Best anti-biotic for strep throat?

purple2067 · 03-22-2005, 07:46 PM

On March 6 I woke up with a bad sore throat and a fever. I had never had strep before, but I knew it must really hurt. My throat was on fire and I couldn't swallow. I went to the local walk-in medical clinic rather than calling my own doctor, because it was a sunday. I saw a Physician's Assistant who looked in my throat and immediately told me I had strep. I had at least half a dozen pus pockets all over my tonsils. I am allergic to anti-biotics in the Amoxicillin and Penicillin family, so he gave me Levaquin for 10 days. They did do an overnight culture and called me the next morning to say it was definitely positive. This I already knew, because aside from feeling like there were golf balls in the back of my throat, I had a fever of 103-104. I took the Levaquin diligently for 10 days. Not wanting to have a relapse, I stayed home from work for the entire week. I am a teacher and I catch everything from my kids! I had an appointment with the nurse practicioner at my primary care doctor's office already for that week, March 9th. I kept it, and she looked in my throat and said it was clearing up nicely. No more pus pockets or redness. I was feeling a lot better. Then on saturday, March 19th I saw my ophthalmologist, because whenever I get sick I get pink eye without fail. Since he's my friend, I asked him to do me the favor of looking in my throat because it was starting to hurt again. He said it looked fine, but he couldn't see all the way down. On sunday I woke up with a low-grade
fever and my throat was killing me again. I spoke with the nurse practicioner, who told me to come in for a "real" strep test, where they would send it to the lab and take 5 days to grow it out. The nurse who took the culture said that my throat is red again and my tonsils are huge, but no pus.

They are not sure if the Levaquin was the right anti-biotic to give me. They think that maybe my infection wasn't susceptible to it, or I should have been on it for a much longer period of time. I really think that Levaquin is one of the best anti-biotics out there, and all of the doctors agree with me. But if it didn't work, and it looks like it didn't, then what the heck do I take? I need to take a Cephalosporin, because I am also allergic to Sulfa. I can take Levaquin, Ceftin, Avelox, Zithromax (love the Z-Pak), Tequin, Lorabid, and sometimes if I really can't avoid it, Biaxin. I get very very bad "female problems" as an allergic reaction. Not yeast infections. Just inflammation, burning, etc....

I'm going back to the doctor on friday to get the results of the culture and see what to do next. I need to get rid of this! I am a teacher and I can't talk because my tonsils are so swollen! The only thing that makes me feel better is drinking lots of frozen slurpees, and using Sucrets Lozenges and Chloraseptic spray.

So after that long story, my question is: What is the best, best, best anti-biotic for strep? (that I can take!) I need to get rid of this ASAP!

Thanks,

Elyse

Charlatan · 03-22-2005, 08:56 PM

Use a search engine and look up both erythromycin and clarithromycin.. both are alternative antibiotics (synthetic) for use in bacterial respiratory tract infections. Ideally, docs prescibe penicillin, but these two are often prescribed in place of, for those allergic to penicillin.
Good luck, I hope you get better soon.

Soibhan · 03-23-2005, 01:19 AM

Once you get the results of the 5 day strep culture, they'll know if you're on the antibiotic that will kill off the strep. If not, they'l switch. Here's a little advice from a mom whose son had strep 7 times in one winter: after you finish your medicine, throw out your toothbrush, or anything else you put in your mouth. Even your lipstick could be a culprit. If you keep a glass of water by the side of your bed or in your bathroom, wash them in the dishwasher. This will help you not to reinfect yourself. Hope you get over it quickly for good this time!

gnote · 03-23-2005, 05:46 PM

I also am allergic to the more commonly used antibiotics (penicillin, ertythromycin, cipro, and bactrim). I am normally prescribed Keflex and it has worked for me. I don't think I ever tried the one you mentioned.

GOOD LUCK!

purple2067 · 03-23-2005, 08:19 PM

I'm allergic to Keflex too, and I think Erythromycin as well.

I found it out the hard way when I was a kid. Levaquin, which I took, is supposed to be one of the best anti-biotics out there. It is very broad-spectrum. My uncle that's a pharmacist said "Oh, Levaquin is GREAT! That'll get rid of it for sure!" Maybe another course?

I guess I'll have to leave the prescribing to the professionals, since I have such a weird body!

I can't believe I never thought to throw out my tooth brush. I don't really wear much lipstick though. But I do have a dental device that I sleep with at night. I'll have to wrinse it with peroxide. (that gets off all the gunk, but will it kill strep?)

The nurse practicioner also told me to gargle with a shot of apple cider vinegar and water. It is supposed to neutralize the ph in your throat, or something like that. But it tastes nasty! It is great on salads, but not in your throat!

My throat does feel very, very slightly better today, but it still hurts to swallow. I'm coughnig a lot, so I'm wondering if maybe I have an upper-respiratory infection now. I have a post-nasal drip. I have a doctor's appointment on friday. So glad it is Good Friday this week and I am off from work! I am also glad that my doctor and I are both Jewish and don't celebrate! Or he'd be closed! Everyone has been commenting on how wiped out I look. Well, you walk around with strep and see how bright eyed and peppy you are! LOL! I need the three-day weekend to sleep!

As long as I have no fever I can go to work. And I am lucky that I have a very small class and don't have to speak too loudly. And my kids see me sucking cough drops and feel bad for me. I use it to my advantage.

I am so wiped out from this infection that for the past few nights I have been coming home and falling asleep at 8:00 and not waking up until the alarm goes off in the morning.

I just really hope the strep test comes back negative. But why else would I still have enlarged tonsils and a red throat?

Does having your tonsils taken out reduce your chances of getting strep? I am about ready to chop mine out myself!