Remember that bad ear infection and total hearing loss I had? Well I still have it. It's been going on for 2.5 weeks and while the pain and pressure have lessened, I still can't hear shit and it's driving me crazy.
This has been my timeline:
Thursday, August 19: Ear checks out. No estimated date of return
Two days later, Saturday, August 21: I take my ear to the doctor and am prescribed Biaxin, an antiobotic in the same family as erythromyacin
One week later, Friday, August 27: No improvement at ALL. I take my ear back to the doctor and he surmises that the infection is antibiotic-resistant to that class of antibiotics. He pulls out the "atomic antibiotic"--Avelox, as well as Flonase (a nasal spray) and Claritin-D (over the counter allergy and sinus medicine). He predicts my hearing will return in 3 days.
Four days later, Tuesday, August 31: Still no hearing. I decide to give it a few more days.
Three days later, Friday, September 3 (today): Still no hearing. Less pain and pressure but the hearing thing is driving me nuts. I take my ear back to the doctor and luckily got the same doctor this time. It's a walk in clinic, and as I gave my name to the registrar, she said, "Weren't you here last week?" and I said "Yep, and the week before too."
Anyway the doctor says he sees definite improvement in the infection, but the ear is still totally stopped up with fluid that despite the 3 medications I'm on has failed to drain. He thinks that inflammation is causing the problem so he puts me on a course of steriods which act as an anti-inflammatory.
Woo hoo--Roid Rage!
He also says "there's nothing more I can do for you" and gives me a referral to an Ear, Nose, and Throat doctor. I have a follow-up appointment with the ENT on Wednesday. He also, probably wisely, declined to speculate on how long it might take for my hearing to come back this time around.
After Wednesday I will have been to the doctor FOUR times including a specialist. All this from what seemed like a harmless cold and sore throat! I can hardly believe it. At least most of the pain has gone away.
Posted by Shelby at September 3, 2004 11:24 PM