Surfing Waves

About a month ago I started feeling feverish and dizzy.. the doctor said I had an ear infection and gave me some antibiotics. I was feeling better and started surfing again soon after. Then the symptoms came back. I stayed out of the water for a week and the doctor said my infection was still healing. She said I could surf with ear plugs. I got some doc pro plugs but I think the water was still getting in my ears because soon after I started feeling feverish, dizzy, nauseous again. So I guess my question is.. how long should I actually stay out of the water with an ear infection? It keeps coming back or just won't heal. Has anyone else experienced this?

There only one sensible answer to this question! Get your doctor to give you the all clear!
Chronic or recurring ear infections will eventually permanently damage your hearing, get it fixed then plus and a regime of cleaning as advised.
Many long time surfers have had to have their ear canal rebored , infection and inflammation makes this likely too,

Why do they call them Nose Ear Throat specialist/doctors ? Because it's all connected. After surf I always but my head down and blow my nose. I'm always amazed at the gushing river that flows out. Having all that liquid in your nose is added pressure to your infected ear. You can put ear plugs but not nose plugs...... don't risk it, stay out until it's healed. ( not that I listen to doctors, but eyes and ears is a different story )

I get middle ear infections if I surf without ear plugs.

Realistically, stay out until all symptoms have totally cleared up, then another week or so.

I use Surf Plugs, which are custom made. Before splashing out on these I tried lots of different types of ear plug and actually found that blu/white tac worked better than docs/putty etc.

The good news is that I haven't had a middle ear infection since always using plugs. I do get eczema in my outer ear, which can get infected though.. this has only started since I began swimming in a chlorinated pool most days.