Catherine   I am sorry you are not feeling well.   It certainly sounds as if you should have a doctor check your throat. I would not be able to say what is causing the sore throat.   Although there is not specific information on this site about throat culture phobias, there is an article on needle phobia and some of the strategies listed in this article may be helpful to you. You may want to discuss this with your doctor or nurse when you call to make the appointment so the doctor know that you will be nervous and can take steps to help you feel more at ease about your appointment.   Needle Phobia   Eileen