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Original poster

To tell you my brilliant news

38 replies

ProserpinaProserpina · 15/12/2022 10:12

…because I think my family are probably sick of me talking about it already.

DS(4) suffers with chronic viral tonsillitis. He has sleep apnoea. He has ARFID and has not gained weight for two years.

We saw an ENT consultant privately yesterday. He said his tonsils are some of the biggest he’s seen. He can have his tonsils and adenoids out (and maybe grommets - just need to confirm he needs them with a hearing test) at the beginning of next year!!

It is going to make a HUGE difference to him. He’ll sleep properly and his moods will improve, he’ll have more energy and might catch up with some of his delayed motor skills, he won’t have to keep missing things due to being ill, his appetite will improve, he might decide to try new foods (I’m not pinning all my hopes on this but at least if he isn’t having to chose between breathing and eating it might be more appealing), his eczema will probably improve because he won’t be smearing snot all over himself!

I’m so bloody delighted and grateful to family who are helping out with the costs. I’m gutted we’ve had to go private but the wait lists and hoops to jump through for NHS treatment have been appalling. At least someone else can be moved up the waiting list now.

OP posts:
LydiaBennetsUglyBonnet · 15/12/2022 10:14

That’s fantastic!

Ive had tonsillitis just once - and the pain and suffering was so intense I have no idea how people who get it all the time cope. So Hats off to you both!

Motnight · 15/12/2022 10:15

That is great news!

Starwarslover · 15/12/2022 10:15

Congratulations OP! I’m pleased you’ve been able to access the healthcare your child needs and it sounds like this will massively improve their (and your) quality of life. I’m sad that with the state of the nhs you couldn’t access this but the main thing is he is getting the treatment he needs 😊

Blossomtoes · 15/12/2022 10:16

Brilliant. As a child who had tonsillitis literally every couple of weeks and was separated from my tonsils aged seven, your poor boy has my every sympathy. It will be life changing.

superdupernova · 15/12/2022 10:18

Aww I'm pleased for you! My sister suffered with tonsillitis until she was in year 11 and they finally took them out. At that point it had gotten so bad she was in hospital more often than she was at school, usually for 2 or 3 weeks at a time, the worst was over 4 weeks. My parents were baffled by the reluctance to take them out on the NHS (we're from Ireland where it was fairly standard).

Sage396 · 15/12/2022 10:18

Great news OP!

This is not the same at all, but I finally got my tonsils out privately when I was 26 and it drastically improved my health in ways I didn't even expect. I so wish they'd been taken out when I was a child.

I hope this step makes your son's life a lot easier.

OhTinyBear · 15/12/2022 10:18

Ah congratulations OP! I didn’t get mine out till I was 11 - after a childhood of illness that sounds very similar to your son’s to date - and it really did improve my quality of life beyond measure! You sound very sensible - yes it won’t be a magic bullet, but removing that cause of constant pain/discomfort/misery is very likely to lead to a wide range of smaller improvements for your son.

I think NHS guidance in tonsillectomy is now even more restrictive than it was then, so I completely understand why you’ve been left with no choice but to go private.

Good luck. I hope it goes well. And I hope they don’t force patients to eat salt and vinegar crisps before they’re allowed home after the op these days, that bit sticks in my mind as being particularly rubbish!

boredOf · 15/12/2022 10:24

Woohoo 🎉

rainingcats · 15/12/2022 10:26

My ds had his removed two years ago when he was aged 3. It has been life changing for him (and us).

TangledWebofMincemeatDeception · 15/12/2022 10:27

Ah that’s wonderful. Wishing him, and you, the very best! Flowers

Merrow · 15/12/2022 10:35

Great news! We're currently on the NHS waiting list for DS, so I know some of your pain.

Foronenightonly22 · 15/12/2022 10:36

This has made me quite teary. Your poor wee man. I’m so happy for you. I hope you both have a lovely Christmas and roll on the new year. Xx

glasshole · 15/12/2022 10:42

Oh OP I'm delighted for you! I'm an adult and get sick regularly due to a suppressed immune system and it's hard trying to cope with it constantly. I'm really glad that you both be taking a step forward and hopefully having an improved quality of life!

Pemba · 15/12/2022 10:45

It is brilliant news for you and your little boy, and thank goodness your family is in the financial position to be able to help, and are kind and generous enough to do so. I am sure it will solve the problem. How much is the approximate cost if you don't mind me asking?

It is dreadful though that the NHS would allow a young child to suffer like this for TWO years, not putting on weight and in discomfort. What have we come to?

species5618 · 15/12/2022 10:46

Lovely news for you OP
Just watched an old QI where Sandi Toksvig described going to her doctor as a child to have her tonsils checked. The Dr apparently sat her on his knee, and scooped her tonsils out with a sharped spoon shaped tool 😮
I'm reasonably certain it's not done that nowadays though 😀

Celticdawn5 · 15/12/2022 10:51

So nice to hear such good news. I wish you all the very best and your DS a swift recovery.

ODFOx · 15/12/2022 10:56

Great news!
My eldest had a perpetually runny nose and intermittent ear infections throughout early toddlerhood: had the surgery at 3 and never had a problem again. Absolutely immediate improvement.

I hope it helps the ARFID too: enlarged tonsils must make eating hard!

holidayelbow · 15/12/2022 11:02

@ProserpinaProserpina this was us a few years ago. 4 yr old with bad glue ear, massive tonsils (they would be touching just as standard) and nasal sounding due to large adenoids.

nhS had us on a merry go round of appointments and the consultant was so fucking rude and basically told us to go away. I changed jobs which came with private health cover. Added my kids. And straight to the ENT doc. 3 weeks later he had a 3 in 1 operation

holidayelbow · 15/12/2022 11:04

@ProserpinaProserpina hit post too soon.

3 years later, he is still behind a little in school due to the hearing issue which caused apeech delays. He eats so many more things, sleeps well and never even do much as gets a sore throat.

Thank goodness for the private health cover!!

CuteOrangeElephant · 15/12/2022 11:05

I had them out when I was 17 and it hurt so much! The consultant said it's so much easier and less painful for young children, so well done on taking this step for your DS.

When I had my adenoids out when I was 5 it was nothing, I remember it as a very positive experience because I got to eat lots of ice lollies.

FatFilledTrottyPuss · 15/12/2022 11:09

That’s fabulous news. I had my (enormous) tonsils out when I was 22 and it made a huge difference to me. I bet your Ds will feel a massive relief once his are gone. My Ds has ARFID and you’ve made me wonder if his constantly snotty snuffly nose is part of the problem. Best of luck with your boy. I hope he feels able to eat more after his op.

279Nouveauxnoms · 15/12/2022 11:10

So happy for you and lovely to hear good news :-)

TheMousePipes · 15/12/2022 11:10

Hurrah!
I had my tonsil’s out when I was 35. Years and years of inflammation, immuno problems, sore throats, chest infections. All gone! Best thing I ever did!
I hope it’s a similar game changer for your boy.

tulips27 · 15/12/2022 11:15

Lovely to hear some positive news. 😊

SkylightSkylight · 15/12/2022 11:24

@ProserpinaProserpina

thats fantastic news!!! Shame you had to go private to et anywhere with it!

I had rested tonsillitis as a young child. Then my baby brother came along & started getting it from me. So I took one for the team & had mine out (age 7 in the 70's) I remember quite a lot of the hospital stay, recovery at home (& I remember very little of my childhood )

but what I remember the most is feeling so happy I wasn't making my little brother sick all the time!!

it was so good not getting tonsillitis all the time.

im sure your DS will be so So So munch better off!!! it would be great if you can let us know how he's doing!!

merry Christmas & a wonderful new year!!