jumpwomble
01-11-12, 13:01
I guess I should really go over to the Introduce Myself forum and give a proper introduction! I've been suffering from anxiety issues for quite a few years now, coupled with mild depression. Lately I feel it has become worse; my health has generally been OK but nowadays I seem to imagine that the slightest of symptoms will have catastrophic outcomes and I can't seem to shake it off.
Anyway for some weeks now I had been having slightly muffled hearing in one ear. It flared up in a big way the day I left on holiday, I heard a dull humming noise in my ear and it felt blocked, like my hearing was partially affected. Strangely enough, after one day, it subsided and the next day everything was fine and I was able to enjoy my holiday as if nothing had happened.
Upon returning home, the humming/blocked hearing started again and worsened quite rapidly. I could hear it out in the street and I became so anxious that I didn't sleep a wink for 2 nights... as it happened over a weekend and I couldn't see a GP until Monday! Anyway I got myself an appointment and scooted over to the GP, who said that my ear was very blocked with impacted ear wax. He cleared it out manually (thank goodness as I hate syringing!) and then said my ear canal looked pretty sore, with a touch of otitis externa (external ear infection). He gave me both oral antibiotics (for a few days) as well as antibiotic ear drops for 7 days. I felt pretty relieved with the ear wax gone and came home, took the oral antibiotics but ignored the ear drops as I didn't know how to administer them properly myself.... I couldn't tell how many drops I was putting in.
Anyway that turned out to be a bad idea, because a day later, suddenly the humming started up again, and I quickly became half-deaf in my ear. I rang the doctor, didn't tell him that I didn't use the ear drops, and he just said to continue using them for a few more days. So I dutifully started using the ear drops. Oddly enough, within a day, the whole thing felt like it cleared up. My hearing was back to normal, I no longer felt full in the ear. All this while, I didn't really experience much ear pain, only very occasional pangs of fleeting sharp pain that would go away quickly, so I never realised it was an ear infection. I started thinking about all sorts of scenarios like I was suddenly losing my hearing to some unknown cause, or something terrible and undiagnosable, but not an ear infection! Working out it was a simple ear infection alleviated my anxiety a good deal - I know, I must sound like a basket case to you!
Anyway after 7 days I discontinued the ear drops but continued feeling a bit anxious about what would happen once I stopped them. I was never really sure I was using them properly every time, but I guess at least half the time, the drops went in properly! Anyway a day later, the humming/blocked feeling started up again. It's only very minor but it's enough to send me into a spiral of anxiety.... worrying why the infection hasn't gone away, and why NHS websites always say that otitis externa should clear up within a week with treatment, etc.etc.etc.... I know it sounds crazy but ... am I crazy to feel this way??? Right now it's not extremely uncomfortable yet but I know it's there and I keep worrying that it will get worse and my ear drum will rupture or something without my realising it (does that happen with external ear infections?)...
Has anyone had this happen to them before?
Tell me I'm just crazy! ;) It has happened before!
jumpy
Anyway for some weeks now I had been having slightly muffled hearing in one ear. It flared up in a big way the day I left on holiday, I heard a dull humming noise in my ear and it felt blocked, like my hearing was partially affected. Strangely enough, after one day, it subsided and the next day everything was fine and I was able to enjoy my holiday as if nothing had happened.
Upon returning home, the humming/blocked hearing started again and worsened quite rapidly. I could hear it out in the street and I became so anxious that I didn't sleep a wink for 2 nights... as it happened over a weekend and I couldn't see a GP until Monday! Anyway I got myself an appointment and scooted over to the GP, who said that my ear was very blocked with impacted ear wax. He cleared it out manually (thank goodness as I hate syringing!) and then said my ear canal looked pretty sore, with a touch of otitis externa (external ear infection). He gave me both oral antibiotics (for a few days) as well as antibiotic ear drops for 7 days. I felt pretty relieved with the ear wax gone and came home, took the oral antibiotics but ignored the ear drops as I didn't know how to administer them properly myself.... I couldn't tell how many drops I was putting in.
Anyway that turned out to be a bad idea, because a day later, suddenly the humming started up again, and I quickly became half-deaf in my ear. I rang the doctor, didn't tell him that I didn't use the ear drops, and he just said to continue using them for a few more days. So I dutifully started using the ear drops. Oddly enough, within a day, the whole thing felt like it cleared up. My hearing was back to normal, I no longer felt full in the ear. All this while, I didn't really experience much ear pain, only very occasional pangs of fleeting sharp pain that would go away quickly, so I never realised it was an ear infection. I started thinking about all sorts of scenarios like I was suddenly losing my hearing to some unknown cause, or something terrible and undiagnosable, but not an ear infection! Working out it was a simple ear infection alleviated my anxiety a good deal - I know, I must sound like a basket case to you!
Anyway after 7 days I discontinued the ear drops but continued feeling a bit anxious about what would happen once I stopped them. I was never really sure I was using them properly every time, but I guess at least half the time, the drops went in properly! Anyway a day later, the humming/blocked feeling started up again. It's only very minor but it's enough to send me into a spiral of anxiety.... worrying why the infection hasn't gone away, and why NHS websites always say that otitis externa should clear up within a week with treatment, etc.etc.etc.... I know it sounds crazy but ... am I crazy to feel this way??? Right now it's not extremely uncomfortable yet but I know it's there and I keep worrying that it will get worse and my ear drum will rupture or something without my realising it (does that happen with external ear infections?)...
Has anyone had this happen to them before?
Tell me I'm just crazy! ;) It has happened before!
jumpy