Penicillin

[Hooby]

How long does it take for penicillin to work? I've been using them for an ear infection for 3 days now and there's no change. Thanks.

[TonyV]

Better more qualified people than me will answer, but in my experience should start working in 2 or 3 days. If it hasn't go back to your GP.

[ummmm]

How long is the course for?

[Hooby]

5 days, it's the 4th day today and finishes last thing tomorrow. My ear has been weeping in the night. Is that a good thing?

[Sqad]

Your problem is not "how long does penicillin take to work" but what is my diagnosis and is penicillin the appropriate drug.
If it isn't then it will NEVER work.
I remember your last thread and must say that i am concerned as to the diagnosis.
Is your ear squelchy and itchy or is it just dry and painful?
If it is the former, then penicillin will never work, if it is the latter, then in my opinion, it is not the drug of choice.
I look forward to your reply.

[Sqad]

Hooby, we have crossed posts.

[Sqad]

Has the pain gone Hooby?

[Hooby]

Hi sqad, sorry for the late reply but I'm busy at work. My ear has been dry and very painful. It feels swollen and tender inside. I wear hearing aids and the Dr says it's swimmers ear. The drops didn't touch it, pain killers don't touch it, so they put me on penicillin. It still feels very painful( throbbing, sharp pain ) and last night for the first time it started weeping a yellowish discharge. I'm back working now but will read your response as soon as l get a break. And thank you.

[Sqad]

OK Hooby......certainly sounds like a furuncle that has burst and is pouring pus in which case that is good news.
The pain should ease up now and by the weekend it should have settled. Finish the penicillin tablets and just wipe the pus away from your ear. The outer ear infections tend to be rather resistant to any kind of treatment, but do clear.
If you have bilateral H.A's just use the one for your good ear for the moment until the infection settles.

[spathiphyllum]

I am having pain in my right ear, down towards my neck area, the pain is in my neck at the same location as the bottom of my ear lobe (but across in the neck not the lobe, the lobe helps describe placement in the neck... almost in the jaw, but more 'behind'). It feels like there is maybe water in there when i yawn. I debated if this was the start of an infection, but it only hurts when i yawn or jolt my head. could it be wax?

Sorry to add this to your thread hooby.

[Hooby]

Thanks sqad, I have been leaving my hearing aid out as it's quite swollen inside and am relying on my other hearing aid to hear. I will finish the course and if it doesn't clear I'll go back to the drs. 3 medics have looked into my ears and they all said it just looked red and inflamed, so I'm hoping it will settled down now, like you said. Thanks for your help, I'll keep you posted

[Hooby]

Spathiphyllum, no problem being on my thread. You might find that the pain is actually in your ear, it just resonates down the veins making it seem like it's in your neck when it isn't. Get it checked out with the Dr.

[spathiphyllum]

Thank you and Maybe hooby!

It's started to fade now.. So i've not thought it essential to pop into the docs. Had trouble clearing pressure by blowing nose whilst holding onto it in right ear, but after i did manage to, the pain eased.

It's not got any worse and in fact has got a bit better.

When i yawn still sometimes feel it in neck but not as sharply.

I think i'm on the mend.

[Hooby]

Pleased to hear that. Mine's not. I've one day of penicillin left, it's still painful and still oozing tiny amounts of yellow pus. Spoke to the pharmacist earlier and he said go back to the docs. He said the pus shouldn't be happening whilst I'm on penicillin so it's not working for me. What's your take on it Sqad?

[Hooby]

It may well be a furuncle like you said Sqad, but I've had 3 medics look into my ear and they all said it's red and inflamed, none mentioned a furuncle,boil or spot with a head. And I've just read up that the type of penicillin l am on is the correct one prescribed for a furuncle/boil in the ear. It's all rather strange.

[Sqad]

Well Hooby....obviously i cannot examine you, but if the pain is easing and the ear is discharging,then I would consider that to be a good result. Just clean the discharge from the outside of the ear with a swab or something similar.
From what you have described, it is(was) a furuncle.
Leave it over the weekend and if there is no improvement then see you GP again
I don't agree with the opinion of the pharmacist.

[spathiphyllum]

A pharmacist isn't necessarily qualified to look in an ear.

[spathiphyllum]

Sorry.. misread.

[Sqad]

Penicilin isn't the treatment of a furuncle whatever the websites say, unless they mean a wide spectrum penicillin like Amoxicillin or Flu cloxacillin.
When it starts to discharge, it may take up to 3 weeks to settle.

[Sqad]

Hooby be patient.

[Hooby]

Ok Sqad, thanks again. It's flucloxacillin I've got. Fingers crossed it will pass.