This is bad form, right?

[MrsAxilla]

My ears are bothering me.  Dr. Google tells me I either have excessive ear wax or a raging ear infection.  OTC ear wax removers aren't working, and I don't have any other symptoms indicating an ear infection.  DD has her well baby visit tomorrow.  I can't possibly ask the pedi to peek in my ears, can I?  No, I can't.  But I don't have a regular doc right now (the last doc I saw was my OB), and I can't get in as a new patient anywhere for weeks.  Rats!

[thinkofthesoldiers]

If it is that bad, stop in at a minute clinic.

[trixiedicksnatch]

My pedi would do it but she was part of my ob team so maybe that makes it dif?

[livinitup]

You can ask to check, with the caveat that you'd seek medical attention if there was an issue. Not ask for advice or a script.

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 13, 2014 22:55:58 GMT -5 thinkofthesoldiers said:

If it is that bad, stop in at a minute clinic.

I stopped in at the one Walgreens in the world without one - lol!  I need to look up where there is one.  It's not *that* bad.  They don't hurt, I just can't pressurize them.  

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 13, 2014 22:58:02 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

Go to an urgent care or ER .Yes, it is bad form to ask the pediatrician to look in your ears while you are there on a well baby visit.

Urgent care is $150!  I choose poorly during open enrollment this year.

[whitemerlot]

My clinic is so strict that they bill you addiionally if you do stuff like this at a well visit for yourself.

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 13, 2014 22:59:15 GMT -5 @licia said:

What are your symptoms?

Have you tried something like a decongestant to see if there's some fluid behind your eardrum?

I mean, really, you can do whatever you want to do and ask the pedi to look, but if it's bothering you that much, you probably should have just gone to urgent care.

I just can't pressurize them.  I did try a decongestant.  Maybe I should skip the gen practitioner and see if I can get in with an ENT somewhere?  I probably just need a big q-tip and a professional.  Ha.

[birdistheword]

Do you have walk-in clinics inside your Wal-marts there? I know some people hate Wal-mart, but I recently went to the clinic at one and they were awesome. My copay was also only $30.

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 13, 2014 23:00:33 GMT -5 whitemerlot said:

My clinic is so strict that they bill you addiionally if you do stuff like this at a well visit for yourself.

I totally wouldn't care if they charged me.  Maybe I should ask then and tell them I'll pay.

[whitemerlot]

Jul 13, 2014 23:04:28 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Jul 13, 2014 23:00:33 GMT -5 whitemerlot said:

My clinic is so strict that they bill you addiionally if you do stuff like this at a well visit for yourself.

I totally wouldn't care if they charged me.  Maybe I should ask then and tell them I'll pay.

I should say that is for a well visit and sick visit for the same person.

Obviously I'm not a doctor, but If you've tried something like Advil and Sudafed I would go to minute clinic. My h had water stuck in his ear and they were able to clean the wax out there.

[whattheheck]

My pediatrician would totally do this for me. In fact, when I brought all three kids in to be checked for pneumonia (one had it and was there for a re-check and the others had developed a bad cough so I had them checked as well) I also had a really bad cough. I assured him that my GP had checked it and not heard anything and after asking me about a dozen questions I asked if he would feel better if he listened himself and so he did. He also called in a script for an antibiotic for me. I love him.

[sonrisa]

Well baby visits for wee ones also check on the mom (they have all those PPD questions on the form, afterall). I'd ask in a "should I go see someone?" kind of way, not expecting her to actually act as my doctor. Of course, I have an HMO where they routinely check on other family members during visits.

[readyin07]

I have a great relationship with our NP and she would totally do it "under the table," but I wouldn't ask one of the other docs. I do think it's generally considered bad form Kinda related, but I had thrush when I was bfing DS1. DS had no symptoms but I knew he had to be treated preemptively. I had to trek 30 minutes to my obgyn for my diagnosis, wait to fill and pick up rx, go home, make a pedi appointment, travel 30 minutes back to pedi (which is literally a jump from OBGYN), wait to fill and pick up rx for him and then home again. Annoying!

[thedutchgirl]

My only symptom of a sinus infection is trouble pressurizing my ears (and a little pain when I try). Oh and being inexplicably (until I have a head X-ray) tired.

Go to your doctor or a clinic.

[sparkythelawyer]

Ask the pedi to recommend someone.

[VillainV]

When you say you can't "pressurize" your ears, do you mean you can't valsalva? If so, usually this is because of your eustachian tubes and not really an issue with your ears. A strong decongestant like guaifenesin (mucinex) and LOTS of water should help. It can take several days for this to work though. Going to see a doctor won't really help -- all they'll be able to do is say "yep, looks like you can't clear your ears." They might be able to prescribe a stronger decongestant, but most probably won't.

If you have actual pain and fluid in your ears (feels like swimmers ear) then you might need antibiotics.

(edited for spelling)

[jeaniebueller]

If the wax is impacted in your ear, they can flush it out at the walk in clinic. I had to have that done a few years ago.

[alzi]

I would ask for an ENT rec, maybe they will offer I look.

ENT would check for wax/clean ears properly and offer treatment if needed. Honestly, a lot of times urgent care/walk in clinics misdiagnose and put people on unnecessary antibiotics.

[escrow]

I still get ear infections, it sucks. A few years ago I got both ears so bad that I couldn't hear for weeks. Now whenever it feels like I am getting one I get it checked out asap, but of course when I do that it isn't really infected

Some King Soopers have Little Clinics inside, the one down by me has prices for various treatments and such listed outside the little area. If Sudafed, nasal rinse, etc aren't doing the trick I would go in. Does the pain radiate down your neck?

[sjh722]

Jul 13, 2014 22:59:46 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Jul 13, 2014 22:58:02 GMT -5 @cse1960 said:

Go to an urgent care or ER .Yes, it is bad form to ask the pediatrician to look in your ears while you are there on a well baby visit.

Urgent care is $150!  I choose poorly during open enrollment this year.

The minute clinic isn't going to be any cheaper if you have an HSA. I went for a strep test a few months ago and it was $130ish. (It would have been $400 for a 15-minute exam and strep culture without the insurance adjustment.)

[MrsAxilla]

Jul 14, 2014 8:09:08 GMT -5 escrow said:

I still get ear infections, it sucks. A few years ago I got both ears so bad that I couldn't hear for weeks. Now whenever it feels like I am getting one I get it checked out asap, but of course when I do that it isn't really infected

Some King Soopers have Little Clinics inside, the one down by me has prices for various treatments and such listed outside the little area. If Sudafed, nasal rinse, etc aren't doing the trick I would go in. Does the pain radiate down your neck?

Nope.  No pain at all.  What do adult ear infections feel like?  Is it possible to have one with no pain?  

[MrsAxilla]

I like alzi's advice. Our last pedi was a friend and would have done it for sure, but she moved out of state. I think I'll ask if she can recommend an ENT and hope she offers to peek.

[escrow]

Oh. If it doesn't hurt I wouldn't go. Ear infections hurt like Woah. Last time I had a really bad one I gave up my ticket to nin/janes because I couldn't deal with the pain. Sudafed and nasal rinse. This kind

[luvvy]

My pedi offered when I brought G in and said we had all been sick with the same symptoms and G had strep and an ear infection. I was fine so there was no issue with Rx stuff.

[wildfloweragain]

I'd do sudafed and swimmers ear drops if the clinic costs that much. I would not ask the ped.

[cookie510]

Last weekend I was feeling clogged and I tried some wax softener drops and it made it 10x worse.

I went out and bought an ear irrigation syringe. So gross, but it helped so much.

(if the problem is wax build up)

[eddy]

Don't bother with an ENT. Any generalist will probably be able to help you.

I had this issue and it was ear wax. I needed the professionals to clean out my ears. It made a huge difference.

[kirra]

Jul 14, 2014 8:32:28 GMT -5 MrsAxilla said:

Jul 14, 2014 8:09:08 GMT -5 escrow said:

I still get ear infections, it sucks. A few years ago I got both ears so bad that I couldn't hear for weeks. Now whenever it feels like I am getting one I get it checked out asap, but of course when I do that it isn't really infected

Some King Soopers have Little Clinics inside, the one down by me has prices for various treatments and such listed outside the little area. If Sudafed, nasal rinse, etc aren't doing the trick I would go in. Does the pain radiate down your neck?

Nope.  No pain at all.  What do adult ear infections feel like?  Is it possible to have one with no pain?  

Yes. I had one with a sinus infection and my face hurt, but my ears were fine. I was quite surprised when they said sinus and ear infection.