IABU - I'm upset over dd2 having a tonsils removed.

[Whatsername177]

I realise I'm probably being silly, but dd2 needs to have her tonsils removed. She had several tonsillitis infections last year leading to her developing sepsis in March. Thankfully, she was diagnosed and treated quickly and made a full recovery. However, she was referred to ENT due to how seriously ill she became. The first assessment highlighted big tonsils and advised 'watch and wait'. We had the follow up appointment today. She has had a couple of viral bouts of tonsillitis in the last 5 months but no need for antibiotics. The consultant seemed like he was going to discharge her, until he examined her. He was concerned her palate was high and arched, she snores and her breathing is shallow, plus her glands were enlarged. He then said that in cases like this infection almost always reoccurs and he would highly recommend they are removed. I signed the forms and we are on the waiting list. I just feel sad and worried. I know it's a routine OP. I don't know why I feel like this. Any stories or advice?

My mum refused for me to have my tonsils out when i was a child/teenager. I got tonsillitis at the very least, every month. It was hell. She believed i would grow out of eventually, which i did at about 15. But now I suffer with tonsil stones because of the scarring and it's horrible. I've looked to get them removed privately but the recovery is so much worse as an adult than a child.
You're doing the right thing

Thanks. Sepsis was so terrifying, I'd never risk that happening again. I just worry about the general anaesthetic.

My son was a toddler when he had his tonsils removed and gromits put in his ears for glue ear at the same time.

It was all good and helped him stop having reoccurring infections like your little one.

Dd has hers out in the spring and she has thrived ever since. So glad she had them out. She was getting tonsillitis every other month. You could almost see the weight dropping off her. Guidelines stated that she had to have a bout 7 times in a year before they would take her tonsils out and she fell just below the threshold. However, a particularly bad episode resulted in hospitalisation as she couldn’t swallow her own saliva or antibiotics. This made the consultant put her on the list for extraction. She was pretty rough for a week or so afterwards but I don’t regret it for a second. She is like a different child and she no longer keeps the whole household awake with her snoring!

I've had DS go through a GA , so I know how scary it is, and how you agonise over the decision, but seriously, if she's had a bout of sepsis, I'd go for the operation without hesitation.

My tonsils were removed age 6 as a result of having tonsillitis every 2/3 weeks. That was 60 years ago and I’ve barely had a day’s illness since. The bar is very high for tonsillectomy these days, if it’s been recommended, it’s a no brainer.

My ds had them adenoids and tonsils out 2 years ago. He needed his adenoids out as they were very enlarged and he's had sleep apnoea since he was born.
An operation for your child is never nice, but as operations go it's not bad. The hardest part was the two weeks off school afterwards, he felt poorly for the first few days but was then bored!

They really dont like taking tonsils out unless absolutely necessary, sounds like the op really is needed, recovery is much quicker as a child, its absolute hell for an adult. You should have everything explained to you when you go in.

You are NOT being silly and I can totally empathise, OP. My son is 2 and just had his first GA. I was on MN last week asking for tips on how to stay calm for his sake. I was terrified, but it was actually okay. The doctors and nurses were great with him and he’s recovering a lot better than I expected. I have a friend who had her tonsils out recently and her recovery was horrific because of her age. Apparently a lot of these procedures are far, far better when done young. If it has to be done, it has to be done. So just focus your energy on being prepared and get some sleep

I had my tonsils removed at age 7 as I was off school more than in school over the winter months.
I remember not liking the bran flakes they wanted me to eat the next day and being upset I couldn't take part in a dance show after when I felt well but was 'recovering'
My sister had hers removed at 15 and she suffered badly and had 3-4 weeks of recovery after the operation.
My DD suffers several times a year but the doctors say they no longer take tonsils out unless it is extreme. If they have recommended removal go for it, the younger the better for recovery, based on family antidotes only

Thank you all. What sort of aftercare is needed? How much time off work should I plan for?

I had tonsils out as a child due to repeated ear issues.
I was about 8- I remember getting ice cream in hospital- which I liked!!

I don't remember anything else.

My son had them removed at 8, his health and just general well being greatly improved. I had mine done at 23, it was horrendous had took me weeks to recover. Get them out now. X

Thanks all. She will only be three by the time the appointment comes around. I know it's right but she seems so tiny.

@Greywalls12 I've heard there's some sort of lasering they can do on tonsils so remove pits in the tonsils so the stones can't form.

When DS was in hospital (for something completely different) we met a 3-4yo boy who'd had his tonsils out that morning. He didn't say much as talking was painful and according to his mum he was doped up to his eyeballs, but he was walking around and playing. I'd never have guessed he'd had a GA that morning! No tubes or anything like that. Of course it's scary to have your child put under GA, but it is extremely safe and (I imagine) far less scary than a baba with sepsis, that must have been horrendous!

I had mine out (though I was 8, so older than your DD). I was out of it a little the first 24 hours or so, but after that was normal. I remember it hurt like bollocks, but I was eating solids after a day or so, and it didn't affect me other than the pain.

DS2 was a similar age when he had his out. The difference in him was amazing. He went from weedy, pale and apathetic to chaos on wheels within a couple of months.
We were told he had to stay indoors for a week to avoid picking up an infection. He did recover pretty quickly from memory.

Not sure what hospital you would be going to but you might find this from the Royal Berkshire helpful as it talks you through children's anaesthetics and is reassuring about the process and at the end there's a good section about aftercare and pain relief from one of the specialist doctors.

I had my tonsils and adenoids out when I was 4/5. I remember a bit of pain afterwards and apparently when I was coming round from the GA I accused the surgeon of farting () but it was easy peasy. It stopped my snoring immediately - my mum said she checked on me a dozen times the first night I was home because she was used to me sounding like a sawmill

2 weeks off school for the child so alternative childcare required. I took about a week off and then left her with her nanny for tge second week. She was fine!

We did have a serious set of nosebleeds resulting in an a&e visit on about day two of recovery! All ok in the end.

You're doing the right thing. My DD was failing to thrive, so exhausted from the recurrent infections. Now she has energy! It's amazing.

I'd say it took the best part of a year for her to improve fully eg no snoring, more energy, better appetite etc.

I had mine out at age 4. No problems. Took about a week to recover. The worst was the sore throat from the tube. Chocolate Ice Cream and red - not green - gelatin were very medicinal.

I had mine out at 14-15 i stayed overnight in hospital and I was back at school within a week. I was eating meals ok a few days in I would have preferred softer opinions for probably the first 4 days but had whatever my mother chose bloody breaded turkey on day 2, agony

To be honest I don't really remember it feeling like a scary thing or a very painful thing or even that big a deal. I vaguely remember sitting bolt upright just as I was waking from the anaesthetic to vomit then immediately drifting off again but the next thing I knew I was in a bed on a ward and felt ok!

Everyone, well nearly everyone my age had their to sols whipped out. I don't think you need to be overly worried

*tonsils