As I was reading this posting, I was thinking more and more that it sounded like the same thing a friend of mine was going through....then you mentioned you had cats, so I decided to post!!
She was dealing with the same thing forever it seemed...and even got to the point where her lymph nodes in her neck started to swell and they created huge lumps on her neck....after seeing her Dr numerous times, and a few specialists....they figured out she had "cat scratch fever"....(boy did we tease her about that!!)
I honestly dont remember the "real" term for it, but it really is a thing....and once they figured that out, and were able to get her the correct meds for it, it went away and she has felt better since the meds than she has in over a year.

Good luck with the meds, and I do hope it all goes away soon for you! Nothing worse than feeling icky all the time!

That's awesome Chicky! I'm so glad that the tumor is benign!

My ex had "cat scratch fever" too years ago... they had to actually drain his lymph nodes (in his groin no less!) Maybe you should bring it up at your next appointment... but I'm not sure what the main symptoms are. I dunno... its a thought

LR

It could well be that having treatment for your thyroid problems will help your immune system in general and the strep and constant sore throat will get better on their own. BUT, given the number of times you have been on antibiotics and your general immune problems, it would not be harmful and likely helpful to get some probiotics into you. THe idea is that healthy germs grow well and crowd out unhealthy ones, like strep.
Probiotics are found in yoghurt, as long as it is live culture, (avoid the fruity ones, maybe get some good greek yoghurt which is higher in protein, and add some sugar free canned fruit or fresh fruit) and can also be taken in capsule form. THe kind in the fridge at the health food store is best, but any will do. Unless you are allergic to yoghurt or something odd, it will NOT be harmful at all, and can be very beneficial, and need not be expensive. (My favourite kind of remedies)
It is not a miracle cure for anything, but just a good health promoting thing, just like your healthy diet.
I am sure you will be feeling better soon and wish you well.

I eat soy yogurt once a day and make sure I get it with live cultures for that reason. I am thinking of trying the pills too Thanks for the advice! The pills might be good for the days I don't have calories to spare on yogurt.

Oh, That reminds me about an article I read in a woman's magazine over the weekend (I love women's magazines... each week features like.. a new weight loss plan, and I love to read them.. not to follow the plan, just to pick up on information and ideas here and there... )

Anyway, they were going on about how Asian culture, specifically the Japanese, don't often struggle with weight. (providing they haven't been westernized) anyway, not only do they attribute it to cultured vegetables (think kimche... sp?.. basically fermented veggies) but they often supplement with probiotics and prebiotics. The thought processing being that prebiotics are good for probiotics (healthy bacteria) and it encourages probiotics to flourish, helps digestion as well as calorie absorption, and crowds out the bad bacteria.

I've been thinking about adding pro and pre biotics to my supplements... (I've for years suspected that I've had candida overgrowth)... It was a good read. It was either in Woman's World or First for Women from last week.

LR

Long overdue update! My thyroid pills are working great! I have more energy and my hair has stopped falling out. I'm still struggling with weightloss, but I think it's more my OA issues with that. As for the constant strep infections?
I went to an amazing allergist/immunologist and found out that according to my bloodwork, I didn't have strep in several months. My idiot gp kept giving me rapid tests which came back positive. The allergist did some bloodwork and skin tests and found out I have bad allergies and it's possible that tripped false positives in every rapid strep test. When I had "Strep", my throat just hurt a little, but I would get so exhausted and my head would ache. No fever, no bright red throat. All of what I experienced was just very bad allergies.
I'm on some vitamins (multi, D3, C, and acidopholis) and feeling much better. I also use flonase onnce a day and a neti pot twice a week. I haven't felt ill in 3 weeks!!!!!!
I know it's weird to post something so much later, but I really appreciated everyone's kind thoughts. I was upset that my gp wasn't thorough enough--I could have kept my tonsils and not needed 8 rounds of antibiotics in the last 9 months, but my DH helped me realize that I wouldn't have discovered my thyroid problem if I hadn't been so vigilant. Thank you for your prayers guys!

Kids are germ factories. They spread everything under the sun.
There are 2 things that keep me well enough to keep truckin.

One is Sambucol. It is available online, and it is available at Walgreens, and maybe CVS and Rite Aid. You don't need a prescription. And it is not chemicals that will harm you.

Search for 'Sambucol' (Elderberry extract) in the internet to see more about its benefits.
When I feel a cold or flu coming on, I take it at the first sign of symptoms. Then the sickness is gone within 2 hours.
I grow my own elderberries and make my own elderberry extract.

The second item I use is Mullein tea. It is available through the internet also, but I also grow my own Mullein...(Verbascum thapsus).
Herbalcom.com sells it the cheapest. The tea MUST be filtered through a coffee filter just before you drink it..
Again, I take it at the very first sign of illness and I am well within 2 hours.
Why should I suffer if these items are readily available?

They have both been time tested and lab tested and are safe and effective remedies.
I never get ill anymore. I keep both remedies on hand all the time. I prefer to be well.


But some people, when they are told of natural remedies, just say to themselves; "I never heard of this before"... or they say: "Well, my Doctor ....." and then don't purchase the items because they are afraid of trying something "new"*....or they feel they must rely on their doctor and expensive tests and just prescription meds for colds and flu. Adding these 2 remedies to one's treatment can help one get well much faster.

*(But "new" in this case? These 2 remedies have been used for over 5,000 years.)

The most complete source of probiotics is one you can grow at home. Kefir. It has a greater variety of probiotics than yogurt. Just search for 'kefir dominic' in the internet. It is also available from kefirlady.com

For my occasional intestinal upsets and lack of energy I use raw pumpkin seeds...2 tablespoons daily. I get them at the health food store. They must be raw...and they have the shells removed. After I used the seeds for 8 months, my really bad allergies ... and my thinning hair, disapeared. Now I don't have to take allergy shots anymore.

Candied ginger is ideal for stomach problems too. It's been a real challenge to stay healthy.

i havent read all the way through this thread but i had a period of time where i got strep several times...but i think it was the same infection not being treated the right way...i got strep the first year i started working with children, followed the exact 10 day course of antibiotics as prescribed...it went away and came back within weeks...again followed the 10 day course...rinse and repeat a few times...after the third or fourth time around, i decided not to go to the doctor with what i knew was the next case of strep...i rode it out without antibiotics, it went away within a few days and it NEVER came back for a reallyyyy long time....i got strep again a few years later, rode it out without antibiotics, and it went away...that was 7 years ago and i only get strep every 4ish years or so now....i've never gone back to the doctor for antibiotics for it again