Please Can I have tonsillectomy and adenoid removal positive stories

[incywincybitofa]

My research suggests coblation may be the method to go for, but I am not a consultant.
Please can I hear some positive stories about children having tonsils and adenoids removed, any negatives I have probably heard in some form or another.
The most conservative GP in the practice has referred DS, it has been mentioned a few times over the last few years by other GPs as a sort of "if this keeps up we will have to consider removal" but this GP thinks we are now way over the threshold.
The last DR we saw 2 weeks before (very junior) said to DS he would never recommend the operation, "don't let anyone tell you it's a good idea, it's awful"
Everyone has horror stories.

There are 2 issues the tonsils and adenoids are huge (adenoids blocking the nose)
He has frequent tonsillitis, he currently has almost constant sore throats, tummy ache and sickness, and has been on antibiotics so often in the last few years (not every time they flare up, just when the fever gets very high as it causes hallucinations)

I had mine both removed aged 14.

I understand why they are less gungho about whipping them out (even back in the 80s I was monitored for 2 years before they would consider operating), but it made a massive improvement to me.

No more missing school with severe illness (tonsillitis would knock me out for 10 days at a time, several times a year) and far better sleep quality - for everyone as I'd wake the house up with my snoring as well as having apnoea myself.

Recovery wasn't as bad as tonsillitis!

Thank you that's exactly what I need to hear hopefully for DS the outcome would be similar

My DD had them out when she was 6. No problems at all, out of hospital the same day, some pain obviously but a quick and easy recovery.

my son had both his out age 11. he never had illness with them. so for different reasons. he had sleep apnea which caused him to not wake when he needed the bathroom, made him very tired an unable to focus

I did aloof research as was so frustrated and managed to pursued drs to take them out it was suggested to get both out o make as much room as possible (narrow airways) not to mention the dreadful ear aches he would have

After the initial few days of pain. He was a different child, he looked less drained (grey udereyes etc..) more energy, less problems at school, and no more incidents at nights. and he didn't snore anymore

My daughter gets tonsillitis constantly, always inflamed, i had the same as a child, 2 years to get mine out and it was so much better, but they won't take out my daughters.

good luck wth it..

I work on a paediatric ENT ward. One of our consultants does Coablation abs only removes part of the tonsil. The children certainly do recover quicker and eat and drink more quickly. But I'm not sure of the longer term benefits of it. Particularly as some of the tonsil still remains.
Younger children tend to recover quickly anyway. Teenagers are terrible as apparently are adults!
You won't get a choice in the method of removal. It's up to the surgeon.
And no way would a child of mine have a day case tonsillectomy.

Having tonsils removed manes a huge difference to children with sleep apnoea.

I had adenoids out age 6 no issues and grommets in at same time. Hubby had his tonsils out age 24 and he has had problems with sore throat since then now age 41.

Sooner the better imho as tonsils can grow back if enough tissue and the (I think it's a hormone gland) is left in. (Plenty of cases of them growing back).

Thanks for the success stories Cadencia and Mammabear
Toddlerpast-He is covered by health insurance so whilst we can't pick the procedure we can at least pick a surgeon who offers it and I am sure they can guide us through the pros and cons beyond what I have read.
Gryffen I am glad your adenoid removal went well with grommets DD is about to go for a second set of grommets for infections and I know adenoid removal is a consideration this time around so good to hear your story.

My son was 28 months old when his were removed. It saved his life. Severe sleep apnoea and reoccurring tonsillitis losing 1/3rd of his body weight. Couldn't even tell he'd had it done within a week.

mummabear that must have been such a relief.
Thank you for adding that to the list of positives, I cannot begin to tell you how much negative stuff I have heard, it has really held me back from pursuing this, but for this last appointment I didn't have to pursue it. He just said how do you feel about removal because I don't see any other options in front of us.

My DS had adenoids/ tonsils removed and grommets fitted a week ago.

Honestly, he has been through it in terms of recovery. It has been horrible but thankfully today he seems to have turned a corner.

I keep thinking that it will be worth it in the long run.

Incy out of curiosity, what negatives have you heard?

I've heard about how awful/painful/bloody the recovery was
How now they are constantly ill with infections
I've heard stories about asthma becoming a real problem

I've heard about how sore throats are now worse
Mostly I hear oooh don't do it it's such a horrible operation usually followed by an anecdote along the above lines.

My 2 year old had it done because of sleep apnoea. It made a huge difference to his sleep and energy. No problems at all. Just make sure that you keep up the regular pain relief medicine afterwards and that includes waking them up at night. It’s really important.

Of course it’s painful, it’s like a really bad sore throat so I have been told, but it gets better and in the long run is worth it.

DS had both his tonsils and adenoids removed when he was 5. This was also due to the sheer size of them. He couldn't breathe through his nose and he had sleeo apneoa.

It did take him a good 10 days to recover and you must keep on top with all of the pain relief as he really did need it, they sent us home with morphine for the first couple of days.

But it was totally worth doing, he was like a different child almost immediately.

Check out buteyko breathing and try this first?

Sorry for late reply but DS1 has both tonsils and adenoids removed when he was 3 and I’d honestly say it was life changing.

They were removed for sleep apnoea but he had 6 lots of antibiotics in 6 months for tonsillitis and chest infections. No antibiotics after removal for the next 7 years.

It also resolved his glue ear without grommets.

He went from being a sickly, tired child to a very healthy one. I can’t help wondering if the pendulum has swung too far against removal. The recovery was tough for about a week but totally worth it.

Ps. When I told my Dad I was worried about the op he told me his mother had tonsils removed on the kitchen table by the local doc . . .

I had mine out when I was 6. I bled like buggery for ages (but that's genetic) but it meant that I didn't miss school every third week like I had up to then. I have had tonsillitis since, on the stumps, but only mildly and it has been much better.

DS had his tonsils and adenoids out at 20 months for sleep apnoea (also sore throats and bad chests but the apnoea swung it for us). He recovered quickly, slept silently from then on and had a massive growth spurt straight after the operation. No issues since and he's now a 6 foot teenager . I'm so so glad we had it done.

Dd had both out 4 years ago when she was in year 2. She has hardly missed any school since she had never completed a full month before. She was in a lot of pain the week after and she still snores like a hippo but I'm so glad she had them out when she did

DD had hers out aged 3 for sleep apnea (tonsils, adenoids and grommets all at the same time).

Her sleep was massively affected by them (affected all of us really as she woke often). She was pale and tired looking, was dropping centiles for growth as she often couldn't swallow well and dribbled constantly (even aged 3).

DH and I worried about the anaesthetic as we both had scary memories of operations as a child. They did it so well she didn't even remember going to sleep and didn't believe she had had it done.

She was a changed child instantly. Within an hour she asked for toast and wolfed it down. Then another hour or two later she ate a roast chicken dinner followed by toast for supper. (She had been fasting for the surgery, but I don't think we had ever seen her eat that much!).

Our surgeon insisted on morphine at some times (day after surgery and then five days later which is the sorest day) and then alternate ibuprofen and paracetamol for about five days whether she seemed to need it or not. He said this meant kids kept eating and drinking which reduces the risk of complications. She hardly seemed to have any pain following this plan. (The child in The bed next to us had a different surgeon who gave pain meds when required and he woke up in pain overnight so I think this was a good plan).

Even just the other day, a year and a half of MIL was saying how DD had really needed that operation and it was the making of her. I would totally recommend it if your child needs it.

One last thing (sorry to ramble). The consultant said that in the recent past the thinking was to leave tonsils as they cause less bother as a child gets older. He felt strongly that the impact on early childhood was pretty bad with some kids appearing to have ADD type symptoms, but it being related to poor sleep from big tonsils. He also said new studies were showing that there was a link between the sleep apnea caused by big tonsils and heart problems. They don't yet understand the link, but he felt it compelling enough to lean in favour of surgery.

Good luck whatever you decide!

Paeds Anaesthetist.

I work in a unit with coblation enthusiasts and those who prefer traditional techniques.

The coblation kids are initially less sore but there are downsides too - regrowth etc. Regular simple analgesia at home is key. When we did phone follow up a couple of years ago many parents had stopped regular analgesia by day 3 post op but reporting behavioural changes associated with pain. My colleagues and I would recommend 7 days (day 5 is worst) for regular analgesia.

If I were to pick a surgeon to operate on a loved one I wouldn't necessarily chose based on coblation alone - surgical personality also comes into it as well as availability!

We do loads of Day case tonsillectomies. I can't think if the last post op bleed we had to deal with. I would take my own child home after surgery!

I had mine out aged 11, I had to be operated on twice due to complications. The difference it made to my life was huge, I was always off school/unable to eat/sleep before I had them out.

DD was 4 when she had hers removed, her recovery was excellent and she’s had no issues for the last 5 years.

DS has the same issue, adenoids far too big and he was constantly getting sinus infections.

He had both adenoids and tonsils removed together when he was 3.

I was a wreck, he on the other hand didn't bat an eyelid!

He was a bit disorientated and sobbed a wee bit when he first came round from anaesthetic, I had to lie on the bed with him curled up on me and he settled back to sleep for about and hour and a half.

After that he was literally bouncing and eating toast and jam that evening!

Hardest part was keeping him still/calm and not running around for the week-10 days afterwards