Any middle ear infection tips? Desperate as GP is being a willy head.

[ohshitonit]

I've had an ear infection for 3 weeks, the first week it was a normal one, I asked the gp for the drops instead of oral antibiotics and he said no as it's too expensive for the NHS.

Anyway, after a week I went a bit deaf in one ear and have a temp, gp said its no longer a normal ear infection, now it's a middle ear infection with fluid stuck.
Gave me 14 days of oral antibiotics, after 7 more days on them I've been vomiting and having diarrhea. Tried Probiotics, taking them with food etc, I can't keep them down. Called the GP and he said I have to just persevere and have diarrhea and vomiting for more 7 days if I want the infection to go.
I can't take them, I am a nurse and can't keep being sick and having the runs at work.
Is there anything else I can do? The ear ache is driving me bonkers.

Yes. Request to see a different Gp - you’ll go to pals if they don’t see you as a matter of urgency. Has your temp settled? If not, the antibiotics aren’t working. What are you on? Ear infections cannot be left - they can be incredibly dangerous developing into mastitis and even abscesses!

Oral anti b are not generally recommended for middle ear inf. I know this because I get them every year.

The cure for me is antibiotic drops. Gentisone, they are absolutely brilliant + exterol to soften any wax. The combo usually does the trick within a few days. Just recovering from it right now.

I am not in UK at the moment, and have to pay for these scripts but it costs about 10 euro, cheap at the price for the job it does!

Can you get a private prescription OP.

^^ the above is true generally but after having the infection for ten days with a temp, vomiting etc you definitely need oral antibiotics.

Did you mean ear infections can turn to mastitis @Redrosebelle? That’s breasts isn’t it?

When I took antibiotics that gave me stomach pains (really really severe) the GP told me to stop them and prescribed me something different. Does he think he’s going to singlehandly save the NHS by denying you the right treatment?!

Theyve put me on amoxicillin 500mg 3 x a day, my temp is like 37.6 so not horrendous but I feel quite sick.
They just said basically diarrhea and vomiting is part of having antibiotics, but I've never been like this before and can't have any time off.

Also, I asked for ear drop antibiotics again and the gp said its not appropriate as they can't reach the middle ear?

Thank you both!

Pity the doc didn't prescribe the anti B drops in the first place! Sod all savings now that oral anti B and repeat visits to the doc are on the cards. Such a shame.

I think it is mastoiditis, infection of mastoid bone that Redrose might be referring to. Very rare complication.

I am a veteran of dodgy ears. Got meningitis and septicaemia at 23 yrs old. Left me with crap ears. But I am alive, and I know what works for me.

Hope you will be OK op.

PALS aren’t relevant to primary care. They work in hospitals.

Most ear infections clear up within a week on their own. Antibiotics can be required if it persists. Drops won’t work for otitis media, only otitis externa. The vomiting may be caused by the infection itself, but antiobiotics can cause loose stools and nausea or vomiting.

If the antibiotics are not working and are actually making you sick, would it be possible for A&E to drain it? I had it done number of times when I was young (not in the UK though). Still remember the pain of the infection. It went immediately after doctor drained it.

Did you mean ear infections can turn to mastitis @Redrosebelle? That’s breasts isn’t it?

I'm sure the PP meant mastoiditis, inflammation of the bone behind the ear

Mastoiditis isn't too rare in that my dd had it and there was also another child in hospital at same time with it. Week on a drip was response to that. It sounds to me like you have a whole system infection so one would say you need to be off sick not in work anyway!

I don't think there is an alternative to needing antibiotics. I think you are going to have to ride the storm and next time just get a second opinion or point out you were right last time etc etc

Ironically off to GP for lump behind ear again tonight...wish me luck

Ear drops are no use for a middle ear infection as the middle ear is separated from the outer ear by your eardrum. And even if that perforates, the liquid coming out stops the drops getting in (and you don't want to wash a lot of yuck back into your middle ear anyway).

Op in your case I'd see a different gp in case there are different antibiotics you can be given.

What Sidge said (I am a GP)

If you are actually unwell and have been on antibiotics for a week without improvement I would want to reassess you

I’ve just (touch wood) finished with a six week ear infection. I needed oral antibiotics (Ciprofloxacin) and Gentamycin ear drops. I also needed an ENT referral to have my ear vacuumed out, so three weeks in, don’t let him fob you off. He should have taken As swab by this stage too.
I’d be a bit more outraged about him withholding treatment at the beginning because of cost. It’s nit coming out of his pocket. He delayed treatment because of this and now your condition has worsened because he wanted to save the NHS a few quid? It’s goung to cost even more now, by the sounds of it.
Time to get assertive, Op. you have my sympathies. I “lost” August because of my infection, I had two periods of sickness with it in the one month. Thankfully, my (public sector) manager recognised it was part of the same illness and didn’t slap me on absence management, but the doctor fucking You about isn’t saving the NHS anything if you are an NHS nurse and not at your best. I really feel for you x

Yes, sorry my iPhone appears to prefer mastitis

And pals cover my Gp surgery ? So it may be worth looking into.

And I work in a hospital - mastoiditis isn’t rare at all. It happens all the time in untreated ear infections!

I know 3 people who are completely deaf in one ear due to mastoid abscesses caused by inadequately treated ear infections.

I'm a GP. I'd advise go back to GP, different one if you wish. Would expect improvement by now if oral antibiotics were being effective. It's difficult to say what initial treatment you should have had as antibiotic ear drops are usually prescribed for otitis externa (extetnal ear infection/'surfer's ear') not a middle ear infection which, if requiring antibiotics, would need oral antibiotics (I guess you know this if you're a nurse). As for the diarrhoea and vomiting, a bit of nausea and loose stool is pretty common with oral antibiotics but full on D&V less so. Did your GP not offer you a different antibiotic? That's what I'd do if someone was having bad side effects and needed to complete a course. Hope you get it sorted

Just another thing...sorry if it's been said already. Antibiotics don't work alongside probiotics - they kind of wipe them out. So I'd hold off on probiotics until you've finished the course.

I had a middle ear infection and blocked ear recently. It took a month to go. I had a 10 day course of antibiocs, took Sudafed and also used an Otovent ear balloon religiously about 10 times a day. It went eventually. Sympathies OP, its horrid.

Ask for an ENT referral if possible. As HotSauceCommittee mentioned, you need antibiotic ear drops (Ciprofloxacin is brilliant). My kids have had over 16 ear infections between them and our GP kept prescribing oral ABs only. They didn't work and the ear infection would flare up again as soon as the course of ABs was finished. One of them will now need a tympanoplasty when he is old enough as his ear infections weren't treated properly by the GP plus they've had huge amounts of unnecessary ABs. I am angry at myself for not demanding an ENT referral much sooner.

Ugh, you have my sympathy, I’m in the same boat. Second round of flucloxacillin 4x500 mg/day and otomize ear spray. It’s miserable. Lots of fluids, rest when you can, and a wheat bag is helping with the awful pain behind my ears.

I COULD HAVE WROTE THIS MYSELF

So I have had a bad infection since Thursday just gone but I’ve been unable to keep any fluid down, the medication makes me vom and last night I was taken to hospital.

The gave me drops this morning called ciloxan which have helped a little.

Cocodomal level 3 work great too ( which is the highest strength cocodomal)

Or you can just ask them out right for stronger pain meds.

I can feel the right side of my jaw still!