All day headache... no prizes for guessing where this is going!

[sleepydorset]

Hi all,

A had an earache a few days ago, nothing bad just made me a bit wobbly balance wise. I was washing my hair later and thought it might be a good idea to shove the shower head right by my ear to give them a clean in case the pain was waxy build up. I know, one of the more stupid thoughts I have ever had!

Needless to say my right ear is now properly bunged up, left ear seems OK, have a headache that lasts ALL DAY and my eyes really hurt, feel dizzy and off balance and am really fatigued, I suffer from M.E/CFS which doesn't help.

I don't have a cold or anything, no temperature just feel drained, weak and off balance and my right ear is all bunged up. I have some Optrex ear drops which I tried and it just bunged my ears up more!

Due to my last GP visit (last week) being horrific I do NOT want to go to the Doctors EVER again. My GP laughed at me and the receptionist called me a frequent flier even though every time I go to the GP I have a REAL health issue which ALWAYS needs medical attention, it's not like a want to be there, I hate the place and have extreme anxiety over going to a GP, well now I never want to go again.

So... I don't have a walk in centre here, I can't even get anywhere as my car is broken (no buses here and no money for taxi). So, is is OK if I leave this, like, will it just get better and go away?

It's been 4 days now and I'm no better already, but then I'm no worse and I don't have a temperature.

I'm worried I'm going to drop dead in my sleep from sepsis or something and I remember reading a story about a guy who left an ear infection and he died from meningitis. I can't seem to stop the thoughts and I can't sleep.

So what should I do, shall I put in some more ear drops? I really can't go to a G.P at all :weep:

Sorry it's such a long post, choc chip cookies for those that got to the end :)

[roxy90]

A little girl across the road from me died earlier this year from meningits that happened from an ear infection. Her parents said the chances of it happening were like 140,000 to 1 or something like that, very very very rare.

I went through a meningitis fear because of this, but its.hugely unlikely.

Can you ring the nhs helpline thing to see if it's okay to keep taking the drops?

[sleepydorset]

Hi Roxy and thank you so much for kindly responding:bighug1:

I'm wondering if it's viral now as I've just had dinner and felt really faint, hot, sick and dizzy. I couldn't finish eating and when I went to the bathroom my face was really red and flushed. My little temperature strip thing doesn't show me as having a temperature though!

So of course now I'm worrying about having a shellfish allergy as I had prawns for dinner.

I might call NHS Direct or 101 whichever it is now, does this show on your GP records that you've phoned the number for medical advice?

I'm now super worried about meningitis, that poor girl across from you, the odds may be low but they do happen and for some reason I always think it will be me, afterall I was "lucky" enough to get what I already have anyway and it seems there's no end to my list of medical issues!

Stupidly enough I had my first counselling session booked today but my car broke down and I couldn't get there, now they are saying if I fail to attend the first appointment they erase you from the list! It's not like I couldn't be bothered to go, my cooling system blew apart, hardly something I planned!!

Gahhh, what a naffy day:shrug:

[roxy90]

She was only 5, terrible but it was a freak of nature type thing. And it certainly didnt last 4 days.

I know what you mean about stats though, I know they should comfort me when I read its rare to get a heart attack, pulmonary embolism or an aneurysm at my age [22] but all I think is 'well it has to be someone, why not me' and thats.that. I feel as I'm not lucky enough to live a.healthy life.

And no the nhs 111 or whatever it is doesn't go on your medical records no worries :)

My menigitis worries were.ridiculous. I'd constantly look at bright lights to make sure I could, constantly taking my temp, bending my.limbs etc really out of control. Im as sure as I can be without seeing you or being a medical professional.that you dont have/wont get meningitis lol.

I know the worry though, it seems silly written down but.iys awful. I live my life.in fear, it's a shame really x

[sleepydorset]

Bless you Roxy I am completely on the same page as you, isn't this website great and full of wonderful people! I can finally speak freely without someone secretly thinking "nutterrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr"!!

I too have been looking at the bright light in the bedroom and doing rash checks on my body every few minutes and my little strip thermometer is sort of permanently stuck on my head! Sheesh, I'll get over it lol

I'll see how I am tomorrow and if I still feel this rank I'll phone 111, good job I didn't phone 101 as I think that's the police haha

[roxy90]

I frantically ran to a pharmacist to look at a rash after I rolled a.glass over and could still it, I was ready to.have an ambulance on standby etc it was just a heat rash, it was so obvious it was a heat rash, it was mid july.scorching and it was raised but I wouldnt have it.

Once I had another pain I'd forget about.meningitis and find something else to have. So far I've been convinced.ive had: meningitis, heart attack, leukemia, brain aneurysm, aortic aneurysm, sepsis, appendicitis, peritonitis, lymphoma, breast cancer,.cervical cancer, ovarian cancer, brain tumor, MS, oral cancer, pulmonary embolism, spinal tumor,.dvt the list is endless! Not once did I diagnose myself with a cold...

I agree, I love this site. Its.great to be able to.get off your chest what you cant say in real life because you would look crazy.

Ps ditch the.temp strips! I went cold turkey without my tthermometer and it was the best thing I did!

[sleepydorset]

Ahhh Roxy I am so gutted you are a sufferer too but I have to say how "nice" it is to have someone just like me and that understands and doesn't think I am a crazy loon! :)

I've "had" most things, my current ones are meningitis, this ear/headache thing is either that or it's something rare and wonderful that I will die of. I also "have" a brain tumour or aneurism at the moment. Not once have I had a cold or a simple tension headache, oh no, it's life threatening, usually very rare and I definitely have it! *sigh*

I have decreased my "paramedic box" dramatically and am now down to a BP cuff and my strippy thermometer. I was told to get a BP monitor years ago by my GP and it's become a neurotic addiction now, the strippy thermometer is actually good for me at the moment because it says 98.6 which means I probably don't have meningitis! I said "probably" though LOL

[peachychou]

Hello, I'm sorry to hear your Dr and the receptionist were rude to you.

on may 10th (birthday) i went to my gp's surgery and was worried about a blood clot. i was 5 minutes late and as soon as I sat down he literally YELLED at me, called me a 'silly, self absorbed, neurotic little girl' and a timewaster. (true probs haha) and I was so upset I actually walked out and had to change gp.

I've had to change gp AGAIN after I witnessed the receptionist being racist to another lady. I don't really trust doctors anymore.

Last year I had earache + dizziness for a week with the exact same article and meningitis fear! small world huh? :D

if you had meningitis you'd have a high fever and headache. you have neither! you're fine! let the virus work it's way out! hugs l!

[Daisy Sue]

Hiya.. just a little word of warning regarding ears and my recent experience. I also had bad earache a while back, and afterwards the off-balance thing & headache.. my first visit to the GP I was given eardrops and told it was just inflammation in the outer ear canal. Did the first drops that night, and immediately felt & tasted the drops in my throat - my ear drum was perforated & the GP had missed it. Rang the next day, was told to stop the ear drops immediately and come back in.. this time the perforation was found & I was put on oral antibiotics.

So.. I guess what I'd advise is, if any kind of ear infection is suspected, let a doctor have a good look before using ear drops of any kind.. just in case.