wow, now i know what my kids went through

[MizTink]

with all those ear infections as babies/little kids. not fun.......
i've been fighting a cold for about 2 weeks now. well last saturday my ears were just so full, i felt like my head was under water. lots of pressure, couldn't hear much, but no pain. by monday a was having pain too, so i went to the doctor. he gave me a script for antibiotics and motrin (600mg) for pain. i asked for drops, but he said no, i won't need them.
i went back to the doctor tuesday crying and holding a heat pack on my ear, begging to see the doctor. i had taken the motrin. it did nothing, so i found left over tylenol with codeine from DD's surgery. even that didn't help.
the doctor's office turned me away because they were closing in 30 minutes. the idiot at the front desk told me i could come back the next day!
instead i went to the ER. i am soooo glad i went. i got some good pain meds and new drops (anti inflamatory and antibiotic). i was soooooo much better by morning.

BUT NOW, HERE'S MY PROBLEM
it has been a full week since i started the meds. i don't have bad pain anymore, but i still can't hear anything, and my ear is so full it's driving me CRAZY!!!! should this still be going on after so long? is there anything i can do to unclog my ear? please help me! i'm going bananas!!!!

 

[LuvOrlando]

I have lots of experience with this because as an adult I STILL get ear infections all the time.

For starters one of your medications is possibly ear numbing drops so yo could, possibly, still have an infection only not feel it. This happened to my DS once, it took 3 different antibiotics before it finally worked and this is when I was introduced to the numbing ear drops. They are wonderful, but unsafe if the ear drum is perforated, so I never give it without a Dr's ok.

To reduce the fluid a decongestant is a good idea. I am a huge fan of the behind the counter Robitussin CF which had Pseudo-ephedrine in it, hence the requirement to show ID before you can get it.

If you can get in to see your Dr I'd suggest a follow up visit. The pressure should be gone if the infection is gone, so you should be able to hear. Sometimes an ear infection can leave so much gook behind that the Dr has to flush your ear. It is as gross as it sounds but Oh my goodness, it feels awesome when they are done.... and you can hear!

 

[MizTink]

thanks for the reply. i am taking a behind the counter decongestant (sudafed). plus still using the drops. the antibiotic (z-pack) was done a couple of days ago. i do have drainage from my ear (yuck, sorry!). i was so desperate to scratch it yesterday that i did a HUGE no-no and used a q-tip. i just couldn't help it!! i felt like a dog. you know when they are scratching their ear and making that weird face, with their eyes rolling back in their head?!!!! it felt like HEAVEN, but there was goop on the q-tip. (yuck again, sorry).
so, i guess i should go back to the doctor, huh?

 

[abdmom]

thanks for the reply. i am taking a behind the counter decongestant (sudafed). plus still using the drops. the antibiotic (z-pack) was done a couple of days ago. i do have drainage from my ear (yuck, sorry!). i was so desperate to scratch it yesterday that i did a HUGE no-no and used a q-tip. i just couldn't help it!! i felt like a dog. you know when they are scratching their ear and making that weird face, with their eyes rolling back in their head?!!!! it felt like HEAVEN, but there was goop on the q-tip. (yuck again, sorry).
so, i guess i should go back to the doctor, huh?

Yup, antibiotics finished + drainage from the ear +loss of hearing = definitely go to the doctor or even the ER. You may have a punctured eardrum.

 

[MizTink]

dang.....
oh well, thanks guys!

 

[minkydog]

It is quite possible that your eardrum ruptured during the period of infection. There's not a lot the ER can do for that. It has to repair on its own. Meh, sometimes it happens no matter what you do. Back in the olden days they actuallly used to pop the bulging ear drum to give the kid pain relief. Antibiotics don't prevent the eardrum from bursting so don't feel like you didn't do something right. Just don't let your inner ear get wet.

I had my first ear infection since childhood about 3 years ago. We had been driving with our RV up and down mountains for 2 days and I had a bad cold. We were coming down from Mount St. Helens when I felt the first twinge. Both my ears were stuffed up so I just thought they were popping. I woke up at 2am with waves of extreme pain, so bad that I had to sit upright the rest of the night. The next day was worse, so I took myself to an urgent care where the doctor concurred with my diagnosis and gave me antibiotics. On my way to the pharmacy the eardrum burst and a ton of fluid came out. The pain lessened immediately so I was actually pretty happy with that. I called the doctor and told him what happened and he said just keep it dry and see an ENT if the hearing didn't come back in a month. The temporary deafness about drove me crazy but sure enough, one month later I could hear again. (Interestingly, I have had 3 more infections in the same ear and burst the eardrum every time.)

 

[MizTink]

It is quite possible that your eardrum ruptured during the period of infection. There's not a lot the ER can do for that. It has to repair on its own. Meh, sometimes it happens no matter what you do. Back in the olden days they actuallly used to pop the bulging ear drum to give the kid pain relief. Antibiotics don't prevent the eardrum from bursting so don't feel like you didn't do something right. Just don't let your inner ear get wet.

I had my first ear infection since childhood about 3 years ago. We had been driving with our RV up and down mountains for 2 days and I had a bad cold. We were coming down from Mount St. Helens when I felt the first twinge. Both my ears were stuffed up so I just thought they were popping. I woke up at 2am with waves of extreme pain, so bad that I had to sit upright the rest of the night. The next day was worse, so I took myself to an urgent care where the doctor concurred with my diagnosis and gave me antibiotics. On my way to the pharmacy the eardrum burst and a ton of fluid came out. The pain lessened immediately so I was actually pretty happy with that. I called the doctor and told him what happened and he said just keep it dry and see an ENT if the hearing didn't come back in a month. The temporary deafness about drove me crazy but sure enough, one month later I could hear again. (Interestingly, I have had 3 more infections in the same ear and burst the eardrum every time.)

nooooooooooo! i can't be deaf much longer or i swear i WILL go crazy!! not too mention how crazy i'm making everyone around me......huh? what'd you say?? speak up, and in my right ear so i can HEAR you!!!!!!
this sucks.........

 

[tiggger1]

try a different decongestant. Sudafed only works for me if it is the real stuff not the new stuff. Mucinex D works great for me because it clears out my nose and my ears! The other thing to do is see a chiropractor because mine does something amazing with my ear to make it drain instantly!!!

 

[justinjenn]

I am just getting over all of these same issues. I was sick from Sep-Jan with ear infections (mind you, I'm 37!). Finally went to ENT in Dec (had already done several rounds of abx, steroid nasal spray, decongestants) because both my ears were "blocked"--where I couldn't hear very well--like plane travel! So anyhow. Went to ENT, he scoped me and found that my adenoids were HUGE. Shouldn't really have been any adenoid tissue there at my age! So High dose steroid taper and more abx. Went back in Jan--scoped again, adenoids still enlarged! (Oh--the adenoids were so large-they blocked my eustation tubes which is what drains the middle ear--thus the blockage..) Needless to say, I am 5 days post op adenoidectomy and wouldn't have it any other way.
So.. Long story short.. I would highly suggest going to an ENT if available (I saw the PA up until sugery) and having them scope you--painless procedure--a little uncomfortable and see if there is something that needs to come out
Good luck!
jenn

 

[rszdtrvl]

I took my son to the ER for the first time ever last night (at the doctors advice) for ear pain. Turns out he had a double ear infection, with one eardrum punctured.

He is 13 and was literally crying from the pain.

I wish we had an after-hours clinic in town.

He got a heavy duty antibiotic. This is his first EVER ear infection.

 

[portocall]

I am sure my kids pediatrician and my doctor think I am a nutcase, but I refuse z-packs because I have yet to have one work. Especially with ear infections. I would do a follow up appointment with your doctor to see how the infection is doing and if it is gone. My first reaction is that you would know if your eardrum burst. Usually there is fluid and gunk (think snot) flowing out of the ear so if that hasn't happend yet, chances are your ear is intact. You might have gunk formed on the outer ear and if that is the case, you can have them wash that away. If it is still infected, or has yet to have the gunk reabsorb, it can last a long while.