 [ Symptoms ] 5 months after bilateral grommets still in agony  i had bilateral grommets fitted in july and im still in agony i have asked my dr could it be mastoiditis as i have been told symptoms are very alike and he just laughed and forgot about it my symptoms are feeling ill swelling and a lump behind ears waking up because i lay on the side of my head but with pain yellowwhite fluid leaking from ears and head aches also this pain effect both sides of whole sides of headsjaws and my hearing is effected [ Disease ] any patient specific treatment instructions should be done by the medical provider who is caring for you but if you do not need the pain relief from vicodin now you can switch to ibuprofen at any time if your doctor is okay with it the vicodin will not be bio effective after six hours or so so anytime after that