Inner ear infection and at home with the kids?

Question

Sunday I went to the urgent care center where I found out my severe headache and loss of balance was the result of an inner ear infection (viral, not bacterial) and it's causing horrible vertigo. My doctor gave me a, Rx for maximum strength motion sickness tablets to take to help with the vertigo, and it helps. But I am now sleepy, as in falling asleep while feeding the baby sleepy. I don't know which would be worse: severe nauseating vertigo that keeps me on the couch all day or taking the medicine and fighting the sleepiness. My children are two years old and two months old. Hubby's working late shift for the next two days. What would you recommend I do if in my shoes (or perhaps you've been there yourselves)? How do you handle an inner ear infection and two little ones?

And for all of you that want to come down on me saying "Suck it up, it's part of life"....do yourself a favor and don't answer. I know it's part of life, I want to know how to still function well as a mom.

Answer 1

i know you don't want  to hear it but there really is nothing you can do but deal with it.

maybe you can try your best to keep the kids calm and relaxed. bathe them earlier in the day and put a movie on right after dinner so they sleep early.

is there any family that could help you out? do you have a regular babysitter?

i know how you feel. my husband travels for work and is gone 2 weeks at a time. so several times i have been stuck at home with 4 kids [4,2,2 and 4 months] and was SO sick. but i really just had to suck it up. i was so close to having a breakdown 95% of the time.

get well soon!

Answer 2

Definitely get help if you possibly can -- a babysitter, or have your husband explain at work that there's a family emergency that requires him to be home.  You definitely can't take care of a child with vertigo or if you're asleep.  Or maybe do you have a friend who could at least take the two year old so you could nap when the baby does?

If that's really impossible, ask your doctor if there's an alternative that doesn't cause sleepiness (I know, for example, that there are types of dramamine that are "non-drowsy" -- possibly there are for prescription motion sickness drugs, as well).  If that fails, ask the doctor if it's safe to take some caffeine or something else to offset the sleepiness.

Feel better!

Answer 3

Can you try a half dose of the meds and drink some caffeine?

That would be what I would try if I had no one to help me out.

Answer 4

ask a friend to babysit and you can stay at another friends house or go to a hotel or somthing

Answer 5

It's the worse feeling in the world.

I saw stay in bed and rent the Jimmy Stewart movie as it

kinda hits home.

Vertigo

Answer 6

Can you get a mothers helper for a few hours each day so you can nap?  The mothers helper can be responsible for the kids, while you are home, and possible even some light housework.  You definitely deserve some time to sleep.  You shouldn't have to put the medicine on hold and deal with the pain and you also shouldn't have to fight drousyness

Answer 7

I know the feeling - not from ear infections, but from stomach viruses that have left me unable to move for 2 days. It is terrible.

In honesty, I could not have done it if my husband hadn't taken off work.

Can your husband take off 2 days? 2 days will help you adjust to the medicine and you won't be as tired on Friday. Then the weekend is here.

get better!!