General Chat

It was over fifty years ago I had mine out,along with just about everybody else in my class.

The one thing nobody warned us about was the fact that they do bleed a bit afterwards and it drips into your stomach.Mine did anyway.

This caused sudden vomiting. I can remember being in the middle of the ward playing when it was about to happen. Luckily a passing nurse was holding a bed pan.

I had to stay in an extra week because my temperature would not go down.Eventually they decided it would stay where it was anyway.Must just be hot blooded I suppose.Could explain a lot!

thanks everyone, off to see consultant on Monday so will see what he says

Had mine out in 1947 when I was 6. I do get sore throats but mild ones with a cold.

OH used to suffer badly with tonsillitis, when he was in his early 20s and in the R Navy he was told, the next bout of tonsillitis, out come the tonsils. He never had another bout. (to my knowledge!) He has still got them and they don't seem to give him any trouble (he is 72 now!)

well, seen the consultant, he says its up to me! kind of hoping he would tell me what to do. Apparently not so bad that he would say I must have them taken out, but not so good that he thinks its not worth it. Need 2 weeks off work and apparently pain v bad for at least a week, so need to weigh it up. He did say that often tonsillitis gets worse / more frequent after having a baby but that by the time little one is 5 or 6 it settles down again, not sure I can wait that long. Thanks to everyone for their responses, just need to make a decision now!

Quick update. Had tonsils out on 16th May, was warned that pain would get worse for first week then gradually better. Was manageable (on painkillers) for first few days, then got pretty bad, especially referred pain in ears. Finally had a day free of painkillers yesterday (so 12 days after the op). Had small amount of bleeding (oozing really) 9 days after op as a couging fit dislodged some of the "scab", but nothing major. It remains to be seen how well I feel now I am without them, I guess the test will be next winter. According to consultant they were "full of muck" so probably better out than in. Helen

Helen
It's good to see that you are recovering well from your op. and the pain is now decreasing.
It sounds as if the tonsils were doing you more harm than good, so probably your health will be much better next winter.
I hope so.


Gwyn

Better out than in Helen.My son's tonsils were some of the worst his consultant had seen.Whipped them out and he has not had a bad throat since.
I'm sure you will know you made the right decision.

Expert opinion about tonsillectomy has never been in agreement. ;)

I had constant tonsillitis as a child in the 50s, but our paediatrician didn't believe in it.

At 21, in my first year of law school, I came out of a long bout of bronchitis only to get, as my doctor said, the pusiest tonsils he'd seen that month. So I had them out after finals. Coming after a year of torts class and cases in which people died after tonsillectomies, the idea prompted me to write a will first.

I guess I haven't had tonsillitis since, but the twice yearly ear infections continued for years, until a friend introduced me to peroxide: a little drop in each ear periodically (and especially when I have a cold), and I haven't had an ear infection in 20 years.

Anyway, after having mine out, I didn't follow doctors instructions to take life very easy. In the week after the surgery, I travelled several hours by train to spend a few days fighting with my boyfriend, then another couple of hours to home where I painted my bedroom.

The next night I haemorraged when the blood clot dislodged (causing the nurse in the emergency room to say, when it finally made its appearance after I'd been convinced I was going to choke; large thing, it was: "oh, there really is something wrong with you" ...) and was hospitalized again for two days.

Moral of story -- take it easy!!! until the healing is complete.

Glad you are getting over the op Helen but do take it easy, any operation takes it out of you. I hope it will prove to be the answer to your health problems.

Hi Helen ,tonsils are the first line of defence against bugs and deseases,and are NOT now normally removed unless they give a lot of trouble.
Mine wer removed whilst i was in the airforce ,in the persian gulf.because they became badly infected and i had a temperature of 102f .
I still get the odd sore throat ,yes ,and don't forget ,the doctor should tell you ,they CAN grow back,though thankfully ,mine never did.Fred :-)

thanks everyone for your well wishes, back to work tomorrow, Helen