Tonsillitis/vent about family

[Becca19962014]

Following on from my previous "cold thread" it turns out I don't have a cold after all but I do have a nasty case of tonsillitis. I've been given antibiotics - erythromycin to take four times a day and told to rest which is easier said than done, and go back in two days.

I made a huge stupid mistake and rang my family who've never been supportive who had a massive go at me for getting ill and not getting antibiotics earlier and, then, what a total fuck up I am as an adult being disabled and a burden to a society which can't cope because of stupid fucked up workshy people like me (I'm disabled with recognisable conditions (the dwp granted my ESA and PIP without medical needed which is rare) albeit not to my family, I'd desperately love to work again but can't) and, decided now was the time to tell me I'd had serious problems with reactions to tonsillitis and antibiotics as a child - I'd assumed my terror about it was related to what happened to my relation who died after being sent home whilst waiting for an ambulance after they stopped breathing.

Now I'm really struggling with anxiety about all of this. Terrified it'll happen again. I even struggled to take the antibiotic despite having it before and being fine. I can't rest as I'm scared, my heart racing. I can't sleep because my throat is closing (that's partly due to my Ehlers Danlos and a known issue for me but obviously worse with a swollen tonsil).

There's a policy here now whereby tonsillitis isn't seen by a dr for at least six days to prove its bacterial, before that just over the counter/see pharmacist as "it's just a sore throat" (it's certainly not just a sore throat!) i was lucky that I rang in pharmacy and the pharmacist let rip at them about me needing to be seen immediately and the stupid policy and my GP was on call so could see me without me needing to discuss all my other conditions first, which I hate doing as it wastes time.

Anyway, any suggestions for what helps with tonsillitis? Or depression/anxiety/PTSD if you've any? I've a thread on here about positives, any other suggestions?

So far:

Gargling with salt water.
Drinking warm herbal teas (echinacea and raspberry and Camile and spearmint - the first I only drink when feeling ill).
Drinking loads of water.
Sucking strepsils every now and then (can't have full dose).

Also, keep your overall temp down and rest.

As for the anxiety, go NC with your family.

Manuka honey is amazing for tonsillitis. Just hold a small amount in your mouth for as long as possible 3 or 4 times a day. It’s very soothing too.

How do I keep my temperature down? Any suggestions? I'm already taking paracetamol and have a fan on me. Rest is difficult though sitting reading (a book not only here) is rest I guess. I need to get out for food and meds though so can't just stay in all the time.

Going NC with family is problematic for reasons I can't go into on a public forum.

Difflam spray. Amazing stuff

Is honey ok with diabetes though? I thought it wasn't (no particular reason!)

Can you get difflsm spray without prescription? Looking online it says it's prescription only.

When it's that bad, and I spent 10 days on ab in may only time and the ab's work.

Everything else is pissing in the wind.

Soluble paracetamol (instead of tabs or capsules) is great on sore tonsils - hold it in your throat as long as possible before swallowing.

Once you are over the actual infection Becca I highly recommend taking echinancea drops - 15 of them three times a day for a month, have a week off then start again for a month, have a week off and repeat over the winter months.

Its supposed to boost your immune system and because it's drops, it gets absorbed through your mouth more quickly than tablets fighting their way through your stomach. Be warned, it tastes like alcoholic pond water (you're supposed to have the drops in as little water as possible for maximum effect!) but I'm positive its helping me keep the colds at bay so far.

I was wondering, stupid question, do the alternative to penicillin antibiotics work just as well? I've a weeks worth of antibiotics, another policy here is seven days only and only if definitely bacterial.

My GP has flown in the face of the policy for treatment here already giving me antibiotics without a swab and results - I'd say from the way they were they're annoyed with the new policy as well as the pharmacist, not to mention the utterly dismissiveness of the policy - will be better in two days with over the counter treatment aside from strepsils what over the counter treatment??

blobby I'll find out about the drops. Thanks.

Can you take ibuprofen? If so I would alternate that with the paracetamol. I find it's more effective than paracetamol for sore throats because it helps with the inflammation. If you can get soluble ibuprofen you can gargle with it then swallow for maximum relief.

for you, I know how miserable tonsillitis is.

Sorry your family is not supportive.

Yes I'm taking Ibruprofen as well for another condition I have. It's all getting rather confusing with all my meds at the moment!

I was told to take the antibiotics course in full or it can cause rheumatic fever.

I always take them in full - I've a heart murmur so tend to get prescribed them quite a bit, much to the annoyance of the health board who fail to understand that some people are very susceptible to infection and they can become serious.

I've had a Google and it looks like the alternative to penicillin is just as good so I'll see what happens. No nasty side effects yet (famous last words).

I was going to go get some low sugar frozen yogurt type stuff but it's cold and pouring down so that's not going to happen. Watching Dawson's creek on DVD instead (got from charity shop this morning for £10 for all of them!)

Saw GP yesterday who said my throats a lot better - the purple spots I had are gone. However, I still have swollen tonsil, less but it's still swollen with white spots and lines. I finish my antibiotics on Sunday night and still unwell.

Should I go back? Am still feeling unwell. Not planning on going tonight obviously!

Gargle with soluble aspirin.
Tyrozet pastilles.

I was told I can't have tyrozets due to diabetes.
I've not tried soluable aspirin.

Thankyou!

Anyone have any ideas how long a throat swab might take? I had one done yesterday. Am worried as I'm having diahorrea after taking the antibiotics I have, not that it's really bad but that it'll effect the ability of the tablets to work/my diabetes.

I'm still ill. I've had two lots of different antibiotics and it's not shifting. I've been incapable of going out today as I've felt so ill (partly that's lack of sleep and I'm heading to bed now).

It's really getting me down. I'm sick of people telling me it's just a sore throat. I've never had it before I had no idea how bad it could get.

I'm getting slight improvement when I start the antibiotics but then it's not getting better. All I keep getting told (nhsdirect/out of hours GP) is I need penicillin but I'm allergic and can't have it.