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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to go back to the doctors

66 replies

timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 09:14

On Tuesday I started to get a bit of a niggle in my left ear. By the evening I was in agony. My ear was blocked and I had horrendous pain in my jaw.

Spent all of Wednesday in Agony. Saw the Doctor that afternoon. He said my ear was fine. No infection and that it was likely I'd injured my jaw joint somehow and that was he cause of the pain. Told to take 600mg of ibuprofen three times a day.

Went to bed hat night in agony, got barely any sleep. Kept waking up screaming and crying in pain. Phoned the Doctor in the morning and he said to keep up with the ibuprofen and that it would take time to heal but he prescribed me some co codamol to help the pain.

I'm taking 2 x 30mg/500mg of co codamol four times a day and 600mg ibuprofen three times a day. The co codamol has helped a lot but the pain is still there and as soon as the co codamol starts wearing off its agony again. It's affecting my sleep, eating, etc.

My mum thinks I should go to the hospital as she fears something more serious. AIBU to go back to the doctors or should I wait it out a bit longer?

OP posts:
Whatisthisfuckery · 15/02/2019 10:13

OP I had this a few years ago. Can you still hear in the painful ear?

Mine started in my ear but radiated to my jaw but not teeth. I also couldn’t hear on that side. I went to the docs and got the same as you, nothing wrong with my ear. Same as you, terrible pain for days, couldn’t sleep at all. Me and DP went to London for a concert and it was so bad I had to go to the out of hours at St Mary’s. The doctor said I had an infection and gave me some kitten strength antibiotics. It didn’t shift it. I didn’t sleep for a week and ended up with green stuff oozing out of my ear. It took four different antibiotics to shift it in the end.

Defo go back to the GP, and the dentist too. Ear pain is the pits. I hope you get it sorted soon.

Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 10:14

also, I can also hear noise in my ear like maybe fluid or blood flow?

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Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 10:15

Ok 111 have told me to go back to my gp and said I need to do so within 12 hours so phoning them now

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Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 10:20

My Doctor who was treating the initial infection in the other ear isn't in today but another doctor is going to call me back within the hour for a phone consultation.

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woolduvet · 15/02/2019 10:26

Have a look at tmj. Worst pain ever! Had me crying on the sofa at night.
If it's this you need naproxen and there's some exercises to do, which really help get rid of stop it coming on.

FridayFreja · 15/02/2019 10:31

I would say dentist. Speaking as a GP, we often get patients coming in with teeth/gum related issues (because they don’t want to pay to see a dentist) but as we have zero dental training it’s very hard for us to do anything.

Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 10:34

@woolduvet hi
That's what the Gp thought it was and advised I take ibuprofen and co codamol and he said it would take time to heal.

How long will it be like this for? It's horrendous. And my concern is that initially it started out as a niggling pain in my ear before moving to the jaw. Does that sound right?

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Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 10:37

@FridayFreja I don't mind paying to see a dentist. I've a profound fear of the dentist but cost isn't an issue. I don't appear to have any obvious issue with my teeth or gums. Otherwise the dentist would have been my first point of call and considering when the pain started in my left ear, I was already being treated for an infection in my right ear, my obvious thought was to see a GP not a dentist.

Primarily it is the ear and the jaw.

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sparkleandsleep · 15/02/2019 10:41

I had a pain down one side of my head almost two weeks ago that kept fluctuating. By early last week it was agony and I realised it was radiating from my ear. Went to ooh and they said I had a small spot in my ear canal and gave me an ear spray. It sort of settled down over the weekend then flared up horribly on Monday again- the pain is all round my ear and side of head. I went back to my GP and my ear is now infected and inflamed; I have oral antibiotics now, which aren't hugely helping yet but still got a couple of days to take. My point is that it's best to get it checked out as the actual ear may have developed since it was first checked- I'm glad I did!
Sympathies, it is the worst pain I've ever had

AlanThePig · 15/02/2019 10:42

The problem with this kind of thing is you'll find yourself being batted between Dentist and Doctor until one or the other can decide.

I recall having similar when I was pregnant, the pain was horrendous. Being pregnant limited the painkillers I could take and I spent the best part of a week lying in bed sobbing in pain. It transpired I had some kind of weird infection in my jaw bone so was a job for the GP, but it took a week of back and forth between the two to get to that point.

All that said, toothache can absolutely present as you describe and the pain is worse than childbirth. It could well be coincidental that you started with earache.

Either way Flowers hope you get some answers soon.

Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 10:59

Well, one of the GPs called me back. He was bloody horrible.

He shut me down pretty much straight away. I started explaining and he shut me down and said he could see all that on my notes and asked what the problem was now. I said it was the recurrent pain of the left ear and jaw and he said, 'Well, Dr X already explained that to you the other day. There's nothing more we can do. Keep taking the codeine and ibuprofen. If in six weeks it's the same then by all means call again."

Now I'm sat here in tears about how bloody horrible he was about it.

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Original poster
Timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 11:05

Basically came across like I was wasting his time. That I'd already spoken to too many Doctors about it. He was just honestly horrible. Polite but utterly horrible.

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CherryBlossom23 · 15/02/2019 11:08

Please try a dentist, I used to get awful pain in one of my ears when my wisdom tooth was impacted. Absolutely no mouth/tooth pain at all, just my ear.

Bombardier25966 · 15/02/2019 11:10

Call the dentist. I get your fear, but you're in terrible pain and you need some help. Is the pain or the fear worse?

I've had years of problems with my jaw, and never knowingly had an injury as such. In fact the first I knew of it I thought I had an ear infection!

When you go to the dentist, concentrate on your breathing. Just counting to three slowly. If you need a break raise your hand and they'll let you sit up for a while.

Dodie66 · 15/02/2019 11:16

I would go to the dentist. If they do an X-ray they will be able to see the jaw and teeth and tell you if that’s the problem. Then if it’s all clear go back to the gp or go to A&E hope you get help soon

theredjellybean · 15/02/2019 11:19

OP I very rarely say this but go to a and e.
That's unacceptable. You cannot have pain from a jaw injury is you have not actually injured your jaw.

babysharkah · 15/02/2019 11:20

You need to go to the dentist. Sounds like TMJ to me. I was diagnosed at 6 months post partum, I was clenching my teeth at night through stress but no idea I was doing it. It was AWFUL. Ended up with diazepam for a couple of days to relax the muscles and then naproxen, and then a gum shield at night.

Original poster
Timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 11:24

So you lot dont think IBU but clearly the doctor thinks I am 😂😂👍

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Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 11:26

@babysharkah can you give me a bit more info on what it was like for you? And why in particular you went to the dentist?

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Bombardier25966 · 15/02/2019 11:28

I don't think you're being unreasonable that you do need medical help, but numerous people have said to contact the dentist. Have you done this?

A jaw injury doesn't have to be caused by something obvious or immediately painful.

Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 11:31

@Bombardier25966 no I haven't yet but I'm certainly considering it.

I'm just not sure what to say tbh and also I'm not even sure I'm still registered with the dentist.

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Original poster
timetravellingbunnies · 15/02/2019 11:35

Just bit the bullet and phoned the dentist. I haven't been since 2015 so I've been removed from the books and they aren't taking on new patients.

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FridayFreja · 15/02/2019 12:27

The GP has given you painkillers, and that's all they can do.

We're not miracle workers, and we can't refer you on when it's only been happening for a few days - you're only going to get a referral if it persists for a number of weeks.

At this stage, a dentist is your best bit. Jaw & ear pain could definitely be connected to a dental issue.

FridayFreja · 15/02/2019 12:28

Just bit the bullet and phoned the dentist. I haven't been since 2015 so I've been removed from the books and they aren't taking on new patients

NHS or private?

FridayFreja · 15/02/2019 12:29

If NHS, then you can find an emergency appointment at an NHS dentist by calling 111.

www.nhs.uk/common-health-questions/dental-health/how-can-i-access-an-nhs-dentist-in-an-emergency-or-out-of-hours/

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