May cancel tonsillectomy due to nerves!

[Goodbyetonsils]

I really need my tonsils out. But I am so unbelievably scared about the procedure. I'm 23, so it is going to hurt!!! I still can't believe they are allowing me to have them out, I was so convinced they would refuse as they so often do nowadays.

Because I haven't had tonsillitis for about 3.5 weeks now I feel ok so I'm not desperate for their removal. But I average out at getting it every 2 months. Ahhhh I'm just SO SCARED of the pain!! I also have a full blown panic attack when I think about it. Any one else have theirs out as an adult?

[LilRedWG]

TBH I don't think it will hurt you more than it hurts a five year old, but I'm prepared to be corrected on that.

Any surgery is scary but it is so worth you having this done. Be brave you can do it!

[blueberryboybait]

I had mine out at 26. The pain is horrid for the first 48 hours (not much worse than the worst infection I ever had) but if you keep up the pain med and eat the things they well you too (it helps avoid infection) but then by day 3-4 you are in less pain than a mild attack.

[mellen]

It is a more serious operation for an adult than a child, but if the team looking after you wouldn't have recommended it if they didn't feel that it was to your benefit overall to have it done. Have you had a chance to discuss the operation with the surgeon?

[Goodbyetonsils]

Not in depth, I was so shocked he agreed I hadn't thought of any questions. I had a whole argument prepared for why I should have them out haha. Some people are saying the pain gets worse on days 4-8. I am really a big wuss, especially as it's in my mouth. I actually have been having nightmares about my tongue falling out and all sorts!

I've started trying to talk myself out of it, and convince myself I will stop getting these infections :S

[bubble2bubble]

I had mine out at 19. Yes, the pain is horrible, but the energy and return to normal health you get afterwards fantastic - I had forgotten what is was like not to have sore throat and want to sleep all the time. Best thing I ever did.

[Goodbyetonsils]

bubble2bubble did you want to sleep all the time between bouts of tonsillitis? I get it every few months, but in between I feel really sluggish and lethargic. Could this be because of my tonsils even though they are not infected at that time?

[Hopeforever]

Don't you dare put it off

Yes it hurts afterwards, be a wimp and demand the highest dose of pain killers for the first few days.

I found I needed them for 5 days then just got on with it

Lost half a stone, don't feel like eating much for 2 weeks, but then the extra energy, loss of sore throats and better health was amazing

[lurcherlover]

Goodbye, there is a theory now that if you have recurrent tonsillitis, you basically have the infection all the time, and when your immune system gets particularly low it flares up - so if you feel yucky all the time then yes, your tonsils could well be to blame.

I sympathise - I am in the same situation, need to have mine out but am terrified of the procedure (I'm 30!). I am pregnant at the moment so have a reason to procrastinate delay the procedure - but once baby is here I have no excuse...good luck!

[Walnutcakelover]

Had mine out when I was 7 years old, have them out hun, you will be fine.x

[clucky80]

I had mine out on Friday, on day 5 now. I've heard that it's a bit up and down for first 2 weeks so don't want to say too much now! I have been feeling more human today though. I'm in my early 30's and I have heard before age 25 is easier for some reason. If I have a better winter/spring than I did last year it is definitely worth it already!

[Goodbyetonsils]

Thank you for your replies. My surgeon spoke of signing me off work for 2 weeks- is this long enough? I'm feeling pretty crappy today/tonsils sore/ woke up feeling like I hand't slept. Pretty standard for me, so making me feel more inclined to have them out.

My provisional surgery date is 9th Nov- MUCH sooner than I was expecting. Not sure whether to delay until 1st week of Jan to I've me time to get my head around it and as I am a term time worker, if I arranged it for a holiday and had an additional 2 weeks off work, I could have 3 weeks of rest. What do you think?

[Hopeforever]

Two weeks is the right length of time, I was only offered 5 days sick note and that would not have been long enough

I bet you will feel so much better after 2 weeks than you do now and will be partying away for the whole of December as a new woman

[blueberryboybait]

2 Weeks is about right to be signed off. I would go ahead and have it done ASAP you will be amazed at just how much better you can feel. Christmas without that whole tonsilly dragging never quite well feeling will so much more enjoyable.

[mynameis]

I had mine out at 22. I did feel awful for the first 24 hours afterwards but that was more linked to the GA making me throw up than my throat hurting.

Once I had started eating small amounts again I was soon on the road to recovery and no more tonsillitis yay!

[Goodbyetonsils]

I really need to stop googling just read this

"I?ve had 3 kids, a hysterectomy and thyroidectomy and I?m not gonna lie. This ?minor? surgery had my flat on my back in excruciating pain. I would take all of my other surgeries combined than deal with the pain I?ve been in this past week and a half"

I'm so scared I could cry!

[Hopeforever]

Trouble ith Google is you only get the horror stories, this is much more balanced.

[Goodbyetonsils]

Yes I suppose, I'm trying to focus on never getting tonsillitis again. I have a 4y/o ds so worried about how I'll cope, although my family will help he sleeps in my bed so that will be interesting!

[Cailleach]

I had my tonsils out aged 19. The consultant was horrified that they'd been left so long, and said they were the worst he'd ever seen in a thirty year career.

I'm not going to lie - recovery took ages and was pretty grim, because despite doing everything right (mouthwashing with salty water, eating hard foods) I got an infection and hemorrhaged - BUT:

Once I did begin to recover, I felt a million dollars - I used to get endless throat / chest infections and was constantly on antibiotics, (which give me diarrhea anyway - joyous!) I got every cold going and was always run down, with mouth ulcers and dry flaky skin - basically I looked and felt like shite most of the time.

Post-op, all that went away and in the 16 years since I've hardly ever been ill.

Also: don't underestimate the damage tonsillitis can do to other areas of your body. I've had two subsequent operations since the tonsillectomy - one to remove my adenoids and then a sinus op. The repeated infections from my throat over the years had travelled upwards and scarred these areas badly, leaving me with chronic sinus problems and a permanently snotty nose / catarrh.

Get the little feckers whipped out! You will have two weeks of feeling truly grim, I'm not going to lie to you, but then after that you'll see the difference to your general health more or less straight away.

But please - don't cancel! They don't generally do a tonsillectomy on an adult these days unless you really do need it.

All the best.

x

[5madthings]

i had mine taken out when i was 18 and honestly it wasnt that bad! they wont be doing it unless they really need to!

stock up on painkillers and yes you may feel crap for a few weeks but it is managable, i was doing my a levels and had less than a week off school when i had mine out. for me the worst thing was my eczema reacted to the general so that flared up badly for a few weeks afterwards. the pain from the op was managable and it was fine eating as long as i chewed well etc, when i had mine out they made me eat toast before they would discharge me! something to do with it helping scrape gunk away?! but honestly it was FINE! and i have never had tonsilitis/throat infection since and am now 33.

i do as the poster above said have problems with my sinus;s catarrh etc, never knew it was linked tho!

[steppemum]

Had mine out at 21, it was the best thing I had coudl have done. Throat was sore for a few days. Stock up on paracetomla and nurafen. But almost immediately I began to feel so much better in myself, less tired, more energy, just healthier all over. And no more tonsilitis ever!!

Go for it. Actually I used to get really bad quincies (the white pussy spots on tonsils) and the after op pain was same as or even less than the quincy pain

[steppemum]

2 weeks is definitely right time off work.

Secret to recovery is eat and swallow solids, little and often. Feels better as you swallow more. Muscles moving and exercising help the wound to heal (or something like that - it was a long time ago..0

[OddBoots]

I had mine out at 19 and it was a walk in the park compared to all the infections beforehand, I'm 34 now and it's improved my life no end.

[Squeegle]

Go for it! Best thing ever. Had my tonsils out aged 42!!!! So you're not really old.

It hurts a bit, but nothing like having bad tonsillitis- and the best thing is that I haven't had a sore throat since. It's a miracle!!!

2 weeks should be fine, take it easy, lots of paracetamol or those special painkillers they give you in hospital and you will be fine. Don't hesitate.

[bubble2bubble]

Goodbye, sorry just coming back to this but yes, I spent most of my first year at college asleep which was a bit of a shame!
I think the theory about having a constant infection is probably right - I was constantly exhausted which I now know for a 19 year old is really not normal. Got the tonsils out and I felt completely different - bags of energy and didn't get as much a a sore throat for years afterwards ( still very unusual for me to get a sore throat at all and that's 20 years later)

[Dontwanttobeyourmonkeywrench]

I had mine out at 27 and although the 1st couple of days were sore, it was no more painful than when I had a bad bout of tonsilitis. After 2 weeks I felt fine but definitely take all the pain relief you need.