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Original poster

Persistent tonsillitis

20 replies

fedupofillness · 08/03/2023 08:56

Hi

Does anyone have any advice my son is 3 and has had tonsillitis for over a month he's on his third set of antibiotics and still isn't eating and is drinking a little the temp since Sunday has been in the high 39's and we had a very rough night last night. However his temp has come down this morning but he still won't eat at all. Today is day 3 of the new antibiotics I just don't know where to turn do I go back to the GP last night I was certain I would but the lack of temp this morning I'm not so sure. He is just so ill with it and cannot decide best course of action and whether I would be wasting the GP time.

OP posts:
Timide · 08/03/2023 09:01

You are not wasting anyone’s time. Your son is your priority and he is eligible to NHS care. Please don't even entertain this idea.

Poor thing! My sympathy. I'd watch him today and then decide. With my DD the antibiotics worked like a miracle and she went from 40,4 to her usual self in a matter of hours.

Original poster
fedupofillness · 08/03/2023 09:40

Timide · 08/03/2023 09:01

You are not wasting anyone’s time. Your son is your priority and he is eligible to NHS care. Please don't even entertain this idea.

Poor thing! My sympathy. I'd watch him today and then decide. With my DD the antibiotics worked like a miracle and she went from 40,4 to her usual self in a matter of hours.

Thank you keeping an eye his temp is creeping back up I think I'll call as I won't get an appointment now anyway just a call so at least I can gauge their thoughts

OP posts:
Figrolls14 · 08/03/2023 09:56

Hello OP that must be absolutely horrible for both of you, so sorry to hear. I don’t have any advice other than to say what previous poster said: you are not wasting anyone’s time, your son is entitled to care and you deserve to be listened to. Go back to them, keep up the pressure as long as you need to. Is there anyway chance you can see different GP for a second opinion?
I hope he’s better really soon. Take care

Original poster
fedupofillness · 08/03/2023 11:36

Figrolls14 · 08/03/2023 09:56

Hello OP that must be absolutely horrible for both of you, so sorry to hear. I don’t have any advice other than to say what previous poster said: you are not wasting anyone’s time, your son is entitled to care and you deserve to be listened to. Go back to them, keep up the pressure as long as you need to. Is there anyway chance you can see different GP for a second opinion?
I hope he’s better really soon. Take care

Thank you after reading these messages I called the doctor and got him seen by luck this morning as there was a cancellation, he still has pus on his tonsils, a high temp and another throat swab was taking I'm waiting for one to come back already that hasn't yet. I asked about being referred to a throat specialist but that was refused. Was told I now have to wait until Friday and if he's still unwell come back. Also for some bizarre reason because the A&E doctor decided it's concurrent different illnesses it's not being treated as one continuous bout and nobody is listening to me that we haven't had a well day in nearly a month now and I believe it's one case of tonsillitis. I'm beyond frustrated and feel I'm not getting anywhere. The blood test was offered but cannot get an appointment for a month. I'm quite surprised a poorly 3 year old is such a blase case.

OP posts:
StarsandStones · 08/03/2023 11:41

So sorry to hear this. It is frustrating to say the least when he is so ill and you are not being listened to.

Have you tried ice cream of any kind?

Original poster
fedupofillness · 08/03/2023 11:53

StarsandStones · 08/03/2023 11:41

So sorry to hear this. It is frustrating to say the least when he is so ill and you are not being listened to.

Have you tried ice cream of any kind?

That's just been requested so about to try, so far it's requests and then tiny nibbles and he pushes it away, yesterday an ice lolly and ice cream were rejected sadly. I wouldn't say nothing at all is being eaten but a day may consist of a few portions of fruit a couple of yogurt pouches and maybe some cucumber so no eating breakfast lunch or dinner

OP posts:
MistyFrequencies · 08/03/2023 11:59

If you can get Sambucol and get him to take it (might be impossible i know if hes not eating) it really shortens any of my kids tonsilitis bouts.

Original poster
fedupofillness · 08/03/2023 12:26

MistyFrequencies · 08/03/2023 11:59

If you can get Sambucol and get him to take it (might be impossible i know if hes not eating) it really shortens any of my kids tonsilitis bouts.

Will try thank you

OP posts:
clipclop5 · 09/03/2023 00:37

This has been DD since January. Sore throat, pus on tonsils, high temps and generally feeling rubbish. She’s had 4 different antibiotics and still not budging! Things do seem to settle slightly but as soon as the course ends she gets worse again. GP has now sent us to A&E twice for IV antibiotics but each time they’ve said that she’s too well for them and just sent her home.

I booked her a private ENT appointment (very lucky to be insured) which is on Friday so hopefully we’ll get some answers then. Wish I could give you some advice but just wanted to let you know you’re not alone with this. Really hope he gets better soon x

Original poster
fedupofillness · 09/03/2023 08:17

clipclop5 · 09/03/2023 00:37

This has been DD since January. Sore throat, pus on tonsils, high temps and generally feeling rubbish. She’s had 4 different antibiotics and still not budging! Things do seem to settle slightly but as soon as the course ends she gets worse again. GP has now sent us to A&E twice for IV antibiotics but each time they’ve said that she’s too well for them and just sent her home.

I booked her a private ENT appointment (very lucky to be insured) which is on Friday so hopefully we’ll get some answers then. Wish I could give you some advice but just wanted to let you know you’re not alone with this. Really hope he gets better soon x

Your poor DD that's absolutely awful for her and you. It seems absolute madness that it's considered in the realms of ok that a child is this ill for such a long time. Wishing you the best for your appointment tomorrow. Would you let me know how you get on? Your poor DD two months of this and as adults we know how painful tonsillitis is you cannot just carry on normally with it, best of luck Friday.

OP posts:
Original poster
fedupofillness · 10/03/2023 14:22

clipclop5 · 09/03/2023 00:37

This has been DD since January. Sore throat, pus on tonsils, high temps and generally feeling rubbish. She’s had 4 different antibiotics and still not budging! Things do seem to settle slightly but as soon as the course ends she gets worse again. GP has now sent us to A&E twice for IV antibiotics but each time they’ve said that she’s too well for them and just sent her home.

I booked her a private ENT appointment (very lucky to be insured) which is on Friday so hopefully we’ll get some answers then. Wish I could give you some advice but just wanted to let you know you’re not alone with this. Really hope he gets better soon x

How did your appointment go?

OP posts:
clipclop5 · 10/03/2023 20:23

@fedupofillness It went really well - Consultant was fab with her, even giving some of the smaller kids ice lollies as a prize after their appointment!

Normally the criteria for tonsils to be taken is
4-6 episodes of tonsillitis over a period of 2 years but he said very persistent cases like DD’s (nearing 3 months straight now) often mean removal could beneficial. He’s booked her in for a tonsillectomy on April 7th so thankfully not too long to wait, just want it over with now as she’s been sick for so long with it.

Peekingovertheparapet · 10/03/2023 20:28

veteran of kids with tonsillitis here - I have two who have both had tonsillectomies for infection. I think it’s good that the dr is treating them as separate bouts as if you’re looking for tonsillectomy the more acute cases you have on record the better.

if you have tonsillectomy for infection you should really consider the extracapsular method but be warned, recovery is brutal

what abx are you on? In my experience penicillin V is the best, but revolting. And sometimes a long course is needed.

clipclop5 · 10/03/2023 21:05

Peekingovertheparapet · 10/03/2023 20:28

veteran of kids with tonsillitis here - I have two who have both had tonsillectomies for infection. I think it’s good that the dr is treating them as separate bouts as if you’re looking for tonsillectomy the more acute cases you have on record the better.

if you have tonsillectomy for infection you should really consider the extracapsular method but be warned, recovery is brutal

what abx are you on? In my experience penicillin V is the best, but revolting. And sometimes a long course is needed.

@Peekingovertheparapet Apologies for jumping in but approx how long were your kid’s recoveries post tonsillectomy? DD is 18 so nervous that it will be worse for her as well since she’s older. Not looking forward to it!

The ENT consultant we saw today said that co-amoxiclav is more effective and stronger than Pen V, although speaking from experience it is brutal. GP even warned us about how sick it would make her feel

Peekingovertheparapet · 10/03/2023 21:10

A good couple of weeks. One was done in the summer (age 5) and he was ok after a couple of weeks. The other was done last December and he actually took longer, closer to 3 weeks for a full recovery. But I think the extreme cold weather didn’t help. Both children had infections/bleeds a couple of days after surgery and both needed IV antibiotics

I think being older your daughter will have better pain relief options e.g. opiates that my kids couldn’t have. The most intense pain was about a week.

That said, it has been a game changer for both children.

Original poster
fedupofillness · 11/03/2023 10:07

clipclop5 · 10/03/2023 20:23

@fedupofillness It went really well - Consultant was fab with her, even giving some of the smaller kids ice lollies as a prize after their appointment!

Normally the criteria for tonsils to be taken is
4-6 episodes of tonsillitis over a period of 2 years but he said very persistent cases like DD’s (nearing 3 months straight now) often mean removal could beneficial. He’s booked her in for a tonsillectomy on April 7th so thankfully not too long to wait, just want it over with now as she’s been sick for so long with it.

Clip clop that's amazing, I'm so pleased for your daughter it's going to be resolved. Sadly we don't have private health so I will need to keep pushing the GP if it carries on, really hope the operation goes well.

OP posts:
Original poster
fedupofillness · 11/03/2023 10:08

Peekingovertheparapet · 10/03/2023 20:28

veteran of kids with tonsillitis here - I have two who have both had tonsillectomies for infection. I think it’s good that the dr is treating them as separate bouts as if you’re looking for tonsillectomy the more acute cases you have on record the better.

if you have tonsillectomy for infection you should really consider the extracapsular method but be warned, recovery is brutal

what abx are you on? In my experience penicillin V is the best, but revolting. And sometimes a long course is needed.

Hi we had two lots of Pen V and then moved on to a once a day one cannot be sure of the name as we finished yesterday. How old were your children when they had their tonsils out? How did they end up getting the operation?

OP posts:
Peekingovertheparapet · 11/03/2023 11:07

Hmmm might be that co-amoxiclav is the better option for you then. Once a day will likely be azithromycin which didn’t work well for us.

Both children were done on the NHS - we did have the option of private, but actually it’s one of those operations with a very very low complication route but when it goes wrong it can go really wrong. It was the advice of a friend who is a paeds icu doctor that made me stick with the nhs on this one.

DC1 was 5 when he had his out, and had been having problems with infection for about 18 months at that time (including a sepsis when his first bout was missed by a GP). He had been under ENT for longer though because of sleep apnoea concerns. We took a long time to settle on tonsillectomy and for me it was when we started to see a bit of resistance to abx and steroids were needed that pushed me over.

DC2 had no signs of tonsillitis at all until he was 5 and then all of a sudden we had repeated bouts we couldn’t get rid of. He had his tonsils out 14 months after his first bout, after 10 recorded episodes. We were referred to ENT in May, saw them in Sept, operation in December.

Original poster
fedupofillness · 13/03/2023 14:36

Peekingovertheparapet · 11/03/2023 11:07

Hmmm might be that co-amoxiclav is the better option for you then. Once a day will likely be azithromycin which didn’t work well for us.

Both children were done on the NHS - we did have the option of private, but actually it’s one of those operations with a very very low complication route but when it goes wrong it can go really wrong. It was the advice of a friend who is a paeds icu doctor that made me stick with the nhs on this one.

DC1 was 5 when he had his out, and had been having problems with infection for about 18 months at that time (including a sepsis when his first bout was missed by a GP). He had been under ENT for longer though because of sleep apnoea concerns. We took a long time to settle on tonsillectomy and for me it was when we started to see a bit of resistance to abx and steroids were needed that pushed me over.

DC2 had no signs of tonsillitis at all until he was 5 and then all of a sudden we had repeated bouts we couldn’t get rid of. He had his tonsils out 14 months after his first bout, after 10 recorded episodes. We were referred to ENT in May, saw them in Sept, operation in December.

Poor child developing sepsis, I'm just waiting for another call from the doctor as the sore throat and croaky voice are back. We had our first good day on Saturday where lots of food was eaten and the sore throat began again yesterday. Feels an endless nightmare

OP posts:
OverthinkingToddlerParent · 05/06/2025 01:36

fedupofillness · 08/03/2023 08:56

Hi

Does anyone have any advice my son is 3 and has had tonsillitis for over a month he's on his third set of antibiotics and still isn't eating and is drinking a little the temp since Sunday has been in the high 39's and we had a very rough night last night. However his temp has come down this morning but he still won't eat at all. Today is day 3 of the new antibiotics I just don't know where to turn do I go back to the GP last night I was certain I would but the lack of temp this morning I'm not so sure. He is just so ill with it and cannot decide best course of action and whether I would be wasting the GP time.

Hi OP, what’s the update on your son? My nearly 3 year old son has had persistent adenoids and tonsillitis for 3 weeks. Already finished one round of penicillin V and now prescribed with Amoxiclav. He’s been put on the list for a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy but he doesn’t meet the weight criteria yet so not sure when it will happen. Just wanted to know how and when did you manage to resolve your son’s tonsillitis? Thanks xx

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