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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To want an 'emergency' doctors appointment for tonsillitis?

60 replies

NoNonsenseNoddy · 23/04/2014 10:13

I'm currently in significant pain, unable to look after my two young children. Having had tonsillitis a lot on the past (once having been hospitalised), I know what this is. It only came up yesterday evening (after having normal sore throat and ear ache for 2 weeks), but I really want to see a doctor today to get antibiotics ASAP. The only way to do this at my surgery is to get an 'emergency' appointment. Which I have now got after having a tense/stressful conversation with the receptionist who scoffed down the phone at my predicament.

I am fully aware that tonsillitis is not an emergency, but I don't see why I should wait and suffer like this for a week when I am pretty sure that within 24-48 hrs of taking antibiotics I will start to feel better.

I would love to hear from a doctor and from others. AIBU to insist on seeing a doctor today?

I am feeling a bit embarrassed and also wondering whether it is acceptable to request antibiotics like this ? Considering I'm in a lot of of pain and haven't had antibiotics for years and years.

OP posts:

gamerchick · 23/04/2014 10:15

Sometimes I think drs receptionist enjoy the little bit of power they get.

I'm glad you got your appointment.. hope you feel better soon.

HicDraconis · 23/04/2014 10:17

Tonsillitis can be an emergency depending on how swollen they are, how much pain you're in (can you swallow any fluids?) and if it's a strep throat infection the sooner you start antibiotics the better.

I'd go for a same-day appointment in your situation.

Picturesinthefirelight · 23/04/2014 10:18

Tonsillitis is an emergency. You need to start AB as soon as possible. My Dad suffered from this & dh used to (had them removed now) & if the AB s weren't started the tonsils swelled so they couldn't eat or drink & could hardly breathe.

HypodeemicNerdle · 23/04/2014 10:18

Considering you've had it before and you know what it is then no I don't think you are being unreasonable at all. Tonsillitis sucks.

I had it a few weeks back, and I knew what it was too from past experience. I was only given a nurses appointment but she was able to prescribe the antibiotics I needed, she actually winced when she looked down my throat!

24 hours after starting the antibiotics I was starting to feel better. I hope by this time tomorrow you are on the mend

candycoatedwaterdrops · 23/04/2014 10:19

Of course YANBU. Our surgery calls them urgent appointments which I think is better than emergency. They always say "can you wait for a 48 hr appt?" and in your case, no you can't.

olaflikeswarmhugs · 23/04/2014 10:19

Could you maybe just ask for them to leave you a prescription ? My dr has done this a few times for me with tonsillitis I've had it loads too .

LittleMisslikestobebythesea · 23/04/2014 10:19

You need an appointment today as you need antibiotics, we have a triage at our doctors normally so they ring you back to decide if you need an appt that day, you would get one for tonsillitis.

Occasionally when there isn't a triage you have to get past the receptionist who asks if she can help! I said once I think I have an ear infection, she said you and half the town! Turns out it was a sinus and throat infection which affected the ears, but still had to take some strong antibiotics, I felt like going up to the receptionist on the way out to prove it!

Original poster

NoNonsenseNoddy · 23/04/2014 10:21

Thank you... These replies have made me feel a lot better about going... Yes , struggling to swallow, so I think I've done the right thing. Thanks again

OP posts:

SlimJiminy · 23/04/2014 10:22

It's not an emergency in an "accident and emergency" sense. But it is an emergency in terms of treating a condition that can't be treated through over-the-counter medicine. One that could become much more serious if not treated quickly. YANBU.

notthegirlnextdoor · 23/04/2014 10:37

YADNBU.

I had it about 2 years ago for the second time. It knocked me off my feet for weeks. Pain was awful, couldn't eat couldn't swallow my own spit.

Luckily I had a great friend who did the school run for me for 3 weeks (despite having his own child at a different school! Funnily enough said friend is now my DH!) Women from Church brought meals round for my DDs so I didn't have to cook and they helped with cleaning.

Fucking receptionist was nasty to me too. "You can see the GP in 3 days, tonsillitis is not an emergency" I responded with "Didn't realise receptionists were now required to have a medical degree." My friend/now DH got on the phone and demanded a same day appointment for me. Which I got.

EhricLovesTheBhrothers · 23/04/2014 10:39

I've been to the doc with tonsillitis before and they said it was viral so didn't give me anti bs. Is it different when it's bacterial? How do you know?

TheHandbagOfGlory · 23/04/2014 10:55

YANBU, DH is a dr and he has taken me to the out of hours service before with tonsillitis.

It's grim, hope you feel better soon.

EddieStobbart · 23/04/2014 11:00

Full blown tonsillitis is grim, The first time I had it I couldn't believe something I thought previously was simply a sour throat could make me feel so awful. I was so jumpy about getting antibiotics as quickly as possible at the first sign for years afterwards in case it reared its head again. So glad you got that appointment.

rowna · 23/04/2014 11:14

Ehric - you can see the bacteria on your tonsils - it starts as white spots and they grow and spread.

YADNBU op. I suspect the receptionist just isn't aware.

I hope you feel better soon.

x2boys · 23/04/2014 11:30

Hi I spent most of good Friday in a walk in centre with tonsillitis I have had bouts about twice a year my whole life so I know how awful it is I always get penicillin for it and I usually feel better after two or three days but some HCP can be reluctant to prescribe them I gotprescribed them on Friday as as usual I had access,s on my tonsils but the nurse practioner told me that the department of health recommend no antibiotics as you usually get better without them my sister however ended up in hospital for a week with quinsy which is a complication of tonsillitis so I would say it is an emergency.

x2boys · 23/04/2014 11:34

That would be abcess ,s!

ILoveFrogs · 23/04/2014 11:35

I had terrible tonsillitis a few months back, my throat was green and swollen, I was in a significant amount of pain. I couldn't get a doc app so phoned Nhs 24 and they got me an app at the emergency doctors up at the hospital. I got two different types of antibiotics and pain relief, it was worth it! Don't feel bad, tonsillitis can be pretty debilitating!

thebodydoestricks · 23/04/2014 11:37

True full blown tonsillitis is bloody dreadful.

Go.

Gurnie · 23/04/2014 11:44

Yanbu, I do hope they give you an appt. My DW had the most horrendous bout of that some years ago and was in agony. Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Pantah630 · 23/04/2014 11:46

Woo alert!! If you can't get an appointment, get thee to a health food shop and pick up some Bee Proplis tincture, four drops in a little warm water and gargle well, you can knock it back as well. Anti viral, anti fungal, etc...... It does work, I swear by it and don't bother with antibiotics anymore just use this at the first sign of a flare up. I used to suffer badly with tonsillitis, it is grim. Get well soon OP

paulapantsdown · 23/04/2014 11:49

I ended up in a and e once with tonsillitis that came on really badly on a Friday evening. I couldn't eat or drink and could hardly breath, but of course you can only get sick in your gp office hours.

This nonsense with GP appointments nowadays is also the reason I bought lots of amoxycillin tablets on holidays in Greece last year over the counter. Never going through that again.

Oldraver · 23/04/2014 11:59

Eric my experience of GP's and tonsillitis is usually this

ME..I have tonsillitis

GP.. Well we dont give Anti-Biotics for tonsillitis as its a virus (or variation of lecture), lets have a look and see if its tonsillitis

ME... ahhhhhhhh

GP.. Oh dear, yes, er, I'll prescribe you some Penecilin.

I think my worst bout my Uvula totally swelled up menaing I could swallow at all. Gp did say to come back if I found I couldn't breathe

Getting them out was the bets thing ever

EduCated · 23/04/2014 12:09

YANBU, as someone who had a rough few years with tonsillitis I knew that the only thing to help was getting ABs ASAP, luckily the GPs I've seen have always been helpful.

Hope you feel better soon, it really is the pits

x2boys · 23/04/2014 12:11

Exactly raver I always get this reaction me I have tonsillitis on i need penicillin gp well its not for you to decide that let's have a look oh gosh your tonsils are very swollen and you have white bits all over them I think I will prescribe you penicillin!!!!!

PrimalLass · 23/04/2014 12:12

I have never felt as ill as when I had tonsillitis. I could not get my head off the pillow. YANBU.

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