Hi All,

Years ago I asked a question about old time remedies, what folks did before the widespread use of antibiotics.

One answer was that parents painted the throats of kids with iodine.

One member I highly respect here suggested that I make sure I'm not sensitive to iodine should I be inclined to try this, so I began by using iodine water purification tablets, then straight iodine to purify the water.

Since a lot of the time iodine tincture is made with wood alcohol, I've been wary of this practice.

Recently I found "Lugol's Solution". It's not a name brand. Rather, it's a type of solution, not a tincture, and can be had in many different brands.

The ingredients on this one are distilled water, 94%, potassium iodide, 4%, and iodine, 2%.

I've had a sore throat for a few days, so I took the opportunity to use this stuff to paint my tonsils. Just a drop on a Q-Tip on each tonsil, nothing radical. I guess we'll see what happens. An hour later I'm not experiencing any reactions, so I'm hopeful.

Will report back any delayed side effects, as well as the ultimate results.

Regards,

Josh

I've heard that doctors do exactly that before sex change operations as it changes Y chromosomes into X's.

Uh-oh......I hope he don't catch the gay!

Mom always painted mine with Mercurichrome or Merthiolate. Saved the Tinc. of Iodine for cuts.

Hello,

Thus far, there's been a large reduction in swollen neck glands associated with this, and pain went away immediately. I also swabbed the uvula just now as my soft palate hurt, and there was almost immediate pain relief.

I was reading OR studies in which the patients were instructed to swab their noses with iodine pre-op. There was a huge reduction in post-op infections, including staph.

This is weird.

Regards,

Josh

Just like my Grandmother Mac, who was the sage of home remedies--which she dispensed without mercy. She also pulled teeth with her fingers which were like miniature vise-grips.

I've been using hydrogen peroxide like that for a long time. Either full strength on a swab or watered down and used as a gargle.

I also occasionally use a sinus rinse, and have resorted to putting a couple of drops of peroxide in with that solution.

LMAO

Lugols is good stuff. You can get it fairly reasonable on Amazon

Had my tonsils removed when I was 3 and 1/2 years old. In 1963

I can just barely remeber it, because I got ice cream in the hospital, afterwards.

As the old expression regarding antibiotics goes...

You'll be better in a week with the antibiotic or 7 days without

Pharyngitis is usually viral of some sort, just gotta outlive it.

Update: Some pain is back, but it's only the deeper pain. There is no surface pain as is normally associated with a sore throat, and to locate the source, I tried a benzocaine lozenge. It didn't help, so it's deeper in the tissue, possibly viral, as David said.

I'll give it 24 hours and then repeat the dose.

Regards,

Josh

I remember our old family doc Christopher Longaker using a fairly long iodine soaked cotton swab on a stick to coat my tonsils when I was just a little kid. He prescribed some penicylin (sp?) as an anti-biotic.

Must have worked OK because I'm still here at 73.

Myron

buy good whiskey

take a shot

gargle

swirl it around in your mouth

swallow

enjoy (as opposed to the harsh chemicals in your throat)

Oh, I keep Scotch around.

Regards,

Josh

I repeated using 5 drops in a mouthful of water. I gargled for 60 seconds and spat. We'll see.

The first time this looks bad, I'm going to the doc for antibiotics. Still, I'd like this to work, and it seems like it wants to. Lots of the old techniques are forgotten, as are doses etc.

Regards,

Josh

If the germs are under the skin, the iodine can't reach them. The antibiotics can.

Fever?

1st thing to check.

If it starts as a sore throat and progresses to where every muscle and joint in your body begins to ache, you can strongly suspect a strep infection. And if so, antibiotics are strongly advised.

Speaking of old time remedies: My folks, grandfolks, aunts, and uncles were strong believers in a bread and milk poultice.

If one had a laceraration or any kind of festered sore, it was covered with a piece of homemade bread soaked in raw whole milk. Then it was covered with celophane and taped securely with wite adhesive tape so nothing could leak out.

This "bandage" was left in place for 48 to 72 hours. OMG did that mess stink when it was opened.

I am surprised that I, my siblings and cousins, 24 in all, survived to reach adulthood.

I think you mean full 3% drug store stuff, right? You'd have to be pretty darn tough to handle straight H2O2.

No, Sir. I'd be to the doctor first thing if I had a fever.

Regards,

Josh

Hello,

It wasn't strep. Let me back up and give some background.

The day after Thanksgiving, I developed a sore throat. It progressed quickly and I went to the ER on Sunday.

I had a throat swab/culture and both were negative.

I was prescribed antibiotics and Z-Pack. I was initially concerned about the swelling and requested the steroids as a measure against that.

About a week after the steroids and antibiotic were finished, it began coming back, though not nearly as badly.

I called my doctor and turns out they couldn't get me in until after the holidays. This is when I decided to experiment. I know from water purification that I'm not iodine sensitive, and I'd wanted to try this for a while.

After I gargled last night, I awoke this morning to something missing. There was no pain -- which was the first time in a couple weeks.

Eight hours later, as I type this, I feel a slight amount of pain coming back, just enough to notice it -- or it could be my imagination. It's that slight, and my throat is no longer red. I've lived my 38 years with nasal drainage, and so there's always a little irritation if I don't take allergy meds, which I try to stay away from using the theory that the less stuff I take, the better. I need to get more local honey as it helps about as well. I digress.

I'm not using any more iodine/iodide than is required to purify a day's worth of water in any 24 hour period. If it continues to come back, tonight I'll gargle again tonight. The gargling is reaching places swabbing won't reach.

I also plan to do a medical follow-up with my doctor whether this experiment is completely successful or not.

(I should note here that I'm in the process of switching doctors. This doctor has been excellent, but after he and his practice sold out to American Health Network, everything started really going downhill from the administrative side. They stopped returning calls and tried charging me full amounts instead of running it through my insurance. This has continued for over 6 months and I won't work with people who are this incompetent. I hope a letter to my now-former doctor will be taken to heart, because he is a good doctor. American Health Network is not doing him any favors, at all, and I'm not the only one to experience this.

At any rate, this experiment will let the new doc know what kind of person I am! )

Regards,

Josh

If your tonsils are sore, make sure it's not simply a case of tonsil stones. See Google and youtube if you don't know what tonsil stones are.

I thought so. Just checking.



Zpack are antibiotics.

Sounds like PND. Zrytec is worth a try.

Gargle with warm salt water 3-4 times daily. If the pain persists after 24-36 hours,have another swab done.

I have no idea why I said z-pack. They were prednisone packed in a tapering dose.

I do take Zyrtec. It's good stuff!

Regards,

Josh