How Long Does Tonsillitis Last?

I know what you going through it is very painful can't eat, drink ear hurt I been going thru it for a week and a half I had to take off work Intel I get better

My fiancé had strep throat last week and I took care of him, so naturally I became infected the next week. It started Thursday with a swollen throat (which I had assumed was from singing the day before) and I had noticed a few white spots on the back of my throat which made me nervous. The soreness persisted and by Friday night I had a fever of 102. Saturday I still had a fever and went to the clinic. I took a flu test, a mono test, and a strep test. Strep test came back positive so I was perscribed a 10-day supply of amoxicillin.

I've been taking that with Ibuprofen daily since Saturday night, and within the past few days have started coughing up my tonsil stones. Is this normal? It also seems like my throat has gotten worse and more white even with my amoxicillin.

I no longer have a fever and am feeling better. I'm no longer weak and can actually eat without feeling queezy. All the symptoms seem to be gone, except my tonsils are still covered. Its been 4.5 days on the antibiotic and 7 days of sickness. When can I expect the white on my tonsils to go away? 

Quick Update:- After 7 days on the Anti-Biotics, I can function again, my throat is still sore and I still have the cold, but day to day functions are now possible.   I never knew what a slow and painful condition this was.   Still feel wooly-headed and light-headed when doing things, but just doing them slow.  

In Total from feeling bad to today has taken its taken 14 days.

I'm currently on the morning of day 5 into this horrible illness. It's 4:30am and I can't sleep a wink. I only had it checked out 2 days ago after noticing all of the White ulcers everywhere.

I'm 26 and I initially thought I had a bad flu as I had a very high fever and sore throat. Although when the sore throat became painful beyond anything I've experienced before from an illness. I had it checked out.

I've been prescribed some form of penicillin. Also told to take paracetamol and to gargle soluble aspirin.

My fever of 40 degrees c has now gone away completely and I'm "just" left with the throat pain.

I'm only able to eat once a day and extremely tiny amounts as my stomach doesn't appear to respond to food well anymore.

All I can suggest is stay rested as long as you can and keep well hydrated and wait for the course of antibiotics to do there job!

I'm only 18 and have never had tonsillitis before it's literally the worst pain I've ever experienced. I'm really really scared too because blood comes out when I blow my nose and the gum around my wisdom tooth is heavily swollen! Please give me some feedback as I am in Italy and haven't found a great doctor especially not one who speaks English I'm already on antibiotics but I don't feel any improvement I'm day three of the illness and day two of antibiotics ! Thanks

Hi all!

I've been ill for the past few days and just currently found out it's tonsillitis. Sucks, right?

Anyway, while most of you I see have been put on amoxicillin ive been put on penicilin... Does that matter? It's quite a high dosage, 250mg take 2, 4 times a day.

I'm taking inbuprofen and paracetamol for the pain and swelling but nothing working, it's been 48 hours and I've been up in the middle of the night crying because it's so painful. Any tips?

If I'm not better by the end of the week should I go to A&E or back to my GP?

Please help!

I have had tonsilitis for the past 5 days and have only had about 500 calories over the past few days. It has really been a nightmare, today I found myself crying because I couldn't eat and have had to miss the gym due to not being able to eat enough to train. It all started with a sore stomach and a slightly dry throat I just thought I was getting a common cold never have I experienced this and I have clearly taken my throat for granted I will defenitely take care of it after this goes away. However at the moment I am feeling great, I have been having cups upon cups of green tea to try sooth the pain and it is actually working. There is pain for a little while inbetween each cup but it feels great to swallow my saliva without any pain for a short time. I have had about 8 cups of tea in the past hour!! I really do suggest having green tea and it will also help your immune system fight it off if your tonsilitis is viral like mine! Cold things helped yesterday I had about 50 ice cubes but I woke up today feeling worse than ever. So for me the tea is helping the most. Please try green tea or any kind of hot liquid :-) Hope everyone gets well soon!!

i am also taking cocodomal which isnt helping at all unfortunately

Hello everyone,

I'm in the US and I've been suffering for the past week. It started off with me being sick and weak then that went away and I was left with tonsillitis. My tonsils are really swollen and hurt extremely bad. I went to the doctor yesterday and they gave me augmentin because of how bad the infection was. It's been 24 hours (two pills per day) and it still hasn't gotten better. I'm hoping to see results within the next two days but for now I'm going to continue using ibuprofen and other medicine to reduce the pain to allow me to eat and drink. For anyone else reading, stay strong. This topic gave me hope

So glad I saw this thread. Thank you for the hope. This ordeal is unreal. So uncomfortable and painful. I'm convinced that I'd rather have a broken bone than deal with tonsillitis. Ive had it for about 5 days now and its gotten progressively worse. Went to the doctor 2 days ago and he took one look and wrote me a prescription for amoxacillin. Said I'd feel better within a day. Hasn't happened yet though. Taking ibuprofen and tylenol like candy, and it hasn't helped. Dont know what to do with myself as even so much as water hurts going down. I hope this is over soon.

I'm 31 and only just suffering from tonsilitis for the first time and it's been awful I'm on day 5 now, I had all the symptoms as you described but when I finally got my husband to use the torch to look in the back of my throat he said I had huge white spots at the back of my throat. My GP diagnosed severe tonsilitis cause by tonsil stones. Since then I've been chugging down antibiotics gargling warm salt water and mouth wash trying to dislodge them, finally managed to dislodge one but my throat is still really painful. I've been sat feeling rather sorry for myself searching the net when I stumbled across this thread and thought I'd put my two peneth in haha

So glad I found this. I've been I'll since Monday and its now Saturday. I started off with a cold but when I woke up Wednesday I knew something had changed. My throat felt like sandpaper and my whole body ached. I used to get tonsillitis every two months in my teens and now get it at least once a year I'm 33. I know the initial signs and know that if I get antibiotics quickly I can recover.

Saw nurse at drs Wednesday told me it was viral and rest. I knew it wasn't but what can I do.

Got worse and went back to see nurse at emergency drs last night who said its 50/50 whether its viral or not so go home and rest. Today the pain is worse I can't swallow or breathe without wincing and even sipping water is impossible.

Trying to get Dr again so I can finally get antibiotics but not having any luck as I'm not well enough to leave the house now. Nearly passing out just going to the toilet.

Feel so upset we are supposed to go to Disneyland Paris with our daughters on Friday and if this doesn't clear up we will have to cancel and they will be devastated.

This virus is awful and I wish my tonsils had been removed when I was younger but it was during a time when the NHS refused to removed them. No one understands who debilitating this is until they've suffered it.

Sorry for long thread.

I still can't sleep. I am going on day 4 and the pain won't go away. I still wake up with shivers and I have been taking antibiotics. This is my first time getting tonselattis and I must saw its a bad disease to have. Hope I get better soon!

Thanks everyone for their advice. Before Saturday I thought tonsilitus meant a sore throat, I wish!. I've been in pain since yesterday, Sunday evening. Its the early hours of Tuesday morning and I literally have not slept. I've been having alot of colds lately, one a few weeks ago which took an eternity to shift but that was nothing in comparison to tonsillitus. It's so painful to swallow that I carry around a tissue with me to spit into, which is disgusting. I have become so conditioned to swallowing without thinking since birth that I forget my self and swallow. Oh the pain as the mouth is dry. I have given up trying to sleep tonight and thought I need to take my mind off the source of the pain. When attempting to sleep all I can think about is not swallowing. 

This morning I took a look at the NHS Choices website. The information provided wasn't at all helpful. From what I read I thought that this "sore throat" would be gone in 2-3 days, not to bother your doctor and take ibu/paracetemol. The advice hasnt helped. I need anti-biotics if this isnt viral and some strong painkillers, as others have commented the ibu/paracetamol combo arent touching it. 

Reading this thread has been a great help. My hopes of getting over this is a few days have been scuppered though. Whats worse is its half term and this is my first week off since Christmas. Also it 4.40 am and my 4 year old will be up in an hour and a hal!. 

I reckon its going to get worse before it gets better ;(