I finally got round to going to the dentist yesterday to get some antibiotics to sort out the infection in my gum that I’ve had for weeks.  It doesn’t hurt any more unless I push on it but it needs sorting out.

So, I went to the dentist yesterday afternoon, she had a quick look and two minutes later I was out of the door.  It was free as well – apparently they aren’t allowed to charge NHS patients just to give them a prescription.

She said I just needed a course of antibiotics and had I ever had a problem taking penicillin.  I told her that I had once when I was a kid but I’d had it loads of times since so she gave me my prescription for penicillin.  You can guess what happened next can’t you?

Five minutes before I was due to go home from work last night the back of my head started itching.  Then my ears went really hot and prickly.  Then my forehead.  I drove home with the windows open, breathing steam and still my head was hot.  I got into the house, went straight into the bathroom and my face and neck were bright red.  The word “bollocks” sprang to mind.

I took my temperature which was normal but my face was burning up – just like I’d been badly sunburnt.  I popped a piriton (anti-histamine), phoned the out of hours doctor who agreed that I was probably having a reaction to the penicillin and to take pirition and phone 999 if my mouth or throat started to swell.  Just the sort of reassurance I needed, that.

Anyway, about three hours, a bag of smiley faces wrapped in a tea towel and a cold shower later and the redness and swelling had all but gone.  Back to normal this morning apart from an itchy rash on my arm and I’ve still not got rid of this bloody infection!

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