo it again.
So this time the minute I recognized the symptoms I began strong broad spectrum antibiotics.
Problem is: It's been 5 days now on antibiotics and THEY'RE NOT HELPING! 

Any suggestions??? I'm desperate to resolve this without invasive procedures and do not understand why the strong antibiotic is not helping.

[cccourt1942]

Search salivary swelling or sialedenitis on this site.  You'll find instructions

[irish]

The steroids cause a person to have infections more easily. The fact is that tubes to the salivary glands are filled with bacteria and lies stagnant with the thick mucus and this can brew up an infection with or without steroids.

The warm packs to the glands and gentle massage a few times a day will help to loosen up the thick mucus and help it to move hopefully to drain. Also, it would be wise to call your doc and tell him the antibiotic isn't working and he will probably change you to a different antibiotic. There are so many different antibiotics that can be used. You might want to ask the doc if the infection could be caused by anerobic bacteria which is a bacteria that grows without oxygen. This kind of bacteria needs a different type of antibiotic. Some antibiotics will treat bacteria that grow in oxygen or without oxygen.

Blame all your questions on your nosey friends. Don't tell him internet cause he will freak out. Many doctors have little patience with those of us who use sites like this. Good luck. Irish

[Sharon]

Thanks C3, I've been following all the suggestions to no avail. I know the protocol well since I've had this before.

Irish- The change of antibiotics is a great idea, however I was already at my GP yesterday asking him to change them and HE REFUSED! He claims that I have "no proof" it's actually an infection since he didn't see the swelling when I was at his office, can't do a saliva culture and doesn't take my word that there's pain and a bad taste coming from it! He's passing me on to an ENT but that will take me time to get in and I have no idea if the ENT will help me. I was truly shocked by him. He actually said to me: "stop sitting at home thinking about your problems". Which I do not do!
So I'm left dealing with this on my own for now. 

[Maria3667]

Hi Sharon,

When offenders like these come knocking on my door I pull out the big guns.

1) insert a zinc lozenge as closely as you can to the infected gland and allow it to disintegrate so the mucous membrane can absorb the zinc. Do not try this on an empty stomach as it will make you nauseous.
2) try to get your hands on some dried winter savory, boil for 10 minutes in a little water and either gargle with a spoonful of the extract or make a steam bath and inhale for about 10 minutes. This has instantly helped me in the past, maybe because this herb has antibacterial properties.

Do not give up hope, there has to be a solution!

God bless!

[cccourt1942]

Sharon,
    Gosh...no swelling?  That is unusual.  Mine would swell in a distended manner which looked (no exaggeration) like a thumb sticking out.  Now, when I have it, the same area hurts like the dickens, but much less swelling.  I had that former type of swelling at least once a month for 5 years before I was dxed.  The ENT gave me an antibiotic, Cephalexen, and I believe once I had a Medrol pack. 
    I had the sialadenitis more often, but the times I needed an antibiotic was about once a month. I could shift the goop with the warm (HOT) compress and upside down backwards J massage.  I have it now about once every couple of months...but I don't have enough to stop up anymore.  My right parotid is the last functioning salivary gland.  I treasure it.  I say that but about once every six months i'll have that pang on my left side which gives me hope it isn't atrophied.  Since dx, I have needed an antibiotic once for it.  The pilocarpine helps me personally so much.

The thing about the infection, to which your doctor denies, is the infection IS real.  It's in a closed area...a virus does NOT cause this condition.  Therefore you do have a bacterial infection, and you do need an antibiotic, and it is more medically prudent to treat the obvious rather than put you thru a biopsy, etc.  First do no harm.  He's doing harm.

My ENT who treated me for sialadenitis NEVER mentioned SjS.  We all have our crosses to bear.

I am sorry you can't find relief. 

ccc

[warmwaters]

Next time (and I hope there isn't one), take a picture of the swelling when it happens. I've got in the habit of doing that whenever something weird happens, as by the time I can get an appointment the appearance may have changed.

And once you get through this problem, see if you can get a doctor who believes you.


Warm compresses, massage. Drinking warm liquids may help. I was told to suck on lemon drops, which would stimulate saliva flow, which might help clear any blockages. In my case, it made me swell up more, and hurt more because I had really solid blockages with more saliva behind them apply pressure. So if you decide to trying it, stop if it makes things work.

Tell the ENT office you are in a lot of pain (assuming you are), and have what appears to be a serious infection.

[irish]

Time for a new doctor me thinks. I have to tell you that I am one of those people who has very little visible swelling. However, I do have spasms in my glands and tubes that are miserable at times plus I get very painful glands and tubes that result in antibiotics due to infection. Don't have cultures done because it is hard to cultures this drainage. We don't have much drainage so it is hard to catch it when needed. Sometimes in the past I would have really bad drainage from the glands under my tongue. I did have one gland ( right submandibular removed cause it was full of little stones and had infections a lot. That helped some.

With that being said, you do need to have an ENT so that you get a more educated opinion. Family docs don't know that much about salivary glands most of the times. Also, many family docs do not like to deal with the many issues that Sjogrens patients have. We are high maintenance patients. If the doctors get sick of dealing with our issues, they ought to walk in out shoes. Never ending stuff that comes and goes and keeps our life stressed. Good luck. Irish

[Sharon]

Thank you all for your responses!

Maria- Thank you, I will try the zinc tonight because I already have it.

C3- It does swell, but it  goes up and down so the doctor didn't catch it.
Very painful!
I will try to get my hands on the antibiotic you mentioned! Thank you!
Yes, I hate my GP right now.

Warmwaters- I think I will indeed have to beg the ENT to take me SOS so I can get the right antibiotic already, presuming he'll give it to me! I do have pictures, but my GP doesn't care to see them.
You're right, be doesn't really believe anything I tell him.

Irish- I need the strength to find a new GP. I have been wanting to leave this idiot doctor for a long time for many reasons. Now I must since it's obvious he doesn't believe a word I say and he's jeopardizing my health!

[irish]

I don't know where you live but one place to start is to call a hospital and ask them if they have a number to call for referral to an ENT. I found one that way 20 years ago. I needed ASAP doctors apt and got one 2 hours away. Still at that clinic with the same doc. I really lucked out.

If you are in a smaller area you can glean some ENT's names and then start questioning your friends and neighbors and ask if they have ever heard of the doc. Also, the yellow pages are good to find the docs and check out there their office is and the hospitals they use.

One can always do the search on the internet but I don't trust them very much as they are so limited in information and not always up to date. Also,  if there is a teaching hospital close or close enough to get to you may want to try that. It often helps to do the universities cause we often find out more info and then sometimes we can get a referral to someone closer to us. Good luck Irish

[Sharon]

Thanks Irish, I have been to ENTs before but there's a waiting list for about a month to get in.
I'll try to have them give me an SOS appointment if that's possible or just show up there
and...beg?

[irish]

You might even have to go to urgent care or ER to get an antibiotic. Sometimes the ER works out well and sometimes it doesn't but we just have to take a leap of faith. Good luck. Irish

[anita]

If the antibiotics are not working, then it might not be an infection.  It can be a stone (very common for those with Sjogren's).  I just went through an salivary gland infection.  Thankfully, my infection cleared with antibiotics, but he (my ENT) said that if it hadn't worked, then it would likely be a stone.

You need to see an ENT.  Not sure who Rx'd the the antibiotics for you, but you need to contact them and tell them it didn't work and you see to see an ENT...NOW.