My ear felt better on Saturday so I thought I was getting over whatever was bothering it. WOW! Sunday morning it felt like the side of my head wanted to explode.I took some Ibuprofin, but it didn't help much. No better today, so the first thing today I called my primary care doctor. She had an available morning appointment so I could get out in time to deliver meals. At first she thought I had TMJ, but when she looked in my ear, it was a different story. She said I had a bad infection and asked if I'd been swimming (of course not), but later in the exam, she asked me again about swimming. I told her what the Malta ER doctor said (no infection he could see) and she responded that he probably just looked at the outside. She said she'd phone in a prescription for antibiotic drops to my pharmacy.
I delivered meals, then went to pick up the prescription (this was two hours after I was at the doctor's office). The doctor hadn't phoned it in yet! I went to a house of a woman I deliver meals to and asked to use the phone and called the doctor's office (I don't have a cell phone). The doctor's receptionist said that they got "very busy" and forgot, but would phone it in right away. I went back to the pharmacy and waited. A few minutes later, one of the technicians came out and said the prescription would cost $190. I said, "Well, I need it so I'll pay, but it better work." Then she added, "There another problem, though - we don't have any. We would have to order it and it would be a few days."
By this time I was livid at the whole situation. I jumped up and said, "Forget it. I'll manage." But she said "Calm down. We can call your doctor and see if she'll order a substitute medication." They did and that only cost $5! I have used the first several doses, with no improvement, but it probably takes time to work.
