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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To have my tonsils out because of tonsil stones

56 replies

Summerwood1 · 01/11/2015 12:25

I've been having loads of problems with these horrid tasting,smelling yellow tonsil stones. I've got quite big holes in my tonsils so tonsil stones gather. I've been to the hospital about getting them removed. They are happy to do it but I'm just not sure what to do. It's obviously not life and death,I'm just unsure to go ahead or not. Has anyone had any experience with tonsil stones or had tonsils out?

OP posts:

Cocolepew · 01/11/2015 12:29

I had out as an adult due to recurring tonsillitis, best thing I've ever done .
It was awful for about a week and a half but no worse than severe tonsillitis tbh.

Original poster

Summerwood1 · 01/11/2015 12:33

Thanks,that's reassuring to know.

OP posts:

TattyDevine · 01/11/2015 12:35

Ugh yeah, I can see why you would want to. Go for it. Seriously as you get older you are likely to have various little chronic health niggles that you can't do anything about, so you may as well sort the ones you can I reckon.

VulcanWoman · 01/11/2015 12:38

I get them, don't think I'd go as far to have an operation though. Do you get a lot of them?

GruntledOne · 01/11/2015 12:52

I had my tonsils out as a child back in the 1950s when it was routine. I'd say go for it.

RoboticSealpup · 01/11/2015 12:59

I heard of someone who haemmoraged and died several days after an operation to remove her tonsils. I'm sure that's extremely uncommon, but surgery always comes with risks and I would never have anything like that done unless I really had to. Isn't there a less invasive way to deal with tonsil stones?

Buttercup27 · 01/11/2015 13:00

How did you persuade your doctor to refer you? I hate my tonsil stones, they make me feel really crap. I would seriously consider getting them removed.

VulcanWoman · 01/11/2015 13:02

Probably private.

Original poster

Summerwood1 · 01/11/2015 13:04

Buttercup- I just told doctor that I keep getting infections when I try to get them out! Wasn't a problem to be referred or for the consultant to agree to operate.

OP posts:

Original poster

Summerwood1 · 01/11/2015 13:06

Vulcan- yes they are there practically all the time. It's the taste of them that I hate.

OP posts:

ottothedog · 01/11/2015 13:23

I get them when run down. When i was undiagnosed hypothyroid i had them constantly. Not had them for a year or two now. How is your health generally?

Tarzanlovesgaby · 01/11/2015 13:26

I don't have tonsils but still get tonsil stones...

Gruntfuttock · 01/11/2015 13:28

GruntledOne "I had my tonsils out as a child back in the 1950s when it was routine. I'd say go for it."

So did I fellow Grunt and I agree, get them whipped out.

Gruntfuttock · 01/11/2015 13:29

"I don't have tonsils but still get tonsil stones..."

How?

Tarzanlovesgaby · 01/11/2015 13:30

the groves (or some) remain at the sides.

bumbleymummy · 01/11/2015 13:31

Dh used to get these when he was drinking a lot of milk. The DC don't drink cows' milk so we don't have it in the house now and he only gets one occasionally now. I wouldn't get my tonsils out unless I really really needed to. They are there for a reason. Maybe worth looking at your diet/general health as a PP suggested?

Triliteral · 01/11/2015 13:34

I had mine out earlier this year. It's lovely not to have to get up at 2am to brush my teeth because I couldn't get back to sleep for the awful taste in my mouth and I am really glad I had it done as I suspect it was making me feel vaguely unwell a lot of the time. There are higher risks in adults than children though. Find out about them (I usually find the NHS website is good for such info) and decide whether you feel the potential benefits are worth it.

Name7 · 01/11/2015 13:37

I had mine out at 34. Horrendous recovery but mine were severely infected. I lost 2 stone in 2 weeks as couldn't eat, only sip water. Was sick, whole of mouth and tongue covered in ulcers. I wouldn't hesitate to do it again. Far less colds, sore throats, sinusitis. If you're prepared for the recovery, corsydyl is good, plenty of pain relief and someone at home for you for the first few days then you'll be fine.

Original poster

Summerwood1 · 01/11/2015 13:39

Thanks for all your info. My health is good,no problems. Healthy diet also. I think it's caused by debris from food which gets caught in the cavities and calcifies and become smelly.

OP posts:

kungfupannda · 01/11/2015 13:40

I'm seriously considering pushing to have mine out in the next year or so. I get tonsillitis about 4 to 6 times a year, and it's bad enough that a doctor once looked in my mouth and said 'oh good god.' Reassuring

I also get bouts of tonsil stones every few weeks and they drive me nuts.

Graciescotland · 01/11/2015 14:00

I had mines out due to recurring tonsillitis too. It took about a week to recover/ eat anything apart from dry toast. The surgeon reckoned mines were the largest tonsils he'd ever removed.

Apparently you can get more throat problems as they're your first line of defence but I've never had throat/ chest infection that needed antibiotics in the 19 years since I had them removed and I was taking them every other month for the tonsillitis.

Counttheshadows · 01/11/2015 15:03

YANBU. I'd have mine out if I could, but the Dr doesn't seem to think my tonsil stones are an issue. I'm fed up of having them every time I'm run down (which is all the time atm!). The smell and taste is foul, so if you can have the op, I'd say go for it.

LeftMyRidingCropInTheMortuary · 01/11/2015 15:20

I love a good poke a tonsil stones.
It's nearly as good as sporn.

Bonywasawarriorwayayix · 01/11/2015 15:47

I had mine out at 19 for that reason. They tasted horrible. Tonsils might be the first line of defence, but if they're constantly infected what's the f'ing point of them.

Onsera3 · 01/11/2015 15:54

Yes most of my immediate family had tonsils out and some still complain of tonsil stones.

I heard about lasering them smooth so they don't have those indents for stones to get trapped in.

I avoided having to get tonsils removed by giving up dairy for a long stretch. Now I still only have small amounts of dairy but I know when I've exceeded my limit because I get tonsil stones.

The dr did say my tonsils have a crater like surface from the frequent infections before I gave up dairy. Kind of like acne scarring I guess! I imagine this is why the stones tend to lodge.

Could you try gargling?

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