Oh good grief, please no!

[Goofy4Disney!]

I'm leaving in a little more than 72 hours...and...my left ear is all blocked up and congested! Why?! Why now? Ok, I need quick remedies. Luckily I already had purchased "EarPlanes" for all five of us...should I take decongestants for now and right before I get on the plane? Along with maybe some Tylenol as a prophylactic measure? I'm a nurse..(yeah big whoop I know) but have no idea how to fly with blocked up sinuses!!! (I knew something was gonna happen...

 

[robertchance]

If you r a nurse, then some of your work mates are probably doctors? so ask them,

 

[rie'smom]

Start the decongestant NOW. You should have started taking it already. You might ask for pain pills,in case you are too late with the decon.Maybe a steroid shot-maybe kenalog- can jump start you-I am not an advocate of the steroid shots but in your case,it might save your trip.

 

[Luv Bunnies]

I have flown twice with ear problems and it's not fun. Once my ear drum actually ruptured during descent and landing. It was so painful that I almost called a flight attendant over! The second time I was on a much shorter flight and had minor pain and my ear felt clogged until the next day.

I've since heard that you should take decongestants at least the day before and the morning of the flight. I would also take Tylenol or Motrin to head off any pain-- check to make sure the decongestant doesn't already contain a pain med so you don't double up (but you're a nurse so you probably know all about those things! .

Good luck and enjoy your trip!!!

 

[Augustheather97]

I leave in 2 days and yesterday was diagnosed with a NASTY as the dr called UTI.( urinary tract infec)......UGH

 

[TheGoofster]

Only one time have I ever flown while stopped up, and I thought my head was going to pop. When we landed at our layover, I had enough time to run and find some AFRIN nasal spray, and that cleared up my sinuses right away (and relieved my pain). I don't know if it will work for every case, but for me it worked wonders.

 

[mexican-mouseketeers]

DD has had 2 double EI in the past months, so her ENT prescribed children´s Afrin descongestant 10 minutes before boarding the plane.

We did that and had no trouble whatsoever with her ears.

Julie

 

[JenEeyore]

Get those decongestants going - maybe double up with Benedryl overnight too. Load up before getting on plane. Use the earPlanes things, and one thing that worked for my hubby one flight with major sinus infection is flight attendant brought him a cup of hot tea to drink during take off - the steam opened things up enough to not be miserable. Of course this requires a helpful flight attendant, but it is work asking for. Good luck - I've flown with bad ears before, and it isn't great- but try to go easy the first day there and let yourself rest up a bit too (I know very hard to do once there, but try).

If you aren't flying with kids, try the Benedryl during the flight too - that way maybe you will sleep a little through the uncomfortable part (that is what our doc told us to do when we had to fly with a baby with ear infection - load him up right before flight and he slept through take off and landing of connecting flights - it worked.)

 

[LuvOrlando]

Yikes.

I'd go with the decongestants ASAP and see a DR in case you need an Anti-boiotic. Zithromax works in 48hrs.

We all have ear troubles in my family. My ENT prescribed the following:

Sudafed 30 min before 'takeoff'.*Will keep you up all night so avoid caffine & use Benedryl at bedtime that night.
Afrin 30 min before take-off (2 puffs for me & 1 for the kids)
Earplanes.

Be warned that the Afrin will make you miserable 12 hrs after you take it so make sure you have Sudafed on hand for when the Afrin wears off.

Good Luck