ShepCarlin Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 My throat has been sore since December 3. I worked all day that day (work in retail) and then had to go to hubby's company Christmas party. I remember saying that before we got there my throat hurt from talking all day. Of course, at the party, there was a loud band so you had to raise your voice to talk to anyone. Since that day, my throat has been horribly sore. It feels like someone ran a fork down it. I'm not sick, in fact, never felt better (other than the throat). I don't have any other symptoms at all. I rested my voice on December 4 as I knew I needed to but the rest did nothing. Dealing with the holiday madness and working retail part time certainly doesn't help. But I was home all day yesterday and today. I made a point not to talk unless necessary and it still hurts. I've been drinking an obscene amount of water and lots of Yogi Throat Comfort tea. Obviously since it's been 8 weeks, I should call my doctor. But if it's just strained vocal cords, what can she recommend other than rest and fluids? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I don’t think strained vocal cords would last that long. I suspect reflux overnight. You might do a trial of Prilosec and see whether that fixes it. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I had a sore throat that lasted like 8 weeks on two different occasions. Both started with a garden variety cold, but the cold was long gone after a week and the sore throat stayed and stayed and stayed. The doctor (a different doctor each time) said it was some inflammatory thing and to take a bunch of advil to knock down the inflammation. That said, I think that anything that hangs on that long probably needs a visit to the doctor to rule out more problematic possibilities. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 I'm already on Prilosec. I take one in the morning and one in the evening. I actually had an endoscopy a week after the sore throat started (endoscopy had been planned for months). I have some esophageal webbing but that's it. Gastro doctor said he saw some evidence of acid reflux damage but I haven't had the acid reflux symptoms since I started taking Prilosec twice a day. It's just weird because the pain started so suddenly on Dec.3 but has not abated since then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 You need strep & covid tests. It could also be subtle postnasal drip 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Junie Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I would get a strep test. Untreated strep can get very dangerous. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 If it is strep, wouldn't my husband be feeling it also? Strep is horribly contagious so I'd imagine he'd be showing symptoms. Honestly, the only symptom I have is the terrible sore throat. I do have allergies and acid reflux but this really doesn't seem to be either of those as the throat pain just came up on me late afternoon on Dec.3. I have decided to move my nightly nasal rinse to the morning to see if that helps. My tonsils were removed when I was a child so no inflamed or swollen tonsils. There is some white streakiness on my throat when I look in the mirror. I guess it could be Covid. I am fully vaccinated so I guess I could just have the one symptom? But for 8 weeks?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 No, your husband would not necessarily get it if it’s strep 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terabith Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Definitely get a strep test. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kbutton Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 DH has had strep twice without me having it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 1 hour ago, Terabith said: Definitely get a strep test. Yup. A persistent sore throat with no other symptoms has been strep on me before, and the sooner you get onto antibiotics for that the less likely that it causes heart damage. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rebel Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 You definitely need to see a doctor. Anything that has lasted 8 weeks needs to be checked by a professional. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 My husband had strep and the rashes too but no one else in our family got it. He went to urgent care and they did the strep test there. The staff wasn’t worried about his strep being contagious but “freak out” when DS17 had hand foot and mouth disease. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 OK appointment made at a walk in clinic near me. My doctor didn't have anything available until March 24. As always, thankful for the medical minds of the hive 🙂 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faith-manor Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 I know people who have had persistent sore throat from mono, but it was accompanied by exhaustion/needing to sleep a lot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
itsheresomewhere Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) DD had a virus ( not strep/covid/flu) and had a sore throat for a few weeks after it. We tried several things including antibiotics incase it was strep but not showing up on a test ( our ped had seen a few of this so far this winter). Nothing worked and it went away after some weeks. She just got up one morning and it was gone. Edited January 31, 2023 by itsheresomewhere 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 Oh my gosh, me too! Pretty much the exact same time period. I had Covid during the first weeks of this month and my sore throat went through the roof. But before Covid and now after, I have a sore throat that goes from mild to really uncomfortable. I can find no rhyme nor reason to why it's bad one day but mild another. I know I need to go to the doctor but I'm already dealing with so many other health things that I'm putting it off. I hope you find a solution to yours. Seeing your post has lit a fire under me and I think I'll go try to make an appointment now. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 Back from walk in clinic. Rapid strep was negative and NP really didn't even want to test for it-I had to ask her to. She said I have a borderline ear infection but other than that found nothing. Suggested I try Flonase for a few days to see if that helps and if it doesn't take Amoxicillin. If that doesn't work, call either the GI doctor to see if it is acid reflux or call an ENT. She was truly stumped. I'm not keen on taking antibiotics unless I know for sure it's an infection but I guess I'll try the Amoxicillin if the Flonase doesn't calm my throat down. What is so weird about it is that I can pinpoint it to the day when it started hurting and it's not improved or worsened since then. That leads her to think it's not acid reflux. This is incredibly annoying. And painful. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 48 minutes ago, ShepCarlin said: Back from walk in clinic. Rapid strep was negative and NP really didn't even want to test for it-I had to ask her to. She said I have a borderline ear infection but other than that found nothing. Suggested I try Flonase for a few days to see if that helps and if it doesn't take Amoxicillin. If that doesn't work, call either the GI doctor to see if it is acid reflux or call an ENT. She was truly stumped. I'm not keen on taking antibiotics unless I know for sure it's an infection but I guess I'll try the Amoxicillin if the Flonase doesn't calm my throat down. What is so weird about it is that I can pinpoint it to the day when it started hurting and it's not improved or worsened since then. That leads her to think it's not acid reflux. This is incredibly annoying. And painful. That is annoying! And the exact reason why I've been dragging my feet on seeing a doctor about it. I even had an appointment with my primary in December and didn't even bring it up with him. I just stuck to our usual topics because it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. 🤦♀️ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted January 31, 2023 Author Share Posted January 31, 2023 5 minutes ago, stephanier.1765 said: That is annoying! And the exact reason why I've been dragging my feet on seeing a doctor about it. I even had an appointment with my primary in December and didn't even bring it up with him. I just stuck to our usual topics because it seemed like more trouble than it was worth. 🤦♀️ Yep. She kept looking at me as if I'm crazy. All of her suggestions to alleviate the pain I have already tried. It felt like a pointless visit. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arcadia Posted January 31, 2023 Share Posted January 31, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, ShepCarlin said: Back from walk in clinic. Rapid strep was negative and NP really didn't even want to test for it-I had to ask her to. My husband’s rapid strep test was negative while the strep culture test was positive. This was pre-pandemic so his boss told him to work from home and it didn’t count towards his sick leave. We are used to telling urgent care what we want them to test for. ETA: not saying you have strep. Just that the rapid test can give false negatives. Edited January 31, 2023 by Arcadia 3 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambam Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 3 hours ago, Arcadia said: My husband’s rapid strep test was negative while the strep culture test was positive. This was pre-pandemic so his boss told him to work from home and it didn’t count towards his sick leave. We are used to telling urgent care what we want them to test for. ETA: not saying you have strep. Just that the rapid test can give false negatives. We've had strep 3-5 times. Each time that rapid strep test came back negative. Usually Dr. would look at throat, say that sure likes like strep to me, that test is wrong about 50% of the time, and write a script. One time Dr sent off culture to be sure - and yes, it was strep. So thankful we could start on antibiotics and get it knocked out quickly. I've encouraged my kids to push for a script if the doctor thinks it looks like strep even if the rapid test comes back negative. Strep hurts so badly. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shelydon Posted February 1, 2023 Share Posted February 1, 2023 I would likely try the amoxicillin at this point and see if it helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 Oh I’m irritated. I woke up yesterday with my ears just killing me so I decided to start the amoxicillin. I just felt kinda crappy all day but just had the constant sore throat & ear pain. Woke up this morning feeling worse-along with chest heaviness & a cough. Took a covid test as a precaution and it’s positive. Fever kicked in 30 minutes ago. I’m fully vaccinated so hoping this will be a minor inconvenience. 20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YaelAldrich Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Well, THAT'S not the end result you wanted? I hope that it is an easier ride than what you have been going through. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Acadie Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Hope you both feel better, @ShepCarlin and @stephanier.1765! Totally agree with previous posters about seeing a doctor. A couple additional home care thoughts, use mouthwash with Cetylpyridinium Chloride (CPC) 2-3x day. Read the label to find a product with that active ingredient, which has some efficacy against both SARS2 and strep. https://www.irsicaixa.es/en/news/cpc-mouthwashes-shown-humans-break-membrane-sars-cov-2-and-reduce-amount-active-virus-saliva Try self-massage for lymphatic drainage in the head and neck, to help move waste fluid out, reduce inflammation and allow better circulation for healing tissues. After watching a few times I figured out an easy 5-10 minute sequence, depending how much time I have. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carol in Cal. Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 4 hours ago, ShepCarlin said: Oh I’m irritated. I woke up yesterday with my ears just killing me so I decided to start the amoxicillin. I just felt kinda crappy all day but just had the constant sore throat & ear pain. Woke up this morning feeling worse-along with chest heaviness & a cough. Took a covid test as a precaution and it’s positive. Fever kicked in 30 minutes ago. I’m fully vaccinated so hoping this will be a minor inconvenience. My husband had Covid late last year and felt that Paxlovid helped a lot. You have to start it right after onset of symptoms, and it sounds like your Covid might be new, so I’d ask about it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted February 7, 2023 Author Share Posted February 7, 2023 5 minutes ago, Carol in Cal. said: My husband had Covid late last year and felt that Paxlovid helped a lot. You have to start it right after onset of symptoms, and it sounds like your Covid might be new, so I’d ask about it. I just got off the phone with my doctor’s office. I have a virtual visit tomorrow afternoon. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mommyoffive Posted February 7, 2023 Share Posted February 7, 2023 Oh no @ShepCarlin. I am sorry to hear that you have covid. I hope you have an easy time of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShepCarlin Posted February 8, 2023 Author Share Posted February 8, 2023 Anyone have experience with Lagevrio? I’m not eligible for Paxlovid due to other Rx I’m on. From what I’ve googled, Lagevrio is not nearly as effective. Not even close-Paxlovid is 90% effective and Lagevrio 30%. Doesn’t seem worth it to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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