Please help me.Question about swollen tonsils

[suzy236]

Hi.
A week ago I started getting a sore throat.I went to my doc on Monday and by then my tonsils were pretty swollen and had white lumps on them. I've had a few strep throats during my life so I figured that was it. My glands were fairly swollen too. Anyway she prescribed me Calvepen, which she said is pure penicillin. On Tuesday, I went to my own Doc (a different one) who prescribed me clavamel (apparently it's penicillin based). Anyway I took Tues and Wed off work, and went back in on thursday. By Thurs afternoon I felt my tonsils were still really swollen and weren't really getting better, plus all the talking in work seemed to be really irritating them.So I went back to the doc today. She was a bit surprised the first prescription didn't work and prescribed me clonocil.Plus she took blood for a glandular fever test.
My question is, between the first 2 drugs i was prescribed, which would be stronger? I only took the Calvepen. I haven't touched the other and won't. I've been told to stop taking the Calvepen now and start taking the Clonocil.What's the difference and what's she trying to cure here exactly?She didn't seem very sure about whether Clonocil would do the job or not. Plus I'm just so worried that it will be glandular fever or that it won't get better.I have  had no other symptoms at all, other than swollen tonsils and a sore throat for the first couple of days which is now gone. The rest of me feels totally healthy, I'm still eating and sleeping okay and I'm not tired or anything.It's just really upsetting me and i've to wait til Monday before I get results from the blood tests. I'm from Ireland so I'm not sure the names of the drugs will be familiar to everyone.
(PS I also posted this in the medical forum)

[J.M. Keyes, MD]

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

[suzy236]

Sorry, it should be clonocid, not clonocil. The main "ingredient" seems to be clarithromycin, if that means anything. Thanks for your help.

[J.M. Keyes, MD]

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