I have a sore throat(can't speak well) earache, and my neck and behind my ear are swollen

[SaltireOShanter]

Great. I am off today, but need some suggestions as to how to get rid of it beofre tomorrow as I am back at work. I feel awful, the area of my neck from my ear down to my throat ont eh right side is all swollen, my ear is agony and I can hardly speak.

Any suggestions?

For the sore throat I can heartily recommend gargling with soluble aspirin, for the rest I'd take paracetamol and try and get as much sleep as possible. However, it sounds to me like you have an ear infection and that might need some antibiotics to clear it up. I'm no doc though, can you get an emergency appt to see if you've got an ear infection?

It's a long time since I had earache like this. I can't get seen by the doctor until the 29th (2 weeks today) because I should ahve called at 8am if I wanted an emergency appointment, and I can't get one for tomorrow as all the appointments for tomorrow were realeased 2 weeks ago!
Well I tried for 15 minutes to get through but kept getting the engaged tone, and by the time I did get through all they could offer was the 29th

Right I am taking the dog out and then going to bed, have been sitting with a hot water bottle (in a cover) over my ear. The pain is awful

Oh you poor thing. Do you have an NHS walk in centre nearby you can go to? That's absolutely ridiculous that you can't get to see the gp for two weeks. I think a stern letter to your PCT when you're feeling better is called for. I hope you feel better soon.

I'm still here . Am definately going to bed

Good idea... plenty of pain killers and sleep cure most things.

Well I did sleep but still feel awful, my throat is sore, but the pain in my ear and down my neck is 10x worse. I have a hot waer bottle in a cover over it just now

I have a temp now, it was 100 a few minutes go! I feel very sick as well and having hot flushes

Poor thing, you sound like you're in a real state. If I were you I'd be considering a trip to casualty or an NHS walk in centre, it sounds like you need some antibiotics.

Went to docs yesterday. I have got tonsillitis, and infections in bth ears. She gave me antibiotics, Have woken up today with a streaming nose as well!

hope she signed you off work

Compo - just seen this. No she didn't sign me off. Today I ahve got a really horrid snotty nose, and a cough (am actually coughing stuff up). She said "oh see how you feel and decide yourself if you want to go into wrok.
Well I went home early on friday and took yesterday off, so am in trouble whether I go in tomorrow or not.

Technically speaking, you're supposed to self cert for the first 7 days of any illness. You get the certificate from your employer, fill it in then hand it back.

Reading down the thread, I was worried you may have had a quinsy which is an abscess in a tonsil. You get a one sided swelling with high fever and can hardly open your mouth because of pain. It's an urgent problem, so I'm glad you've been seen.

Northwest 1 - I spoke to one of the team mnagers on Friday and she said "oh you don't need to self-certificate until after 7 days"

Slatire - your manager is wrong! You don;t need a GP 'sick line' until after 7 days, before that you 'self cert' - usually it is a form you fill in when you get back to work. Just make sure you are 100% when you do return - an infection like yours takes a bit of time to get over.

divedaisy - I am tempted to stay off tomorrow as well, like I said I'm in trouble anyway, my employers expect their employess to be either perfect with no illness, or expect us to soldier on regardless.

How on earth can you be in trouble with your employer for being unwell?? Your health comes first especially when you are genuinely unwell.

I hope you didn't go into work today!

Get well soon. Gargle every few hours with cooled boiled water with dissolved salt - it will help to clean your throat.