To think phoning 111 for this is ridiculous?

[vcfhmj]

I had a sore throat that began yesterday morning and has gotten progressively worse. I am grimacing when I swallow, it's absolute agony, have a temperature and a headache and have been up able to get up and on with it. It feels like tonsillitis to me but I haven't even looked at my tonsils as that would involve sitting/getting up.

My mum thinks I should call 111 and get an out of hours GP appointment. I said no, I'll just wait and phone GPS tomorrow.

However, she is saying the quicker you start antibiotics the better. I haven't been Ill in a long time and I actually started to call 111 then decided it was ridiculous and embarrassing to call about a sore throat so I hung up (before being answered obviously).

So I am asking the good people of Mumsnet. It's clearly not life threatening, I will survive, is it best to wait till tomorrow so as not to waste anyone's time?

Oh I'm in Scotland and have type 2 diabetes if that makes a difference which I'm sure it does not.

I mean, that's the whole point of 111 - for things like this!

That's what 111 is for. Are you taking regular pain relief?

Take a photo of your tonsils with your phone camera, no getting up required.

If it's just a bad sore throat, gargle with soluble aspirin (swallow it after)

I am yeah, ibrufon and paracetamol. I could barely swallow it this morning though. Just went had a look at tonsils. They are very big and think a few white spots. Just going to call them.

its best not take antibiotics unless absolutely necessary. It will most likely clear itself in a few days, stay hydrated and take painkillers

Can you pay for an online/telephone gp service and get the antibiotics straight away?
I had tonsillitis a couple of months ago! It was horrible, but antibiotics cleared it up quickly.

The soluble aspirin is a game changer. Works even when nothing else is even touching the sides. And super cheap too.

I used to get tonsillitis all the time back in my party days when I was burning the candle at both ends. I'm fairly sure this is what it is. Unfortunately unable to pay for GP appointment.

Oh will need to get some, thank you

This is why Monday mornings are horrendous in general practice. Why would you be wasting somebody's time today? If your GP was open today you'd ring them.
Stats show people clamour for a 7 day a week service and then don't use it!
Hope you feel better soon.

OP doesn’t need to pay.

If she doesn’t think she can cope until Monday she can call 111. If she can manage until Monday then she calls her GP.

There are times when paying for things with long waits or little availability like a consultant appointment, physo, or counselling are worth it to hurry up a process, but not a sore throat!

gargle with Hydrogen Peroxide.
It does work - and until it kicks in it tastes so foul you'll forget about it.

Thank you, have gotten through to a really lovely,friendly woman who has taken all my details and is waiting for a nurse to come on the call to advise what I should do.

Difflam spray and cocodamol are the only thing that works for me when I have tonsillitis

Deffo phone and get the antibiotics. Tonsilitis with the spots doesn't go away without it and is absolute agony. As someone who has suffered a lot in the past you clearly know this. Also the doctors I've spoke to about my tonsillitis this year have been very much start taking these ASAP especially as you don't wanna risk quinsy.

Many years ago my student cousin was travelling abroad and came down with acute tonsillitis, he battled through without antibiotics but was later diagnosed with a severe kidney issue which apparently can happen when tonsillitis is neglected.

Isn’t hydrogen peroxide bleach? I don’t think it’s a good thing to put in your mouth.

Tonsillitis is usually caused by a virus so antibiotics are generally not recommended as they don’t work against viruses. People tend to feel better after starting the antibiotics as you would have started to feel better then anyway. No harm in calling 111 and being assessed though, in case it is felt to be bacterial or you are high risk.

Diabetes may make things more complicated so it’s not a bad idea to get proper advice from a real life HCP rather than the internet.

I would call 111 and hopefully get seen today. I had to do that a few months ago for DD when she had a sore throat and a temperature of 40. I called on the Saturday and got an out of hours appointment at the hospital on the Sunday morning where they diagnosed her with tonsillitis and started her on antibiotics, it took a 10 day course before she was fully clear of it so the sooner you get started the better.

Deffo ring! I had what I thought was terrible tonsillitis and it was Quincy and had to go to hospital, it’s what they are there for! Hoping you feel better soon xx

@PepsiMaxandPringleStacks do you genuinely think that you will have tonsillitis will last forever if you don’t get antibiotics? That’s not going to happen is it? A quick google will tell you that it will clear up spontaneously if you don’t treat and only use analgesics.

Maybe don’t give untrue medical advice here. I’ve had tonsillitis plenty of times with no antibiotics. No wonder antibiotic resistance is such a big problem.

You can do 111 online to get out of hours appointments, that's really helpful and much quicker than waiting for the phone calls.