Zithromax Z-Pak and congestion

I've been sick for 22 days. I was told I have tonsillitis and was given Amoxicillin but did not get better. I had a cough that did not go away. I went back in and was told I had bronchitis even though I had no fever. I was given the 6 pill Z-Pak treatment - 2 pills the first day, and then 1 pill each of the next 4 days. They had me stop the Amoxicillin. Both all day yesterday and all day today I've had diarrhea. Watery and frequent. Not fun. I also have no appetite, not sure if that is from the bronchitis or the drugs. Half a serving of soup all day and I had to stop eating. I recommend the soft wipes with aloe in them, as I am very sore back there. However, I must say, if my bronchitis is gone in 2 or 3 days, then the diarrhea was worth it. I can't stand being sick any longer, and can't stand the congestion that is in my chest!!! I've only taken the Z-Pak once before, a while ago, I forget if there were side effects, but I seem to remember it worked.

While I have taken it before, I don't recall having anything but very mild side effects (maybe a little discomfort in my belly). This time, however, it is different and I am owing it to the beauty of aging. I just took the second of the three pills (and yes, I've had the three pill one before). My bronchitis is clearing but this afternoon I had really bad abdominal pain and I have a continuous headache in the back of my head, where my spinal cord ends. It is not as bad (so far) as the one I had with Biaxin (I refuse to take that). The only bright side is that it made it a really good time to join Weight Watchers because I do not have much appetite. I was able to sleep last night, at least, because my cough decreased. The verdict is still out on whether I would do this again. Problem is, I am allergic to Penicillin.

I had severe flu like symptoms (fever, body aches, bronchial congestion). My doctor prescribed zythromycin as a precaution since my son currently had pneumonia. Within a day of starting the 5 day dosage, I started having severe skin sensitivity. No other way to describe it but a bad sunburn over my body. It hurt just to have clothes touch my skin. Not sure if it was from the Zpak (my doctor didn't think so) but it sure seemed coincidental if not. Pain lastest for days even after going off meds.

Last spring I was given Zpak for flu/cold syptoms. I finished the first package and still experienced the same syptoms and discomfort with breathing. The doctor had given me a prescription for 2 paks and instructed me to have it filled. Because from her experience sometimes a second pak would be needed. The side effects that I have and still having is the lost of taste and smell. I can only differentiate whether something is sweet,sour, spicy or tart but I cannot give discern if its smell. I cannot smell fragrances, or smoke. I can taste the aspertane in sodas, but cannot tell the flavors of soda. I can smell the chemical that binds the soaps, lotion or perfumes. I also have had the experience of going to an ENT and guess what he also prescribed the Zpak for the congestion and fluid that I have been experiencing in my ears. I am very frighten regarding the loss of my senses of taste but the most frightening thing is the lost of smell. I cannot leave a pot on to boil without watching it now. A pan boiled dry and thank godness for smoke alarms. I so perplex with all of this. I've been dealing with this for almost a year now and still no sign of being able to smell or taste in site. I'm not a smoker and have had no other reasons for this to linger.
So what can I expect? Will my senses of taste and smell ever return? This is very heart wrenching and frightening. Since I alone most of the time.