Should I go to the doctors?

I think it is an ear infection unfortunately now really worried for my ear as the last time I was having problems like this year, the ear infection lasted for months completely resistant to any antibiotics.

The soonest appointment the doctors offered me yesterday (when I didn’t think it was an ear infection) was in 2 weeks, and only after negotiation it could be reduced to one week instead, so I’m stuck with nothing to help until then.

I'm testament to that.  I contracted Pneumococcal Bacterial Meningitis through Eustachian Tube Dysfunction.

The bacteria crossed the blood/brain barrier....terrible time !!

Lost the sight in my left this is the problem we are now facing with overuse of antibiotics, they are becoming resistant.  Try a different one, because of this problem the scientists are trying to find new ones.

Hope you feel better soon

Anne

Not sure what happened to my reply as I seem to have lost some of my message.

I lost the sight in my left eye, hearing down in right ear and suffer vertigo on lying

flat.  Just some of the things that can potentially happen with meningitis and obviously

the worse is losing ones life....not many people come out unscathed by this dreadful

illness.

Anne

Anne

Definitely an ear infection as confirmed by the doctor after I saw them today (they said burst eardrum which I'd already known before). Got given amoxicillin which I was given last time that worked (though last time I think wasn’t so bad).

Yesterday they offered one a week away when I called them. However this morning I woke up to discharge from my ear and called again and got an appointment for today where they told me I had a burst eardrum (surprise surprise) and gave me amoxicillin.

That's good at least now you're protected from anything nasty.  Do you think you perforated your eardrum by keep trying to pop them.  Unfortunately, that's what I've done in the past.  So hard not

to keep trying to open the tubes.  If the perforation appeared on it's own, the pressure must have 

been immense behind your eardrum.

Let me know if it clears once you've finished medication.

Anne 

No I don’t think I did because I know it doesn’t work so I never tried this time when my ears were blocked. Steam is apparently supposed to help ears, but I noticed after I had a shower last night the muffled hearing became more prominent.

Put cotton wool into your ears when you shower.  If your blocked ears continue once the tablets have been finished, ask for a course of Prednisolone steroid tablets.  they will get rid of all the inflammation that's swelling your Eustachian tubes.....they always help me.

 

Bit of an update: the tablets haven’t done anything so far and I’ve had half of them. Because of my ear, I’ve gained a sore throat today. It feels like there is wax blocking my ear.

Really super worried that it’s going to be the massive problems I had before, where they lasted for months. I had that feeling when it all started on Monday.

If it doesn’t get any better, I’ll obviously go back to the doctors but may call the hospital up to make my hospital appointment sooner.

Hello Eva,  What is your dosage ?  Do you have to take 6 every day for 7 days.  Because my ears we so badly blocked with mucus (Glue Ear) in April, I was given a 20 day reducing course.  When ears are badly blocked, sometimes, one weeks supply isn't enough.  It's all the inflammation that is causing the tubes to swell, so they are unable to drain.  I'm not talking about antibiotics, but Prednisolone Steroid tablets.  The antibiotics will just help with possible infection, but rarely clear blocked ears.

Anne

3 times a day for 5 days. I wish all tablets didn’t cost the same because for just those ones, an £8.60 cost is a bit crazy whereas other tablets I have last for 30 days.

Last night I think my hearing came back (but I couldn’t decide if it was just me being used to the deafness) but today it’s gone again. Really frustrating. Ear still has discharge (especially set off when I’m in the cold).

At the next appointment I might request specific ear drops that the hospital gave me for if I were to have ear infections.

The ones that they gave me a few years ago, I gave to my brother who has the same problem as me (ear problems are genetic in my family, as my dad and my mum had problems with their ears as well as loads of my family) so I no longer have them left (they would have probably been out of date now). They worked for him when no other medicine did so hopefully they’ll do the same for me rather than going through loads of different medications with none of them working.

If nothing can get my ear to unblock then I don’t know what to do. I mean, I can hear out of it but the sounds are significantly quieter than my other ear (I’m lucky enough to normally have perfect hearing despite all the problems with my ear).

Will keep you updated as to what happens when/if I end up going to the doctors again.

Ah I don’t think it’s that as I don’t have a cold and only one known allergy (which I only discovered starting my job and still don’t know whether it’s dust or the spray we use :D).

I think I may have had glue ear in Jan 2012 (I was still a child then) and the following grommet lead to it being a perforated ear. Really hope it’s not flaring up again.

The only times I’ve lost my hearing before was because of a cold (last year) but this was dismissed since my ENT appointment was 4 months after, and when my ears been blocked by water (happened 3 times since May). This time seems to be for no real reason, hence my concern.