Long-lasting tonsillitis...can it outlive antibiotics?!

[porttree]

I came down with a razorblade-like throat and headache 10 days ago. Felt really poorly, assumed it was tonsillitis and stayed in bed - literally - for next 5 days before going to the doctor on day 6. He agreed it was severe tonsillitis, prescribed antibiotics and the rest of the week off work. I have rested up all week, and although my throat got better, I continued to feel exhausted, and spent most of the week in bed bar school run / child care etc. I've slept loads (am usually a very poor sleeper) and really given myself a chance to get better.

Today is day 11, and my throat is really sore again! Can't believe it.... I am still taking the antibiotics (the course ends tonight). Is it the same tonsillitis that won't go away? Another infection? Don't know what to make of it, and would really appreciate any advice. Thanks.

[EllenandBump]

Possibly if your sleeping a lot it could just be that your throats getting really dry, if the tiredness continues over a longer period go back to your doctor and tell them how tired you are feeling etc, and that you were wondering if your suffering from anaemia, they should run some blood tests and if you are they will be able to treat it. x

[catsareevil]

It may be that the organism causing your tonsilitis was not especially sensitive to the antibiotics you were given. Your GP would be able to advise you.

[MadameCastafiore]

Go to chemist get some hydrogen peroxide and dilute it 5/1 with water as directed on bottle - gargle every hours, spitting out the foamy stuff that comes off your tonsils and you will be infection free in 24hrs.

I am not a dr but had antibiotic resistant tonsilitus as had so many of the bloody antibiotics and in the end was the only thing that helped.

[Fluffycloudland77]

I had lots of tonsillitis until I realise that coffee, tea and alcohol make it much worse.

I drink 2ltrs of water a day to keep it all flushed out as the movement of the water washes the bacteria any debris off the area and cools it down.

I only have one cup of tea a day now, no coffee and no alcohol. Drank alcohol and lots of tea over xmas, guess who is sitting in bed with a throat infection? moi.

The pain of it was worth giving up alcohol for (lost half a stone overnight too).

[EllenandBump]

Not sure about hydrogen peroxide...it does work on horses feet to kill bacteria, but not sure i would want to gargle it. Have yo tried DIFFLAM spray. I had a really bad throat infection, i actually ended up going to the urgent care clinic at the hospital (was a sunday) and being prescribed this spray and anti-biotics. Doesnt taste very nice and can make your throat go numb but does REALLY help. x

[pooka]

Oh I feel your pain. I had a grand total of 7 weeks of tonsillitis recently. Had amoxicillin first, for 7 days. Felt better for the last 2 days of the course, finished them and then wham! Back again 2 days later. Then 7 days penicillin v. Same story. Then 10 days more of penicillin v. Then back again about 2 days after the end of the course. Finally 7 days of co amoxiclav. That seems to have done the trick.

In the meantime had 2 bloodtests for glandular fever and 2 swabs all negative.

Saw a consultant ENT a week after last symptoms. He said on the basis of the information looks like was a very virulent bacterial infection. My tonsils are still, 4 weeks later, pretty large and while not painful, they're kind of in the way. My glands are gradually going ack to normal size, from a point where front and back neck glands were like boiled eggs and meant I couldn't turn or move my head comfortably.

So yes, you can get repeated infection or an infection that is not completely cleared by alone antibiotic. The co amoxiclav is apparently very expensive, but is ace for getting rid of throat/tonsil related infection.

Due to go back to ENT in 4 weeks for a follow up. He said tonsillectomy was last thing he wanted to do, and I'm inclined to agree at the moment, having read up on it. Dd had her tonsils out earlier in the year and breezed through it, but with adults is much more uncomfortable.

With each of my reoccurrences I had the gunky stinky white/mouldy looking spots on my tonsils, throat and back of tongue. Hideous and stinky. And also high temperatures/chills. If you are still feeling unwell I would definitely go back to the doctor for a look.

[porttree]

Thank you all - much appreciated.
My throat did seem better, and has just suddenly got bad again today.

Fluffy - that's very interesting about the drinks. I did have some wine last night as was feeling better. Have been drinking plenty of water though too.
Ellenandbump - thanks, will get some of that tomorrow, think I know the stuff you mean.
Pooka - whoa, you poor thing! That sounds horrendous, can't believe it can go on that long. Didn't really realise adults can get glandular fever? My sister had her tonsils out as an adult, quite a few years ago now. She had a hard time with it, but doesn't suffer like she used to. Did you feel unwell the whole time? I have pretty much felt alright for the last 24 hours, and I don't really feel unwell now, just a sore throat. That said, I can feel a headache coming on I think.

I guess I will see how it goes tomorrow, and then go back to the dr on Monday if not better. Have already had 8 days off work, so really hope to be fit to go back, feel so guilty being off.

Such a horrible illness, and everyone thinks it's just a sore throat!

[MadameCastafiore]

Seriously they would not sell hydrogen peroxide as a mouth wash at Boots if it wasn't what it was meant for.

I only found out about it when I was waiting for them to be taken out and I have to say I would not want to go through that again - was the worse op I have ever ghad and I have had a few.

It's less than a pound and is much better than chucking antibiotics down your throat which you will eventually become immune to if you take too many.

[dontlaugh]

I am 36 and seriously considering a tonsillectomy as I am so so tired of repeated infection/time off sick. The post op can't be worse than current constant infections can it?

[Positivekatie]

I'm 16 and I've just came off of penicillin antibiotics for tonsilitis yet still have severe tonsilitis. My tonsils are touching and they have large yellow spots all over them, I have trouble swallowing food and liquid. Yet I have no idea what to do about it! So yes it can outlive antibiotics!
I have had tonsilitis 8 times in my life so far and I'm hoping that my phone call with the doctor on Monday will allow me to get them removed! However I've found out that they now no longer give you ice cream after having them removed, they give you crisps to remove all the mucus that is left!

[Framboise18]

I have spent most of the year taking antibiotics waiting for a tonsillectomy, just be careful it doesn't develop into a quincy (peritonsillar abcess) happened to me and I spent two weeks in hospital and needed an emergency operation as I couldn't breath. Also avoid being licked by a dog because when mines licks me near my mouth within 5-6 hours I start developing tonsillitis. If you notice you can't open your mouth or talk go to ENT!

[bluerose24]

NEED HELP PLEASE READ SORRY FOR LONG MESSAGE PICTURES INCLUDED OVER THE PAST 4 WEEKS.
She has just turned three two days ago. She got ill the first week with a temp that would not go away. We got given antibiotics from out of hours as she has puss and was vomiting. She gets tired with the temperature and hasn’t eaten well for 4 weeks. She drinks but not as much as she did in one go but enough to keep her hydrated. Her temp has spiked up to 39.5 at lots of points sometimes higher. Each time she has had antibiotics her temp goes down just over 24 hours later. Then when her antibiotics are finished she gets ill again within 2 or three days. She has had spots each time. We was told it was tonsilitis but have to wait for over 6 or 8 weeks for a letter for a referral. How much longer to get things sorted after seeing an ent we don’t know. Their was confusion if she was at first going or not even though she’s been ill for ages and had previous tonsillitis before these 4 weeks running. She never gets fully better. Her tonsils are big. We keep getting told its viral then tonsillitis but viral that’s caused tonsillitis. She’s been ill for 9 months. At firsy when she woke breathless they said it was asthma which she’s fine running during the day. She snores and has night sweats. Shes had a rash on her back and front twice in four weeks. The second time she had an odd red rash with it that wouldn’t fade under glass on her chest. We got her seen and they said it was ok and faded i showed the doctor again and said it didnt which he the confirmed it didnt. He said it would be down to her tonsils as she had bad tonsils and all the symptoms with it. She did say in the first two weeks her neck hurt which we was told was down to her temp and feeling odd as when she went to the doctors she didn’t complain about it. And was ok with light. She was taken to see paediatrics at hospital which came back she had a slight infection white blood cells raised which they again said could be viral. Viral for 9 months????! She had a swab done at our doctors last wensday while she was finishing her third course of antibiotics on the friday. She had some stones which he scraped for a sample. We went back on Monday as she was getting ill with a temperature again and beein threating to be sick. He said her tonsils looked big but they always are on her. I argued they were bigger and he said they cant keep giving her antibiotics. He said the swab was clear and the blood test was clear??! I said i swear the level was slightly high but nothing to worry about and he said different levels can be with viral. Viral... that shes only had tonsillitis 4 times and its not enough to be seen. I put across that another doctor said she was going to see an ent if her symptoms persist. Which he then said she’s getting refereed. He said its terrible for them etc. Healing is bad blood etc trying to said it was the wrong thing. But what else can we do with a poorly child and no help or solid answers? Also our nurse said we would get into trouble if we keep taking her into out of hours which we cant help if she’s ill after the doctors as she doesn’t seem ill enough for them when we do take her. Because her tonsils had no spots that day her temp was raised a little but not much as the nurse on the phone said give her ibroprofen as paracetamol wasn’t working to lower it below 39c so when she went it was lower... but we got sent away with nothing. That same day a few hours later when the doctors was closed we had to take to put of hours as she hadnt been sorted earlier. She was terrible. Vomiting with high temp and very sleepy complaing of being cold and shivering. We took her to out of hours which gave her antibiotics on delayed prescription which we got the next day but we got told again it could be viral. I’m sick of this viral thing. He said the antibiotics might be having a false effect and not taking her temp down but just the paracetamol and ibuprofen. I explained she wasn’t on either two while on antibiotics. He wasn’t concerned about her ongoing temp for 4 weeks as it had been on and off and better with antibiotics. This times she’s still got a temp with her antibiotics. Not as high when she has been on them but still 37 to 38 which is worrying as its not settling as much as it has before but shes been more well with them at least. She still has white spots on her tonsils and this time with thrush. She got thrush Tuesday morning after out if hours. We spoke to our nurse on the phone who said go to pharmacy we got cream a d the recommended giving her the course of cream after the antibiotics so it doesn’t re appear. We wanted her seen still as she developed spots over night and the nurse on the phone said she didn’t need to see her to give her the thrush creame first for a gew days and if her temp hadnt gone in two days give her the antibiotics. It had been two days alreadh and cotor said to gibe her the antibiotivs first but didnt see the thrush as it wasnt their in the night. So we gavr her the creame and she was just getting worse with no antibiotics so i rang for her to be seen a hour before our doctors was closing. Found it was too laye and got told to ring in the morning. So we did that and she said she didnt need to see her again and to keep with the creme and then antibiotics. She was still poorly hadnt been seen and her tonsils had stones so me and my partner started her antibiotics.her thrush was gone but syill needs treating. Got told cant treat the two at the samr time as it wouldnt get rid of the thrush. In the night time her tonsils had swollen to the point where they were touching and she woke up being sick with saliva and couldnt breath well but settled. We rang out of hours who said keep an eye on her. She was coughing during the night after her attack but was luckily ok. We havent be told whats going on properly. Had a pkan in action and been told what we are going to do after these antibiotics... shes still got a temp and if we go into out of hours will be told probably not to worry as she is playing atm and running around. But she gets terrible without the abtibiotics. No anwers and they seem to work less and less and she is finishing them in two days. Shes also got thrush down below which had been their for 3 months or so. Got told it wasnt thrush at first and now this. The nurse on the phone hasnt seen it but told us to give her thrush creame.

[bluerose24]

I have started a new yhread for this

[Kendrick105]

I observed something is stuck in my throat went to my doc he told me it was tonsilitis after checking gave me antibiotics(containing amoxicilin and cluvolanic acid) with flagen ND vitamin c.. Keeping up with the drugs It was cool I felt nothing but it keeps coming back.. Now am having difficulties sleeping resulting to headache(burning head precisely) I do d gargling also but I just don't know what to do