Ear pressure/fluid/vertigo..

[carousels]

I've been having a problem with my ears for the past 3 months. It started after a very bad viral infection lasting around 9 weeks - but the ear issue just hasn't shifted! I've been back to the doctors numerous times, changing doctors as I feel like I keep being fobbed off, and while two doctors have said there's fluid behind my ear drum, it's basically been left at that and no more has been said/suggested!

It basicially feels like pressure, sometimes I hear crackling and sometimes it'll sound like it's been plugged, followed by tinnitus which fades out after a minute or so. The past few days I've been feeling quite nauseous with it and it's caused bouts of vertigo in the night which have woken me up from my sleep and left me feeling for the next few days like I've been kicked in the head, and a bit travel sick (the best way to describe it!).

Doctors have given be a Beconase Steroid Nasal Spray, and also said to do regular steam inhalation, chew chewing gum and suck on boiled sweets to try and drain my eustachian tubes. Nothing seems to be working! Last week I got put on 10mg Amitriptalyne to help with my sleep issues that it's caused..which I'm yet to take as I'm anxious about taking it (the irony). They all seem to be putting it down to anxiety, and saying that my anxiety is causing the ear problems, when to me it's the opposite way round!

Has anyone had a similar experience? If so - what things have you tried out to fix it? I'm flying in just over 2 weeks and am terrified that the pressure in the air is going to cause me horrific pain :weep:

[Shivmarie]

hEY,
iM GOING THROUGH THE SAME AT THE MOMENT, VERy strange (sorry caps)
my vision is very jumpy, and i feel like my heads moving when it isnt, i had a sharp stab pain in my right ear a few weeks ago when i woke up, then it went as quick as it came, my gp i seen said my ear was cloudy, but like you didnt act on it, this vision/balance thing has been going on a week today and this morning i felt quite nauseous.
I suffer from health anxiety and i know people can say it can make you funny in all sorts of ways but ive never had many visual problems before or 'balance' so im quite frightened its connected to you guessed it, brain tumour! i had a mild pain in my LEFT ear last night, but i can barely hear out of my right ear, going to the opticians tonight to see if it is my eyes, if they come back ok, then im going back to the gp on Thursday and ask for something, did they give you anything?
im also been prescribed diazepam and propnorlol, and both of those are sat in my bag im too scared to take them :( x

[carousels]

My vision's been a bit off too while this has been going on. I went to the opticians and he basically said I needed to wear my glasses full time as my eyes were struggling to adjust once I'd taken them off and that was causing a lot of tension in my head etc. Had also been getting a lot of floaters but he says its normal :)

GP has given me a steroid spray which isn't working and feels like I'm shoving flowers up my nose, he's put me on low dosage anti depressants which I'm too scared to take, and just told me to do steam inhalation.
I've been recommended alternative therapies such a japanese facial massage which encourages drainage, or something like acupuncture.

Been chatting to someone at work too who's had the same problems, she's tried reducing salt in her diet and putting olive oil in the affected ear (proper pharmacy stuff - not olivio!). I've also tried Sudafed this morning so let's see how that one pans out!

[bibliophilic]

I feel so terrible for you because I'm recovering from the worst vertigo. Last week it just appeared out of nowhere, and for days I couldn't even get out of bed because just moving my feet (yes, even just moving my foot while laying in bed) made me feel like I was going to fall off the planet. Now that the vertigo is gone, I'm left with a lingering dizziness and spaciness..not fun. I also have occasionally itchy and painful ears, a feeling of fullness, and when I yawn I hear a crackling noise.

When I went to a clinic, she looked in my ears and said no infection but a small amount of fluid. Of course, I was only able to get to a clinic after most of my awful symptoms were gone, so who knows how much was actually in my ears during the worst of it.

Here's what seems to be helping me: a daily dose of Allegra (an antihistamine used for allergies), reducing sodium in my diet, drinking LOTS of water, taking Klonopin as needed (it's a vestibular inhibitor or something like that--worked better than the Bonine and Dramamine for me). If it gets bad again, I'm going to take some Mucinex because that can help dry up the excess fluid. Sudafed is also a great one--hope it helps you! I actually have some here but can't take it because of blood pressure issues.

It's been a week and even though I can walk now, I still don't feel quite right. So it may take some time for us.

I hope you get some relief soon. :hugs: