Fucking ear infection - again!

[Workyticket]

Horrendous ear infection on holiday a couple of years ago - cost me a bomb and a hospital visit

Niggles since and I nipped to see the practice nurse who couldn't see anything wrong

5 weeks ago it came back - ragingly painful and I went to the walk in. The nurse said I shouldn't have gone for a minor infection and told me to buy OTC stuff. I was mortified

It did get less painful but has niggled since. The other ear was painful so I used the spray in that too.

Last night it's hit back with a vengeance. Kept me awake and I can barely hear a thing.

I get married on Friday and desperately need to relieve it by then.

Any suggestions please?

My DH had an ear infection last month. The first thing doctor asked on the phone was did he have any swelling around the ear, so yes, you need it seeing to asap. They did a swab to see if it was a fungal infection or bacterial, but in the meantime gave him antibiotics and ear drops until results were back, then gave him correct ear drops for the infection that he had.

Did you get there? All ok?

Yes pls get antibiotics. When it's that painful and that bad, it's likely you need them!

I've not been. Various shit has fot in rhe way - caring responsibilities, shopping for isolating family members etc.

I'm prioritising me tomorrow and will be ringing the doctors first thing and begging for an appointment

Call GP this morning! They need to look inside your ear. Insist for an appointment.
I’ve had ear infections on/off over the last couple years. Earlier this year it was really bad, turned out it was Labyrinthitis. I’m still feeling the some of the effects now. Going to call my own surgery later on.

Ear issues can really impact on your daily living.

Good luck OP!

Thank you- I'm literally sat waiting for it to turn 8am so I can ring. It's unbearable so I'll be insisting

Last time my ear was so painful the out of hours dr rang the ENT sho at the hospital and both wanted to admit me for IV antibiotics. So ear infections can be very serious.

Called the second it turned 8 am. I'm currently 22nd in the queue 😪

Bless him - my dad went in and booked a phone appointment for me between 9 and 10.30

No face to face without one so I've hung up. Not been to the docs since pre pandemic so I had no clue!

hope it gets better, you're dad sounds an angel !

Ouch sounds so painful , hope you get sorted

I'm so nervous they'll fob me off on the phone! Making a list of symptoms so I don't miss anything

If you don't get seen today by your GP go to A and E. Don't say that often but it's so bloody hard accessing help these days! At least you'll get seen and you will have tried to see your GP in the first instance.

**mention you've been abroad and the infection hasn't cleared

**You can't sleep

** Not eating

** Painkillers not helping

** Huge swelling

And you NEED to see someone TODAY.

That's a point. In Turkey the doc rammed a strip of gauze covered in cream into my ear and put me on a drip.

To be fair the infection cleared in hours but it was a pretty scary thing to have done

I've heard of that being done before after a friend had a terrible infection abroad,she ended up in the hospital once back in the UK as it was so bad ,so take heed!

Take heed? I've never said that before in my life, I've turned into my late gran

On your phone call say ‘infection’ ‘risk of sepsis’ and ‘swelling up’ and ‘getting worse’

Tell them you are in agony and will go down and sit outside the surgery on a deckchair if they don’t treat you properly, it is an emergency.
Tell them you will wear your wedding dress too, don’t play it down, you have a very bad infection.

All the best and good luck getting married on Friday!

I know it's of no help now, but I'm prone to ear infections (one every 6-8 months or so....) and the last time I had one, the wonderful practice nurse suggested that I should wear ear plugs (like the ones swimmers use) in the shower to limit future infections. I've done so every day since thenm and no infection in over a year! Can highly recommend.

Face to face appointment at 10am thank fuxk!

That’s great news.

Hooray!

Good, hope they prescribe something that works

Been in - doctor was amazing.

He said my mastoid is inflamed and that if I'd not gone today I'd probably have needes iv

Mentioned that lots of people who have recurrent infections of this type are often diabetic so will go for tests after the wedding.

Picking up a prescription now!

Thanks everyone

Oh brilliant and good luck for the wedding, hopefully you'll be feeling mich better by then.

So not just something that needs OTC treatment then ? I'd be tempted to flag that up with the surgery, at mine as shut as it is, ears and eyes always get seen as an emergency appt.