To not want a 7th course of antibiotics this year

[Fcukthisshit]

Feeling so sorry for myself. I got ill mid December with some kind of weird flu / chest infection and haven’t been well since. I’ve had 6 courses of antibiotics and 2 courses of steroids since Christmas. I finished my last course of antibiotics on Monday and now I’m back to square one with tonsillitis AGAIN. I don’t usually get ill and this I’m really struggling to shake this. Tempted to go back to the docs tomorrow but I don’t feel like there’s much point!

Not really an AIBU I guess. Just wanted a rant and a bit of sympathy ☹️

Go back to the doctors.
Have you had bloods, chest xray, swabs etc? Ask for a full assessment.
Also ask about a longer course of antibiotics rather than shorter courses. Maybe having a months course could eradicate it.
Do you work, is it worth /can you afford to be signed off sick get lots of rest?
Hope you feel better soon.

I’ve had blood tests - all fine. Nothing else though. I can’t really take much time off work although I think if things aren’t better in another week I’m going to have to think about about booking a few days off. I hate being ill. It’s the worst. Thanks for the get well wish x

Do you push for antibiotics? Vanishingly rare for them to do any good in tonsillitis, even if you have a full house Centor score the chances of a bacterial infection are only 32-65% and on average they only improve symptoms one day more quickly than not taking them.

Nope - no pushing at all. I hate taking them as they make me feel so sick. It’s not just tonsillitis that I’ve been getting - it’s been a mixture of that along with chest infections and sinusitis. It’s just been tonsillitis for the last few weeks 👎🏻

Most sinusitis doesnt need abx and neither does a 'chest infection' unless it's pneumonia. Go and see a dr who is less quick to reach for abx.

@waterbottle12 unless you’re a medic you can’t state with such certainty that there is no point to abx for tonsillitis. My ENT surgeon states that he has seen a large increase in quinsy and sepsis as a correlation with reduction of penicillin use in primary care, and as a tonsillitis sufferer I can categorically say that for acute bacterial tonsillitis they definitely do make the difference between being physically unable to move, and back to work within a couple of days. OP, if that’s not happening for you, the back to normal within a few days of starting abx, then it possibly isn’t a bacterial infection, or you’re not on the right abx. Are you seeing the same GP all the time? You need to talk about what is happening and why you’re not getting better.

@paintcolourwoes I'm a GP and those in secondary care don't see the hordes that we do who are convinced that they need antibiotics and recover fine without them.

Make sure you discuss if you are getting the right antibiotic. I have recurring acute chest infections and am always given a particular, antibiotic. If I waited until I had pneumonia then I would be in hospital. It’s rubbish to feel constantly under the weather and I would look at eating well and resting to boost you, but you do need some GP support if you are having issues time and time again.

Abx were needed for my grade 4 tonsils and recurrent tonsillitis before they were removed in October. It was always bacterial because they were so big and scarred from 42 years of recurrent tonsillitis.

I’ve had sinusitis for nearly 3 weeks and vertigo too so going to the gp today as it’s not improving (in my frontal and ethmoid sinus now, was just frontal - yeah I am a HCP lol). I think it needs antibiotics and I need something for the vertigo (it’s lasted weeks before and I get it after ear infections too, damn my vestibular system).

I’ve seen 3 different GP’s - all 3 have given antibiotics. Same pattern though it clears up whilst on the tablets then 3 days later it come back. I take the tablets to the letter - don’t miss a dose and finish the course every time.

I’m literally on my knees now - working full time, looking after 3 kids (2 under 4) and keeping the house going. Whilst being ill for the last 3 months. I’ve had about 2 hours sleep as the pain in my throat has been so bad in the night and I’m due into work in just over an hour.

What would you suggest then hotwaterbottle if not antibiotics? Surely after 3 months there should be some improvement?

If it's bacterial tonsillitis (you can see white spots on them) gargle with dilute hydrogen peroxide. It's about £1 from the local pharmacy and is just as good as antibiotics.

Which antibiotic are they giving you? Is it the same one each time?
I would suspect it's not the right one to kill the bacteria and they go sub acute and then re emerge when you finish the course.
Ask for a different class of antibiotic and maybe a swan of the tonsils next time you have an episode so they can match the antibiotic to the infection.

Have they tried giving you longer course of antibiotics to kick it? So if each time you're only given 5-7 days worth, have they tried giving you 10-14 days worth? I had strep throat/scarlet fever last year and the first round of 7 days seemed to kick it, but low n behold few days later it was back and worse, ended up in hospital as couldn't swallow saliva etc anyway this time I was given 24hrs of IV antibiotics followed by 10 days tablets at home so 11 days altogether and that finally got rid of it.

Have they swabbed you? I used to have the same pattern add you and turns out I was infected with pseudominas which is not covered by the usual antibx. I would go back to gp and ask them to swab you to a) confirm whether it is bacterial and b) what the best antibx would be

Golden staph.
When I was little I was like you are now with added inner ear infections. Then one dr did a swab test and discovered all was caused by a golden staph back in my nose... Mum told me they got some spray to spray into the nose and I've been rarely ill since

Also get your liver function tested after all this

My oldest had a really aggressive strain of bacterial tonsilitis November - january. took 6 courses of antibiotics to clear - there are some nasty bacteria around in the moment!

I feel you OP. I’ve had 3 lots of antibiotics in the last four weeks. Have the doctors ruled out an underlying condition that could be causing recurrent infection?

waterbottle12

Very worrying as we are the first to advise people not to follow online advice from anyone that isn’t a professional and to dispense it without a medical history and patient presentation is unethical.

Advising someone to seek another doctor based upon the above is tantamount to ridiculous.

That sounds rotten. As well as going back for more antibiotics I'd look to see how you can boost your immune system.

The 16:8 fast programme is good for boosting immune system (even if you don't want to lose weight, take a look at it) , as is vitamin D.

I'm on week 3 of a throat infection so (literally) feel your pain. . I need to get better to be ready for catching covid-19

Warm water with honey and lemon or fresh ginger in it can help soothe as well.

Get well soon

Definitely ask for a swab to be sent, like a PP says it might not be a typical tonsilitis infection, hope you feel better soon!

I really feel for you. I had tonsillitis last year and I nearly died from the pain.

I can't remember the precise sequence of events but my GP gave me an antibiotic to take if it got much worse, which it did. It turned out to be a terrible decision, it was such a long course and it did not appear to improve my condition (I know, I can't know this) and insult to injury - I got a yeast infection.

Lots of ibuprofen helps with the pain of tonsillitis. I tend not to take antibiotics for tonsils unless been going on for 5 days or more as most time it doesn resolve itself. If you get another chest infection I'd ask for inhaler to take with steroids to open up your chest

Thanks all. I have inhalers as well (well controlled asthmatic)

Well I went back to the docs this morning and I have indeed got more antibiotics. I have a prescription for antibiotics that don’t make me sick and I have them for 10 days so hopefully this will be the last of it 🤞🏻

Hope all of you who are suffering too get well soon x