Culture shock, part deux!
I am not quite sure how I feel about this morning’s appointment and plan of action.
First the doctor said he couldn’t access the culture results from DH and the LO as they were not his patients. I told him that the clinic we went to assured me that he could look on the provincial system using their medicare card numbers, to which he paused, saying “well, I guess I COULD do that” with a long sigh. Seriously? Do you need some espresso next time I come in? He slowly went into the system and confirmed what we had already learned; DH was still negative even on his culture and the LO was positive.
Next he went over my test results. He said that he was surprised to learn that the culture he took, himself, had also come back positive. Funny how that happens after a handful of previous tests said the same thing! In addition, my blood tests were not what he expected. He explained that everyone has strep colonies in them, the levels of which can be seen through a simple blood test. Mine, however, were through the roof! This indicates a repeated, or long time, battle with strep. Shocking? Not really, but he seemed to be surprised.
So, what to do?
He explained that in addition to strep we have other bacteria in our throat which actually suppresses and neutralizes penicillin. This is one reason why I may not have responded well to the initially prescribed medications. Since I have already had 3 others types, he prescribed me yet another kind of bacterial penicillin for 14 days instead of the usual 10, hoping to eradicate the colony. Once I am done with this round of medication, I should go and have another culture done.
If this one comes back negative, he said to wait a month and test again to be sure.
If it comes back positive I have two choices; return to him and we can try a once a month injection for a period of time to combat the colony or be referred to an ENT to have my tonsils removed. The latter is more likely due to my age.
Hopefully it won’t come to either of these options, but in case it does I asked him if it was true that having your tonsils removed at an adult age vs as a child was that much more painful. He responded oddly, stating that it is not unlike circumcision… as a baby the boy will cry for 5 minutes and it’s over, but as a grown man of 40 they will be in pain for days or weeks at a time. So, while I don’t understand what either of those scenarios would feel like, since I am not a boy or a man, I kind of understand the analogy.
Medication ordered, will begin tonight. Fingers crossed!
First the doctor said he couldn’t access the culture results from DH and the LO as they were not his patients. I told him that the clinic we went to assured me that he could look on the provincial system using their medicare card numbers, to which he paused, saying “well, I guess I COULD do that” with a long sigh. Seriously? Do you need some espresso next time I come in? He slowly went into the system and confirmed what we had already learned; DH was still negative even on his culture and the LO was positive.
Next he went over my test results. He said that he was surprised to learn that the culture he took, himself, had also come back positive. Funny how that happens after a handful of previous tests said the same thing! In addition, my blood tests were not what he expected. He explained that everyone has strep colonies in them, the levels of which can be seen through a simple blood test. Mine, however, were through the roof! This indicates a repeated, or long time, battle with strep. Shocking? Not really, but he seemed to be surprised.
So, what to do?
He explained that in addition to strep we have other bacteria in our throat which actually suppresses and neutralizes penicillin. This is one reason why I may not have responded well to the initially prescribed medications. Since I have already had 3 others types, he prescribed me yet another kind of bacterial penicillin for 14 days instead of the usual 10, hoping to eradicate the colony. Once I am done with this round of medication, I should go and have another culture done.
If this one comes back negative, he said to wait a month and test again to be sure.
If it comes back positive I have two choices; return to him and we can try a once a month injection for a period of time to combat the colony or be referred to an ENT to have my tonsils removed. The latter is more likely due to my age.
Hopefully it won’t come to either of these options, but in case it does I asked him if it was true that having your tonsils removed at an adult age vs as a child was that much more painful. He responded oddly, stating that it is not unlike circumcision… as a baby the boy will cry for 5 minutes and it’s over, but as a grown man of 40 they will be in pain for days or weeks at a time. So, while I don’t understand what either of those scenarios would feel like, since I am not a boy or a man, I kind of understand the analogy.
Medication ordered, will begin tonight. Fingers crossed!
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