QuestionDr Borucki, I have been sick for about two weeks now. Last week I finally called my doctor and told him my symptoms, which were:swollen glands, nasal congestion, very sore throat, coughing, yellowish nasal drainage, headache, non productive cough but it felt like it was just tight in my chest. My doctor called in to the pharmacy, ceftin 250mg 2x day, cough medicine, and an inhaler. After the antibiotics and cough medicine were done i still felt sick. So, yesterday, I called his office again b/c now I had the chills, i hurt all over, had a low grade fever, sinus congestion(yellowish discharge), coughing up some yellowish/green clumps, and a pounding headache. My glands are swollen and I am losing my voice and my throat is VERY sore, and there are little whits and red bumps on the back of my throat(my tonsils were taken out a long time ago). So now I am on the Z-Pak and prom? dm cough medicine but it is now day 2 and I'm still not feeling great and my voice sounds horrible! I couldnt go into see the doctor b/c my daughters have college all day and I have no transportation to get there. Do you think I need to get blood work done, or a throat culture? Or should I just wait till these antibiotics are finished to see if i feel better when I'm done with them? Thank You in advance for your help and answering me.
AnswerToo late for throat culture... it will be negative. This wasn't strep anyways.... probably influenza or another viral illness initially, now persisting secondary infection.
Use the inhaler, finish zithromax. Get AFRIN NOSE SPRAY and use twice a day for 5 days.
The only unknown here now is whether you have pneumonia. I would consider doing a chest xray now. If the Afrin doesn't help, I would either cat scan the sinus' or add prednisone to decrease sinus inflammation so they can drain. That is hopefully what the afrin will do.
