For as long as I can remember (even into my childhood), I always got
intense post-nasal drip, especially when the temperature changes
drastically (winter into spring, summer into fall).  It never really
goes away but does get more tolerable.  When it is at its worst, I feel
pain in my upper gums, get killer sore throats and sometimes wake up
choking in phlegm.

I am used to this and have been living with it for years.

I am not one to go to the doctor much or take medicine, though I do not
consider myself holistic.  I will do what I need to do and NO MORE.  I
am otherwise very healthy (knock wood), though I never get much sleep.
I also notice that I have bad breath constantly, especially in the
morning.

I had been to an ENT in my youth and he says that I do in fact have a
deviated septum.  He told me about surgery but wanted to stay away from
that option with me if possible.  Over the years, I have used Flonase
and the like with varying success.

Reading some of the posts, it appears I have not been handling this
correctly.  Poor me for just choosing an HMO instead of a PPO (there's
always October open enrollment) :)  I think I need to determine if I
have sinusitis, and find out if it is acute or chronic.

For months, I have had the bad breath and crusting inside my nose.
When I can't take it anymore I manage to get it out with a tissue, but
then I get nose bleeds.  This happens once or twice a day.

Does this sound familiar to you in the group?  I also wonder if it is a
cold because my wife suffers the same problem many times (thankfully my
five year old doesn't seem to have it yet, but I think I developed mine
around 7-8 years old).  She has been diagnosed with CFS, but I think I
read that sinusitis can be oncorrectly diagnosed as CFS?

Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks!

--George