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Advice for fluid in middle ear?

Asked by Gia33 (12points) December 7th, 2011

Over 3 months ago I started getting dizzy, felt off balance and my head felt like I was in a think fog. It progressively got worse to the point when I did not feel safe driving. Store lights seemed to make it worse as did lots of movement around me. I finally went to see a Dr. I had a (very expensive!) CT scan, blood work and an EKG (my blood pressure went up very high when I was nervous about passing out from the vertigo). He said the only thing he noticed was fluid in the ears.
The Dr told me to take pseudophedrine and a nasal steroid (Fluticasone).
I did this for weeks and there was no change. In fact I got worse!
I went to another Dr. and he gave me Mucinex, another nasal steroid and told me to keep taking the pseudophedrine.
He said that I did not need to see an ENT as it was just fluid and eventually it would drain. Every time I see him he says the same thing….
I have tried the Valsalva maneuver of forcing air through my e-tubes and my ears pop. But if they pop why does the fluid not drain?
I live in Florida so I thought allergies might be to blame for swelling the e-tubes and took Claritin. Again, no help. I did a sinus rinse too.
So I am at my wits end… I have no life anymore, the brain fog makes me feel almost disassociated, I can not drive or shop without feeling like I will fall over and can not work. Also I have no insurance and this has cost me a small fortune. I can not afford any surgical options (like the eardrum tubes).

Has anyone had this? if so how long did it take until it was cleared? And what did you do/take?
Any advice at all would be very much appreciated. I am just so fed up that something like this causes so many problems… :(

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