Culture shock!
Oh, where to begin!? I guess my family doctor said it best; generally speaking I am in good health, but when he sees me he knows that it will be something interesting! Frustrating for me, but at least I keep him on his toes.
Last April, kind of out of nowhere, I came down with a fever, chills and a tremendously sore throat. I grew up plagued with strep so I knew the symptoms quite well! And, sure enough, that was what was diagnosed. Since I was finally proven to be NOT allergic to Penicillin, after thinking I was for about 20 years, they prescribed it hoping my body would react well. After feeling like I had been hit by a truck for the first 48 hours, I bounced back quite well from then on.
Until about 3 days after I finished the medication….
Again, out of nowhere, chills and a sore throat. I went back to the clinic and the rapid strep test came back positive once more. To be certain, they did a culture as well and I was given a different version of Penicillin and told I should be fine, this time.
Nope.
Once again, a few days after finishing up, I was back to the clinic in pain with a 3rd positive rapid strep test! They sent yet another culture as well, to be sure. Ironically I was prescribed Zithromax, which I have had to use for years due to my “allergy” and finally I found relief!
So, not only was I not allergic to Penicillin, but I wasn’t responding to it?
From the end of May until late July everything was fine. And then, that scratchy and hard to swallow feeling returned. I went back to the clinic and, sure enough, strep again! I was given Penicillin once more and told to come back after the 10 days to test again. They suspected that maybe I was a strep-carrier (which I have previously been told) and that these tests are kind of false positives. They did another culture to have a recent comparison with the one I was to come back for.
I did as I was told, returning to the clinic once more and… positive again!
Unfortunately, this meant a referral to a dreadful place called the Department of Infection Diseases! Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? I was quickly given an appointment and met with the doctor who, while kind of rude, is supposedly one of the best in his field. He tested me himself, somewhat doubting the other results, and insisted that DH and the LO were tested as well before treating me.
I was able to have them both tested this past weekend and, unfortunately, the LO tested positive as well and is now on antibiotics! DH is fine, but he hasn’t been around much lately so that probably spared him!
I booked a follow up for myself this morning and we shall see!
Last April, kind of out of nowhere, I came down with a fever, chills and a tremendously sore throat. I grew up plagued with strep so I knew the symptoms quite well! And, sure enough, that was what was diagnosed. Since I was finally proven to be NOT allergic to Penicillin, after thinking I was for about 20 years, they prescribed it hoping my body would react well. After feeling like I had been hit by a truck for the first 48 hours, I bounced back quite well from then on.
Until about 3 days after I finished the medication….
Again, out of nowhere, chills and a sore throat. I went back to the clinic and the rapid strep test came back positive once more. To be certain, they did a culture as well and I was given a different version of Penicillin and told I should be fine, this time.
Nope.
Once again, a few days after finishing up, I was back to the clinic in pain with a 3rd positive rapid strep test! They sent yet another culture as well, to be sure. Ironically I was prescribed Zithromax, which I have had to use for years due to my “allergy” and finally I found relief!
So, not only was I not allergic to Penicillin, but I wasn’t responding to it?
From the end of May until late July everything was fine. And then, that scratchy and hard to swallow feeling returned. I went back to the clinic and, sure enough, strep again! I was given Penicillin once more and told to come back after the 10 days to test again. They suspected that maybe I was a strep-carrier (which I have previously been told) and that these tests are kind of false positives. They did another culture to have a recent comparison with the one I was to come back for.
I did as I was told, returning to the clinic once more and… positive again!
Unfortunately, this meant a referral to a dreadful place called the Department of Infection Diseases! Sounds lovely, doesn’t it? I was quickly given an appointment and met with the doctor who, while kind of rude, is supposedly one of the best in his field. He tested me himself, somewhat doubting the other results, and insisted that DH and the LO were tested as well before treating me.
I was able to have them both tested this past weekend and, unfortunately, the LO tested positive as well and is now on antibiotics! DH is fine, but he hasn’t been around much lately so that probably spared him!
I booked a follow up for myself this morning and we shall see!
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