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Original poster

Had a sore throat for 4 months now. How to shift it...its getting me down

39 replies

IBlameThePMT · 20/12/2009 20:52

I have had this on and off (mostly on) sore throat for ages now. It kicks off when I am tired/low/have another lurgy etc and then slowly peters out. It is worse at night, swells and gets really sore, enough to wake me up and keep me awake, but just looks a bit red during the day so not much to show the doc (who just said 'Its a virus')

I had a minor-ish op last Monday and took a few days to get over the general anaesthetic...sore throat has jumped at the opportunity and is giving me real grief now.

How do I shift this persistent bug...? Im already on anti-biotics since I also have an infection from my OP (sigh )

OP posts:
nickytwotimes · 20/12/2009 20:53

Have you been checked for glandular fever?

Your GP should give you the standard FBC, liver funcion, etc tests to check you over.

Original poster
IBlameThePMT · 20/12/2009 21:00

I havent been checked for anything nicky. Perhaps I should go back and explain that it is bothering me perhaps more than I let on. I have had gladular fever before, many years ago. Can it recur?

OP posts:
MadameCastafiore · 20/12/2009 21:03

Gargle with hydrogen peroxide solution - always works for me as I am allergic to antibiotics so have had to find another cure - believe me it is cheaper and better than any drug you can buy and kills every kind of bug you can get at externally.

AvrilH · 20/12/2009 21:04

No idea what it is but I've been having the same. Weirdly much worse at night, when it really hurts to swallow. I feel wiped out, but that might be due to sleep deprivation. It has been weeks and weeks and I just want to feel well again.

I hope you are over the op and the sore throat soon.

Original poster
IBlameThePMT · 20/12/2009 21:14

Ah yes Avril, am also totally wiped out but tend to blame that on the DCs! May crawl back to the docs and ask again...perhaps you should too and maybe one of us will get a solution!

OP posts:
MissGreatBritain · 20/12/2009 21:19

Probably a long shot, but my mum had a long-term sore throat, which turned out to be related to excess stomach acid. If you suffer from indigestion then it's maybe worth a thought?

ilovemyoboe · 20/12/2009 21:34

Does sound like glandular fever to me. It can go on a long time in adults and be difficult to diagnose as many GPs think only teenagers get it - I had it 3 years ago and was off work for 3 months (although this was due mostly to the liver complications that it sparked off) and ended up in hospital before it was diagnosed. Worst sore throat I ever had, and no conventional remedies touched it. Drinking coke does help a sore throat though, so worth a try. (Not sure I'd suggest gargling with coke unless you then brush your teeth immediately afterwards.) Definitely request the glandular fever test. It takes 2 weeks to get the result.

alypaly · 20/12/2009 23:48

have you got a post nasal drip, as that can cause it.

also have you got sore eyes or any other symtoms. RA can also be diagnosed by a constant sore throat.

Frizbe · 20/12/2009 23:51

Go to pharmacist and get Dequadin, shifts most sorethroats hth's

CarmenTinselPalmTreesSanDiego · 21/12/2009 03:34

I second the possibility of acid reflux. That definitely is worse at night - the answer is sleeping propped up and avoiding fatty food at night. But best to get it checked out.

AvrilH · 21/12/2009 08:01

not the OP, but alypaly, you've just given me a fright

the only other symptom I have is swollen, sore finger joints, I thought that was just related to the cold weather, never made any connection between the too. Will make GP appointment (probably won't get one till after Christmas), hope it is not RA.

I still think it might just be sleep deprivation never giving us a chance to fully get over strep throat or something

Original poster
IBlameThePMT · 21/12/2009 10:27

Alpaly, what is RA? (Dim emoticon)

My only other symptoms are a headache and sore itchy ears which I get with the sore throat. Tho I do catch any bug going (have had one cold after another this autumn) and feel shattered all the time, but equally I do have 2 small children.

Thanks for all the comments, Im going to work my way through the list of suggestions until I work it out since its getting to me now.

Interestingly (to me anyway!) I popped an indigestion tablet before bed last night and my throat was a lot less sore during the night...and I do tend to eat late so reflux is a real possibility. Will try this theory out first therefore. Im not off to the docs today after all since snowed in so it is home experimentation for now!

Avril, hope you get to the bottom of yours soon too.

OP posts:
alypaly · 21/12/2009 11:10

sorry avril ,didnt mean to frighten you....i had the same thing years ago and sore eyes too....my rheumatoid facto cam eback raised. Thought i had RA and after 3 years of tests i eventually got a diagnosis of chrom=nic parvo virus(slapped cheek which i had caught from my 6 year old)

alypaly · 21/12/2009 11:11

iblame its rheumatoid arthritis

AvrilH · 21/12/2009 11:34

no, I am grateful, if I do have it, it would be better to know!

alypaly · 21/12/2009 11:43

normally its something that should occur to a gp to test for with a recurrent sore throat. Go back and tell him about the sore joints too. Is your throat really red on the flaps on either side or is it further down the back.
Do you suffer from catarrh

jalopy · 21/12/2009 12:28

Agree with MissGreatBritain, it might be caused by acid reflux in the throat.

AvrilH · 21/12/2009 15:09

I've not been to my GP yet because the throat has never been that bad, just never gone away. I can't tell now because it feels fine today. I think DH said it was inflamed behind and around the tonsils when he examined me yesterday! It is bizarre, it tends to go away in the day time and come back in the night.

Catarrh? Yes, a little, but that could be caused by a bug. Examining my fingers now I realise that they have actually become crooked.

alypaly · 21/12/2009 16:30

that definitely sounds like post nasal drip then...this happens when any mucus thats in your nose drips down your throat at night...and if you tend to get bunged up in the night,you mouth breath,the mucus gets thicker as its gets drier and can get infected. Ds2 has the same problem at night. His was due to a rwcxtion to dust mites and those awful mites that live happily in everyones mattress. We put dust mite covers on the mattress and pillows and quilt and it has really helped.

Would mention your inflamed knuckles to doc though,how l;ong have you had them (how old are you). have you got arthritis in your family

AvrilH · 21/12/2009 17:05

Thanks that is really helpful.

I don't know how long my knuckles have been inflamed - they definitely weren't before my 11 month old DD was born, but I've been so busy and sleep deprived since, I've stopped noticing things (she was extremely small and has been hard work). No arthritis in young family members, but I do have hypermobility syndrome, which possibly explains the knuckles. I am 31

alypaly · 21/12/2009 17:10

do you get catarrh in your throat in the morning and then it disappears during the day?

I know what its like with a small one DS1 was 4lb 2 oz

janmoomoo · 21/12/2009 18:28

Cant help with diagnosis, but there is a yoga pose called the lion which really does help relieve a sore throat IME. If you google it you will find lots of pics of how to do it (do it in private as you feel a bit of an idiot!)

Hope you feel better soon, I had tonsils out last year so I know what a sore throat feels like!

AvrilH · 21/12/2009 21:11

Yep, though I seem sto be swallowing phlegm through the day

The throat is not that bad - but it is sore enough in the evenings that I am guzzling hot drinks, and painful when DD wakes me through the night. Probably just the postnasal drip then . Will ask GP to test for RA anyway, I guess I should probably be referred to rheumatoloty.

uberalice · 21/12/2009 21:13

I had a persistent sore throat for months a few years ago, despite several courses of antibiotics, and it turned out to be my feather pillows. I replaced them with synthetic ones and the problem went away.

IckleJess · 21/12/2009 21:25

My sister had a sore throat for weeks which was always worse later in the day and it turned out she had Strep throat.

Think she had a course of anti-b's and it went away.

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