My ear infection is back with a vengeance

[DammitJanet]

I woke up around 3am this morning and my ear was killing me again. About 2 days ago I thought it was starting to get better because it was starting to get crackly in there but I also thought it was heading into my sinuses because I was getting sinuses headaches and if I bent over or pressed on my forehead I got pain so I planned on calling or heading back into the doctor this morning.

Well...the ear just isnt going to clear up it seems.

I attempted to get in to my doctor but after getting there when they opened it was obvious I was not going to be seen anytime soon so Tony took me to the ER. I was in so much pain I was actually rocking and crying. This thing is horrible. I was begging them to just kill me. Really, this is worse than when I have had surgery. My BiPolar (BP) was 195/98. I told them, that is nowhere near normal for me. I run 120/65 on my normal days. I could barely talk to people because of how much pain I was in. Tony had to keep telling people things for me. He was begging people for pain shots because this just wasnt me.

Finally, they looked in my ear and they hit me with dilaudid and gave me rx's for biaxin and that numbing ear drop and more antibiotic ear drops. Then gave me a referral to an ENT.

They told Tony the dilaudid was going to make me go to sleep and be all funny and not feel a thing. Yeah right. They couldnt believe I walked out of the ER. They didnt give me enough...lol.

We went and dropped off the scripts and went to make my appointment with the ENT and they had an opening right then! How wonderful. The ENT said I had a massive ear infection and a bad sinus infection too so he gave me another antibiotic to take on top of the biaxin. Also wants me to irrigate my sinuses 3 times a day. I got the neti pot. I go see him again in a week.

Increased my lorcet to every 4 hours round the clock until the pain is lower and take decongestant.

Im telling you, this thing is kicking my butt!

I am so swollen all over the right side of my face it isnt even funny.

 

[everywoman]

I'm so glad you got to see the dr. and got some medications. Hope you feel better soon.

 

[tiredmommy]

Make sure Tony keeps a close eye on you and gets you back to the ER if anything changes for the worse... we don't want a repeat of last year!

 

[Hound dog]

I agree with TM. If Tony can't be around to watch you, please make sure someone else is. We DO NOT want a repeat performance. Once was more than enough, young lady!! Don't make me come down there and knock heads together. *taps foot*

Praying hard this clears up. I'm glad you've got an ENT on board with more medications. Stay on top of it.

(((hugs)))

 

[KTMom91]

Agreeing with TM and Lisa. Sending many healing vibes and dancing with panthers that you're feeling better soon!

 

[DammitJanet]

I feel much better that I have an ENT on board because I think if anything starts happening he will be able to catch it in time.

 

[flutterby]

How is the pain tonight?

 

[DammitJanet]

Pain is still going strong. Woke this morning with it. I am on the pain medications every 4 hours prn and pretty much using them like that. If I actually can sleep more than 4 hours at a time then I do. I think I slept 6 hours last night. Face is still swollen. Maybe using the heating pad isnt a good thing even though it feels good at the time. Im doing everything I am told. I go back on Monday.

 

[emotionallybankrupt]

Wow, Janet. I sorta wonder if the antibiotic you are on is hitting your personal germ. I went through something similar about a year ago (sinus based, although it would eventually spread to ears and bronchitis), although I must admit I don't think I was as miserable as you describe. After several antibiotic rounds we found out that none of the amoxicillin-related drugs did a darn thing for me. All the "cef's" worked though. Duricef, Omnicef, Ceftin...it really didn't matter which one. Z-paks were like placebos for me.

Mine kept coming back until I gave in and had major sinus surgery last summer...well, actually I'm STILL battling repeated sinus infections, but at least since I've had the surgery it can drain and clear up faster. In my case, I think I'm probably dealing with a hazard of my occupation--being around sick kids every day. Anyway... I hope you can find the right class of antibiotics for you. I don't remember which class biaxin is...sulfa maybe?

After your ear infection is clear, you can attack the sinus angle with a squeeze bottle form of that sinus rinse, made my Neil medication, the same manufacturer of that neti pot. I got mine off the Neil medication website, and it actually is better than the neti pot, because you can control pressure and angle of the flow to get into the upper sinuses as much as you can tolerate. My ENT and the Neil medication literature both show the neti pot as a second line for those who can't take any pressure at all. The neti pot works on gravity only, and therefore all it can rinse is the lower sinus cavities. I wouldn't try it until the ears are in better shape though. Might ask the ENT if it would be good for later. I've gotten very good results with it. The packet mixes for the solution are identical for both systems.

 

[DammitJanet]

My first antibiotic was leviquan, now I am on omnicef and biaxin. The ENT did tell me I could use either the neti pot or a bulb syringe like they use for babies. Maybe I will go get one of them to use. I got the neti pot because it had the solution premixed. I didnt want to mess with his little recipe for making batches when I am so sick...lol. I will not have that surgery. They wanted me to do it back in 92 or so and made the mistake of showing me the video. No thanks.

 

[emotionallybankrupt]

The more you post about this, the more I see we have in common. When I was married, my husband had the sinus surgery, and I saw how horrible it was for him. Yes, that was in the mid-1990's. I think taking out that gauze packing was the worst. He also had the bulb syringe regimen, with the mix recipe, and eventually got frustrated and just quit. Not good, but I watched him and didn't think at that time I could handle that either. I vowed then that no matter what happened, I would NEVER have sinus surgery.

Well...I should know better than to get that attitude. I was informed in 2007 that I had quite a problem and REALLY needed to do it. I refused. I was scared. I said I'd have to get a lot more miserable before I'd consider it. Breathing through one side of my nose would be just fine.

Eventually, my body let me know I was out of options. I went back to the ENT last spring and got the "what took you so long to get here" talk. BUT, I apparently waited just long enough for technology to make things a LOT easier. I had a gel packing and no gauze. Essentially no follow-up except for the ENT to take a last look at his handiwork a couple weeks later and dismiss me. I actually could breathe better the same afternoon after having surgery that morning. I don't think that's typical, but it sure did let me know I had done the right thing.

The squeeze bottle rinse works like the baby syringe, except that you have the benefit of the pre-mixed packets and can get a much smoother, continuous flow into the sinus cavities, since the bottle holds a lot more than the baby syringe. They even make the bottle (and packets) in both an 8 oz. version and a 16 oz. version. It's every bit as easy as the neti pot, but I just wouldn't do it while your ear is hurting because pressure would not be a good thing. I think I remember that even being in the literature.

Definitely if you've not checked on your options since 1992, I'd research again when you're feeling better. It's made a world of difference in my health. I missed many days of work last year due to sinus issues, and this year I so far have perfect attendance. Even though I've had several infections (which has been a small disappointment), it's NOTHING like before. Even when I'm infected, I still can BREATHE. The doctor took out enough tissue for it to take a lot for congestion to create a non-draining germ pool again.

I know that some docs in my area still use the old gauze packings. I'd be sure I had somebody up on the latest technology. I would say that I wish I'd done the surgery when I was first told that I should, but waiting for technology to advance definitely made for a smoother ride.

If the docs have told you that you need the surgery, you'd probably feel a lot better if you find the right ENT to help you.

 

[DammitJanet]

Well back then I had a sinus infection that lasted over 6 months on antibiotics but once it did clear up...I have only had a couple of them since then. Probably not more than 3. I get bronchitis much more often. Even now with this sinus infection I dont have much congestion in the lower sinuses. Its in the upper ones over my eyes. A bit in my cheeks but not bad. I dont get a whole lot when I blow my nose. Its my ears that are killing me. My whole right side of my head is one big giant ball of congested sore pain! All the nerves on that side are now so inflamed. Im gonna kick up my neurontin to see if I can settle the nerve pain down some. I can hear my heart beat in my ear constantly and this high pitched whine.

 

[klmno]

Geezz...I can't believe you are still battling this. Can you go back to the dr this week? I used to get a lot of sinus infections and bronchitis but it stopped when I (per dr's influence and rx) took a proactive approach and started on allegra-d (a decongestant)- taken daily. I slept better and felt better on a regular basis, too. Apparently, the repetitive illnesses were a result of devoping allergies "at that age" and the fact that I smoke. Unfortunately, without medication insurance I can't afford to go back to the dr right now to get a new rx and can't afford the medications so I'm trying to manage without it and I can tell a big difference- I know I won't be able to make it thru spring this way. I hope you can get your infections cleared up soon- they are a real PITA and I too, worry about your's spreading and turning into more of a problem.

 

[DammitJanet]

Im tellin ya...this is really getting to me. Sunday night and the pain is still unbearable. Thats 48 hours into antibiotics. Im witchy, Tony is getting irritable with me because I have been sick for so long that its getting old for me to just say...Im sick! He just asked me what I wanted for dinner and I said...whatever you want. So instead of calling to tell Billy what to pick up, he just wont do it. Like because I didnt tell him, its all on me...sigh. I am so sick, I just cant think. My whole head hurts for gosh sakes.

Im ready to just stick a gun in my mouth and shoot myself. It cant hurt worse!

 

[klmno]

well it's definintely not worth that! I think you need to talk to Tony about a trip to the ER- unless you can get to a good dr first thing tomorrow morning.

 

[emotionallybankrupt]

Add in my vote for the ER. I worry about you for pain control between now and morning.

 

[DammitJanet]

Well...cant do ER or doctor today. Tony took my car to work (emergency situation). I had to take a lot of pain pills during the night to stay ahead of the pain and woke up this morning when he left and took a pill but now that I woke up at 10, I think I may feel a bit better. I took my antibiotics when he left early this morning along with the pain pill. Cory came by at 8 and woke me up and I took another pill. Now I am feeling ok enough that I wont take another one until it gets worse or 2. I can actually touch my face this morning. Last night my hair was hurting it when it touched it.

 

[emotionallybankrupt]

You're a tough woman! I hope tonight is a better night for you!

 

[Hound dog]

Janet, you need to be rechecked asap and doctor needs to get much more aggressive with this infection. Maybe Tony could go with you to be intimidating.....or at least back you up on how awful it's been. I'm worried sick about you.

((hugs))

 

[emotionallybankrupt]

Actually I was going to say something similar, but it sounded like yesterday just wasn't the day it was going to happen for you. Maybe today? Seriously. Even if you're able to grit your teeth (which probably hurt too) and tolerate the pain, I'd be concerned about some hearing loss if this thing doesn't turn the corner soon.

You're on some good drugs...I don't understand why you aren't getting quicker improvement.

I'd ask about one of those steroid shots. I think those can be wonderful. I don't remember any mention of that in the earlier posts. I don't know what else they can do for you on antibiotics, but I'm beginning to think they need to throw the whole medicine cabinet at you!