How Long Does Tonsillitis Last?

So glad I have found this thread makes me feel a little better knowing I'm not the only one who's in such pain and that there is hope in this depressing time.

I'm 19 and this is the first time I've ever experienced the torture that they call tonsillitis. About 3 weeks ago I came home from uni for the holidays. A couple of days later I began to feel a little run down and I assumed it was a cold and so I took some cold and flu tablets in order to catch it before it spread. However, as the week went on I was still feeling under the weather but did not have the common symptoms of a cold all I had was a fever and what felt like mucus stuck in my throat so I began taking lozenges for it. These did nothing. A week and a half later on Friday morning (April 10th) I woke up with an incredibly dry throat and when I looked in he mirror my throat was incredibly swollen I was unsure what it was. The next day when I got up, I didn't sleep one bit, again my throat was dry and there was a little pain. When I shined a torch into to my mouth I noticed my tonsils were covered in these white things and thus the research began and I came to the conclusion it was tonsillitis and so I went to the pharmacy and bought paracetamol and a throat spray. On Sunday the pain only got worse. On Monday still no sign of improvement so I booked an emergency appointment to which I was prescribed penecillin. It's now Wednesday and I'm on day three of taking the antibiotics, there are still no sign of improvement. I drink water through the pain. I drink green tea. I gargle salt water. I have lozenges. I have a throat spray. Nothing is easing the pain. I hardly eat even though I try my hardest to. At the moment I see no light at the end of the tunnel but after reading this thread I am comforted to know that the antibiotics take minimum 5 days before they work. I feel all your pain and I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy. It's horrible! Sorry for the extremely long post but I feel this is like a therapy session and talking about this has made me feel a little better! Here's hoping I get better soon as I'm going back to uni soon and I may just cry continuously if it's not gone!

I never realised how painful tonsillitis is until I got it! Heres by story, ill try to keep it up to date until I am finally free of it (Hopefully!) so other people who get it will know what to expect. 

I am 26. Last Friday  I went out clubbing and got with a girl (I'm only adding this as I dont know if getting it is connected.) I didnt get much sleep and felt run down the next day.

About 10pm on Saturday I began to develop a fever and a sore throat, still quite mild at this point. 

I woke up on Sunday will full on Tonsillitis symptoms, I kept going hot and cold, and swallowing anything is agony, at this point i started taking ibroporfen. I spent the whole of Sunday and Monday in bed with symptoms beginning to get worse.

On Monday I went to the doctors and he confirmed it was severe tonsillitis and I also had an ear infection. He prescribed me Penicillin 2 tabs 4 times a day for 10 days, which from looking at this thread seems above average. He also recommended Difflam Spray and Tyrozets.

I personally didnt like the difflam spray, I dont know if I had a bad bottle but the spray didnt seem to work and it is really difficult to get it on the right place. The Tyrozets were a bit better, but I would say still only removed about 15% of the pain. The chemist said I would start to see improvements after 1 day, after reading this thread I think its more likely to be about 5! 

I dont know if others have experienced this, but I have hardly got any sleep since Sunday, as I have been in so much pain and keep having large amounts of saliva in my mouth that need to be spat out. Also I havent eaten anything since Sunday, so it will be interesting to see how much weight I have lost.

Today (Wednesday) I was surprised to find out that I actually feel worse, (see pics), I can barley talk now.

Hopefully people find this useful.  

 

First day a trace of a sore throat,  second day very sore throat, fever, and aches. Third day shoot me this is awful. This was a weekend so went to the doctor on Monday, got a shot of super antibiotic. Tuesday got a shot of anti inflammatory medicine and antibiotic pills. Today is the fifth day and I am just starting to feel better. I still can't open my mouth very wide but can now swallow. It has been terrible. My head hurt, my ear hurt. Fever, chills, I  couldn't swallow at all, couldn't eat for 4 days. I am 56 and this is the first time I have had this.

Hey I'm 23 and I'm currently going through my worst bout of tonsilitis. I've always suffered. Also had glandular fever before and even mumps!

Symptoms began over a week ago and I had a terrible couple of days of swollen tonsils and earache but I was still able to eat and drink. Suddenly it seemed to fix itself so I left it alone. Until I woke up on Saturday with huge tonsils, a fever and everything else that comes with it! I struggled through my shift at work and went straight to bed as soon as I got home. I was too exhausted and in pain to eat. I tossed and turned all night sweating and in pain everywhere. Sunday morning I could not speak! I'd lost my voice nearly completely. Both tonsils were huge I hardly had a gap at the back of my throat. My whole mouth was coated in mucus. I could barely swallow saliva, so food or fluids were out of the question. That afternoon I took myself to a walk in centre as I couldn't tolerate the pain. The Dr who saw me almost couldn't believe it. She checked my mouth, looked away, cringed and then looked again. She felt so sorry for me. The infection is also in my right ear. The glands in my neck are swollen and very tender to touch.

She prescribed me penicillin v. 2 taken 4 times a day for 10 days. 80 tablets 8 a day. It is now Tuesday evening and I have my voice bacK kinda. Still sounds funny though. Haven't eaten since Saturday morning but I don't even feel hungry because I know how much pain I'd be in if I were to eat. I'm managing fluids but I struggle when taking paracetamol. Luckily the penicillin v tablets are kinda small.

Tonsillitis is abolsutely horrendous. This is not my first bout and probably not my last. Maybe paying for a private tonsillectomy is something I need to consider.

Hi guys, first time user on this forum, iv been suffereing from tonsiltus at least twice since childhood, it usually requires anyibiotics and im so used to it i can manage the pain, 3 days ago though i developed the worst dose iv had in couple years, iv been bed ridden since, saw my doctor who this time felt two antiobiotics were required as infectionwas so bad, i feel so unwell, crying with the pain, iv practically been eating neurofen and panadol but no relief which is a first for me! The infection is spreading and im not feeling any better, so comforting to read through your stories and remember i always get through it.

Hi im 25 never ever had tonsilitis and 3 days ago it started swollen left tonsill and lymph gland, both tonsills exhibiting exudate (pus) and a hell of a lot of pain! Also got pain in my left ear, when I look in every peripheral direction I get pain in my eyes (anyone else experience this?) Also the usual suspects fever shivering cold hands and feet... can't eat, pain when swallowing even liquid surviving on copious amounts of lucozade. Took a picture of my tonsills feel free to gawk! Be warned they are nasty!!!

http://s8.postimg.org/iazpoutjp/20150526_222942.jpg

http://s3.postimg.org/x7lr02rxf/2015_05_26_11_42_30.jpg

I always get this I know how you feel I have this atm I feel if you take tablets called difene there for muscle pain and the tablet form brings down your swelling in an hour you should take these tablets every 3-4hours also try drinking some hot water with lemon salt and honey and you can also try drinking some 7up

I had a sore throat 15 days ago, and I went to see a doc then she gave me 10 days 1500mg amoxicillin which did not help at all. I recoved the throat by myself, but then all of a sudden, I got this horrible, never had in my life(25 years) before, extremely painful tonsilitis. I went to see another ENT doctor and then he just gave me another antibiotic to try which is till not working so far. For now I am wating for the results of my culture and hope that can give me the right treatement. God bless us all.

ONE TIP: send out your culture ASAP, so we dont need to waste time and money for wrong antibiotics!!!

Hi, hope everyone has seen the last of the tonsillitis X

I have it atm. First time since I was a kid and arrrgghh never knew it would be like this! Lol.

I went out with family on Saturday (4 days ago) and was fine. Didn't eat loads but I've not done for the last few months (under tee weather in Jan. Lost lots of weight and shrunk my stomach lol)

Weird thing was I had a tiiiiiiny red dot in the middle of my chin. That night I get in and the bf was good and kept turning the heater on and off for me. Felt like I was cycling through the menopause and ice age. Didn't sleep much that night and same here like others, each night a soaking bed sheet and almost spontaneous combustion.

Sunday my throat was a little sore but the dot on my chin had exploded into a cluster of crap basically. Still is.

Monday I spillage been at work at 5am but i either slept through the alarm or subconsciously ignored it and the 15 phonecalls. (They love me luckily. Got 0% crap off them)

Dr's yesterday and I'm same again as some of you. 80 penicillin in 10 days. When I can just about swallow water drops at a time. Duuuh.

Tried to do some housework while I was stuck indoors. Picked the hoover up to move it then had to sit down for 10 mins. Same with doing anything.

Today, even though I've had about 200 cal Sunday onwards, thought I'd try work. Baaaad idea. Now at home lying on the couch.

I can seem to swallow more off and on today but also been sick for the first time with it this morning and still as weak as a newborn.

And omg didn't realise how much I'd typed. SORRRRYYYY xx

I know this is quite an old thread, but I have just had my 4th bout of Tonsilitis and although this one has been the worst, it looks like I'm gonna get over it a lot quicker this time. It's only day 4 and there is a huge improvement already and hopefully my advice can help get you through it quicker if you have it regular. I must say, tonsillitis in adults is awful, even my husband was unsympathetic, thinking it was just a sore throat, but I recognised the symptoms from the other 3 times I had it, all of which lasted 2 weeks. I had the fever, my glands were so swollen I could feel them when I touched the side of my neck, the tonsils had also affected my voice this time and were bleeding.

this time I made sure I went straight to the Drs instead of waiting a week to be put on antibiotics. If you tell your Dr you've had tonsilitis for a week already (this might get me in trouble) they are more likely to prescribe them. Started taking them 2 days ago, first day was fine, but I was sick once after trying to take cocodamol to help with my throat, well 10 seconds later (a bit graphic) I projectile vomited and not just once, 5 ish times in quick succession. I grabbed a cup as I could not get to the bathroom in time. This was awful and stung my tonsils like hell. I did not want a repeat of that. As my tonsils were really bad and the thought of trying to swallow anything was making me feel nauseous, I spat saliva in a cup. I was lethargic, but I could not get to sleep because it did not matter where I put the pillows, it hurt my head, or my throat. 

I felt thirsty at about 10.80pm. I swear by isotonic drinks to rehydrate you when you're sick, or hungover, so I drunk about 5 gulps of isotonic drink which hurt like hell and then before I put the bottle down, again I was sick. This time I got to a cup in time, again it was about 5 times and by this point I had given up and had enough I was so low. I don't know how I got to 5.30, rolling around on the bed, sitting up, lying down, it was a terrible night. Thought I'd try some water, had one swig and I vomited 5 times again. Each time it had also come out of my nostrils, horrible right? By this time I was spent and ready to go to a and e. I crashed out for 4 hours. When I woke up I continued spitting into a cup, forced myself to get up and I gargled with soluble aspirin and I have not looked back. The first gargle helped ease the pain enough for me to take my antibiotics, the second gargle eased the pain even more, by the last gargle my throat had numbed. I have been on ice lollies and ice pops to rehydrate myself and I have not been sick at all today. I feel like I'm finally beating this horrible disease. I will be looking into what I can do to prevent getting tonsillitis in the future. I think there's a herbal supplement to take. I've also had to postpone my birthday until next week as its tomorrow and although I'm getting better I'm not out of the woods yet

Jeez!...four pages in and many, many replies. As much as I don't want to reply to a thread I started over a year ago, it's a case of "I'm back"...

Tonsillitis once again. This time not actually on the tonsils but on the back of the throat which is just as bad as the pain is, essentially, just further down.

Antibiotics in full swing once again and no need for the details/symptoms as reading all those that replied you can gather what those are. Oh how time flies from the original post but now that I'm back here posting to my own post from over a year ago it doesn't seem like two minutes.

The dreaded 5 to 7 day wait for improvement is up and running... :-(

Regards to all and glad this post has actually brought some comfort along the way to some over the last year or more.