How Long Does Tonsillitis Last?
Posted , 139 users are following.
Hi. I'm 32 and currently going through an horrendous dose of tonsillitis. What started out on Monday as general aches and pains was followed by fever/shivers Mon night into Tue. WED saw some improvement ache wise but then the sore throat started. It's now Fri and I've got horrendous ulcers covering both tonsils, some 3 or 4mm across and it sure is painful.
I believe I've got everything I can from antibiotics (amoxicillin) to throat lozenges and mouth wash (difflam and difflam spray). However the unknown progression is worrying as I keep reading some improvement should be visible in 5 days after onset yet some day it can last up to 2 weeks!
A horrid week and a horrible illness. Any info/stories/comments would be appreciated.
5 likes, 206 replies
john86691 mvh81
Posted
I had a "weak moment" today hating this illness and how I felt, but know that reading the comments on this page has helped somewhat. So thankyou all. I hope you are all well now.
charlotte_32438 mvh81
Posted
louis37712 mvh81
Posted
After a heavy night out i started to notice the symptoms, despite what is read online my symptoms lasted for 2 weeks before i even started to see a improvement, my tounge was fully white and i had 9 painfull ulcers on the inside of my cheeks, tounge, gums and throat, the sorest throat ever and swollen tonsils that were fully coated in white.
I had a fever that caused sweats so bad that i soaked the bedsheets and was as wet as if i had been in the shower, i also didnt eat a thing for 10 days and finally recoved like a skeleton.
Dont worry if you have these more severe symptoms, its not HIV despite whatever you read online, the symptoms are similar, you'll be ok
hannah44903 louis37712
Posted
chloe01569 louis37712
Posted
I've have the exact same as you , waking up soaked , gums , tongue and cheeks covered in horrible blisters , can't eat and barely drink as there is way to much pain , I was put on painkillers and antibiotics yesterday 4 times a day for 10 days it eased the pain in my throat but definitely not my mouth or gums , I have absolutely no energy all I can do is stay in bed
nora22650 mvh81
Posted
I hope you can help me. I woke up Sunday morning (6 days ago) with a sore throat limited to the left side. I thought for SURE I was getting a cold - that's how it usually starts. By Monday afternoon, still no cold symptoms,(other than a intermittent scratchy coughing jag that I really don't get anymore) but painful throat, still limited to the left side. I went to an urgent care center to get a strep swab after a co-worker said she had strep last week. It was 3 days before Thanksgiving so I had to know if I had strep and get right on the antibiotics if so. The rapid was negative and they sent up the culture. I had a rapid negative before that the culture showed was positive, but they called on Wednesday to say it was also negative. Now it's Friday and my throat is still sore on the left side only. Wondering it was too early to get the strep swab? Googled throat cancer (of course) but not really matching up with the symptoms other than the sore throat. 2 family members have recently had throat cancer (cousin's husbands) so it's on my mind. Not sure what to do next. Help!
hannah44903 nora22650
Posted
I have had this every year atleast once since I was very young (I am 23 now so pretty much ten years+) also sometimes in a year I would get it and could be 5+ times.
If it is toncellitous here are the symptoms I have got every time, I instinctively now know when its coming, so look out for this:
1. Initial sore throat - this turns into trouble swallowing - literally agonsing after a while (days).. never under estimate this as i always think this is a big sign at the start
2. Fever and chills
3. My glands would feel sore and like big bean golf balls under my finger tips - you can check this using youtube tutorial - of course you can get the doctor to check this for you.
4. After a few days (I would normally wait as this concludes my self diagnosis) puss or spots and bad smell on breath on the toncels.
If you have all of these symptoms don't wait - go to your doctor and be persistent, say what symptoms you have. Make them check all of them for you. Because you know your body best, of course doctors do as well but you can feel the pain, they test for it and make the best conclusion they have with the evidence. Your evidence is the pain.
I have always had the bacterial infection of toncelitous - just to make it clear, if you don't have the pus on your toncels it is likely it is a viral infection. antibiotics will not fix this, only self care and rest.
For the pain:
Depending on how quickly the infection develops and when you start taking the antibiotics I recommend:
Paracetamol - to help fever
Ibuprofen for its anti imfammatory properties
Hot drinks really help for me as well
You can get codiene from the counter, this is stronger but it makes me sick so I cant take it.
Local anasthetic spray can help - worth trying
Now a word of advice, if you are already in a lot of pain when you see the doctor - and you have been using over the counter pain relief and you can feel it not working as well, don't be afraid to ask for pescription painkillers, these will be your life saver and help you sleep should the pain progress and it's likely it will until the antibiotics have really kicked in. This normally takes a few days before you feel better (for me anyway) during this period pain can worsen and you feel like death - literally.
I know you can get this info on the web but I want to share the knowledge I have, because it really can be so terrible.
Also one last thing, normally for bacterial infections penicillin is initially pescribed - if the bacteria that has caused your infection does not match the treatment .. then you need to go back (make sure you take them all first) because sometimes you may need alternative medicine to treat the infection (eg another type of antibiotic that matches the bacteria etc)
Good luck and I hope this helps someone in their time of need!
hannah44903
Posted
thomas56217 mvh81
Posted
I'm on my sixth day of double bulging golf balls but the original rawness has gone away. I am taking Rafen with 12.8mg codine which has helped me to get some sleep but that otherwordly feverish feeling is still lingering and I have been tormented by repeditive dreary dreams, but I think the syptoms overall are starting to crack.
christian48544 mvh81
Posted
Did you get cough?
thomas56217 christian48544
Posted
I went to a chinese herbalist and he told me that the whole area is red raw, I'm taking some herbal stuff, the tonsils are worse that I thought, serverely infected, viral and bacterial. I'm on the tenth day.
Thanks,
Tom
zamzam777 mvh81
Posted
I am currently suffering from the worst case of tonsillitis that I've ever had. I've had tonsillitis two years ago which was nowhere near as painful and only lasted about 3 days. Last year I had laryngitis which was inflammation of my voicebox - I literally could not speak - but that had gone in about 3 days too.
This current case of tonsillitis has already lasted 7 days and is showing no sign of improvement. It started with severe throat pain where only my right tonsil was swollen. Within a day it had spread to my left tonsil and I had fever/ chills and extreme weakness for 3 days. This settled and then I had severe earache in both ears - there has been constant dull pain in my ears with frequent sharp pain and a lot of pressure in my ears to the point that I have lost some hearing ability in both ears. During this time my glands have been swollen and nose partly blocked which has altogether made it really difficult to breathe.
On the 6th day, both of my eyes became infected (itchy, red and yellow pus leaking) and I now have conjunctivitis. I have taken 2 days worth of penicillin so far but it seems like I have a viral infection so it won't help. My tonsils are both swollen right now with huge lumps beneath them.
I am still suffering from tonsillitis, sinusitis, otitis and conjunctivitis - I feel like chopping my head off! For pain, I have been taking continuous co-codamol and ibuprofen which is only touching it. This is all extremely painful and taking it's toll on me. My tonsils are currently throbbing with pain and I am feeling really depressed and helpless. This infection has taken over my life and I haven't been able to achieve anything in the last week. Is there any hope?
juanita88709 zamzam777
Posted
zamzam777 juanita88709
Posted
No, they did not offer to take my tonsils out. They gave me penicillin antibiotics and told me to take painkillers and rest.
I am surprised that they offered you surgery to remove your tonsils. In the UK, under the NHS, this is what applies:
"A tonsillectomy will only be considered for a recurrent sore throat in both children and adults if certain criteria are met. You must have:
-a sore throat caused by tonsillitis
-episodes of sore throat that are disabling and stop you functioning normally
-seven or more well documented, clinically significant, adequately treated sore throats in the preceding year or
-five or more such episodes in each of the preceding two years or
-three or more such episodes in each of the preceding three years"
My tonsils have started to recover from the 8th day but I have a very painful ear infection at the moment.
I hope we all get better very soon.
kristen_87309 zamzam777
Posted
Hi I am experiencing your exact same symptoms. I need help! I can't handle this anynore. It's been 5 days but I'm not improving.