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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To ask if there are any GPs (or just anyone) before I lose my shit!

84 replies

Peanutss · 11/09/2018 19:20

Probably posting here more for traffic really but I am going to go crazy if I don't get sorted soon!

I've had an ear infection now for nearly a year. It's developed into sounding like I am under water in one ear CONSTANTLY. I basically can't hear at all out of one ear. I whisper because I can't tell how loud I'm speaking most of the time!

I've been to the doctors all in all about 5 times now. I've just completed my third set of antibiotics which haven't touched it again and I've had all sorts of sprays / drops. It goes for maybe a week tops and then it's back.

Right now it's the worst it's ever been. Sometimes it feels as though it's (sorry tmi) drained and then I get a little blood coming out...surely that isn't okay!? I went to the doctor again last week and she said she literally could not see my eardrum because of all the stuff (yuk sorry) in the way.

There must be something more they can do other than giving me antibiotics over and over? I am literally fed up completely now. I've booked again for Thursday at the Drs. What should I be asking for?!

OP posts:
Hogtini · 11/09/2018 22:37

Sorry you're suffering OP. I started a thread about my dp's ear problem in general health - he has similar symptoms to you (his own voice/inside his head echoing, static/water/ringing noises driving him insane and no pain). Unfortunately still ongoing. He's had nasal drops, ear spray, amoxcillin, and nasal spray now (also tried eucalyptus oil in boiling water/diffusers). We ended up in a&e who finally diagnosed bulging eardrum and fluid was seen. They said it would pop or refer to ENT who would prob insert a grommet. He's seen ENT who said they can see bubbles and fluid and to carry on with antibs and nasal.spray. Got another ENT appt later this week. Def push for referral and good luck, it's horrible. I wonder if the complementary therapies might be worth a try too like pp have suggested? Accupuncture? Chriropractor/Osteopath?

yumscrumfatbum · 12/09/2018 00:22

modzy78 yes the cholesteatoma had damaged the tiny bones. She had to wait a year to ensure that were disease free and then she had a reconstruction with titanium replacements to improve her hearing. Success levels are pretty good but hers was better than expected. She has what they termed full social hearing, she can't hear the highest register that's all. Her surgery was done on the NHS. I live in the South West and my local ENT Consultant happens to have a specialist in Cholesteatoma which was a bit of luck

DaftCat · 12/09/2018 06:28

I’ve had ear infections for my whole life, last year one decided to go rogue and I ended up with osteomyelitis in my skull. Had to have my skull reconstructed and I too now have titanium ear bones and a silicone eardrum. Unfortunately one of the prosthetic bones has moved and I’m now in loads of pain again.
What happened to me is incredibly rare, but there’s no way you should have an infection for a year without an ENT referral, please push for one. They’ll sort you out.

Original poster
Peanutss · 12/09/2018 07:06

Wow what some of you / your family have gone through sounds awful! Thanks for sharing though. I can see that you can't just leave these things.

I'll definitely be requesting a referral and further investigations. It can't carry on like this.

OP posts:
Original poster
Peanutss · 12/09/2018 07:07

@DaftCat oh my goodness that sounds horrible! Hope you get things sorted soon.

OP posts:
ThirdChildFourthPile · 12/09/2018 07:25

Good for you OP, as you have seen an ear infection left can be very very serious indeed.

My brother left his ear infection for a long time and he eventually needed an operation, the infection had traveled so far back is was right next to the fluid in his brain so the next step would have been meningitis. They had to clear it all out, he lost all the small bones in his ear and it was pretty major.
He's absolutely fine now although he still suffers from ear infections. I've told him he needs to take prophylactic antibiotics but I doubt he listened to me (and perhaps I'm wrong anyway, I'm not a doctor!).

Glad you're getting it checked.

Damia · 12/09/2018 07:53

When my ear went all full and gunky I had 2 lots of antibiotics then a swab taken then got told to wait a while. I asked if there was anything different I could try so she gave me some strong decongestant. And that cleared it up!!

Baaaaaaaaaaaa · 12/09/2018 09:01

I would be thunking along the lines of cholesteotoma too, especially as it’s nit causing you any pain - it wont, if you have it, it’s a growth in the ear which over time can cause considerable damage.

My dd had it in both ears and has had five operations. The outcome depends upon the severity of the growth and how much damage is done. One ear was two ops, resulting in removal of growth, minimal hearing loss, everything in tact. Other ear was three ops, resulting in removal of three inner bones and reconstruction (not titanium but using other bones) and moderate hearing loss.

STOP PUTTING ANYTHING IN YOUR EARS.

Go back and ask for a referral. A specialist is the only one who can resolve this for you, whether its an infection, a perforated ear drum, or something else. If any two rounds of antibiotics its not cleared up then its not what the gp thinks it is.

Original poster
Peanutss · 12/09/2018 11:43

Just been reading up on cholesteotoma and that's really scary. It sounds exactly like what I have. I thought it couldn't possibly be something really serious otherwise I'd be in pain but looks like thats not always the case!

I'll mention it to the Dr tomorrow to see what she thinks.

My DP wants to come with me to make sure I ask all the questions I need to be asking ha! I am a grown woman I swear.

OP posts:
Sugarpiehoneyeye · 12/09/2018 17:08

Let him go with you, he is right. You would be just as concerned about him. Good luck for tomorrow OP, hope all goes well.🌸

Original poster
Peanutss · 13/09/2018 12:43

I've been!

Still got a blockage of 'gunk' in my bad ear which is what is causing the loss of hearing she thinks.

I mentioned worrying about cholesteatoma and she said its rare and more likely just a persistent infection.

She's prescribed an antibiotic cream for the outsides of my ear to reduce some or the swelling and irritation and has asked me to syringe olive oil into it over the weekend to break up the 'gunk'.

I'm then going back on Monday to have them syringed in the hope that it clears it enough so that she can see ear canal and eardrum properly to tell what's going on back there if anything. She can't see it hardly at all at the moment due to the swelling and infection which is the same as 2 weeks ago!

If that doesn't help she's said she'll refer me to ENT.

She's still adamant that it's eczema in my ear :(

Don't really feel I have any more answers tbh but at least they know I want to be referred now and she's assured me she will refer after trying the syringe on Monday.

OP posts:
Original poster
Peanutss · 13/09/2018 12:45

She also mentioned it may be down to the earrings I wear if not proper metal which I thought was a bit Hmm

OP posts:
redsummershoes · 13/09/2018 12:47

tbh I wouldn't put oil into the ear.

if you have 80£ spare see an ear clear clinic (often walk in) for a proper look by people who look into ears all day long.

StormTreader · 13/09/2018 12:52

Olive oil is recommended to start softening up hardened wax or skin, so it seems like thats still what shes working on.

flumpybear · 13/09/2018 13:02

Go with this then Remind her of the referral when it still doesnt work!

Original poster
Peanutss · 13/09/2018 13:06

Yep I'm going to give it a go but will def be kicking up a fuss for referral if it doesn't work.

I'm curious to find out what syringing feels like though!

I just want to hear again now!! 😭

OP posts:
MsHomeSlice · 13/09/2018 13:09

she suggested your earrings were to blame for bloody oozing ear canals??

honestly that really is scraping the bottom of the barrel!

Looks like you will have to go along with her plan, but I would be very wary of putting anything in your ear....the voice in your head/underwater feeling would worry me that the ear drum is perforated...dd had this with a straight forward, but very painful ear infection. The pain went as the ear perforated, but she said it was like speaking as if she had her head in a bucket.

OhLookHeKickedTheBall · 13/09/2018 13:13

Did you mention the bleeding? If so did she say anything?

With DD thankfully it wasn't another perforation but the skin had become exceptionally irritated by the infection.

Olive oil seems a bit strange to suggest with an active infection. Its great for softening wax, but that doesn't appear to be your issue. I'd have though that suctioning out the pus so they can look in the ear and diagnose properly would be far more effective.

Fraula · 13/09/2018 13:17

With the NHS you really need to stand up for yourself and push for what you need. If not, you'll be pushed to the side and things can get really bad. Please, please insist on a referral. Stand your ground and don't be fobbed off by a gp who is not specialist in this area of medicine.

Original poster
Peanutss · 13/09/2018 13:24

Thanks, yes I'm a bit concerned about the 'what if my eardrum is perforated' thing too. We wouldn't know because you can't see it!

She's saying the feeling like I'm underwater is because of the blockage but I guess we won't know until that's removed.

The bleeding has been put to 'irritation' from the eczema.

I do have eczema. I've had it since I was a kid, flares up every now and then in different areas but I wasn't aware it was a thing in your ear canal! But they are adamant that they think this is the cause.

Definitely feels like what your DD said MsHomeSlice. Like I've put my head underwater in the bath. Not quite as extreme as I do have one working ear still!

Yep she suggested earrings at one point. But I've not had a problem with the ones I'm wearing. They don't itch or get irritated and I've had pierced ears since I was 12!

OP posts:
WhirlyGigWhirlyGig · 13/09/2018 13:25

I know that our local hospital's ent department is absolutely drowning at the moment and I had to really be emphatic about a referral after god knows how many steroid pumps and drops up my nose. I did get one though after politely suggesting what they were doing wasn't working.
Hope you get somewhere because unless you've had chronic nose and ear problems, you can't quite understanding how they can drain the life out of you.

NotSoThinLizzy · 13/09/2018 13:33

Sounds like a burst ear drum with glue ear I've lived most my life with ear indentations. Keep ears dry don't put them underwater

Shednik · 13/09/2018 14:18

You need to see a specialist, if only to rule out something called cholesteatoma.

BlackrockMum · 13/09/2018 14:27

what sort of antibiotics are you on, my Ds had chronic infections for well over a year, each lasting 3 weeks maybe a week off and start up again, ,and only when I had a meltdown at gp's when I was told for I don't know 100th time he would most probably grow out of them, did we get a referral to ENT , anyway he's a kid so not same as you but first thing specialist said was oral antibiotics rarely work in this situation in the type of infection he had, and he had to be put on drops, they are actually ones for eye infections but you wouldn't believe the change next infection cleared up in 3 days , was gone for weeks then next was fixed in 2 days. Though you do drops every day for 5 days, does sound like the gp should acknowledge they are getting nowhere and you need to try something else

BlackrockMum · 13/09/2018 14:29

meant to say my mum had eczema in her ear for years but it wasn't like an infection with gunk she complained more of itch, and overtime her hearing would get bad shed go get it cleared out and fine again