Penicillin

[nc22124]

DD (age 2) started getting high temperatures 9 days ago. After 6 days we saw the GP who diagnosed tonsillitis and prescribed penicillin. So she's now been on the meds for 3 days. Today is the first day her temp hasn't gone above 38 (it's currently 37.7, which doesn't count as a fever but still isn't normal for her) but she's really not herself. In particular, she won't eat anything and she's just had an episode of diarrhoea.

Does this sound like a normal side effect of penicillin? Also shouldn't her temperature have gone back to normal by now if the meds were working? Wondering whether I should call 111 today, take her back to GP tomorrow, or just wait it out.

No, her temp can still be up yet. How many more days of antibiotics left?

Two more days left

If she’s no worse I’d keep going for the two days.

I think I'd see how she was in the morning. My wee girl has been on penicillin for tonsillitis too. She was markedly better after 2 full days on it. I'd say after 4 full days I'd expect to see a big improvement for sure. As others have said, though, if she's not getting any worse and is getting a little bit better that probably means she's getting slowly better.

The diarrhoea is probably a side effect of the penicillin. I always find yoghurt helps with that.

Thank you both. That's interesting re the yoghurt, I'd have thought that'd make it worse. She's perked up a bit in the last hour or so, ate half her dinner (best effort at eating for a few days) and it hasn't come out the other end yet...

The yoghurt thing is because I sort of figure that the penicillin has destroyed all of the "good bacteria" in my gut and that the live cultures in the yoghurt will help to bring it back. I'm not a scientist so have no clue if this is a real thing but it does always seem to help me when I've had antibiotics!

Great news that she's perking up and has had some dinner, though. I bet she'll be loads better in the morning.

Thank you. Her temperature spiked up again after the bath but it's coming back down and she's happy in herself (currently singing Heads shoulders knees and toes to herself in the cot when she should be asleep!) She's ten times better than she was on Thursday when she started antibiotics, just not quite 100% yet. Obviously we haven't called 111 and I don't think I'll call the GP tomorrow either unless she gets worse overnight - can't see them saying anything other than finish the course and see how she is.