I have been having trouble popping my ears for a long time and have tried pretty much everything to sort it - medication, surgery, acupuncture, homeopathy, diet change etc....it is basically too much thick mucus in the eustachian tubes that is preventing me from equalising pressure. I don't want to try grommets or anything as it can damage your hearing but I am faced with the decision now that I might have to give it all up. I have seem specialists up an down the country and they have all just hit a brick wall.
I'm not that old but I love this job and borrowed heavily to get it. I have also just moved home (new mortgage) and changed types (bonded). It seems the pressurisation schedule of the new type is giving me problems - it was bad in the previous one but much worse now. It would be a difficult decision to just walk away and I'm not sure what else I could do to make a living. I am in my late 30s and really just did a number of random jobs prior to becoming involved in aviation. I do have a degree but it was a long time ago and I didn't really enjoy it anyway! I have a mortgage and due to a number of unfortunate decisions in my life I don't have a great deal of money, so if I give this up I will have to sell the house and move into rented accommodation while I try to replace my income. My company has loss of licence insurance but it isn't valid as I I haven't technically lost it.
Right now I am at a very low ebb and can't really see the way forward.
It would really cheer me up if there is anybody who has been in a similar position who has been able to go on and do something different outside of aviation. I really just need some success stories to brighten my day as I look through the job pages trying to decide what I can do!