NCSCUBADOOBA
Contributor
I have fluid behind my eardrum. It's been there for 8 days. I'm taking decongestants,antihistamines,ibuprofen, and the steroid/antibiotic ear drop (not for any infection or swelling, just hoping it would speed up recovery and prevent infection). I can use Vasalva and inflate that ear on the surface... Have any of you dove with fluid behind the ear, but still been able to equalize??????
Details are below....................................
here's the scoop:
last friday i completed my OW cert dives in a cold quarry. i wore a hood and the water was about 48 degrees. i felt like i had water in my ears before we did the first dive. i told my instructor about it and he didn't say anything about it.
first descent went fine, equalized just great.
went to a depth of 30'. i ascended properly... well once my dive computer beeped and had me at 120% and i slowed down.
went down for second dive, but this time had to navigate the group. i spent more time worrying about the d*mn compass than my ears. i went down and didn't equalize and they hurt soooooo bad. i aborted my descent, ascended and cleared, went back down and had to ascend a bit again to get rid of the pain.
finally equalized fine and completed the dive.descended for the 3rd dive and had no ear troubles.
got out of the water and felt like i had water in my ear. so, from friday to monday i used auro dri and then tried the vinegar/alcohol mix many times a day. nothing helped.
i called my doc monday and made an appt. for wednesday.
i also called DAN.
DAN said it sounds like middle ear barotrauma.
i saw my doc and he saw NO REDNESS, NO INFECTION, NO PERFORATION, NO SWELLING, NO WAX.... just could tell there was fluid behind my eardrum.
he told me to take Claritin once a day, Sudafed (if i could tolerate it) every 4 hours, Ibuprofen to reduce swelling. he had prescribed me the antibiotic/steroid ear drops before seeing me and said he didn't think i needed them at all. I have hard core decongestants (Profen Forte) but they contain pseudoephedrine and it makes me Hi High! so i take it at night.
well, i thought using them couldn't hurt.
i'm flying to belize a week from tomorrow (4/29) and am starting to get very concerned about the fluid in my ear.
i called DAN back and told them what the doctor found.
the medic explained what had happened in his opinion:
I didn't equalize and the pressure pulled fluid from my inner ear into my middle ear
Okay. I now fully understand how stupid and careless my mistake was and why I'm feeling this fullness in my ear. I have no pain, no vertigo, no nausea etc... just fullness. No hearing loss either.
So, I tried Afrin last night. I know you can't use it for more than 3 days straight. I felt like my ears cleared out. Then, I woke up this am and had the fullness in my ear again. (btw... i apparently have begun to use proper capitalization all of a sudden LOL). I stopped today and got some saline nose mist and it felt GREAT. When I use the medicated drops, my ears feel fuller than when I don't. Also, I tried equalizing today while at work, and felt both ears inflate with air when I did it!!!! My doc said if my fluid isn't drained by flight time, to take Afrin before the flight. I agree with other posters that Sudafed (new formulation) isn't the best choice. It makes me grouchy, jittery, not hungry, dried up, and feeling anxious. Here's my questions:
1- Do any of you have any suggestions that I've not tried?
2- If I can equalize on the surface, do you think I'll be okay to fly/dive?
3- Should I continue the antibiotic/steroid drops just to prevent infection?
4- Can I take Claritin or Afrin before a dive with this one ear having the fluid and be ok?
I see how easily your body can get damaged if you don't follow all the rules. I see how fragile our ears are. I see that it's imperative to see a doc and/or call DAN when you have a diving-related injury. I got certified for this trip. I'm feeling desperate to get this cleared up. My bf is being awesome! He said he'd stay with me at the resort if I can't dive But, I really want to be able to dive in Belize.
I've read old posts and threads from years back on this board for the past 7 days. I don't feel like I found one that answered all of my questions or that anyone had the same situation as mine. Others would have infection or blood or perforation. I'm hoping that someone has been through this and can shed some light for me.
Thank you so much!!!!
Angela
Details are below....................................
here's the scoop:
last friday i completed my OW cert dives in a cold quarry. i wore a hood and the water was about 48 degrees. i felt like i had water in my ears before we did the first dive. i told my instructor about it and he didn't say anything about it.
first descent went fine, equalized just great.
went to a depth of 30'. i ascended properly... well once my dive computer beeped and had me at 120% and i slowed down.
went down for second dive, but this time had to navigate the group. i spent more time worrying about the d*mn compass than my ears. i went down and didn't equalize and they hurt soooooo bad. i aborted my descent, ascended and cleared, went back down and had to ascend a bit again to get rid of the pain.
finally equalized fine and completed the dive.descended for the 3rd dive and had no ear troubles.
got out of the water and felt like i had water in my ear. so, from friday to monday i used auro dri and then tried the vinegar/alcohol mix many times a day. nothing helped.
i called my doc monday and made an appt. for wednesday.
i also called DAN.
DAN said it sounds like middle ear barotrauma.
i saw my doc and he saw NO REDNESS, NO INFECTION, NO PERFORATION, NO SWELLING, NO WAX.... just could tell there was fluid behind my eardrum.
he told me to take Claritin once a day, Sudafed (if i could tolerate it) every 4 hours, Ibuprofen to reduce swelling. he had prescribed me the antibiotic/steroid ear drops before seeing me and said he didn't think i needed them at all. I have hard core decongestants (Profen Forte) but they contain pseudoephedrine and it makes me Hi High! so i take it at night.
well, i thought using them couldn't hurt.
i'm flying to belize a week from tomorrow (4/29) and am starting to get very concerned about the fluid in my ear.
i called DAN back and told them what the doctor found.
the medic explained what had happened in his opinion:
I didn't equalize and the pressure pulled fluid from my inner ear into my middle ear
Okay. I now fully understand how stupid and careless my mistake was and why I'm feeling this fullness in my ear. I have no pain, no vertigo, no nausea etc... just fullness. No hearing loss either.
So, I tried Afrin last night. I know you can't use it for more than 3 days straight. I felt like my ears cleared out. Then, I woke up this am and had the fullness in my ear again. (btw... i apparently have begun to use proper capitalization all of a sudden LOL). I stopped today and got some saline nose mist and it felt GREAT. When I use the medicated drops, my ears feel fuller than when I don't. Also, I tried equalizing today while at work, and felt both ears inflate with air when I did it!!!! My doc said if my fluid isn't drained by flight time, to take Afrin before the flight. I agree with other posters that Sudafed (new formulation) isn't the best choice. It makes me grouchy, jittery, not hungry, dried up, and feeling anxious. Here's my questions:
1- Do any of you have any suggestions that I've not tried?
2- If I can equalize on the surface, do you think I'll be okay to fly/dive?
3- Should I continue the antibiotic/steroid drops just to prevent infection?
4- Can I take Claritin or Afrin before a dive with this one ear having the fluid and be ok?
I see how easily your body can get damaged if you don't follow all the rules. I see how fragile our ears are. I see that it's imperative to see a doc and/or call DAN when you have a diving-related injury. I got certified for this trip. I'm feeling desperate to get this cleared up. My bf is being awesome! He said he'd stay with me at the resort if I can't dive But, I really want to be able to dive in Belize.
I've read old posts and threads from years back on this board for the past 7 days. I don't feel like I found one that answered all of my questions or that anyone had the same situation as mine. Others would have infection or blood or perforation. I'm hoping that someone has been through this and can shed some light for me.
Thank you so much!!!!
Angela
