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Health problem, stuck for ideas
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Before anyone says anything (and this is good advice I know) I've already been to the doctor.
A year ago I very suddenly and for the first time got hit by the tonsilitis truck sufficiently badly that I was almost hospitalised and put on a drip. Sicne then I have routinely been hit by the lesser illness of pharyngitis, and as soon as I'm well it seems to come back again. I've had a break from it for about three months now (after easily a dozen cases in the last year, maybe more). I got a cold this week, which is fine, and last night I went out, had a couple of ciders and a shot (I'm normally on the wagon) and today I wake up with not so much as a hangover but a raging case of pharyn-fucking-gitis (or possibly tonsilitis, I won't know until the muscular pain kicks me in the back)
The doctor has no idea what it is. I've been tested for glandular fever and diabetes, both negative. I'm basically now just asking if anyone has any anecdotal evidence or has gone through a single thing.
Understand that this is potentially career ending for me.
A year ago I very suddenly and for the first time got hit by the tonsilitis truck sufficiently badly that I was almost hospitalised and put on a drip. Sicne then I have routinely been hit by the lesser illness of pharyngitis, and as soon as I'm well it seems to come back again. I've had a break from it for about three months now (after easily a dozen cases in the last year, maybe more). I got a cold this week, which is fine, and last night I went out, had a couple of ciders and a shot (I'm normally on the wagon) and today I wake up with not so much as a hangover but a raging case of pharyn-fucking-gitis (or possibly tonsilitis, I won't know until the muscular pain kicks me in the back)
The doctor has no idea what it is. I've been tested for glandular fever and diabetes, both negative. I'm basically now just asking if anyone has any anecdotal evidence or has gone through a single thing.
Understand that this is potentially career ending for me.
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is your place quite clean, ie low on dust, everything washed regularly, etc. environmental things can irritate horribly
Getting enough vitamin C? They have vit c pills out there (chewable ones too, if swallowing pills is painful, and they actually taste kinda good)
I'm sure you've been smart enough to take a peek at the wiki page on pharyngitis but
So I'd mentioned mono/ebstein barr to your doc too. A friend on another site has ebstein barr pretty bad actually, where she gets recurring symptoms and is gonna have to be on a drug for years if not her whole life to keep the chronic fatigue from returning
Well you said your doctor has no idea what this is, and that this is potentially career-ending for you, so to me it seems like going to a specialist is the only sensible option. This is what specialists are for.
I've actually suggested that, the doctor explained his logic for not booking me for one thus: it's mostly my pharynx that's getting infected, and he doesn't think having my tonsils out will actually stop it, and while it won't make it worse a tonsilectomy as he put it "hurts like bloody fucking hell"
Go see an ear, nose, and throat guy. If your doctor can't fix this you need to find someone who can. That's too much pain to be in for a year and no good reason for it.
I had an issue with recurring illnesses, primarily colds of one type or another, and my doctor kept telling me it was just viruses and I should wash my hands more. I was raised by doctors, so I wash my damn hands all the time, hence I called bullshit and went to a specialist. He was able to tell that I not only had allergies, but also acid reflux, and he put me on a combination of Zyrtec and Prevacid. I had to switch to Claritin because the Zyrtec made me hellaciously sleepy, but I've been pretty illness-free since then.
It hurts worse than that. WORSE! I'd say you don't understand how often you reflex swallow until each one causes eye watering pain despite the oxycotin and demerol. (can you tell i just had mine out this year?)
But yeah if your doc doesn't have idea whats up that would seem to scream 'specialist'. Especially with your future on the line.
It's minor surgery, so it does hurt. But I can tell you this--the dull ache after having my tonsils out didn't hurt nearly as bad as those abscesses did. It really wasn't much worse than a typical sore throat. The only bad thing, in my mind, was that I had visions of eating nothing but ice cream for a week, but I couldn't have any dairy products because of the anesthesia they'd given me.
I'd say go to a specialist. It sounds like your tonsils have gotten toxic like mine did.
He went to the doctor and got some antibiotics because he did have a tonsil infection. It cleared it up... 2 weeks later, it was back but it was not just his tonsils. He went back to the doctor, another course, same thing.
His doctor referred him to an ENT. His explanation was that as a child (has had the same doctor since birth) because my roommate had a LOT of childhood illnesses, he had developed these small 'holes' or craters in his tonsils which are trapping bacteria and causing recurrent infection.
EDIT: The ENT is making him wait 6 months, then agreed to take the tonsils if my roommate still wants it done then. Like this is plastic surgery or something :P
http://www.pfc.org.uk/node/633#access
Many doctors are awesome, and some are semi-awesome but still need a push to show that you're not willing to continue in the state you're in.
I'm just coming out of a similar problem with my doctor. I had pain, he tried some tests and then essentially shrugged and said a polite version of 'sucks to be you'.
If this doctor is an ENT consultant, then I'm afraid I can't help except to ask what your career is that would be finished by this? I'm a trainer/teacher and have been plagued with throat problems over the years, so I might have some advice.
Unless you mention it specifically your doctor might well not realise things are apparently linked, or how much this is interfering in your life. Just explain to them.
This is doubly so if you only see a doctor during a 3 minute 'emergency' appointment or whatever, and you see a different one each time. Tell them histories!
Also, tonsils frequently get infected, to the point where they actually harbor staph/strep permanently and continuously reinfect.
People can be awesome and still not equipped to do one thing or another, though. He shouldn't be offended if you ask, and if he is then he's not quite as rad as you say. Googling pharyngitis brings up a ridiculous amount of possible causes and complications, some of them pretty severe. Lets say they're rather more sure-fire career ruiners than a sore throat, on account of their ability to kill you. And aside from the extreme possibilities, you don't want whatever this is spreading elsewhere, like your sinuses. Bad sinuses are bad
Also, do you actually need a referral or can you go hunting for specialists on your own over there? I'm pretty sure you can, it just might not be as quick (or as cheap).
I can tell you from personal experience that this is very, very true.
the "no true scotch man" fallacy.
I'm going to agree with whoever said whatever's taken up residence in your tonsils is not going away and is only going to spread. God knows what it may be... staph...strep whatever.
Get them out and get them out fast.
Why does drinking make it worse? Maybe it aggravates the tissue of your tender oral region enough to give the bacteria or virus enough of a chance to kick your shit again.
ALSO: Did they swab your throat and culture whatever was beating it up the first time? That might be helpful to know.
What sort of antibiotics have you been taking? Have they been effective?
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
They cast a shadow like a sundial in the morning light. It was half past 10.
1. Did they do a staph/strep culture? Have them do another one.
2. How long into your symptoms did you get the mono-spot test? If it was early on, maybe get another one.
It could be minor, but best get it checked. My CFS started off as what I thought was flu, and now when I overdo stuff, I get a sore throat, glands inflame, and I feel crap, and can't sing, but I don't sing professionally, so its not that important for me, I just have to rest. All the throat swabs I've had came back negative, but I still have the symptoms of throat infections.
Get checked out, don't worry about hurting your GP's feelings - s/he should have referred you to a specialist by now.
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