I've got tonsillitis and have spare antibiotics in the house. Should I take them?

[millimat]

That's it really. I've suffer quite regularly but have found a stash in my drawer. I know they're what the gp would give me so should I just take them?

I have done this for UTIs and been given emergency packs to keep in the medicine cabinet (of abs that usually work) so I don’t have to see GP . Usually get a UTI once every 6 weeks or so , so it does help a bit . Only on GP’s advice though .

I’ve also been given antibiotics when likely to develop an infection eg around catheter changes and been told to keep them in a drawer if infection doesn’t develop , and then I’ve got them ready for future use ... dunno how common that is though .

GP gave my friend a spare prescription because hers always started at weekends. She would start taking them, then go to GP who would give her another one. She suffered terribly until she packed in a stressful job she hated. Not had an attack since then.

Massive difference between having a spare prescription or full course because of recurring infections and having a few spare AB tablets lying around.

Spare tablets mean you haven't completed a course. That is utter shite.

And exactly what @Pineapple90 said.

I can't believe with all the health education around antibiotic resistance people are still this irresponsible with ABs!!!

GPs don’t alwasy prescribe antibiotics for tonsillitis.
I agree with others. Antibiotic resistance is a huge threat. Only ever take them when prescribed and as instructed to do so.

Yes I would and have, do you have puss in tonsils? Temp?

www.news-medical.net/news/20150424/Leading-scientists-warn-of-Antibiotic-Armageddon-in-Britain-and-Europe-by-2025.aspx

Worth a read to better understand the issue

I know it’s tempting because tonsillitis is absolute hell but it’s much more likely to be caused by a virus and even when bacterial a good gp will base treatment on severity of symptoms rather than prescribing abs immediately as it can usually still resolve on its own. Antibiotic resistance Is a huge problem and easy access to antibiotics in places where they’re available otc is a huge contributor.

Please try and avoid especially when it’s not a full course. What is the antibiotic?

I didn’t mean that to sound like you shouldn’t take them at all, but at least wait till you see a doc who can give you more of an idea if it’s definitely bacterial.

Up to you, I've done it. Always have some antibiotics handy.

Ask at your l local pharmacy

No.

Antibiotic resistance is going to be a huge problem in the future. People will die of things such as minor cuts that become infected and after routine operations. It's frightening if you read up on it.

Go to GP or if that's not possible, go to a walk in centre and make sure you actually need antibiotics. I say that as someone who suffered terribly with tonsillitis and eventually had my tonsils out as an adult.

And why have you got antibiotics lying around. If it's because you are not finishing the course then this may be contributing to you having tonsillitis again.

Doctor here.
The answer is 'no'.
The vast majority of cases of tonsillitis are viral. This includes many of those horrible, razor-blades-in-the-throat episodes. For these, antibiotics will not help. Try paracetamol and benzydamine spray. See your GP if you are concerned, they will use scoring systems (eg. Centor) and clinical judgement to distinguish between viral and bacterial tonsillitis.
And how do you have a 'stash' of antibiotics? Do you even have a complete course to hand? This suggests you have not finished previous courses, again contributing to antibiotic resistance.
As for 'well you can buy antibiotics over the counter in Spain!' - I spent some time working in a (non-European) country where there was almost 90% resistance to some standard antibiotics, meaning that we were having to bring out the big guns for bog-standard infections. This makes me sweat just thinking about it. Some of you seem to have no idea as to the impending disaster you are merrily contributing to.

Of course, why would you not do this? I also regularly suffer and need to start antibiotics immediately if I feel the beginnings of tonsillitis (psoriasis sufferer, so I risk a huge flare up). I keep a packet ahead so I’ve always got the necessary course in a cupboard for exactly these circumstances

Can I ask you about this? I suffer from psoriasis and once the doctor told me they thought that's what it was they ignored it.
I'm about to see An ear nose throat specialist due to constant recurring throat and ear issues and my psoriasis us so bad at the moment.
I only recently found out There may be a link.
I'm feeling a bit upset that my psoriasis was ignored and now im covered in scarring.
It took me over a month,4 GP appointments and crying down the phone to get the antibiotics that finally cleared up my last ear and throat infection.

Gp here. Most tonsillitis doesn't need abx. You wouldn't be getting the rest of the course from me unless you objectively needed them and I'd put an alert on your notes for inappropriate use of medication.

@Londonbum, I am curious about the connection between psoriasis and tonsillitis. Is there one?

Ds (13) suffered from psoriasis, poor lad and also complain a lot about chronic tonsillitis.

I developed psoriasis (guttate, but now smaller patches of plaque) after two consecutive bouts of tonsillitis (strep throat) - or maybe one, that didn’t clear up properly, if you see what I mean. Should say I did not seek antibiotics for either, because my work is somewhat related to antibiotic resistance, and didn’t want to clog up GP surgery with a self-limiting illness. Oh well!
About two weeks after recovery I woke up one morning covered head to toe. GP immediately knew what had happened and I understand the connection is well-established. There’s some information here:

www.psoriasis.org/advance/features/getting-psoriasis-by-the-throat

Anyway since then advised to start antibiotics at first sign, to attempt to prevent future flare ups.

Sorry about your DS. It’s very hard for kids I think. My mum does say I perpetually had tonsillitis as a child.

I developed guttate psoriasis after a painful strep throat.

I was on hospital waiting lists for removal, DF job meant we kept moving so had to go back to square one. I lost so much school time. Weirdly I no longer have tonsils, they thought they must have rotted away. My DIL has been hospitalised twice for this, some people are just plain unlucky.

Have you had a look at the back of your throat to see if there are white patches. I suffer regularly and sometimes it is tonsillitis and sometimes it isn’t. Seeing the white spots develop means I know I’m getting poorly and would take antibiotics definitely as soon as I could. I’ve had a sore throat before and seen the doctor ASAP and in the absence of the whiteness haven’t been given them but I have always just got better.

I would defo take the ones you have but see a doc tonight or in the morning to get some.

@Looneytune253 most people with white spots on their tonsils don't need antibiotics.

How on earth would you have "spare" ABs?
If you are ever prescribed them you are given exactly the right number to take, no more no less, you should always take them all and never have any leftover.
If you are unfortunate enough to have been told you need to start ABs at the first sign your surgery should give you an appointment the same day with a nurse or GP.

Have a read about antibiotic resistance.

There are virtually no new antibiotics in the pipeline. As AB resistance rises due to misuse, ordinary medical procedures such as C Sections will become life threatening if not impossible. This is not scare mongering it's already happening.

@millimat My dad is in hospital at the moment attempting to recover from an antibiotic-resistant infection. He's been there since we took him to A&E on Boxing Day with symptoms of sepsis. He has been given high doses of antibiotics intravenously every 4 hours every day since then, but they are not working because the bacteria which has taken hold is resistant to antibiotics. Eventually he has been seen by a specialist in infectious disease medicine who has prescribed the one antibiotic left that is still working against the most resistant of bugs. They protect this particular antibiotic from overuse because they are terrified bacterial infections will become resistant to it too, so it's use is the last resort and closely monitored.

How do bacteria become antibiotic resistant? Well, people take them incorrectly and allow the bacteria to build up defences against them. If, say, you have an infection that needs a 7 day course of antibiotics, the doctor will prescribe a 7 day course and that'w what you should take. But many people start to feel better before the 7 days is up and stop taking them. The first few days kills off the bug that is making you feel unwell and allows your body to begin to feel better, but if you stop the course early you may leave behind some stronger bugs which are not currently making you feel unwell but could do if you were run down. These stronger bugs have been exposed to the antibiotic and had time to work out how to survive against it. They reproduce and fill the void left by the weaker bugs that were giving you symptoms. These bugs that have learnt to survive include MRSA which lives on many people without causing symptoms. But when a person with a surgical wound or who has a weak immune system is exposed to it they are unable to fight it off using their own immune system and the antibiotics no longer work either.

The numbers of bacteria that are learning to survive against antibiotics is on the increase and by taking half a course here and half a course there against illnesses that aren't even bacterial is just giving the more dangerous bacteria more chances to build up their defences. Antibiotics should only be taken where there is a clear need for them and once prescribed they should be taken to the end of the course. If you have half a course in your cupboard it means that not only have you given the bacteria a first chance at developing resistance by not completing the course, if you take the other half at a different time you are giving the bacteria a second go.

Many people are not aware that casual use of antibiotics can cause such a massive problem, but in terms of things that could severely curtail human population numbers antibiotics resistance is up there as a biggie alongside global warming. I certainly do not want to return to a time pre-penicillin where a simple wound to the skin could result in death and childbirth is as perilous as it was back then.

Why do you have an unfinished course in the first place?