shall I go to the doctor?

[ditavonteesed]

I keep reading about not going to the doctors. I think I have tonsilitus, the last time I has tonsilitus I ended up in hospital on drips as my throat nearly closed up. That was a few years ago though.
I think its bacterial ie I have aches and pains and feel poo, My throat looks awful although not completly white and fussy but a bit spotty. ewww.
The choose well app says to self care for a sore throat and to see the pharmacist for minor infections.

Can the pharmacist prescribe antibiotics?

I know its a silly question but i am trying to rethink the way I consume healthcare.

(I am training to be a nurse and 1 cant afford to take any more time than I have to off aand 2 understand the increased pressure servies are under) If antibiotics wil clear it up quicker then I need them.
So should I join the telephone answer lottery at 8.15 or put up for another day and see if it gets betters on its own? (no better today than yesterday, worse actually.

I think you should try and make an appt.
hope you feel better soon

Yes see dr, if it's got worse and u have a history of tonsillitis it's highly likely to be that.

No to pharmacist prescribing abs

I would see a doctor, the first time I had tonsillitis I was in bed for 4 days not able to swallow without it feeling like razor blades and I had a horrible fever, lots of aches and pains! Antibiotics cleared it up in 24 hours!

Hope you feel better soon

the other problem I have is I have a trip, so to speak, to spend a day with someone really interesting that I really want to go on, I am trying to convince myself I can go altthough in fairness walking downstairs left me moaning and groaning.

See a nurse practitioner - the wait times are usually much shorter than seeing a doctor. Do it asap and you'll be feeling much better in a few days.

I know with me, when I used to get tonsillitis, I could go from a sore throat to delirium and fainting in the space of half a day.

I think you should go to the Dr. I am just getting over the worst case of tonsilitis I've ever had and I get it quite often. Dd had to ask the woman next door (we are good friends luckily) to come in and help because I was lying on the floor crying in agony because even breathing was becoming hard. I had been to the doctor two days before and got antibiotics but because I had left it so long before going the infection had taken hold so was harder for the antibiotics to kick in.
Apparently it is rife at the moment. Hope you feel better soon. I would rather go through childbirth again than that..

Go to the docs asap. Sounds like yu need a course of penicillin.

If you have tonsilitis you shouldn't go on your trip as you will pass it on.

Get well soon! Tonsilitis is awful.

Thanks for the replies, I think I need a quick course of antibiotics, I am in that hour you get after you take paracetamol and ibuprofen when you convince yourself you caould just about manage and then it wears off and you have another 3 hours before you can take any more.

Most bad sore throats are viral, even if you feel rubbish. Antibiotics will do nothing for a viral infection though you are likely to feel better 24-48h after starting them (because that's the normal timeframe for a viral infection, allowing for a day or two delay prior to getting a script).

If you think you may have a strep throat infection, you need a positive throat swab and ten days of penicillin (renal complications) which you will need to see a GP for.

Aspirin gargles can be used for topical analgesia as often as you like providing you don't swallow them. You can also use a spray like difflam (local anaesthetic) to allow you to swallow.

What you don't need is "a quick course of antibiotics". Please see a GP.

I know what you mean about the hour after taking paracetamol and norofen. I find co codamol and ibuprofen better but alternated so rather than an hours relief then three hours of hell it's a slightly less but continuous relief. Usually throat spray helps but I found it made it worse this time, like it was burning.

I have an appointment for later which is good. I used to get tonsilitus all the time but the last time was so awful that I am scared of it happening again. They said then that if I got it again they would take my tonsils out but then I havent had it for 5 years since (maybe my tonsils overheard).

I cant bear the sprays, find them really painful, but will try the asprin gargling.

I have cancelled the day working I have and hopefully can rearrange. Lady sounded very nice about it.
I really need this to clear up quickly, my course has a 100% attendance requirement and I will have to make up any time I missed before I can qualify.

I have also ended up in hospital with bacterial tonsilitis. Have never delayed getting antibiotics since then. Used to wait 5 days to see if it would clear up on its own. Now I go straight away and the doc is happy to see me and prescribe antibiotics if they think necessary as have history of complications with it. Don't delay call today!!

It is a 10 day course of ABs and it won't be that quick a recovery. Tonsilitis sucks.

You really need to rest and get better or you'll just end up with recurrent infections.

If you're on nursing placement then you can't go to work unwell anyway as you'll be putting your patients at risk. Look after yourself.

I get tonsillitis and have been getting it all.my life am now 41 so I know the signs and symptoms s and yeswhikst most sore throats are viral hisdraconis mine never is I haven't bee. Swabbed In Years I think the swollen red tonsills with white pussy patches is emought to confirm to the gp.its bacterial.I always feels tons better after 48_72 hrs of penicillan I hope you feel better soon op.

Glad to hear you have made an appointment. It might be a virus, it might be bacterial, the doctor is the only one who can tell you.

Taking ibuprofen and paracetamol is good, try and space them out and alternate if you can. If you take any other medicine, be careful that it doesn't contain paracetamol or ibuprofen.

Hope you feel better soon.

Definitely go to the doctors. When people talk about 'not going to the doctor' they mean for minor things that a chemist could advise on. Tonsillitis does not come under that category and if you need antibiotics the sooner you start taking them the better.

I have antibiotics (well a prescription) doctor said to wait till thurs and if no better get the antibiotics.

Yeah, it's usually viral even if it's bright red tonsils with red patches. A slightly better clue is that if you've got runny nose/sneezing/earache etc more likely viral, but if all settling in your tonsils, then bacterial a bit more likely.

I'm holding my nerve - 2nd day offsick (fever, shivery, struggling to swallow), but pretty convincingly viral (runny nose, conjunctivitis, sneezing, swinging temps rather than steady fever) and about day 4 of illness. Hopefully just turning the corner... Have you discovered difflam spray? Gives you a fighting chance of staying hydrated and swallowing painkillers, which can make all the difference.

Glad to hear you got some antibiotics.

I followed MN advice and didn't go to the doctors when I had tonsilitis... until my throat started closing up, went to the emergency GP and was told it was bacterial and given the option of being referred to have them removed, and given 10 days of antibiotics.

Although most cases are viral, it doesn't mean they all are.

tbh the antibiotcis are to start on thurs she said if it wasnt any better, however I think it must be viral as I have just woken up coughing so much I cant stop. (started a thread sorry for duplication)

You need to see the dr my lovely.

From your description it sounds bacterial and sounds like antibiotics may be indicated.