Hello, everyone. I don't know if this is the right forum for my story because I also suffer from an ear problem as well as depression.
Anyhow, my problem has been plaguing me for more than a month. I believe it started around March 21st or so. I noticed a small problem with my balance when reaching up for some items in a store. It was a minor sort of off-balance feeling. I just wrote it off and continued through the day. A few days later, I was going for a walk and started to feel off-balance again. Not so much that I would almost fall over but I did notice it. It also triggered a quick feeling of depression/anxiety. Over the next few days, these symptoms returned occasionally whenever I was walking (mainly walking outside). I put in a call to my psychiatrist and asked to see him.
A few days later, I told him I was having anxiety/depression attacks along with the off-balance feeling. He put me on citalopram and said the off-balance sensations he couldn't explain from a psychatric point of view and suggested that I see a family doctor.
I went to a local walk-in clinic on April 2nd and the doctor looked in my ears and said they were very inflamed. He prescribed antibiotics and something to help keep my balance (I don't think it did anything.)
But, anyways that really lightened my mood for a week. By Easter weekend some depression had returned and I had finished my antibiotics on Sunday. I also noticed that the off-balance feeling was still present (or had returned). I couldn't look quickly from side to side or look at something other than the ground in front of me without feeling a bit strange.
Come Monday morning I went back to see the walk-in doctor and he said my ears were still inflamed. He prescribed a more powerful antibiotic for me (cefprozil) and said if I'm not feeling better in a few days to go see a doctor at the city's hospital.
Two days later I went for a walk outside and noticed my right leg felt "jellied" that's the best way i could describe it. So I decided to go see a doctor at the hospital. After an almost 4 hour wait, the doctor was free to examine me. She noted that my right ear was discharging pus. I told her how I was feeling and showed her the stuff I was taking and took. She said that the 1st antibiotic wasn't too good for ear infections but the 2nd drug was much better. I told her about
the off-balance feelings setting off depression and anxiety and asked how long it will take to recover from this. She said it my take months! She suggested a follow-up visit with the walk-in doctor 2 in weeks.
I saw my psychitrist again a few days later and he bumped up my dose of citalopram.
Tuesday, I noticed that my legs were feeling tired, stiff and weak (Kind of like after walking a million miles uphill.)
Yesterday, I went to go see the walk-in doctor once more because the symptoms of off-balance, depression and anxiety were returning. He noticed that my ears were still messed up and said it could be a sinus blockage. (The ear drains into the sinus and sinus drains out of the nose.) He prescribed the most powerful antibiotic available (moxifloxacin) along with nose spray I'm supposed to used twice a day. (nasonex) Once again he said if I don't improve by next weekend, I am to goto the main hospital and have them take a better look at my ear.
I have an appointment with an ear, nose throat doctor on the 19th of May. If I still feel bad in a week I'll see if I can reschedule an appointment with him insted of going to the city hospital. If that's not possible, I'll just goto the main hospital.
It's been a very, very rough month for me so here are some questions I have: (I know you guys here aren't doctors or anything but perhaps you can help)
Why do the off-balance feelings automatically trigger a depression/anxiety attack?
Why do these off-balance attacks seem to happen when I go walking outside?
What do I have exactly? (I thought it was labrynthitis.)
Will I have to have an operation?
Do I have this condition for life?
How long does it take to get over this ear infection problem?
Post Edited (Colin678) : 5/2/2009 6:55:03 PM (GMT-6)