Slippery slope

Well, Christmas is over. For those of you that know me in any way, no matter how little, you'll know that the end of the festive season brings me nothing but joy, intense pleasure that the hideous event has passed.

This year, however, the joy is muted. Last weekend of November I broke my toe. Two weeks before Christmas I developed bronchitis. I've had throat problems for a decade now and as referred to in a previous post, I keep getting told it's side effects of the epilepsy medication. So, you'd think I'd be used to it. Sadly, this bout has been a killer. The bronchitis has gone but the sore throat remains, as it has for twenty one long days now, burning like a coal fire in the desert. Ironically, drier than that though.

Tickly cough you say? Damn right. To the point where I feel like throwing up. Sleeping is a bind, just what I need. I've had a week's dose of Amoxicillin that didn't help and I've now been referred to Ear, Nose And Throat to have a camera thrust down my throat. And that appointment will be in,

'Four weeks, minimum'.

I'm just tired, so bleeding tired of having to fight to get any help all the sodding time. Myself and the Baroness worked out last night that in the last four years I have been to the GP regarding tonsilitis, bronchitis, laryngitis or just a painful throat eleven times (that we could recall) and I've got nowhere. Now I've got to wait another month just to get the ball rolling, again. Sick to death of being ill, Christmas was wiped out, the Baroness was off work for nine days and I felt like poo for all of it.

Happy new year

21 Replies

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  • Poor lad ; I really feel for you. Pain killers in the meantime, I suppose Andy, and perhaps some Strepsils to lubricate the affected area..............I find they really ease the pain.

    I don't usually talk about vitamins but, if it's a recurring problem, is it possible your system needs boosting with some quality supplements perhaps ?

    xx

  • Lord Knows. I'm on Vitamin C and cod liver oil, have been for months. Don't feel any better and as for the oil, my joints still snap like twigs. Waste of bloody time, and money.

    My throat regime is this....

    Extra strength Lockets, can't sleep without them, the infernal wheezing keeps me awake if the the throat doesn't.

    By the way... Lad? Bless ya :)

  • I always find that if I can have a couple of nights without coughing and get some decent sleep, things start to improve.

    So it's co-codamol (max) in the evening and again at bed time..................it does seem to work.

    Fingers crossed for a turning point very soon. xxx

  • Sadly, co-codamol leaves me stumbling around the house like a zombie, and that's when I can stay awake. I never have been able to tolerate it. So it's paracetamol for me and lots of it. I'm almost snorting the stuff.

  • Sorry Andy illness adding insult to injury over the holiday period, hope that it time opasses quickly to your appointment.

    Love Janet x

  • Thanks, Janet. Your best wishes always help :)

    xx

  • Talking of vitamins I take high strength D3 to help top up my reserves on account of very little sun in this country, just a thought, they help the immune system too.xx

  • I shall be buying some of them on my next trip out, thanks for the tip.

    x

  • Feck fairly miserable for you, NHS is fairly sluggish for this sort of stuff.

    I assume one or many of the medications is immune suppression?

    Take care!

  • To be honest, I have no idea what they suppress, they've been held responsible in the past for everything that has ever been wrong with me, from throbbing headaches, through to bronchial troubles, to a ferociously itching scalp and on to blurred vision. And absolutely everything in between.

  • Sorry to hear this baron.

    I tend to suffer a lost voice when I get a cold or even the slightest sniffle.

    Although my wife does remind me every cloud as a silver lining.......mmmmm I feel it is benifitial to her only.

    Also been eventually that it is probably due to my meds. The last visit I was told very sternly that not smoking and drinking would help greatly.

    I asked how quickly doing this would help. The reply was fairly instantly.......I then informed them that it was strange then because if they had read my notes I stopped smoking 10 years ago and had my last drink 15 years ago. .....Dont you love consultants.

    This year I found out that winter sickness bug even ends in my voice going.

    I to have taken vtamin suppliments along with a healthier diet but still no change.

    Apart from the cold weather ( have problems coping with heat as no temp control) I to dislike the winter months due to added illness.

    Maybe I suffer from SAD....must do because my wife often says I am a sad arse.

    Hope you feel better soon..roll on summer.

    Pax.

  • Aaah yes, the lost voice. Fortunately it's been a while since mine went completely, but I'm really no stranger to the land of involutary silence.

    Thanks for the best wishes, Pax

  • Hi Andy, hope you feel better soon. K

  • Thanks, K. Me too! :)

  • Sorry to hear this. I am a chlorseptic anaesthetic spray devotee for sore throats and always have halls throat sweets on hand. Complaint re GP perhaps that's a lot of visits without resolution, referral etc?

  • I used to use one of them years ago. To be honest, I'd completely forgotten about them!

  • Morning

    Hope things are improving ? My throat is pretty much permanently sore but was much worse just before / over xmas. I took to using the old fashioned steam with towel over my head for 15/20 mins three times a day .... since I'm not allowed many other meds with my anti epilepsy and warfarin regime. Seemed to help a bit - and I use the throat/mouth spray to help as direct pain relief....

    Hope you find something that works :-)

  • Thanks a lot.

    I find living off ice cream to be quite beneficial. It genuinely does help a lot

  • good old steam inhalations - they work! I find myrrh essential oil very soothing to put into steam inhalations for sore throats - more gentle than pine or other expectorants for clearing gunk.

  • Hi Andy,

    Wow, you're having a toughie .

    I remember you saying you have regular sinus trouble too - have they ruled out underlying allergy ? I have Seasonal asthma ( pollen and funghi spores ) and this can cause sore/inflamed throat and tickling, alongside wheezing and 'elephant on your chest' breathing difficulty with me. Any viral infection always flares this up too - I use a preventer steroid inhaler to help control this when needed - has GP considered this ?

    Regarding recurrent tonsil infections - these can be removed in such cases can't they ?

    I remember using Chloraseptic spray for one troublesome patch , as Tortie suggested and also Merocaine lozenges ( thanks for the tip, Mum ) which have localised anaesthetic properties. Of course, check with Pharmacist for compatability with current meds.

    As you said, simple paracetomol can lessen the tickle for a while - maybe enough for a little sleep.

    I take a multi vit/mineral, omega 369 now as standard and add Zinc/vit C , lots of orange juice and avoid dairy ( as it produces more mucus ) when fighting a virus.

    Regarding joints ,have you tried 'Glucosamine and Chondroitin' ? It works for dogs with joint problems too ! Had great improvement with my own/ neighbours dogs after a couple of weeks on this : )

    Regarding camera down throat, I had this a few years ago for a transient swallowing issue. They went via my nostril, uncomfortable part being the brief passage past the internal bridge cartilage. Think Arnie in 'Total Recall' removing the tracking device but in reverse lol ! On the plus side, they squirt anaesthetic up your hooter before the procedure so you will not feel the throat ! The weird thing is, once it numbs you, you can no longer feel your breath as it goes in and out of your nose/mouth - I had to double check I was still breathing !

    Best of luck with self help and for your appointment,

    Sleep whenever it will let you,

    Take care,

    Angela x

  • Thanks Angela,

    I tried Glucosamine and Chondroitin years ago, but within 48 hours I was weeing on lamp posts, chasing tennis balls, walking miles, crapping on the lawn and howling at the postman. I had to knock it on the head :)

    I've had the camera treatment twice in the past so I'm used to it to be honest. I'm just not entirely sure what they expect to find this time that they've never discovered before.

    Hey ho, I guess I'll find out soon enough...

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