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Original poster

I have had tonsillitis 6 times this year- what is it like to have tonsils out???

33 replies

mummy2olivia · 14/10/2008 16:49

Further to my thread earlier, have been to see GP and am on yet another course of penicillin. I mentioned how often I had had tonsillitis this year and he said that the only thing they could do is whip them out but he really didn't recommend it at my age. On average I have had it every 2 months this year and have had to have at least a day off each time I have had it purely because when I do get it I can't function- its putting my job in jeopardy. I have got yet another sickness review when I return to work after this bout.

I explained this to him and he said that obviously it was getting out of hand and getting to the stage where it is affecting my life and well being- he said that he would give me a referral to an ENT surgeon but he wanted me to try Ecinachea and high dose vit C lozenges over the next couple of months and see how I get on and give the surgery some careful consideration but in his opinion it should be avoided at all costs.

has anyone here gone through this? What did you do? What was the surgery like? Is it all that bad?

I'm so confused and I just want to be well!

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 14/10/2008 16:55

Hiya, I had my tonsils out when I was 22 after four years of what you've been going through. I was becoming immune to the antibiotics and it was affecting my studies at Uni badly.

The op itself - not too bad, of course you're out of it. It's a tiny GA, about ten mins in all.

The recovery isn't that nice, I can't pretend to you. I had to be quarantined for three weeks, and see no one outside of immediate family. These days they don't recommend jelly and ice cream which I was looking forward to, but lots of scratchy things as it helps healing. So I was told to have toast for breakfast every morning. It used to take me an hour to eat a slice of toast. And as they dislocate your jaw to get to the tonsils, chewing is quite uncomfortable.

Having said that, after about two weeks I felt a lot better, although it was another two weeks before I was totally pain free. I made the mistake of swigging a load of cold Coke after about three weeks and boy did it hurt!

I can honestly say I haven't had a proper sore throat since I had my tonsils out. Maybe a day or two of scratchiness when I'm about to get a cold, but nothing like the agony that was tonsilities, so on reflection, I'd say it's worth doing. It's not pleasant for a couple of weeks, but you won't look back after that. There comes a point when your tonsils are so full of viruses they become a liability and have to come out.

I hope you feel better soon, it's such a misery.

beeper · 14/10/2008 16:56

No idea.....but I do know this.....if you have your tonsils out the next defense of the immune system is you lymphatic system, this is not desgined to be as effective as catching the infections as the tonsils, aslo... as the lymph system works harder there has been a connection to cancer in those who have had their tonsils out. Funnily enough my FIL had his out and has had two bouts of hodgekinsons.

There is a well respected pediatrican called Dr richard mehendleson who has written a book about raising children and he says the only indications for a tonsilectomy should be, if they are obstructing the airways, or if they are malignant.

I think that if you have been on endless rounds of anti biotics that you will keep getting infections 6 weeks after you finish the last lot. You need MEGA doses of Vitamin C and to never take anti biotics again. try looking into alternative remedies, I do know that the operation is very painful for recovery.

OhYouBadBadKitten · 14/10/2008 16:58

Similar experience to HeadFairy. Recovery wasn't very nice. I got a post-op infection and that was horrid.
But.....
It was so worth it in the end. It was 12 years ago and I've never had a sore throat as bad as tonsilitis since.

Original poster
mummy2olivia · 14/10/2008 17:02

Toast???!!!!! I hate toast when I have tonsillitis- it makes me gag cos its so scratchy.

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 14/10/2008 17:15

I know, they're evil aren't they? Making you eat scrunchy things! I couldn't believe it when they told me. My first post operative meal consisted of two ryvita ! Took hours to eat. Strangely enough, after about a week the scratchiness felt kind of nice, a bit like when you get a scratchy scab and you just can't resist itching it.

Beeper - that's a bit worrying. At the time I was so ill I would have taken anything and a tonsilectomy seemed such a good solution. I was more worried about lung infections as I suffered with loads of bronchitis when I was younger too, but luckily it didn't happen. My tonsils were huge and causing problems sleeping at night. I used to snore really loudly as they were getting in the way. It was all the after effects of a particularly nasty bout of glandular fever. I think it weakened my immune system for years.

Original poster
mummy2olivia · 14/10/2008 17:21

I snore cos mine are so massive!! They were actally bleeding yesterday and pus was actually coming out of them my breath stunk!

OP posts:
HeadFairy · 14/10/2008 17:25

God that sounds horrendous. I'd forgotten how bad it is (it's been 16 years since I had mine done) but I remember the big white ulcers I'd get on them. My voice changed quite a bit too, I'd sound a bit like I was on helium as my airway was slightly restricted. A bit like if you put pressure on your windpipe at the front of your throat and then try and talk, that's what i sounded like. Horrid!

judgenutmeg · 14/10/2008 17:29

I had mine out when I was 21. It was very painful for about a week afterwards but I haven't had a real sore throat since.

cocoleBOO · 14/10/2008 17:34

I'm having mine out in a couple of months, I'm 39, I glad to hear it really does seem to stop infections.

I'm not looking forward to it though

fishie · 14/10/2008 17:40

my friend had it done as an adult and she said it was worse than childbirth

how old are you? i used to get dreadful tonsillitis in my youth but have grown out of it (and given up smoking).

Original poster
mummy2olivia · 14/10/2008 18:03

Oh god cocole1 are you nervous??!! How often do you get it?

OP posts:
cocoleBOO · 14/10/2008 18:09

Very nervous, when I mention it to anyone they all go "Oh it's awful when you're an adult!" Yes, thanks for that!

I was getting 5 or 6 bouts a year, it's increasing every year. I work in a Special School so catch a lot of virus and I'm not allowed into work when ill, so I don't pass it around. But I nearly had to go to the Ed. board for taking time off .
My throat had been bad since April and during the Summer it ended up a strep infection and it got into my blood stream.

Fingers crossed the operation works .

saramoon · 14/10/2008 18:11

Yes, not nice at all. Had mine out when i was 20, a very long time ago and had same experience as everyone else on here. Was laughing acutally reading the messages as it took me back to it all. It is not nice. But you will feel sooooo much better after it all.
I used to get those massive white spots and be so ill all the time and now i rarely have a sore throat. just get them whipped out, give it two weeks and you'll be so glad you had it done.

Original poster
mummy2olivia · 14/10/2008 18:17

That is the thing that is worrying me the most- the time off work and the sick reviews I am getting for it. They can end up as disciplinary and that would really upset me.

DH thinks its wrong that I am thinking of having an op that carries a risk just because I'm scared of getting into trouble at work But it isnt just that- its the pain, the fact that when I have it I cant do anything except lie there. But that hasn't stopped DH wanting to batter my boss

OP posts:
cocoleBOO · 14/10/2008 18:20

I always feel such a fraud when I'm signing my back to work form and putting 'sore throat'. It's sounds so wimpy.

Original poster
mummy2olivia · 14/10/2008 18:43

Its not wimpy- it bloody hurts!!! I couldnt swallow my own saliva yesterday cos of the pain!

OP posts:
Anna8888 · 14/10/2008 18:46

I had my tonsils out aged 24, before children, because I had had recurrent tonsillitis throughout my teens and didn't want to risk getting it as an adult with work and caring responsibilities.

Not much to it, frankly, though you will need someone to take care of you for a while (and you need to live gently, as there is a real risk of haemmorage - I had one and it wasn't nice at all).

Orinoco · 14/10/2008 21:38

Message withdrawn

funkypumkin · 14/10/2008 21:47

I had mine out last year, operation was fine but the recovery was awful (I recovered from a c-section faster). It was truly awful, but I haven't had a sore throat since, now I get ear aches. Sorry, you probably don't want to hear that.

Tinker · 14/10/2008 21:48

I had mine out at 23. It's painful and I got an ear infection. I think you have to be quarantined for 2 weeks (might be one) But, it is worth it if you are forever getting tonsillitis.

Tinker · 14/10/2008 21:51

I still get sore throats though when I'm getting a cold.

MyPumpkinDsHappyHalloweenBday · 14/10/2008 22:10

I have had tonsilitis 3 times now in 6 weeks, literally as soon as it clears 10 days later its back again. Have had 3 lots of anti biotics and dr refering me to ENT, so may need mine out to at 37.

Plonker · 14/10/2008 22:15

The recovery from a tonsillectomy is hell!!

What no-body warned me about was the pain in your ears!, it was truly excrutiating! (and i gave birth to a 9lb5 baby without pain releif, lol).

Its done now, so i guess there's no point in having regrets, but i still get countless throat infections (although granted, they aren't as bad as tonsillitus) and in my situation, it really hasn't seemed worth it.

Sorry to give shite feedback

Orinoco · 14/10/2008 22:16

Message withdrawn

Sawyer64 · 14/10/2008 22:23

ii had my Tonsils out in 2002 aged 38. Dreaded it,having been a Theatre Nurse,i expected it to be difficult and painful as an Adult.

I had the op,was sitting eating toast and drinking tea within 2 hours.

I went home,took all the painkillers as recommended,was aware of a "sore-ish" throat,but definitely loads better than before.

Eventually over a week or so,"forgot" to take the painkillers,and so stopped them.

Now i never get a Sore Throat,just a "dry tickly" one.

Go for it!