Anyone know about ear drops??

[florence79]

I have only just made it into second trimester, and am still panicking about everything... Now I have an ear infection - quite a painful one. So annoyed. I have some ear drops because I had a minor infection right at the beginning of this pregnancy - the doctor gave them to me knowing I was newly pregnant, so I assumed they were fine - BUT it said on the info booklet NOT to use them if you're pregnant... Checked with my friend who's a GP - she said fine, but I STILL didn't believe it, so used them v v sparingly, having read on internet about cleft palates and slow growth being linked to the substance in these drops (they're called locorten-vioform). Having had a painful infection all weekend, I've had to use them (new bottle - still perfectly usable) because I can't risk the infection becoming worse (it's pretty bad already. But I am so miserable at the thought of what I could be doing to my baby - esp after 2 miscarriages. Anyone know anything about this sort of medicine or have experience with a similar situation? Would I be better off on oral antibiotics? I will go to GP, of course - but I don't always trust what they say, I'm afraid; with my last pregnancy, I was assured that an acute bout of sickness wouldn't have harmed my baby - turned out it had stopped growing at about that point...

 

[Fuchsia1412]

Well you're definitely going to have to go on some sort of antibiotics, that's for sure. You can't go through your whole pregnancy with an increasingly bad infection- not even because of stress or being miserable, though your emotional state is of course important! - but because it will get worse, you'll probably get a temperature etcetc. Remember all medicines say not to take when pregnant- absolutely all of them, because they're not tested specifically for pregnancy, they couldn't be- so if you've been advised by two GPs one who is a frien ,that you can take these ear drops, I'm sure you're fine to take them. Broad spectrum oral antibiotics might not be suitable for the infection you've got, or you might have to take a larger dose to knock it out- so all in all, if these ear drops are going to knock it out more quickly and effectively, then I think you need to take them. Try and remember that those miscarriages were nothing to do with you, and they were separate occurrences, You're not making anything more likely- tragically, people miscarry, as you can see on this forum, sometimes once and sometimes a lot of losses, and they're always terrible, but you didn't cause them and these antibiotics won't either. x

 

[florence79]

Thanks for this. Yes, I definitely do need to sort this out! It's just so worrying... I know there are oral antibiotics that it's safe to take while pregnant - and I know people who've taken them and been fine. But I DON'T know anyone who's taken these drops (which aren't, as far as I know, antibiotics as such?) in pregnancy so I have no 'reassuring stories' as it were!

 

[Duejan2012]

Well i am a pro on ear infections as i have had SOOOO many! So if you have ear drops to treat it that means it is an outer ear infection vs a inner ear infection. Oral medication will not treat this infection only ear drops. I have never heard of ear drops causing problems for your baby. I have had at least one ear infection during each pregnancy and have been put on this ear drop. My babies are just fine. My ob says they are fine. It like its not even oral so i dont understand how could you baby even be getting any bit of the antibiotic? Does that make sense? I would take them and finish the dose priscribed for you because other then that NOTHING will make you feel better. I am sorry that you have this ear infection as i KNOW they are not fun

 

[HappyBump25]

I do not have any experience with this, and I am not a medical professional. But, I am a huge worrier, and this is something I really wouldn't worry about. I'd worry more about something I'd take orally than something like ear drops. TBH, if you read the back of almost anything it says to either avoid while pregnant or to consult a doctor if pregnant or breastfeeding.

Sadly, those words are more there to cover the company's ass more than to provide safety for you.

 

[kassiaethne]

have you tried olive oil and garlic? you just mash garlic into olive oil, nuke it in the microwave for 10 seconds (to make it warm not hot) and then use a dropper to put 3-5 drops into the ear(no chunks of garlic in the dropper). I had a horrible ear infection my last pregnancy and did this. went away in 2 days

 

[kdea547]

I agree with the garlic/olive oil combo. Garlic is naturally anti-bacterial and the warm olive oil feels wonderful on achey ears.

 

[justhoping]

Thanks for this. Yes, I definitely do need to sort this out! It's just so worrying... I know there are oral antibiotics that it's safe to take while pregnant - and I know people who've taken them and been fine. But I DON'T know anyone who's taken these drops (which aren't, as far as I know, antibiotics as such?) in pregnancy so I have no 'reassuring stories' as it were!

I taken the ear drops while pregnant and was fine, and you need to take them because if the infection does get worse you can lose your hearing as well. If two doctors told you they where ok. They are ok. Please dont play around with your hearing....I know its scary but I do not believe two doctors would play around with the health of your baby either. My moms, mom did the clove / oilve oil stuff and she ended up blowing her ear drum and she is now deaf in one ear from an infection because her mom did this instead of the ear drops perscribed for a very bad infection.......

please just listen to your doctor as being pregnant your immune system is down as well.. feel better hun

 

[justhoping]

have you tried olive oil and garlic? you just mash garlic into olive oil, nuke it in the microwave for 10 seconds (to make it warm not hot) and then use a dropper to put 3-5 drops into the ear(no chunks of garlic in the dropper). I had a horrible ear infection my last pregnancy and did this. went away in 2 days

this would be for an ear infection that is not behind the ear drum and not bacterial, I seriously would not play with this. She can lose her hearing. I would just take the meds giving to her and told to her by two doctors known to her.