Horrible sore throat and supposed to fly on holiday on Saturday….

[Embelline]

Panicking a bit as I’ve woken up with a horrible sore throat when I swallow, feels really raw. I’ve done a Covid test and it’s negative, but I’m worrying about it getting worse as last time I had a sore throat like this it lasted weeks and turned out to be strep - I was pretty much stuck in bed and in a lot of pain.
I’m also worried that my three year old DS is going to pick it up and get poorly while we are out there.

This is a big family holiday on a group booking - the other people going really need this break as they’ve had a lot going on and I already know that if we have to cancel we have to cancel the whole thing because of the way it’s booked, so it would have to be cancelled for everyone.

I’m beside myself, it’s our first holiday abroad in four years and it was SO expensive.

Ive just gargled TCP and taken ibuprofen but it hasn’t really done anything.

I don’t really know what I want from this thread really - what would you do?

Hope you feel better soon op. Sounds like it was middle of the night worry. Bet you can see the doctor and get any necessary treatment much faster than in the UK, and Greece is fine for any problems. Enjoy the trip.

Btw another poster said about salt water. Bugs can't survive that environment so gargling really does help - so simple and easy too.

Oh and we have GHIC - not the actual card as our application was slow and the card is on its way but I’ve already checked that we can still use it for medical cover because our application has been successful.
as well as travel insurance.

Thanks for suggestions.
any suggestions for DS If he does have an inflamed throat? Too small for gargling and throat sweets. Might pack some honey in my hold bags if we are ok to go.

Doctors today is a good plan. You’d need a doctors note to be able to claim on insurance anyway, they’re not going to give you money for cancelling if it’s just a sore throat.

I have managed to get a doctor to pre prescribe antibiotics for me before and I am sure if you explain the situation about holidays etc they may well do the same for you.

Could you explain this to docs (or 111 if you can’t get appointment) and ask for a deferred prescription or get the script and take the meds with you? (Travel permitting) that way you’re covered if you need them?

hope you feel better x

My doctors are usually brilliant so - if I can get in - I’m sure they will do all they can. Thinking ahead I think do they have you a note or copy of the prescription you can take antibiotics in addition to your security bag of liquids on the plane

I just woke up in the middle of the night and it was so painful and I was so tired and utterly gripped by panic that I may have slightly overreacted especially when DS woke up crying because “stuff is coming out of my nose!”

Please don’t panic and cancel. They do have doctors and modern medicine in Greece! Try to see your doctor today and if not worse case scenario is that you see one there and get prescribed antibiotics. The sun and rest will do you all good.

dont take a Covid test. Gargle salt water. Take painkillers. It’s a sore throat, you don’t need antibiotics.

Okay so update GP prescribed antibioticsfor
me and DS, but cleared us to travel. I’m going to wear a mask anyway.
my throat has massively improved after gargling salt water repeatedly and taking solpadeine max so thank you for the tips.
Ds has an inflamed throat and a bit of a cough bur we are both still testing negative and doctor said it looks like something else but I’ve caught it right at the start.

i don’t feel great about going on the plane like it tbh feels like bad form but GP and everyone else I’ve spoken to has said go for it

I hope you start to feel better and it doesn’t ruin your holiday!

I'm just over covid and it was awful but I would happily recover with lots of family around me to look after my kids as n a nice holiday.

Drs and antibiotic availability (should you need one) are easily available for €6/7 for antibiotics.

Thank you. I feel better now he has the antibiotics.

I’m genuinely shocked about all this casual requesting and prescribing of antibiotics for clearly viral illnesses. We are heading towards antibiotic resistance due to this and not to mention the individual effects on the microbiome.

Honey in a bit of warm water or chocolate are good for sore throats as they coat the throat.

Wow thats so amazing how you can diagnose a virus, online, without seeing their patient! You obviously know better than the actual medical doctor who looked at their throats and prescribed antibiotics.....

@WindsChange GP said there are clear signs of bacterial infection or she wouldn’t have prescribed because it wouldn’t make any difference if it wasn’t.
i do agree though they are given our very readily especially to small children, I was so worried last year when he started nursery and had so many antibiotics that I was hoping this year would be better - this is still his third lot this year, all for tonsil related infections. I wonder if they still remove tonsils now. I think he had something like 8 lots of antibiotics in his first year at nursery and I was seriously worried about the affect - still do, and give him probiotics and kefir etc because it just cannot be good for your insides. But unfortunately he spikes very very high fevers that don’t always respond to meds so antibiotics are often called for. He does seem to be growing out of it though as these incidents are fewer and further between now (touches wood!)

I actually haven’t got my prescription yet as I’ve improved with salt water and some codeine based tablets - I do prefer not to get them if I can help it but I do feel much better that my three year old has them - I don’t think the Gp would prescribe if they didn’t think they were necessary?

fortunately our flight has been delayed til Sunday now - never though I’d say fortunately in that sentence - so I’m hoping by then we are both a lot better..

@Embelline go and enjoy your holiday! Illnesses like this are absolutely rife this time of year and I get you've had some bad experiences in the past but these sound like normal winter bugs. Half the people on your plane will have some kind of virus, that is the world we live in. Enjoy your holiday and try not to worry about the what ifs

Get as much rest and sleep as you possibly can before you go.

Thought I’d come back and report. Strefen throat lozenges were a game changer for me. By the time we flew I felt much better and DS was on the mend too so we managed to have a lovely holiday and apart from being a bit tired (which was fine as we had nothing to do!) we were all okay.

thanks for all the advice and reassurance on here.

i Covid tested and wore a mask while travelling as well.