No antibiotics for infected throat?

[Pimpernella]

Poor DS is on day 3 of severe sore throat with fever so, after a bit of googling, read that if there was white pus it was bacterial and he needed antibiotics.
The paramedic at the surgery said that even though yes there is white stuff they no longer give antibiotics unless he has a temperature or high heart rate.
Is this right and when did it start? Poor DS.
I fear Dr Google may have been american. 😁

About fucking time!

I hope your DD feels better soon. I am a lifelong sufferer of tonsillitis. I cannot believe how long it's taken to get him treated. And what a waste of time and resources to have to go to A&E. I understand the threat of antibiotic resistance but I absolutely hate that the default for all GPs now seems to be that we are all hypochondriacs who want antibiotics after sneezing twice. Genuinely sick people then get put at much greater risk.

I very rarely seek antibiotics for myself or my DC but I think these days you have to make a fuss and keep pushing. It does feel awkward - as if you are being "told off", but unfortunately it seems to be the only way to be listened to.

Sorry, your DS.

Have you ever had to take antibiotics?

Last time I had to take them, I ended up with thrush, the shits, a black tongue and was just fucking miserable for about four weeks afterwards. It's like using a nuclear bomb to crack a nut.

Absolutely not a waste of time or resources to go to A&E.
Quinsy is an acute complication but rare thankfully and should only ever be treated in the emergency department or by ENT.

OP don’t be hard on yourself - nothing you have done would have changed this.

Most guidance for sore throats wouldn’t equal antibiotics for your son, so the paramedic wasn’t necessarily wrong, provided he gave good worsening advice - especially that if not able to swallow fluid or spitting out saliva then attend ED or in hours contact GP to arrange ENT admission as a quinsy develops and needs drained.

hope he’s much better soon

It IS a waste of time going to A and E when antibiotics could've been prescribed by a GP earlier.

@Tictactoenail sorry that was your experience, but that's not been mine on antibiotics, they have just cleared up the infection without any other side effects.

Absolutely not a waste of time or resources to go to A&E.

I meant it was a waste of time and resources nwhen they could just have been prescribed by the GP in the first place.

If it’s any consolation OP most cases of quinsy need drainage as well as antibiotics. So even if he had had antibiotics it is likely he would have had to go into hospital.
The swelling is due to the formation of pus, and it forms whether you take antibiotics or not.
We see it frequently with dental abscesses. The antibiotics assist the body in its response to infection but they don’t prevent pus formation only limit it.

Last time I got strep throat (which is fucking painful) I had to do a bit of a song and dance to persuade them to prescribe me antibiotics. Luckily they relented and blessed relief was mine a few hours later.