Question: I have been struggling with both upper and lower respiratory issues for three months. I've never had anything quite like this. It began with bronchitis with very bad cough in early October. I was given a Z-pack and antihistamine cough med by doctor. In early November my wife and I went to Europe for two weeks (Germany and Albania). My cough improved right before we went but I came back with a terrible upper respiratory problem (lot's and lots of mucus). The cough and chest congestion also came back. Since thanksgiving I have little or no hearing in my right ear and decreased hearing in my left ear. No pain in ears or in sinus areas. I went back to the doctor, did blood work and white cell count was normal. I was given amoxicillin and flonase. Completed the medication with some sinus improvement but no improvement in hearing and little improvement in cough. On Dec. 22, I went to ENT. Sinus x-rays, audiology testing, etc. I had moderate sinusitis in upper and lower cavities. Drainage was evident and doctor thinks chest congestion is due to sinus drainage. Little or no eardrum vibration in left ear. Fluid in both ears. Medications: (1) 5 days of prednisone once a day, (2) Augmentin three weeks 2 times a day; (3) Cough med with hyrdocodone (4) Continue flonase, (5) 5 day use of Afrin OTC 2 times a day. My sinus congestion is better. My cough and chest congestion is improving but nowhere near clear, but my ears and hearing are not getting better at all. I have a follow up appointment with ENT doctor on January 19. Any thoughts or suggestions. This has been a long journey.