Anyone had a private tonsillectomy?

[ResignationUpYourArse]

I've suffered really badly with frequent tonsillitis as a child which has left me with pitted tonsils quite badly. It means I get 5/6 tonsil stones at a time which are sore, make my throat feel like there's lumps in and the most vile bad breathe constantly.

It's embarrassing and ruining my life. I've googled and it says the only cure is to remove but I doubt the NHS will do it.

If you've had it done privately, how much was it?

My daughter did but it was about ten years ago. Have you got a local Spire hospital? If you send them an email they will tell you a ballpark price

I do have one locally, yes. I'll give them a try.

About 20 years ago!

You could join Beneden Healthcare, which is a cooperative healthcare club (semi private but basically it covers things that the NHS won't do, or if there are long waiting times) and it's miles cheaper than a. Private like BUPA and b. Paying for it yourself

www.benendenhospital.org.uk/benenden-health-members/

I'm having surgery with spire and it's with ent and they said the price is the same for tonsillectomy which is around £3,500
Initial appointment with ent consultant is £150 and any other appointments are then £100.. may vary with each hospital but that's how much they are charging me..
It's expensive but so worth it as the care I'm receiving is a lot better than I was with nhs ent (they couldn't even tell me what was wrong with my ears.. then I had my first consultation with spire and problem was found and now on my second ear surgery to resolve the problem!)

I actually have Bupa through work, I assumed it wouldn't be covered because it's more cosmetic if that makes sense. It's the constant bad breath I hate! Plus I'm leaving the job in 4 weeks and won't have it anymore.

@LondonLovie thank you

@katiewil £3,500 is steep but it would be worth it if it sorts the issue!

My daughter had hers done recently, that was paid for through my private medical insurance through my employer. It was around £4k at a circle health group hospital.

@JLbaby oh that's promising! Did she have similar symptoms? I'm worried they may say they won't cover it because it's not causing infections etc.

I think you’d have a good chance of getting it done under your healthcare insurance. Ask for an ENT referral and go from there.

NHS definitely won’t do as there’s a really strict criteria to follow (so many bouts of registered with a GP episodes of tonsillitis per year) also the wait is so so long that we are doing lots of private and self pay tonsillectomy’s where I work. Throat problems are miserable so I totally get it

Well she was getting tonsillitis about 6 times a year, however the GP also mentioned in her referral letter that she had very swollen, pitted tonsils even when not infected, and it caused sleep apnoea and snoring too…

I had mine removed by the NHS in my twenties for the same reason you're wanting yours out for. I didn't have to wait too long either. It's worth asking your GP :)

The whole point of having BUPA through work is for stuff like this.

Get yourself referred to a BUPA ENT, you have nothing to lose.

My son had it done eight years ago privately because he was taking A levels and they would have added him to a waiting list with surgery probably in the June he was taking his A levels. I have always been relieved we acted.

can I ask was your daughter medically underwritten?? Xx