S/O Tonsils

[Deleted]

App users:

Do you still have your tonsils?

Yes
No
Had them removed but they grew back
Some other weird answer

[Deleted]

I still have mine and I think they are very happy living in my throat. I have had tonsillitis twice in my life (age 20 and 32) and get other sicknesses pretty rarely so I have no reason to go through the surgery at this point in my life.

DH's whole family has had their removed because his mom was, unknowingly, a carrier monkey and kept giving her kids illnesses. She was in her 30's when the doctor told her that she was having tonsil issues (they were completely covered in scar tissue from having tonsillitis so many times) and she never knew. I'm not sure how she missed it, but she did.

[jillboston]

I have the biggest tonsils in the whole wide world. My dental hygienist wonders how I eat. I even had tonsilitis as a kid and they still didn't come out (there was a period in the 70's I think when they decided to leave them in).

[elcjet]

I still have mine. They are cryptic and annoying and every time I see my dentist, he always asks, "did your Dr. ever discuss having your tonsils out as a kid?" Um, no....hence here they are.

I get a lot of colds, but I blame that on having 2 young kids in daycare and not sleeping enough. It'll take more than tonsil stones to get me to take them out, I think.

[Susie]

I still have tonsils, an appendix, and 4 wisdom teeth.

[msmerymac]

I had them removed when I was 10 or 11 (and had my adenoids removed when I had tubes put in my ears for the second time at age 4). The criteria at the time for qualifying for removal was 6 instances of tonsillitis or strep throat in a 24 month period, and I had it 8 times in 18 months. I haven't had strep throat since (it's technically possible, but less likely).

[Pom]

Jul 31, 2014 12:44:09 GMT -5 Susie said:

I still have tonsils, an appendix, and 4 wisdom teeth.

Me too.

I always thought they'd yank my tonsils.  I had endless drama as a kid.

[Deleted]

My niece and both of my nephews had theirs out before the age of 3. So far DS1 has had strep once and none of the others have had it at all. I am hoping the bad genetics stayed away from my kids. DD1 has never had strep of tonsillitis but her tonsils are so big that her uvula sticks to them. It is sort of gross to look at. Luckily, it is inside her mouth and I don't look around in there very often.

[orangeblossom]

I do have mine, but they were supposed to be taken out. I had a fever pre-op and they canceled the surgery. They observed for a bit, and I eventually outgrew the constant strep at that time. However, I wish they would have taken them, as I still have issues now, that probably would be better sans tonsils.

[WinterWine]

I had mine out at 24. I guess my Mom asked to have them taken out when I was a kiddo and the doctor didn't want to do it. Instead I had nonstop strep for years. Not sure if shitty tonsils are genetic but if so I'll have my kiddo's removed when it's less painful.

I remember being so jealous of all my preschool classmates that had theirs removed and were living in ice cream heaven...

[starlily]

I still have mine. I came close to needing an emergency tonsillectomy last year after developing a gnarly abscess, but a change in antibiotics finally did the job. The ENT didn't recommend removal afterwards since I dint have a history of frequent throat infections.

[Willis Jackson]

THEY CAN GROW BACK?

[pattieice]

I had tonsillitis and strep throat more times than I can remember as a kid. I had my tonsils and adenoids removed at 11 or 12. Never had a single case of either illness after that.

My grandmother was an Army nurse during WWII. Before my surgery we found a nursing text book from the early 40's and for whatever reason looked up enlarged adenoids. I remember it said something to the effect of having large adenoids is a sign of stupidity. Which my family still likes to tease me about.

[Deleted]

Jul 31, 2014 13:25:17 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

THEY CAN GROW BACK?

This happened to my dad. Well, his adenoids, not his tonsils.

[grover]

My tonsils and adenoids were removed in either kindergarten or first grade. It was supposed to be only tonsils but the bleeding wouldn't stop or something. Oh, and they were taken out due to chronic ear infections. I'm not sure why they didn't try tubes first, but after removal I pretty much had no more ear infections until last year.

[Velvetshady]

Jul 31, 2014 13:25:17 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

THEY CAN GROW BACK?

My grandmother allegedly had her appendix removed twice--well surgery to remove it twice. No one is sure what was actually removed during the first surgery and her appendix burst as she was opened up for the second surgery to remove it (so I guess she had surgery to remove it twice and yet never actually got it removed?).

[UnderProtest]

Nope. Gone several years ago. I'm knocking through the list of expendable organs, tonsils, gallbladder, appendix. I'm not sure what's left to remove.

[babsbunny]

My great aunt had hers out when she was over 75, so we all have hope of a few days off from work and doctor's orders of lots of ice cream.

[crashgizmo]

I had tonsils and adenoids out in first grade. I remember I got a Popples stickerbook and lots of ice cream.

[midnightmare81]

Jul 31, 2014 12:16:40 GMT -5 jillboston said:

I have the biggest tonsils in the whole wide world. My dental hygienist wonders how I eat. I even had tonsilitis as a kid and they still didn't come out (there was a period in the 70's I think when they decided to leave them in).

I might be able to give you a run for your money. I had a doctor ask me once how I breathe when I'm not sick  I actually do have to go to the doctor every time I get even just a cold because my tonsils swell and block off my airway and need steroids.

I had strep/tonsillitis for 2 months straight as a kid, in addition to all the other times it actually responded to treatment the first time. It got to the point I got so used to my throat hurting that my mom wouldn't even know I was sick. She would just bring me in for something else and my doctor would realize my throat was so excessively swollen she had to test and it would be positive. It wasn't until I got HF&M (I only got the mouth, and I got it BAD) and I insisted on downing pizza goldfish on the way to the doc that my mom stopped feeling guilty that she didn't notice I was sick.

Normally in a case like mine they would have been removed very young, but I was born with an severe immune deficiency. They figured that at least they knew where the shit was settling and it was easy to fix. They worried where the shit would end up if they took them out. So I got to keep the little fuckers.

I dream of getting them out often, but hearing how much it hurts as an adult stops me. I don't get sick that often anymore thankfully!

One thing that fascinates me is that on most people you can't see them. Since I don't spend much time looking down peoples throats, I never realized mine were abnormal until H mentioned the only surgery he had was for his broken wrist. I really thought he didn't have his tonsils!

[Deleted]

Jul 31, 2014 13:25:17 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

THEY CAN GROW BACK?

www.akronchildrens.org/cms/kidshealth/84e250abecec7713/


This happened to my neighbor. :? When they grew back he didn't have trouble with them so he hasn't had them removed.  Sorry it this causes nightmares.  

[jewel]

Jul 31, 2014 13:25:17 GMT -5 Willis Jackson said:

THEY CAN GROW BACK?

My brother had his removed, and they grew back within a year. The ENT said that the typical protocol is to remove about 99% of the tonsil, because the surgery is much less risky and recovery is easier. For most people, this works, but for a select few, the tonsil will regenerate from this little piece that's left. That's my layperson understanding, at least, and he definitely has (huge, streppy) tonsils again.

[jillboston]

Jul 31, 2014 21:09:31 GMT -5 midnightmare81 said:

Jul 31, 2014 12:16:40 GMT -5 jillboston said:

I have the biggest tonsils in the whole wide world. My dental hygienist wonders how I eat. I even had tonsilitis as a kid and they still didn't come out (there was a period in the 70's I think when they decided to leave them in).

I might be able to give you a run for your money. I had a doctor ask me once how I breathe when I'm not sick  I actually do have to go to the doctor every time I get even just a cold because my tonsils swell and block off my airway and need steroids.

I had strep/tonsillitis for 2 months straight as a kid, in addition to all the other times it actually responded to treatment the first time. It got to the point I got so used to my throat hurting that my mom wouldn't even know I was sick. She would just bring me in for something else and my doctor would realize my throat was so excessively swollen she had to test and it would be positive. It wasn't until I got HF&M (I only got the mouth, and I got it BAD) and I insisted on downing pizza goldfish on the way to the doc that my mom stopped feeling guilty that she didn't notice I was sick.

Normally in a case like mine they would have been removed very young, but I was born with an severe immune deficiency. They figured that at least they knew where the shit was settling and it was easy to fix. They worried where the shit would end up if they took them out. So I got to keep the little fuckers.

I dream of getting them out often, but hearing how much it hurts as an adult stops me. I don't get sick that often anymore thankfully!

One thing that fascinates me is that on most people you can't see them. Since I don't spend much time looking down peoples throats, I never realized mine were abnormal until H mentioned the only surgery he had was for his broken wrist. I really thought he didn't have his tonsils!

Oh my goodness!! my sympathies to you. Sounds awful. I don't really get sick anymore either. Maybe it's because of the big tonsils? IDK

[UnderProtest]

Jul 31, 2014 21:05:09 GMT -5 @juno said:

I wish. Tonsil stones suck. But I've read they can also be a trap for nasties that would otherwise make you sick, so maybe it's worth it. I dunno.

Its worth it.  That was all that was wrong with me and I choose to have them out.  It was a painful recovery, but totally worth it.

[pooh8402]

Nope. Had them removed when I was 6. I stopped getting ear infections after that. Mom said it was the best thing ever for me and my middle sister.

[Norticprincess]

Yes

Even my mother was surprised I still had them. I think she confused her kids with her siblings. Just blocks tonsils out after her horrific removal.

My sister should have had hers out with her strep infections. They were shocked it was actually a pocket of infection near her impacted wisdom tooth that was causing it. She got those out and they stopped.

[pink]

I had them out at 20 and it was miserable. But I had had probably 5+ ER visits in the year prior for tonsillitis that caused so much pain that I couldn't drink any fluids. And since the operation nothing. I was also hospitalized for mono prior with tonsil swelling that nearly blocked my airway so apparently they had to go.

My sister just had hers out (at 22) and it was absolutely awful for her as well. Such a painful recovery.

[flatlan]

I still have mine.