To go to A & E?

[EarProb]

Even though I'm not strictly sure it's an issue for them because I am so desperate.

I am having really bad problems with my ears. My GP is at a loss and has referred me to ENT months ago but nothing has come of it yet. I keep going back to the GP but they say there is nothing they can do.

My ears are completely blocked with gunk. GP says not infected but the one time I managed to pay privately to have them cleared out he said he thought they were.

Both my ears are completely swollen on the outside and the inside. My ear drums have not been visible for the best part of a year and I sometimes wake up with stuff leaking all over my pillow and even running down my face. It's absolutely vile. I have even woke up before now with blood dripping down the side of my face from the inside of my ear.

It looks awful too so my self esteem has plummeted.

I now cannot hear at all when I am lay down and only slightly when I'm stood up because they are that swollen and full. I cannot hear my baby stirring in the night.

I am so desperate. I feel incredibly depressed with it and I've no idea where to turn. The ENT referral has been chased several times by my GP but nothing yet. It was sent in April.

I don't know what else to do. Sometimes I honestly feel like I don't want to be alive anymore it's affecting me that much.

Have you called your local hospital or the closest one with an ENT department, OP, and asked if there is an appointment in the system or asked to be put through to the ENT outpatients?

Hi OP. I had a severe ear infection once and my ear almost completely closed up. All my GP did was suggest olive oil and that made the whole thing worse and I ended up with some sort of abrasion/growth in the ear due to all the irritation and it made syringing impossible (they tried it once and omg it was agonising!) The GP fobbed me off again and again and I ended up giving up and going private to have my ear microsuctioned and omg it was a game changer. I haven't had a problem since. The guy I saw for the microsuction said to never use olive oil and only ever use sodium bicarbonate drops

Anyway, I'm not sure if A&E is the right place but I know what it's like to feel desperate. Maybe start with 111?

If your ear can't be syringed due to the swelling, I would look at microsuction. It was completely painless and they could do it even though my ear was in a terrible state.

I paid privately to have it microsuctioned and it was clear for a few days and then it came back again.

The microsuction is only to clear the wax for the antibiotic drops.

I paid specsavers 50 quid to get mine cleared out. Couldn't see my eardrums. Definitely worth every penny

Your GP might be able to get you seen by the on call ent team OP.

It’s alright people saying going to A&E but have they realised that there’s a huge match on? The queues will likely be horrendous to try to get seen. The fact your conscious, standing, not in significant pain etc will mean sadly that you’re not a priority. Tonight would be a really bad idea to go

I don't necessarily mean tonight, I was thinking more in the morning if I can't get anywhere else with the GP when I ring.

@dane8

You need an ENT consultant OP,

Yep, I would love one to see me

@TableFlowerss

It’s alright people saying going to A&E but have they realised that there’s a huge match on? The queues will likely be horrendous to try to get seen. The fact your conscious, standing, not in significant pain etc will mean sadly that you’re not a priority. Tonight would be a really bad idea to go

That depends where you live, surely? And honestly, how busy it may or may not be shouldn't come into it. Either you feel you need to go or you don't. The fact the hospital isn't resourced enough to deal with an influx is irrelevant.

@dane8

Op what I would do tomorrow is Ring surgery ask the receptionist who was the referral sent to at the ent dept ? I’d then ring ENT and ask to speak to ent appointments ask them as an appointment been made for yourself as gp sent referral 3 weeks ago urgent If they give you a name off consultant ring the secretary and tell her your problem She will move you up.

My son had gunk that used to run down his face
He ended up with grommets.

Thank you. I tried ringing the ENT dept a few times a while ago but no one answered there was just a voicemail.

I'll be ringing GP again first thing.

That depends where you live, surely?
And honestly, how busy it may or may not be shouldn't come into it. Either you feel you need to go or you don't. The fact the hospital isn't resourced enough to deal with an influx is irrelevant

@FlyingBattie

I think you’re missing the point. I’m
Not saying don’t ever go to A&E, I’m saying hound tonight would be foolish, unless it was life or death and there was no other option.

OP would be better turning up at 10am when most if the drunks would have been seen ect… can you imagine what am A&E would be like right now?!

When I very first presented with this to the GP they did give me oral antibiotics. I can't remember what they were but I think it was Flucloxacillin, I definitely think it began with F. They didn't do anything at all.

Since then I've had otomize spray, drops which I can't remember the name of now and also a steroid creams. None have sorted the issue.

And I was told by the private guy who suctioned my ears not to use drops! Honestly I've had such conflicting info from everyone.

The steroid cream made it worse if anything.

@TableFlowerss

**That depends where you live, surely? And honestly, how busy it may or may not be shouldn't come into it. Either you feel you need to go or you don't. The fact the hospital isn't resourced enough to deal with an influx is irrelevant**

@FlyingBattie

I think you’re missing the point. I’m
Not saying don’t ever go to A&E, I’m saying hound tonight would be foolish, unless it was life or death and there was no other option.

OP would be better turning up at 10am when most if the drunks would have been seen ect… can you imagine what am A&E would be like right now?!

My point is- either you feel you need A+E or you don't. I generally think people know/feel if they need to go or not. I'm always perplexed by the "don't go unless you are dying" mob on here. I am not commenting on if OP or anyone else needs to go or not, I have no idea. But if you feel you need to go to A+E to be sorted, how busy it may be shouldn't be a consideration. Hope you can get sorted, OP, whatever you decide to do.

Ds1’s first gf had something similar. I ended up taking her to a&e where they referred her to ENT. They had to ‘punch’ a wick through the infected ear canal to carry the antibiotic ear drops through the swollen canal and into the site of infection by the eardrum.

This was after 2 weeks of anti biotic ear drops which didn’t help at all.

ENT were great, though it was so painful ds1 and I each had to hold her hand and do breathing exercises to get through it.

Good luck and hope it gets sorted soon.

I really feel for you OP. I had a number of ear infections one year - couldn’t hear, couldn’t move my head even, hear my baby, and the pain was horrific. What finally sorted it was microsuctioning followed by strong antibiotics put directly into my ear. Then I went back and had some more I think. I never had an ear infection again.

Huge symapthies for you, I really hope you get it sorted soon

I'm an ED junior dr and wouldn't have any woes with you coming to ED with this.

You'll need to make sure you 'upsell' the severity as if not you may be triaged out of the actual emergency department, which makes liaising with ENT much harder (ear problems could be triaged into ED GP or minor injuries clinic at my trust, neither sounds appropriate for this).

Make sure you go to an ED with ENT on-site. Of course any ED can refer you to the specialty if you need it but it's a lot easier to get them to accept an on-the-day referral if I can sell it as 'she's already in the building just pop down and see her' rather than needing to organise transport over (even if you drive yourself it's significant policy and paperwork that needs doing and will make it less likely to be done).

Your GP should be able to refer you for an ENT on the day assessment though if it's urgent so good idea to try them tomorrow to save the ED queue.

Really sympathise with you OP.

I’ve had various problems with my ears since childhood and I know how low it can make you feel.

I don’t have much to add except that unfortunately the NHS was not entirely helpful. I went through ENT referral without a real answer / solution. I then paid privately, saw a specialist very quickly who examined me, gave me a clear diagnosis, options and advice. It didn’t cost a fortune as he could examine me without needing scans etc done but it was worth every penny.

Hope A&E gives you the answers and treatment you need but if not I would recommend a good private doctor if that’s possible x

Lurking. DH’s ears are insane. Have had no joy with a GP, viral not an infection apparently. I got home one day and he lurched like a zombie, actually crying (which I’ve never seen him do in 25 years) and said “LISTEN TO MY EAR” it was fizzing ,which in his ear sounded like a jet engine, I could hear it outside.

He’s pretty much deaf now.

Hi op, hcp here, as you have tried and tried to get help with little success, I suggest you goto a and e in the morning. They will see the problem and fast track you through, possibly even the same day if it is deemed severe. Please please don't delay you only get one set of ears and I'd hate for you to experience hearing loss. Please go, they'd be happy deal with you thank some drunk who's got into a fight 🙄 best wishes, keep us updated 👍

You really need to say that it’s affecting your mental health. They should push it forward. So sorry you’re going through this. Hope it gets sorted soon