Thanks. I’m glad all is well – better safe than sorry. 
I’ve only had strep once and didn’t realize what it was, so postponed going to the doc thinking I’d get over it. It was much worse for having waited.
Step test is negative. She says it’s a lot less common for adults than for kids. She basically gave me a clean bill of health, with the caveat that if the bump on my gum gets larger, or doesn’t resolve in a couple of weeks, i should contact my doctor or dentist to look at it. It’s already smaller than when i first noticed it, so I’m not too worried about that.
Good deal.
Now, go home and enjoy the fact that you know your own state of health better than any of us, and next time you won’t give us the opportunity to fuss and worry over it!
Hope the gum lump clears up fast.
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I have too. I had an infected tooth with a fistula that would occasionally discharge into my mouth. It was every bit as disgusting as it sounds.
The OP needs to seek medical attention ASAP.
already did – the nurse practictioner says I’m fine.
Thank you for letting us fuss. We’re awfully fond of you.
Yes, I know, but I thought a little cite backup couldn’t hurt. 
Great news!
Great news! Now you can let everything heal, worry free.
Except about the spiders. I’m going to still worry about that.
Yeah. I’d have been fussing too, but by the time I saw this thread you’d already been to the clinic.
Man, every medical question thread should go like this!
Glad you’re ok PG.
Glad you got checked out, Puzzlgal
It’s weird that no one tells you that strep can have other symptoms too. Apparently I’ve only had it twice: once as a toddler so young I had to take my parents’ word for it because I don’t remember, and then once the year I worked with preschoolers and caught it from one of the kiddos. The first two symptoms I had were a raging headache and a fever of 103F. It wasn’t until hours and hours later that I had even a hint of sore throat.
As a bonus tip for readers in this thread: speaking of weird, not often discussed symptoms, if you feel like you have the flu in the middle of the summer and have a lot of muscle pain, especially if you live in New England or the mid-Atlantic states, head to urgent care and get checked for Lyme disease. Only half of people get the distinctive bullseye rash - which in my case faded in less than 6 hours into to just the first of a dozen solid pink rashes before the antibiotics kicked in- and flulike symptoms are often the first clue you got Lyme.
Thanks everyone. I appreciate the warm wishes from you. 