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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Back again with tonsillitis, getting much worse! Wait for Gp or A&E again?

28 replies

ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 05:23

Sorry for yet another thread on this!! For anyone who hadn't seen my old one the link is 'here'.

I know it may seem like an extreme reaction to go to A&E but from anyone who had read my old thread there is a lot of back story. Basics are that DD (5) has had non stop infections and antibiotics since feb. Dr has finally put it down to being her tonsils and wants them removed asap. Seen paediatrics who have put her on a low dose of antibiotics that she now has to take everyday for the next 6 weeks minimum which was supposed to help give her body a break from infections (because she's not putting on any weight or 'thriving').

2 and a half weeks in to being on the long term antibiotics and she started to get a sore throat and minor fever on Monday night so got an appt for her first thing Tuesday morning with the GP. They said it's definitely tonsillitis again, took a swab and stopped the long term antibiotics to put her back on a two week strong dose of co amoxiclav. She will restart the long term ones once that has finished.

However during the night her temp has really spiked (40.5) and she's now crying saying the pain is so bad. She's been on the antibiotics for 48 hours now so shouldn't she be starting to feel better not worse? Not sure what's best to do. Starting to really reach the end of my tether with it all! Especially because we spoke to the ENT team this week who have deemed it not an emergency so she's been placed on the regular waiting list which we've been told is over a year!

OP posts:
SummerLove2306 · 11/08/2022 05:25

I would phone NHS 24 (111) and tell them the situation. They may give you an appointment with out of hours GP.

Hope she gets some relief soon!

SavoirFlair · 11/08/2022 05:42

SummerLove2306 · 11/08/2022 05:25

I would phone NHS 24 (111) and tell them the situation. They may give you an appointment with out of hours GP.

Hope she gets some relief soon!

This.

Original poster
ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 06:02

Thanks both I will give them a call now

OP posts:
MummyInTheNecropolis · 11/08/2022 06:08

My DD is currently really suffering from painful tonsillitis, though she’s a lot older (16). She’s been on antibiotics for 48 hours now and has only got worse so I’m taking her to the walk in centre first thing - it opens at 8am. Do you have one near you?

Roady1 · 11/08/2022 06:20

I don't think you'd be unreasonable to go. You've done it their way and it's not working. Personally I'd now be kicking up a stink. Leaving your daughter with recurrent infections for potentially over a year is not okay.

As annoying as it is I'd probably be taking her there every time something happened from now on in the hope they'd bring her surgery forward just to get rid of us.

Original poster
ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 06:20

MummyInTheNecropolis · 11/08/2022 06:08

My DD is currently really suffering from painful tonsillitis, though she’s a lot older (16). She’s been on antibiotics for 48 hours now and has only got worse so I’m taking her to the walk in centre first thing - it opens at 8am. Do you have one near you?

Sorry to hear your DD is suffering too! We don't have a walk in centre near by unfortunately. Currently on hold with 111 but they said it could be a couple of hours wait for a call back so I may just be better off waiting for the gp's to open at 8

OP posts:
Original poster
ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 06:23

Roady1 · 11/08/2022 06:20

I don't think you'd be unreasonable to go. You've done it their way and it's not working. Personally I'd now be kicking up a stink. Leaving your daughter with recurrent infections for potentially over a year is not okay.

As annoying as it is I'd probably be taking her there every time something happened from now on in the hope they'd bring her surgery forward just to get rid of us.

That's what I've been saying to my husband. I'm going to just have to kick up a big fuss every time she gets poorly with it. I know to some people it will just sound like we are overreacting because it's 'just' tonsillitis but she literally gets unwell every other week. She's missed so much of her first year at school, her attendance is only at 70% and she shouldn't have to be feeling really poorly every week!

OP posts:
MummyInTheNecropolis · 11/08/2022 06:27

@ohnoohnoo you are not overreacting at all, tonsillitis can be horrendous and can on rare occasions lead to quinsy which can be dangerous. This is what I’m most worried about with my DD at the moment. I’ve never seen her in so much pain. Do whatever it takes to get your DD the help she needs. Best of luck to you both Flowers

Original poster
ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 06:32

@MummyInTheNecropolis thank you. I hope your DD feels better soon too!

OP posts:
Whattodo74639 · 11/08/2022 08:30

I don’t think an A&E trip is dramatic, when I was last in hospital a young girl was admitted onto the ward for several days with me for IV antibiotics for a really bad case of tonsillitis… to be fair I would take her to A&E every time she got it so they took them out quicker, because they will soon get fed up of you turning up their and might see it as a quicker way out to just admit her and do them as an emergency!

Whattodo74639 · 11/08/2022 08:30

*there

RonObvious · 11/08/2022 08:32

Roady1 · 11/08/2022 06:20

I don't think you'd be unreasonable to go. You've done it their way and it's not working. Personally I'd now be kicking up a stink. Leaving your daughter with recurrent infections for potentially over a year is not okay.

As annoying as it is I'd probably be taking her there every time something happened from now on in the hope they'd bring her surgery forward just to get rid of us.

I agree with this. I had a friend who put up with constant recurring bouts of tonsillitis for years, because the waiting lists were so long. It was really debilitating for her - but she was an adult and able to treat and handle it. I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for such a young child!

CornishGem1975 · 11/08/2022 08:35

I don't think it's dramatic, trust your instincts. Tonsilitis can be awful and I've known people to be hospitalised and have them taken out as an urgent surgery. You can also develop sepsis so if you're concerned, you should get her looked at. Hope she feels better soon, it's an awful illness that if you've never had you can't comprehend how crap it can make you feel.

CamillaToe · 11/08/2022 08:44

Your poor dd

It certainly isn't "just" tonsillitis

I hope you get some help from the GP/111 but I'm not sure what else the GP can do. It does sound like you need to be seen by someone at the hospital as soon as possible

RelativePitch · 11/08/2022 08:53

I feel for you. I had to watch my son be ill for a year before he qualified for a tonsillectomy (needed to have 7 infections in 12 months)But as soon as he did qualify it was only a 3 month wait to get them out. I'd just make such a fuss. Tonsillitis is serious. My housemate at uni developed quinsy and sepsis because of tonsillitis. He was in hospital on IV antibiotics for 2 weeks. You just have to make a nuisance of yourself. Get on a cancellation list.

RelativePitch · 11/08/2022 08:55

I will add, I've had bacterial tonsillitis half a dozen times over my lifetime and it is hands down the sickest I've ever been of any illness. Your poor DD.

Boybandfacedfannyfart · 11/08/2022 09:11

I used to think “just tonsillitis” until I was taken in a bloody ambulance for a week’s inpatient stay! 😲 just went to the GP thinking antibiotics and they wouldn’t even let me home to get jammies. Hope she’s better soon. X

Original poster
ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 10:02

RelativePitch · 11/08/2022 08:53

I feel for you. I had to watch my son be ill for a year before he qualified for a tonsillectomy (needed to have 7 infections in 12 months)But as soon as he did qualify it was only a 3 month wait to get them out. I'd just make such a fuss. Tonsillitis is serious. My housemate at uni developed quinsy and sepsis because of tonsillitis. He was in hospital on IV antibiotics for 2 weeks. You just have to make a nuisance of yourself. Get on a cancellation list.

This is why I thought we would qualify for her to be on the emergency list as this is her 10th bout since February this year so only 6 months! But they still say she has to be on the non urgent list and wait a year for an appt!

OP posts:
Starlight86 · 11/08/2022 10:10

I would go to A&E

Not to scare you, but my daughter was similar, she was non stop unwel from sept to may.

Kept getting told it was viral, sometimes it was tonsilities bla bla bla.

The last time i was told ear infection....only it wasnt.

She had meningitis, caught in time because we took her to a&e. She was on IV antibiotics for 10 days.

I wouldn't hesitate going to A&E in future.

MummyInTheNecropolis · 11/08/2022 10:15

How is she today @ohnoohnoo ?
We went to the walk in centre today and got new antibiotics, plus naproxen for the pain. Also discovered she has an infection in both ears as well as the tonsillitis so I’m glad I took her. They said if she isn’t better in 72 hours to take her back to them or straight to a&e.

Original poster
ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 10:19

MummyInTheNecropolis · 11/08/2022 10:15

How is she today @ohnoohnoo ?
We went to the walk in centre today and got new antibiotics, plus naproxen for the pain. Also discovered she has an infection in both ears as well as the tonsillitis so I’m glad I took her. They said if she isn’t better in 72 hours to take her back to them or straight to a&e.

Glad you managed to get some help quickly. 111 said it would be quicker to wait for a call from our own Gp so I called them at 8 and requested an appt as soon as possible but they still haven't called! The only reason I'm tempted to wait for the Gp to call is because they took a swab on Tuesday to check what antibiotics would work best so I'm hoping they will have the results from that. Every time we've been in to A&E with her they always say they don't have access to any of her records/test results etc

OP posts:
yousolucky · 11/08/2022 10:21

My 5yo DD was the same. She was diagnosed with adenoids, which is something different, but similar. Nothing helped until she's had an operation.
Check at night if she's not withholding her breath (sleep apnea?) - this might put her to the front of the queue for operation if you mention this to the dr.

Apple42 · 11/08/2022 10:29

Your poor little one, we had to wait a year 0r 11 infections as well before my son was even referred to the hospital and I still believe it was only because I kicked off. Hospital appointment finally after 6 months wait where the consultant had a fit about the size of them ( 1 was half way over the mouth) they were out within the fortnight. My son was like a different child after the op it was great.

Minecraftatemychild · 11/08/2022 10:34

So sorry this is happening. Look into cost of private tonsillectomy, it’s probably worth it.

Original poster
ohnoohnoo · 11/08/2022 10:39

@yousolucky yeah they have mentioned about her adenoids, the Gp has requested that she has them removed as well as her tonsils. She does have sleep apnea but when we told the paediatrician that he just scoffed and said she was too young to suffer from that so he just dismissed it. Despite me and my husband both having witnessed it.

We have looked in to the cost of going private but it's over 2.5k and something that we cannot afford at the moment. We also wouldn't be able to get a loan for it.

OP posts: