Private tonsillectomy - is it worth it?

[LiIo]

Hi,

I am trying to decide if a private tonsillectomy is worth it. I’ve been quoted £2,410. I have to pay up front. I’m by no means wealthy but I’ve got savings from having lived with my parents for two years.

Anyone gone through it and able to share whether they think it will be worth the cost and indeed the pain?(!)

Thank you!

I had mine out when I was 20 in a private hospital (admittedly paid for by the NHS) but I absolutely would have paid for it and it would have been worth every penny. I’m so glad I did it as it’s made such a difference. It was painful to recover and took about 3 weeks before I felt back to normal, but I would definitely make the same decision every time

I had mine removed at 21 after years of awful tonsillitis, and then eventual rupturing of my tonsils! It was painful, but so worth it. I have actually just had a cold which gave me a sore throat, but it's the first one I have had in 15 years.

God no don't have it done privately. Complications aren't common but if there are problems it is your airway, you need competent staff and emergency equipment available on site not a 20 min drive away by ambulance.

I had it done privately in Ireland in my 20s after years of recurring throat infections. It has been worth every penny because I've hardly been sick since.

Whether it is worth it depends on the impact they are having on your quality of life, availability for work etc.

I'd say yes and that is a bargain.

I'm having a consultation with DS in November, he's constantly sick with tonsillitis and chest infections.

I'm in Ireland so the waiting lists is horrific and he has to have it over 10 times. He'd be another 4 years waiting on public treatment.

@TheYearOfSmallThings That's fantastic news that you've been well since.

And that's 20 years of wellness now

Have you checked for a reimbursement scheme.

I'm not sure if Brexit put an ending to the scheme.

My Dad had has cataracts done in NI privately and was later reimbursed by the Republic.

Once he was on the list over 12 months he was eligible.

Didn't have mine done privately, but if you can then do it!
Was life changing for me. I'd suffered for years.
Painful, but worth it.
To be honest, on the NHS mine was day surgery, they couldn't wait to get rid of me afterwards and tried to send me home without pain relief. I'd have loved private!

A tonsillectomy is 100% not something I would ever consider going private for, purely because of the post op risks. They may be rare but can be catastrophic.

They just don't have the staff needed to manage a post op bleed, especially overnight.

I cared for a post op tonsillectomy at a private hospital and was on edge the whole night. All i would have had for support was a mid level medical doctor and 999.

I had mine out at 19 - had really bad tonsillitis repeatedly since I was very young. Took about 2 weeks to recover from.
They must have left some tissue behind as half a tonsil has grown back, so i still get tonsillitis but only twice a year or so.

Thanks everyone for your feedback. @Avelanda @Meseekslookatme @Whoopsies I am so glad it worked for you guys. I’m desperate to stop these horrible episodes of tonsillitis and get rid of these gross tonsil stones.

@EmeraldShamrock1 4 years?! Crikey, that’s terrible. I’ve been told 2 years minimum here in the South East, hence why I’m considering private.

@Janiie @BrimFullOfAsher Thanks for raising a point I hadn’t really considered. It would actually be done in an NHS hospital, just with the surgeon renting the room. Having said that, there is no A&E on site. That being said, there are no ENT services at the hospital with the A&E attached, so I assume all NHS patients also have the surgery at the hospital I would be having my operation at. Does that make you think it’s safer?

@Greendoorsaremyfavourite Ugh, I’m sorry to hear that. What a pain (in more ways than one)! I suppose even twice a year is better than having it constantly, multiple times a year. I wonder what the rate of tonsil re growth is? Time to consult Dr Google…

'It would actually be done in an NHS hospital, just with the surgeon renting the room. Having said that, there is no A&E on site. That being said, there are no ENT services at the hospital with the A&E attached, so I assume all NHS patients also have the surgery at the hospital I would be having my operation at. Does that make you think it’s safer'

Yes definitely if it's an nhs hospital go ahead there'll be 24hr anaesthetic cover and experienced staff available, not having A&E wouldn't be an issue.

@Janiie Thank you so much for your reply. That is reassuring.

That's concerning!
It's done as day surgery in my local hospital. I was sent home about 4 hours after surgery. Glad I didn't have a bleed 😲

Eeep - I had mine lasered in a clinic with local anesthetic. It was done by an ENT Doctor. No problems - slight sore throat but I was fine.

I had it done at 19. Suffered 6-8 times a year with it from 16. Was horrendous. Best thing ever. 1st 2 weeks were terrible but since then fine. My son had them out at 4 and same for him. He changed overnight. If I had the money and couldn't get it on the NHS I would do it!

I had mine out eons ago but on the NHS. I did have complications but the tonsil bed rupture wasn't until over a week after the operation. 45 minute drive to A&E with blood running out of your mouth at an alarming rate wasn't fun (I wasn't driving!)...but they sorted it really quickly.

Despite complications the surgery was 100% worth it and if my children needed theirs removing I wouldn't think twice about finding the money for them to be removed privately, I'd probably get into debt for it...but then my childhood was blighted by illness because of my tonsils so I'm definitely biased.

Risk vs reward, the reward is absolutely worth the slim risks IMO.

Yeah that definitely sounds better 🙂

Is it 24hr hospital or just a community/day case hospital?

Most tonsillectomies are day case procedures but some do require and overnight stay depending on recovery. If its a 24hr hospital, I'd have no concerns at all.

If on balance blowtorching your raw flesh is a fair trade for the number of times and severity you get tonsillitis per annum then go for it

We paid to have my 15 year old daughters tonsils out last summer. Best money ever spent. We're in Ireland and she would have been waiting another two years. She was missing four weeks of school a year with infections. She was sick, sore and miserable and missing out on her activities. We went in early Monday morning, operated on at lunchtime, stayed overnight and home midday Tuesday. She was sore and on antibiotics for a week and has never looked back. No more infections, her health is great and school attendance is up.

Just had mine out 3 weeks ago privately. The experience was the best I could have hoped for and my ENT consultant/surgeon was one of the best there was. Did an amazing job, was avaible on the phone post surgery if I had any questions or worries. No complications, pleasant environment and the staff were amazing. I won't lie, It was a rough 8-9 days post surgery. Pain was bareable but I did go a bit squirrelly being stuck indoors with just Netflix and not being able to sleep that well or eat, even though I was hungry - but by day 14 it was like I never had it. Taste was all off for a few days after that - all food tasted chemically and bitter but thats all but gone now. After having issues for 5 months with my tonsils it's wonderful and no more snoring either!

It's not just tonsillitis it can help. Mine were removed for chronic earache. I went from debilitating earache at least twice a month and living on antibiotics to not having earache again (20 years and counting). That's literally a different version of life!

Your comment is caustic and sneering. Hope it made you feel better because it made you look like an uncaring arse.

Sorry, I realise it probably sounds a bit sensationalist 😬. Most tonsillectomies are absolutely fine. But some do bleed.

Bleeds can be anything from just a little ooze to a full on pour, but because of where the wound site is - its a medical emergency. Even a minor ooze needs close observation, I've legged it down a few corridors taking a patient back to theatre.