At what point do you go to your GP with a 'cold'?

[LilRedWG]

Just asking out of interest. DD and I have had nasty colds and coughs but are on the mend now.

I woke this morning (and was up in the night with) with a mega sore throat. My soft pallet and uvula are red and swollen. It hurts to swallow and feels like I have something stuck in my throat.

DH thinks I should see the doctor in case I have a throat infection, I think not.

Who is correct?

Just for reference. I am the one who normally gets man-flu in our house, whereas DH battles on.

if it hurts to swallow, then i would go to docs

It does.

go - your throat sounds painful

if it is an infection at least you won't have to wait over the weekend feeling grim

I only go to GP if it's so bad I want to be prescribed anti-biotics (which is never)

I wait until it has turned into pnumonia and I am bed ridden.

I'd go to be on the safe side, it might be an infection. Do you have a temperature?

I never go to the quacks with cold or sorethroat, i just battle on [heroic]

No temperature that I'm aware of, just general feeling of crapiness. But I don't want to waste the GP's appointments or appear to be a hypochondriac.

Going for a soak in the bath. Will be back with my decision (or hoping that you've all made it for me) shortly.

Thanks guys.

if you have white spots on throat or tonsils get to doctors. If is only red and no temp would get to pharmacist for advice, stock up on strepsils, paracetemol, etc rest (ha!) and drink lots of water. What you got sounds viral so no easy fix and no point wasting hours sittibg in docs but if gets worse would definately go then.

I was plagued with sore throats last year and found drinking hot manuka honey and lemon and first sign of soreness stopped it entirely or lessened it. Can get it manuka at holland and Barrett look for honey with +10 active ingredients. Not cheap at about £10 jar but only need large teaspoonful and juice of half a lemon few times a day while you suffering or at first signs. Not had full cold in months now. My mum told me about this and I was v sceptical but works a treat. V annoying !

Thanks. I've decided to sit it out. If it's no better by Monday I'll go to the doctor, but chances are it'll be viral so nothing they can do.

Thanks for the advice. Will look into the honey.

Will pay a trip to the pharmacist and get some Tyrozets. I seem to remember them being quite good.

i take mega vitamin c

i take mega vitamin c

Hot water with lemon juice and honey. Works a treat (from someone who was plagued with sore throats for years until I had my tonsils out aged 25 - ouch!) Hot drinks really help soothe sore throats. Hope you feel better soon.

I soldiered on for three months at the beginning of this year, turns out I had Glandular Fever all along.

Celery - are you okay now. Poor you.

yes thanks, mostly, but it took a long time, and I still get run down if I don't take care of myself. Sounds like it could be tonsillitis, which is horrible. Do you feel okay in yourself, or totally pants? That's a sign it could need antibiotics.

3 months is a bit long to wait - I would be quite happy to see anyone who had tried paracetamol and strepsils but still felt worse than their normal sore throats and no improvement after a week (not neccesariliy better but no improvement) OR had fever and pus on their tonsils (white spots) and was having difficulty eating and drinking.

Still might not be anything I could do (not everything has a cure sadly) but would be happy to see if I could help.

I think plodding on with painkillers (soluble aspirin or paracetamol, gargle and swallow each mouthful), fluids and rest is just right.

Unless you have a high temp (over 38.5), can't drink, have severe one sided throat pain or swelling, massive blobs on your tonsils or are getting wheezy or developing chest pain, there's really not a lot of point in seeing your GP. Most colds are viral and don't respond to ABs- but I'm sure you already know that.

It can take at least a week to get over a good cold.