Janie Grace Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 Here's the scenario. I got a cold 4.5 weeks ago. A week later, a fever + ear pain. I went to Patient First and was diagnosed with an ear infection. Ten days of amoxicilan (not sure if I spelled that right). About a week after finishing the antibiotic, the ear pain was back, but lower down, along the jaw, accompanied by an annoying dry cough. I went to the doctor yesterday and he said the ear drum isn't red and I don't have a fever. So I technically do NOT have an ear infection anymore but probably have fluid trapped in my inner ear (or somewhere, I forget the words he used exactly). He listened to me breathe and said I have a "touch of bronchitis." He prescribed a Z-pack but was NOT adamant that I take it. I felt like he thought I wanted him to do something (though I assured him that I do not want antibiotics if they aren't necessary). However, he said that due to the duration of the cold, he felt it might be a good idea. I filled it but haven't started it. I'm worried about dealing with long-term affects (stomach stuff) when it's not even 100% that they will help my issues. I am improving on my own a LOT. The cough has decreased and I have a lot more energy after a few days of really taking it easy. However -- I am flying out of state Friday. I want to be BETTER. Or at least as better as I can be. What would you do? Would you take the abx? Treat the ear thing another way? That's my main concern -- I don't want to have pain while flying and I have a feeling that if I flew right now, it would be bad. I feel like the cough is going to go away by itself. UGH, I am so torn! Someone please tell me what you'd do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I would take the medicine. I hope you feel better soon!!! :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I'd go to the chiro for the ear problems, drink lots of water and eat lots of garlic. If I was staying home, I'd do without the meds, since you're travelling, I'd take them and guzzle miso soup or something probiotic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I'll start amoxicillin on Thursday if you are not better so that its 24hrs at least before flight. Cabin air and even airport air is too drying if you are recovering from a dry cough. I'll bring along cough drops or whatever usually helps you. It is possible to fall sick again after a week from end of antibiotics. I'll assume another bug and rest as much as possible before your flight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janie Grace Posted December 31, 2014 Author Share Posted December 31, 2014 Can't do garlic (severe sensitivity) but I will do the other stuff, thanks. So that's two votes for take them. Okay... I will, I guess. Thanks for weighing in. ETA: Simultaneous posting. THREE votes for take them (with the caveat of Thursday). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I would get the Neil Med saline rinse bottle and salt packets and would flush my nose religiously (ie. am. and pm). I would take a decongestant or mucus thinner like Mucinex. I'm not sure about the antibiotic. If I took the antibiotic I would take a high dose probiotic two hours after the antibiotic. If I decided not to take the antibiotic then I would still take the high dose probiotic am and pm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sbgrace Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I wouldn't take an antibiotic without a fever/indication of actual bacterial infection. I wouldn't expect the antibiotic to help ear fluid. I would look into massages to see if I could help it drain. Maybe something like these: https:// www.youtube.com/watch?v=vAs9uFYvcrk I would take the antibiotics with me on my trip. If you do decide to the the antibiotic, see if you can get some Florastor probiotic to take as well. It's a beneficial yeast based probiotic, so the antibiotic won't kill it. It's proven effective against even the really nasty stuff like c. diff. If you can't find that one, try Culturelle--but dose it several hours after each of your antibiotic doses. The antibiotics will kill most probiotics/healthy bacteria with every dose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HSmomof2 Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 At the very least, take decongestants when you fly. I flew to Disneyland a few years ago with a slight cold and ear pain. The ear pain became excruciating during landing, and I felt like I was on a boat/like the ground was moving the entire vacation. I took a decongestant on the way home and it didn't hurt as much, but the moving ground feeling didn't go away. Saw my dr who said my eustacian tube in one ear had collapsed. It took about three weeks for it to return to normal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jasperstone Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I personally wouldn't take anymore antibiotics. ... I would make warm garlic oil and pour it in my ear, plug it with cottn wool..... Then apply a hotwater bottle to it. I have used this for extremely painful earaches with great success. But I'm no expect, so take it with a grain of salt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisbeth Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I would get the Neil Med saline rinse bottle and salt packets and would flush my nose religiously (ie. am. and pm). I would take a decongestant or mucus thinner like Mucinex. I'm not sure about the antibiotic. If I took the antibiotic I would take a high dose probiotic two hours after the antibiotic. If I decided not to take the antibiotic then I would still take the high dose probiotic am and pm. ...but use very sterile water using that...since some people got brain amoebas and died doing a nasal flush, I have been too freaked out to use my sinus/nasal flushing device. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MEmama Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I use a steroid nasal spray and am amazed at how well it works. My sinuses are funky-- I'll get infections without having had any congestion whatsoever (that I'm aware of)-- but the nasal spray clears them right up. I recently had back of neck pain combined with wicked headaches, tried the nasal spray and it worked. Must have been some weird drainage. I've used it with success for fluid build up in the ear too. I would highly recommend getting an rx from your doctor and giving it a try before betting on more antibiotics. (I've also had a terrible reaction with z-PAC and am not allowed to take it again. Just a heads up if you haven't taken it before) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 ...but use very sterile water using that...since some people got brain amoebas and died doing a nasal flush, I have been too freaked out to use my sinus/nasal flushing device. The instructions that come with the kit as well as the instructions by my ENT are to use distilled or previously boiled (but cooled) water to flush. We just use distilled bottled water as that is the easiest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 I would take the antibiotic. Wouldn't even think twice. You can have bacterial infection without fever and given the duration of your symptoms and that it's moving into your bronchi, I'd be concerned not only about the ear but about developing pneumonia. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted December 31, 2014 Share Posted December 31, 2014 If you take the antibiotic, it would be more as a preventative than a treatment for an active infection. If you are comfortable with that, then I would take it. If not, then don't. I can completely agree with both arguments. LOL Most bronchitis is viral, so the antibiotic won't treat that. The ear is no longer infected, so it isn't going to treat that either. But....you are traveling and you immune systems is a bit weak right now. I could be convinced that it would be prudent to take the meds so that you can prevent getting a bacterial infection on your trip, since airplanes are notorious for spreading illness. You body is weak, so you are more susceptible that usual and who wants to get sicker on a trip? For the ear....take a decongestant. A good one. The one you have to get from the pharmacy, not the store shelves. Some states require a prescription, but some just need a signature at the pharmacy window. Take it for the next few days to help your ear to drain. Also take it before your flights, whether you think you need it or not. It can really help with the pressure from inner ear fluid. Take an antihistamine like zyrtec until your ear feels better. It will help your body to decrease the fluid going into the ear. For the cough. Take plain Mucinex and drink a bunch of water with it. It doesn't work without fluid so make sure to drink throughout the day when you take it. It can help you cough up mucous, so stash some napkins in your pocket so you don't end up with a handful of goo unexpectedly. Take Delsym before the flight so you aren't coughing the whole time from the dry air. it suppresses the cough so you don't want to take it unless you need to, but it works very well. You can take it at night also if you cough is keeping you awake or if you are keeping others awake. If you have probiotics, I would take a couple of days worth since you had the amoxicillin, but I wouldn't go buy it now. Eat a yogurt if you have it or something else with live cultures like Keifer. If you do decide to take the zpak, I would absolutely take a probiotic since you just finished the amoxicillin. Normally I wouldn't worry too much, but 2 courses of antibiotics that close can cause some GI issues and you don't want to deal with that on vacation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizzie in Ma Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I would take them, make sure to take probiotics 2 hours away from a dose twice a day as well to keep your good gut bacteria from getting hosed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JumpyTheFrog Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I wouldn't take them. I saw a chart a few months ago showing the diversity of someone's gut flora before, during, and periodicly after antibiotics. Even two YEARS later, the flora still had not recovered. I was on a ton of antibiotics as a kid and even though I've only been on them once since then, testing shows my gut flora diversity is very low and I have overgrowths of both certain strains and yeast. I'd get on heavy duty probiotics, take something with s. boulardii to fight yeast, and take lots of homemade kefir and fermented foods. In the meantime, try the OTC things others recommended to deal with the symptoms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tammyla Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 Air travel with an ear ache is miserable...Take the medication and consider a probiotic. :grouphug: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spryte Posted January 1, 2015 Share Posted January 1, 2015 I would take the antibiotic. I'd take good quality probiotics two hours apart from the abx, and I'd take S. Boulardii as well. Continue for a month minimum after stopping the abx. I'd probably follow some of the suggestions above also. Hope you feel better soon, whatever you do! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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