Started off with a mild sore throat as I went to bed. I woke up with a moderately severe sore throat at 6 AM, went to bed again and just woke up now (9AM) with heavy pain especially in my left ear, and it's somewhat clogged up now.

I won't have health insurance till September, so I really need to help myself here. What do you folks suggest?

I've read that taking aspirin and other such drugs to relieve the pain prolongs the illness since inflammation is evidently part of the body's method of fighting off the illness, so as yet all I've taken is a baby aspirin.

Thank you,

-John

The pain in my left ear is getting more pronounced. Very painful.

This is what I do when ill:

(if you're not open to higher doses of vit C, don't bother clicking on the link):

http://www.homefitness101.com/forum/index....=0&#entry451332

Why do you suppose he says to avoid using ascorbic acid?

Probably because taking that much acid will be pretty hard on your stomach (and probably not great for the rest of your body if you believe there are any health implications of...monekying with your pH).

I followed most of the LEF flu protocol last time around and it worked exceptionally well:

http://www.lef.org/protocols/prtcl-051.shtml

Thank you. I've printed the LEF regimen, and I have my father picking up Ester-C right now at Costco. It's the best we can do for right now.

I also took 6 baby aspirin. This has almost completely eliminated the pain in my left ear. Would this pain likely have persisted if I had not taken the aspirin?

Thank you,

-John

What I would do. 1) antihistamine. 2) psuedoephedrine 3) aspirin. Vitamin C isn't a bad idea either. Keep eating, plenty of fluids, plenty of rest!

FYI: increases the excretion rate of vitamin c (it may triple it, but don't quote me on the exact figure)

You mean aspirin causes this?

Yes.

I basically avoid aspin. Long term benefits can be gotten with fish oil/other anti-inflammatories and/or ginko.

That should teach me to self-diagnose. So far I've been wrong twice in the past year. This time I thought I had the flu, when strep throat seems to fit my symptoms much more closely. What should I do . . .

Strep throat is really rare in adults. It is likely that it is a viral illness. However if it has been going on..more then a few days and you're not getting better how about going to see your doc?

Oh and let me make a second pitch for what I recommended above. Really push the vitamin c (and ditch the asprin).

Garlic will kill almost anything.

Calcium ascorbate is acceptable? I get this from Natrol Ester-C 500mg, which is 500mg C (as Calcium Ascorbate). Also contained is 200mg of Citrus Bioflavanoid Complex (consisting of extracts from Lemon, Orange, Grapefruit, Lime, and Tangerine).

My other Vitamin C pill is from Costco: "1000mg Ascorbic acid and 100mg Citrus Bioflavanoid Complex" -- Kirkland Signature brand.

I tend to take these every couple of hours. Two pills of the Ester-C, or one pill of the primarily ascrobic acid variety.

Is the above passable, or am I doing it all wrong?

Thank you,

-John

That is fine. I would really push the doses and drink tons of water.


And again if you're not getting better....you need to see a doc.

Nothing I say should be contrued as practicing medicine.

Scott,

I read something in Robbins a month or so ago about why aspirin was better than other anti-inflammatories...like an effect beyond COX inhibition...I'll try and find it sometime. I can't remember what it was, just that I was like, hmm...interesting.

Let me know if you find it.

Just got back from the doctor. My left ear drum is perforated and will take a month or two to heal fully. I have something identical to strep throat but caused by another bacterium -- not a virus. The doctor put me on Zithromax (azithromycin) that should be curative.

Incidentally, I just picked up some echinacea and some Nature Made Odorless Garlic. Should I take these?

Is the perforated eardrum related to the infection?

Yes. While I was sleeping the first night I had this infection, my eustachian tubes became inflamed and clogged. Evidently some kind of pressure built up inside my ear and was not allowed to escape, and it must have burst and been in part related to why I woke up at 6 AM Monday morning in such pain.

John,

It will not hurt, but given what is going on, I do not know that is will make that much difference.

I hope you feel better.

Only 3 hours into taking my first double-dose (taking it purely as prescribed) my throat pain is noticeably reduced. Of course, since I'm taking it so late into the infection (4th day) it might have just been destiny's doing that things would improve today with or without anti-biotic. :-/

Since completing the zithromax regimen, the fluid in my ears has yet to drain (I think there's fluid in there, at least tilting my head seems to make it seem like something moves around), and my sore throat has just vaguely begun to resurface in the last 24 hours. There's a faint yellow/tan stain on my tongue especially as you go farther back along it.

What's going on? Did whatever I have resist zithromax?

John,

You are way past the point where anyone should attempt diagnosis over the net, and you have failed a common treatment regimen. I would not screw around. I would try to get an appointment with an ENT doc.

So you think pass going back to my dad's doctor, go right to an ENT?

If he is highly competent that would be a reasonable option. OTOH:

"I think there's fluid in there, at least tilting my head seems to make it seem like something moves around"

it is always best to see someone who has the most experience treating what one has.

Scott, I just read this and figured I'd bump it up to see if this is still what you would recommend. I woke up today with some type of head cold and sore throat.