What the hell is wrong with my ears??

[1wokeuplikethis]

I got an ear infection in August, no pain just lots of itching and discharge. Dr told me to use earcalm drops. They didn’t do anything so I went back. Dr gave me antibiotic ear/eye drops. Used them for a week and it cleared up.

3 days later it came back: smelly water/waxy discharge, incredible itchiness, big lumps of debris coming out. Went back to the dr, he gave me Clarithromycin this time for a week and said if that didn’t work I need to get my ears microsucked at the ENT.

The antibiotics made me feel terrible but I persevered and took every last one. It cleared up a bit, but has now come back with a vengeance. My ears are itchy (like when you scratch a mosquito bite and it’s so satisfying but you know you shouldn’t) loads of watery smelly wax coming out and it’s stuck in my hair in the morning, big chunks too, and now I’m in quite a bit of pain with it.

Got my appointment for the suction thing, but it’s not until 5th nov. I appreciate that that’s classed as an urgent referral and I sincerely value the NHS, but I honestly can’t stand this for 3 weeks longer and I’m genuinely worried how bad it’s going to get in that time.

I think I’m going to have to go back to the doctor again but I’m not sure what he’s going to be able to do. None of the treatments have worked.

I want to know what’s wrong with my ear, keep googling and it just says swimmers ear but that clears up from drops and or antibiotics. Could there be a problem with my eardrum?

Does anyone have any experience or sage advice? I’m going a bit crazy now.

I had trouble with my ears for many years, they flaked , itched , were painful, swelled up , horrible discharge, infections galore.
I had so many antibiotics and creams and was told Iit was something I would always have.
Then I found a GP who did microsuction AND stuffed my ears with a gauze soaked in purple liquid (I can’t remember what it was called) - my ears have been absolutely fine ever since.
I do sympathise and hope you find a cure .

Thanks everyone, I went back today, same doctor I’ve seen the last two times. He was delighted my apt for microsuction is 5th nov aka so soon, I agreed it was very quick but I couldn’t put up with this pain and discomfort until then (my pillow was splodged with yellow shite when I got up today). He asked if I wanted the ‘really strong antibiotics’ I said not really, after Clarithromycin didn’t do anything to help and o had side effects as long as your arm. I asked if he could do a swab and he said “hasn’t anyone done one yet?!” I know drs are over worked, but really, he has seen me so often. Anyway he did the swab which hurt a lot and asked “doesn’t that feel nice?”

Swab should come back end of next week, which is such a long time. And he’s given me the drops again, which have helped it to clear up, but it does come back again soon after, but it feels much more uncomfortable putting them in today than it ever did before and I think getting any moisture in them at all is a bad thing to be honest.

But I’m desperate for anything to help. They are so painful and I am really deaf in my worst ear now.

Following this. I hope you get on top of this soon.

My story is the same as all p.p. first ear infection in August and on and off since.

Also my eyes keep getting sore and crusty round the edge when my ears flare up which must be connected.

Will look into micro suction to see what that can do

This is the stuff that the doctor put in my ears - it was like magic ! The infection cleared up really quickly and had never come back.
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/17380832/

I didn't know you could still get gentian violet! How Victorian!

I swim quite a bit and have had bouts of recurrent ear infections - I do hope you get it sorted soon. Please ignore advice upthread about putting Olbas oil in there if you have an infection that's actively discharging.

Gentian violet sold OTC in Canada. Used to treat oral thrush in babies. Ruins clothes and makes them look like Smurfs for a while though!

All I can say is poor you, I get regular ear infections and it's the pits. I am horrified at the wait to have it sorted though, I am in Aus and the nurse at our local GP's surgery will do the micro suction thing then and there. I only had to wait until the next day once when the nurse who was on duty that day was the only one in the surgery not trained in the procedure.i hope you get relief soon,

Ebear is right don't put olive oil either or anything in there while u have discharge going on unless it's prescribed by yr gp.
Hope yr test results bring u some clarity on what's going on with them &some good treatment that'll get rid of it for u 1wokeup.