OK, so a month or go (give or take a week) I went to the doc again...my ears hurt, my sinuses hurt, my throat hurt...so he switched me to Claritin, and said it should help drain out the fluid in my ears...well, I thought it was working...as I do with all the meds I've tried...I think they are working. Then they stop working and I'm back to feeling like crap. This is really frustrating. :( Ugh. Well, now I'm back to the same problems...my ears hurt again, my throat hurts, too. What should I do? :( I'm going back to the doc, and I'm planning on switching docs...but my mom thinks we should do the allergy teasting with the current doc, and then switch. I was thinking switch to another GP, then get a referal to an allergist or something. You guys have any thoughts on any of this stuff?

OK, so a month or go (give or take a week) I went to the doc again...my ears hurt, my sinuses hurt, my throat hurt...so he switched me to Claritin, and said it should help drain out the fluid in my ears...well, I thought it was working...as I do with all the meds I've tried...I think they are working. Then they stop working and I'm back to feeling like crap. This is really frustrating. :( Ugh. Well, now I'm back to the same problems...my ears hurt again, my throat hurts, too. What should I do? :( I'm going back to the doc, and I'm planning on switching docs...but my mom thinks we should do the allergy teasting with the current doc, and then switch. I was thinking switch to another GP, then get a referal to an allergist or something. You guys have any thoughts on any of this stuff?

Definitely get a referral to an allergist. I'd recommend getting allergy testing done with the allergist, too.

Have you tried any allergy medications with pseudoephedrine? (That's usually something like Allegra-D, Claritin-D, etc.)

I agree. Sometimes just the plain allergy medicine actually makes the fluid thicker and harder to drain. You need to take something with the "D" in it. Actually, I have tried Claritan and Allegra and my symptoms became worse. I now just use Sudafed.

Antihistimines can dry the mucus making it harder to drain. But if you have allergies, you need to take the antihistimine to prevent the mucus, so what do you do? I agree with the suggestions to take sudaphed with your antihistimine. Also I would recommend muscinex to help thin out your drainage.

Don't mess with getting allergy testing with a GP. You need to be evaluated by either an allergist or a ENT.

Yeah, I know I'm gonna get a referal to an allergist or someone...but the question was, I guess, should I get a referal from my current GP, or switch, then get the referal?

I'd get the referral from your currant doctor. As frustrated as you are, he is doing the right things, trying you on different allergy meds etc... Usually, they are enough for most patients, only in your case it's not. He will most likely recognize that your problem is beyond his training and he will want to refer you. If you go to a new doctor, he will want to start the process all over again of trying new meds etc.. You've been through all that, you don't need to do it again.

my ears hurt again, my throat hurts, too. What should I do? :(

I've got multiple chemical sensitivities and multiple allergies. It is a real nightmare. I've improved my health and quality of life by staying away from as many things as possible. In essense, I live in a bubble.

Anything that I breath, or anything that touches my skin, or anything that I consume can cause allergy problems, including asthma problems, sinus problems, or heart problems.

If I need to read anything, newspaper, mail, books, etc, I wear gloves that don't have an odor. I eat from a very limited selection of foods that doesn't include frozen dinners, lunch meat, pizza extras, packages meals, preprepared meals, etc., My main drink is water. We don't have wall to wall carpetting. We don't have upholstered furniture. We keep our windows closed, except once every few days, during low pollen/low pollution times, when we air our place out.

When home, I wear a bathing suit to limit my contact with dyes and materials.

We don't use chemical cleaners. No perfumes, toothpaste, mouthwash, hair shampoo, etc.

As a result, my health is a lot better, I feel better and I have a fairly good quality of life.

If you are somewhat as sensitive as I am, then you need to limit your contact with as many allergens and irritants that you can.

I don't think I have Multiple Chemical Sensitivities...I never notice any issues from what I eat, or touch, although if I lay in the grass or something, I get pretty itchy sometimes...but that's probably beacuse of the pollen. But I never notice anything from reading the newspaper, detergents, etc... Except for cigrette smoke, I can't stand that stuff--but thanks for the help.

Yeah, good point, if I switch to another GP before I get a referal to the allergist, they might want to try a whole bunch more medication...and I just do't have the patience for that. :P

I never notice any issues from what I eat, or touch, although if I lay in the grass or something, I get pretty itchy sometimes...but that's probably beacuse of the pollen. But I never notice anything from reading the newspaper, detergents, etc... Except for cigrette smoke, I can't stand that stuff--but thanks for the help.

I thought that you had problems with your ears, sinuses and throat. Those with sinsitivities to irritants and/or allergens often also have problems with their sinuses or with asthma.

What is misleading and complex about allergies, or sensitivites, is that it can take multiple allergens or irritants, over a period of several days, to make someone miserable, and it can take cutting out several allergens or irritants over several days before there is any improvement in someone's symptoms.

Best of luck finding the source(s) of your misery. :wave:

Yeah, I hope I find out what's cuausing it...it's driving me crazy. I hope I can get into the doc on Wednesday so I can get a referal and get some testing done. :)