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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Has anyone's dc had a tonsilectomy?

25 replies

JustOneMoreSliceOfCake · 15/04/2015 09:39

Dd is due to have her tonsils out next week but hasn't been called in for a pre op.
Starting to get a little nervous about it all now, has anyone else's dc had their tonsils out? Just after some idea of how it will go. Thanks.

OP posts:

londonrach · 15/04/2015 09:51

I remember my sister having hers out when she was about 8. As a child i noticed She got to eat lots of ice cream and jelly on the day and people made a big fuss of her. I know mum was worried at the time. However from that day my sister was a different person as she wasnt ill again. As a result her school work vastly improved and she became more confident. Sorry op cant help but hoped it help from a sister childs point of view. Hope your dd recovers quickly xxxx

MakeItACider · 15/04/2015 09:54

My DS had his out when he was 2 1/2, he had a really fast recovery.

On the day they do it in age order, so youngest go first.

He was a changed child after the operation (tonsils, grommets, adenoids)

StrumpersPlunkett · 15/04/2015 09:58

DS2 had tonsils and adenoids out the week after his 3rd birthday
has changed his life.
Brilliant

Original poster

JustOneMoreSliceOfCake · 15/04/2015 10:03

Oh thank you so lovely to hear all the positive comments. Dd is due to have tonsils adenoids and grommets too MakeItAcider, although she's had some discharge from one of her ears this week so is on anti bs so it will be a case of see on the day if she can have the grommets.
Dd is in for Obstructive sleep apnoea and she also gets strep throat a lot and has has scarlet fever twice so it's an absolute necessary operation.

OP posts:

Original poster

JustOneMoreSliceOfCake · 15/04/2015 10:04

Doesn't make me less nervous though! Not even let myself think about it until today.

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Thisisanoutrage · 15/04/2015 10:05

My DS had his out at 3. He was just starting with tonsilitus on the day of his operation but they did it anyway as he was getting it every three weeks by then, so it couldn't really be avoided. He took a little longer to recover but has been a different child since. Now he sleeps properly at night he is no longer the cranky, bad tempered little thing he used to be. Well, at least not all the time now.

It was hard going for the couple of days he was in the hospital but well worth it in the long run.

Notso · 15/04/2015 10:06

DD had hers out when she was 6. She was absolutely fine. When you get there the staff should explain everything to you.
The worst bits for me were seeing her go off to sleep and when she woke up she was really crying which is apparently normal.
DH stayed in with her as DS1 was only tiny and still BFing. She was home after breakfast the next day.

There is a small risk of bleeding after the operation. This happened to me when I had my tonsils out. I was 14. I had to go back into theatre and have it sorted. I also had to have a drip put in as I hadn't had fluids for so long. I was totally fine afterwards though and went home the next day.

For me and DD the operation was well worth it as we were both at a stage of almost constant illness by the time we had them out.

Coconutty · 15/04/2015 10:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Micah · 15/04/2015 10:10

I had mine out age 4. I remember waking up from the op and a nurse trying to soothe me (back in the day when parents weren't allowed) and just thinking why was she making such a fuss, I was perfectly fine.

My memories are of playing with the other kids on the ward, and being made to eat marmalade sandwiches before I went home (hated marmalade!).

The actual op and medical stuff I don't remember, nor do I remember any pain.

wigglesrock · 15/04/2015 10:10

Yes, dd2 had hers out 18 months ago, she was just short of 6. All went well, she was home after a few hours. Has made a huge difference to her health, general moods, energy levels, general life really. The staff were brilliant, not the easiest morning of my life, but well worth it.

wigglesrock · 15/04/2015 10:13

Bring some bits and pieces into the hospital to keep her busy before she goes down to theatre. We brought a kindle and she played some games, the boy in the bed next to her had a portable DVD player, it just makes the time go a bit quicker. We were in the hospital for 7.30, she had the op at 10.20, I picked her up from the recovery room at 11.10 and we were discharged at 4pm.

01818118181 · 15/04/2015 10:23

My DC had tonsils and adenoids out last year aged 2. was really unhappy/ drowsy/ clingy and generally really knocked back after the anesthetic (and coughed up loads of blood which I wasn't really prepared for!). Was really hard to witness from a mums point of view so make sure you stash lots of comfort stuff for yourself as well as DC. Don't be afraid to ask nurses for more painkillers if you think they need it and stock up on ibuprofen and paracetamol as they might need a constant flow of it for a few days. Instant positive results for us too though as PP have mentioned. Hope all goes well.

Original poster

JustOneMoreSliceOfCake · 15/04/2015 10:40

Thanks everyone, really feeling much more positive about it after reading all of your comments. Will definitely take something for her to watch/play on thanks for the heads up :)
Dd wants Dh to stay with her if she has to stay in over night but I'm a little unsure if ill actually be able to prize myself away from the hospital. Ds is still quite young and bfing so would be more practical but ill just wait and see. Thanks everyone

OP posts:

MNpostingbot · 15/04/2015 10:47

No but I had one 30 years ago. Was all fine and I'm sure that things are vastly improved since then in terms of how the operation is done.

Get DC a present for when they come around from anaesthetic, that's all I can remember from mine, getting Boba Fetts spaceship!

ninetynineonehundred · 15/04/2015 11:27

Watching this thread as we will be going through the same thing here in a few months.
Does anyone know about pain management after the operation?

Good luck to Mini cake next week

MakeItACider · 15/04/2015 11:55

She'll be fine! The anaesthetic was the most traumatic part of it all. They put the numbing cream on DS's hand, and he completely freaked out and waved his arm around everyone and got it all off - I ended up with little numb spots all over me!

They ended up using a gas mask on him while I was holding him - I had to lean/turn away as best I could to make sure I didn't breathe it in as he really wasn't cooperating. But the anaesthetist was really lovely, and made sure the nurses didn't take him away from me to administer the anaesthetic. She bellowed 'Mother has managed to get the very distressed child calm. You will NOT move him' when one of them tried....

It is REALLY scary to see your child go completely floppy though, prepare yourself for that. It's not a sleep floppy, looks totally different.

01818118181 · 15/04/2015 12:57

Pain management for us was just ibuprofen and paracetamol every 4 hours ninety and you could certainly tell when it was time for more.

Also agree with Cider. Watching your child pass out under anesthetic is weird. I just burst into tears when my one went under (both times, had anesthetic a year earlier for different reason) and I'm not a very tearful person usually! Nurses were fab though, really supportive.

wigglesrock · 15/04/2015 13:21

We alternated ibuprofen and paracetamol as well, although we were also given some codeine. What worked for us for the first few days after was waking my dd for medication through the night. If she had something at about 2amish, it was much easier for her in the morning when she woke up.

Original poster

JustOneMoreSliceOfCake · 16/04/2015 21:42

Thanks for all the brill advice. I'm thinking I might see if Dh will go in with her for the anaesthetic and then I could stay overnight, I don't know how well I'm going to cope seeing her going under and Dh is better at those things. Will definitely get her a little gift for when she comes round.

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bimbobaggins · 16/04/2015 22:05

My ds had his removed in p1. He didnt go in before hand for a pre op, this was done in the morning of surgery. There was some waiting about in the morning before his turn.

Getting the ga was the worst thing. I couldnt stay in with him. His dad stayed for that part. He was a bit upset and disoriented after but came round quickly.

The op went well. He was due to be discharged that day once he had eaten something. They prefer to make then eat something hard like toast etc. my dc was given a bowl of well done chips.he vomited after so got kept in overnight and released first thing the next morning . He was kicking a ball about by the afternoon. Had a week off school but recovered very well and actually wanted to go back sooner

Claireshh · 16/04/2015 22:13

My daughter had hers removed in January. She had recurrent strep infections last year, too many to count!

Since her operation she has changed so much. She looks so so healthy and has grown six cm!

I showed her a you tube of a little boy going into hospital which also showed what happened with the anaesthetic. It showed the numbing cream, the insertin of the canula and the two medicines being injected into it. I just kept reiterating that it wouldn't hurt going to sleep and that I would be there the whole time.

For pain relief we were told to give a slightly higher dose of Calpol and nurofen. We gave the full daily dose (Nurofen 3 times a day and Calpol 4 times). We made sure that the last nurofen dose was given when we went to bed which meant that she was able to sleep through. We timed Calpol so that she had it 40 minutes before meals.

We were advised for her to avoid anything acidic as it would sting. Smoothies were apparently particularly painful. Chocolate chip brioche was a big hit.

My daughter was second on the surgery list. She was out of surgery by 10.30 ish and we were allowed home around 4pm.

Original poster

JustOneMoreSliceOfCake · 16/04/2015 22:33

Really glad to hear everyone's experience has been a positive one.

OP posts:

Original poster

JustOneMoreSliceOfCake · 17/04/2015 14:06

Dh and ds have come down with a heavy cold today! Praying dd doesn't pick it up before Monday! Does anyone know if it will be cancelled if she does?

OP posts:

01818118181 · 28/04/2015 19:09

How did it all go OP?

ipswichwitch · 28/04/2015 19:26

DS1 had tonsils an adenoids out last year. We were told that day 5 post op would be the worst in terms of pain - something to do with it all scabbing up. We kept up with the Calpol and brufen regime so he didn't get too bad.

He had his done late pm so stayed overnight and wasn't allowed home until he had some toast. Eating is very important post surgery, as it helps clear all the gunk away, and it needs to be crunchy/rough not just all ice cream.

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