Tonsillitis - help

I've been suffering from tonsillitis since last saturday, and the pain is unbearable. Like I've seriously never felt so ill in my life.

I went to the doctors on wednesday and was given Phenoxymethylpenicillin which I have been taking 4 times daily. It has not done anything at all. My tonsils are ulcerated and covered in pus and the whole of my throat is red raw, I'm also coughing up a green mucus stuff (sorry to be so graphic). I can barely swallow, the only thing I am consuming is my antibiotics which I am terrified of taking because it is so painful, I have to spit out my own saliva.

I can't sleep and when I do nod off I wake up 1/2 an hour later in a hot flush. I understand that I am fighting an infection but I didn't know tonsillitis could be so bad (I've never had it before). I've been in bed pretty much for 3 days straight.

Is this is what tonsillitis is supposed to be like? My mum tells me to go to doctors again tomorrow but I'm not sure if theres any point as I don't know what else they can do, what do you think? I don't finish my course of antibiotics till wed. Has anyone got any advice? Thanks

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Reply 1

Coco.

With my experiences of it , no it really shouldn't. I think you maybe should be getting yourself off to the doctors, and if they send you away then maybe the hospital, I often find my GP a bit too relaxed when it comes to these things.

Reply 2

dani2511

Don't they cut them out if you're in that much pain in this country?

I had mine out when I was 10

Reply 3

louisedotcom

I know only too well how you feel.
I had tonsillitis terribly when I was younger. I had it every 2/3 weeks for a couple of years and was eventually able to get them removed.
I remember that horrible feeling though of being terrified to swallow because it felt like you were swallowing shards of glass. I dont know what to suggest though unfortunatly, as I never really found anything that helped :frown:

Reply 4

Floozie

dani2511

Don't they cut them out if you're in that much pain in this country?

I had mine out when I was 10

They are really relucatant to take them out in adults, I don't think they would take them out if I've only had it once.

Reply 5

dani2511

Floozie

They are really relucatant to take them out in adults, I don't think they would take them out if I've only had it once.

The thing is, I think I only had it once, but in South Africa, they take them out of two year olds without them actually having had tonsilitis.

Reply 6

thatholliegirl

Aww

I'm sorry you feel so crap. Tonsillitis is awful and yes, I've had it as bad as you (thankfully just the once).
You're losing a lot of water at the moment and it's really important that you drink. The tenderness of your tonsils certainly discourages this but it's really important. You'll become dehydrated very quickly which could lead to other complications.
Go and see your doctor as soon as possible and get some advice. I was hospitalised as I left it too late and I became dehydrated :s-smilie:

Reply 7

AnythingButChardonnay

Floozie

They are really relucatant to take them out in adults, I don't think they would take them out if I've only had it once.

Really? I thought it was the opposite. I thought that they were reluctant to remove them from children because they build immunity.

Reply 8

guitargirl03

I've had tonsilitis so many times, grr... There was one time where I was sick and had a temperature as the infection was pretty bad... Have you finished your course of anti-biotics? Usually, you may not see an improvement until towards the end of your course. However, if you are feeling really bad then maybe pop along and see your GP as the anti-biotics which they've given you may not be strong enough... Hope you feel better soon :smile:

Reply 9

sweetnfresh2

I had my tonsils removed when I was about 8-year-old, and for the symptoms you decribed with your tonsillitis, I think surgery can be good. Whenever I had cold something after the sugery, I had pain inside my throat often as a kid. But, now I don't have problems with my immune system at all. I'm pretty healthy in general. I used to be sick a lot before the surgery. My throat was swollen so badly, so I couldn't eat or drink when I had the problems.

Reply 10

Spiffy

I have tonsillitis right now too so i know your pain ;( i had to go the hospital yesterday because the pain was that bad. Swallowing was pretty much impossible, fever was high, i was having trouble breathing, I ached all over and there was white stuff all over my tonsils.

The doctor put me on Erythromyosin because im allergic to penicillin and gave me co-codamol because normal painkillers werent working at all. Only started taking it yesterday and all ive got is a bit of a dull ache left now in my right tonsil, im shocked at how fast and effectively its worked tbh!

Reply 11

Fatb

i had the same symptoms as you. I could not eat drink talk for alomst a week even after being given antibiotics by the doctor. I then got sent to hospital and had a small long camera put up through my nose and down through my htroat. the doc sed i can stay in for 24hrs or go home an dsee how it goes.......i fainted and got put on a drip for 24 hrs and it magically went.

it was the most painful thing i have ever had so id request gfoing to see the specialist at hospital :smile:

Reply 12

Anonymous #1

Hiya, I'm also suffering from tonsillitis atm, but mine is causing me to vomit and my whole body aches and I have no energy to do anything, I find that eating ice cream feel great relief and I can feel it cooling my throte when I eat that, try that by keep taking your penicillin as it should help! I was told that I was to go back if I hadn't improved after a day, do maybe you should go back just to be safe, of at any point you can swallow anything(because you throat physically won't let you) or you feel your throat closing up then I was told to go to hospital immediately, hope this helps!

Reply 13

TheRandomer

You might need a higher dose of penecillin, this definitely sounds worse than it should be. Definitely get an emergency doctor's appointment or go to a walk in centre!
Get better soon!

Reply 14

Lamptastic

I had it so bad that my whole throat and cheeks became hard and swollen and all I could eat was yoghurt and soup for 2 weeks. The pain was unbearable!

It may be worth speaking to your doctor to make sure the dose of penicillin is high enough but remember that antibiotics take a few days before they begin to do their job.

I get this bastard infection once or twice a year.. sick of it!

Reply 15

nosredna

Original post by Floozie

it's normal for tonsillitis to be that bad so don't worry, it's just gonna take some time to fight off im afraid. i had terrible tonsillitis over the christmas holidays - i fainted at a gig a week before it started because i got extremely cold outside which is what caused it - i honestly thought i was going to die at one point. i couldn't breathe properly, i barely ate for a week, i couldn't move apart from forcing myself to go to the toilet or standing at the back door for air, i had jumps in my chest and aches, extreme changes in temperature, vomiting, pus leaking in my throat and causing stomach irritation + many other symptoms... it's the most ill i've ever felt in my life. to make it worse, the antibiotics i was on were very high dose and i had symptoms of liver damage everytime i took them... jaundice, colour issues in the toilet department lol. i remember one night i was so hot, i went and laid outside on the patio and fell asleep when there was snow on the grass and was still hot, my mum thought i was mad.

just make sure you're getting plenty of fluids... it hurts, but you have to go through the pain. if you eat, eat things that are actually gonna get your strength up and are nutritious, i was tempted to have some chocolate on the day i started to feel a bit better, but you need to get your health up. i had an awful diet before the tonsillitis but have stuck to a healthy diet since it and feel so much better in myself.

Reply 16

Danielle_emma

I'm in the same situation now, can't sleep, can't swallow anything but my penicillin, all swollen and covered in puss. Wide awake at stupid times of the morning/ night sweating and then later on freezing. This is my first time too and have no idea what to do either :frown:

Reply 17

Richarins

From my vast experience with this devilish condition... Trust me its the worst punishment ever. However, most people who suffer this ailment are usually never ill of any other diseases all their life.. Like me. The worst part is that doctors, friends, workmates and other people who do not understand it will usually think you are exaggerating and being overly dramatic about it

Reply 18

2text2

I feel your pain ☹️ I suffered with tonsillitis from a young child, right until I was 18, every couple of months. Even ending up in hospital on occasion. It’s the most painful illness I’ve ever experienced. I stopped getting it so often when I was 18, I’ve only had it 3 times since, one of which is now. I went to see the nurse today and she said my tonsils are some of the worst she’s ever seen 😮. I am now on 10 days of penicillin, but I just can’t sleep ☹️ I am exhausted! My daughter has been suffering with it for the last 3 months, having had it 4 times in that period 😱. The doctor has put in a referral now to have them out, as she’s only 5 and this is the start of everything I went through as a child, and I said she’s not going through constant pain like I did. She’s just had it, which is how I’ve caught it, so we’re both on penicillin at the moment. She sleeps like a baby when poorly, but I just can’t sleep at all. 10 minutes and I’m awake again all agitated ☹️☹️ Anyone have any tips on how to sleep???