Update

[judecorp]

This is crazy. I'm 26 years old. People should not be speaking to me about "elective tonsillectomies."

This all started when I got my wisdom teeth dug out. I had no ear or throat problems until then. Bastards.

But today I spent the morning at the doctor, who sent me to the ER because she suspected that I had a peritonsillar abscess and that was the reason my throat was getting worse. So the ER doctor said that was likely true. He hooked me up to IV fluids and IV antibiotics (odd, because last night I was thinking, 'I'm going to end up at the hospital being given fluids and antibiotics by IV.') and then sent me over to the Ear, Nose, Throat Surgeon.

Said surgeon looked at me for 37 seconds and said, "You don't have an abscess. It's way too early for that. However, your tonsil is swollen much more than it should be, and if it doesn't come back down, you might want to consider an elective tonsillectomy."

IF IT DOESN'T COME BACK DOWN??!? It is currently so large it is pushing my uvula out of the way (meaning it's past the midpoint) and my face is this HUGE round balloon with a little chin sticking out. It's embarrassing as hell. It HAS to come down.

He put me on clindamycin, the antibiotic of DOOM that I took when one of my wisdom teeth got so infected that I couldn't open my mouth. I'm confident that it will kill my infection (clindamycin not only prevents the growth of bacteria, like Zithromax does, but also KILLS bacteria. Yar!), but I am also confident I will not be able to have a normal digestive system for a good two months. Lovely.

I'm also on methylprednisone. This is supposed to cut my swelling. I'M WAITING!!!

Grr. This is all so fecking pathetic. Now that I'm not doubled over in pain (I just have what feels like an entire egg of Silly Putty stuck in my throat), I am just so thoroughly annoyed. At least the ENT surgeon confirmed my thoughts: No, strep throat is NOT like this. This is over the top. You have one insane tonsil infection.

Yay. I owe it all to my old oral surgeon who insisted on rooting out teeth that had never moved. Phooey. I have watched: Airplane, Scream 3, Election, and now Crazy People. What's wrong with me? I'm watching them on cable and I /own/ three of them.

Comments

[kungfoogirl.livejournal.com]

I'm worried about you.

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

Don't be. Aside from looking and sounding like a balloon-faced freak, I'm feeling very good. And starving. And trying to figure out what I can jam into my big fat face and down my sliver of throat.

I am STARVING. You know what? Plain bread SUCKS ROCKS. Get this - I want a big Burger King Double Cheeseburger. That MUST be the steroids talking. GAH!

[juliann.livejournal.com]

Oh honey! I am soooo glad you went back to the doctors. Being on steroids sucks tho, it always makes me really deranged!

I am so glad you are home at least and not stuck in some hospital!

*many many hugs*

I know you will get better dear, but alas I fear it's not going to be quick or easy :(

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

More deranged than you are already, my dark demonic darling? ;)

Yeah, I'm starting to think that I'll be playing with this one for a while. I woke up this morning feeling a little sore again, thinking, 'Why? Just END already!'

I have another appointment with an ENT surgeon today to check on whether there is an abscess or not (it was hard to tell because I was a big swollen mess), and last night I was thinking I wouldn't go, but if I'm still a little sore and it's not just a you-were-laying-down-all-night thing, I will definitely go. Even if it means getting a tonsil massage. Ewww.

*hug!*

Just go!

[juliann.livejournal.com]

Go to the doctor anyway. If you have an infection (which you do), then there is always a risk if you let it go without full, proper treatment.

Just do it!

(and yes, more deranged than normal. I was crying for 4 days. Steroids and I do NOT get along)

Re: Just go!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

I'm doing okay with the steroids so far. But it's only been one day. The appetite enhancing effect of steroids is counteracting the appetite repressing effect of clindamycin, so there's that. And, well, I'm so manly. ROWR! I'm just hoping that the interaction of the two stomach-destroying medicines don't make me a gastrointestinal basket case.

I think I will definitely go in this afternoon. Even if I /do/ have to pay obscene amounts for a 3 second consult. After this one, though, I'm going to an ENT *within* my network, if anything needs to be done.

[sydneygb.livejournal.com]

Wow. I'm glad you got checked (again) by the doc, too. Yay antibiotic of doom! Kill da buggies! What does it do to your digestive system, though. *cringe*

Get better soon!

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

One of the more common side effects of clindamycin/cleocin is, and I kid you not, colitis. There is also a more serious GI problem it can cause that can, like, kick the crap out of you. It comes with pages of warnings like: IF YOU EVER GO TO THE BATHROOM AGAIN, CALL YOUR DOCTOR!!

(Okay, not really, but it's scary.)

[juliann.livejournal.com]

I go on Zithro from time to time, which can cause dihorrea (sp?) but I am usually also on codiene at those times which causes constipation. So my drugs just fight it out in my gut. It's not purty. But fortunately it's been two years since I was on Zithro and over a year since I have had any antibiotics at all. (Which is like a record for me :) )

[judecorp.livejournal.com]

When I took clindamycin for my wisdom tooth infection, I didn't start functioning normally for several months. That was SO uncool. Like I said, it kills bacteria rather than just stop growth, so all of the lovely digestive bacteria in your intestines? DEAD.

I'm back to yogurt, yogurt, yogurt. And when the throat is better, cran cran cran cran.