As a little tyke, I was really susceptible to ear & throat infections. One thing they did to help was remove my tonsils when I was around 5 years old. As long as I was getting mine out, they took out my sister's, too. This was back in the day that a tonsillectomy was good for what ailed you. I think they were still routinely using leeches as well. Regardless, I had far far fewer throat problems afterward (once healed from the tonsillectomy, that is).
Fast forward about 9 years. I developed a really bad case of strep throat. My dad took me to the ER, the doctor identified it as strep, and asked if I'd had my tonsils out. I thought "Isn't it obvious?" but answered "Yes, why?" He said there had been some regrowth of the tonsil tissue, but that it wasn't anything like normal healthy tonsil size. Interesting.
Over the next 16 or so years, my rate of strep infection gradually went up. From once a year, to twice, to thrice, and so on. Finally as I was approaching 30, I had an 8 week window where I came down with 4 separate infections. I'd take the antibiotics as prescribed, but in less than a week after getting "better" I'd be right back to the doctors office. I got really good at self diagnosis of strep vs a regular sore throat.
Several times over the years I had asked doctors if having another tonsillectomy might help, and the idea was always dismissed out of hand. I finally asked the latest doctor, who also dismissed it. I then recounted the above to him, he looked at my throat again, said "You've really had these out before?" and gave me a referral to an ear/nose/throat specialist after I said yes.
That specialist took one look at my tonsils, horribly scarred from previous surgery & years of repeated infection, said "you poor guy", scheduled a surgery, and wrote me a refillable prescription for antibiotics so I wouldn't have to come in every time I had a recurrence. I think I had to use it twice before surgery (a few months out).
I've had maybe two infections in the 10+ years since that second surgery, and they've never been as bad as before.
Anyway, the point I had originally intended to make. While at BYU, I had one of those infections and went to the health center for treatment. I just knew I had strep. A quick strep test came back negative. I told the doctor I was pretty sure I had strep, and he was kinda rude about telling me he was the doctor and knew what strep was, but it successfully bullied me into second guessing myself. I waited through two more weeks of continual and building pain before I finally went to UVRMC's ER. The ER doctor took a culture (rather than the quick test) but gave me antibiotics on the spot and said my self diagnosis was pretty good. He also indicated that there are things that can interfere with the quick test that I may have done in trying to self treat before going to the doctor originally (throat spray or some such, it's been a long time). From this I learned doctors are not perfect and the value of a second opinion.
Sometime later (but before the second tonsillectomy) I had to go in for yet another infection. They did the quick test and it came back negative. The ER doctor prescribed antibiotics anyway because:
- A visual inspection showed it obviously to be an infection.
- There are bacteria that are just as bad or worse than strep that wouldn't show in a quick strep test.
- Even if it was viral, that often creates an opportunity for bacteria to take hold that they wouldn't normally have in an otherwise healthy person, and antibiotics can help stave that off.
In conclusion, I understand that antibiotics are not a universal cure all and can't help a range of problems. However, you live with your body 24/7, and the doctor doesn't (especially not a health center or ER doctor you don't see regularly). You may not have a medical degree, but you know what is normal and abnormal to a large extent with yourself. If you go to a doctor and think the diagnosis is off, don't be afraid to push back (politely, of course) and/or seek a second opinion. You might be wrong ultimately, but you might inspire the busy doctor to look a little deeper than he otherwise would have and come to a different conclusion with additional facts.
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