Man what a shitty week I am having. I have been avoiding an ultrasound and trying to compile a list of what is going on with my cycle. I have tons of symptoms and pain. The really irritating thing is even thouh I know I have this problem - every month the day before my period I have some major metdown or blow up. Anyone else do this repeatedly? I feel like an idiot.

I had a cyst and have an ear infection with a bit of a high fever. I have been taking XS Vicodin and antibiotics for several days, then got drops 2 days ago. I have a pretty high pain tolerance, but after not sleeping for a couple of days (with the exception of literally minutes at a time sporadically) due to pain that became like a sharp stabbing in my ear and just feeling absolutely awful I finally went to the ER last night. The swelling from the left ear has gone down my neck and I have a lump behind and under my ear a bit bigger than a quarter. The ER Dr couldn't see in the ear because it is so swollen. They lanced the cyst - no big deal. They said the medicine I am taking is correct for the infection, but that due to the swelling the drops have not been able to get into the ear. So they inserted a sponge. I got percocet and was hoping the pain would at least be tolerable, but it isn't. I tried deep breathing, but it didn't help. Putting me head up seems to ease it a bit. Heat is supposed to jelp, but I am afraid the moisture from a rag will exascerbate the infection. Any ideas? Any breathing technique that you can explain that might help? Or exercises mental or physical? I can't close my jaw all of the way and can't really eat, but I haven't been hungry for a few days and have mainly been drinking veggie and fruit juice and pounding acidopholous. I am dizzy because my equilibrium is all messed up so I am also semi nauseous. The buzzing in my ear is driving me batty.

Long boring rant. I had to cancel all of my plans for the last 4 days. I can't read because I am too distracted by the pain. Sitting up seems to be an effort so I have been watching regular tv. UGH.

Any ideas at all? I've tried the mind over matter thing but I know I am trying to bullshit myself. Does that work for you anjd how? Shouldn;t percocet be knocking me out or at least easing the pain more?

I see my specialist on Monday.

Have you tried diamorphine?

i wish i had some really good suggestions for the pain
the only thing i can come up w/ is for the nausea
there is over the counter liquid or you should be able to get a Dr to call in an Rx for something for the nausea
but i guess thats probably the least of your concern w. all the pain you are in
where's geek/dirtyplotte?
i bet she can help
i hope you feel better soon

__________________
should i choose a noble occupation
if i did i'd only show up late and sick
and they would stare at me with hatred
plus my only natural talent's wasted

Nope is that something normally prescribed in a pill form? I was on morphine when I was in the hospital for an accident. My speacialist is out by my parent's house and I was going to drive there tonight for an appointment tomorrow, but the pain is too bad. I am hoping the ear drops help with the sponge the er dr inserted in my ear and I can drive tomorow morning. I don't think I should take percocet and drive in any case. Then again - driving in intense pain is also probably a bad idea.

nausea - you can get phenergan in pill form
pain - the next step is oral dilaudid usually.

if you can not keep pills down, go back to the ER tell them you are unable to keep medicine down long enough for it to work and they will admit you for nausea/vomiting and you will receive IV medications and probably some fluids as well.


with hot rags, what i do is wet washcloths put them in microwave and then put those hot wet cloths into a ziplock baggie and then cover with more cloth and then set against the affected area.

mind over matter works to a degree for me. but like with my neck spasm earlier this month, i was unable to do anything but sit and cry for a couple of days, and that was with the valium!

im sorry youre having a time of it. PM me if you want to talk

__________________
the cave mouth shines
by pure force of will
i look down on the world
from the top of this lonesome hill
and you can run, and run some more
from here all the way to singapore
but i will carry you home in my teeth
-mountain goats

I found something I used to use for my neck called a "bed buddy" that has some sort of weird filling and is heated in the microwave. I was going to try that and then throw it away or maybe wrap it in a t shirt before applying it. That way I could toss out the buddy thing in a day or two and bleach the t shirt, but the ziplock/rag thing is a good idea. Then I don't have to buy a new neck thing too. Thanks. I think if it isn't better by tomorrow I probably shouldn't drive and just reschedule the appointment. THey flushed the pipes in my building a few days ago and when I turned on the water to shower it ran black. I let it run for a while until it was clear before I showered and washed my hair, but I bet something was in the water that caused this, especially since I am prone to them anyway. I am keeping the pills down luckily. I am taking Benadryl too because I had a minor allergic reaction to the antibiotics. Thanks for the ideas and condolensces.

HG I am sorry. I wish I had more advice. My thoughts are with you during this painful time...

__________________
We're about to enter a whole other realm of music...we're talking Beethoven, Bob Marley, Men at Work territory

Just don't OD on something. My housemate did that a month ago. He was asking about what to do about pain. I told him 'MAN! You can't just keep taking pills till you explode! Just lay down for a while, it should go away.' He seemed to agree with this. Maybe some ice would help. Drink lots of water too.

Wow one er visit and 2 speciaist visits later....

Feeling better, but still not in the clear. One more day of antibiotics. It seems an alien ear infection of heretofore unseen proportions has taken up residence in my left ear. My whole face was swollen up to my scalp and down my neck and I could not close my mouth or chew. Even sleeping was hard. Thanks for the niceities and such. Word is that this waterlogged mussled feeling and semi lack of hearing will last about another week and a half. I ended up just taking percocet, but the drops worked much better when the specialist cleaned out the ear and inserted two new "wicks" or sponges to soak up the medicine. I had to take 3 advil every 8 hours to reduce the swelling which was a big part of why the drops didn't work at first. I need to learn to take things like this more seriously. If I lost my hearing --- I don't know what...

Glad you are feeling better. How do you suppose you got sick in the first place though? Were you dehydrated? Not brushing your teeth? Maybe it was a common bacterial infection. You should consider taking better care of yourself maybe.

oh history

i'm not joking - but how about marijuana?

<3

__________________
the cave mouth shines
by pure force of will
i look down on the world
from the top of this lonesome hill
and you can run, and run some more
from here all the way to singapore
but i will carry you home in my teeth
-mountain goats

Thanks for the well wishes, as for the rest erm, not sure what to say about your thories. I have some medical problems that exascerbate things. This is an ear infection. I was born prematurely and have very tiny (Underdeveloped) ear canals etc. So I have always been prone to this. I have to use a (drop) solution ever time I get out of the shower or swim or even exercise and sweat so I do not get an ear infection. I did not have my drops as I left them where I was staying the night and the pipes in my building were flushed and ran dirty at first. I think that is all that did it.

What the heck does brushing teeth have to do with an ear infection or anything of the sort? Anyway, I am a bit of an obsessive toothbrusher ( after every meal), rinser, and flosser. I actually had a prior appointment in fact for the dentist for my regular cleaning and a whitening the 13th but was too ill and could not open my mouth that long etc.so had to cancel. When I smoked I used to brush my teeth after every cig, which I , even then, found a bit excessive and odd to say the least. So, no definitely not a dental hygiene problem.

I do need to go to an allergist because I went once before and never got the shots and know I have a ton of allergies.

You are an odd bird indeed.