To think a GP doesn't understand antibiotics

[FakePlanet]

I mean of course she would right?

Two days ago woke up and had such pain in back of my throat. My baby has had a bad cold recently. But my throat was swollen and eating and drinking hard

Went to GP. Confirmed tonsillitis and lots of inflammation

She then went onto a website and put in my symptoms and prescribed 10 days of antibiotics

I said but I thought most tonsillitis was caused by virus so antibiotics wouldn't work. she said she'd looked online and antibiotics were right way to go.

I have started taking them but the more I read online the more it's clear that antibiotics really aren't effective for majority of tonsillitis

Am I being an Internet idiot? Surely GP is right? But I'm sure I've just caught a cold virus off the baby and it's developed into tonsillitis but GP didn't listen and just kept saying the website said antibiotics

Also in the UK and never struggled to get what I need from the GP the same day. Not all surgeries are crap. Mine are fantastic.

Phenoxymethylpenicillin (catchy name)

It's also known as penicillin V, which is a bit catchier.

Thank you! I've got 14 days' worth by the looks of it.

GPs don’t always need to do a swab (actually I’ve never heard of anyone getting one- presumably because the results take a while so it’s better for GP to make an assessment based on symptoms.)

My DH had tonsillitis a few years ago and the GP prescribed ABs without even seeing him. This was based on a phone consultation in which DH described the white sores in his throat, his fever and vomiting and the fact that he couldn’t stay awake for more than about 45 minutes at a time. It had got pretty bad because DH had assumed it was viral and would go on its own so didn’t seek help. It got much worse very quickly, at which point he called the surgery.

Tbh when I was healthcare I wouldn’t do a swab unless the most likely to work antibiotic failed. It’s not cheap to send a swab off and most of the time confirms you got it right anyway.

It wasn't an unreasonable question, and now lots of us understand more about how GPs handle these things, which can only be useful. Don't feel bad.

What antibiotics you take 5x per day???

@FakePlanet - I think it was a very reasonable question on your part.

I'd be boggling at having to take 5 antibiotic pills spread throughout the day and on an empty stomach. It does seem a weird choice of antibiotics by the GP tbh (but I really don't actually know as I'm not a GP!)

I hope you are feeling better soon

I'd not bother going to the GP again since you know more about it than her by using Dr Google. Obviously all those years in med school were a complete waste of time.

Most tonsillitis are viral. Centor criteria

https://www.mdcalc.com/calc/104/centor-score-modified-mcisaac-strep-pharyngitis

Is used to calculate how likely it is to be bacterial (strep) and that's used to determine whether its more likely bacterial. Some GPs will suggest a throat swab to check and watch and wait to see if self resolves, some give delayed abx scripts to take if lack of improvement, but if you score v highly on criteria then abx from outset

Bacterial tonsillitis can be caused by viral tonsillitis

Gp looking online for advice 🤦‍♀️

IANAD, but GPs use online professional and official resources instead of hard copy books. Using google as a means to find the right website is inefficient but not illegal (and sometimes necessary if your computer has suddenly lost its mind - I presume GPs have the same issues as the NHS).

Unless of course they are googling research papers. Microfiches are a bit old hat these days and too big for the average GP surgery, and it’s often quite a long way to the nearest university library.

Or are you suggesting GPs should always operate from memory?

I can remember my Gp looking up a book before prescribing things, it's such a shame that people thing a trained medic is "googiling" !