non eye related! Tonsilitus!

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non eye related! Tonsilitus!

Postby Dave Dale » Wed 29 Jun 2005 2:28 pm

Hi Guys,

This is very eye unrelated but I am looking for a few hints and tips!

I have had tonsilitus (spl) for nearly a week now and as a first timer it's doing my head in!

I have been given some penicillian from the doctor but it seems to be getting worse with earache, jaw ache and a head ache!

Any pro's out there have any old wifes rememedies!

Cheers,

Dave.
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Postby Susan Mason » Wed 29 Jun 2005 3:58 pm

Hello Dave

Maybe as you say you are getting earache it is time to go back to the doctors or you could try suckng ice cubes either just water or flavoured with some cordial or how about frozen grapes?
Just wash as many as you feel like and put them in a freezer bag or tub and freeze for a while.

Hopefully a pleasant taste and the cold with help with the irritation.

get well soon, Susan

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Postby Sweet » Wed 29 Jun 2005 10:41 pm

Dave

Really sorry to hear that you are unwell, hoping that you get better soon. As a nurse i will try to put a little something here, hope it helps.

Tonsillitis is different with everyone, and is normally much worse in children, but as you haven't had it before i guess this will be bad. It also depends on how badly affected your tonsils are and how long it took to get treatment.

You will have a really sore throat, pain swallowing and maybe some swelling, and may also find it really hard to talk if it gets really bad. If things get severe and you are having difficult in breathing you need to get straight to 'A & E' as in rare occasions it can be very bad. But please don't panic over this just wanted to make you aware!

You will also have a headache, ear ache, jaw ache etc as it is all connected and an infection will pass all along the canals. This is why people feel so rough as it's not just your throat in pain.

On what you say on it getting worse, i think you may be on the wrong antibiotics (abx). Unfortunately some infections do not respond to some abx which is why drs prescribe broad based ones first (such as penicillin) which generally cover everything in the hope that it will work.

If it doesn't you may need to have a swab taken before they try something else. Just a thought here, but you are sure that you aren't allergic to penicillin? It is the most common drug to be allergic to, so any rash or general problems since taking it and you will need to go back to your GP.

You don't say how long you have been on abx, what dose or how often you are taking them, so it is hard to tell! LOL! Also, there are many reasons why abx's don't always work, the first one being drinking alcohol, and in relation to sickness and other drugs. but i am sure that your GP checked this with you.

Personally i have only had this a few times as a child so i can't really relate, alhough my twin sister suffers a lot with it. Cold drinks and ice-cream (and soft foods) help, as well as gargling with salt water. Soluble aspirin may help with pain relief, and any temperatures can be resolved with paracetamol, preferably soluble as it is easier to take!

Some people also find a hot or cold compress helpful, so grab some ice cubes (wrapped in a sheet or you wil get ice burns!) or a hot water bottle. And as Susan said ice cubes are good to suck on, especially as it is tempting not to eat or drink as it is too painful. But in this weather be careful you don't dehydrate!

So loads of fluids and pain relief and unfortunately sit back and wait for the infection to pass! It can take anything from a week to maybe three, depending on how bad the infection and if the abx's are working.

Ok ... enough said! Get better soon and you are more than welcome to pm me if you need anything.

Take care and recover soon!
Sweet X x X
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Postby Dave Dale » Thu 30 Jun 2005 9:29 am

Thanks for the detailed reply Sweet, you have answered my questions!

I guess it started about a week ago now with swollan glands and only a sor throat this has progressed and now I have the awful white cysts all over my tonsils! The\biggest pain has been getting a good nights sleep due to the pain and waking up so I have been taking ibroprhen (spl) regualrly to help with this and keep my temp down a bit.

I have been on Penicillin VK 250 mg for 3 days now, 2 tabs 4 times a day. Not sure if I am allergic to it but I have no rash etc so I guess not? I have certainly lost a bit of wait over the past week as been eating very little, although I FOUND i COULD DO SOUP AND HOT LIQUIDS HELP MY THROAT BETTER THAN COLD....WERIED? sO i AM DRINKING WARM WATER INSTEAED OF COLD DRINKS, MAYBE IT NUMBS THE TONSIL OR SOMETHING?

Sorry abt the caps on..no lenses in either! I was aware that I was dehydrating yestreday when my face had dry patches and my lips were dry too, so I forced my self to drink 2 litres of water and it seems to have helped.

I really did'nt think it could be this bad as like you say Sweet get a full on flu type fever with it aswell as not being able to eat, sleep, talk, drink and oh yes....see!

Trying to back off the ibroprphen today as I have taken it every 6 hours for past 3 days and that can't be good! Touch wood breathing ain't a problem but I will be straight down to a&e if it does as that will really freak me out on top of all this!

I guess I may have got it now for the first time ever as I have been a little run down and peeved off with eyes etc and I am a teacher so one of the little lovelys has bound to sprayed me with sneeze at some point!

One more thing that you may be able to help with sweet, I have had a single bout of diareha (the trots!) but I guess this is the abx? it says if it persists to stop taking and go to a&e..but it was only once so should be ok you think?

Cheers again....off for a cup of warm water...mmmm!

Dave.
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Postby Sweet » Thu 30 Jun 2005 6:30 pm

Ok ..... Penicillin V (or to give it it's legal name Phenoxymethylpenicillin - and yes i had to look that one up for a spell check!) is a standard broad spectrum based abx used mainly for throat, ear and respiratory tract infections. The usual dose is 1-2g daily, with your dose being on the highest as you are taking 500mg four times a day.

It usually takes two to three days before you will see a difference. Abx's are well known for causing side effects such as diarrhoea and vomiting, but you only really need to see your GP if this is really severe, but please check it out if you are at all worried!

Ibuprofen is available in loads of pain relief tablets, and is used mainly as an analgesic (painkiller) and as an anti inflammatory (mainly for gout and arthritis in reducing inflammation). It is given mostly for mild to moderate pain and headaches. Personally i don't really find it much use as a painkiller and it takes up to two weeks to see any affect as an anti-inflammatory, but this can be very helpful. However some people swear by it! So it is what you think helps that counts!

Paracetamol i think is better for bringing temperatures down, as ibuprofen is not really designed for that. The dose you are taking with ibuprofen is ok, it's generally 600mg to 1.8g daily. I think your tablets may be 200mg each (they normally are) so you will need to check and work that one out! (just in case - 1000mg = 1g) They can cause vomiting but not often, but asthmatics are advised to avoid it due to how it reacts with some cells, but most asthmatics myself included can take it very well.

If you are taking paracetamol, just be careful if you take anything else for cold and flu relief, as most are paracetamol or aspirin based. So you will need to check that out, don't just take everything lol!

People are different, and if you find hot drinks work for you then that is fine! Just remember to drink lol And yes stress is a common factor in getting ill with anything, and being run down can leave us open to many infections. Tonsillitis is very common but it is also well treated if you are on the right abx's so hopefully all will go well.

Sometimes the infection can move slightly and you may develop laryngitis (where your larynx is affected as well). Penicillin is normally good for this too, but sometimes you may need a different one. Erythromycin is another broad based abx which can be good but it is up to your GP if it isn't getting any better. It is usually given to those who are allergic to Penicillin.

I would give it about a week after starting abx's and if you haven't noticed any difference, or if it is indeed getting worse i would go back and see him. Hoping this helped and i didn't confuse you!

Take care
Sweet X x X
Last edited by Sweet on Thu 30 Jun 2005 7:17 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Postby Dave Dale » Thu 30 Jun 2005 7:03 pm

No certainly not confused me, found it quite interesting really!

OK, so at least it sounds like I am on the right abx for now anyway! Good to hear that it takes 2/3 days to kick in, you know what we patients are like we expect results 30mins after the first dose! I will finish the dose on Saturday so if no better I will get to Dr's on Monday.

Between my penecilian, ibroprepen, throat sprays, lozenges, anti-septic mouth washes, asprin mouth washses I really don't think I could be doing anymore!

God I have had some c**p in my time health wise but this really has knocked me for six...and like our KC, people can't see it so they think all I have is a sore thoart!

Thanks for the help.....bet it's like being back at work! It will do you good!

Dave x
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Postby Sweet » Thu 30 Jun 2005 7:30 pm

LOL Glad i could be some help, i am missing work like CRAZY lmao! But it's nice to know i can help out somewhat!

Yes i know full well what patients are like, they expect tablets to work asap, half the time even when they haven't taken them! How that is supposed to work i haven't been able to quite understand, especially when we see some patients the day after giving them tablets, to find out that lo and behold they are still sick! And it's like yea .... did we not say COMPLETE THE COURSE AND IT WILL TAKE A FEW DAYS TO SEE ANY DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!! LMAO! (Sometimes people also feel a lot worse before they get better, but i guess as with KC this is life!!)

So ... i guess i would have to say here that you do know you have to finish this course don't you, even if you feel better?? Though i am sure that you are well aware of this as you almost have! It's just sometimes people stop taking them as they improve when the infection is just lying dormant and will resurface worse than before because they didn't finish the couse and kill it off completely. Abx are designed to come in certain amounts but some patients really do think they know best! Just thought i should give a friendly bit of nursing advice lol!

One more slight piece of advice, if you finish the course Saturday but feel much worse over the weekend, drop into a local 'Walk in Centre' or 'A & E' as you will be seen ok there. Just tell them you have had a weeks course of penicillin and you don't believe that it has worked as you feel worse.

Some blood tests may shed some light on this if you aren't getting better and they believe it would help. Something which you will have results back from in a few hours, whereas in a GP's it will take a few days. But ... as i work in 'A & E' i must add that i am not asking for more patients here by any means! We get way too many as it is! Just needing to get myself back there as well!

Being the weekend (before Saturday night and not in the hangover period on Sunday morning!) it is generally quieter and being a weekend you will probably get free tablets as nothing is open for you to pick any up. Just so you know!!

Ok ... pain relief, fluids, abx and rest!
Take care

Sweet X x X
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Postby Dave Dale » Fri 01 Jul 2005 2:47 pm

Well, almost to the hour...3 days after starting the abx I feel nuch better today, I felt better last night and the fact that I managed to string 4/5 hours of sleep together may have done the trick!

The 2 days of rest of work, abx and fluids (including chicken soup!) seems to have done the trick, I certainly think you are right when you said some things get worse before better, I had'nt felt as ill as I did on Wednesday in a long-time, then 24 hours later I am almost back to normal!

Looks like the little bugger has admitted defeat and the abx has taken over! I have another full days course to take so hopefully this and another good nights sleep should see it off!

I was reading that the glands in the neck swell up as they produce anti-bodies to fight off the infection....how clever are we humans!

Thanks again, I've gone from thinking things could'nt get any worse to full form this morn...well almost! Now I 'focus' back on the usual KC issues now, at least it took my mind off it for a few days!

Cheers, Dave.
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Postby Sweet » Fri 01 Jul 2005 4:09 pm

Dave

Glad tp hear you are doing better! You are having a five day course then i take it? Which makes sense as you are on the maximum dose anyway, if the dose was less it would be a weeks course.

Three days is pretty standard for most new drugs as they need to work their way through the system and your body needs to react to the medication. This is obviously not taking into account painkillers though as it wouldn't help if we were in pain for that long would it!? LOL!!

Painkillers such as paracetamol, aspirin and NSAIDS (Non-steroidal anti inflammatory drugs) such as ibuprofen work in a completely different way as they act directly on the brain and spinal cord to alter the perception of pain. Which basically means that they do not actually cure the pain or treat it, they 'cover' it so that you don't feel it anymore! Whereas drugs used to 'treat' and 'cure' will obviously take longer as they enter the blood stream and work on the affected area. Although this is very basic, as all drugs are different, which is all very interesting as well! Maybe i would have been a pharmacist if i didn't want to actually care for patients! LOL!

Yes the bodies natural reaction to fight off infection is very interesting lol. Just for the record, you probably didn't really need abx at all, as your body is more than capable of healing itself! It would have just taken a lot longer and you would have felt worse, and sometimes a placebo affect and knowing how long something is going to take before it gets better helps more!

I don't usually rely on abx as i am more than aware of the problems with getting immune to them if you take too many. Which leads to the very relevant point about MRSA which i am sure the public are more than informed about! Being a nurse working in a hospital it won't help me if i suddenly contracted an infection and then had nothing to treat it with!

It is fascinating though on how we deal with things as humans hehe, our fight or flight reponse is just as interesting lol! Most will know it as 'butterflies', panic and a racing heart beat when we are confronted with something suddenly, and we have a choice to either fight it or run away as fast as we can!

Medics know it as an adrenaline rush which affects your nervous system, instantly sending endorphins around your body in seconds and sending messages to your brain to deal with this situation instantly! LOL!! This adrenaline and endorphins raise your BP, and heart rate making you able to fight and defend yourself! It's all fun isn't it, but as this isn't a nursing or drug forum i guess i'll stop talking now!! LMAO! Just glad i could help.

Ok, take it easy, loads of sleep - so no mad parties lmao!

Sweet X x X
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Postby Dave Dale » Sat 02 Jul 2005 10:22 am

Yes defo felling better! 2 nights of decent sleep now seem to have done the trick!

I have another day of abx to take and that me....hopefully!

One more question..and then we will close the thread and return to the KC issues! How long after finishing the course of abx can I have a drink? No wild parties but I do sometimes enjoy a glass of wine on an evening, and it really only is one but I guess I need a few days for teh BAX to go as it took a few days for them to work!

Thnaks for the help,

Dave.
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