Straw poll: Tonsillectomy as a child & issues in adulthood

[waltonshipwreck]

Tonsils are apparently the first line of immune defence and make up the Waldeyer's Ring, along with the adenoids, that produces lymphocytes which are immune cells that help fight infection.

I'm writing this from my sick bed as I'm laid up with yet another respiratory infection.

During a previous bout of sickness, I, as I usually do, googled reasons for why I seem to be ill with viruses more often than others and why I'm always so unwell with them when others seem to shrug them off much more easily.

This led me to googling what on earth tonsils were even for. I was surprised I didn't know how important they were to the immune system, surely the removal of them must have some impact on how my body fights infection??

There has been some research done into this with some reports that removal of the tonsils, and adenoids, could have some bearing on an increase in allergies/asthma/respiratory issues when older.

I had my tonsils removed in the 80s when I was 3 as was so common back then, less so now. My adenoids weren't removed.

If you've had your tonsils removed as a child, please answer my unscientific straw poll:

1. Adenoids also removed?
2. Recurring allergies?
3. Asthma/Respiratory issues?
4. Other issues with your immune system?
5. Age of removal?

Thanks 😊

Apparently I begged to have my tonsils removed as I had tonsillitis every two or three weeks as a child. They were removed when I was six and I’ve barely had a day’s illness in the subsequent 65 years. God bless that surgeon.

DD has constant tonsillitis from 6 months and was referred to a consultant at 6 to discuss having them removed but he advised we waited until she was in het early teens for the exact reasons you mention OP.

We did get a second opinion and were advised against having the tonsils removed as they are a gateway to the immune system and it could cause further issues as she got older.

I did alot of research and tonsillectomy are only advised in really serious cases now.

DD is a teen now and gets tonsillitis occasionally now so I'm glad we didn't get them removed.

That said I know a few people have had them removed and it was the right thing to do so in those circumstances.

Had both removed around 8. As a child suffered recurrent tonsillitis and ear aches.
Have no allergies or respiratory issues, and am rarely ill.

1. It was called an adeno tonsellectomy so I assume so.
2. No.
3. No.
4. No.
5. 11.

Both out at early primary school age.

Developed hay fever in late 20s.

Have autoimmune issues.

Previously had lots of UTIs and sinus infections.

My DH has just had a tonsil removed, it was cancerous. It was agonising, apparently children's tonsils are on a stalk, so quite easy to adults are more encapsulated. He is now on six weeks of radical radiotherapy. I had my tonsils out aged about five, never suffered from tonsillitis, but my sister did, so we both had them out! She was always more sickly than me!

Dont quite know if I count due to my age on removal but

Adenoids also removed? No
Recurring allergies? No
Asthma/Respiratory issues? No
Other issues with your immune system? No
Age of removal? 19

In truth it was an awful operation and my stitches burst 3 days later I ended back I hospital. However I went from tonsillitis x6-9 a year (not.kidding) to throat infection every 5 years. I wish they had been removed before.

1. Adenoids also removed? Yes, but not at same time as tonsils
2. Recurring allergies? Developed allergy to cats aged 15 (despite growing up with them!) and hay fever in late teens... suffer really badly with hay fever now
3. Asthma/respiratory issues? No
4. Other issues? I do pick up colds quite easily and it takes me much longer to recover. I caught a cold at the same time as a few other people, they were all over it within a week but mine went on for a good 6 weeks! IIRC it was early December when I had it and I was still ill in February 😨
5. Age at removal - 5 for tonsils and 8 for adenoids.

We sound very similar OP in terms of how we struggle with colds. My attendance at school was often around 85% and it was difficult getting the teachers to believe that 'just a cold' would make me so ill. My birthday is in November, so I used to quite often be ill on my birthday and the school assumed I was skiving 😩 I still suffer badly, but things improved dramatically as soon as I left school as I was no longer surrounded by germy kids, and the nasal sprays you can get now are very good. I use ColdZyme as you spray it into your throat rather than up your nose and it definitely helps to stop colds (doesn't shorten them though if I get unlucky, sadly!)

Fantastic!

My goodness. Sorry to hear about your husband and I hope he makes a speedy recovery. I didn't know that about children's tonsils compared to adults, that goes some way to explaining the differing recoveries.

Very similar to me! Including the cat allergy and hayfever. I also have mild eczema and contact allergies.

Attendance was an issue for me and plagues me in my career. The post viral fatigue I seem to always suffer from keeps me poorly for longer.

Siblings;

1. Asthma, rheumatoid arthritis, allergies. Tonsils out - no more hospital admissions
2. Repeated tonsillitis. Believed to have selective mutism. Tonsils & adenoids out - no more tonsillitis, started speaking freely (so was due to hearing/throat pain)
3. Repeated tonsillitis & glue ear. Tonsillectomy/adenoids out. No more tonsillitis.

Me - 'we don't do tonsillectomies anymore' tonsillitis every other month from infancy. Allergies. Psoriatic arthritis. Asthma needing inhalers/constantly snoring, choking at night, hospitalised for oxygen several times due to airways closing with each cold. Finally removed aged 34 (and heavy scarring from undiagnosed quinsies + active infection penetrating mouth & throat actually on day of surgery). Still have allergies, still have autoimmune disease - but have had approximately 3 colds in the last 15+ years. Pretty sure that the first bout of Covid would have put me in ITU/the mortuary had my tonsils still been there to block my airway.

I can answer on behalf of my DS, he was 5 when he had them removed-he’s 18 now

If you've had your tonsils removed as a child, please answer my unscientific straw poll:

1. Adenoids also removed? Yes
2. Recurring allergies? No, has mild hay fever but that runs in the family on my dads side
3. Asthma/Respiratory issues? No. Was diagnosed with juvenile asthma BEFORE adenotonsillectomy but that was either a misdiagnosis or he grew out of it
4. Other issues with your immune system? Not especially, had a particularly nasty bout of glandular fever when he was 13 that knocked his immune system for six for a few years tho
5. Age of removal? 5. It was a complete necessity. He became profoundly deaf from glue ear at the age of 4, and constantly choked on food because his tonsils were so big they touched. He had tonsils out, adenoids out and grommets fitted

I had a tonsillectomy as an adult as I was plagued with monthly bouts of tonsillitis and had huge, deeply scarred tonsils when they were eventually whipped out 🤢 the recovery was dreadful but I haven’t really had any sore throats since.

I do, however, have adult-onset asthma, hayfever and dust allergies. I’d never considered there could be a link!

1. Adenoids also removed? No
2. Recurring allergies? No
3. Asthma/Respiratory issues? No
4. Other issues with your immune system? No
5. Age of removal? About 6, but not sure, in the 1980s.

I get far fewer colds etc than anyone else in my house, and I'm the only one without tonsils.

If you were to ask my brother, his answers would be: 1. Yes, 2. Yes, 3. Yes, 4. No and 5. about 4.

Tonsillectomies used to be standard for children in the US, much like wisdom teeth removal is standard there now.

Tonsils removed as a teen. Adenoids still in situ.

No allergies, respiratory problems etc, in fact I now get fat less colds and coughs.

Adenoids also removed?
no or if I did I don’t remember it being discussed or anyone telling me

Recurring allergies?
not really, I have developed some type of skin disorder in the last few years but that’s decades later so I’m assuming unrelated.

Asthma/Respiratory issues?
no, I get the occasional issue where a cold goes to my chest but almost never to the point I need treatment for it.

Other issues with your immune system?
I have a few things going on but they are probably unrelated and looking back started before the tonsils

Age of removal?
15 I think. I had never ending issues throughout my early teens and it became unavoidable.

had them out over 25 years ago

hard ever get a proper sore throat now!

Answering for DH

1. Adenoids also removed? Yes
2. Recurring allergies? No
3. Asthma/Respiratory issues? No
4. Other issues with your immune system? No
5. Age of removal? 10 ish

Answering for my DD (now age 16):
Adenoids? Yes but not at the same time
Allergies? No
Asthma? No
Other immune issues? No
Age at removal? 5

To be honest, I am more likely to attribute any health issues post tonsillectomy to the abundance of antibiotics I had as a child before the surgery. The microbiome is so important to general health and I'm sure it messed it up.