Rob ~ Sorry about the bad news re antibiotics. It just occurred to me to wonder if any of the docs actually tested to be sure your problems was due to bacterial infection?

Okay, not prescribing but some home remedies for bacterial sinus problems: *Echinacea: "Official" studies are inconclusive, but for those it helps, empirical evidence shows it seems to work. *Vitamin C [officially not effective] 500 mg every 4 hours for a maximum of 3 days. *Onion steam: thinly slice a large onion and place in a small pan with a cup of water. Heat until it steams, remove pan to counter, then drape a towel over your head and bend over the pan to inhale steam through your nose. We may not like sniffy noses, but that's how your body is clearing away the infection. *Moist heat applied to forehead and cheeks will ease the pain (a microwave and moist washcloths make this easy).

If you have a viral infection: elderberry extract (commercially available as Sambucol) has passed several studies as being very effective against colds and upper respiratory viral infections. Sambucol is rather pricy; buy the elderberry extract in the form of jelly/jam (Lehman's has it). Swallow a tablespoonful of the jelly about every 4 hours for 3 days and then take a generous teaspoonful once a day as a maintenance dosage.

*Be sure you are drinking 8 cups [measured] of plain water every day; also drink a lot of 100% grape juice.

*Read labels and don't eat/drink anything containing high fructose syrup or any of the 'artificial' sweeteners. (Studies are few and inconclusive, but recent ones have opened the question of how these substances may affect formal medications.)

*Eat at least one large serving of dark green twice a day: spinach, kale, and baby collards are all edible raw or very lightly steamed. (Collard leaves are better than cabbage for stuffed rolls or leaf-wraps.)

*Laugh. Studies have shown that laughter IS healing, but no one seems to know why or how. Look at movies that have made you laugh; read joke books; give a cat an open paper bag; anything that makes you grin is going to help your body fight the bad germs.

BTW, garlic and onions are good all-around fighters; select meals that use these in generous proportion. Caramelized onions and baked garlic heads are good side dishes.