Has anyone had their tonsils out as an adult?

[Alieight]

I'm just wondering whether it's worth discussing this with my doctor. I've had tonsilitis on a reasonably regular basis as an adult (did as a child as well), getting it once or twice a year. This winter though, I'm now on my sixth bout since October and I'm getting really pissed off.

Occasionally, I'll get a bad bout, have v high temperature etc, but mostly it's just one tonsil (the left one), gets very swollen and pussy, I feel pretty crappy and sometimes have a bit of a temperature. Still perfectly capable of functioning, I still go to work, it's just very painful for a week or 10 days.

I know it's nothing huge in the scheme of things, but I'm completely fed up. I don't tend to go to the doctor everytime as it seems to be pointless - the antibiotics they prescribe don't seem to shorten the infection at all, and I end up taking half a day off work for no reason. So I suppose what I want to know is if it's possible to have a tonsillectomy as an adult? And does it hurt ?

I had them done at 18 - hurt like hell and had a post op hemorrhage but without a doubt one of the best things I ever did.

Prior to having it done every sniffle became at the least a raging throat infection. I was unwell almost monthly. Barely had so much as a sore throat in the 15 years since.

I had mine out earlier this week and I am in quite a lot of pain at the mo but I'm still glad I've done it. I had it done in the morning and was home by 6pm that night.
I had symptoms like you, and should have had mine out a couple of years ago but got pregnant. Mine were scarred and I was constantly ill - even the week before the op, which had me in a panic that they wouldn't do it! I think a week or two of pain is so worth it to avoid constant infections.
OP also both GP and surgeon told me if I didn't have them out it would just carry on coming back. I have lost count of the amount of antibiotics and antivirals I have taken in the last few years, not to mention the time lost off work. I would say get referred to an ENT specialist asap.
BTW the antibiotics aren't working because tonsillitis can be caused by a virus, which can be difficult to shake off and comes up when you get run down. Next time speak to your GP about antiviral tablets because they can really help you feel less crappy.

Good luck

had mine out at 16- best thing i ever did. was ill every other week with tonsilitis. however, they are growing back now- have little buds which flare up.

I had mine out aged 21. It was, without a shadow of a doubt, the most miserable two weeks in my life. Its not just a sore throat, it's horrendous ear ache (strange but true) and each swallow is agony. I could only swallow food at room temperature- forget all that nonsense about ice cream! (at one point I actually cried because someone bought me phish food and I couldn't eat it).

But...
I hardly ever get sore throats now, and I can breathe much better. My psoriasis is loads better- it's linked to the immune system. The best thing is I no longer get those stinky white lumps on my tonsils!

To conclude... it is horrible, but if you do get loads of throat infections it is well worth it in the long run.

I would say that you need at least two, maybe three weeks off work though.

Dh did however he was getting very severe tonsillitus 2-3 times a year which necessitated a couple of weeks of work each time. The last time was so bad that he was on the verge of being hospitalised as he could'nt breathe the tonsils were virtually touching.

Not good when you are self employed as dh is.

2/3 weeks FlorenceDaphne? Oh crap, I am meant to be at work on Friday (9 days after op!!)Can you remember which day you hit your "pain peak" ? I have been feeling progressively worse each day.
I agree on the ice cream thing, it definitely makes the pain worse now, although immediately after the op I drank about 3 jugs of ice water!

Well, I suppose it depends what your job is. I think mine hurt most about a week afterwards. Do you have the pink volterol? I lived for those tablets. I had to dissolve them in lukewarm water before I could swallow.

Had mine out at 19 and it was the best thing i have ever done with regard to my health.

havent got Voltarol but will ask DH to get me some -doing soluble paracetamol and cuprofen at the mo but feel like I could do with something else!

Had mine out at 23. Good thing as can still remember that blocked throat feeling. I still get sore throats though when I'm getting a cold - hasn't stopped that.

I hadn't realised that they can grow back though!

DH had his out last year (he is 39). It was an overnight stay and he had a haemorrhage afterwards which meant another emergency op to stitch up the back of his throat again. I would say that recovery took 2-3 weeks, the consultant said you should treat the surgery like an appendix removal - the tonsils are about the size of a duck egg each so it's pretty sore afterwards.

Since then he has had them out he has stopped snoring , no sore throats and psoriasis has gone also. He definitely thinks it was worth the pain (and the trip in the ambulance because of the haemorrhage...!)

Dh had his done at the start of the school holidays in order to minimise the effect of his time off work. It was a good 2 -3 weeks recovery time.

However he is a vocal tutor (which is another reason why the op was necessary)

Utter agony - would rather go through labour with no pian releif!

Try gargling with dilute hydrogen peroxide when you get the first twinges and it won't develop into proper tonsilitus. I had to use this as became immune to the antibiotics I had been prescroibed them so often.

I would doubt they would take yours out if you can still function - I had to have tonsilitus so badly that I couldn't swallow my own slaiva before they would take me seriously and it was only when I changed doctors and my new doctor saw how huge and horrifically scarred they were that he asked why the hell I hadn't had them removed earlier!

Mind you if you need to lose some weight is a real quick fix - I didn;t eat for weeks properly - even the turkey salad (had them out 4 days before christmas) they brought me as soon as I came round from the GA was chewed up and that hurt like hell - before being spat into the sharps bin!

Had mine out when I was 20 as I kept getting abcesses behind them due to various stressy things going on at the time.

Massively horribly painful for a week, yucky for another, then back to normal. No more abcesses now! Definitely worth it despite the pain. Allow yourself enough time off and get some seriously strong pain killers. Good luck!

I always had problems with my tonsills and was originally booked in with a military hospital when I was 21 but thye couldn't decide if I was pg so it was cancelled

I eventually had it done when I was 39, as I was having tonsilitus almost every month, it also seemed to trigger frequent chest infections and having frequent time off work. It was the best thing I did although like others have said it was very painfull. I too got an infection and was in agony for several weeks but I'm glad I had it done

I was 23, and can confirm the fucking awful earache for weeeeeks afterwards.

I'd been on antibiotics for almost 2 yrs solid beforehand which had stripped my teeth of their enamel.

Thankfully the Seoul olympics were on telly at stupid 'o'clock and gave me something to watch when the pain got too much.

I reckon it lasted about 2-3 weeks, but since then, nada.

I had mine out when I was 30, it was VERY painful, I got a post op infection, lost over a stone in weight, and took over 3 weeks to feel even remotely better.... But it was definitely the right thing to do and I would definitely do it again. I'm sure I was advised to stay away from public places for 2 weeks after the op to minimise the risk of infection too.....although I still got one, must of been those pesky kids lol.

I had mine out age 21 in University. My tonsils were not responding to treatment.

Yes it hurt afterwards, but have not have tonsil trouble since.

florencedaphne, thank you for the tip on the Voltarol, they actually make a difference unlike the nurofen which did naff all.
Been warned to look out for bleeding tonight (it's been a week) anyone had this? Worried by how many people mention post-op infections! I am using the Peroxyl mouthwash 3 x a day though so fingers crossed..

Alieight forgot to say that my GP told me if you have three bouts a year in two consecutive years you should be referred so if you're on a 6th bout I'm sure you can ask to be referred to ENT and then decide about op. I switched GPs as we moved, and was brought forward by my new Dr to have it done sooner, as like MadameCastafiore mine were massive and scarred, and should've come out ages ago.