Sick

[joe_papp]

I'm on day two of the worst sore throat of my life, which is the first time I've been really sick - achy, chills, headache, sore throat sick - in years. B/c of some other factors I'm concerned that this might not be just a viral infection and common sore throat. But if it is, anyone have any idea how long until symptoms start to abate (in general) and at what point, if I don't see the recovery I expect, I should seek medical care?

 

[Barrus]

If there are other reasons to be concerned, go to the doctor now.

Otherwise wait a week or 10 days, worst should be over by then

 

[Elegant Degenerate]

I wouldn't have thought an open internet forum is a great place to seek medical advice.

 

[Izzy eviel]

tonsillitis? Try & get a look of your mouth in a mirror. If it's swollen & has white spots could be tonsillitis. (or in my case it turned out to be an infected decayed wisdom tooth)

Do you have any pain in your ears?

 

[joe_papp]

I wouldn't have thought an open internet forum is a great place to seek medical advice.

Whatever. Your opinion is noted - and serves what purpose?

Why shouldn't I say that I have a really bad sore throat, admit that I can't remember ever having one before, and ask what people typically do w/ regards to waiting it out or going to the doctor? Given how much medical care costs in the US, since we have no universal health care system, "going to the doctor" is as much an economic decision as it is a medical one.

Since I don't have a broken femur, for example, I have the luxury of not needing to go to the emergency room. But, at the same time, "going to the doctor" here is not a logistically-simple exercise and if it's likely that i just have a standard "sore throat" caused by a virus, then there's nothing a doctor can do to speed the recovery and I'm inclined to suffer through this.

Maybe someone has had a similar experience and they can provide some information that will help me to make the best decision for my current situation.

tonsillitis? Try & get a look of your mouth in a mirror. If it's swollen & has white spots could be tonsillitis. (or in my case it turned out to be an infected decayed wisdom tooth)

Do you have any pain in your ears?

No ear pain.

 

[mewmewmew13]

I had the same thing 2 weeks ago. Horrible sore throat for two days, turned into runny nose....sounds like a total cold virus. Don't worry about it , everybody gets sick. AND don't expect that antibiotics will cure you....if it's a virus it just needs to run it's course, so be patient and chill out!
cheers

 

[hiero2]

If there are other reasons to be concerned, go to the doctor now.

Otherwise wait a week or 10 days, worst should be over by then

I concur.

Joe; read your last post after I first put this up - I think you posted about the same time as me, so I'm editing my answer a little.

If it is just strep or the flu - and not something else, then you can wait and monitor your condition. If the temp goes really high - then you know to worry.

- but you say

B/c of some other factors I'm concerned that this might not be just a viral infection and common sore throat.

. So we could jump to the possibility of an STD. No - don't answer this, that is certainly TMI. Or, maybe somebody you've been in contact with had yellow fever. Or you went camping in N.M. where black plague is still endemic.

If you have some reason to think this isn't the flu or strep, go to the doc - only a medico should be the judge of these more serious issues.

On the other hand, you've been through a lot of stress this year. Getting a "flu" bug could really lay you out more than usual in such a case.

If you really have an economic issue with a doc visit right now, then watch your temperature, take two aspirin, and call back in the morning. Don't worry unless it gets worse, or refuses to get better after a week or so. BTW, some doc offices now have "physician assistants" or "nurse practitioners" whose job it is to handle basic stuff, and to do it more cheaply than the doc himself.

Oh - here's a get well card!

GET WELL SOON!

 

[joe_papp]

Concur. Might just be strep - but you say . So we could jump to the possibility of an STD. No - don't answer this, that is certainly TMI...

Haha, no, thankfully not an STD. More so just the x-factors of stress, insufficient/disrupted sleep, so-so diet and how all those might combine to make my bod susceptible to having a cold become something worse.

Oh - here's a get well card!

Thanks!!

 

[tifosa]

I'm offering this wisdom as a mother:

If your swallowing or breathing is or becomes obstructed, seek immediate medical attention.

If your throat is still as sore on day 4 as it was on day 1 or 2, seek medical attention. You have a right to ask for a throat culture to rule out strep or other infection. There is no price for peace of mind, right?

If your sore throat is accompanied by a fever, and the fever is not abated by over the counter pain relievers, seek medical attention.

Gargle with:
1/4 teaspoon of salt
added to 8 ounces of warm water
Do this 3 times a day

Drink:
warm lemon water liberally laced with honey
Honey is a natural humectant with soothing properties

Rest, and know that all viruses eventually run their course (but feeling sick is never any fun).

 

[Tapeworm]

I AND don't expect that antibiotics will cure you....if it's a virus it just needs to run it's course, so be patient and chill out!
cheers

+1. For a virus you need anti-virals.

For the OP, I always suggest that when sick, see a doctor. I know health care is different in the USA but I am amazed that some people treat their bikes and cars better than themselves. /soapbox

Drink plenty of fluids, eat well, don't infect anyone else. I find chai (no milk!) with honey and lemon good for the throat (and gives you a kick of Vit C).

And no training till better!

 

[joe_papp]

I'm offering this wisdom as a mother:

Thanks, this is very helpful guidance.

For the OP, I always suggest that when sick, see a doctor. I know health care is different in the USA but I am amazed that some people treat their bikes and cars better than themselves. /soapbox

haha, no I definitely value my body more than my bike, which is replaceable w/ a single phone call to Pinarello - but I've gotta make it 40+ more years w/ this bag o' bones. I just don't want to run off to the doctor on day 2 when, if I'd waited til day 4, I would have realized it was just a cold + sore throat that needed time and basic actions like those suggested previously for symptom-alleviation. Cheers.

 

[Beech Mtn]

Gargle with Listerine or some other alcohol-based mouthwash or drink in order to kill some of the germs in the throat. Use over-the-counter Chloraseptic (or a generic version of it) spray on your throat as needed. It's an anesthetic and will numb whatever tissue the spray touches. It tastes atrocious, but will stop the pain immediately. Good luck.

 

[Izzy eviel]

If it is just a cold, rest, drink fluids, shove tissues up your nose & take some throat lozenges.

You know your body better then we do. If it ever begins to feel like something more then a cold, go to your doctor. Don't ask us unguided for advice. For all we know it could be Lupus.

 

[boris&co]

And of course it goes without saying that you should lay off the riding till you've recovered. I caught a chill on a sportive recently. When I was almost (but not quite) better I went out for a quick 70 miles. I was really ill after.

I mentioned this to the guy I usually ride with and he relayed the story of someone he knew who's girlfriend was a triathlete. She got some bug, but didn't want to miss any training. Apparently she died.

It wasn't funny when he told it either.

Look after yourself, and get well soon.

boris

 

[TERMINATOR]

I'm on day two of the worst sore throat of my life, which is the first time I've been really sick - achy, chills, headache, sore throat sick - in years. B/c of some other factors I'm concerned that this might not be just a viral infection and common sore throat. But if it is, anyone have any idea how long until symptoms start to abate (in general) and at what point, if I don't see the recovery I expect, I should seek medical care?

Gargle with Listerine™ as far back in your mouth as you can without choking. Let it sit there for a few minutes since contact time is what kills the most bacteria, twice a day. It should go away in 2 days max.

So why did Phil Zajicek get off in his doping case?

 

[brianf7]

If not on doping controle get some throat sweets with anestetic in them .

 

[lostintime]

Joe, I've always had success with such symptoms by taking a combination of Echinacea and Goldenseal. It comes in 1 or 2oz. liquid, the alcohol free versions are preferred. In Pittsburgh, go to East End Co-op or Whole Foods, as they will have it for sure.

While these are best taken at the onset, they'll still help.

 

[Guidokcd]

I've helped a lot of travelling athletes who would eventually get colds.

This always worked for me and them:

2 tablets of AlkaSeltzer and 1 tablet of Airborne (yes, I've read the disclaimer), mix with 1/2 liter of water, chug (tastes terrible)

Advil Cold and Sinus, if you're head is hurting, too, or if you have aches.

Hot Toddy (sp), cup of hot tea, shot of bourbon, lemon juice, honey.

Lots of fluids and soup.

I doubt you need a doctor unless your fever is high for more than 2 days. If you're coughing up stuff and it's green, that's a sign of infection and could warrant some antibiotics, but my suggestion is save the money and suffer a couple extra days.

 

[joe_papp]

I forgot that I could go to this "urgent care clinic" facility w/ my medical insurance, where you don't need to call a week in advance for an appt., or go to the ER to get seen. Just waiting for the lab results now to see if it's viral or bacterial in origin. Thanks for the advice, everyone. One good thing that will come of this is that I'll probably lose weight - it hurts so much to swallow that there's no desire to eat anything!

And just to make it clear for some, I didn't ask for medical advice - I wouldn't put anyone on the spot or think that a non-doctor could provide qualified treatment directive. I just asked how long one would typically wait while suffering a bad sore throat before going to the doctor, since here in the US care is rationed by price and there's an economic cost to seeking out an exam by a doctor.

Thanks again.

 

[Martin318is]

For future reference, you didn't say what your temp was doing.
This is actually pretty key to the whole thing as if (as was said above) it is very high or not reacting to paracetamol then you need to see a doctor. Otherwise, tonsilitis can be pretty much survived with just a little complaining now and then.

(I say this as a multi year veteran of fevers over 41.5C and tonsills so blocked I lay on a towel and just let the drool come out the corner of my mouth because it is impossible to swallow even that).

Oh and Tifosa gave some aweome advice - well done!

 

[joe_papp]

For future reference, you didn't say what your temp was doing.
This is actually pretty key to the whole thing as if (as was said above) it is very high or not reacting to paracetamol then you need to see a doctor.

Right! I didn't have access to a thermometer initially when I wrote the post - and I really didn't feel like driving to the pharmacy in that state to buy one - so it wasn't until yesterday that I saw I was still running a fever.

UPDATE: This is definitely an illness that wouldn't have gotten better without the intervention of a physician. Because I have both viral and bacterial infections, there was no hope of just letting things take their course, so to speak, like you would with a common cold or sore throat. I also realize now that "urgent care" clinics that are staffed by non-physicians suck except in the most basic cases. I was misdiagnosed initially and wasted three days farting-around thanks to their wild goose chase. I went to see my GP on Friday, a proper-doctor, and he sorted me. Just two days later and I feel appreciably better.

Thanks for the support and guidance, everyone!