OK, I'll start from the beginning! Feb. 20 started running fever, had chills, weak, I was the last in the family to get this, wife and 2 daughters had the exact same thing, real bad FLU! AFter 2-3 days the fever broke and I was left with an annoying cough! Also noticed my right ear was starting to stop up! Coughed up some greenish crap, then Friday I went to the doc, thought maybe he could un-stop my ear, as it didn't hurt, just annoying as hell living in a drum :eek: He looked and said I had fluid behind the ear drum and it was infected so he put me on a Z-pac(arythimiacin, something like that). Well Monday is here and ear is still stopped up, so I call the ENT doc, he says to take sudafed for a couple of days and stay on the anti-biotic and see how it does! Well, its still stopped up, don't hurt at all, running no fever, and cough has almost disappeared, I just can't stand living in this drum, so i've decided to go to the ENT doc and hopefully he can drain my ear or something, any ideas on how to unstop it or just wait and let the doc do his magic????? Or maybe i'm being a little impatient and not giving it time? Its been blocked for 5 days??? Thanks for your time :)

Love your name by the way.

I must say middle ears which are blocked up with fluid etc can take a while to go - 5 days is nothing - I doubt you'll get an ENT appointment with only having a prob that long anyway...my advice is go to a sauna or try steaming at home - do it regularly. Ear fluid can take up to 6 weeks ot go completely. Be patient - it will.

xxx

THanks for the reply, I am always a bit impatient, but I couldn't walk around in this drum for 6 months..............:(
ENT doc told me to come in the morning and he would check it out!! Will let everyone know the outcome, thanks!!!

6 weeks - nt 6 months! Hope ENT doc gives some advice. xxx

I'm sorry, 6 weeks or 6 months, still too long for me :)

I hope the doc drains my ear or fixes the problem somehow, will be upset if he just offers advice :(

If its middle ear fluid - short of drilling a hole in your middle ear, he wont be able to get the fluid out! Unless he prescribes some medication...

let us know xxx

Hey Hypo:
Here's another suggestion: try eliminating salt from your diet for a few days. Just an idea.

I have had the same thing, with virtually the same timing. Flu that turned into an ear infection, treated with a z-pak but left with a horribly clogged ear. Went to ENT who gave me prednisone as a first step. On my third day, and no change. My family doctor said it will clear on its own, the ENT said I have fluid in the ear coupled with sudden hearing loss (he did an ear test which showed mild to moderate ear loss) and said it may never come back. I do not believe him and am going for a second opinion in one month as I couldn't get an appt. with another ENT any sooner. The ENT that prescribed the prednisone said the next steps would be either injecting prednisone directly into inner ear or opening ear drum to let ear drain. It is very frustrating and uncomforable and scary.