Anyone had tonsil removal on the NHS as an adult? re tonsil stones

[pumpastrotter]

Would appreciate any help! I was wondering whether anybody has had a tonsillectomy as an adult on the NHS and how it came about?

In the past couple of months I've seemed to have developed/discovered tonsil stones (BOKE) and they are coming non stop and they STINK (seem to miraculously avoided the colon breath but I'm very self-conscious as it is and eat mints throughout the day) I have really pitted tonsils thanks to numerous cases of serious tonsillitis as a teen; I was told about 6 years ago I had no tonsils at all as they had completely rotted away. I had very bad hand, foot and mouth a couple of years ago which was hell on my throat so I don't know whether this made the crypts worse?

I started getting tonsillitis several times a year from around the age of 12 and was hospitalised a few times it was so severe; I was pinballed over the next 5 years being told if it happens again they will remove them/I was too old and they refused to operate. I still get several throat infections a year but nothing a pack of strepsils doesn't fix, but since finding these stones I have been picking and digging and probably causing some damage as they have bled (not badly) and I have had a bad throat/ears for 2 weeks on and off. These pits are also right in the very back/depths of my throat and really difficult to reach.

From what I've read, it doesn't seem likely I can get removal unless I go private but that is pushing 3K which is not doable in the foreseeable. The picking and obsessing is starting to take over my evenings and it's a misery (I have OCD related trichotillomania/dermatophagia so it's just wonderful that this is something else to pick at....) last night I spend 2 hours trying to gauge a swollen piece of tonsil I've even started checking at work. My dental health is great, no issues and I brush/floss/mouthwash 2-3 times a day as it is. I really don't know how to approach the doctor about this, I know it's not an essential operation but it's starting to effect my daily life and possibly my health...It would be years before I could afford private.

...I don't have tonsils, but still have pits and occassionally tonsil stones...

Stop picking at them!! You'll be introducing all kinds of bacteria and damaging them.

Gargle with salt water several times a day and visit your gp for advice

Lilpumpy I wish I could! It's a compulsion though, I physically cannot stop myself or I start getting worked up and lose my shit. Hand in hand with the skin picking/hair plucking. I have been using a syringe you get with calpol to flush them out with salt water/mouthwash but from judging what I'm still getting out it's not working very well. Not a fat lot I can do except see the doctor but I feel like I'm just going to be palmed off with 'leave them alone/we can't remove them'.

My husband gets them. They get worse when he drinks a lot of coffee or has a lot of sugar in his diet - maybe try a preventative diet change?

I literally cannot stop thinking about them, I feel like my body has been violated (logically I know it's massively dramatic but it's genuinely how I feel, my mouth just feels constantly dirty)

@BurningGubbins I drink one coffee a day in the morning and try to limit myself to one sugary snack a day (I have a sweet tooth but sugar makes my skin break out which I then start picking at) otherwise I drink water. I've also heard dairy makes them worse but I wouldn't say I eat huge amounts of that either except cheese with my lunch. I don't get them daily, but I do check - I'm probably getting some out 2 times a week.

It's very difficult to get it on the NHS. Luckily I had BUPA. After being hospitalised twice for a Quincy throat and getting chronic tonsillitis around 3 or 4 times a year for most of my adult life, the NHS still wouldn't do it!

I had similar to yourself, when I was younger I had tonsillitis several times a year every year. I went to the drs who said I could be booked in to have them removed, I then completely stopped getting tonsillitis!

Roll on a few years and I start getting really bad tonsil stones and a sore throat but no actual tonsillitis. I go back to the dr and say how much it’s affecting me as like you I obsessed over my tonsil stones!

They referred me to ENT clinic and I had them out on the nhs! Horrible recovery but so worth it x

I always struggled with tonsil stones still teenager. I would get them everyday! This is the tool I used to remove them without any damagewww.<a class="break-all" href="https://amazon.co.uk/Earlywish-Longer-Remover-attachments-Tonsillolith/dp/B019RT6JSG/ref=sr_1_9_a_it?keywords=tonsil%20remover&ie=UTF8&qid=1543496221&sr=8-9&tag=mumsnet&ascsubtag=mnforum-general-health-3437767-Anyone-had-tonsil-removal-on-the-NHS-as-an-adult-re-tonsil-stones" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">amazon.co.uk/Earlywish-Longer-Remover-attachments-Tonsillolith/dp/B019RT6JSG/ref=sr_1_9_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1543496221&sr=8-9&keywords=tonsil+remover
However this year I have cut out sugar and wheat completely (not dairy though) and my tonsil stones have completely gone. I actually can't remember the last time I had one which is incredible seeing as it was my daily routine to get rid of them

Yes I had it at 24.

It came about as I'd had tonsillitis for 2 weeks which antibiotics hadn't touched. I went to my mums on Christmas Eve and she insisted we went to A&E - I'd not eaten and barely drank in over a week and couldn't even swallow without severe pain.

Got to A&E and they admitted me straight away for the tonsillitis and suspected glandular fever (which I didn't have after test results came back). I was there until the New Year and it was proposed that I had them removed due to the severity and how often I had tonsillitis, which was about 3 times a year. I had them taken out about 8 weeks after my hospital stay.

Tonsil stones is not a reason for a tonsillectomy.

They're truly awful, no wonder my ex called me dragon breath in the mornings!
@expatinspain In all honesty I think if I'm still obsessing as bad in the new year I may look at getting a loan to get it done privately.

@LostStars39 that's given me some hope! I don't get quinsy, but I think given my history with the picking/digging they may be inclined to take it more seriously. I've heard the recovery is bad for adults but I really think it would be worth it.

@butterry I have a set currently on my amazon wishlist ready for payday! Interesting that your diet has made such a difference...I have next to no willpower with food though, I've already made a huge diet change this year to try and stop my skin breaking out. Not sure I could stick to no sugar/wheat but that being said I have a Keto plan for new year.

@tryinganewname I'm not sure whether I get reoccurring acute tonsillitis throughout the year or generic throat infections, I never bother going to the docs as it clears within a week. Glad they took yours straight out

@empmalswa I know....my reasoning is that I have OCD and they're effecting my daily life.