Peritonsillar Abscess (Quinsy) My experience and Advice

I have also just come out of hospital for the same condition. I only stayed in for one night, but had 3 lots of intravenous antibiotics during my stay and was sent home with lots of tablets to complete the course.

I agree, this is the most painful condition. I had suffered a throat infection just before Xmas, which returned twice even though I completed courses of penicillin and antibiotics. The last one turned into a peritonsillar abscess. I couldn't even swallow my own saliva without extreme pain.

In hospital, they did attempt to drain the abcess, but the tongue depressor made me gag too much for them to continue. No-one suggested sedating me to try again. I am yet to discover if the antibiotics will do the trick this time. I have to admit I am not completely convinced and fully expect to have to return to the hospital at some point before this is all over.

I am still in a lot of pain, but at least I can eat and drink now and, most importantly, I can take tablets.

I can't help feeling that if I'd had a slightly stronger - or longer - dosage of treatment the first time, the infection would have been properly beaten and I wouldn't be in the pain I am in now. I would advise anyone who is prone to throat infections, next time you need treatment, to ask your doctor for this.

Hi Denah, I can sympathise with you. Ive been out of hospital now for two weeks and I think the quinsy is starting to come back, I'm hoping it doesnt, I've been on a ten day course of penecillin and it doesnt seem to have done much for me.

I'm surprised they didnt keep you in hospital for longer, one day doesnt seem like long on IV antibiotics, they said when I was in the hopsital that this is common in younger teenagers, Im 21 so I dont know whats happend. Guess we're in the same boat

I just came back from having my Quinsy lanced and drained. I agree- if anyone is having these awful symptoms PLEASE get to an ENT or the Emergency Room ASAP!

I have just left the hospital for the second time for this it was cut the first time and used a needle the second but now it feels as if it is coming back for a third time I did not stay any days in the hospital on antibiotics which I think is the problem. But yes it is horrible and don't wish this on anyone. Hopefully this time they can take care of it right

This Tuesday I woke up with an awful sore throat. This had been going on days before but the soreness would go away as the day went on . I figured it was allergies. On Tuesday, the pain was unbearable. To the point where it was starting to give me an ear ache as well. Opening my mouth to eat was a miserable task . I couldn't stand it anymore even with loads of ibuprofen . I decided to take an ER visit. Doc sent me home with antibiotics, saying I had tonsilitis. I couldn't even swallow the horse pills he gave me. So I ended up getting in an appointment with my primary doc. Right off he said "you have an abscess under your tonsil"

Let me tell you, what a nightmare from hell! I was in tears with the pain. I couldn't drink, eat or sleep. I had to be sent to a ENT doc. He numbed my throat with a huge needle (poking me 4 times in all) right in the spot that was sore. I cried like a baby. Finally he took a syringe and took out some of the puss from my abscess. Finally, he cut it , the puss leaking out into my mouth which I had to hurry and spit out.

Afterward, I cried all the way home. My mouth felt worse. I bow had this huge cut in my mouth and was swollen horribly. I couldn't swallow any of the antibiotics or barely get my pain killers down. When I tried to drink, my water would come flying out of my nose due to being so swollen . After two days in bed.. I was dehydrated and hungry and tired.

I finally went to the ER and they admitted me due to being dehydrated.

Let me tell you, if anyone ever gets this procedure done. DEMAND that they keep you over night. The IV antibiotics and steroids they give you heal you so quickly in less than half the time being home would take you . I was so releived. After one day of IV fluids and so on, I am HEALED. I can't tell you how happy I am. I have birthed a human being , and this procedure was THE most painful thing I have EVER experienced.

Hi i have the exact same experience, the 2nd time you went back to the hospital did they drain any more puss or just give you oral antibiotics?

I was hospitalised in November 2015. I too had Quinsy. Initially the ambulance crew didn't want to take me into A&E, they wanted me to be seen at an out of hours doctor's surgery who would then say whether I needed to be in hospital. My airway was closing fast I couldn't swallow anything I couldn't get myself understood to say how ill I felt.

Mine also started with a sore throat down the right hand side. Prior to sort throat I had crashing headaches for about four days that no amount of tablets that I took got rid of it. I also had very very weird and vivid dreams and night sweats.

I was rushed into hospital at the beginning of November 2015. I was in there for six days I had my neck cut open and a drainage bag put on the side of my neck it was 500 mL and they were changing it every hour the swelling had gone back towards my spinal-cord before swelling forward and alerted me that something was wrong coupled with the sore throat.

Initially they tried to numb the roof of my mouth to cut the roof of my mouth and drain my infection that way but the nurse that actually had the scalpel she missed my tonsil and ended up slicing the roof of my mouth open I was in absolute tears I had blood pouring out of my mouth and still she wanted to complete what she obviously wasn't skilled to do.

I was to rushed down for surgery within four hours. The consultant came to see me in recovery and he said that I had been extremely lucky had I have gone to bed that night I wouldn't of woken up the following morning in the ambulance on the way to the hospital they had to stop just off of a major roundabout because I was struggling to breathe.

When I was discharged from hospital I was also sent home with medication to take and large sticky plasters for my neck. My doctor's surgery didn't contact me as a follow-up appointment I actually made my own appointments to go and get myself checked over. At one point I forgot that I actually had this hole in my neck and I got in the bath and as I lay down to wash my hair I remembered I had a hole in my neck.

Quinsey has returned three times since November. Three times I have been put on antibiotics. At present I am sitting on my sofa with a crushing headache down one side and my neck and my jaw feel tight and I feel like I've got someone else's teeth in my mouth.

I have had four nights of night sweats. My temperature is up and down one minute I'm cold next minute I am hot next minute I am sweating and yet I feel cold. These are classic symptoms of Quinsy and classic symptoms of infection being present alongside a headache down one side where the infection is cited. I have also had four nights of weird vivid dreams that are so real I wake up and my heart is racing and I am sweating. My appetite has been non-existent for the last week. I just feel very grey.

Five weeks ago I was referred to my local hospital as a rapid access patient who needed an emergency referral. I still haven't had anyone contact me. The referral is to remove my tonsils because this is now the fourth time I've had this since November.

Prior to going into hospital in November I had no symptoms I just felt very under the weather I felt very tired very lethargic and I put it down to the weather. Little did I know the way I was feeling was actually life-threatening. The doctor that I saw first off who confirmed that I actually had Quinsy said that he had never ever all this time seen a case of it when I saw him a second time he said he had three cases after seeing me. Lady at work approached me and said that her son had been rushed into hospital struggling breath, also with quinsy.

Two weeks ago I came off of a course of antibiotics. First of all I was given a course of penicillin I wasn't getting any better I wasn't getting any worse so I went back to the doctors and he was furious that I had been given penicillin. Penicillin does not work on throat infections is like Quinsy antibiotics work. I will be making another appointment to see my doctor on Tuesday, hopefully I don't need to seek emergency medical advice before then.

Quinsy can return, numerous times, removal of the tonsils will eradicate the risk of the infection.

As I tell people, you don't know pain until you've suffered what I had, what nearly killed me, I was hours from death. As a woman, I was playing it off as a really severe sore throat. All I wanted to do was go to bed. Thankfully I didn't.

Hi there. Stumbled upon this post and after reading through, thought it would be fitting to share my story and advice for you all.

2 years ago after starting University I got severe tonsilititis. After being prescribed penicilin it went away for about 2 weeks but then returned with a vengeance. I was prescribed peniclin but the following week was perhaps the most unpleasant of my life. After developing the quinsy, I couldn't speak, couldn't sleep, couldn't eat or drink anything! It was surreal and scary. Fortunately my breathing didn't feel imparied, but my whole throat had swollen shut. 

I eventually swallowed my pride, realised the penicilin wasn't working and stumbled off to A+E. I had a pre typed note that I'd printed off with my symptoms that I handed to the nurse because I literally couldn't say anything! I was initially really worried about hospital, needles and the word 'drainage' sounded grim. 

However.... As soon as I was in hospital the NHS pumped me so full of drugs I felt pretty much fine. To tell you the truth, all the pain went, and this surreal, mad experience continued. 

After 1 day, a junior doctor came along, and syringed my abyss. They sprayed my throat with some number thing, which tasted awfully, but the needle didn't especially hurt. The thing you've got to remember is if you're in real extreme pain, you don't really mind what anyone does to you, so long as it gets you better!

After another night in the hospital, the junior doctor and what looked like his senior came round. They told me that they hadn't got enough puss out and needed to slice it open with a scapel. With a drugged up, dizzy grin, I said, fine doc, slice me open! Out came the spray again, and the junior doctor (who was very nervous - he later told me this was his first operation) made a small incision. They then handed me a pair of surgical gloves, pointed me to the nearest bathroom and told me to 'get it all out'. 

30 minutes later and I've got my fingers down my throat squeezing a stinking black pus out of my throat that has the consistency and taste of what could only be described as 'Bovril'! Eventually I'd yacked most of down the sink and returned to my bed. 

2 more nights and huge amounts of drugs later and I was fine to go home. The NHS were actually really good, and the experience wasn't too bad at all! My only advice to anyone is: Do not suffer with this. Go immedtately to hospital, they will sort it. 

What was probably the worst week of my life pain wise in the my Uni halls, was contrasted with a lovely pleasant druggy bliss. They even had a TV in the hospital where I got through loads of classics. It also makes for a cracking anecdote!

Ciao, and go to the hospital asap if in doubt!! 

Hopefully I was lucky in ways!

I went into hospital after a day of sore throat and lack of energy leading to being unable to eat or drink, barely talk (& when I did I sounded like a cartoon) or barely breathe in the final stages. I woke up one day whilst on holiday in Malia (typically my luck the one holiday I've ever forgotten to book insurance for) and could barely build the effort to get out of bed, when I finally did it was to fall into a cold shower, as I got out I layed on my hotel bed and passed out for about an hour, when I come round (feeling like I'd just had a snooze) I did the same again, cold shower then passed out, this happened about 6 times before I accepted the fact without insurance I was gonna have to face the consequences of my mistake and pay up whatever it cost. So I headed to the hospital, upon arrival I had to try to explain (without being able to talk let alone Greek) that what was going on, when they finally got me into a doctor she did the standard tests, and had me nod yes and no to my symptoms. As the thermometer beeped to say it had finished reading she took a look at the result and said f**k stuck her head out the door and within minutes I had 5 other doctors aswell as herself jabbing me with needles, within minutes I felt alot better, followed of course by her explaining I was 3 degrees Fahrenheit away from the fatal scale of having a temperature and that if it wasnt for my cold showers I wouldn't have made it through the day unless I'd gone straight to hospital. Anyway, they left me for half hour for the fever to completely settle (god knows what the injections were but they took away half my symptoms and cooled me right down instantly) then took me into a room for incision and drainage. I'm quite easy with things like that don't normally react in anyway to anything sharp scratch to don't look as they pull a nail off, but this was a very pleasant 'operation'. And boy the relief afterwards, within ten mins I had no pain, handed a bottle of water, a bottle of hydrogen peroxide and a cup and told mix that 50/50 and gargle until the bottle runs out, which I did within a few hours in desperation to get out and carry on my holiday, few hours in after being on IV I was eating and drinking fine, able to talk normally and all was well, begging to leave I was told as much as you seem ready to go and are free to discharge yourself, we would prefer to watch you for tonight, which I agreed to, the next morning I was released and even the were surprised by the turn around of my condition. I found it funny that their response to me asking what has caused this was "English doctors, I guess you have tonsillitis often and get the same tablets everytime which don't get rid of the problem they hide it" funnily enough that's my doctor to a tee, it's only taken two years of me begging and the countless occasions of tonsillitis followed by this for him to finally agree to referring me for my tonsils out. The doctors in Crete were absolutely amazing and i couldn't thank then more for their treatment, my only concern is that they prescribed me 2 weeks off antibiotics and the pharmacy's could only provide one week, who told me to get them when I get home, take a guess what my doctor's reply is when I ask him for the other weeks worth on prescription. "We wouldn't prescribe those tablets for this, and when we do it's only for one week so just take the ones you've got and don't worry about the second week", well I've just finished the tablets I had today and feel quite good, slight crater in my throat that I'm to enticed to pay with with my tongue but I'm resisting most the time. Hopefully it doesn't come back!

Change of doctors is the next step in my path!!

Moderator comment: I have edited this post due to the swearing. These are open forums so as per the T&Cs please do not use offensive language in posts otherwise they may be deleted.

I realize this original post was posted around 8 years ago but I, too, would like to share my experience with PTA.

It truly seems to have been a downward terrible roller coaster until today. I apologize that since it is so recent, it is going to be very detailed. I just hope it can help anyone that may have a similar experience although I hope you don't! 

*FULL DISCLOSURE: First off, I am young adult female and live a fairly healthy lifestyle and have a pretty strong immune system. I rarely get sick and hadnt been for over a year. The last time was a chest or head cold with congestion. Since then, I have received the flu shot about 4 months ago for work (not sure if it is relevant but just to put it out there). As a child I had suffered bad ear infections and gotten strep maybe once I'm not even sure.

In recent years, I try my best not to take any westwern pain relief medications like Advil, Tylenol, aspirin, Motrin, ibuprofen, whatever. I would rather not have to take antibiotics, or cough medicine, congestion medicine,  and anything that can be bought at the store. I prefer to try to let any ailments run their course with the hell of home and more "natural" remedies, so to say.*

Anyway,

The sore throat began about 2 weeks around Monday. I began to feel it only after waking up in the morning then nothing throughout the day. By the Friday of the first week, I woke up with swelling of the tonsils, mainly my right tonsil and there were visible white patches on it. Out of fear for strep throat I called out of work and went to urgent care/walk-in clinic. They took a throat swab to do an immediate strep test and then sent another away to the lab. I was told it was viral and was not prescribed anything. They said I could take ibuprofen or Tylenol for the pain. That was it. I was so glad it wasn't strep but decided to rest that day and wait this out.

Over the weekend, I still had a sore throat but was able to somewhat "ignore" it, trying to use home remedies such as tea and honey, saltwater gargle, rest. By Sunday, it was hurting more and a headache developed so I caved in and took some Advil.

Monday it wasn't too bad but I noticed it hurting more, mainly when I swallowed. I couldn't really eat much so I got a smoothie and started trying cough drops since the throat ones weren't available to me. Monday night I could not sleep and was sweating, tossing, and turning all night. I again gave in and took Tylenol (usually I stick with Advil but had none at this time - I don't think I had ever taken Tylenol and if so, it was very long ago).  I may have had a fever as I awoke every 30 minutes, sweating.

On Tuesday, the throat pain was still bad. I went to work but ended up leaving a little early because the pain was not subsiding, even with the Tylenol. I tried aspirin as well. Tuesday night I slept better, only waking a few times with pain. I tried to relieve the pain by drinking ice water when I woke up in the night and then drinking lemon honey and apple cider vinegar in the morning. I thought I felt a little better in the morning so I went to my internship.

It was now Wednesday. I went about doing my work, trying to ignore the pain. I still could barely eat, drink, or swallow without feeling as though I wanted to die because the pain was so consistent. There were times I felt I was maybe overreacting so I tried to stick it out. Around later afternoon the pain was so bad I couldn't concentrate. I, again, left work early to go to another urgent care/walk-in clinic. The pain had started to reach my ear and at this point the pain from my throat to ear felt so unbearable. At this clinic, they again did a quick test for strep which was negative then for mono, also negative. They said the same thing as the first doctors even though I tried to explain that the pain was only getting worse. The Advil and Tylenol weren't even masking the pain, just making it less unbearable. When I asked why the pain in my ear was getting so bad (even though there was no fluid) the doctor just shrugged and said it's because everything is connected. My tonsils are swollen like golf balls and she just said to me, "yeah there's some swelling, I've seen worse".

I must be overreacting then, except this pain is nothing I've experienced before . I was often on the verge of tears at this point. They perscribed a mouthwash that "might" help. It costed more than it should so I opted not to get it and bought cepracol for the throat. Those did not do much for me. 

Wednesday night was pretty bad, I did not sleep very much because of the pain in both my ear and throat and inability to swallow. I was not eating properly and would also often feel nauseous a as I still tried alternating the Tylenol and ibuprofen.

Thursday morning I went to work early only to realize that it made no sense to be there's because the pain was just worsening and worsening. I couldn't swallow without wincing. It had been almost a week with intensifying symptoms and I had no idea how I was getting through each day. I left after an hour to go rest, thinking maybe I just haven't been able to rest enough. I bought vitamins and popsicles and took a few naps. Around the same time as yesterday the pain intensified. I was so confused and frustrated. I couldn't eat or drink but I tried to force some jook/congee, which is a soupy rice, down and drank tons of ginger tea and honey.

Then the night was the worst yet. I was able to nap from around 7pm to 10pm (19:00-22:00). However, as soon as I woke, I knew I wouldn't be able to sleep again. Throughout the course of the night I took about 3 showers to try to help distract myself from the pain. I was pacing, crying, hoping I could get through the night. I'm not religious and I even tried praying, just to show how desperate I really felt. Now, I thought I should go to the emergency room but it was late in the night and I would've had to travel far and alone so I did not feel safe, especially in the state I was in. I had to wait until morning. The pain was so bad I slept for no more than 30 minutes trying to distract myself in-between. I called my mother in the middle of the night crying out in pain that I wanted to go home (I'm a big baby, yes). I had to wait till early morning to take a 1.5 hour train ride home. This was torture.

By, now Friday, morning, I had been awake mostly all night and now I couldn't even talk or open my mouth. At this point, the pain was probably a 8 or 9 of 10, which seems extreme, I know.  The pain ran from my right side of throat to my right ear. Constant and consistent. Even when I wasn't trying to swallow spit or anything.  Soon as I was picked up from the train station, we went straight to another urgent care, for a THIRD time. In hindsight, going to the ER would've been a better decision. Anyway, I could not talk to any nurses or doctors so my mother had to. I could barely open my mouth for the doctor to see inside. When she  could finally see a little bit she said I may have a PTA (abscess on my throat/tonsil) or cellulitis. However she was not sure and said I would have to wait until MONDAY to see an eyes nose throat doctor. Incredible. Did not prescribe any pain meds despite the tears running down my face and my inability to talk or even swallow!!! She perscribed me cylindamicin to take every 6h.. WITH FOOD. Insane.. I could barely swallow my own spit let alone some food. Either way we took her advice hoping I would feel better by Monday. Friday was a long day but I was able to sleep some. I still had extreme pain and discomfort. Gargling salt water was the most difficult and painfully weird experience every. I forced myself to do it because I thought it might help. I thought that the antibiotics were helping but eating and drinking was a true struggle. And the pain was not subsiding, it got worse when any of the meds wore off after about 2 hours. I read a lot online about PTA so I was really considering going to the hospital maybe. Because from reading, that provides many others with instant relief and I wasn't sure the antibiotics would be effective. Why should I have to wait in such pain. I was unsure why the doctor from the 3rd urgent care visit didn't send me to the ER.

By Saturday morning I felt a bit better but was still in pain.  Finally decided "screw this" and went to ER. Still could barely talk or swallow. At the ER I was checked and told I did, in fact, have PTA. No kidding! They said they had to do a needle incision and drain it. Oh joy. I'm very bad with these things and my mind controls it all. I make it extremely difficult for anyone to get anything even remotely near the back of my mouth/throat and I swear my tongue has a mind of its own. However, after much difficult and more meds (low dose of steroids, numbing agent, and anti anxiety) she finally performed the procedure. I wouldn't describe it was painful.. it did take some time for her to get it all out. In fact, she showed me the syringe which was soo full of puss and whatever nasty bloody fluid, that she had to go get another one and do it again to make sure there's nothing left. I didn't even care because wow I could now finally feel my whole mouth. I could shut my teeth and move my tongue and even talk! It was incredible. The pain went down to like a 2 from what had been a consistent 7-9 for about a week. 

Post-procedure, I drank a smoothie, and took the nicest nap I have had in a long while. I feel like a different person. This darn infection took a lot out of me, especially because nobody knew what it was and I'm not sure if people believed me when I kept saying it was getting worse and worse. I mean hell, even I thought I might be exaggerating... until I finally learned about PTA and read other's accounts. What I can take away from my experience and what I hope to help you with is that, if you are feeling consistent worsening pain on one side of your throat and maybe your ear, and it's not getting better but you've tried all else, you may want to see an ENT or go to the ER rather than live in pain just because they told you it's probably only a virus. I was told I had no fluid in my ears and everything was fine. Maybe it took time for The abscess to show or the others couldn't see it.. idk.. regardless, it took over a week. I am feeling immensely better! They change my prescription and I still have to see an ENT to follow up. However, I can now eat and drink somewhat normally. But when I drink water, it comes out of my nose. This isn't pleasant but I'd take this any day over what I've  been through. I realize this post is probably extremely long but  didn't not want to leave out any details. I hope this can be of help to anyone out there. Thanks everyone for sharing and allowing me to share!

Similarly I’ve had 5 cases of tonsillitis in the past 8 weeks along with 2 cases 2 months prior.

 As a child I was always prone to getting tonsillitis, my mum always fell ill with it, so did my nan etc.. So I’m fully aware of what the signs and symptoms of tonislittis are. During the first lot of tonsillitis approximately 4 months ago, I was seen by a nurse practitioner who advised me it was thrush ( you can laugh at the stupidity).

 After a long debate with her on whether I agreed to whether it was thrush, I submissively took the prescription and continued with the course of treatment. Instantly, after a day of using these pippet drops my throat got increasingly worse. I went to my out of hours emergency doctors and as soon as they looked down my throat he agreed that it was intact tonsilittis and they expressed real concern about it develop Into Quincy.

2 weeks later the nurse who had diagnosed me as having thrush, got the results of the swab she took (prepare to gasp) and it came back as bacterial tonsilittis. I was fuming, I sincerely believe this is where my ongoing battle with tonsilittis has started and that if someone had proactively sought advice or gave the correct diagnosis I wouldn’t be in the position I am now.

 Given the most recent batch I have never experienced anything like this before.. I could not eat or swallow, I couldn’t open my mouth wide enough to get a spoon in there, the whole left side of my face, jaw and neck has seized up and caused great discomfort and it felt like I had a kitchen draw of knives down the back of my throat.

 I went to my local GP for the 3rd time and again they prescribed me with antibiotics, this time for 2 weeks. I felt no better but no worse and within a day of finishing the antibiotics the tonsilittis came back with vengeance. I immediately went to my GP again and insisted they referred me to the ENT clinic (which took another 2 weeks as it’s the nhs) where they completely recognised that this type of reoccurrence is not normal. They looked down my throat and saw no visible infection as the antibiotics did their job, but my left tonsil was increasingly larger than my right and the uvula was starting to lay closer to this side, suggesting the possibility of Quincy. 

The doctor said the most logical thing to do would be to take them out, considering i’ve been battling with it for near enough 4/5 months now and to have an MRI to confirm the Quincy.  They immediately got me an appointment with the Pre-operative department to get the ball rolling, and assured me that within the next week to 10 days I would have my appointment for the operation.

I received a phone call two days ago, informing me that the operation wasn’t going to take place until the end of the month. I cannot wait this long especially as the tonsilittis is still here and causing me difficulty. I have lost my job because of the sickness and I’m unable to do normal social things because as soon as I leave the house I fall even more ill.

That’s my story anyway, I was just wondering did anyone else suffering with Quincy have a dry throat and cough where no amount of water would help this? 

Hope everyone’s recovered accordingly

Severe left sided sore throat started on Thursday. Had bacterial tonsillitis 24 years ago and was pretty sure I needed Penicillin V. Decided (because I’m an idiot) that I couldn’t go to the docs after only 24 hours so thought I’d wait til Monday. Bad Idea. I’ve a chronic neck injury so I take strong pain relief daily anyway. Was getting about thirty minutes of being able to swallow from each dose of cocodamol so was chugging down fluids when I could. Outside these times I couldn’t swallow my own saliva. Temp was around 38 with meds. 

Thought about presenting at A and E but was worried about wasting their time esp as it’s flu season and the NHS is having a nightmare. I’m an ex nurse and should have known better. Struggled through weekend with no sleep. Fortunately had my parents to help me with little man as I was completely useless. Sunday night it felt like I had a ruler going straight down my face and the pain all over my face and head to the left was unbelievable. No sleep. 

Got up to sort little man out for school. Took twenty minutes to get meds down. Had to get my mum to take over with my son. Managed to book a cancellation with Gp online for 9am. 

Saw gp expecting to have to argue for antibiotics. No - sent straight to hospital with quinsy. Got roundly told off for not coming sooner. 

Unfortunately it’s the same A and E I went to after my neck injury so my PTSD kicked in - MARVELLOUS. Literally a gibbering crying wreck, attractively constantly spitting thick saliva into a million napkins as I couldn’t swallow. 

Was seen within 15 minutes. They were really worried about my pulse (125). Explained it was ptsd response as best I could and they got the gist. Explained I really didn’t want to stay in. They were lovely ( I think being a nurse injured by a patient assault probably helps in terms of understanding from health professionals) 

Took ages to get a line due to dehydration. 

Bloods showed super high white count - no surprise. The quinsy was quite small so they decided not to aspirate. Iv dexamethasone and BenPen plus fluids. Ent Reg said she wanted to keep me in but due to my “special circumstances” was willing to let me go providing I could swallow a few cups of water once the steroids had worked their magic and I promised to come back immediately if my swallow deteriorated again. 

Dutifully swallowed 2 cups of water for her, painful but so much better. She handed me two biscuits and wanted to see me swallow them. But then she got distracted and I may have put them in my pocket.... and discharged. 

Home now with pen-V and diflam spray. Feel so much better. Throat sore but able to swallow which is just lovely. 

Lesson learnt: If this happens again I will go straight to A and E. I do worry about the current advice not to be a time waster. While yes we don’t want people presenting for silly things, there must be lots like me that don’t present because in their unwell state they don’t realise how ill and how dangerous their situation is. And I’m an ex nurse!! Part of me did know I needed help. But I kept seeing the NHS poster in my mind that says for a sore throat go to the pharmacist. 

Fab service from the NHS staff.