How Long Does Tonsillitis Last?

My tonsillitis started yesterday as a sore throat and now its turned into an agonizing pain😣

does anyone have any tips?

Thanks,

Kay

I'm so glad to have found this thread. I'm currently in a hotel room in Rome with the most agonising pain. I contracted tonsilitis a few weeks ago and penicillin did the trick. After a few days of a 10 day treatment it came back again. So I used penicillin again and it went.

Now on the plane over here on a trip my boyfriend bought us it started up again except worse than ever before. I went to the doctor here as I luckily have health insurance and he gave me steroids and a broad spec antibiotic and told me it would clear up in 24 hours. Sadly 24 hours have passed and my one tonsil is bigger than before. Any advice to help please. I've got two days left

Not sure if anyone still reads this thread but after going through tonsillitis for years, I guess it can be right to say that no two experience are the same. Though we always feel miserable but each time there's a different spot or severity that we probably didn't feel before.

I believe there is 2 types: Bacterial and Viral.

If it's Viral, u probably dun get those awful looking ulcers covering ur tonsils. But bacterial, darn, they are horrible monsters.

Swallowing any food is a dream, drinking water feels like a dare-devil stunt, sleeping? Try finding a good position with the millions of pins and needles coming from the chills n aches.

Unfortunately, besides what everyone is sharing, the only solution is to wait it out. Time doesn't stop while we r I'll and that's what frustrating but I have ever gotten jabs for a very bad case which my Dr refers my tonsils to: strawberries and cream. That's the only time I had, one jab for 3 days. Totally worth it. Unfortunately they can't do it if. They dun find it severe.

Food wise, definitely go for cold items: popsicle, ice cream with caution coz dairy can cause more mucus, puddings, soft jellies, curds... They r good options too. When it's cold, the tonsils feels less painful. But after every meal gargle.

To all us tonsillitis victims, let's hang in there n believe in the rainbow.

I had my tonsils removed 3 years ago after getting severe bouts of tonsillitis about 3-4 times per year for several years. I was told that it would not prevent future throat infections, but would likely reduce the frequency and severity of future throat infections. Anyway, for about 3 years I would get minor throat infections from time to time, but nothing more. Two nights ago, I can down with the familiar sore throat, high fever, and chills. My throat and back of mouth (right where my tonsils used to be) are covered in the familiar white spots. The fever and chills are just as bad as before, but the pain is not as bad. I can eat and drink with tolerable pain. Ibuprofen works, but it only lasts about 3-4 hours as opposed to the 4-6 hours it says on the box. I recommend rotating ibuprofen and Tylenol every 3 hours for the duration of the illness. This allows you to have constant pain relief without exceeding the recommended daily dosages for the medications. Antibiotics seems to help, but the doctors always tell me that it's probably viral and therefore the antibiotics aren't really doing anything. I've never tested positive for strep. Tonsillitis is no joke. If you have it, good luck! Since I can eat/drink, I'm going to fight through this bout without professional medical assistance. I hope I don't die!

Thank God for this thread. The hell started Sunday and couldn't figure out what it could be. Went to the doctors Tuesday with a fever I didn't know I had, headaches, painful swallowing, and white pus spreading each day in my mouth. All tests came back negative, the fool sent me home saying viral infection just ride it out. Find this thread, self diagnose and go back to a different doctor telling him what it is. (Boyfriend had the same thing last year had to get his tonsils removed because they were too late and his throat was 2/3 way closed) got antibiotics, but the doctors are literally useless and clearly do anything to put your problem off so you have to come back in a worse condition and pay more! On top of that they're trying to make me pY twice for the same appointment and bro didn't EVEN DO ANYTHING.

Actually pretty relieved to find this thread in my time of need.

So a quick back story, I'm 24 and have never had tonsillitis before and personally never thought I would. Anyway, it all started last week when I had a mild sore throat which quickly went away in about a day or two. Thinking nothing of it I continued with my life until about Monday this week (22/08) when the sore throat seemed to come back but this time with a vengeance! It started as a mild sore throat again which I tried to shrug off but over the past 4 days, has progressed rapidly in to a terrible bout of what the doctor diagnosed as bacterial tonsillitis.

I don't really have to go in to the symptoms too much as its all the same as everyone else. Feverish (hot/cold flushes), lack of sleep due to constant painful swallowing of saliva/mucus and obviously the worst of the lot, the inability to eat/drink because of the soreness in my throat. It feels as though a part of my soul leaves my body with every swallow to put it bluntly.

Both tonsils are affected and my throat is pretty damn swollen. Will be starting my 6th day of tonsillitis and 2nd day of antibiotics (avopenin 1g) with ibuprofen/paracetamol combo. Based off the results so far, ibuprofen has been better at relieving some of the pain as opposed to the paracetamol. I've also found the salt gargling with warm water to help a little as well as home made ginger, lemon and honey tea which helps the immune system and also has an anti-inflammatory/anti-microbial effect. I will also be throwing in a dissolvable multi-vitamin (barocca) just to assist the immune system a little more.

Currently in Sweden with my GF and attending her friends wedding later today, what timing hoping to hit it pretty hard with the antibiotics and home remedies this week before flying back to Australia next Thursday (01/09). Hopefully I can reduce most of the pain by then, couldn't think of anything worse than flying for 24 hours with this pain! Didn't realise it could last so long until I came across this thread as well so thank you everybody for mentally preparing me over the next week-ish.

(Apologies for the long post, it's just quite therapeutic writing this out. Hope you all get through it soon enough!)

I am so thankful there's a forum for this.

Day 2 of tonsillitis & possibly my 100th episode since around 11yrs old. Think this might be the worst yet, mostly because of the fever, sweats & chronic throbbing even when not swallowing.

I'm very used to tonsillitis & know it will take me around 4 days before I can eat something soft.

I was diagnosed at 13 with hypothyroidism so am immuno-compromised & had glandular fever a couple of years ago so I'm really not shocked by it.

However, I get such unsympathetic responses from work and the only people who know how much I really suffer are my family so it's good to know that others with this experience have felt just as poorly too. It's so so frustrating that people just say "oh you had a sore throat." I wish it was that simple; where's the mention of the difficulty swallowing & breathing, throbbing tonsils, headaches, ear ache, neck ache, sweating, shivering, vomiting, change in voice, aching kidneys, bad breath & lethargy!!!.. I'm going a bit off course here but you see what I mean.

Anyway, I'm very lucky to have a mum that's a nurse & knows any particularly threatening warning signs because she asked one of the doctors at her surgery to come out and see me tonight because my temp is 40 & heart rate is very high. The lovely doctor was able to identify that I have a quinsy (like an abcess on the area surrounding the tonsils) which will need draining as it can cause sepsis which is obviously then life threatening - now on my way to hospital for the night & will have it drained tomorrow.

If anyone is experiencing similar swelling or abcess like features not on the tonsil but around it (because tonsils are already going to be raging & white with mucus anyway) make sure you see your GP immediately or go to the walk-in centre as you'll most certainly need to go straight to hospital.

Hope everyone's feeling 100% better now, seems like a while since there's been a posts which is pretty reassuring!

Oh, bless you and be healthy, my brothers and sisters! You can not imagine how much I needed this tread! Especially appreciate the updated responses, that this awful thing is over and how long it took, so it give me hope!

I had tonsillitis a lot when I was a kid. Then I got them treated with nitrogen and they stopped. Until I was 17, when they came back so severe, I had to be admitted to the hospital at least once a year. So by age 22 I said, enough is enough, let's take these f%#kers out. I had them removed, recovery was painful, but so worth it.... Until 6 months later, my throat hurts like hell, I have high fever and shivers, my throat is covered in white spots. Appearently surgeon didn't do a good job and I had some tissue left. Ok, I went back to the same doctor and demanded to get my tonsils removed properly for free this time, becuase she messed up before that. Ok, I had them removed once again. Recovery was freaking painful, I was high on painkillers for like a week and a half. After that my immune system just gave up, sort of. I would get cold, sinus infections or cough every two months. It lasted for a year. After that, guess who is back? Freakin' tonsils and infection. Appearently there has been tonsil regrowth (FML) and every three or four months i get tonsil infection, have to take a week of work and drin antibiotic. At least, they were not very painful. And I don't get fevers any more, just a slight temperature rise, what you get with an infection. I was told that means your immune system doesn't fight the bacteria. After all this, I now have arthritis as well.

Anyway, fast forward to now. I am 26. I decided to go travelling and now am in New Zealand. Bought myself expensive travel insurance and went on adventures. Needless to say, insurance has paid off big time. I had to see a doctor three times, to get antibiotics, to treat freakin infected tonsil regrowth lump. All of this was like I had experienced before - sore throat, no fever, pus breaks out, you go see a doctor, take antibiotics, start feeling better on day 2 or 3 of antibiotics, finish the course and it goes away for some time.

And now I got the worst tonsilitis i've had. Day 1 I had a sore throat, thought that it is just the cold. Evening that day it started to hurt very much and my throat is swollen up like crazy and hurts my ear. Not talking about swallowing anything. Day 2 I go see the doctor, he says - looks bad. Here are 500mg Penicillium twice a day, some paracetomel for the pain and Diclofenac sodium to have before food, so I can eat something. I start antibiotics the same day. Day3 - Day 2 on AB Feels like it is getting worse, throat is not so swollen, but pus everywhere. Day 4 - Day3 on AB I feel sh*t. Usually I could see some progress or feel at least a little better, which is not happening. I wake in the middle of night because of pain. And mind that I had two tonsillectomies, my pain treshold is high. There is a pus filled lump in my throat, which makes feel like I am going to choke on it. It hurts to speak. I go and see doctor again. He takes a swab and gives me a bigger dosage of AB 500mg of Penicillin 3 times a day, suggest gargling throat with salt water and analgesic spray for numbing the pain. Offered me some codine, but I refused, as I cannot afford it. So far pain is bearable, but I am worried, that my tonsils are not getting smaller, especially as they would by now with my previous experience.

I have to leave this country to travel for two more months elsewhere. And there is no backing out, as tickets have been booked, lots of money spent. I am worried. This thread gives me hope. Thank you! And may all of us feel better ASAP. 

I'll keep my situation updated in case anyone in the future comes a cross this post and this might help see light at the end of a tunnel.

Hi i have had tonsilitus im from uk for 10 years last one i had in 2014 i ened up with quinzy an absess that covers back throat i nearly died and ended up on 8 drips in hostptal ,, alll i can say is i starte again this week with tonsilitus i drank warm drinks and soup and had penicillan medication 8 a day ask you r doctor not anibiotics you need penicillan they work 2 days and mone is getting better and i am usually on deaths door with tonsilitus ,, 

I totally understand what you're going through at the moment. I have tonsillitis and can't even drink water let alone swallow my own spit. It's honestly terrible. I went to the doctor and they gave me some antibiotics and a prescription for ibuprofen and it's at the point where due to the fact that I can't eat? I can't take my meds because I'm throwing up due to having nothing in my stomach. This is crazy and I just want it to go away

It seems to be it can take awhile to go away. I mean many weeks. Months.

Is the pain covered? Cos thats horrid when it hurts. Doctors refer to immune systems here. But rest is probably your best thing. Fluids. Antibiotics. Salt water gargle. Ice cream. Clearly some doctors need to know how painful and draining it is.

All the best. Let us know how u get on.