"6 Months and still no further forward."

Back in October 2018, I was admitted overnight with an ear infection and some pretty severe sickness etc at Ayr Hospital. The consultant in the morning couldn't care less and said they hadn't done ears in years and if it got bad again I was to go to crosshouse. It was an awful experience.This was all in my last feedback on care opinion.

So since then I have been at the G.P another 3 times with more ear infections, antibiotics, ringing, whooshing and noise distortion.

I was referred by my G.P in December to ENT Crosshouse. I was first seen in January by a really kind and helpful nurse who swabbed and looked in my ear and concluded there was fluid and my ear drum was cloudy, gave me a spray and forwarded me onto another doctor....this referral was in January 2019. In between this my own G.P was visited and my ear was infected and steroid antibiotic spray was administered, which helped immensely.

I still have pain, epic noise distortions,infections,a feeling of fullness. I explained this has been going on for 8 months. The doctor I was referred to looked in my ear, sent me for a hearing test which took a full hour as i was forgotten about. These things happen and the nurse was very apologetic.

When I came back in the doctor stated my hearing was fine.... and i say stated ...okay...and that no infection present at the moment...also okay no problem. After all this time to get an appointment.... im sorry i didn't hold on to it for you to see.... was my immediate thought to this curt manner.

I asked for help that how do we combat this...they immediately stated they couldn't fix it and handed me a leaflet with no explanations on tinnitus...to which i said okay but what was my options and why do i keep getting these infections. My options are to use Vaseline according to this doctor, in the entrance to my ear due to my psoriasis.

There is a tinnitus hearing aid noise cancelling device but it would cause infections according to this doctor.

I have spent 6 months, repeatedly saying this is crippling my career and my ability to concentrate, sleep. When I do get infections it is really horrific, my glands are sore. I have lots of endocrine issues so these constant infections are troubling.

I have spent 10 weeks to basically have something as simple as a hearing test and a quick look at my ear. I am so disappointed, what is the point? If the standard of care is so poor, for the second time!

I am asking for help and having little success being listened to or taken seriously. I have another appointment for 3 months, but if there is nothing they can do or wants to get to the bottom and empathise with my situation whats the point of a follow up? I know how to stick vaseline on the opening of my ear. I have had psoriasis for years and years and it has never caused me an ear infection...I have never had infections until that episode in October, all of this i stated to them.

I don't understand why apparently my hearing is fine but clearly you are not hearing what I am saying nor do i feel like you care!