This cannot be normal.

[monkeymamma]

Tonsillitis every. Single. Month. Right after my period. Last month it was horrendous - more like flu, with shaking, sweating, shivering, temp at 40degrees and unable to lift my limbs or swallow. Started feeling a bit throaty today (literally one month to the day since last time) and now feeling exactly like before.
The horrendous thing is that ds (20m) caught it off me last time round and we ended up in out of hours at the hospital panicking that he had meningitis because he was so bloody ill. I was ill for about 5 days and ds for over a week. So we are only just back to normal when this starts up again.

I know there are way worse things that can happen, I just want a moan cos this is really bloody getting me down. And if any of my fave vipers have any tips to stop this happening or sage advice please please help :-(

I used to get quinsies, where the tonsils form abscesses which can swell up and block the airway. I had mine out at the age of 37 for that reason, and have never looked back. I would say it took my throat about 3 weeks to heal properly. That was 10 years ago, and I can honestly say I have had no further throat trouble since then.

Repeated infections in the tonsils can cause them to scar, especially if quinsy occurs. Antibiotics to not penetrate this, and low level infection which flares up every so often can become permanent. That is what my consultant suggested had happened to me. If I didn't have them removed then, I would never be clear of it again. I didn't hesitate any further, as I had had enough of feeling like a badger's arse.

You need a referral to an ENT specialist with a view to getting them removed. I'm afraid it isn't your husband's decision if medically you are better off without them.

Have you had your throat swabbed for Strep B? I had exactly what you described for about a year coinciding with every period - began to think I was allergic to my periods and was getting incredibly high fevers - 103, shivering and what I thought was tonsilitis. Turned out to be Strep B infection - after 10 days of antibiotics have not had it since.

Strep B is a really nasty bug - turns out your immunity is lower around your period so you can keep going in a cycle of fighting it off and recovering then succumbing again. Hope you get it sorted out soon though - it's horrible to have

I agree with poppet - strep B quite likely and would explain why you passed it on too - whereas often with tonsillitis its just one persons reaction to a bug that in another has just been a cold IYSWIM

BIL, SIL and their Dc all had strep throat early this year and were proper ill for week

you need the right ABs and for long enough.

Your DH doesn't want to sort childcare whilst you recover from an op but is happy for you to be ill every month - WTF!?

Tonsillitis is truly one of the worst things I've ever had, people who have never had it think it's just a 'sore throat' but it's absolutely horrendous.

I did grow out of it after being a teenager thank goodness but if I was getting is as much as an adult as you are then I wouldn't hesitate to have them out. I really feel for you x

Thanks, Guff! Nice to know I'm not just a whinger. Dh is brilliant about childcare, but he's right it would be tough. Ds is very attached with me and often quite clingy, I'm not sure how we'd manage it but eyes as lots of posters have said at least we could plan for this whereas me being ill so often is obviously a problem.
Poppet and phantom - I'll see if the doctor will test for strep b. It is all a bit chaotic at our dr surgery as they are also out of hours service for the whole town and can't really cope with demand. I reeeeeeeeallly hope ds does not get it again - it was so awful last time, he barely moved and was raging high temp for a whole week :-(
Thanks again for all the help and advice - it's really appreciated!

I see a different GP every time I go

it'll still be on your records. Get them taken out and stop suffering! Hope you get it sorted soon, tonsillitis is awful

I had quinsy once. It was excruciating.

OP definitely get swabs done to make sure you're getting the correct anti-bs.

Sounds like you have a chronic infection which rears its ugly head every time you are run down (after your period)
I used to get a kidney infection every time I got a cold. A course of strong antibiotics followed by 3 months of low dose of same antibiotic sorted it, I haven't had a kidney infection in 5 years now (used to average 2-3 a year)