Rlly bad anxiety about health

[PeachyBlossom]

Hi! Really anxious 17 yr old here.

Can someone plz give me an idea on what is going on with my health since I haven’t gotten any answers from doctors and I’ve been looking things up on google but I still have no idea.

My tonsils have white dots on them and they look a bit red and underneath the tonsils looks quite swollen and underneath my chin feels quite swollen and hard and so does the bottom (and kind of the middle) of my neck. It didn’t hurt at first it just felt like something was stuck down the back of my throat (like the feeling you get when you swallow a pill and it doesn’t go down properly) and some days it feels a little scratchy. I’ve already taken a course of antibiotics and they didn’t work so the gp has given me a second course (I’ve only had 5 so far). And today I feel like I have no energy at all. Like even walking from the couch to the toilet is making me exhausted. My gp said I’m just below having a fever and a different doctor at a hospital I went to about it said that I have an irregular heart rate (it was going from 80 something to almost 130bpm although they put that down to just being bad anxiety) so I don’t know if either of those things have anything to do with whatever is wrong with my throat.

I’ve looked up some things about my symptoms online and I reckon it could either be: tonsillitis that won’t go away (although I think that’s unlikely since I’m not getting any pain), tonsil stones (although I don’t know about that either since I don’t know if tonsil stones would have all these other symptoms), wisdom tooth ( I’m not getting any pain in my gums though), or something wrong with my thyroid gland.

I’ve been to the hospital twice and the gp once and I still don’t know what it is. The gp has given me a referral to a ears, nose and throat doctor although I’m very weary about going with everything with the corona virus going on at the moment. Although I’ve been going through all this discomfort since the end of February so I’ve had enough now and I really want to get better and know what’s wrong

Plz help me I’m getting really bad anxiety about all of this.

[Worrywort55]

Hi PeachyBlossom,

The white dots you describe do sound like tonsil stones, they're not anything to be concerned about and are quite common, but you could have tonsillitis which with good care from your GP should resolve. The tonsil stones usually work their way out themselves. You could get a telephone consult for advice. Try not to Google as that will just wind you up & lead to misinformation.

Heart rates can vary when we're anxious, so that could be a red herring. Follow advice to bring the temperature under control, drink plenty of fluids. Honey water can be really soothing, warm preferably.

Lying on your side on the sofa, slow calm breaths. Allow your body to feel safe & comfortable.

Xx

[PeachyBlossom in reply to Worrywort55]

Thank you for your reply. 😊

Yeah tonsil stones are probably most likely I just don’t know what all the swelling under my chin and at the bottom of my neck means I don’t think tonsil stones would cause that much swelling. The hospital I mentioned diagnosed me with tonsillitis and that’s why I was prescribed antibiotics but they didn’t end up working I just hope this course works otherwise if it keeps coming back I’m anxious that I’ll have to get my tonsils removed.

And yeah the heart rate is probably anxiety since it got worse as well after the doctor at the hospital mentioned it. I’ll definitely try the honey water and see if that helps with my temperature too🙂

I’ll try the breathing thing although I feel like I have trouble controlling it I feel like I take lots of small fast breaths and I have trouble taking long slow breaths.

I feel like I need antidepressants to control my depression and anxiety but I’m having trouble getting some during this time 😞

[Hidden]

The White berry type things can be removed quite easy either by the Dentist or even by yourself with the back of a toothbrush or an inter dental toothbrush. I have used a mouth wash in the past, they are unpleasant, although nothing to worry about. They are trapped in the Adanoids.

If you have been feeling tired that can be caused by the Antibiotics your GP has prescribed.

These medications will make you feel washed out

Your Heart rate at 80/130 would seem about right, and the higher 130 will most probably be caused by Anxiety. Your GP will advise My readings last time were about the same and I am a pensioner who takes His Statins, so I would expect they are quite normal 76/128

It sounds like you have had an infection and that was the reason prescribing Anti biotics

Are you taking them about twenty/thirty mins or so before food

BOB

[PeachyBlossom in reply to Hidden]

Thanks for your reply 😊

I’ll probably have to go to a dentist since I can’t stick something that far down the back of my throat without gagging. I’ve been using mouthwash since it started although it doesn’t seem to be helping with the tonsil stones.

I didn’t actually know that antibiotics could make you feel tired that’s made me feel a bit better now.

And yeah the heart rate probably is just from anxiety since my anxiety and depression is really bad lately especially in the last 2 months or so it’s just kinda scary seeing it that high.

And yeah it says either 30 mins before food or 2 hrs after food so I’m following that.

[Delzek]

PeachyBlossom, please stop googling your symptoms as it can cause even worse anxiety because you may see many different illnesses that appear to be the same as your symptoms! That can make you worry more. I have on the odd occasion googled the name of an illness "After" I have been diagnosed by my Gp, but I Never Google symptoms prior to seeing the Gp, all the best Derek

[PeachyBlossom in reply to Delzek]

Yeah my mum tells me that but sometimes I feel like I can’t help it. I feel like the gps never give me any answers and sometimes I feel like I just want to have some idea on what could be wrong.

[hopeful09]

Hi, I'm sorry you're feeling ill. It sounds a little like mono (webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/und.... Has your doctor tested you for that?

I'm struggled with sinus and nasal issues all my life; I actually do have regular tonsil stones. I would recommend some home remedies in addition to seeking medical intervention. I gargle with warm salt water, drink warm drinks (coffee, tea, hot chocolate, etc.) I also make myself a concoction of tea and lemon and honey when I'm not feeling well.

As for the swelling, that could just be your lymphnodes swelling in order to fight off whatever illness your body is facing. I would still bring it up to your doctor, but it is something that can happen and that is perfectly normal.

If you are worried about your heart, definitely get that checked out as well. But it may just be anxiety causing your heart rate to spike. Seems like a lot of people have recommended similarly.

Of course, I'm not a doctor, so don't rely on my medical advice but do know that people are here and are willing to listen. Remember to practice self-care and do things that are good for you, even if you can only do them for a short period of time, like exercise, meditate, etc. These will help bring your anxiety under control. Best of luck!

[PeachyBlossom in reply to hopeful09]

Hi! I just looked it up it could be that I’ll have to ask my doctor about it if I don’t feel better after this course of antibiotics.

I’ll try drinking some more warm drinks as well!

I reckon the swelling under my chin might be a lymph node but I’m not sure about the swelling at the bottom of my neck.

I think my heart might be anxiety since I have really bad anxiety with depression and I’m going to try and get some anti depressants soon but I don’t know when I’ll be able to get some with everyone stocking up on meds due to the corona virus. But I’ll get it checked out if it doesn’t improve after antidepressants.

Thank you so much for your advice!! It’s nice to know that people care. 💞💞💞😊😊😊

[hopeful09 in reply to PeachyBlossom]

Glad to hear that you seem like you have a plan. I agree, it's really reassuring to know that people do care, and that not everyone on the internet is a mean troll :). Take care of yourself, and keep communicating how you feel. It's important not to let everything become bottled up inside. Wishing you the best.

[PeachyBlossom in reply to hopeful09]

Thank you 💞💞