Tonsilitus - personal view not medical

[Deleted User]

Having felt rough for a few days I went to the doctor this morning and he diagnosed tonsilitus and gave me penecillin. I explained i was working this evening and was it contagious? He said no, if i felt ok i could go.

I've come home and looked on the NHS website as i dont know much about it and to find out how i contracted it. The site says its contagious and for children to stay off school to avoid spreading it.

I rang work earlier and explained everything to a manager and said i felt i didn't have enough energy to deal with lifting and handling as i felt wiped, was there a sitting down job i could do. He was really nice and said he understood as he's had it and i could work on the tills and go early if i need to. Plus if by this afternoon i really wasn't up to it, then let him know.

So i'm all set to go in, i just went out to put some rubbish in the bin and got chatting to a neighbour who said i shouldn't go as i'll be handling people's shopping and in direct contact with customers.

Now i dont know what to do, i don't like letting work down especially as they've been helpful, but i don't want to pass it on. Doctor says its not contagious, NHS and others say it is. School don't want children in who have it.

What would you do, please be nice as i feel a tad under the weather and a bit sensitive today.

Thanks.

fluffnutter

It's not hugely contagious. Many people have the bacteria that causes tonsilitis in their throats/bodies anyway - it's only if they get a bit run down that an infection takes hold.

Your decision as to whether you should go to work or not rests on how you feel, not whether you'll pass it on or not. If you take the usual care with hygiene (wash your hands regularly, don't french kiss any of the customers), I'm sure you'll pose no threat.

Spendless

I had it years ago and queried same thing cos I was working in close proximity of a pregnant women (she was about to go on maternity, I was taking her job and we worked in a small cash office). My GP said as long as I didn't snog her I'd be fine.

Teenie_D

I get tonsilitis a lot and don't usually stay off (as long as I can get the anit b's quick enough). It does make you feel very run down and really poorly though so depending how you are feeling within yourself, you 'should' be ok to go to work.

[Deleted User]

Thanks for your replies everyone. Teenie, that's exactly how i feel, very run down with little energy, plus uncomfortable throat and glands/ears.

Managed to get the kids to school and go to doc. Came home and emptied dishwasher and had to sit down (MSE time was justified today!). I'll have to back out soon to get DD from nursery, then back out later to get sone from school and feed them before DH comes home and i go out.

This is where I do get a little envious of my DH (and its not his fault just circumstances), that when he is ill (its rare), he can stay in bed and the house and kids still run like clockwork. But when I'm ill i have to try to carry on, like 99% of the rest of parents who are predominently with the kids. I know my parents would help but there are away for 3 months. Oh well, moan over, thanks for listening.

meeps

I used to get this a lot and learned the faster I got antib's the better, the one time I tried to get through it on my own, I could barely get off the sofa- now I know if I get the slightest hint of swollen glands, sore throat or see any white when I stick a torch in my mouth that I can shift it myself (not advertising these just recommending, though I should commission lol) by taking a throat sweet called Tyrozets as they have antiseptic and antibiotic in.

I haven't kept away from anyone, nor has any of my family caught it from me, its usually when someone has a sniffle I get it and it goes to my throat.

wapow

it spreads if you kiss or keep unclean or spit while you talk or dont wash hands or clean fingernails or if someone else uses your towels and toothbrush or if you cough and sneeze and then handle utensils or door handles or pillows or things that other people may touch.

i get swollen glands usually because i go through a phase every year of eating packets and packets and more packets of chewitts strawberry flavour one after the other. usually happens same time every year.

im surprised your doctor didnt recommend any home remedies.

mine always says warm water half glass, two tablespoon salt, gargle the mixed water deep in the throat.

its only salt water so if you end up swallowing it, that isnt the end of the world.

do this every hour. job done. glands calmed down.

he will also provide a prescription but he always says use it if you dont think the above is working. the above works for me.

Errata

Hope you start to feel better soon. Did your mum not tell you that mums are only seen to be ill by their family when they're flat out on the kitchen floor and unconscious?

euronorris

meeps wrote: »

I used to get this a lot and learned the faster I got antib's the better, the one time I tried to get through it on my own, I could barely get off the sofa- now I know if I get the slightest hint of swollen glands, sore throat or see any white when I stick a torch in my mouth that I can shift it myself (not advertising these just recommending, though I should commission lol) by taking a throat sweet called Tyrozets as they have antiseptic and antibiotic in.

I haven't kept away from anyone, nor has any of my family caught it from me, its usually when someone has a sniffle I get it and it goes to my throat.

I find those best too. Not necessarily for tonsilitis, but for bad sore throats/infections in general, because I can't stand the usual throat sweets (tunes, lockets etc). They are too sweet, bad for my teeth, and after a few of them I begin to feel sick. I don't have those problems with Tyrozets.

Alikay

I'm another one who's always been prone to getting tonsilitis if I get tired, stressed or run down. Like meeps and euronorris I find Tyrozets help too. I can recognise a familiar ache in my throat and general achy, heavy feeling in my limbs and often find if I have an early night and get on the Tyrozets quickly I can stop an attack taking hold.

savingmummy

If you feel well enough then go to work, my hubby worked with tonsilitis and quinsy!!!

get well soon x