Anyone had their tonsils removed as an adult?
Discussion
Had a horrific case of tonsilitis last year (5 days in hospital) and since then had continuous repeat cases every few months and generally been feeling run down for ages.
Had a consultation with an ENT specialist who took one look at my tonsils and said they need to be removed asap (apparently they are pretty cream crackered..). No probs, its just like going to the dentist right? Erm, no....
The surgeon told me its a simple procedure under general anaesthetic but that the recovery can be pretty brutal as an adult - 2 weeks off work and can be horrifically painful and generally pretty nasty. Done some reading around and some of the stories on the net aren't giving me a nice warm fuzzy feeling about this...
So, anyone had their tonsils removed as an adult? How bad was it? Any useful tips for recovery?
Cheers!
Had a consultation with an ENT specialist who took one look at my tonsils and said they need to be removed asap (apparently they are pretty cream crackered..). No probs, its just like going to the dentist right? Erm, no....
The surgeon told me its a simple procedure under general anaesthetic but that the recovery can be pretty brutal as an adult - 2 weeks off work and can be horrifically painful and generally pretty nasty. Done some reading around and some of the stories on the net aren't giving me a nice warm fuzzy feeling about this...
So, anyone had their tonsils removed as an adult? How bad was it? Any useful tips for recovery?
Cheers!
I was supposed to (or rather, was told that I should think about it) last October but decided not to on the basis that:
1) I've avoided a general anaesthetic in life thus far. To have something go horribly wrong over tonsils would be bloody annoying, particularly as I've recently become a dad.
2) I'm a bit of a wuss. It sounded painful.
3) I decided to treat the recurrent bouts of it as a sign that I ought to shift my life balance, start getting some exercise and build up my natural defences.
4) Your tonsils are there for a reason - to catch bugs on the way into your system.
My tonsils are a weak point, and if I get any infection it'll go straight there, but since last October I've managed to avoid any really serious recurrences. I was never hospitalised with it though - do you mind me asking how why specifically it put you into hospital?
1) I've avoided a general anaesthetic in life thus far. To have something go horribly wrong over tonsils would be bloody annoying, particularly as I've recently become a dad.
2) I'm a bit of a wuss. It sounded painful.
3) I decided to treat the recurrent bouts of it as a sign that I ought to shift my life balance, start getting some exercise and build up my natural defences.
4) Your tonsils are there for a reason - to catch bugs on the way into your system.
My tonsils are a weak point, and if I get any infection it'll go straight there, but since last October I've managed to avoid any really serious recurrences. I was never hospitalised with it though - do you mind me asking how why specifically it put you into hospital?
My sister had it done when she was 19. They were reluctant to start with because of her age but she was so poorly and having reactions to antibiotics that the doctors agreed (she also worked with children so she was vulnerable to continued flare ups)
It was the best thing she did, however she was very uncomfortable for the first few days. It didn't help that the pain relief meds they gave her to take were quite large tablets!
My sister does not have the highest of pain thresholds so this wasn't a great time for her but she has no regrets at all.
It was the best thing she did, however she was very uncomfortable for the first few days. It didn't help that the pain relief meds they gave her to take were quite large tablets!
My sister does not have the highest of pain thresholds so this wasn't a great time for her but she has no regrets at all.
You are on the internet, therefore you're bound to hear horror stories rather than the run-of-the-mill stuff.
I had mine done at 11 but I know two people who had it done at 16 and 20 respectively, and our experiences are all similar. Procedure is done, you're a bit tender for the first week, getting back to full health the second week.
I had mine done at 11 but I know two people who had it done at 16 and 20 respectively, and our experiences are all similar. Procedure is done, you're a bit tender for the first week, getting back to full health the second week.
Sounds like the first week will be pretty rough but hopefully the second week will be a good chance to catch up on some DVDs and generally take it easy.
Stuart - unfortunately this is all kinda my own fault. I'm a bit of a bloke in that I don't go to the doctor unless something is definitely broken or I'm bleeding. Last year I got what I thought was a case of man flu - was feeling pretty rough on a Thursday and my wife told me to go to the doctor on the Friday. Me being a hero I thought I'd be ok if I took it easy for the weekend and then back to work on Monday. By Sunday I was feeling dreadful and by Monday I was feeling the worst I have ever felt - the first time I have ever called my GP for a home visit as I couldn't make it to the surgery (my wife wanted to call an ambulance..!).
My GP took one look at me, gave me a massive b0llocking for not calling her before and drove me herself to hospital - had a 40.2C temperature, my tonsils were a mess and she told me later she was concerned I might have meningitis. Saw a specialist at the hospital who admitted me on the spot and I spent 5 days in a very nice hospital (I'm lucky as I have private insurance) getting IV antibiotics and painkillers and generally being very nicely looked after.
I recovered well but since then had a few more mild cases of tonsilitis and generally feeling rough. My ENT guy tells me my tonsils are basically continuously slightly infected which is sending signals to my body to try fight off an infection which is making me feel rough - I basically feel like I have a constant fever without actually having one.
I hate going for an op voluntarily but I'm at the point that I have to.
Stuart - unfortunately this is all kinda my own fault. I'm a bit of a bloke in that I don't go to the doctor unless something is definitely broken or I'm bleeding. Last year I got what I thought was a case of man flu - was feeling pretty rough on a Thursday and my wife told me to go to the doctor on the Friday. Me being a hero I thought I'd be ok if I took it easy for the weekend and then back to work on Monday. By Sunday I was feeling dreadful and by Monday I was feeling the worst I have ever felt - the first time I have ever called my GP for a home visit as I couldn't make it to the surgery (my wife wanted to call an ambulance..!).
My GP took one look at me, gave me a massive b0llocking for not calling her before and drove me herself to hospital - had a 40.2C temperature, my tonsils were a mess and she told me later she was concerned I might have meningitis. Saw a specialist at the hospital who admitted me on the spot and I spent 5 days in a very nice hospital (I'm lucky as I have private insurance) getting IV antibiotics and painkillers and generally being very nicely looked after.
I recovered well but since then had a few more mild cases of tonsilitis and generally feeling rough. My ENT guy tells me my tonsils are basically continuously slightly infected which is sending signals to my body to try fight off an infection which is making me feel rough - I basically feel like I have a constant fever without actually having one.
I hate going for an op voluntarily but I'm at the point that I have to.
Erik997 said:
I recovered well but since then had a few more mild cases of tonsilitis and generally feeling rough. My ENT guy tells me my tonsils are basically continuously slightly infected which is sending signals to my body to try fight off an infection which is making me feel rough - I basically feel like I have a constant fever without actually having one.
I hate going for an op voluntarily but I'm at the point that I have to.
I had a similar verdict from my ENT (you're not being treated in SW London are you? We might be seeing the same BUPA consultant). I hate going for an op voluntarily but I'm at the point that I have to.
What he did suggest though was using this for about three months.
http://www.boots.com/en/Sterimar--Hypertonic_85183...
As he suspected that my recurrent sore throats might be caused by a drip from the back of my nose. Not sure in the end if it was this or just a concerted attempt to boost my immune system through excercise and a better diet which worked, but it did seem to give my tonsils the break they needed to recover and, touch wood, I haven't had the same problems to anywhere near the same extent this year.
Stuart said:
I had a similar verdict from my ENT (you're not being treated in SW London are you? We might be seeing the same BUPA consultant).
What he did suggest though was using this for about three months.
http://www.boots.com/en/Sterimar--Hypertonic_85183...
As he suspected that my recurrent sore throats might be caused by a drip from the back of my nose. Not sure in the end if it was this or just a concerted attempt to boost my immune system through excercise and a better diet which worked, but it did seem to give my tonsils the break they needed to recover and, touch wood, I haven't had the same problems to anywhere near the same extent this year.
I ended up at the Parkside Hospital in Wimbledon but this time will be having the op in Harrow where my ENT guy is now based. I've had sinus problems before (had a septoplasty before) so my ENT guy thinks its all related.What he did suggest though was using this for about three months.
http://www.boots.com/en/Sterimar--Hypertonic_85183...
As he suspected that my recurrent sore throats might be caused by a drip from the back of my nose. Not sure in the end if it was this or just a concerted attempt to boost my immune system through excercise and a better diet which worked, but it did seem to give my tonsils the break they needed to recover and, touch wood, I haven't had the same problems to anywhere near the same extent this year.
I'm generally very fit and healthy (a big rower) so being ill is making me generally miserable - haven't been able to exercise properly for 3/4 months and I don't like continuously being given antibiotics. I think a week of pain will be worth it if it finally fixes the problem.
Erik997 said:
I ended up at the Parkside Hospital in Wimbledon but this time will be having the op in Harrow where my ENT guy is now based. I've had sinus problems before (had a septoplasty before) so my ENT guy thinks its all related.
I'm generally very fit and healthy (a big rower) so being ill is making me generally miserable - haven't been able to exercise properly for 3/4 months and I don't like continuously being given antibiotics. I think a week of pain will be worth it if it finally fixes the problem.
You haven't by any chance seen Tony Hinton at Parkside? He was supposed to be doing my surgery, but I'd elected to have it at the New Victoria as it is a slightly closer hospital.I'm generally very fit and healthy (a big rower) so being ill is making me generally miserable - haven't been able to exercise properly for 3/4 months and I don't like continuously being given antibiotics. I think a week of pain will be worth it if it finally fixes the problem.
Good luck with the surgery. I'd be intrigued to know how you get on as I haven't yet ruled it out if I slip back into regular bouts of it. Tonsilitis is a bloody horrible thing to have to endure regularly.
Stuart said:
You haven't by any chance seen Tony Hinton at Parkside? He was supposed to be doing my surgery, but I'd elected to have it at the New Victoria as it is a slightly closer hospital.
Good luck with the surgery. I'd be intrigued to know how you get on as I haven't yet ruled it out if I slip back into regular bouts of it. Tonsilitis is a bloody horrible thing to have to endure regularly.
No, it wasn't Tony Hinton. Will let you know how I get on (booked in for next Tuesday)...!Good luck with the surgery. I'd be intrigued to know how you get on as I haven't yet ruled it out if I slip back into regular bouts of it. Tonsilitis is a bloody horrible thing to have to endure regularly.
Erik997 said:
Stuart said:
I had a similar verdict from my ENT (you're not being treated in SW London are you? We might be seeing the same BUPA consultant).
What he did suggest though was using this for about three months.
http://www.boots.com/en/Sterimar--Hypertonic_85183...
As he suspected that my recurrent sore throats might be caused by a drip from the back of my nose. Not sure in the end if it was this or just a concerted attempt to boost my immune system through excercise and a better diet which worked, but it did seem to give my tonsils the break they needed to recover and, touch wood, I haven't had the same problems to anywhere near the same extent this year.
I ended up at the Parkside Hospital in Wimbledon but this time will be having the op in Harrow where my ENT guy is now based. I've had sinus problems before (had a septoplasty before) so my ENT guy thinks its all related.What he did suggest though was using this for about three months.
http://www.boots.com/en/Sterimar--Hypertonic_85183...
As he suspected that my recurrent sore throats might be caused by a drip from the back of my nose. Not sure in the end if it was this or just a concerted attempt to boost my immune system through excercise and a better diet which worked, but it did seem to give my tonsils the break they needed to recover and, touch wood, I haven't had the same problems to anywhere near the same extent this year.
I'm generally very fit and healthy (a big rower) so being ill is making me generally miserable - haven't been able to exercise properly for 3/4 months and I don't like continuously being given antibiotics. I think a week of pain will be worth it if it finally fixes the problem.
T84 said:
Don't do it, it's the first time I've ever cried with pain, I had to take 60mg of codeine just so that I could swallow water with slightly less excruciating pain than without. I was 25 at the time.
But what about the long term. Was it worth it for you. It was agony for my sister but she is still glad she had it done. A couple of weeks of pain for the long term relief was worth it to her, she was constantly ill beforehand.Had my tonsils out when I was 4 years old at the children's hospital. All I can remember painwise was waking up with a sore throat on the morning before the op, due to some medicine I had to swallow the night before.
Still, at least I got to eat ice cream for breakfast to sooth the pain.
Now, the lad in the bed opposite me was in for a circumcision. All went well for him until the dressing slipped in the night and his todger stuck fast to his pyjamas.
The next morning I had a ringside seat in the bed opposite, watching the nurse try to get him to the bathroom.
I can still remember thinking, 'ooh, I bet that smarts a bit'. Each pace he tried to take was followed by screams of pain.
Double whammy for him though. I think it was about that time they came round with the ice creams, so he didn't get his.
Mine were nice thoughh. Nom nom.
Still, at least I got to eat ice cream for breakfast to sooth the pain.
Now, the lad in the bed opposite me was in for a circumcision. All went well for him until the dressing slipped in the night and his todger stuck fast to his pyjamas.
The next morning I had a ringside seat in the bed opposite, watching the nurse try to get him to the bathroom.
I can still remember thinking, 'ooh, I bet that smarts a bit'. Each pace he tried to take was followed by screams of pain.
Double whammy for him though. I think it was about that time they came round with the ice creams, so he didn't get his.
Mine were nice thoughh. Nom nom.
I had mine out when I was about 20. I used to get tonsillitis once a month and finally the Dr said 'why don't we just take them out', and that's what happened. I had my op in the afternoon and as i had been nil by mouth for many hours before, I did actually eat dinner about 2 hours after my op.
The day after however was when the pain kicked in. I won't lie, it hurt like hell. Eating ice cream didn't help either, it just hurt no matter what I tried to eat, it was the swallowing action that caused the pain, not necessarily the food itself.
Was it worth the aggro? Yep, absolutely. It's a couple of days worth of being in some quite horrible discomfort, then it all gets easier. No tonsillitis ever again, and in my experience, I don't get ill more frequently than when I had them. I found it well worth having done.
The day after however was when the pain kicked in. I won't lie, it hurt like hell. Eating ice cream didn't help either, it just hurt no matter what I tried to eat, it was the swallowing action that caused the pain, not necessarily the food itself.
Was it worth the aggro? Yep, absolutely. It's a couple of days worth of being in some quite horrible discomfort, then it all gets easier. No tonsillitis ever again, and in my experience, I don't get ill more frequently than when I had them. I found it well worth having done.
Thought I'd update this as now had my tonsils removed just over 3 weeks ago. Was warned by a lot of people that having a tonsillectomy as an adult is a nightmare and a very unpleasant recovery but had to get mine removed as constantly getting tonsilitis.
Operation itself was simple and no probs - home the following day and for the next 3/4 days felt pretty ok - constantly taking heavy duty painkillers and able to eat some basic food - basically felt like having tonsilitis. However, days 5/8 were a disaster - horrific ear, tooth and throat pain and I literally didn't sleep more than 30 mins at a time and survived on chocolate milk and Ribena for 3 days. Definitely the worst pain I've ever had and a very miserable time.
Now three weeks later I've been given the all clear apart from a minor infection in my throat which has moved into my chest giving me a hacking cough. I did hear a 28 year old woman who had her tonsils removed at the same hospital on the same day as me had a major complication with bleeding after 4 days and ended up back in hospital on morphine for 5 days...
All in all it was pretty miserable but I had an amazing surgeon and hopefully the longer term benefits are worth it. On the plus side I did also lose over a stone in two weeks...!
For anyone about to get it done or considering it, go for it..
Operation itself was simple and no probs - home the following day and for the next 3/4 days felt pretty ok - constantly taking heavy duty painkillers and able to eat some basic food - basically felt like having tonsilitis. However, days 5/8 were a disaster - horrific ear, tooth and throat pain and I literally didn't sleep more than 30 mins at a time and survived on chocolate milk and Ribena for 3 days. Definitely the worst pain I've ever had and a very miserable time.
Now three weeks later I've been given the all clear apart from a minor infection in my throat which has moved into my chest giving me a hacking cough. I did hear a 28 year old woman who had her tonsils removed at the same hospital on the same day as me had a major complication with bleeding after 4 days and ended up back in hospital on morphine for 5 days...
All in all it was pretty miserable but I had an amazing surgeon and hopefully the longer term benefits are worth it. On the plus side I did also lose over a stone in two weeks...!
For anyone about to get it done or considering it, go for it..
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