Do as the doctors tell you!

I am writing this blog while sitting in Yeovil a&e.

Last Thursday I was told by my GP that I had tonsillitis and ear infections in both ears. I was in so much pain, it was the worst sore throat I've ever had not to mention the earache. I was given antibiotics and told to take two tablets four times a day until I had finished all the medication.
I started taking it immediately desperate for relief from the agonising pain. Paracetamol wasn't helping me at all and unfortunately I'm allergic to voterol which rules out anti-inflammatories like ibroprufen. A friend recommended co-codomol so I sent Darren on a wild goose chase to find some for me at 7am. None of our local supermarkets sold any so had to wait until 9am when the pharmacy opened. Luckily Darren bought me some and relief came quickly after taking them.

The pattern of medication continued for a couple of days. I felt like a walking medicine cabinet taking co-codomol, antibiotics and my usual daily medication for bipolar. Still, within 2/3 days I was feeling ok and back to normal again. It was lovely to be able to swallow again and felt more energetic. I stopped taking the painkillers and antibiotics, I was feeling fine now and therefore forgot to keep taking antibiotics so didn't finish the whole course of medication like I should.

The consequence of not finishing all of my tablets was waking up during the night last night to an agonising sore throat and ears again. I feel so poorly!! I went downstairs and took some co-codamol for the pain knowing how well it eased it last time. It helped but didn't make me feel comfortable enough to sleep much for the rest of the night.

As morning approached my throat was feeling worse as the small amount of relief from the painkillers wore off. It wasnt just the pain I was struggling with now but my throat was becoming more and more swollen. When Darren woke up I asked him to look and see how my throat looked. He said it looked swollen and weird. I was still able to breathe but not freely and I became anxious. I decided I'd drive to a&e to be seen as the doctors wouldn't open for another three hours and then I may not even get an appointment for this morning. I was concerned that during that time the swelling could get worse and make breathing even harder.

I'm now sat here still waiting to be seen by a dr in a&e. I've been here 2hrs now. I feel much more comfortable sat here waiting to be seen then sitting at home worrying while waiting for a GP appointment. I'm an anxious person anyway so waiting at home I'd probably have made myself worse in my head anyway, I'm a fruitcake like that!!

Hopefully I'll be seen soon but while I wait I've learnt a valuable lesson. Never stop taking antibiotics until you have finished the whole amount prescribed to you....