I always ask my questions here about whether I should go to the doctor...cause well it is a pain to get in and make the co-pay...and find out I really didn't need to go. I do this with my kids all the time (take them on the side of caution)...but with myself (not so much).
Okay advice...cold symptoms sense last Friday, dry painful sinuses, headache behind eyes, teeth hurt, sore throat, raw mouth, general malaise...now my voice is gone, can barely make a whispering sound going on day 2. Low grade fever sometimes up to a 99.5 mostly normal...do I just wait it out figuring a virus that nothing can be done OR do I call and make an appointment with my doctor, if they can get me in?? I hate making a co-pay if it is just a virus and certainly don't want to take an un-needed antibiotic. When do you know to see the doc and when do you wait it out?? (I am now only functioning while the ibuprofen is working when it wears off I am in misery).
I have Googled and, laryngitis is usually viral...so that has lead my not to go to the doctor decision so far...think I am right?
Those that told me to go to the doctor will win a prize. I woke up yesterday morning feeling even worse than the day before. So, I had to run to Walgreen's becasue I needed to wrap a gift and had no wrapping paper (for a party I wasn't going to get to go to becasue I was so incredibly sick). I stopped by the pharmacy to ask the pharmacist the best OTC meds to keep me from feeling like death warmed over.
She was really nice and told me that nothing OTC was going to work at this point I had crossed over into time to see the doctor territory. So, I went home wrapped my gift dropped it off to be taken to the party and then went to an Urgent care clinic. I have to say it was a really great clinic, took my insurance with the same co-pay as my doctor's office. The doctor that saw me was very nice and after looking in my ears...was impressed with the amount of fluid in them. She diagnosed a sinus infection which I knew I had but was hoping would pass on its own and laryngitis which was pretty obvious by my voice or lack there of...
I got an antibiotic and nasal spray...was told if I got worse to follow up with them or my regular doctor. I took the first dose of antibiotic right after I got it filled and now this morning am feeling better already. Didn't know and antibiotic could actually work so fast but I should have gone in sooner!!
Thanks for all the advice!!
Sounds like a virus to me - it's not something I would go to a doc for. Just treat the symptoms with OTC meds and a Neti pot.
My rule of thumb is if I (or other family member) am running a fever over 100 for 3 days, I see a doctor.
Stay home rest. Viral.
I never go to the doctor with colds or viruses. They can't really do anything, so why other? I treat sinus infections at home too.
We seriously never go to the doctor when sick.
Sounds like a sinus infection to me if your teeth are hurting. I would go to the doctor especially since it has almost been a week.
Since last Friday? That's a good long run with no improvement.
I feel hard pressed to offer an actual assessment without actually examining you and getting a full history. Based solely on the fact that you aren't improving, I recommend that you go ahead and visit the doctor. They can test you for influenza, strep, etc. If the doctor thinks it's viral, they're not going to give you antibiotics.
My instinct is allergic rhinitis with post-nasal drip induced laryngitis. But with the fever? Yeah, your body is fighting some sort of bug. It may have started with allergies, and in your compromised state, you picked up a virus. Change the filter in your AC and consider using some nasal saline to moisten your passages.
But without labs....who knows?
Sounds like a sinus infection.
Treat symptoms - no need for a Dr visit yet.
Sip hot chicken broth (home made chicken soup just makes me feel better no matter what).
Have a hot toddy (hot water, lemon, honey and 1-2 tbsp of brandy).
Use a neti pot.
Steam your sinuses - boil a large pot of water then take it off the heat, put a towel over your head and carefully stand over the pot and breathe in the steam.
Hot showers are good for this too.
If my face hurts, I'll put a heating pad over it for awhile though some people say alternating heat and chill packs helps them.
Do not take a decongestant - it usually makes the mucus thicker and harder to expel.
Try an expectorant (like Mucinex) and stay well hydrated to keep it thinned out.
My doctor assumes it is viral until symptoms have been present for 7+ days. I went in on day 5 with laryngitis, low grade fever and a sinus headache. I knew I needed an antibiotic. The doctor (not mine but another in the practice would not give it to me) by day 7 my sinuses were so bad I ended up with pink eye too. Finally got the antibiotic but it wasn't strong enough probably because the infection had gotten so out of control. I needed another round of antibiotics and I ended up with pink eye again from the sinus infection.
Get an appointment for tomorrow. Feel better.
I usually lose my voice due a virus just before I start to feel better.
That said, if in addition to losing your voice, your throat is so sore that it's hard to swallow, and your fever goes up, then it could be strep.
So, if the sore throat is really bad, and not just nagging, or if you keep feeling worse instead of feeling like you are turning a corner, then call the doctor and get tested for strep tomorrow, or Monday at the latest.
Go
Sounds like any number of things like strep or possibly a sinus thing, both need antibiotics...and you don't want to mess w/ strep....And docs son't prescribe antibiotics for no reason.....
And, I would have gone by now....
Feel better
Sounds like classic sinus infection to me. Time to throw in the towel and wave the white flag. Fork over the co-pay and get some antibiotics. This should start clearing up in two days on the right medicine and then you finish all the antibiotic they give you so it doesn't come back or morph into something worse. Good luck and get to the doctor, lady!
Sounds like strep throat, I would go has a precaution. It could also just be allergies. Why take the chance when you have kids, better safe than sorry. You don't want to get your kids sick. Go to the Dr.
If it's a virus then chamomile tea and chicken soup and rest are as effective as anything else you could do.
IMO you are wasting your time and money going to see a doctor for a viral infection. I don't mean this in a bad way. I honestly believe if you push fluids and rest you will be fine in a few days.
I also think it sounds like a sinus infection. Go and get the antiobiotics.
I'm in the same boat. new job, ton of stress, stick to my stomach from nerves all the time. Tight chest, phlegmy hacking cough, but no fever, starting to lose my voice and starting to get a sinus head ache,
don't want antibiotics to hurt my stomach more, don't want to waste time getting in to dr. but not going to be able to last much longer. gah...
hope you feel better.
It sounds like you're getting worse. It also sounds like what I feel like when I get either an ear infection sinus infection -- miserable. If I were you I'd bite the bullet, pay the co-pay and go in. Sometimes you need antibiotics, sometimes it's a virus. But the weekend is coming, and if I were you, I would rather not be caught becoming even more sick and having to go to urgent care.
Sounds like sinus infection to me. Painful sinus and teeth ache (top teeth especially, as they are connected to the sinuses sort of) and headache behind the eyes (you have sinus cavities below AND above your eyes).... all spells sinus infection to me.
I would probably go in.
If it were just laryngitis and sore throat, I would wait it out and baby myself with lots of fluid and rest. But the other symptoms... I'd get seen.
It might not be viral. It could be a bacterial throat infection. The fact that you're getting worse instead of better is a clue.
Viruses can lead into bacteria infections. If it doesn't start to get better this weekend I would go visit the doc. I've had friends who have had colds that lead into walking pneumonia very easily and have similar symptoms as yourself. Better to be safe than sorry. I think a week is a good indicator if it's going away by itself or if you need to make sure it hasn't turned into something more serious.
