Need other people’s opinions

[PeachyBlossom]

Hi! First post in this group

I feel like I need someone else’s point of view since my doctors aren’t doing anything! I’ve been having some problems with my throat, glands and tonsils since the end of February and I feel like I’ve been getting no answers from the doctors I’ve been too. When I first started having problems in February I was at my grandparents visiting them at the time and one night I had this horrible feeling of something stuck in my throat at first I thought I was just dehydrated so I had some water but I kept getting worse and worse throughout the night. I went and had a look in the mirror by shining the light from my phone down my throat and it looked like my tonsils were slightly swollen and that I had white dots on them (still don’t know to this day whether it’s pus or tonsil stones since I still have them). I thought I’d just ignore it and see if it went away since I thought I was just getting a cold or something until later that night at around 3am I started having trouble breathing and the feeling of something stuck in my throat was getting worse (there was no pain just the feeling of something like a pill was stuck in my throat) I ended up waking up my grandparents cause I was freaking out cause I couldn’t breathe. Since they aren’t very nice people they ended up yelling at me and saying I was over reacting. My pop made me some tea then just went back to bed. The next day It got worse so they ended up taking me to the hospital that night. Because where my grandparents live is in a small town the hospital wasn’t very good. The nurse was nice and understanding towards me but the doctor was absolutely awful she made me feel stupid for coming in. The nurse said she could see some redness on my tonsils but she couldn’t see the white dots I was describing to her. The doctor basically just shrugged it off and said it didn’t look that bad and that it was probably just viral tonsillitis which means antibiotics wouldn’t work so she just sent me home and said that if it go worse in two days then to get some antibiotics. It ended up getting worse again the next day but my pop refused to get me antibiotics because of what the doctor said. That night I ended up having trouble breathing again but this time I was literally wheezing because I couldn’t get breath in plus under my chin all the way down the front of my neck was all swollen at this point. my pop wasn’t very happy but he ended up taking me back to the hospital. The nice nurse wasn’t there this time only the nasty doctor and once again she made me feel like an idiot for coming in she said that it hadn’t gotten any worse then the day before when I came in and that breathing problems isn’t a symptom of tonsillitis and that I was probably just having a panic attack. She finally gave me the first pill of a course of penicillin and said I could pick up the rest from a chemist the next morning. So we did. The feeling of something stuck in my throat and the redness of my tonsils went away but the white patches on my tonsils and the swelling under my chin and at the front of my neck was still there by the end of my antibiotics. But at least the uncomfortable feeling of something stuck in my throat and the breathing problems went away. A week later I was back at home with my mum and I felt fine apart from the swelling and the white patches. But then a few weeks later I started having problems again so I looked in my throat and the redness had come back and underneath my tonsils were very swollen (they were even touching my tongue) so I went back to a gp in my area in Sydney Australia she was a lot nicer to me then the doctor in my grandparents area. she said she could see some redness and some slight swelling so she put me on another course of penicillin and she said after that if it still didn’t feel better then to go to a ears nose and throat specialist. Basically the penicillin just did the same thing as the first course it got rid of the redness and also the swelling of the tonsils this time but the white patches and the swelling under my chin was still there. And after a week or so the other symptoms started coming back again. So I rang the the ears nose and throat doctor since she wasn’t having in person appointments at this time. I sent her a picture of my throat so she could see my tonsils and I also sent her a picture of my neck and under my chin so she could see the swelling she said she couldn’t see any swelling in my neck from the pictures but she said she could see the redness and slight swelling of my tonsils so she said to get a blood test done to see if it’s bacterial or not. So I went and got one done. The results came back a week later. It said that I had a Bacterial infection since I had a high white blood cell count. She also told me that I was slightly anemic as well. She said the infection is most likely recurring or chronic strep throat so she said she’ll get me to come in person for an appointment at the end of may when her clinic reopens so I can get a mouth swabbing done just to make sure it is strep. She said if it doesn’t end up going away I might have to get my tonsils removed if they are the problem. The long wait time for my next appointment is giving me a lot of anxiety I just want to know exactly what it is so I can get treated so it can go away and I can go back to living my normal life since I’ve been like this for 3 months now.

I’ve put a picture down below of my neck and chin. The one one the left was taken before this all happened and the one on the right was taken today. I can see a huge difference. The one on the left you can see my jawline and my neck looks normal. Whereas in the one on the right you can’t even see the line of my jaw anymore and under my chin and the front of my neck looks like it’s sticking out more. Even my cheeks look like they’ve gotten bigger.

Do you reckon it looks different or is it just my imagination?

[kenster1]

hi I had abnormal white cells a few years ago doctor said its nothing to worry about. about a year ago I started having throat neck pain some swelling went for blood tests came back clear even went to the clinic and the doc couldn't see anything so I am still in the dark really and still having the problems.

[PeachyBlossom in reply to kenster1]

Wow that’s really frustrating I hope eventually they’ll be able to find out what it is 😕💞

[Krn210]

It isn’t your imagination. I can see the difference in the pics

[PeachyBlossom in reply to Krn210]

It’s good to know that I’m not imagining it 😅 maybe I should show this side by side comparison to my doctor once I have the appointment at the end of the month.

[Krn210 in reply to PeachyBlossom]

I would! That way they know what your neck normally looks like

[Agora1]

Hi PeachyBlossom, I definitely see the difference.

[Agora1]

We're not doctors PeachyBlossom but it seems like the swelling

could be coming from your lymph nodes because of the throat infection

or possibly thyroid issues . Your doctor will do a complete exam and possibly

blood tests that will give you a professional, accurate diagnosis.

I wish you well. I understand how waiting can be causing you stress. Take care xx

[PeachyBlossom in reply to Agora1]

Yeah I’ve been thinking that it could be a thyroid problem as well. I wish these next 3 weeks could go quickly I feel like I’ve been getting worse every day I really just want my life to get back on track. I work as an artist and not being able to draw from being so uncomfortable with my throat and neck has made me so depressed 😭 not knowing what is wrong with me is causing bad anxiety too 😓

[Ubud2021]

Hey there hun!

That’s good this doctor actually has some answers for you. As something similar happened to me before, I will explain my situation.

When I was younger, I had a hard time breathing one night, and it was scary! I was thinking I was going to die. I was with my grandparents as well. (What are the odds😉) and I woke them up and we went to the hospital at 3am. I had an esophagus ulcer. It was due to acid reflux. I don’t know if you have this or not? May be something to look into.

Also, when I was 15 years old, this happened again, but, a little differently. I kept getting “strep throat” constantly. I was constantly sick. I had noticed severe swelling of my tonsils, as well as white dots. My doctors kept putting it off, as yours, and kept giving me antibiotics. Which honestly, isn’t good to have an antibiotic every month. Anyway, I believe I finally saw yet ANOTHER doctor for yet another opinion. Finally, he suggested I need my tonsils out right away. With my insurance, it took a little while to get into. But finally I had someone who acknowledged my problem!! So at 16, I got my tonsils out. And boy, were they bad. The doctor taking them out, said he hadn’t seen a case that bad in awhile. But it was due to a whole year or more of being told I have “strep throat”. I can’t remember exactly what kind of doctor I saw who told me I needed them out ASAP, but it was at a different clinic. I can’t remember if it was just a Medical Doctor, or if I had went to a mouth and throat clinic.

ANYWAY- I get the struggle of the “waiting game.” I really do. It does bring an extreme amount of anxiety. But, you’ve had it this long, what’s another month? I know, easy for me to say as I am not in your situation, but, it’s only a month. Keep reassuring to yourself that something is definitely going to be done about it! Because due to the pandemic, most people have to wait on doctor visits and things like that. So try to find ways to fill your time.

What I have been doing to fill up my time, as I am on a “waiting game” myself, is I am doing a lot of coloring, reading/listening to audiobooks, meditation, watching comedy tv series or comedy movies, (the comedy to help ease anxiety and make you laugh. Laughter is one of the best medicines.) maybe spend time with your family who you can enjoy their company and do crafts to distract yourself, anything you can think of! Just know, that in the end, it will all work out. If it’s not worked out, that means it is not the end. Keep hope, keep calming/reassuring mantras to say, and try to just hand this problem over to the universe right now to take care of. As soon, it will happen.

Keep us updated!

[PeachyBlossom in reply to Ubud2021]

Thank you so much for your kind words I really needed to hear something like this at the moment!

I will definitely look into the esophagus ulcer I get really bad acid reflux regularly so that actually could make sense!!

And omg I’m so sorry you had to go through having strep throat for an entire year!! I couldn’t imagine the pain and discomfort that would have put you through! I’m glad you finally managed to get them taken out!! My doctor said if I have recurring or chronic strep throat then I may have to get my tonsils out eventually.

Waiting really is terrible isn’t it? Like you just want to know what’s wrong with you and the doctors won’t give you a direct answer so you start looking up your symptoms on google and end up making the anxiety 10 times worse 😂

To keep myself busy I’ve been playing a lot of video games. A game for the Nintendo switch called animal crossing new horizons came out at the end of March so I’ve been keeping myself busy with that almost every day since it’s come out! ☺️I’ve also been watching a lot of tv as well. The vampire diaries and the originals have been keeping me busy lately!

Again thank you so much for your message it really means a lot!

I’ll definitely keep you updated I’ll probably make another post after my appointment to let everyone know what the doctor has said 💞😊