Adult Strep Throat

boggle, ASN, RN · Jul 8, 2004

:sniff: Oh renee, how nasty that is. Adult strep is not nice. I've seen it bring down the strongest people. Lots of docs here order codeine for adults with strep to deal with the pain. Personally, I like the old "ice collars" and lots of ibuprophen.

Hope you feel better soon.

Trauma Columnist · Jul 8, 2004

Sure hope you feel better soon! As other poster stated - it can make you really sick...take care of yourself!

Ari RN, BSN, RN · Jul 8, 2004

Renee I know exactly what your passing through. For the past 2 years my tonsils have flared up often. Talk about pain......... OUCH. I also get the exudate coating my tonsils. I've been to my family doctor and he mentioned having them removed. He advised me to go see an EENT doctor. It's been almost 8 months since my last strep. I really don't want to see the EENT doc because of what he might say......... [take them out] I guess I'm a chicken when surgery's the topic. :rolleyes:

Nikki730 · Jul 8, 2004

Ari, you're lucky. No doctor I've ever seen around here advises getting the tonsils out. And I would love to get my tonsils removed. Yes, I suffer from cryptic tonsils too. I hate having to poke my tonsils with the tip of my toothbrush, trying to dislodge the debris without tripping my gag reflex. I have to do this pretty often too. Even after the debris is gone, it leaves that feeling, like there is something still in there. Yuck. I know, too much information.

I used to get strep every summer, right after bible camp. Also a lot during college. Of course, some of the time, I don't even think they did a culture. My Mom had the same problems, but back in her day, they removed problem tonsils.

Farkinott, RN · Jul 8, 2004

I remember I was sick as a dog once about 20yrs ago with a flaming,raging, very painful throat. My girlfried at the time went to the pharacist's and bought me some wonderful throat spray which helped nub the pain (it wasn't lignocaine spray). Cepocaine gargle is a good one too. You won't feel your throat for hours after a gargle of that stuff. Why suffer I say?

finness · Jul 8, 2004

Poor thing! I get strep/soar throats often, and my md said that it was NOT a good idea to remove tonsils at my age--22--since, "it would not necessarily reduce" the frequency of infection. You must be miserable. Please feel better! :balloons: :balloons:

BBFRN, BSN, PhD · Jul 8, 2004

I got my tonsils taken out after having Strep several times in a row. I haven't had a problem since. Ask your doc for an ENT consult, and see what s/he says.

camay1221_RN · Jul 8, 2004

Nikki,

I have found an eraser on the end of a pencil to work better for me, as it doesn't seem to elicit the gag reflex as much. Needless to say, I don't use that pencil for anything else!:)

I have contemplated the visit to an ENT also, but call me chicken, I just don't want to hear him say to remove them. I have decided, if I get another infections in the next year, I will go in though. Three strikes and I'm out, or third time is a charm, depending on how you want to look at it!

Thanks for the responses! It's some comfort to know I don't suffer alone with this.

Ari, you're lucky. No doctor I've ever seen around here advises getting the tonsils out. And I would love to get my tonsils removed. Yes, I suffer from cryptic tonsils too. I hate having to poke my tonsils with the tip of my toothbrush, trying to dislodge the debris without tripping my gag reflex. I have to do this pretty often too. Even after the debris is gone, it leaves that feeling, like there is something still in there. Yuck. I know, too much information.
I used to get strep every summer, right after bible camp. Also a lot during college. Of course, some of the time, I don't even think they did a culture. My Mom had the same problems, but back in her day, they removed problem tonsils.

sharann, BSN, RN · Jul 9, 2004

Try a benzocaine based throat drop or spray like Cepastat or the like. I work PACU and do not recomend any adult getting tonsils out unless they obstruct your airways (large adenoids). The pain I am told and observe is immense. Feel better soon and take all you antibiotic!

nurseygrrl, LPN · Jul 9, 2004

I went throught the same thing. I had strep a lot when I was in grade school all the way thru high school and then it just stopped. I started getting it again when I was around 24 years old and after my doc exhausted most ABT for me (the last thing I was getting was PAINFUL Penicillin-G shots in my butt!), she suggested a tonsillectomy. I had it done and although it was a difficult week and a half afterwards, I would do it again. It's wonderful to not have this constant throat infection. Good luck to you and go see an ENT!! :) I haven't had a sore throat once since I had those babies removed!

I didn't know there was a name for tonsils that got that gunk stuck in them (cryptic tonsils?). I had it too. I just used to call them 'rocks' in my tonsils. I used to hate it when I was someplace where I couldn't pick them out and everytime I swallowed, I felt them there...YUCK!

KarenAR · Jul 9, 2004

Had it twice this past winter...two cases just two months apart. The second one was the doozy. Kept me out of work for 2 weeks straight b/c the first antibiotic (Augmentin) did not do the trick. So my doc then put me on a fluoroquinolone (can't remember which one).

I gargled with salt water - which did nothing. Then I started gargling with 1/2-strength hydrogen peroxide. That and the new antibiotic kicked strep's butt.