I did finally get the antibiotics I was prescribed, and I just finished them off yesterday. However, my ear is still steadily draining. During the day, I just feel a slight pressure in my ear from the fluid. But at night, for some reason, the fluid will drain out more profusely. When I wake up in the morning, the inside of my ear will be absolutely coated with fluid.

If this makes any difference, there is no change in the smell of the fluid (smells like normal earwax) and honestly, it looks like diluted ear wax. There is pain in my ear right now, but I believe it is self inflicted - I have been dripping peroxide into my ear to dry up the fluid and I believe I may have used it in excess and it dried out the skin in my ear. I feel something crusty inside my ear, which I believe may be a scab or some wax that got very stuck to the skin. When I try to touch or scratch this dry crusty stuff off, I get pain.

I still cannot hear as well out of that ear, which I attribute to fluid buildup. Also, in case anyone is wondering, I did not suffer extreme pain, so i think I can safely rule out a burst eardrum. Wouldn't the antibiotics have cleared this up? My original infection is gone, but the fluid remained constant throughout the course of antibiotics, and the dose I received was quite large. I could see a doctor about this again, but the fact of the matter is I am flat broke - I have less that fifty cents to my name right now. Even if I did get a prescription for more antibiotics, I wouldn't be able to afford them.

My only option is to wait until I go home in a couple weeks and see my doctor there if the fluid persists. I'm not in any pain, and the drainage isn't interfering with daily life. But does anyone know of any ways for me to pop my ear or dry up the fluid? Does anyone know what would cause this drainage? Did the antibiotics give me another infection?

Sorry... I don't have a cure for you because I am having a similar problem. I have been on antibiotics for about 2weeks+ for sinus problems and my ears are still wet in the mornings and ache or feel funny and my head makes me feel a bit dizzy... of course my sinuses still feel pressure, feel like hyperventalating and I still feel bad in general. This has been going on for almost a month now. But yeah my ears have felt worse at times after being on the antibiotics so I don't know what is going on with that. I might see the doctor again at the end of next week the fastest I could get in. This sucks!

Ear pressure and fluid can normally only be released by continual use of decongestants, and nasal spray rinses (saline) and suppression (nasonex/flonase). Occasionally, I have heard some people using accupressure to stimulate sinus drainage, but I am unsure of the success of such a method.
ENT's can perform a surgical outpatient procedure for chronic ear fluid individuals. In this case a small incision is made in your ear drum and a valved tube is inserted allow for the drainage of ear fluid. I have not heard of this procedure being used extensively on adults, but my son had it done at age 2 due to chronic fluid causing a 30 % lose of hearing.
Sincerely,
MG