To ask gp for different painkillers

[SuziSecondLaw]

Posting here for traffic, but please please please help me.

This is just details, can skip this.. woke with sudden bad sore throat when swallowing on right side 5 days ago, also had chills, fever, body aches, huge swollen glands in neck etc, called 111 2 days later as couldn't eat or sleep due to throat pain, sent photo of throat, they said strep or tonsillitis, gave me antibiotics. Today (2 days after that) called 111 again as no improvement in throat at all. Went to see a doctor he said possibly tonsillitis and glandular fever (at this point pain has swapped sides but actually even worse), he's prescribed me different stronger antibiotics, and full strength cocodemol.

Here's the issue, the cocodemol does NOTHING 😩

I have tried everything and nothing even vaguely dulls the absolute searing agony every time I swallow. It's unbearable. What can I do?? Is there anything stronger I can take? Should I ring Dr yet again tomorrow and ask for anything?

I've tried: paracetamol, ibuprofen, Co codemol, difflam, gargle salt, gargle tcp, that numbing throat spray, all the lozenges.. Ermm I think that's everything. But nothing touches it, not even slightly. Please say I've missed something magical?!

I can't think of any other painkillers, but you might need a different antibiotic. After 5 days, the other one should have worked, if it was going to.

I agree with this! Might be worth giving 111 a ring (or heading to urgent care) and getting a second opinion.

Have you been on antibiotics two days. They won’t have worked yet. Cocodamol seems very strong for tonsillitis. I know it’s horrible and can make you feel really unwell. If I were you I would alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen and continue with the antibiotics. Make sure you complete the course. Drink plenty of fluids.

Warm drinks, as constantly as you can and nothing too acidic
Painkillers religiously, ibuprofen and cocodamol and set an alarm in the night if you need to

Sorry I probably wasn't very clear, was on one type of antibiotics for 2.5 days, am now on a different type as Dr agreed that they should at least have shown some sign of working by then.

Oh, poor you. I had recurrent tonsillitis as a young woman (eventually solved by having my tonsils out) and I well remember that feeling of a knife going through my neck every time I swallowed.

I am not a medic, but I would suggest taking the ibuprofen and paracetamol/co codamol alternating doses, maximum of each allowed in 24 hours, if you’re not doing that already. If it’s truly unbearable go back to the GP or ring 111.

Ibuprofen, Co codemol and paracetamol don't touch it, at all, not even momentarily.
I've just eaten a small yogurt (first food in 3 days) and it was pure agony. Worse than childbirth. It's horrendous.

Co codamol has paracetamol in it so don't take paracetamol on top. You can take ibuprofen with it though.

I know it sounds crazy but you can gargle with soluble aspirin for a sore throat. You don't swallow it.

Have you tried Difflam??
Great for anaesthetising the throat
I swear by it when I've got a sore throat or tonsillitis

I would not take ibuprofen and take dispersable Aspirin and gargle it then swallow it. Really helped me when I used to get bad tonsillitis.

Be sure not to take any other NSAID medications if doing this.

You can take up to 900mg aspirin in one dose for short periods, but make sure never on an empty stomach as can cause stomach ulcers.

It's the 30/500 cocodamol and doing nothing? It's not a miracle drug but you usually notice some improvement/taking the edge off.

I can't imagine them giving anything stronger for tonsillitis tbh.

As PP said, I'd alternate with the ibuprofen.

You could request naproxen, this is stronger prescription only anti-inflammatory medicine. Better than ibuprofen (can't be taken together) but can have an unsettling effect on your stomach so not ideal to take for more than a few days without something like Omeprazole to protect it. Also did the doc rule out a quincy? Meant to be extremely painful Hope you're feeling better asap op

If it's really this bad I think you need to speak to someone again very soon

What strength cocodemol?? Gargel some salt water, just got to ride it out, sounds painful though

Could you have quinsy now, rather than tonsillitis?

www.nhs.uk/conditions/tonsillitis/ (go to the bottom of the page).

This level of pain seems excessive even for a bad dose of tonsillitis - speaking from experience here!

call the GP tomorrow, there’s much stronger meds than can be prescribed if the GP thinks that’s appropriate. Sounds like you need to be checked over again. You poor thing

Thank you everyone, really appreciate your comments.

Dr checked this morning for quinsy and I don't have one of those. I told him how extremely painful it was etc, he was really lovely, and I came away from the appointment with a little hope because I now had co codemol and surely that would work. When it did absolutely nothing to help I started googling how to make myself unconscious 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️ Not my proudest moment, but holy hell the pain.

I'm on the max strength Co codemol 30mg. Can't believe they haven't even dulled the pain?!

I'll try the aspirin gargle.. Haven't tried that yet!

DIFFLAM!!!!!

Tried difflam, nothing 😩

I don't think they'll prescribe stronger hope the antibiotics just start to work. If you can get a good sleep tomorrow might feel an improvement. Sounds dreadful

About 8% of the population cannot metabolise codeine

Id also recommend gargling and swallowing the max dose of soluble aspirin alternated with soluble paracetamol.

Get well soon.

Which antibiotic are you currently on and when did you start it?

ideally you would want to give it a bit longer to start to work but if it really is that painful then quinsy could be the issue. Is the pain getting worse, or is it stable and just not getting better? What is your fever like? Can you swallow your saliva? Are you drooling?

What's the betting I'm one of those 8% 🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️🤦🏻‍♀️

Try gargling with dispersible aspirin, will also help with inflammation.