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Strep without antibiotics

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Posted 2/17/2014 7:58 PM (GMT 0)
Having a rough month!! Just saw my GP, waiting on a culture but we're pretty sure I have strep throat.

Especially because of recently having C diff (but it's well under control and hugely improved since I started vanco and probiotics), I do NOT want to take antibiotics unless I absolutely have to. My GP wrote a prescription for azithromycin but he said I could wait until the culture results and he will talk to my GI as well about what antibiotic I can take.

I believe I've read on here that using antibiotics for strep is actually not that common in other parts of the world (Australia maybe?). I'm looking for any scientific resources out there that say that it would be OK to forego antibiotics. Interested in hearing about personal experiences too. What do you guys think?
Posted 2/17/2014 8:00 PM (GMT 0)
Personally I think it is bad idea not to take antibiotics if you have strep.
Posted 2/17/2014 8:04 PM (GMT 0)
it would be my second choice !
Posted 2/17/2014 8:13 PM (GMT 0)
A quick search indicates that it usually goes away on its own without antibiotics, but that you're contagious for much longer and that your risk of serious complications (abscess on your tonsils, rheumatic fever are a couple of possibilities) is a lot higher if you don't take them.

That's info I got from WebMD.
Posted 2/17/2014 8:14 PM (GMT 0)
Hey gary, I totally agree with you and if not for the C diff I would not be considering this. I've had strep many times in my life and always taken antibiotics. However, I've seen people here in the past claim that antibiotics are not the standard of care outside of the US so I would like to read more about that if people can back up their claims with scientific lit.
Posted 2/17/2014 8:27 PM (GMT 0)
My kids had strep enough times when they were little so I know for a fact, if you leave strep untreated it can develop into strep of the skin and it can seriously damage your heart....I strongly advise against not treating it.
Posted 2/17/2014 8:34 PM (GMT 0)
Do you still have your tonsils? If so, it might be wise to have them removed especially if you say you've had strep frequently in the past.

I had mine removed at 30 because of repeated strep infections. I've never had it since.

But if you are worried about the C. Diff, perhaps ask about IV antibiotics. They're easier on the gut. I agree tho, that strep should be treated. Long term exposure has many serious health complications including damage to the heart.
Posted 2/17/2014 10:06 PM (GMT 0)
I wonder if you could gargle some wild oregano oil/water while you wait for culture results. I know it kills strep but it might also get rid of your good bugs too. Sorry you are dealing with strep, it is so painful!
Posted 2/17/2014 10:08 PM (GMT 0)
Take the abx. You don't wanna mess around with strep.
Posted 2/17/2014 10:33 PM (GMT 0)
Yeah soooo...

Many years ago (I was about 20) I said to myself, I think I have step throat. Went to the doc, he says I'm quite sure you have strep throat. I decide its already been three days so I'll just tough it out... Heck, it's good to get sick now and then right?

On the fourth day, I get sorta itchy, and go back to the doc's office. He looks at me and says hang on a minute I'll be right back....

He comes back with two other docs from the clinic. All of them have gloves on, white coats and masks on and one is caring a medical book. (No joke, no embellishment whatsoever).

Doc#1 says can you lift your shirt please. Doc number 2 say's "holy $hit" out loud...

My doctor says you have scarlet fever.

I tell ya - I've had some pretty good and funky illnesses before but this one was over the top insane. By that night my skin all over my body felt like sandpaper... the "itch" and discomfort was indescribable... Thankfully the antibiotics kicked in and about 3 days later I started to feel better. I slept in the bathtub for two night (no joke).

As path says DO NOT mess with strep!

Haha

I'll never forget that bug.

EDIT: I still wait till I get a positive from a culture test before taking antibiotics.. but I'm always super, super nervous now doing so.

Post Edited (Canada Mark) : 2/17/2014 3:36:14 PM (GMT-7)

Posted 2/17/2014 10:38 PM (GMT 0)
Yes definitely take antibiotics for strep if your test comes back positive. However, a few years ago my dd was a strep carrier and came down with strep throat pretty often. I would have her gargle with apple cider vinegar any time she felt a tickle in her throat. It would keep her from getting sick again. If nothing else, you could do it now because it does cut down on the pain from strep.
Posted 2/17/2014 11:20 PM (GMT 0)
try herbs and xylitol if you want. OLE... I have chronic strep and it causes me issues when my titers go up. Its very hard to eradicate once it becomes chronic. Abx actually made my numbers go up. doc says years of abx are needed once it becomes chronic. Herbs were doing a really good steady job bringing the numbers down, but any acute infection you try the herbs/etc for a day or so and if you dont note RAPID improvement you take the blue antibiotics pill with the quickness. If you take herbs, make sure you take them for awhile and consider an Antistreptolysin titer followup to make sure you got it.
Posted 2/17/2014 11:23 PM (GMT 0)
i agree with sherry. is it possible to get IV antibiotics for it?

with my c diff history, i was terrified when i had appendicitis and needed antibiotics. i begged the doctors to not make me take them but they said it would be negligent of them not to because of how swollen my appendix was. they knew about my c diff history so they gave me flagyl with penicillin since flagyl is supposed to fight off c diff. it worked like a charm and i didn't get c diff again.

also, i'm sorry you're going through this. after you've had c diff, it's TERRIFYING to have it come back and it really makes you question all your medical decisions that much more. i hope whatever you chose works out. and hey, maybe you DON'T have strep and it's just a really sore throat!
Posted 2/18/2014 2:11 AM (GMT 0)
Wait until the tests come back. But don't mess around with strep. It can spread and cause other issues. I know a person who had kidney damage because she didn't want to take antibiotics for strep.

If you need to take it, just up your probiotics.
Posted 2/18/2014 2:29 AM (GMT 0)
OK, you guys convinced me! I must have been thinking of something else because I really thought there was a vocal anti-abx for strep lobby on this board.

@Sherry, I had a consult with an ENT to have my tonsils removed about a month before I was diagnosed with UC. Needless to say everything since then has been such a whirlwind that we placed the tonsillectomy wayyy on the back burner. And this is in fact my first bout of strep since pre-UC. I was actually hoping it was somehow related to my colon but I guess not :-)

@Joanna, ugh! IV antibiotics. The doctor wanted to give me a penicillin shot today (same reason, bypass GI tract) but I'm allergic. Of course this is based on a mild reaction I had about twenty years ago... When all this is said and done I'm going to an allergist to get tested for sure. Hopefully since I'm still on vanco that will do the trick to keep me safe if I need abx for strep too.

Culture results come back tmrw morning, I'll let you guys know... For now my fever is down but my throat still hurts like a m@#^#$r.
Posted 2/18/2014 2:38 AM (GMT 0)
My guess is you're thinking about sinus infections or ear infections. New recs are to skip abx for those, because the great majority are viral.
Posted 2/18/2014 2:39 AM (GMT 0)
Ear infections!! That is definitely it. Haha, I used to have a lot of those too (those I did grow out of, though) so I got them mixed up in my head.
Posted 2/18/2014 2:42 AM (GMT 0)
I had strept 2 weeks ago and 3rd day in when i went to see the dr i was just about lifeless !! I would not wait! I had names my lymph "sweet" and "dude"
Posted 2/18/2014 2:45 AM (GMT 0)
Abx for strep were sadly the chief suspect that transitioned me from a full, med free 10 year remission to neverenndng symptoms for many years until I finally ended up havng to resort to surgery (which has given back my life, mind you). In those days, though, I had no clue about using massive doses of probiotics after, and heavy doses of s. boulardi during abx therapy. If you have to take abx, dont skimp on theprbiotics and s. boulardi. The former should be taken a few hours apart from any abx, and the latter are known to be impervious to antibiotics, so I'd use both.
Posted 2/18/2014 2:53 AM (GMT 0)
Good advice, Probiotic!


Anytime you take abx, or herbal abx you should really try to repopulate.

I found out something interesting the other day. L. Planatarum is a methane producer and a small number of bacteria like methane so they thrive in that environment.

Made me really appreciate the diversity in multistrain probiotics. Honestly, I dont know how I feel about s. boullardii. It can go systemic in immune compromised people and wreck havok. But I have a yeast phobia at this point so Im biased.
Posted 2/18/2014 3:47 AM (GMT 0)
Just remember to take your probiotics at least 2 hours after you're done taking any type of antibiotic for the day, otherwise the antis will just mess with the pros and the pros won't help you. Good luck
Posted 2/18/2014 1:14 PM (GMT 0)
I was on antibiotics about this time last year for bacterial bronchitis. (And no, it wasn't confirmed with a culture, but I was 35-ish weeks pregnant, had been sick for about 4 weeks, had strained/cracked ribs from coughing so much, was losing weight, and my doc heard "sticky sounds" in my lungs.) At any rate, I really upped my probiotics, and came through it fine. The one I take is a mix of different Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium species, including the L. plantarum PK mentions.
Posted 2/18/2014 4:02 PM (GMT 0)
find yourself some xylitol. add it to water and gargle every 2 hours. It will help. It kills strep with impunity Woo will irritate the tissues. There is another strep strain that kills the strep throat strain in Blis K12 oral lozenge probiotics.

Def take the abx tho ;)
Posted 2/18/2014 5:20 PM (GMT 0)
Wellll plot twist, thus far the culture is negative. It was less than 24 hours when I spoke to the doctor so he said he would check it again later today and get back to me. Fever is gone and while throat is still sore it has become laryngitis with a bit of a cough (also not typical of strep).

I've been taking Culturelle and Florastor with the vancomycin for C diff so I think (hope) that should cover me if I end up needing abx for the throat too.
Posted 2/18/2014 5:37 PM (GMT 0)
Good that it's not strep, hope it's nothing too serious though, it's sickening how many "bugs" are out there that we have to deal with and usually wreak havoc with our IBD in some way. Feel better soon Pluto!!
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