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.

Thanks you. Yes that's what I'm hoping for really, that A&E may have better luck getting me seen by ENT quicker than my GP is. Luckily my local hospital is where the ENT dept is as well.

Thank**

@EarProb

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.

Hi Op,

My son (now 12) and my DH have both had problems with their ears pretty much since birth. Resulting is severe ear dieses and several very lengthly surgeries. The fact that antibiotics haven't worked and you describe the discharge from your ears as foul smelling, is all red flags for a condition called cholesteatoma. However, it is quite a rare condition, but none the less it needs investigating and ruling out as a matter of urgency.

In your shoes, id chase the GP in the morning and ask them where your referral has been sent, and then chase the hospital. If no joy! then id honestly pay privately for an initial consultation with a consultant ENT specialising in ear dieses/cholesteatoma.

If antibiotics aren’t touching what’s going on inside your ears and there’s that much gunk streaming down your face which stinks to high heaven I would be asking for a referral and getting them to check for cholesteatoma. This can be extremely serious if left unchecked and the symptoms you describe may well point to it. Please, please, please insist on seeing an ent consultant and ask them about this possibility.

Ah, crossed with McFarts. Seriously, check it out.

@Cloud1220

Go to A&E (pick a quieter time than tonight if you can). This is yet another example of GPs being the weak link in a system which systematically fails people time and time again. My paramedic friend presented his father at A&E when GP referrals were taking an age and he’d become ‘lost in the system’. He knew he’d be taken seriously and fast tracked to the relevant consultant. He was, and it was very serious, sadly he is no longer with us. The family have since had a letter of apology from the GP.

Put yourself first and get yourself seen, you should not have to live like this!!

So the OP has been seen several times by the GP, had investigations and first line treatments, followed by urgent referral when the problem didn’t improve (chased several times when waiting times were longer than ideal).

Yet GPs are the “weak link”?

I had looked into cholesteatoma before but I from what I recall reading, it wouldn't be likely to be in both ears at rhe same time?

I'm no doctor though of course so could be completely wrong about that. I will mention it.

I honestly don't want this to come across as an attack on GPs. They've been very good with me and always seen me when I've rang I just think there isn't anything else they can do. But I don't know where that leaves me if ENT don't come back soon.

@EarProb

I had looked into cholesteatoma before but I from what I recall reading, it wouldn't be likely to be in both ears at rhe same time?

I'm no doctor though of course so could be completely wrong about that. I will mention it.

No, not both at the same time. It can be one, then the other or just one on its own. Hell, it could be two together but you’d be bloody unlucky if it was.

Get it checked out. Do not rely on what you read on the internet (ironic I know).

Poor you OP that sounds truly awful. Have you tried calling the appointments helpline at the hospital to see if they have you down for the ENT specialist yet? I've been having a health scare recently- twice things have got really bad and I ended up going to A&E (whilst in the process of chasing my GP for an urgent referral). Both times it moved things on much more quickly - the first time I got results instantly that were expected to take 3 weeks, the second time I got urgently needed medication, a more detailed MRI booked and my referral to a specialist chased by a senior A&E consultant (the A&E consultant spoke to the specialist on my behalf to check all the right tests etc were being done and that I would be seen as quickly as possible). I would never advocate going to A&E unnecessarily, but what you are dealing with sounds serious and I would be really worried about it turning into sepsis or similar. Really hope you feel better soon x

@EarProb

I had looked into cholesteatoma before but I from what I recall reading, it wouldn't be likely to be in both ears at rhe same time?

I'm no doctor though of course so could be completely wrong about that. I will mention it.

Ah, I misread this first time round.

Do you remember if they both started at exactly the same time or one started and then the other?

Not that it should matter really because if you’ve got it you’ve got it. They say it’s rare and even rarer in children. My dd had it in both ears at the same time aged 5. So very rare can and does happen.

This sounds awful. I hope you get it sorted asap

I had gunky bleeding ear infections as a child, it was utter misery. I think you're absolutely right to try and reach the ENT dept via A&E. You shouldn't have to go down that route, but don't hesitate any further to do it. I hope it works!

Go to A & E 9ish in the morning - night shift will have finished, morning shift will be fresh.

This ridiculous buggering about by the GP must stop.

I was told on Monday that I had cholesteatoma in my right ear. I had never heard the word before despite numerous ear infections in my left ear going back to early childhood and two mastoid surgeries in that ear; the second one was more surgery to remove the diseased bone and a reconstruction of the middle ear including ear drum. Very clever. It was never called cholesteatoma before. I did know that the bone erodes due to the infection and, after reading about it, the cholesteatoma is a build up of debris. I also have a hole in my eardrum. I have to have a CT scan to assess the damage and have a two week course of strong ear drops in the meantime. I was not expecting this and left the hospital in a state of shock. I think it is relatively rare in one ear, never mind both. As my user name suggests, I am a professional musician so it is not the best thing to happen to me. OP, I really can empathise with your fears and hope you urgently get the treatment you so obviously need. Please let us know how you get on.

Go to A and E this morning OP please. Don't worry about what people are saying on here. I think from what you've described sounding so similar to my experience that you need ears cleared (I used to have this at hospital and then drops syringed in) then drops and antibiotics simultaneously to get it under control. But I'm not a doctor and I've not seen your ears!! So please please go and get someone to help you

Please don't get your ears syringes before seeing an ent consultant, it can cause so much damage if something else is going on, which sounds like there is.
Try the a and e route, or could you afford another private consultation?
It sound like an infection, you would need that cleared first, then have your ears suctioned, not syringed.

My son developed cholesteatoma in both ears at the same time, thats two of us just on this thread, so its certainly not unheard of. Yes it is rare, but it really needs ruling out, because the consequences of not doing so can be dire. Both my DH and DS are deaf because of this disease. Despite my DS having been under ENT since being 6 months old and having regular 6 monthly check ups, it was still missed . We're currently awaiting a date, for yet more surgery for DS.

@Rubyupbeat

Please don't get your ears syringes before seeing an ent consultant, it can cause so much damage if something else is going on, which sounds like there is. Try the a and e route, or could you afford another private consultation? It sound like an infection, you would need that cleared first, then have your ears suctioned, not syringed.

Yes definitely agree with this. Don't put anything else in your ear until you've seen a specialist. When I had my horrific ear infection/otitis externa, each time I went to the GP they gave me different drops, sprays, tablets etc as they didn't actually know what was wrong and were trying lots of different approaches. I honestly think all these different medications made it worse. The only thing that sorted it in the end was when I went to the urgent clinic and one of the nurses called an ENT surgeon in to look at it as I was so upset. He microsuctioned and applied some sort of cream to the inside of the ear canal. Obviously I cannot say that is what your problem is, but you really need to see an expert rather than lots of "trial and error" approaches.

Also, since then, as I had this lingering problem for around 5 months, I had to have monthly and then 6 monthly appointments at the ENT clinic for YEARS, due to the damage caused by this. I have permanent hearing loss and tinnitus on this side too. Not trying to scare you, but please be aware of how serious it can be.

Good luck today, I hope you get taken care of, you poor thing.

How are you today @EarProb?

@EarProb any update? I have problems with my ears too, hope you got to see someone helpful.

Hello sorry for late reply.

I've been seen. I have a bad staph infection in both ears which they say has been there for a long time and needed treating urgently. I'm now on a strong course of antibiotics to hopefully clear it up but need to go back for a check up in a couple of weeks.

They were disgusted at the state of them so I'm really glad I went as apparently untreated staph infections can be very serious.

Wow. Can't believe that was missed for such a long time. Hopefully the antibiotics will do the trick - hope it clears up soon.