To want antibiotics

[StrattersDD]

I've been ill for coming up to 8 weeks. It started as a mild flu, very sore throat, slight temp, headache, achey, and feeling generally unwell.

I now STILL have a blistery sore throat that's very red, and feel tired, ill, and fed up. I had a test for glandular fever, which, to everyone's surprise, came back negative.

What would you do?

[bruffin]

You can get false negatives for glandular fever. DS friend had several tests before he got a positive one.

[Lweji]

A nasty cold that lasts for weeks has been doing the rounds this year.

Just take it easy and rest as much as possible. It will get better.

[greatbigwho]

What do you want antibiotics for exactly?

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

There are some horrendous viruses doing the rounds at the moment. I've had one for a similar amount of time to you that's caused my otherwise dormant asthma to come back with avengence

[VoldysGoneMouldy]

Glandular fever is very well known for not showing up on tests.

I'm sorry you're feeling so rough, but I don't know exactly what antibiotics would do.

[louise987]

Quite simply, YABU. Go to your GP for advice but you can't self prescribe. (And I bet they're sick to death of people thinking they know what medication they need, but hey ho).

but others are right, there's a virus doing the rounds atm which sounds like your symptoms. If there's anything worse going on your GP will sort and prescribe any appropriate meds.

#antibioticguardian ?!

[Baconyum]

Antibiotics won't treat a virus. They're rarely needed for glandular fever. 8 weeks isn't that long if it's this or a similar virus as they're nasty viruses. All you can do is treat the symptoms (painkillers, antipyretics, anti-inflammatories not antibiotics) and rest up.

I've had it it's rotten but pretty much only thing you can do is let it run its course.

[StrattersDD]

Oh sorry, forgot to mention, the reason I wanted them is my friend has the same thing and is finally feeling better and back to college.

Do you think it might be worth asking for another test? My white blood count is apparently normal

I just want to feel better I get so exhausted from going up the stairs

[Witchend]

It's only certain types of glandular fever they test for. Sounds like you have one they don't standardly test for. Antibiotics don't work on glandular fever.

[Lweji]

I bet with your friend it was a coincidence.

What helped me the most was anti-histamines to clear up the lungs. And loads of rest.

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Keeping fluids up also helps. At a push if your chest is really bad they may put you on steroids but that's a call for the Dr

[StrattersDD]

I also have a very bad cough I forgot to mention, but I had whooping cough a few years back so it could be due to that.

I just assumed I didn't have GF, and was hoping what I have could be cured by antibiotics.

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Sounds like you need a review. They may issue an inhaler for the cough

[Lweji]

The inhaler is the key to feel less tired, but you do have to allow your body to recover.

[StrattersDD]

Confucious It's more of a cough where I bring up a lot of gunk, similar to my whooping cough. I do have very, very mild asthma, but feels nothing like that

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Gunk doesn't necessarily mean bacterial infection. Speak to your gp

[ConfuciousSayWhat]

Like Lewji says the inhaler will help make you less tired as it'll open your airways up. Not breathing right can make you exhausted

[Baconyum]

What colour and consistency 'gunk'?

Your friend is not you, you have completely different medical histories and people can have the same symptoms without carrying the same virus. The common cold and flu are not the same viruses that's why there's no vaccine for the cold and a new one annually for whichever virus is the more dangerous out of the I think it's usually around 6 different viruses causing flu most years.

[StrattersDD]

Sorry for the use of gunk, phlegm just makes me cringe

It varries tbh. I threw up about a cup of clear and fairly liquidy gunk (I think this was last week) but it seems to be getting greeny yellowy. Sometimes the clear has small red dots in.

[Lweji]

With a long term, bad cough, you could get small bleeds and sometimes secondary infections could take hold, but for the most part it sounds viral.
Do check with your doctor for better management but I wouldn't ask or insist on antibiotics.

[StrattersDD]

Thank you. I would never insist on antibiotics, I felt I needed them as I suspected an infection maybe, but big thank you to everyone for the reassurance that I don't!

[Baconyum]

Only your Dr would know for sure of course, but yes it does sound viral. It is a rotten thing to have if it is glandular fever. Floored me for 2-3 months initially and I wasn't completely right for another year after that. My Dr at the time said have drinks then more drinks then drink some more I'm not good at drinking!

[HicDraconis]

Sounds like strep throat to me - I'd get to your GP and get it swabbed (which will make you gag). If it comes back positive you'll need ten days of penicillin.

[Mistigri]

If you think you might be coughing up blood you need to get checked again. I'd second the suggestion of a throat swab too.

[jacks11]

I think it would be fair enough to go back to your GP as symptoms on-going. However, EBV testing can give false negatives and there are other viruses which can cause problems too (RSV and CMV for example). Viral symptoms can take weeks to settle, unfortunately. Post-viral cough for example can take 6-8 weeks to clear completely.

Agree with Hic- perhaps ask GP to consider throat swabs and if you have a productive cough maybe consider sputum sample for testing. If it's viral, then there really is no point in taking antibiotics and it sounds too late to even consider antivirals.