Hi Suzy,
clarithromycin is in a different family of antibiotics than penicillin, so there is a chance that you have a strain of Strep resistant to pen but susceptible to clarithromycin. Since your doctor is the one that examined you and has your full history, I would continue with that until you follow up, if that was the suggestion. Ibuprofen/acetaminophen and lots of fluids will give some symptomatic relief too. Throat lozenges will help keep your throat from getting dried out, which can make the pain worse.
Hope you are better soon.
JMK MD
Sorry, it should be clonocid, not clonocil. The main "ingredient" seems to be clarithromycin, if that means anything. Thanks for your help.
Hi,
I am not familiar with those drug names, but I researched them and yes, Calvepen is just penicillin- I cannot find Clonocil anywhere- maybe the name is misspelled?
Regardless, if strep throat is being treated, it is usually susceptible to penicillin, and you would notice some improvement within a couple of days usually. It is possible to have a strain of Strep that is resistant to penicillin, and therefore, maybe your doctor is trying to target that (assuming that Coloncil is not also penicillin). Ideally, your doctor would test for strep at your first visit, before you started the antibiotics.
I think it is more likely that you have a viral throat infection if you aren't responding to the antibiotics, although I can't be sure since I cannot examine you. Usually mono (glandular fever) presents with more than just the sore throat, and you would have high fever, general malaise/fatigue etc, so that's probably not what is going on. Even if you test positive, there is nothing else that you should be doing for that other than rest/fluids etc, so I would try to take it easy for the weekend, continue the antibiotic prescribed and follow up with your doctor on Monday. If this is some other viral infection, it should pass within the next week or so- in the meantime try to get rest, take some ibuprofen for the pain. If your symptoms change or get worse, make sure to folllow up with your doctor again.
Good luck,
JMK MD