So, last night around midnight, I noticed my throat was getting just a little bit sore and felt swollen. I've been congested for like a week. Look in the mirror, and my left tonsil is very swollen (the side where I could feel it in my throat), and has iffy white spots. Wake up this morning, and definitely white patches on my left tonsil. So now, I'm left at home Thanksgiving day (eating dinner Saturday) without an urgent care to go to, as they are all closed today. I'll have to go tomorrow. This is the second time I've had it in a month. Never had strep in my life before that. What's up with that? Maybe I never got over it in the first place? Or maybe my tonsils are just finally throwing in the towel? This sucks...
If it's strep, then the recommended treatment is a 10 day course of amoxicillin. That's to both entirely eradicate the bacteria from your system (prevent re-infection) but also prevent possible complications like acute rheumatic fever. That being said, your history sounds a bit like a viral URI. You can still get red tonsils with a viral URI. Purulent tonsilitis (those white spots) favors strep but its not a smoking gun. If you go to an acute care clinic tomorrow, ask for a Rapid Strep test. Good luck man, I had a bad case of strep back in July and had to do 10 days of ABX. Worst chills of my life.
About a month ago, I had night sweats, chills, achy joints, headaches, loss of appetite, and a slightly sore throat. Felt like I had the flu, but I had received a flu shot a week earlier. Didn't know what was up. Two days later, my throat got a little more sore, and I noticed white patches. I should have been staying home from work, as I felt like dog poo, but I went. I never miss work. Problem is, I work with cancer patients on the daily. I felt like a fool when I got out of work one day and immediately noticed the patches. Drove right to the urgent care and did the 10 days of amoxicillin. It seemed to help. Now, a little less than a month later, I think it's back, though the only symptoms I have are a slightly sore/swollen throat, a lot of redness in my throat, white tonsil patches, tiredness, and maybe a slight loss of appetite.
Some of my former business colleagues have a start up in Silicon Valley that uses proprietary algorithms (based on IBM Watson technology) to diagnose sicknesses based on a battery of symptom inputs. I've sent them your posts, and the diagnosis is below Spoiler
Just wait it out for the urgent care to open up or you can go to a freestanding Er but they are expensive
Haha, go in under random name... I am not serious but damn Healthcare costs are frustrating. I wish we could share insurance you could borrow mine... fortunately/unfortunately my deductible is met for the year (decent insurance, but had decent amount of Dr visits on neck) so ER visit is probably like $40. Anyway hope you feel better and get into UC soon. doesn't exactly sound strep but def get rapid test, don't want to be sitting any longer than needed w/o abx
If you have Strep, you need to disinfect EVERYTHING you have been in contact with, Especially keyboards, phones, etc. You can easily get strep again from those sources. If it is an old keyboard and mouse.......throw them out...get a new set.
Generally, sore throat + cough = viral cause. No need for antibiotics. Sore throat + no cough = bacterial cause. Need antibiotics. Untreated bacterial strep throat can later cause heart and kidney issues. Get a throat swab done soon.
Best case scenario, have your wife frantically pull up honking hysterically at a freestanding ER, you come in hollering that you can't take the pain and need a wheelchair. Get fixed up and at the end argue that you thought this was an urgent care
No cough, tender anterior cervical lymph nodes will probably start empiric therapy. The odds of rheumatic fever or post streptococcal pharyngitis are low but still get treated. Almost all the cases of pharyngitis are still viral in origin though.
I just got the same thing. Felt like **** then a nurse at work checked the back of my throat and saw some white spots. What helped me the most was gargling my mouth with salt water. Was planning on going to one of those Rediclinic's at HEB because I heard they were quick but I don't feel the need to go anymore.
My symptoms have all but faded. No sore throat, no headaches, nothing. Still have a red/swollen throat (no pain), and a white spot or two on my tonsils, which are still swollen. I'm thinking it may be a stone, but it doesn't really look like a stone.
