It feels like I'm dying.

[DBowling]

Another medical advice thread.

9 days ago I was eating dinner with my grandmother. On the way home from the restaurant, I felt a sharp pain in my inner ear/tonsil area. I also got a headache and became drowsy. I went home, slept. When i woke up the next day i looked at my tonsils and they were very inflamed, more red than before, and semi covered in mucous. The headache's have gone away, and im not as drowsy as before. But my tonsils are still very inflamed and my right one hurts very badly. I wake up every few hours during the night. It is difficult and painful to breathe/swallow. I have been gargling salt water a few times a day for the past few days. It seems to sooth the pain a little for a while.

I have no insurance. I thought this might blow over but its been a while and its starting to bother me more and more. What is the best way to get this taken care of? How much will it cost me?

Thank you,
DB

[[censored]]

Any type of free clinic around where you could just have then looked at? Worst thing to do would be to let some infection go untreated.

[DBowling]

i found listings for planned parenthoods under "free clinic". Are they a regular free clinic? Or should I find another. How much might a precription cost me?

[Sponger15SB]

You'll probably die in 2-3 days.

Sorry man.

[DBowling]

i'll make sure to transfer all of my money to you before this happens

[[censored]]

[ QUOTE ]
i found listings for planned parenthoods under "free clinic". Are they a regular free clinic? Or should I find another. How much might a precription cost me?

[/ QUOTE ]

Planned parent hood is not what you are looking for. Try giving the local hospital a call and ask them if they know somewhere. It might be like a one day a week thing or something.

As far as presciptions, I had to get one once on my own and it was a few hundred so it sucked. You may be able to score sometype of sample that the drug companies give to doctors for free. Just explain your situation what ever that is.

[Jakesta]

[ QUOTE ]
i found listings for planned parenthoods under "free clinic"

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, good idea. You're obviously pregnant, and I'm sure you'll feel much better after heading to PP.

[DBowling]

the two free clinics in my area are closed right now and do not list hours of operation.

[[censored]]

[ QUOTE ]
the two free clinics in my area are closed right now and do not list hours of operation.

[/ QUOTE ]

Give em a call in the morning, nothing you can do about it right now except going to the emergency room, which it doesn't sound like you need to do. Most likely it will be some 9-5 deal on a first come first serve basis.

[nothumb]

Well dude, it sounds like you might have tonsilitis, and if you do, it's not going away by itself.

Only other possibility would be something like mono, kind of doubt it though.

NT

[DBowling]

is there anything i can do for the swelling of my tonsils? its becoming very difficult to live

[[censored]]

[ QUOTE ]
is there anything i can do for the swelling of my tonsils? its becoming very difficult to live

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it getting worse? Is it affecting your breathing?

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
is there anything i can do for the swelling of my tonsils? its becoming very difficult to live

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it getting worse? Is it affecting your breathing?

[/ QUOTE ]

it is worse than it was yesterday, but it does not seem to be getting any worse in the past few hours. the mucous seems to be building up and is making breathing harder. i do not feel like i am suffocating, just not breathing comfortably

[[censored]]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
is there anything i can do for the swelling of my tonsils? its becoming very difficult to live

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it getting worse? Is it affecting your breathing?

[/ QUOTE ]

it is worse than it was yesterday, but it does not seem to be getting any worse in the past few hours. the mucous seems to be building up and is making breathing harder. i do not feel like i am suffocating, just not breathing comfortably

[/ QUOTE ]

Well you can try gurgling with some warm salt water but other than that you two options A) Tough it out until tomorrow when you can hopefully get to that free clinic or B) hit the ER which is going cost $$$$.

[shant]

Sounds like you have Thrush (http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw139071.asp) .

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
is there anything i can do for the swelling of my tonsils? its becoming very difficult to live

[/ QUOTE ]

Is it getting worse? Is it affecting your breathing?

[/ QUOTE ]

it is worse than it was yesterday, but it does not seem to be getting any worse in the past few hours. the mucous seems to be building up and is making breathing harder. i do not feel like i am suffocating, just not breathing comfortably

[/ QUOTE ]

Well you can try gurgling with some warm salt water but other than that you two options A) Tough it out until tomorrow when you can hopefully get to that free clinic or B) hit the ER which is going cost $$$$.

[/ QUOTE ]

thanks for all your help [censored]. if i never post here again, i'm probably dead. i will attempt to tough it out though.

DB

[mason55]

OK, i'm going to be a dick since this thread keeps getting bumped.

WTF is wrong with you. Why don't you have insurance. That's seriously -EV.

[Blarg]

Could easily be a strep infection, which can be very dangerous if left untreated, and spread very rapidly. You should get treatment today or tomorrow, no excuses.

Standard treatment is with penicillin or ampicillin or such.

Meanwhile, just to help the pain, you might want to spray some Chloraseptic on your tonsils and in the back of your throat.

Don't fool around on getting that treated -- the pain of an infection back there -- and the danger, too -- can spike way up very, very quickly.

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like you have Thrush (http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw139071.asp) .

[/ QUOTE ]

i do not have anything on my tongue, and i do not have the cottage cheese like stuff.

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
OK, i'm going to be a dick since this thread keeps getting bumped.

WTF is wrong with you. Why don't you have insurance. That's seriously -EV.

[/ QUOTE ]

i have not been sick in 3+ years. i have not been to the doctor in the same amount of time. I do plan on getting health insurance now, though.

[jdl22]

The last 3 times I called getting 3:1 with a two outer I hit. I also haven't missed a flush draw in the same amount of hands.

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
OK, i'm going to be a dick since this thread keeps getting bumped.

WTF is wrong with you. Why don't you have insurance. That's seriously -EV.

[/ QUOTE ]

i have not been sick in 3+ years. i have not been to the doctor in the same amount of time. I do plan on getting health insurance now, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. I thought I didn't need health insurance. Then I realized that once stroke of back luck would bankrupt me, my parents, my grandparents, my sister, my uncle, and probably some of my friends. Destroy everything everyone I love has worked their entire life for just because I'm lazy or cheap.

Seriously. For anyone else reading this. Get health insurance. Once you realize you need it, it's usually too later.

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
The last 3 times I called getting 3:1 with a two outer I hit. I also haven't missed a flush draw in the same amount of hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

wrong forum

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
OK, i'm going to be a dick since this thread keeps getting bumped.

WTF is wrong with you. Why don't you have insurance. That's seriously -EV.

[/ QUOTE ]

i have not been sick in 3+ years. i have not been to the doctor in the same amount of time. I do plan on getting health insurance now, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. I thought I didn't need health insurance. Then I realized that once stroke of back luck would bankrupt me, my parents, my grandparents, my sister, my uncle, and probably some of my friends. Destroy everything everyone I love has worked their entire life for just because I'm lazy or cheap.

Seriously. For anyone else reading this. Get health insurance. Once you realize you need it, it's usually too later.

[/ QUOTE ]

i think the government just provided $1 billion to pay for healthcare of illegal immigrants. I sort of look like i could be from canada, eh?

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
OK, i'm going to be a dick since this thread keeps getting bumped.

WTF is wrong with you. Why don't you have insurance. That's seriously -EV.

[/ QUOTE ]

i have not been sick in 3+ years. i have not been to the doctor in the same amount of time. I do plan on getting health insurance now, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah. I thought I didn't need health insurance. Then I realized that once stroke of back luck would bankrupt me, my parents, my grandparents, my sister, my uncle, and probably some of my friends. Destroy everything everyone I love has worked their entire life for just because I'm lazy or cheap.

Seriously. For anyone else reading this. Get health insurance. Once you realize you need it, it's usually too later.

[/ QUOTE ]

i think the government just provided $1 billion to pay for healthcare of illegal immigrants. I sort of look like i could be from canada, eh?

[/ QUOTE ]

If you look anything like your avatar you can definitley claim you're from Japan.

[jdl22]

[ QUOTE ]
The last 3 times I called getting 3:1 with a two outer I hit. I also haven't missed a flush draw in the same amount of hands.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

i have not been sick in 3+ years. i have not been to the doctor in the same amount of time. I do plan on getting health insurance now, though.

[/ QUOTE ]

[ QUOTE ]

wrong forum

[/ QUOTE ]

don't think so.

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
If you look anything like your avatar you can definitley claim you're from Japan.

[/ QUOTE ]

i wish

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
don't think so.

[/ QUOTE ]

i dont really need poker analogies right now

[mason55]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
don't think so.

[/ QUOTE ]

i dont really need poker analogies right now

[/ QUOTE ]

man all this talk about throat and lung problems... i really need a cigarette and now i'm going to have to drive to the store.

[DoubleDown]

you definitely need to get yourself checked out and have some tests

you need a throat culture to be done for sure as well as some blood tests to rule out an infection (a streptococcal infection can be deadly)

i don't mean to scare you but this is serious business esp since you said your symptoms started suddenly (as opposed to gradually over time) ... if they can't rule out an infection you might need to have imaging (i.e. a CT scan) done to ensure it's not a blood clot or some other type of mass that is impinging on something it shouldnt be and thus causing you discomfort

i bet if you took an anti-inflammatory it might make the night pass by a little easier by reducing some of the inflammation (pain/swelling/redness) in your throat ... but definitely get checked out tomm. by the Free Clinics you've looked up

if you're in nyc- nyu med has an awesome free clinic that you can get checked out at (unfort. they are appointment only so you'd have to schedule- but maybe they can fit you in if its light?) NYU med Free Clinic (http://endeavor.med.nyu.edu/freeclinic/)

hang in there

[Jman28]

[ QUOTE ]

is there anything i can do for the swelling of my tonsils?

[/ QUOTE ]

Correct me if I'm wrong someone, but Advil (Ibuprofen) and Aleve (whatever drug that is) are anti-inflammatories, which means they reduce swelling. Good luck.

[Slacker13]

I may be drunk right now but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to suggest that medical treatment is in order.

[Bob Moss]

[ QUOTE ]
OK, i'm going to be a dick since this thread keeps getting bumped.

WTF is wrong with you. Why don't you have insurance. That's seriously -EV.

[/ QUOTE ]

You are incorrect, sir. Insurance is ALWAYS -EV. Do you see why?

Bob

[Jeff W]

[ QUOTE ]

You are incorrect, sir. Insurance is ALWAYS -EV. Do you see why?

[/ QUOTE ]

I've thought about this a lot and I disagree.

1. Insurance companies are capable of mistakes. If you have better information than them, then they may sell you insurance that is -EV for them.

2. More broadly, if insurance is +EV for the insurance company, that does not mean that insurance is -EV for you. Lowering variance has +EV and it is quite possible, even probable that health insurance is +EV for both parties.

3. The line "Do you see why?" is annoying and cliche.

[Brainwalter]

[ QUOTE ]

1. Insurance companies are capable of mistakes. If you have better information than them, then they may sell you insurance that is -EV for them.

[/ QUOTE ]

Sure.

[ QUOTE ]
2. More broadly, if insurance is +EV for the insurance company, that does not mean that insurance is -EV for you. Lowering variance has +EV and it is quite possible, even probable that health insurance is +EV for both parties.


[/ QUOTE ]

I don't buy it. The insurance company takes in a bunch of money and gives out some significant amount less. I don't see how all buyers of insurance collectively can be making a +EV move. It's similar to the collective of all poker players who cannot possibly do anything other than lose steadily to the rake. Maybe you can elaborate on "lowering variance has +EV."

[ QUOTE ]

3. The line "Do you see why?" is annoying and cliche.


[/ QUOTE ]

I'll let others elaborate.

[emil3000]

[ QUOTE ]
you definitely need to get yourself checked out and have some tests

you need a throat culture to be done for sure as well as some blood tests to rule out an infection (a streptococcal infection can be deadly)

i don't mean to scare you but this is serious business esp since you said your symptoms started suddenly (as opposed to gradually over time) ... if they can't rule out an infection you might need to have imaging (i.e. a CT scan) done to ensure it's not a blood clot or some other type of mass that is impinging on something it shouldnt be and thus causing you discomfort.

[/ QUOTE ]

If it is an infection (which I think is most likely) it is not likely to go away by itself, you need antibiotics. Could be of viral origin too, I guess. Those things can be pretty resilient, my brother had a similar thing last summer, he ended up doing two separate batches of broad spectrum antibiotics, which didn't work, and then having his tonsils surgically removed. You definitely should see someone about this.

Ibuprofen will probably reduce pain, but the problem will still remain.

[thatpfunk]

[ QUOTE ]

If it is an infection (which I think is most likely) it is not likely to go away by itself, you need antibiotics.

[/ QUOTE ]

Random ignorant question: So back in the day before antibiotics, when someone contracted strep throat did they just live with it or was it a fatal infection?

[jakethebake]

[ QUOTE ]
I may be drunk right now but it doesn't take a rocket scientist to suggest that medical treatment is in order.

[/ QUOTE ]

apparently it does. The sober people are suggesting gargling salt water. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[Mars357]

[quoteapparently it does. The sober people are suggesting gargling salt water. /images/graemlins/grin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

NH

[jakethebake]

Do you know what's causing this? Has anyone sprayed you with a fire extinguisher lately?

[HopeydaFish]

[ QUOTE ]
Sounds like you have Thrush (http://my.webmd.com/hw/health_guide_atoz/hw139071.asp) .

[/ QUOTE ]

Thrush is generally only something that babies and people with weak immune systems (such as AIDS patients) develop. A normal healthy adult is very unlikely to develop thrush.

It sounds like he has a severe case of strep throat.

[emil3000]

Gah, you've made me go look it up. Here's what my pathology book (Kumar et al: Robbins & Cotran Pathologic Basis of Disease 7e) has to say about tonsillitis:

[ QUOTE ]
Pharyngitis and tonsillitis are frequent concomitants of the usual viral upper respiratory infections

[/ QUOTE ]
/.../
[ QUOTE ]
Bacterial infections may be superimposed on these viral involvements, or the bacteria may be primary invaders. The most common offenders are the β-hemolytic streptococci, but sometimes Staphylococcus aureus or other pathogens may be implicated.

[/ QUOTE ]
/.../
[ QUOTE ]

The major importance of streptococcal "sore throats" lies in the possible development of late sequelae, for example, rheumatic fever (Chapter 12) and glomerulonephritis (Chapter 20). Whether recurrent episodes of acute tonsillitis favor the development of chronic tonsillitis (true chronic tonsillitis is extremely rare) is open to debate, but they may leave residual enlargement of the lymphoid tissue, inviting the tender mercies of the otolaryngologist.

[/ QUOTE ]

So maybe you can wait it out, still. I would see a doctor anyway, it's been 9 days right? Immune system has plenty of time to take care of the inflammation then.

To thatpfunk: I guess most of the time the immune system works, but sometimes it became chronic. There were for sure a lot bigger problems with infections then, owing to greater exposure (hygiene), and depressed immune system (malnutrition).

[xadrez]

This is probably Strep throat as someone mentioned before. If there are white splotches in the back of your throat this is almost definately a strep infection.

You need antibiotics. Strep can spread to your heart, and an infection on your heart just cant be good.

Go to the doctor and worry about paying later.

[theredpill5]

How long has this been going on ? When I was in college , I had something similar to what you are describing. It wasn't really hard to breath but damn , it was hard as hell to swallow any food or anything. It hurt pretty bad and was very uncomfortable. It was mainly my throat. Is that what you were experiencing ? I didn't see a doctor and it went away in 2 weeks. I didn't have any mucous that I can recall , though so you might have something different than what I had. You got to get that checked out. An infection near your brain is not good. Not good at all.

[Ponks]

[ QUOTE ]
i'll make sure to transfer all of my money to you before this happens

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I get some too? Don't forgot about Ponkers.

Ponks

[DBowling]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i'll make sure to transfer all of my money to you before this happens

[/ QUOTE ]

Can I get some too? Don't forgot about Ponkers.

Ponks

[/ QUOTE ]

sorry guys, it appears i will live. I felt much better this morning, but went to the clinic still. I waited for 2 hours and saw the doctor for literally less than 2 minutes. He said i have strep throat. Then I waited another 30 minutes to get my Penicilin. But it was all free, even the meds. So im happy. The doctor also told me to gargle salt water, so apparently that is good advice, jake.

as for insurance being +ev, i think it can be but only in cases where you have a medical condition and know that giving up your insurance will cause you to pay more per month. however, for healthy people, i think insurance has to be -ev as was pointed out by the fact that insurance companies pay out less than they take in. So its kind of like playing the reverse lottery. You pay money each month so in the rare instance that you have to pay a large sum of money, you no longer have to pay that large sum.

That said, i will be looking into getting today.

Thanks for your help guys,
DB

[durron597]

[ QUOTE ]
however, for healthy people, i think insurance has to be -ev as was pointed out by the fact that insurance companies pay out less than they take in.

[/ QUOTE ]

This isn't precisely true, as insurance companies also invest their money and make profit from the interest on that. This offsets the times they pay more than they get paid.

[Shajen]

glad you didn't die.

Insurance is a no brainer. Good to hear you are getting some.
(Insurance, that is. Of course, if you are getting some poon, that's good too)