posted
It has taken doctors(including ER visits) a little over a year to find out that I have fluid in my inner ear. Many expensive tests, MRI's, and ... doctor looked in ear last week with the simple tool and said he sees a bubble(fluid). I'm just trying to make sense of this? An entire year for simple vertigo and many, many doctors visits to ER, PCP, Ear/nose/throat, expensive tests, ... not that Lyme isn't an issue, but possibly just a joint issue(I hope).
-------------------- Never walk through a cornfield backwards.
Geneal
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 10375
posted
Dear Kendrick,
You are supposed to have fluid in your inner ear.
Are you talking about your middle ear? The part just beyond your ear drum?
If they were using a simple scope to look in your ear, the bubble they would be seeing would be your ear drum pushing outward due to fluid.
How horrible for the ducks to miss. That should be part of a normal physical exam.
Ear ache? Headache? Congestion?
I know I went to 5 ducks before someone checked my urine....to discover there was blood and protein in it.
Simple, routine things I think that most doctors are skipping and therefore missing possible factors contributing to our symptoms.
Hope your ear gets to feeling better soon. I know when my children get a real bad ear infection a shot of rocephin usually does the trick.
May want to see an ENT if this problem persists with the ear. Fluid in middle ear can cause balance issues, but there are many more vestibular (inner ear) problems that can contribute to this as well.
Hope you are feeling better soon.
Geneal
Posts: 6250 | From Louisiana | Registered: Oct 2006
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posted
Thank you Geneal. I started this whole escapade from working in sick building. I've been to ENT about 20 times, and had various tests done, and also with the neurologists. This allergist was the 1st to mention the 'bubble' somewhere in my ear.
My tonsils are so deformed from being infected for so long. They never really said anything about that either.
-------------------- Never walk through a cornfield backwards.
posted
Another lyme patient gave me some info...I have a fullness in my ear, a feeling of something dripping in the ear and vertigo. I have been through MRI's of the brain and ear, CT scans of the ear and several ENT's. No one gave me anything or found anything. Her ENT (not knowing that she had Lyme) said that she had a fluid in her ear causing all the same symptoms that I have also. He gave her the water pill and it went away. I asked my LLMD for it 6 weeks ago and boy does it work! My ear has not been so clear in over 1 year. The fluid is all gone, or almost gone! Wish I know about this sooner! -Nikki
Posts: 129 | From NYC | Registered: Sep 2006
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Carol in PA
Frequent Contributor (5K+ posts)
Member # 5338
posted
At one point I had a problem with fluid buildup in the middle ear. I had pain and headache that progressed to severe pain in my entire head.
I remember thinking that if this is the way babies feel when they have an ear infection, no wonder they are screaming!
When I took a decongestant like Sudafed, the congestion reduced and the pain was somewhat relieved. But it kept coming back.
I fooled around with this for five months, until I began losing my ability to hear. Then I went back to my family doctor, and asked him for steroids, the dosage pack that starts high, and reduces over a period of a week. (My sister suggested this.)
Wow, what a difference that made. The fluid cleared within a couple days, I could hear, and there was no more pain.
In fact, my headaches and body aches were gone the week I was on the prednisone.
I didn't know I had Lyme, but I was having alot of problems with migraines, fatigue, and fibromyalgia.
I have not had any problems with my ears since then.
Carol
Posts: 6947 | From Lancaster, PA | Registered: Feb 2004
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"In fact, my headaches and body aches were gone the week I was on the prednisone."
That's very risky when you have Lyme. You are indeed fortunate not to have suffered consequences of that. I'm glad it worked, but am sounding the alarm for others.
Kendrick...Nikki means a diruetic.
-------------------- --Lymetutu-- Opinions, not medical advice! Posts: 96222 | From Texas | Registered: Feb 2001
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mlkeen
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 1260
posted
Kendrick-
When I had been well most of my life, I had faith in our medical system. They seem to be generally good for something straight forward, like a cut needing stitches, something they can see.
At first when I had frequent broncitis I kept the faith, but when the local doc wanted me take an inhaler daily rather than find the underlying cause of my problem, I started to question his knowledge.
Then I tested positive, but couldn't get treated for lyme, because I looked too healthy. I saw many doctors, bloodwork in hand.
Don't take it personally, but many doctors are just not problem solvers. Unfortunately that is now your job. Not an easy task when you are ill.
One place to start would be allergies. They tend to make fluid and mucus and are really hard for a doctor to figure out. It could be anything, but usually something that you are coming in contact with nearly every day. Start by eliminating a few things. See what happens in a week, if you are on the right track you should see improvement. Keep trying other things until you figure it out.
Try reading Our Toxic World, by Dr. Doris Rapp. It will scare the pant off you, but will be a great resource.
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