Antibiotics and Ototoxicity - might be out of range for this forum but o well.

[Doug-Chism]

  This might not be the right forum, I was having some blurry vision and eye abnormalities when switching over from erythromyacin to cipro but the doctor in this forum convinced me that it was most likely unrelated to the drugs, probiby a normal occurrance. Now I have become worried since developing a fullness in my right ear. It does not feel like an ear infection because I have no fever and my sinus's are not congested. Also Cipro would probibly prevent an ear infection since it is such a broad range antibiotic. A friend mentioned Ototoxicity since I have been on 2 antibiotics recently. My ear has a real fullness to it that feels better at certain angles ( like leaning back ) than others ( leaning foreward ). Also I have to turn my head very slowly now as to not become disorientated. I thought it was probibly a viral infection of the ear, but the ear is not making any of the classic "popping" sensations that usually accompany this type of problem. I scheduled an appointment with an ENT doctor but he wont be able to see me for about a week. By then the Cipro will be over with, and my other doctor than wants me to go back to taking erythromyacin for acne control. Either of these drugs could be causeing my ear problem which worries me. Should I seek additional medical advice or just tough it out? I am a 27 year old male, have been taking erythromyacin since I was a teenager for acne control and gasteroparesis without any problems. I switched to Cipro once before for 3 days for severe food poisioning w/ulceration once with no problems with it. I have been on Cipro for 6 days now and didnt start noticing hearing problems until about 36 hours ago, although the vision problems started soon after taking the drugs. If this is out of range of this forum I understand fully.
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Sorry about the late reply. There are certain antibiotics which can cause ototoxicity. These tend to be aminoglycosides such as gentamicin, amikacin, kanamycin. Erythromycin is a macrolide and is more commonly reported to have GI side effects (which is used deliberately in some patients with gastroparesis), but I have never heard of ototoxicity with it. Further, Cipro is in a different class of antibiotics but is not an aminoglycoside, and I don't think I've ever heard of ototoxicity wiht it.
ototoxicity (hard word to type) usually results in deafness, rather than any sense of fullness or discomfort. By now, I hope you have seen an ENT and the appropriate tests done. I don't believe the problem is neurologic (from the data at hand), but if your ENT suggests it might be, you are certainly welcome to post additional questions with new details. Thanks for your patience. CCF MD mdf.