Upper Respiratory Infection or Passing Me Off?

Around November 7th, I developed what I assumed to be a run of the mill sinus infection. I had a lot going on with an ill family member, and didn't do my usual home treatment. It stuck around until around Thanksgiving. During that time, I was on a 7-day course of penicillin (root canal) and went through a bought of some stomach bug. The penicillin didn't do anything to help my sinus symptoms.

The symptoms of the sinus infection are gone, but there are a few annoyances still lingering. My glands are swollen and painful, especially toward the end of the day. Gargling with salt water gives some relief, but never permanent. I also have a feeling like something is stuck to the back of my mouth. My dentist believed it was due to swollen taste buds, but the feeling comes and goes like the swollen glands. I'm concerned it might be my tonsils. No fever, no muscle pains, no unusual fatigue.

Yesterday I went to the clinic because of an ear ache. It was new, and worrisome, so I bit the bullet and went to the doctor. She spent next to no time with me, said I had an upper respiratory infection that spread everywhere in my head, and prescribed z-pack. She told me my throat was a bit inflamed, my glands were swollen and my ears had some fluid in them. Nothing about tonsils, but I'm not sure if I can trust her!

Well, she forgot to tell her nurse about the z-pack, because her nurse told me whatever I had was going around, lingered for weeks and antibiotics don't touch it. When I brought up the prescription, she quickly changed her tune.

My kids (all 4 of them) have had all the same symptoms without the swollen glands on and off for the same time period. It's like they just can't shake it either, but it's never so bad they're slowed down.

I'm just shy of 26, a half-pack smoker and slightly overweight. Otherwise, I'm pretty darn healthy. I'm just not sure if I should take the z-pack (I'm very against antibiotics unless extremely necessary) and if I should go to another doctor to get checked out. Is it even worth it? URI just seems so generic, but I don't know what else it could be...

[ShadowPhoenix09]

I'm not much of a medication taker either, I don't even like taking aspirin for my migraines. Take the antibiotics. This sounds like it's a similar infection to strep-throat and that can lie dormant for days, weeks, even years before flaring back up again if you don't take the full dosage of antibiotics prescribed.

[SassyLassie]

I really hate to take any kind of medicine, but in your case, I would take the antibiotic. If it is a bad infection and gets worse, you could develope many more problems and possibly even end up in the hospital.

Also, I would try to cut back on the smoking during this time as well as smoking can decrease your immune system.

[Altari]

ShadowPhoenix, I didn't even think about strep! It's been running rampant in my daughters' schools. That's a very real possibility.

SasyLassie, the hospital was a big concern. Also, giving it to my kids. I'm taking the z-pack, so if it works and the kids get sick, at least I've been a test case and we'll know what knocks it out.