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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think an ear infection IS 'worth' an emergency GP appointment?

50 replies

LeedleLee · 09/03/2022 11:36

Hi all.

So, I've been suffering from ear pain and a feeling of fullness in my ear for several days. I initially assumed it was just fluid or wax buildup as it wasn't that painful initially (we've all had colds recently) and would go away on its own. But last night I was up most of the night in absolute agony, so decided it was probably worth getting it looked at! Routine appointments at my GP surgery usually take at least a week to come through so I requested an emergency one instead.

Got seen this morning and sure enough, I have a severe inner ear infection that requires antibiotics.

I think requesting an emergency GP appointment was totally reasonable, especially as I had waited for several days to see if my symptoms improved first as I know some ear infections clear up on their own (this one didn't). But I have a family member almost telling me off for 'taking up' an emergency appointment 'just' for ear pain?? She seems to think emergency GP appointments are for life threatening emergencies, not issues that aren't life threatening but can't really wait either. She's also told me off for taking the day off work as apparently I could power on through by taking painkillers. My boss was totally fine with me taking the day off as I have a very good attendance/sickness record and am rarely off sick (in fact this will be my first day off ill in over a year so it's hardly like I'm off sick all the time at the mildest of ailments!)

AIBU for thinking SHE is BU? She is the kind of person who only sees the GP if a limb is hanging off (slight hyperbole of course but I'm sure you know the kind!).

OP posts:

riotlady · 09/03/2022 12:31

YANBU, bad ear infection burst my ear drum once. It was agony and I was deaf in that ear for over a month while it healed. It happened so quick as well- went from “oh my ear’s a bit sore” in the afternoon at work to my ear drum bursting at about 3am the same night.

LadyGardenersQuestionTime · 09/03/2022 12:33

Anyone want to see a photo of the inside of my ear with my recent ear infection (which took two rounds of drop antibiotics and two rounds of tablets to clear)? No, thought not. Wise choice.

Zilla1 · 09/03/2022 12:33

GP is not for life threatening emergencies. That would be for A and E/ambulance. Does she think A and E is for the dead and the morgue for groceries? She needs to understand the limits of her knowledge and her inter-personal skills.

irishfarmer · 09/03/2022 12:41

Your family member is wrong! You did exactly the right thing, you tried to see if it cleared up, it didn't, you went to the GP. They gave you antibiotics so obviously you did need them. Thankfully it has been about 10 years since I had one but I remember that pain, I wouldn't have gone to work either.

Frlrlrubert · 09/03/2022 12:41

Well you got antibiotics, so you needed the appointment. I imagine if you'd left it to the routine appointment it could have been worse.

I ended up at ENT having my ears kick-syringed once after an ear infection took two rounds of different antibiotics to shift, because the practice nurse originally told me to go away and put olive oil in it.

Frlrlrubert · 09/03/2022 12:42

@Frlrlrubert

Well you got antibiotics, so you needed the appointment. I imagine if you'd left it to the routine appointment it could have been worse.

*Micro-syringed

jamandmarmaladeoncrumpets · 09/03/2022 12:42

No-one needs earache about their earache, not nice.

If only antibiotics would get rid of her.

irishfarmer · 09/03/2022 12:53

@Frlrlrubert she said put olive oil on it? Did you?

Meandthesky · 09/03/2022 12:55

A&E is for anything life threatening! My GP surgery had a statement on their phone line that if you’re experiencing certain life threatening symptoms to hang up and call 999 instead.

Emergency GP appointments are for acute issues that require urgent medical attention but aren’t actually life threatening. So a severe inner ear infection would fit the description because if you wait a week for a non urgent appointment it could get a lot worse and do long lasting damage.

ShirleyPhallus · 09/03/2022 12:55

@LadyGardenersQuestionTime

Anyone want to see a photo of the inside of my ear with my recent ear infection (which took two rounds of drop antibiotics and two rounds of tablets to clear)? No, thought not. Wise choice.

Get over to sporner corner and the answer will be yea!

Frlrlrubert · 09/03/2022 12:58

[quote irishfarmer]@Frlrlrubert she said put olive oil on it? Did you?[/quote]
Yes and (unfortunately) yes. She said it was wax not an infection and it would soften it. Obviously it was an infection, and it made it worse.

Macarona · 09/03/2022 13:02

People who haven't had terrible ear infections can't imagine the pain. It is indescribable. I ended up being referred to hospital.

If urgent GP appointments are for life & death emergenices what on earth does she think A&E is for? Ignore her, she is a loon.

Hope you feel better soon OP . You have my every sympathy.

jamandmarmaladeoncrumpets · 09/03/2022 13:06

In Derby. Mr Neel Raithatha Audiolgist. This one's emergency too.

user1471447863 · 09/03/2022 13:38

Part of the problem i feel is to do with calling same day appointments 'Emergency appointments'. I'ts rarely an emergency, but it usually is something that needs seen that day as its not going to get better any time soon by itself.
Calling them Emergency appointments makes some people think you should only have one if it is life and death - including some dr's receptionists.

While some things need routine/booked in the future/can wait till a convenient time appointment, other ailments come on suddenly/overnight and should be seen promptly/same day, so same day appointments are very applicable

Original poster

LeedleLee · 09/03/2022 14:56

Thanks all, didn't think I was being U!

Any ideas for pain relief? I've never had an ear infection before and always thought people were exaggerating a bit when they said how painful they were, but they really weren't. It's horrid Paracetamol only really takes the edge off for maybe an hour and then it's back. I can't take ibuprofen as I'm currently pregnant.

OP posts:

AryaStarkWolf · 09/03/2022 15:05

@LeedleLee

Thanks all, didn't think I was being U!

Didn't the Doctor prescribe you anything?

Original poster

LeedleLee · 09/03/2022 15:09

@AryaStarkWolf no, just said paracetamol

OP posts:

MintLampShade · 09/03/2022 15:16

@LeedleLee

Thanks all, didn't think I was being U!

Oh OP, I'm so sorry you are suffering. Having an ear ache was one of the absolute worst pains I've ever had. I was off work for days as I couldn't move my head.

I actually had Cocodamol prescribed for the pain as I was in absolutely agony. You can also buy it over the counter mixed with paracetamol (Codein?), albeit a weaker version of it. Speak to a pharmacist, there should be some options without prescription. Also, filling a sock with hot salt helped massively too as a temporary relief.

Hope you feel better soon.

jytdtysrht · 09/03/2022 15:17

Family member sounds rather ignorant.

Ignore!

MacavityTheDentistsCat · 09/03/2022 15:18

Your family member is being ridiculous. I currently have a really painful suspected ear infection and when I called the surgery this morning for an appointment they themselves said it's a priority and needs looking at today.

spring2022 · 09/03/2022 15:18

I had a thread on here last autumn having been awake for 5 nights with a severe ear infection that ended up with two GP appts, two visits to A&E, steroids, codeine and naproxen . Ear infections are HELL, I was banging my head off the wall near enough in A&E at one stage . YADNBU at all .

spring2022 · 09/03/2022 15:21

@LeedleLee

Thanks all, didn't think I was being U!

Kool and soothe migraine patches . I ended up taping them to my ear and changing every four hours - and alternating with a mug of boiling hot water with a tea cloth over it . It was HELL on Earth - at one stage they thought I had shingles or mastoiditis, I couldn’t even open my mouth or chew without agony .

The relief once the otomize stuff started working was incredible !

AFIK · 09/03/2022 15:25

Considering life threatening emergencies are A&E territory, not GP, I think ear infections are certainly worthy of an “urgent” GP appointment. YANBU.

Notlostjustexploring · 09/03/2022 15:48

Cocodomol and heat on the affected ear is your friend. I remember applying heat with some trepidation but it was absolute bliss.

1forAll74 · 09/03/2022 15:59

I would be the type of person, who does not visit a GP or AAE for any ailments. I have not been to a doctors for about 30 years now, I am 79 now But years ago when I was about 9 or ten, I use to have awful earache and an infection in one ear. it went on for ages. It was the days when a doctor would come to visit you at home.
I had been having lots of sore throats too,

The doctor decided that I had to go into hospital, as he assertained that I needed to have my tonsills and adenoids removed.., which were then ripped out ! and sorted the dodgy ear out and the throat problems.

Now at this age, I am a bit hard of hearing in the problematic ear that was,, but now have horrible tinnitus problems., which isn't painful, but drives you mad, and causes lack of sleep all the time.

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