Feeling down with reoccurring tonsilitis

[Cloud44]

Ive got tonsilitis for the second time this year, been on antibiotics both times. I’m feeling pretty down with it this time because I keep thinking it’s going to come back again! The antibiotics seem to have worked but I’ve caught a cold on top and it feels like one thing after another. Has anyone else had this and it hasn’t come back again? How can I stop worrying about it?!

Anyone?!

Hello! Just stumbled on this. You are perfectly right to feel down. Tonsillitis is awful and not "just a sore throat" like some seem to think.

I suffered for years as a child. Went ages without a bout and the next time wiped me out! Hope you're on the mend soon - and it stays gone

Hello from another chronic tonsillitis sufferer. Bacterial 3 times a year minimum but I always have swollen tonsils from chronic tonsilitis and Im just used to living with it now!

Im currently growing the white spots on my tonsils (I can see about 5 or 6) as I type this with the last time I got it and being prescribed antibiotics only being 2 months ago.

My doctors are so reluctant to give out antibiotics unless I have a fever, severe pain, white spots and no cough so Im gargling the TCP to try and see if the spots will dissipate without getting too bad this time.

try the TCP. It burns, tastes like shit and makes me gag but it sometimes works if you catch it early enough!

You're not alone OP. I've just had tonsillitis 3 times in the space of a month. Been given antibiotics 2 of the 3 times and last one I tried to fight on my own as I didn't want antibiotics again.
I've not had it in over a year but been hit badly this year.
Have you ever had glandular fever? I had it 8 years ago and ever since I get tonsillitis quite often but thought id escaped it after not having it for over a year but clearly not.

Is there any TCP in particular you use @fromtheshires ? Sorry to hear you are a fellow sufferer. Have the doctors said why they think it comes back so often? How long a course of ABs do you normally have? Is there the option to have them removed? Sorry for all the questions!

Sorry to hear you are struggling too @abbs1 . Have the doctors said why they think it’s come back more often this year?

I just use the normal tcp. 1 part tcp to 4 parts water gargled twice a day and then if I'm feeling extra sadistic i dip a cotton bud in neat tcp and dab it directly onto the tonsils. Its antiseptic so I like the think the burning sensation of neat TCP is it killing the germs.

I normally get penicillin v for 10 days.

My doctors wont remove them unless it gets treated more than 5 times a year. It's hard enough getting an appointment when I know I need antibiotics let alone when its viral and it would just be wasting everyone's time and taking up an appointment.

Do you think tcp works better than salt mouth wash? Tonsilitis really is just horrible!

You have my sympathy.

Currently on my 3rd bout this year, feel rough as hell and am researching private tonsil removal.

Very, very tempting.

Salt water makes me vomit so id rather gag from the smell of TCP and be able to gargle than keep vomiting with the salt water.

My gran swears by TCP for everything.

I considered private tonsillectomy myself at one point when my fever spiked at 40.2 on new year's eve and i was sweating and shivering at the same time. My husband was going to call an ambulance for me as i was a state but I was like it's NYE, if i have a seizure call an ambulance but not before. I went down to the walk in new years day and they were toying with keeping me in as my temperature was still 39 and my tonsils were touching but i talked them round

I had recurring tonsillitis that wouldn’t respond to antibiotics. I basically had a constant infection resulting in feeling awful and running a temperature most of the time. I was fortunate to have them removed privately and the consultant who operated said the infection was so severe and deep within the tonsils that antibiotics would never have worked.
recovery was horrendous but it was the best thing I could have done.
good luck and keep pushing the GP x

No they're not sure. They said if it happens again they will refer me to ENT but there's over a 2yr wait as it is so not much point.
I had 10 days of pen v antibiotics then it came back a week later. I was given 5 days of clarasamysthin then a week later it came back again and I decided to fight it on my own with salt water gargling, diflam mouthwash for numbing and lots of painkillers. They put another 10 days of pen v on standby at the pharmacy for me. Took another week but currently no white blobs or pain. Keeping my fingers crossed it stays that's way.

@molly5678 thats really interesting to know! My GP said i have really deep crypts so it could be a case that all us recurrent sufferers have such chronic infections that antibiotics just wont work.

What is the recovery like? I imagine it cant be much worse than suffering with tonsillitis for a week? How much was it if you don't mind me asking? I may just take the plunge if it can be done and I can recover in a week or so so can just use a weeks leave.

The recovery is quite something else. I've had numerous operations and consider myself quite tough.

Recovery from a tonsillectomy is awful, I won't dress it up. I was 38 and have never felt pain like it. That said, 10 days post removal, I was doing OK and glad I had the procedure. But genuinely, the recovery is sent from somewhere evil there's no point me lying about it.

Think I'll just suffer forever then 😂.

My husband wound up in hospital with quinsy his were so bad. They took them out then.

My DIL gets it when run down. She has a spare course of antibiotics. But does go to Asda for a swab. It's bacterial every time.

Just wanted to pop up and share a tonsillitis miracle cure

Peroxyl mouthwash by Colgate!
It contains 1.5% hydrogen peroxide. I read everywhere to try peroxide but couldn't find anywhere to buy it then found it in this mouthwash. Few hours was all it took to start magically healing!

Not a regular sufferer but I hear you on the it’s not just a sore throat front – it’s so painful and energy sapping, no wonder the common practice in the olden days was tonsillectomy.

It depends on where you live - DS (30) has always struggled with tonsils n general throat issues - kept flagging with GP after numerous courses of antibiotics and asked for referral - had scan, consultant appointment and surgery in less than 9 months (did agree to accept cancellations) and is now much improved - even reduced snoring lol
However he is normally very stoic and really struggled with post op recovery for first couple of weeks

I had similar issues and also ended up having mine removed privately when I was 40.

I can do no more than back up every word @EllBellWell says. The recovery was horrendous. The doctor warned me that it wouldn’t be anything like what children experience and he was absolutely correct.

I’m normally a pretty robust individual but it absolutely floored me. I just felt like I wanted to die.

On the plus side it resolved the issue and I’ve had no real problems since then which is just as well considering what I had to go through!

Have them out.

Tonsillitis can weaken the heart if it's recurrent. Having mine out was the best thing I ever did.

It is horribly painful afterwards. It gets better and then really bad again. You're looking at a solid fortnight recovery.

The pain post op was defo worth it for me. I also rarely catch any viruses/bugs now and generally healthier. I did suffer some rare post op complications (nerve damage) but this was temporary. This was caused because of how deeply embedded and scarred my tonsils were. The surgeon stated it was a tough removal. At the point of operation I had a chronic infection that was resistant to all antibiotics.

it took about 6 months on the waiting list for removal. I agree to last minute cancellation slot. This was also pre-Covid when waiting lists weren’t too high.

Sorry you are suffering. I suffered really badly in my teens. Was admitted to hospital a few times. My glands would swell so large I couldn't move my neck from side to side. I couldn't swallow. I would need IV fluids. It was horrendous.

I had them removed at 19. The recovery was shit. On the 1st day I was still high and felt great! The next I felt worse than any tonsillitis I ever had. It got a little worse then before getting better. But I am so grateful I had it done. Took about 10 days to feel back to normal.

Unfortunately I still get an infection in my uvula whenever my husband gets tonsillitis which is maybe once a year. However it is nowhere near as bad as tonsillitis. I recover much quicker!