Finally got referal for DS's tonsilectomy! Should we go private or NHS?

[MadameCastafiore]

Says it all really - DS had tonsilitus 5 times since Sept now - went from fine yesterday morning to vomiting with temp and sore throat by lunchtime!

Sent DH with him to the doctors - as the doctor just looks at me like I am a loon as I get very upset - and he gave DH a referal straight away.

We can pick up the letter this afternoon - but do we go private (we have cover) or NHS?

I am just worried that if anything went wrong the private hospital would not have ICU and the experience to help DS?

So any medical people out there what shall we do?

We had the same dilemma, mainly because dd2's sleep apnoea and eating were so awful that we wanted her treated asap and private would have been slightly faster. In her case, though, it was clear: she had an extra issue with regard to anaesthesia (floppy larynx) so we needed HDU bed for the night as precaution - we could have had one privately, BUT both the ENT consultant (who we saw on NHS originally, then privately once) and our GP strongly advised us to go with big NHS teaching hospital where dd had been seen before. For the reasons you say, as a precaution - and also because at Xmas (it was late December) the staffing in private hospitals is not great.

I do'nt know what we'd have done if she hadn't had the floppy larynx, though...but tbh, where kids are concerned, I think the NHS is great, and I felt safest there.

Good luck, I'm sure he'll be fine either way and hope it goes smoothly and soon!

Great name, btw

Thanks Elibean - DH and DS are Tintin fans and I think it has rubbed off and there are so few women to choose from - I could be Captain Haddock but that may have been confusing!

I have made an appointment at local private hospital for next week but will ask the consultant what he thinks. Hopefully he will be honest with us whether to go for NHS or private.

Ds has no other medical problems just the tonsilitus which is becoming a monthly problem at the moment! And he starts school in September so I want it all cleared up by then - as this week makes it a whole month he has had off of nursery since September!

Was your DD ok afterwards? Was she in loads of pain? I had mine out a couple of years ago and it was horrific but everyone says it is worse as an adult!

dd did have a lot of pain afterwards, but as long as we stayed on top of pain relief (we had Voltarol and paracetamol suppositories, because she wouldn't take meds - she's only just 2) and watched a lot of Peppa Pig DVDs, she coped. It varies a lot, there were a few MN LOs going through adenotonsillectomies at the same time - some had moderate pain, some had a couple of days of bad pain around 3-4th days, others worst around the 7 day mark, and some seemed grumpy at times but really not in acute pain. I would expect pain, in order to stay on top of it - worst thing is to drop behind on the meds, as I'm sure you remember!! Poor you, I've heard its awful as an adult.

They do encourage LOs to eat 'rough' foods asap, like toast and crisps - and dd did enjoy those, in spite of the pain, and preferred them to 'sticky' foods or even, after a couple of days, milk (which probably tasted weird). Expect your ds to lose weight for a week or two, but don't worry - won't last! The recovery period is 10-14 days, and by 10 days the worst of the pain was very much over.

Let us know when it happens, there are lots of recent tonsillectomy vets who can cheer you on

Thanks Elibean that is very helpful.

I am not sure if they will whip out his adenoids at the same time as his problem is just accute bacterial tonsilitus which reccurs monthly and he is becoming immune to the antibiotics.

Will let you know what the consultant says on Wednesday - am hoping to time op for same time our dog goes in to be spayed/neutered (whatever they call if for dogs) and we can all have a miserable 2 weeks stuck at home!

How old is your ds? My ds had tonsils and adenoids out at 20 months due to sleep apnoea.
We went private, but because he was so little they actually did the op in the big NHS hospital where they had all the paediatric facilities. This meant we got all the NHS backup (thankfully not needed) but the private level of service iyswim.

Might be worth checking if this would be the case for your ds.

No he is 4.5 yrs so I think they will do it at The Oaks in Colchester.

Will know more on Wednesday next week when we have seen the consultant.