Awake, bored, and in the 6th day of a sore throat...

[randomness]

...so I'm googling for useful information.

http://www.ncemi.org/cse/cse0312.htm looks particularly useful:

"The general public knows to see a doctor for a sore throat, but the actual benefit of this visit is unclear. Rheumatic fever is a sequela of about 1% of group A streptococcal infections, and only about 10% of sore throats seen by physicians represent group A streptococcal infections. Post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis is usually a self- limiting illness and is not prevented with antibiotic treatment. Penicillin therapy does avoid acute rheumatic fever and may sometimes reduce symptoms or shorten the course of a sore throat. Antibiotics probably inhibit progress of the infection into tonsillitis, peritonsillar and retropharyngeal abscesses, adenitis, and pneumonia."

Personally, my suspicion is that it's viral. Annoying, but it ought to deal with itself in a couple more days.

---

In the meantime, I'm bored, awake, and wishing I'd set up some instant messaging client. Then again, I don't know where anyone is, and it's likely most everyone is asleep. Well, if they have sense, they are. :)

bedfull_o_books is comfortably tucked in bed in another room, and I'm within earshot if she needs anything, so that's all set.

I'd post more food and lodging info but I'm too groggy to write clearly. I'm up to chatter but there's no one to chat with.

I'm a little worried about some of the friends on my friends list but again, if they have sense they're asleep.

I'd sleep, but I went to bed last night about 9, and woke up recently after nearly 8 hours of sleep. Moreover, I pretty much did nothing except sleep, wash, buy food, eat, and go to the bathroom yesterday, so lack of sleep has not been a problem lately.

Comments

[malkin.livejournal.com]

When I was in high school, if I had gone to the doctor every time I had a sore throat, the doctor's office wouldn't have needed any other patients to stay in business.

[holmes-iv.livejournal.com]

Well, faendryl hasn't any sense, and is in the U.K., so he's often a good bet for random-hours chatting. Though this is probably moot at this point. Could be useful to know in the future, though (at least, the next few months of the future).

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

That's cool.

Have I met faendryl? In real life, I mean. (I realize that's a terribly quaint question but I'm old-fashioned that way.)

[holmes-iv.livejournal.com]

That's a yes. :-) Continuing my paranoid ways for the evening, I'll e-mail you instead of providing cryptic clues, though.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Well, given your situation I can't blame you.

[redbird]

If you do set up an IM client, I'm rosviclny on the AIM network.

Also, I took your advice and stopped into Mary's Dairy yesterday, and had a fine chocolate cone.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Excellent! Glad you enjoyed it.

[digitalemur.livejournal.com]

I use my first name and last name as one word, on AIM, feel free to get in touch with me that way.

[holmes-iv.livejournal.com]

Yeah, what she said. (Except that I don't use her name, I use mine. But you probably would have guessed that.)

[lillibet.livejournal.com]

I'm lillibettt on Yahoo! and maggiebeth on AIM.

[contrariety.livejournal.com]

So, it is the rheumatic fever and other complications that are the reasoning behind going to the doctor. You're not supposed to go to the doctor for every sore throat (said my mom when I was a kid), but you are supposed to go if it goes on for 3-4 days or more, because that weeds out the simple colds. The longer running stuff is often viral, but the things that strep can do if it gets a toe-hold in your body and then never leaves (rare but definitely possible) are pretty nasty, so I tend to go for a strep test if I have a long sore throat. Basically, it seems to me that the statistics above imply that there's about a 1/1000 chance of your sore throat developing into something nastier if left unchecked (possibly higher if we presume some of the sore throats a doctor sees are simple 2-3 day colds brought in by overprotective parents), and I get tested yearly for plenty of things that I bet I have a 1/1000 chance or less of actually developing. It's all about risk aversion and how much of a chore it really is to go to the doctor, I guess. For me the doctor's visit often functions simply to remind me that there are OTC medicines that really do help, which I always forget.

Oh, and I'm contrariways on AIM, although I'm only on for bits of the evenings and weekends.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

So, it is the rheumatic fever and other complications that are the reasoning behind going to the doctor.

Yup, in fact, I already knew that. The real question, which this particular page did a great job of answering, was what the level of risk was, and how much time one had. Long ago, I'd heard the 3-4 day number you mention, but recently I'd been hearing 7-10 days.

I'd thought about asking my friends list but searching the web seemed like a better idea. I'm glad, too, because this page is full of useful info, like: "Treatment may begin up to nine days after symptoms and still prevent rheumatic fever." and "You can decide later whether you really need to plant the culture."

My suspicion is that the thinking on this subject is evolving because of antibiotic overuse.

In any case, I'm glad I waited, because as we approach day 7 the sore throat appears to be going away on its own.

[contrariety.livejournal.com]

Hah! I really liked this note:

"Do not give ampicillin to a patient with mononucleosis. The resulting rash helps make the diagnosis, and does not imply ampicillin allergy, but can be uncomfortable."

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Isn't it great? The whole site is full of amusing bits like that.

[ladybird97.livejournal.com]

I have AIM, but I'm never on it :)

And I hope you feel better soon! Get lots of rest and chicken soup. *hug*

chat?

[banana-pants.livejournal.com]

If I"m awake I'm probably on AIM, ICQ, Yahoo, MSN and even IRC, all in Fire, my favorite OS X chat program.

Email me for screen names.

Re: chat?

[allessindra.livejournal.com]

Similarly ditto, tho only Yahoo Instant Idiot and ICQ, sometimes. If I'd been awake when you were I would have chatted with you on irc, but I crashed about 3am.

Come find me today and ask for screen names.

[bookly.livejournal.com]

Hope you feel better soon! I had a sore throat for 10 days in Bhutan, and the only thing that seemed to help was Advil, which I took LOADS of. I had a cold at the same time, so the sore throat might have been cold-related, or it might have been altitude-related... dunno. Anyway, I'm sure that doesn't help much, but this might: be glad you're not staying in other people's houses and subject to the whims of your hosts and driver. :)

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Thanks! Yes, it could be worse, definitely.

[madbodger.livejournal.com]

I took a bad sore throat to the doctor, and he explained that generally sore
throats with a fever got a strep test, and those without were assumed to be
viral. His advice was only come see him for a sore throat if there was an
associated fever, or it had persisted for more than a few days.

[earthling177.livejournal.com]

Sorry to hear you're sick, hope you get better soon!

In any case, my username on both Yahoo and AIM is earthling177.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Thank you!

[muffyjo]

I'm azulita on AIM and azulitaone on Yahoo. (I've forgotten my ICQ name, but could probably find that one, too). And I have an annoying tendency to get up at 5:00am when I have too much on my mind, so there's a high chance you'll catch me if you're up around then.

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Hope to see you on at some point!