Every time I stop antibiotics, sore throat comes back

[Stephanie2]

I think there are so many different infections out there, your family has been dealing with at least some. Trying to look one month forward here, I'm having trouble imagining the future where it is going to be important to anyone trying to treat you that you did or did not test positive for strep in a day or so. I really recommend that if you think taking some abx now is going to help out short-term, you/kids/everybody, then go on and do it.

 

Wishing you the best in this difficult time!

 

You make a very good point, Michael. I guess it's just that if I do indeed have strep then I need to find someone/something to help me get over the chronic nature of it. Maybe I need higher dose/longer course. But without a pos strep test who would give me that? I have all the naturals I need right here to put this at bay for the time being, but I'm not sure i can KILL IT, ya know???

 

I am going to significantly up my vit c and larix starting today either way.

[MichaelTampa]

I imagine some lyme docs would. If you are headed there anyway, I would be looking there for your answer to this.

 

If you're not headed to a lyme doc, then perhaps you really will need to get a proven strep test to get adequate treatment for it. But if a few abx over a couple days is enough to ruin the strep test while not fully killing the strep, then one positive strep test on one day may not buy you adequate treatment anyway--won't most docs want to stop the abx in a week or two if you have a negative strep test then? Then you'd be right back where you are now, anyway. The problem, and this is where the docs that stop abx too early are right at least in part, is that how do you know strep is really the main problem? Maybe something else, any number of bugs out there, is chronically weakening you, and so the strep reappears here and there once the main bug flourishes, since strep is everywhere and opportunistic. Then, treating you with strep abx forever may get you nowhere.

[Stephanie2]

I imagine some lyme docs would. If you are headed there anyway, I would be looking there for your answer to this.

 

If you're not headed to a lyme doc, then perhaps you really will need to get a proven strep test to get adequate treatment for it. But if a few abx over a couple days is enough to ruin the strep test while not fully killing the strep, then one positive strep test on one day may not buy you adequate treatment anyway--won't most docs want to stop the abx in a week or two if you have a negative strep test then? Then you'd be right back where you are now, anyway. The problem, and this is where the docs that stop abx too early are right at least in part, is that how do you know strep is really the main problem? Maybe something else, any number of bugs out there, is chronically weakening you, and so the strep reappears here and there once the main bug flourishes, since strep is everywhere and opportunistic. Then, treating you with strep abx forever may get you nowhere.

 

I am hearing you loud and clear, Michael. So it's really my immune system at fault here (regardless of the bug). So, ulimately all roads lead back to potential lyme in this house. I think I chose our lyme doc today, anyway.

[VickyLH]

I'm going through the same thing. Started a Z-Pack a few weeks ago and have never really felt right since. Over the last several days my sore throat has come back. I was just telling my husband I think I'll go in for another Strep test. A friend of mine also had Strep in November that didn't go away after abx. She got treated again in December and I think she's better now. Perhaps there's a stubborn strain out there or something. I'm just ready for it to be gone from our house!

 

-Vicky in NC

 

Vicky, did you start the z-pak b/c you had strep?

 

Yes, although I didn't test positive for Strep at the time (rapid only) but I had a sore throat and everyone else in the house had Strep at the time so I was treated.

 

Do you remember what dose? I did 1000mg first day, 500mg next 4 days. Maybe that's not enough. Also, maybe we have azith-resistant strains.

Yes, that's the same dose I did as well.

[KaraM]

I was going to suggest this as well. Dr. B. thinks this is why my nonPANDAS son keeps getting sore throats. He has a lot of allergies and his Ig(M?) was really high (the one that shows allergy reaction). He thought the allergies were causing so much inflammation that the infection would never really clear. He switched him from Zith to Biaxin (as well as a steroid and expectorant that we stopped a couple days into it due to some sort of reaction....). But we kept him on the Biaxin. He is almost done with the dose and does seem to be doing much better. (Unfortunately, my PANDAS dd8 is still getting worse).

 

I digress...

 

Anyway, the point is, maybe you have something goine on that is preventing the Zith from truly clearing the strep infection and perhaps a different antibiotic for a longer period of time would help clear it.

 

Just brainstorming here but do you have any symptoms of sinus infection? Maybe the sore throat is from drainage from it coming back after stopping the abs. Sinus infections can be really hard to clear.

[Stephanie2]

Thanks, Kara. I went to get a strep test yesterday. Rapid was negative, they sent culture to lab. Will find out next week. In the meantime, I started high dose Oil of Oregano, colloidal silver, 6gr vitamin c, larix, gargling with salt water. Started that yesterday and I feel much better today. Hopefully I can hold it back until the culture comes back. I also sent my babysitter to her doctor with a letter from me and literature about pandas requesting strep tests !! LOL! She has had a sore throat, too. With my luck the doctor will be offended by my request and refuse to do the culture...sigh.

[SarahJane]

Hey Stephanie. On one of Emerson's posts, Colleen talked about getting upper resp inf tests vs. strep tests since they only look for strep A. This might be an idea for you if you're not positive on the reg swab or culture. I'm going to request these from now on out vs. the reg tests whenever the need arises.

[norcalmom]

Stephanie,

Didn't read this whole post, so forgive me if it has already been mentioned, but mycoplasma can also lead to a chronic sore throat. If you feel that you and the whole family have chronic infection of some kind, check out immed.org for more information. Mycoplasmas is a common bacteria (walking pneumonia) and most get over it on their own, however people with immune issues need much more help getting rid of it.

[mom love]

Stephanie,

 

I was going to say the same thing about myco p. Dr Trifilleti told me that it can present as just a sore throat and after researching it, it loves the whole respiratory tract.

 

Also, just want to mention that I read recently about using Cat's Claw to treat strep. Might want to research that.

[Stephanie2]

thanks...I will def look into that if this doesn't resolve or we don't get a pos culture.