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Quinsy

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M0nica Sun 12-Aug-18 21:57:10

I thought this was something from the 19th century, but DGS has just had it. I have just checked NHS online and it is a complication of tonsillitis where abcesses form in the throat in or around the tonsils.

It was all very dramatic. He was taken for a normal visit to the GP because he had been under the weather for 10 days with a sore throat. Next thing he was being sent instantly to A&E, who were awaiting him, sent straight to ENT, put on intravenous antibiotics for 24 hours and nearly had to have an emergency tonsillectomy. His tonsils will now be coming out, but it will just be elective surgery.

As I said, I just thought 'quinsy' was an old fashioned word for tonsillitis. I never realised just what it really is

Oh, three days later DGS joined us on holiday, we were all prepared for him to be pale and wan and off his oats and had organised ourselves so that there would always be someone with him and prepared to do quiet indoor things like drawing and Lego, but he was back to normal, if slightly croaky and up for everything we were doing!

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Luckygirl Sun 12-Aug-18 22:25:47

My SIL had this - in fact my DD's second "date" with him consisted of sitting by his hospital bedside while he absorbed his IV antibiotics.

I am so glad that your litle GS is better.

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SueDonim Sun 12-Aug-18 22:50:33

I remember my mum having a quinsy when I was a girl. Like you, I thought it had gone out with the ark, but it seems to have had a resurgence lately.

My adult niece had surgery and my dd's friend was in hospital not long ago for quinsy, plus I've heard of others, too.

I wonder if it's because of a new prescribing policy whereby antibiotics aren't given as most cases of tonsillitis are supposedly viral.

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annsixty Mon 13-Aug-18 05:21:18

My GD had this about 5 weeks ago.
She had been to her GP 3 times in a week and told it was viral, she was really ill.
The 4th visit and she was sent to hospital straight away, it was partially drained and she was put on i/v antibiotics for 48 hours.
She was off work for 2 weeks.

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Teetime Mon 13-Aug-18 08:56:17

Quinsy or peritonsillar abscess can be very nasty and I am so glad to hear the proper treatment was started. I hope all are feeling much better now.

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annodomini Mon 13-Aug-18 10:11:07

My mum had a quinsy in 1947 before penicillin became widely available. She reacted badly to sulfonamides and was taken into hospital which was very disturbing for us - three daughters, 6, 3 and only just 2, not to mention my dad. When she was a girl she'd had her tonsils removed on the kitchen table. That isn't a myth!

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