Tonsillitis has come back before holiday, please help just want to cry!

[Cloud44]

I had tonsillitis a couple of weeks ago, pharmacist gave antibiotics for 5 days as there was white spots on my tonsils, they seemed to work. I’ve had a really busy week this week so haven’t really had chance to pace myself and since yesterday my throat has been bad again. Im in bed crying, just feel generally rubbish and got ear ache. I think the tonsillitis has come back. I’ve had tonsillitis a few times over the years but it’s never come back like this. Due to go on holiday in a couple of days and don’t know what to do. It’s bank holiday weekend so won’t be able to get doctors appointments, pharmacist won’t be able to prescribe more antibiotics they said before 5 days is the max they can do, and difflam isn’t helping. Please help!

It makes you feel rotten
I'm really "I will do everything myself" kind of person, and when I was about 30 I had a really bad bout
My dad offered to take me to OOH and nearly keeled over when I said yes

We went, the doctor said "why do you think it's tonsillitis?" So I opened my mouth, doctor backed away hastily and started on a prescription it was so bad, there was pus everywhere

Are you sure it isnt Covid? At least 3 people I know thought they had tonsillitis in the last 3 months, but it has turned out to be Covid .

The symptoms for Covid seemed to have changed, none lost their sense of smell or taste

111 have called back and prescribed another course of antibiotics, she said the 5 days probably wasn’t long enough so has given me 7 more days, I can stop after 5 if I think it’s cleared, and I should be able to collect from my local pharmacist this afternoon.
She said the best one to take is the same one as I took first time unfortunately and all ABs can cause side effects but taking a probiotic and yoghurt can help? I do have Optibac for antibiotics so I may try taking that alongside? I really don’t want another course because I think they will make me feel ropey but same time I don’t want the tonsilitis to get worse! She said there is a lot of it around at the moment.
Does anyone else do anything when on ABs to not feel sick or tired!?

So sorry, it's an awful thing! I echo what others have said; salt gargles and huge amounts of water. Are you able to rest as much as possible before you go? I'd try and get plenty of rest in.
I used to get recurring tonsillitis and someone recommended I take apple cider vinegar. It's awful but it cleared it up overnight, weirdly, I suppose as it is antibacterial.

Thank you everyone for your replies today. I’m feeling a bit sorry for myself this afternoon but I guess at least I was able to get the antibiotics. I just don’t know what to do about the holiday - what would everyone else do?

When do you actually go?
How far away from home are you?
Is there another adult going who is able to look after any DC?
Will you get ample chance to rest?

I'm currently on day 2 of AB (for a wisdom tooth infection so whilst I'm not ill per se I'm in a fuckload of pain but distraction is welcome for me so I'd definitely still go on holiday in my situation)

I've had tonsillitis only once in my life and it was about the most poorly I've ever been (aside from proper flu when I was 13!) but I did rally without AB by day 4 and I'd have coped with a holiday if I'd been able to rest and recuperate at the holiday destination.

** I had tonsillitis over a 4 day Christmas BH hence me suffering for 4 days. I couldn't even get OOO, by the time I saw GP on day 5 I actually felt okay enough and they felt it wasn't an AB jobby.

Go on Monday and 3 hours from home, another adult going so should ok in theory be able to rest a bit whilst DC being occupied but I don’t think I’d be up to do any of the day trips etc? Are you having any side effects from your antibiotics currently @Crunchymum ? Thats also what worries me slightly as I didn’t feel great on them the other week.

I see the conundrum.

I wouldn't cancel based on side effects I may or may not suffer (sounds likely you will have them though) but is there anything you can take to negate the side effects? Ask the pharmacist as they may offer an anti emetic if nausea is one of your side effects.

For the antibiotic: be sure to take the pills with solid food (if only a digestive biscuit!); you need a buffer in your stomach. Be sure to have anti diarrheal tablets with you when you travel. You may find the effects aren't so bad this time round if you built up a bit of tolerance last time.

I did mention at the chemist the side effects I had last time and she didn’t offer anything. They better work and properly get rid of it this time round!

Thank goodness you got another prescription for antibiotics. I had quinsy as a complication of tonsillitis and it was dreadful - I ended up in hospital for two nights, had to have it aspirated plus IV antibiotics and fluids as I was so dehydrated. You really do need to rest, but I think you could go on the trip so long as you stay at the hotel all day and don’t go on the outings. And no getting up to do cooking or cleaning either if you’re self-catering. Yes it will be hard work for your OH if you have kids to look after, but you won’t be able to help much if you end up in hospital!

If you haven't had a swab you may not even have bacterial tonsillitis and don't even need antibiotics just pain relief and time and to boost your immune system.

What antibiotics are you on?
Really bad virus going round that had my daughter in bed for ten days.

Didn't immediately have antibiotics but started some on day 5.
Couldn't take the penicillin. Was sick and diarrhea. Changed to Clarithromycin same thing happened.

It's really conflicting, you can have strep or tonsillitis with spots or without.
We saw out of hours GP and spoke with our normal GP.
They had different advice.
Most regular Gp don't swab in this country to test if viral or bacterial.
I'm all for not going straight onto the antibiotics because they say the body should be able to deal with it.

If bacterial and ongoing then antibiotics should help.

We got a strep test of Amazon. GP said oh you can buy them at the pharmacy which I'd never heard of.

It was negative as was multiple COVID tests.

I really feel for you it's shitty timing especially when so much to do even preparing for a holiday.

Is there any chance you can postpone it.

I just don't think I'd go based on what my adult daughter was like with whatever it was.
I even had to help her wash her hair and bathe.

She ditched the antibiotics and luckily by 3 weeks in she was much better.

Probably didn't have long enough course and your body would be depleted from the antibiotics.

Emergency doctor on 111 should be able to prescribe. Hope you feel better soon!

@Finchgold di you mind me asking what mouthwash you gargle with every morning? Do you find it helps to prevent colds/sore throats in general?

It started with a sore neck. Glands were up. Then a wall of illness hit me. Cold sweats just shivering and boiling at same time. Couldn’t eat, couldn’t swallow, couldn’t sleep. So so ill! By day 3 I was like I need to go to hospital or get antibiotics here because I am actually going to die. By that point could barely swallow, it was in my right ear, also in my head with an awful migraine at the back. My neck was like a daisy chain of lymph nodes. Nasty but kind of fascinating the nodes. So yeah I was completely fucked. Strep apparently.

@Cloud44 oh most definitely. The first day I felt like shit. Managed one cocktail and then fell asleep on a wooden bench during the sail away party. Started the antibiotics the next day and started to feel better a day or so after that. The only downside was, it left me with a hacking cough and part of our St Lucia tour was visiting some sulphuric smelling mud bath thing. The smell was making me gag as it was but trying not to breathe the smell in was making it a hundred times worse. It was one of those moments where you try and cough discreetly as not to disturb the person who's talking but then end up having a full on coughing fit. Thankfully I had plenty of water so stood chugging that down whilst praying we were getting ready to move on. I think that was the cruise i also got sunstroke on. Although that was nothing to do with the tonsillitis. I rarely drink anything. Even when it's mega hot outside so after a couple of cocktails and a few hours in full Sun I think I'd dehydrated myself. Felt a bit strange whilst getting a shower that night but it wasn't till we'd gone down for tea I realised just how bad I felt. No appetite and I felt so sick. Ended up leaving the meal getting dragged (not literally) by my Mum to the buffet bar upstairs and made to chug about 3 pints of water. Slept it off and woke up starving a few hours later. Begged exh who was now back in the room to go with me to grab a quick snack. More in case I wasn't fully back to normal and fainted but was told to stop moaning and go back to sleep cos it was my fault I'd decided not to have my tea. Bit of a pattern going on there!

At least these things make an interesting story afterwards even though it’s anything but fun at the time @IBegYourBiggestPardon ! There seem to be so many viruses and things around this year it’s a pain. Hoping my antibiotics kick in and get rid of this for good. Still feeling unsure about the holiday.