Got a prescription to help strep throat?

Before I ask my question, here's a "bit" of background information:

On Thursday I woke up and I had a bit of a sore throat. I got some halls, went to school, but by the evening I was feeling much worse. I had a pretty bad headache, my throat still hurt, and I had a slight fever I think. Same thing for most of Friday, though the 'headache' became more focused on the left side of my forehead and a bit beside my eye and my throat hurt a bit more. I looked online and I thought it sounded a bit like a sinus infection. My nose wasn't blocked at all, and for most of the day I just curled up in a bunch of blankets. I think I started coughing on Friday as well.

Anyways, on Saturday the headache went away, and by then I know I was coughing quite a bit. My head would still hurt when I coughed more than once, whoever, and whenever I turned my head suddenly, got up, etc. I was coughing a lot, which made my throat hurt even more (at this point it finally occurred to me to look at my throat and I noticed it had red bumps on it).

Right now I feel better in terms of the head hurting when I cough. However, the cough is still there, as are the red bumps. And I know coughs come in many varieties, so I'll try to describe mine. I find that whenever I change my breathing a bit (ie. slow down after walking, try to say too many words in one breath- which I do often) I'll cough quite a bit. Even when i take a deep breath and follow it with a shorter one I seem to cough. I also have phlegm-y coughs where'll I'll cough a whole bunch in an attempt to clear the phlegm- sometimes so much that I feel like I'm about to throw up a bit. In short, not a pleasant feeling.

I went to the clinic this morning and after a half-hour wait a doctor looked at me. She was older, and had a hearing aid, though I was watching what she wrote down and it seemed to be accurate. Within about five minutes, she had written me a slip for amoxicillin and I was on my way to get it- apparently I had strep throat.

For all the words I've written, I'm not particularly worried. I'm pretty sure I got this from school (a few other people have had similar illnesses, minus the coughing, it would seem). However, could it be that I have strep throat and something else? Is it possible to cough this much when you have strep throat? Given the quick way in which the doctor 'diagnosed' me, I'd just like to hear some other opinions (professional, personal, whatever. It is Y!A.).


And sorry for writing so much ^^;;

Well, to be sure if it is strep, a doctor has to do a throat culture, there are a few other things, including tonsillitis that can look like strep throat. Strep is very, very contagious, and this is the time of year when it can really make it's way around to everyone since we are usually cooped up inside somewhere more often instead of being outside.. Beside making sure that you take ALL of your meds just as prescribed, you can gargle with warm salt water often, or and use something like Cloroseptic throat spray or lozenges. Both help the pain. Mucinex is very good for the mucus that you have. There are different types of it now, but I think it they are all good products. Since the doctor did not do a throat culture, it's hard to say if you really have strep or not, but not to worry....amoxicillin is also often prescribed for tonsillitis. How great is that?? Just take your meds, drink lots of fluid, eat lightly, and get plenty of rest. This way your body will have all it needs for it to fight the infection. Wash your hands with soap and hot water often......

I have had strep throat many of times. The last time I had it I got amoxicillin and another medication. I eventually got my tonsils out and haven't had a problem since.
They can know by looking at your throat, however a throat culture is always nice reassurance.

The Dr evidently thought that you had an infection..whether it be strep throat or a sinus infection. It;s too bad that a throat culture wasn;t done to determine that it is strep throat...course there are times that the throat can look so bad upon visual inspection that a trained person just knows that it is strep. Yes, you can cough with strep throat. I would just take the antibiotic as ordered, and if you are not feeling better in a few days, go back to the Dr.