Back in December 1993, I got a rather nasty throat infection. I waited a couple of weeks before going to the doctor and it ended up taking 3-4 weeks to get rid of it.
Every year since then (with 3 exceptions), I have gotten the same infection in either December or January. I now know when I’m going to get it and get to the doctor right away and it only takes about a week to clear it up.
The question: why do I get this on an almost yearly basis and nearly the same time?
What infection are you getting over and over? Streptococcal? Rhinovirus? Adenovirus? CMV? HSV? Epstein Barr? Coxsackie? Coronavirus? Parainfluenza? Or one of the several dozen other types of throat infections that people are susceptible to?
If you’re truly getting the same infection yearly, that’s pretty freaky. But pretty unlikely. Are you getting the throat cultured every year? If the virus is the same, is the genotype the same every year?
QtM, MD
IIRC, the original diagnosis was Bejiing flu. I believe it was being caused by post-nasal drip that would pool up in the throat. Each time I would go to the doctor, he would go, “Ewwww” (there would be a white pus present), and give me antibiotics, usually amoxycillin.
This was the first year a doctor (not my usual doc) took a culture. All I know is that is wasn’t strep. This time I got azithromycin.
Hm. Most pharyngitis does not require antibiotics at all, much less big guns like Azithromycin. That’s because most pharyngitis is due to viruses. So I’ve no idea.
Ask your doc.
I would suggest the use of saline nasal spray first thing in the morning to flush out and drain as much mucous and potential infection as possible.
Yesh, let’s be clear here: If a virus is attacking you, it can mutate every year and your body has to learn how to deal with it all over again. Additionally, antibiotics don’t kill a virus. (see ‘the flu’)
If it is some bacterial infection, and you take antibiotics, it is likely that you need to take them longer, because some of the strongest bacteria are living, only to reproduce and come back stronger later.
I have a sinus infection that lays dormant for six or eight months and then comes back when I’m stressed or run down or I have something important to do 
I also get strep every december or january. I figure it’s a stress thing. There is a lot of stress this time of year (for me both work and home) and I get tired and my immune system tries, but fails.
It must be bacterial in nature. After only two doses (three tablets) of the medicine, I feel about 1000% better.
When I was a kid I got strep every year, twice a year, never fail. I’d go to the doc, they’d do a culture, give me the anti-strep magic pills and I’d be back at school in a day or two. This went on for about 5 years.
Then once I was in 6th grade I started getting ear infections instead. I went to the doctor every year on Halloween for about 7 years (right on through college).
I thought it was normal to be sick every year at the same time. Now that QtM says “that’s strange…” i’m creeped out 
(but I’m not sick!)