Light Headed, Fever, Swollen Tonsils.. Can I sweat it out?

About two months ago I went into the hospital for a week for similar symptoms. The doctors said it was not strep (Because the sickness did not respond to antibiotics) and it wasn't mono. But it was a Mono like virus. Well, I'm having symptoms again, and dread going to the doctor because they might admit me to the hospital again and put me on IV's. o_O; Anyone have any clues as to what this could be? Maybe a way to get better?

- I've heard of sweating out a sickness, but does that really work?

Even though the symptoms are the same as before doesn't mean it IS the same thing as before. It could be strep, this time, or mono. You don't really know until you get a culture and/or an examination.

Some people DO sweat it out. This is why many Drs don't recommend tylenol or aspirin until your temp hits >101 or 102. If it gets toooo high, though, there's a risk of having a seizure. And if you still don't get it treated, and if the body temp gets too high for too long, one can suffer brain damage.

Sweating it out depends on the particular organism. Some organisms are very heat sensitive and will be sweated out with a body temp of 102 or so. Some organisms, like strep, are pretty hardy and aren't as effected by the high temp. Strep a lot of times will appear as white patches on the inside of the throat, but I doubt if that's 100% of the time.

There's always prayer. One time my daughter, who was about 6 at the time, had a sore throat. There were faint white patches in the back of her throat. It was late on a Friday night and I knew that the ER would have the usual Friday night mishaps, drunks and other party related injuries. I didn't think there would be anything to gain from going to the ER, with neither of us getting any sleep and maybe getting home after 4AM. I thought we could always go in in the morning if things still looked bad.

So I prayed. I wasn't all that confident, either. I just put it in God's hands. I said, "God, if you're really there, and if prayer really is effective, please take this whatever-it-is from my daughter. She is your child, too. She is innocent and does not deserve to suffer, in the ER or at home. Thank you for being there for us." Something like that. We both fell asleep and awoke in the morning like normal. My daughter didn't complain of anything or of feeling badly, and I almost didn't ask. (Kids will sometimes play the sympathy card if they know it will get them special attention.) Finally, my curiosity got the best of me and I asked my daughter about her sore throat. She said, "What sore throat??"

So whether it was "cooked" out by a high temp or an answer to prayer, who knows? But God gets my vote on that one.

Could be an infection, sweating it out might be dangerous.

Can you keep fluids down? If you're staying hydrated then the rest is up to your body (in this case.) I'd only go to the doctor if you feel you should.

Plus, wash your hands more often. It's the number one way to prevent spreading disease - even to yourself!

I don't understand, sounds like you have tonsillitis to me!! Try taking echinacea and golden seal. It acts as a natural antibiotic. Good Luck

I don't like the idea of 'sweating out' an illness. Yes, it could be a virus, and those usually resolve on their own without drugs, but if it's a bacterial infection it's much more serious. If the doctors haven't figured out what exactly you have, they haven't looked under the right stones.

You know, the bug that causes strep throat is easily treated with antibiotics, but if you ignore it and let it go, it can spread throughout your body and kill you? You should not avoid going to your doctor or to the hospital to avoid getting an IV. Dying is much worse than getting a needle stick.

P.S. Your symptoms sound like - among many, many other things - you could have Lyme Disease. It's summer! Do you live in a wooded or rural area, or were you recently bitten by a tick, or notice a round rash anywhere on your body?

Though it is not detected , it is in all probability a viral infection.It`s self limiting Sweating it out is not advised as any exercise (lack of full rest)delays healing.
When people are hospitalised they should understand "bed rest" is also a therapy.

"Sweating out" an illness doesn't resolve the illness - it only increases your risk of dehydration which would complicate things. You just become sicker and weaker.

There's any number of problems that it could be. I liked the answer about Lyme Disease. Hadn't thought of that, but it's one possible scenario that fits the profile.

Regardless, you should see your doctor if your symptoms aren't improving. If you don't like IV's, look at it this way - if it's serious enough for an IV now, it will likely require an IV (or two) and IM injections down the road. It may only get worse.