I've been on three antibiotics in less then two months, please help

[bethmoore]

I've been sick since Novemeber, so it's been about 4 months now, but it didn't get bad until about Jan. My symptoms started out as a simple cold, coughing sneezing mild fever and a sore throat. At first I was given amoxocillin to treat what they assumed was strep (a throat swab was never done), after the meds I felt better but a week later felt worse then ever. I then was given more antibiotics because they then assumed it was a sinus infection and I needed strong antibiotics. My doctor told me that if after the pills if I wasn't 100% then I'd have to get a cat scan. Two days after the pills I was feeling fine, went to bed that night and woke up at 3am. I was soaking wet from sweat and had a fever of 103.4. I then took some advil and went back to sleep. When I awoke in the morning my throat was all swollen and almost to the point where my breathing was blocked, I looked down my throat with a mirror, and almost overnight my throat was swollen, red, and my tonsils were covered in large white patches. My doctor then took a swab to rule out thrush and strep, gave me more antibiotics this time Clarithromycin. I'm three days in, still feel just as sick and even with advil my fever just wont break. I was sent for blood work to rule out mono, but I haven't been overly tired and no pain in my left side where my spleen is, so I'm assuming that's going to come back negetive. Any suggestions for what can be wrong, because I'm sick of taking all these antibiotics that are just killing my healthy bacteria and being a quick fix to obviously some other problem.

[Bhupinder Kaur, MD]

Hello,

I am having two possibilities in my mind after reading your symptoms.

Firstly,it can be a case of mononucleosis.It is a viral infection causing fevers, sore throat, and swollen lymph glands, especially in the neck. It is usually linked to the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV), but can also be caused by other organisms such as cytomegalovirus (CMV).
Diagnosed by mono spot test(takes only a few minutes, and can be done in a physician's office), Epstein-Barr virus antigen by immunofluorescence and Epstein-Barr virus antibody titers.

Most patients recover within 2-4 weeks without medication. Rest, a healthy diet, plenty of fluids, limiting heavy exercise and competitive sports, and treatment of aches with acetaminophen (Tylenol, Panadol) or ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin) will help the illness pass.

Second possibility is of streptococcal sore throat.Diagnosed by rapid strep test If positive,then antibiotics are needed. Penicillin is the preferred medication. Oral penicillin must be taken for 10 days. Patients need to take the entire amount of antibiotic prescribed, even after symptoms of the sore throat improve. Stopping the antibiotic early can lead to a return of the sore throat.

I feel that you should wait for the lab results(esp for strep)and continue taking the antibiotics that your physician has prescribed for you.

Hope it helps.Take care and pls do keep me posted in case of any additional doubts.

[bethmoore]

blood tests just came back negative for mono, and throat swab came back negative for strep

I'm on my last day of my antibiotics and feeling way, better, hoping the symtoms don't come back again two days later like last time. Keep you posted.

[bethmoore]

so it's been two days since my latest round of antibiotics, with all my tests coming back negative, and almost overnight my throat is swollen again and there's tiny white patches coming back. I have another doctors appointment today but I have no idea what he's going to do for me seeing as everything he thought it was, was proven wrong by the tests... is there anything else anyone can suggest, seeing as I think the next step is taking out my tonsils.

[Choel]

At this point I think a throat specialist would be in order.