to ask if anyone had tonsil stones?

[CoffeeMilkNoSugar]

This is seriously embarrassing. Sorry - long post.

As a child I always, and I mean always, had throat and ear infections. Seriously gross ones with a lot of pus involved. This continued into adulthood, but for some reason I never had my tonsils removed as a kid, despite being permanently ill!

Now I have massive deep craters and folds in my tonsils. All sorts of crap get stuck in there, resulting in those horrible whiteish stones that stink to high heavens, and a permanently irritated throat/enlarged tonsils/post nasal drip.

Of course the worst thing is the smell. Up until about 6 months ago it was quite manageable. I'd take exteme care of my oral hygiene and I'd mechanically remove the odd stone or two.

But then it went out of control. My tonsils are literally covered in the horrible stuff, and my breath is seriously bad. So bad that I now avoid all social interaction. Husband won't understand why I won't kiss him, or talk to him when he's near me, or why I've been avoiding sex.

I feel so isolated. I try not to talk to anybody in case they can smell my breath. I've honestly had enough now, and will be making a Drs appointment tomorrow. I've left it for a long time because, let's face it, I'm a stay at home mum. I run the household, and I put myself last in a way. I don't know if that's what mums do, but it seems like there's always SOMETHING to do, so I end up never having the time to look after my own health.

But now it's just having such a bad impact on my mental health. I don't really know why I'm posting this, I don't know what to say to the doctor to make sure he takes my problem seriously and doesn't just tell me to go buy a bottle of mouth wash.

Has anybody else had this problem? Can anybody give me some useful tips? I'd be eternally grateful!

I was like you for a long time, can't understand why they weren't ever taken out when I was a child. I started salt water gargling every day- started 3x a day and then down to once a day. Gargle for a long time, really swish it around. I removed the stones with an ear bud, apparently water piks are ace for this too but I got really good with an ear bud! Then suddenly I stopped getting them and haven't had any for years and years and the craters began to close and aren't nearly as craggy now.

I had my tonsils out 3 weeks ago for tonsil stones. I've had years of problems, and so glad to be rid of them.

Recovery was awful, had infection and associated bleeding, then was readmitted on day 8. My breath is so much better already, and I'm so much more confident talking to people on close proximity.

It took me a few months on waiting list to see ENT, then a couple more to get a date. I fibbed a little and over exaggerated how many infections I was getting

I don't have tonsils but still have crevices and tonsil stones

To help with the symptoms (while you wait for drs) try gargling corsodil mouth wash. Tastes awful but it's the only thing that helped lessen the symptoms of mine (did need to gargle several times a day though).

I had my tonsils out just because of tonsil stones. So glad I did, even though tonsilectomy as an adult was pretty bad.

They are nasty things.

If u have a Wilkos near you they do a version of Cordysyl,same ingredients but only a couple of quid.

Thankfully I've never had tonsil problems - I have a nasty fascination with tonsil stones tho! Definitely get them taken out - I would really emphasise to your GP how much it's affecting your personal life, I know it's embarrassing but all the details you've put in your post - they need to realise that it's not just a whim, don't let them fob you off.

Another vote for Corsodyl here - gargling that after poking them out (which probably isn't recommended but not sure what else you can do!) kept mine away.

Yes I used to. The thing that solved it was a...tonsillectomy.

Makea fuss op. Cry and breathe on them if you need to. If you still don't get anywhere, go back every time you get them.

Good luck, I had my tonsillectomy at 23 and it was such a relief after the initial few weeks of soreness. My tonsils were so large and scarred I could literally drop the painkillers down my throat - the gap was so large from the huge size of them!

I had my tonsils out in February for the same reason. The tonsil stones tasted awful in my mouth. I also got lots of throat infections from trying to get them out with my finger! My doctor referred me to the hospital and they said they were happy to take them out. That's what I did and I'm happy to get rid of them.

After having them taken out, that is. My tonsils had stretched my throat so wide from how big they were.

hope you have some success OP, glad I don't suffer with them, they sound awful, plus I'm crap at gargling

I've had them since childhood, these weird tiny stinky balls of hell would appear in my mouth and sometimes I'd feel them stuck in my throat. It wasn't til Google became a thing that I finally searched and realised what they were. I have had recurrent tonsillitis on and off my whole life, which can (I believe) cause pits/scarring, which allows them to form more easily.

Several GPs have been quizzed on them and none worried or had much to suggest, but some said to gargle. I've noticed mine are worse after I've eaten a lot of sweet things like chewy sweets or chocolate - twice or thrice a week I have a good dig with cotton wool buds and excavate them, I know all the right places to press now on my tonsils and they come popping out it's gross but satisfying.

DH tells me my breath is fine, mine seem to be hidden quite deep in the tonsil - you can't see them from just looking in my throat.

Get them out. Best thing I ever did, we had private medical insurance so they covered it and it was like a luxury hotel. Recovery approx 1 week, it was sore but no worse than a bad bout of tonsillitis. Getting over the anaesthetic was worse.

I find that mine get worse when it's time to replace my toothbrush as my back teeth aren't being cleaned properly - no idea why! However I haven't had a throat infection for ages, so doc won't do anything.

Yes. I had them. Vile vile. I had to 'milk them'. The smell of death! I never had sore throats though. I used to feel scratching in my throat if one was full. Awful. It would build up or food would get stuck.

I had them removed with bupa from a job I had. No regrets. But I do get sore throats now. They are part of your immune system. But I don't care. It was like two massive sea sponges back there. They were tested I the lab and full of all kinds of bugs. Nasty ones. Good bloody riddance.
I'm broke now but I'd get the op
On a credit card now if I still had them.

The smell is the very worst smell in existence.

They should serve the stones up to feed to someone on s bush tucker trial on I'm a celeb. They're all getting too stoic with balls and anuses now. Stones would sort them out.

Thank you so much for all your replies!

So when I see the Dr, should I go down the 'I keep getting a sore throat' route, or should I focus more on the abysmal smell of DOOM?

Yep me and dd have them . Very common. A poke with a cotton bud generally dis lodges them

I think both. Go for the two-pronged approach that they are causing you a lot of physical pain and that is in turn leading to you feeling socially isolated and introvert and that it is affecting your intimacy with your husband.

Sounds awful. I found a tonsil stone once and hooked it out and smelt it. Fuck. Ing. Hell. It was like the devils arsehole.

Good luck.

But make sure your doctor knows this is an ongoing problem and has been for 6/9/12 months etc

Otherwise they'll just tell you to gargle / brush/ whatever and "come back and see us in 6 months if nothing's changed"

Don't walk out of the gp's office without a referral for an ENT specialist. They're the people who will give the go ahead to get the tonsils whipped out

How did you get on with GP Coffee?

Hey everyone, I haven't seen the Dr yet but will do on Friday and will definitely update. :) The wisdom of mumsnet is AMAZING