To want to rip my tonsils out myself

[Thurlow]

I got tonsillitis at half term. 6 weeks ago, 6 sodding weeks ago. And I just can't get rid of it at all. I've had three rounds of antibiotics, each one works instantly and I'm better within a day or so but then five days or a week after finishing them - bam, it's back again. I've been feeling shitty all day and just checked my throat and I can see the fucking white spots again. I'm so tired of this I want to cry.

Plus it's Sunday tomorrow, I'm on my own all day with the DC and no car so it would be almost impossible to get to out of hours, and anyway what will they do but give me the same antibiotics again? So I'll have to wait for Monday to see my GP. While trying to get through a day in pain with a 6yo and a 17mo.

And then what will they do about it anyway? This is the 4th time, I think I have to go through this whole cycle again for another two weeks, and that will coincide exactly with DP going away for 2 weeks with eldest DC while they try and work something out.

I'm just feeling very sorry for myself right now and so pissed off

That is horrible, sorry to hear it! If you are getting it over and over again surely they should take your tonsils out?

Apologies if this is unhelpful but a friend had hers removed privately for around £2.5k, if the nhs won't help could that be an option?

Hope you get better soon x

Sorry to hear you’re suffering OP!

I’m currently on antibiotics for strep throat. I saw the GP last week and I think she said that, the rules are now that you have to have had 6 cases of doctor-diagnosed tonsillitis within a certain amount of time (I can’t remember what that was! Maybe a year?) Have they taken swabs? I’ve had it on and off since childhood and I get tonsil stones too. It’s utterly foul and I sympathise!

No swabs yet. I have private insurance through work so I'm all for having them whipped out right now if they say so but yes, I think I've still got another case or two to go. I'm just stressing how to get through tomorrow with the kids at the moment.

Sorry you've got it too Nineties x

That sounds so hard, I’ve had to take two courses of antibiotics before but never more than that. I’m sure you know this but gargling salty water helps me, and keeping on top of the paracetamol and ibuprofen alternately. I really really hope it eases for you soon!

I had mine out privately in January. Paid just over 2k. Surgeon didn't check how many times I've had tonsillitis, I stopped going to the gp as antibiotics didn't work any more and sometimes it would resolve itself. It has changed my life having them out after years of suffering.
I hope you feel better soon.

Are you getting a full 10 days of antibiotics each time?

There are two groups of bacteria, gram positive and gram negative. Antibiotics generally treat one or the other type. Tonsillitis bacteria are mostly one of the types, cant remember which one off hand, but if you have picked up a case of tonsilitis with the other type of bacteria, this is exactly what would happen.

Look up what antibiotics you have been taking and if they treat gram positive or gram negative bacteria (google should be able to tell you). If they all treat the same type, you have your answer, get some of the other stuff.

Get well soon OP. Tonsillitis for a few days is bad enough but 6 weeks....!

How old are your DC? Could you put a film on for them/ lie on the sofa while they make a train track/ let them.play computer games all day tomorrow? This is survival. Cut every corner you have to.

I hope you can get them out soon. I had mine out as an adult and honestly have barely been sick a day since and that was 20 years ago. Your life will change so much for the better !!!! Good luck.

I used to get tonsillitis about 6 times a year, it was unbearable. They only took my tonsils out when I developed an abscess in my throat that stopped me from swallowing anything at all, even my own saliva.
I feel your pain, I hope they take them out for you.

Have you had bloods to check if you could of had glandular fever?

Have you tried gargling regularly with salty water?
The salt stops the bugs being able to draw in water, dehydrating then. Follow up with soluble paracetamol. Hope this helps xx

Got my Sympathies! I get it on average 5-6 times a year. The policy for my NHS trust is that they won't remove tonsils until You have it TEN times in 12 months. Good luck, I hope you get through the day ok x

I hear you. You'd need some way of cauterising afterwards though. I'm thinking scalpel then blowtorch. I've been picking tonsil stones out daily since last October. I constantly feel like I'm about to come down with something but haven't had full blown doctor diagnosed tonsillitis for 3 years.

Do you have raging fever etc each time?

I ask as I’ve had viral tonsillitis for the last couple of weeks - complete with white spots, golfball glands and swallowing razorblades sensation - but I haven’t been properly ill. General malaise but normal temp and not floored.

Have been advised that it’s a virus and that antibiotics won’t address it. Maybe that’s why the anti-bs aren’t clearing yours?

Have you tried Peroxyl? It is disgusting stuff but works well. Hope you’re better soon.

Try gargling and then swallowing a shot of ice cold vodka just before bed! It sounds silly, but I get recurrent strep throat, and I'm penicillin allergic so any antibiotics I get aren't strong enough. The ice cold vodka is the only thing that helps.

I use oerxyol too as above. I've spelt wrong. Start gargling as soon as throat a bit does and it doesn't develop. I gargle 4/5 times a day.

I'd love some vodka!

I can't remember exactly which antibiotics I had (eurythmamycin? Have I made that up?) but I'll be asking. I don't think it's a virus as I feel fine with ab's and very not fine when it comes back, sort of as if I feel rubbish whenever the germs start to come back?

Thanks for some sympathy though, it's appreciated - maybe mixing many painkillers and some peroxyl thingy tomorrow will get me through to Monday morning

I get tonsilitis a lot and ended up hospitalised when my last bout turned into an abscess. They said they will take them out if I get an abscess again.

I was prescribed a hardcore mouthwash to use 3 times a day along with 10 days of antibiotics (after 24 hours of IV antibiotics and steroids in hospital). It's been 3 months and I haven't had tonsilitis since so the mouthwash might be worth a try with the antibiotics (sorry I can't remember the name).

Hope you feel better soon, it's so rubbish.

Oh gosh, I have no advice other than persist and tell your doc how awful this is and it’s affecting your life. But I have all sympathy as it’s utterly grim. Look after yourself

The 6yo is manageable but the teething 17mo is who's worrying me. Plus this will sound silly, but in a week DP is taking the 6yo away for a fortnight for a holiday of a lifetime, I hate the thought that this will still be going on while I'm on my own

Oh god no, have them taken out if there’s anyway you possibly can!

I had mine out as child - the NHS were twitchy about the op even then so parents paid privately...I’ve never been allowed to forget ruining my moms steak dinner the hospital had brought by vomiting up blood mid steak slice 😷😷😷

But genuinely, best thing ever. Get them removed

Had mine removed when I was 2 years old so have never had to suffer.
However, just had my DS of school for a week with raging bacterial tonsillitis. he was on antibiotics and painkillers, but he even mentioned tonight that the best thing for the pain were the lozenges i got from the pharmacy. They're called Tyrozets and they literally numb the throat for about 3 hours.
Hope it clears up for you soon