Honestly, we can't win for losing sometimes! Poor Nolan's cultures came back on Friday evening, and the culture showed bacterial and fungal growth. A mold is growing in his middle ear space, so he will have to start anti-fungal drops. Our ENT called the prescription in to the local pharmacy, but the local pharmacy had no idea why Lotrimin would be prescribed for the ear.
We have been through this before, back in August of 2010. Fortunately, I haven't switched pharmacies so the pharmacist was able to look up Nolan's old record. She wasn't sure if it had to be compounded or was readily available. It is a 1% solution for topical application, and she was able to find the information in their database. She still has to call the ENT on Monday to verify the concentration, since the prescription didn't state the exact percentage.
In the meantime, the Ciprodex drops are excruciatingly painful. So painful that I don't know if we can continue with them. I have to call the ENT's office on Monday morning (the PA on the emergency line will simply tell me to continue with them, and they have no idea of the level of pain I am describing). He is in agony for 2 hours or so.
I think this is partly due to the fungal infection, and mostly due to the steroid and liquid irritating and extremely inflamed middle ear. I need to find out if there are numbing drops we can give to ameliorate the pain.
In any case, the last time he had a fungal middle ear infection, it led to an 8 week long infection that was very difficult to cure, and then he needed new tubes at the end of it.
I hope we get the Lotrimin suspension on Monday and can get rid of this infection as quickly as possible. The pain and the frustration with fungal infections are just horrible.
11 comments:
Oh Leah, that just breaks my heart. Praying for you - for Nolan - in Washington,
Julie
I know first-hand how painful the Ciprodex drops can be. Extreme does not even start to describe how painful they can be. Do you warm up the Ciprodex before you put the drops in? That helps a little. A heating pad set to low wrapped in a towel helps the most from anything else I have ever tried. Just place it on the ear. The heating pad trick works wonders.
I hope this information helps.
Thanks for your help, Joe. I haven't tried the heating pad trick. Our five year old has struggled with chronic middle ear infections for a very long time, and the agony of Ciprodex is unbearable. I am desperate for any advice. The right ear is particularly inflamed and the pain is excruciating for him.
dlefler – Anything I can do to help. I had chronic ear infections for a long time as well. I had tubes the whole works. I even had 2 tubes at one time in my left ear. I don’t want to see anyone have those nasty ear infections. Your ENT most likely said this already but keep all water out of the ear. I had swim molds made for when I went swimming or when I took baths etc. They kept me from getting ear infections.
I am however new to hearing loss & hearing aids. My audiogram is close to Nolan’s. I also use a Phonak FM system in my classes at school as needed.
If there is anything else you would like to know related to hearing I will help as much as I can.
so sorry you have to deal with ALL of this on a daily basis!! breaks my heart
I'm so sorry for you and for him! Poor guy.
Hi Leah, I just found your blog because my son was just diagnosed with a severe yeast overgrowth in his middle ear. We also just tried the clotrimazole drops and then were horrified when his whole head turned red and he proceeded to start screaming. (he has PE tubes). We are supposed to use them for two weeks - I have no clue how we are going to do this! I would appreciate any advice. I was also wondering if an oral anti-fungal like Diflucan could work for this?? Thanks, Angela
Angela, the fungal ear infections have been excruciatingly painful for Nolan. The pain is so great that he screams in agony for an hour or more after the eardrops. It is so awful. Our ENT didn't give us the option of an oral antifungal - I am assuming because it might not reach the middle ear space where the infection is located. It never hurts to ask, though - I'd ask your doctor and see what they say about it! Nolan has 2 tubes in his right ear now and one tube in his left. Fortunately, his last infection was a regular (bacterial) one. Sending you many hugs and I hope your little one never gets another one of these fungal middle ear infections again! They are horrible.
Leah, thanks for the reply. I may ask about the diflucan and see what they say. I was wondering if you know how common these sorts of infections are - I am finding really no references to them when I try to do google searches on it. Do you have any idea? Is this extremely rare?
I feel the same way, Angela. There isn't anything written on them. Everything written about fungal ear infections is about OUTER ear infections, which is obviously not what our kids struggle with. I think (in my son's case) the use of hearing aid earmolds creates a dark/moist environment that helps the fungus to grow. And then we use Ciprodex drops frequently when he gets a bacterial ear infection, which also allows the fungus to grow! I don't think fungal middle ear infections are very common.
Not a kid here...late 40s. I've had ETD for 20 years, but never, not once, in my life have I had an ear infection - until now. I had PE tubes put in and 2 weeks later my right ear clogged up and started draining pus and tons of fluid out into the ear canal. My doctor had gone on an extended trip out of the country after my post op, so he was no help. Nobody else in his practice would help me. They just gave me ear drops, Augmentin and steroids and sent me on my way. The steroids helped the headaches, but the infection never went away. The pain was horrible, and triggered cluster headaches - another thing I have never had in my life. My ears hurt and drain constantly, especially during the night while laying down. I spend 10 minutes every morning trying to suck out the fluid that has come out. I saw a new doctor who took a culture and sent it off. I have had this infection for about 6 weeks now, so I'm desperate. The new doc said it may be fungal or viral. I think he may do a CT scan soon too. I'm so desperate. I know this little kids have it bad, but let me tell you...having to work in an office and go to work everyday while being in pain and having my hearing so messed up and the fluid...it's sapping the life from me. I always thought ear tubes was so simple. How in the world can a doctor who specializes in ears not be able to cure an ear infection in a healthy adult????
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