Tonsils Removed

I had my tonsils removed when I was 22 years old. I too had the same problems. I would get white balls on my tonsils, and my tonsils/adnoids were so big I could hardly swallow. I also got strep 3-4 times a year. It was horrible. The recovery was not as bad as everyone told me it would be. I slept a lot for the first 3 days and could eat broth, popsicles, ice cream, ect. After a week or so I was eating softer solids. Since I had them out, I have not had strep or any problems. It has been great.

I had my tonsils removed last summer. It took me 2 weeks to get over. I will say though, I had a sore throat 3 to 4 times a month, with my tonsils which were constantly huge. Now, it has been almost a year and I have only had 1 sore throat. It was the best thing that I could have done.

Hi Liche,

Here is a web site that talks about your annoyance with your throat:

www.doctors/lounge.com/primary/forums/back up/top/

It talks about having your sinuses check or your ears tubes could be blocked.

Go to a Lymph Drainage Massage Therapist and have the lymph drainage done to your face and head and see if that will help clean up your troubles.

Good luck. Hope this helps. D.

Hi!

Having tonsils removed as an adult is definitely a different recovery than when you're a child.

I had my tonsils removed when I was 20 as I had tonsilitis with fever several times in one year. Yes, when you wake up from recovery, it does hurt a LOT. The doctor told me "you'll be in pain for about 11 days" and while I thought that specific number was odd, she was absolutely right. I didn't eat much at all for the first 5 days--just would drink as much water as I could the minute the percoset kicked in. After day 6-9 I ate chocolate pudding. I tried other things--apple sauce, thin mashed potatoes, ice cream--nothing felt good but the pudding. By days 10 and 11 I could eat the other things I listed above, and after day 11--was back to normal.

I would go see your GP and then get a referral to an ENT, they'll help you make the decision.

I had my tonsils out at age 14, and while the surgery itself was a piece of cake, the recovery was lengthy and painful. It's fustrating not being able to eat because it hurts the throat! I have heard that the older you are, the more painful it is, but I don't know if that's true or not. However, after having them removed, I felt better in the long run, as I was getting strep throat once or twice a month before that. I'm 34 now and have had strep throat only about three times since then! So, go for it, but get some help for the first few days and expect some pain.

Liche,

I highly recommend the procedure. It is painful and it takes about 2 weeks to recover (for an adult). I had mine removed in MAR for the same reason (only I also kept getting strep throat, as the tonsil crypts were trapping the strep virus). Talk to the doctor about any misgivings you may have and be sure to have a lot of help nearby for those boys after the surgery. The doctor told me I couldn't drive as long as I was on the pain meds and I needed them for the full 2 weeks plus a few days.

Good luck,

K.

Ug -- They are called tonsil stones. I get them too. I asked my doctor if I could get my tonsils removed (b/c they annoy me so much) and he did not recomend the surgery -- Too much of a risk considering that my tonsils are otherwise healthy.

I bought an irrigation syringe (you can buy them online or ask your dentist for one). It's just a curved syringe that you fill with water and then skirt in the little pockets where the little while balls form and it cleans out the area. I've also used a water pic, but I find that the pressure is a little high and it can hurt. Good luck.

I had my tonsils removed as an adult and it was the most horrible experience of my life. Giving birth my daughter was cake compared to the recovery for the tonsilectomy. It was very painful.. I couldnt eat for 2 weeks, and I had horrible mucuous constantly in my throat. Also the forming of the scar tissue back there made me always feel like I had sand back there. When kids have their tonsils out, its much easier for them. They are back to normal in a few days. It was a good 2 weeks before I could eat again and another week before I felt normal again.
I suggest not getting this done.. do your tonsils always hurt? The white patches do not necessarily mean your tonsils have to come out. Here is a link about white patches in the throat:

http://www.mothernature.com/Library/Bookshelf/Books/16/22...

They are called tonsilloliths and you can look them up on the internet... I find I get them more during the pollen seasons and just clean out my tonsils regularly... They are annoying don't seem to be hearmful- if you have seen a change- you should consider making an ENT appt to have them checked out...

I had my tonsils removed at age 18 and was told(back then..I am double that age now and things could have changed..there were no lasers and new techniques that are available now) that after age 18 a tonsilectomy is tougher to bounce back from...but my twin sister and I had the surgery at the same time. I bounced back just fine while she couldn't talk for a week and had a much longer recovery. Bottom line is..everyone is different in how they respond to the healing process and the anesthetic. Just be as healthy as possible going into it and have a postive attitude...that always helps any situation:) Good luck to you.
Blessings,
L.

I had my tonsils removed about 8 yrs ago when I was 23. Yeah, it hurt after the operation....real bad. I was pretty much out the whole week from work. I took pain killers the whole week and just slept. I couldn't eat, just a sip of ginger ale or a nibble of apple sauce. I lost about 10 pounds, but I gained it all back when I started eating. After the week, I got a lot better and started eating real slowly at first, my throat was still a bit sore. I heard they have a less invasive way of removing them now, but not sure...ask your doctor. Good luck.

As an adult, it is a more serious thing to do than when you are a child. I have wanted my tonsils out, but any doctor I had spoke to about it a few years back...all said they wouldn't because of my age (in my early 20's at the time). I had strep throat a lot when I was growing up, and have sinse moved from the area I grew up in. Strangely, I stopped getting strep. I believe it had something to do with my reaction to where I lived or something. But anyways, because my tonsils were so sick so much, I have what is called criptic tonsils. I wonder if maybe that is what you are discovering about your own. You may want to do a search on that and read up on it. Otherwise, it also may sound like just being sick. You can get what looks like what you are describing that can be from strep, or even just drainage or whatever from having a cold or sinus issues. So, maybe just a bit of research, or speaking to a doctor about what is going on, might help you out and understand, so that maybe something drastic as removing them wont be necessary.
K.

They are called tonsiloliths and I believe they are food remnants and I agree disgusting. I dig around back there almost daily. My husband had his tonsils removed a few years ago and he said it was the most painful surgery he's ever had. we have pictures of the back of his mouth afterwards and I guess they use lasers now because it was all black and charred looking. He's also had prk for his eyes and knee surgery but he said tonsils were the worst. I did some research on this topic and found that lots of people use a water pik for the removal of the "rocks", I suppose it's a less invasive alternative to using this little metal tool I've been using. I don't think it took very long for him to recover, maybe a week. I dont' remember, he would probably tell you months cause he's a baby but I'm sure he did not miss much work. Hope it helps.

I also have had the little "balls" from the back of my throat. Do yours come out and smell really bad? Mine seem to come only from one side (came from both sides when I was a kid). I don't have too many sore throats so I have never thought of having my tonsils removed for this reason. I had a terrible case of tonsillitis when I was 24 which landed me in the hospital for a week. The ENT talked about possibly removing them after the infection cleared but warned that it was much more painful to have done as an adult (my mother agreed with this as she had hers out at 20). I would talk to your physician and see what the average recovery time is and also if this is the only treatment avalible.

Liche,
I would first find out what is causing the white/yellowish balls because you may get your tonsils removed but the balls may move to somewhere else in the throat area. My son had his tonsils removed b/c they were so inflamed and large per my doctor. His symptoms persisted only to find out it was due to peanut and soy allergies irritating his tonsils (and of course the rest of his body). You may have a food allergy or intolerance since food does pass by that area. Something to think about before painful surgery. I'd say see an allergist first or get a second opinion. A.

Hello,
I just had my tonsils removed 2 weeks ago. I have always heard that the older you are the harder it is. I am 27 and it was pretty tough. My tonsils would flare up once a year at the same time, but this year it was very bad. There is a new way that they use to take out your tonsils now. Instead of cutting your tonsils out, they shave them down. Your recovery is much easier with this new technique. I had to eat soft things (jello, ice cream, etc.) for 12 days. I am still talking funny after 15 days. They do recommed that you take 2-3 weeks off work after the surgery. I have 2 small children and I had to have help with them for about 7 days. I have to say that the worst part for me was the pain in my ears. This is very common though. Just make sure you drink ALOT of fluids. Good luck!!

You do not mention how old you are but I had my tonsils removed when I was about 23 or 24 (I am now 34). I got my tonsils removed because I had always had constant problems with sore throats and as you mentioned my tonsils were very large with white/yellow puss marks. I would constantly have strep throat and have to take antibiotics, my tonsils seemed to work against me instead of helping my body. I had heard from several people that the surgery is harder if you get it done when you are older vice younger. I personally had a hard time with the surgery and recovery took longer than I had expected. They say kids are fine within a couple of days, it defintely took me 2 - 3 weeks before I was feeling well and eating well. But please do not let this discourage you, this was just my personal experience I am sure not everyone has a hard time with the surgery/recovery. In retrospect I am extremly glad I had it done. I am not going to say I never have sore throats any more but they are considerably less frequent and lesss severe. The only thing I wish is that I had gotten it done when I was much younger.

Hello, I am 34 years old now and I had my tonsils removed September 1994 when I was 20 years old. I found out they needed to come out when I was processing for the military. My primary physician told me they needed to come out. He gave me some anti-biotics to get rid of the swelling and, a referral to an in-and-out clinic in Maryland (I believe it was Laurel or Lanham). When the surgeon's team examined me, they had discovered I had been suffering from tonsilitis since about the age of 14. Wow. They ran many tests on me and explained the procedure repeatedly in detail. They made me very comfortable and safe. They used laser technology to remove them. The dr.'S said lasers resulted in swifter, more precise procedures and, there was less bleeding and pain afterwards. The were right. I stayed in a recovery room for a couple of hours after the surgery. The nurse checked on me and gave me some pink stuff to drink. I tasted like candy. My mom was with me the entire time. She drove me to my sister's house so I can recover. I had to take the tylenol elixcir with coedine for one week following surgery. I was not encouraged to speak-only to swollow. Swollowing was to strengthen the muscles of the throat. I was pretty much sleep for one week. The medication made me sleepy. I lost a lot of weight. Well, as I said, I'm 34 years old now and since I got my tonsils out I have been able to lye down and sleep instead of sit up, my ears do not itch excessively, my nose doesn't sound like I'm pinching it when I speak, my headaches aren't frequent, I can taste and smell a whole lot better....so many wonderful things you know. My advice is for you to check with your physician and make the decision that will be best for you. I felt like I had the flu ALL of the time for about 5 years--MISERABLE!! Now, I can't help but to wonder what, if any, other underlying ailments I may have due to my bad tonsils; and, the fact they they were bad and rotting away for so many years. Oh, let me say this also, the surgeon told me and my mom that after they examined my tonsils in the lab (after removal) that they were much worse than he thought. He went on to tell my mom that he honestly didn't know how I was functioning. That made me cry. I was a teenager and ubder/in the care of my parents. They did not take heed to my health. I cried because I was angry, dissappointed and realized that if my parents didn't look after me then no one else will. It was a lonely feeling too. Anyway, other heath problems you have may stem from your bad tonsils and you may not be aware of that. I wasn't. I thought for a long time it was all puberty!!! Lol!! I though wow, this is a mess..glad I only have to go through it one time! Lol. Well, good luck and remember, you must keep yourself healthy if you are to take care and look after others as well. Do your research and talk to your dr. I remember something...the cost of the surgery was $3,000.00. I was still on my father's blue cross blu shield insurance because I was in school. The surgery was considered an emergency so insurance paid all of the bill. WOW! Luckee! you have to get them taken out. They are poisoning your body and you can pass the germs to your loved ones. My mom is 53 years old. She still has her tonsils but they flare of every once and again to the point where her throat is almost completely closed-she can barely breath. Good luck. Take care.

Based upon how my son did with having his tonsils removed at 5yr. I would say yes, it hurts. You will be in pain for at least a week afterwards. It is surgery and I would not do it unless a doctor advises it. Advising it and consenting to your suggestion are not the same thing

Yest having your tonsils out will hurt. However, the recovery time is and pain should go away in about 2/3 days. You get to eat a lot of jello, soup, and ice pops. Also, the doctor should give you some strong pain meds. that will make you tired, so you will sleep for a couple hours (at least) after yo take one. Everyone is different. This is what happen when my sister (25 years old) had her tonsils out.

T. Thompson
The MOM Team, Helping Moms Work From Home
www.cheerforyourfuture.com

Dear Liche - I had my tonsils removed at 14; my older daughter had hers removed at 19. Yes - it hurts. Everyone is different, but you should plan on laying low for a few days, at least. Have you tried gargling with Listerine? Surgery sounds a bit drastic if you are not having trouble with infections or swallowing. Good luck. N. B.

Yep. It's gonna hurt! I went for a consult about two years ago. The doctor stressed that it was going to hurt a lot. But, that he'd give me pain meds and I would be fine. He did, however, tell me that I would be out of commission for about ten days and wouldn't be able to care for my children alone. Then, he said, "OK, let's get you scheduled for surgery next week." Um, yeah, OK! Did it occur to you, doc, that that just might not be possible? My two year old is sleeping on top of me as you examine me. My infant is sleeping in his car seat right next to me. Maybe, just maybe, being out of comission for 10 days isn't an option! When I mentioned that I couldn't do surgery right away anyway because I was breastfeeding my baby, he actually suggested that I just pump enough milk for 10 days and then pump and dumo after the surgery! Hilarious!

Anyway...here we are nearly two years later. I haven't had it done yet. But, I'm hoping to schedule it soon. I figure it's the only way I'll ever get a a 10 day vacation!

Good luck to you! Make sure you have a lot of help after the surgery!