i'm thinking strep...

3.1.2011







two nights ago i started feeling a slight discomfort in my throat and i quickly came to the conclusion that i had strep throat. i know, i know, you must be thinking i'm a hypochondriac, but in my own defense i'm certain i've had it twice before in my life (except in those times i didn't go to the doctors therefore i was never diagnosed) and i just had a feeling that this 'feeling' was something more. i had had no symptoms of being sick. no runny nose, no coughing, nothing. i went to sleep that night and woke up in the middle of the night, and this time it actually hurt to swallow. i also had this bad feeling in my head. i can't really explain it, but i knew it wasn't good. i tried my hardest to get some sleep that night, but to no avail.

i woke up in the morning, grabbed a flashlight and took a peak into my mouth. let me tell you, it was not pretty. my throat was really red and i could see some white spots way in the back. great. this was definitely not looking good. i called the doctors to make an appointment and i was lucky to get one for 11 a.m. by this point i was really, really, really feeling bad. i started to feel a bit warm and some body aches and i couldn't wait to get to the doctors so he could check me out.

after what seemed like forever i was finally able to see the doctor and he examined me and said that i had all the symptoms of strep. of course he couldn't diagnose me 100% because he had to take a swab of my throat and have it sent to a lab, but he prescribed me some antibiotics and an anti-inflammatory.

so far my throat still feels pretty crappy, but at least the rest of me is doing good. that first day, let me tell you, i felt like i was dying. a feeling a very vividly remember from those two previous times i was talking about earlier.

anyway, i'm assuming i'll be getting that phone call tomorrow letting me know if the strep test was positive or negative. i have to say though, if for some weird twist of fate, the test comes back negative, then what the heck is going on in my throat? what's up with these white spots and the huge discomfort i feel when swallowing?

****UPDATE (3.2.2011): i got a phone call from the doctor's office telling me that my throat culture came back NEGATIVE!!! WHAT?!? i seriously think something is wrong here. if it's correct (which i'm so doubting, myself any way) then what's going on with my throat? what's with the funkiness going on? i'm so confused. i guess i should be happy the results were negative, but i can't help but feel like there is something wrong. if not strep, then what? it's the main question on my mind right now. they told me i could stop taking my antibiotics, but i'm going to continue to take them. i have been feeling better, and when i looked in the mirror today i saw less white spots, so i think it's helping clear up something. we'll see what the next day or two holds and take it from there. for now, it's still up to the amoxicillin to do its job!!!****