I have zero faith in the medical community anymore, and less faith in any online resources spewing 'medical advice'. My 11yo son is going in for surgery soon, for removal of tonsils and adenoids. I know this is routine procedure nowadays so I am not at all worried, But I am curious, have any of you had this procedure done recently or know someone who has? Especially someone young. I had it done 30 years ago and I was too young to remember anything. I'm sure its much different today. Because of the surgery, he'll be out of school for a week but my hope is he'll be recovered enough in a few days. He's active and involved in sports and want to make sure he can resume his normal lifestyle in 4-5 days, but no idea what to expect in terms of recovery.
Any thoughts based on recent experiences greatly appreciated!
I’m 70 and still have both tonsils and adenoids— my dad was a pediatrician— actually taught med school in the 60’s and 70’s and said he thought the surgery was over rated after my sister ( 1 year younger underwent both) FYI I have both tonsils and adenoids and am never ill— sister without had constant sinus/colds etc— neither of my kids have had the surgery and son is type 1 diabetic but he had his tonsils and adenoids at 45 and is healthy
Agree with JJ10, tonsils and adenoids are part of your God given immune system.
Agree. God gave us everything for a reason and I'd prefer not to do it, but fighting a bit of an uphill battle w/ my wife on this, and my son does struggle with "congested" breathing esp at night. No other remedy has resolved it unfortunately.
I totally agree !
Thanks for sharing. Interesting that my experience seems to be the opposite of yours. I had my tonsils removed in my early teens. After that, I don't think I ever got sick with flu, cold, strep throat, whatever. My wife however, never had tonsils removed, and she gets all those illnesses annually. We're both in our late 40s.
My sister who had tonsils removed at 4/5 years old has had constant sinus infections and is sick with something(low grade) all the time— I haven’t had even a “ cold “ since 2015
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsil
“The tonsils are immunocompetent organs which serve as the immune system's first line of defense against ingested or inhaled foreign pathogens, and as such frequently engorge with blood to assist in immune responses to common illnesses such as the common cold. The tonsils have on their surface specialized antigen capture cells called microfold cells (M cells) that allow for the uptake of antigens produced by pathogens. These M cells then alert the B cells and T cells in the tonsil that a pathogen is present and an immune response is stimulated.[6] B cells are activated and proliferate in areas called germinal centers in the tonsil. These germinal centers are places where B memory cells are created and secretory antibody (IgA) is produced.”
DO NOT DO IT....
Let the Child grow Up into an Adult before it happens, it will be Much Better for the Child....
I supposedly needed a Tonsillectomy at like age 11 or 12, Dad Refused it....
I had to have one so I could breathe in the Army at age 19 or 20, and things went well after that....
The Tonsils are a level f Protection, Natural Protection, so leave them be....
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsil
“The tonsils are immunocompetent organs which serve as the immune system's first line of defense against ingested or inhaled foreign pathogens, and as such frequently engorge with blood to assist in immune responses to common illnesses such as the common cold. The tonsils have on their surface specialized antigen capture cells called microfold cells (M cells) that allow for the uptake of antigens produced by pathogens. These M cells then alert the B cells and T cells in the tonsil that a pathogen is present and an immune response is stimulated.[6] B cells are activated and proliferate in areas called germinal centers in the tonsil. These germinal centers are places where B memory cells are created and secretory antibody (IgA) is produced.”
Well I think genetics play a much larger plan as well as geographics - where you grew up and if you moved at an early age to change new allergies etc - - it’s a weird thing
Very true.
When I was 3 years old, I started having major infections and problems with my tonsils and adenoids. Back in those days, many doctors (including mine) didn't like to take them out until the child was at least 5 years old, so they tried to control my infections with antibiotics and other medications.
When I was 4 years old, all of the tonsil and adenoid problems caused me to lose my hearing. I went completely deaf. So the doctors immediately removed them, and luckily for me my hearing returned over the next few weeks with only a tiny bit of permanent damage.
For the rest of my childhood, I suffered from constant ear infections, constant severe sinus and nasal problems, and my share of colds and flus. As an adult, the sinus problems have continued for decades, although the ear problems stopped when I was a teenager. As an adult, I virtually never get the flu (haven't had the flu in over 20 years now), although I get plenty of colds, sinus infections, and bronchitis.
I have no idea if any of the respiratory problems throughout my life have/had anything to do with leaving the tonsils and adenoids in too long and/or taking them out at all. I do know that all the medications they gave me as a child to try and control the tonsil and adenoid problems (in sweet syrups to be spoon fed to a toddler) rotted almost every one of my baby and adult teeth before they ever even erupted, so nearly every time I got a new tooth I had to go to the dentist for fillings and crowns. I don't know if any of this helps your decisions, but take it for what it's worth. Research and make your decisions carefully.
Thank you very much for sharing. With my son, I almost feel like the adenoids is a bigger issue bc of his "congested"-sounding breathing, esp at night. And now that you mention it, I do think all of this might be affecting his hearing as he plays the radio in the car at a higher volume than is comfortable for my own ears. Thx again for sharing.
I am 70 and still have my tonsils and adenoids. Unless there is disease, I wouldn't do anything. I don't trust the medical profession ever since the flu shots of 1976 were recalled because they were killing people and causing strange diseases.
Ugh. I know and agree. This is my worry. But for reasons I've stated elsewhere in response to this post, I'm a little hamstrung here. I do suspect my son needs it. My wife is hellbent on it. I also believe God gave us everything for a reason and removing anything is nonsensical. Kinda torn
I had frequent throat infections throughout my teens and finally got my tonsils removed when I was 23. The recovery was HORRIBLY PAINFUL for 3+ weeks. Haven’t had any problems since. The funny thing is that when I woke up after they put me to sleep, I said that wasn’t so bad…. That’s when they told me they couldn’t take them out because they were so infected! They’d forgotten to look down my throat before putting me to sleep. So I had to reschedule when the infection was gone. If you trust your surgeon, I’d get them taken out while he’s young. The pain is much worse when you’re older.
Thats what I've heard. And the recovery time much longer as well. My son is only 11 so I'm hopeful both pain and recovery are significantly reduced. Hoping there are remedies to prove that as I want him "back on his feet" asap
What are all of his symptoms and what exactly did his “doctors” “diagnose”?
swollen tonsils and excess skin behind his nasal passage (Adenoids). So he recommended killing 2 birds w 1 stone during same procedure. I had my tonsils out as a teen and just know from experience that removal led to me having almost zero soar throats, strep, major infections. My wife did NOT have hers taken out and is constantly suffering from infections. So we're on board with the procedure. The biggest issue is his congested sounding breathing, esp at night which leads to fairly intense snoring (for an 11yo anyway). Supposedly post this procedure he'll get a better night sleep. My big thing is I want him recovering as quickly as possible, however possible
It has been a common and relatively harmless surgery since at least the early 1960s, so it will probably be okay. I just don't trust today's doctors very much. There are a few though. I had one a while back that brought his piece to the office every day. We could talk about things.
I couldn't possibly agree more with this statement, which is why I'm hesitant. In my son's case, it does seem necessary, I'm just hoping recovery is as quick as possible
The recovery always involves ice cream. :)
Yep! We stockpiled ice cream, popsicles, pudding and juice. So he is looking fw to that. I just want as speedy a recovery as possible
Tonsils, once removed they're gone and never coming back. Why the hurry? Is this a life threatening situation? If not, go with your gut, put it off and live to fight another day.
Just be aware, so they do not inject him with any vaccs of any kind at all. I remember eating ice cream and sherbet and ice chips and having a sore throat. Now days they'd give ibuprofen I suppose. Some say tonsils are meant to he kept. Maybe study up on how to keep them and why it matters. Knowing what I do now, I'd try ivermectin and zinc and building up the immune system, if I thought it smarter to keep them. When I had mine out I had to be on antibiotics to even have the surgery. I bet I have had trouble my whole life from having too many antibiotics over a long period of time. Best of luck; I'm sure it will go just fine, kinda easy peasy really
Yep easy peasy is what I'm thinking/hoping, thanks for sharing. I'm confident in the procedure, and definitely skeptical like you say of what they might do to him behind closed doors like a CV jab. But not trying to get too paranoid at the same time. Also, with his adenoids being a problem too and removed during the procedure, his breathing is hindered by "congestion" so I know something needs to be done, and unfortunately if my wife were to hear me offering up an alternative like iver, she might just kill me ;). I'm just hopeful his recovery is as quick as possible
Has you son tried XClear nasal spray (xylitol)? The congestion may have more to do with the nasal passages, not an obstruction. Again, not a doctor and not giving medical advice.
The xclear w xylitol is great! Not the capsicum kind tho, for children, it is intense. Imho
Appreciate your advice, and yes he has tried several nasal decongestants which havent worked. HIs ENT showed us some imagery of "extra skin" causing his heavy breathing, which convinced my wife. I'm still skeptical but hopeful for a quick and easy resolution to a seemingly common procedure so long as he recovers as quickly and painlessly as possible
First, I am not a doctor and am not giving medical advice.
If you trust your doctor enough to follow his recommendation for the surgery, then the same doctor can answer all your questions.
Tonsils are the first line of defense for the digestive system. The last line of defense for the digestive system is the appendix. You had the surgery so you are comfortable with it, but is it really necessary?
Interesting, I've had both tonsils and appendix removed, Maybe I'm screwed! But I am in my late 40s and pretty much healthy. After tonsil removal I never got may infections, colds or strep throat type stuff. My son however has the added bonus of nasaly congestion. I'm hoping this surgery resolves all that and most importantly, hoping he's "back to normal" asap
Tonsils get infected so that your body doesn't have to. Wife has them, I don't. Her tonsils will get inflamed, I'll get a chest cold.
Removing a piece of a child's body seems like a ridiculous thing to do.
Agree. removing ANYTHING from the body God gave us seems ridiculous. I had mine removed years ago and have been healthy since. My wife still has hers and every year she gets infections. So I'm not sure which side to take on this battle but just want my son recovering as quickly as possible. Thx for sharing
The question would be the risk benefit ration. Is your child suffering from sleep apnea and not getting good sleep because of the obstruction? Or is it chronic infections?
If it is for sleep apnea, I would recommend because good sleep is so very important. If because of chronic infections I would wonder about alternative or supplemental efforts (gargle with salt water at night, proper oral health ECT, before going to surgery?
Thank you for sharing. He sleeps well. Snores like crazy and it wakes him up. His breathing is "congested" (noticeably). I say "blow your nose" and nothing comes out. Also fighting an uphill battle with my wife. I had my tonsils removed in my early teens (years ago) and I've been incredibly healthy since. She never had tonsils removed and constantly gets sore throats, colds and infections. So she's 100% on board with this procedure. Since its fairly routine, I'm OK with it, but want him to recover quickly and just hoping he can get back to his normal lifestyle as quick as possible
If he snores like crazy and it wakes him up he doesn't sleep well - he probably doesn't get into REM sleep. Sleep Apnea is awful, and can lead to many other bad things like heart issues, strokes, immune deficiencies, diabetes, weight gain, brain fog, high blood pressure, and even death - basically sleep is vital. Is your son overweight? Most people with sleep apnea are, but not all. Some have physical issues that cause the airway to close, unrelated to weight, and can possibly be fixed with a surgery. Fortunately if your son is snoring it probably is not Central sleep apnea, but rather obstructive (possibly made worse by tonsils actually). Central is where you simply stop breathing and die. Sometimes your brain just doesn't make you breathe.
Ask his doctor about a sleep study. Fix that problem early for his sake. Do it as soon as you can get it approved. I never knew I was having sleep issues but when they did my first sleep study the test said I "woke up" 30+ times per hour, and at one point they almost stopped the test because I stopped breathing for over a minute (that was the central apnea). The people monitoring the test were coming into my room to get me to breathe when I just started again, and I don't remember anything about it. They told me they were getting scared though. I had multiple times where I stopped for 15-30 seconds as well.
Note - the tests usually have 2 parts. First is where they put all kinds of probes on you to monitor breathing, bp, pulse, brain waves, etc. but they don't put you on a CPAP. Midway through the night they wake you and put you on a CPAP machine with a facemask. That part is so they can see what settings help you to stop having apneas. Then they give the data and any recommendations to a sleep doctor to determine if you require treatment. You can have a home test, but I absolutely felt more comfortable at the sleep lab knowing they had the proper equipment and knew how to apply it. I could've done it wrong at home and never got properly diagnosed. YMMV.
I have both central and obstructive sleep apnea, and I finally got it under control after many years of suffering through a CPAP. I insisted on an AutoPAP, and then a new doc put me on a BIPAP and I actually have nights where my AHI (an important apnea number) is zero - under 5 is considered treated.
As for tonsils - I had mine taken out at 6yo. because I had Strep Throat so often I actually missed 19 days of school. I also had Scarlet Fever and was hospitalized. I haven't had Strep once since they were taken out. I remember eating popsicles and ice cream, but don't remember how long my recovery was.
Unrelated, but I had my appendix burst on the table in a Turkish OR when my base sent me in an ambulance - so that is gone as well.
Good luck. I don't want you to think I'm judging your son if he is overweight. I want him to get treatment if he has sleep apnea. Trust me - untreated apnea really sucks.
Greatly appreciate your reply. No, he's not overweight. Actually a bit thin for his age. I'd call him fit, plays a lot of sports and very active, which is why I'm hoping his recovery is as quick as possible and looking for any remedies to make that recovery quick, but realize its out of my hands. According to the docs, he doesn't have sleep apnea. Just excess tissue behind the nose causing a congested sound and snore, thus mainly breaths thru his mouth at night. The doc also says that post the surgery, he's likely to experience a growth/girth spurt which I'm kinda hoping does happen. And like you, when I had my tonsils removed in early teens i NEVER got sore throats or strep after so hoping thats his case too. Thx again for your thoughtful reply.
Good to hear. I hope I didn't scare you - if so I'm sorry. People tend to not think about sleep issues until actual damage has been done. Glad to hear the docs say he doesn't have sleep apnea.
Nope, not all fren, no worries. I appreciate your insight very much. Having been thru this myself as a teen 30 years ago, I know its nothing to fear. I'm just hoping he can resume his activities asap, hoping for a week but I guess everyone's recovery time differs. Thx again!
Good response dec. Although my only experience with kids is recovery room right after surgery, they do amazingly well even in that short time after surgery. I agree that if a kiddo is snoring and a sleep study confirms they aren’t getting good rem, they probably should have a T&A if a reputable pediatric ENT has confirmed. Everyone needs good sleep. Especially our littles so they can grow properly both physically and mentally. I would also add that when the pediatric anesthesiologist chats with you prior to surgery, you ask about suctioning their stomach of any blood that may have dripped down from surgery, and that the post op RNs are aware of any signs of a post op bleed. Blood in the gastric system doesn’t sit well, and will be vomited back up fully, and forcefully.
Thank you very much for sharing. I like your suggestion about asking about stomach suctioning. Is that a common thing during such a procedure? I know when I had my tonsils out as a teenager I did cough up blood that evening (no vomit).
As for follow up care in the next couple of days when you take him home, he shouldn’t have any sharp food products like chips or popcorn that could irritate the throat or cause abrasions or rupture sutures. Frozen ice pops will be your friend, as long as they aren’t colored with red or purple food dye. It isn’t uncommon to have nausea after this procedure, so you don’t want food dyes that could be misidentified as blood.
Also, no dairy products. Don’t promise ice cream! The suction that your mouth creates to swallow dairy is too forceful on fresh sutures in the throat. Chicken noodle soup = perfect!
Ginger ale and clear fizzy liquids in small amounts help clean the pallet and help wash down any remaining food debris.
I pray he recovers quickly and is back to his normal active self without any complications :-)
Thank you so much for the info. Yea, we loaded up on ice cream, yogurt and pudding, but since all those are dairy, sounds like we should probably avoid them. Also have apple sauce, popsicles and fruit juices. I thank you again for your comments. Most appreciated.
My tonsils GREW BACK!! They were removed when I was 8 yrs old, never thought anything of it at that age. In my 20's I had the flu, the doctor told me my tonsils were swollen, I said how, they were removed when I was 8. He said I must be mistaken. I tracked down my records from then and sure enough they were removed. I've never researched this or anything so I know nothing about it. All I do know is that I have them now and I'm in my 50's. I just figured God knew I must've needed them and grew them back!
Interesting. Thx for sharing. One thing in this entire process that has confused me is that my son is 11 and that seems too young for *anything *to be fully developed. Removal of anything seems like it could "grow back". He doesnt even have all his teeth yet for Gods sake! This procedure seems kinda early
Are you sure he needs the surgery and cannot recover by himself with the proper rest, hydration, Vit C, salt water gargles, salt water sinus rinses, water pick rinses with peroxide, soups, etc.?
I'd rather you keep all his original body parts unless there is simply no other option.
I'm of the generation that got a total of 3 vaccines as a child, and got organically sick with, recovered from, and developed a robust immune system for the following sicknesses:
Measles, mumps, chicken pox, strep throat (many times), croup cough, shingles (at age 12!), actual pleurisy (age 14!), pneumonia, valley fever, mono, etc.
I recovered from all of them just fine. The only medicine was chicken soup, Vit C, Vicks VapoRub, popsicles, Jello, a baby aspirin, a sponge bath and lots of rest. The few trips to the doctor was only for a diagnosis, and rarely did I agree to take any medicine for it. I figured it out when I got home. Once I did accept an RX for a codeine cough syrup to allow me to sleep through the night when I had some kind of chest thing and could not stop coughing.
My tonsils are still intact and I am just fine at the minute with no complaints.
Thx for your comments Casually!. Yea, I was hoping to hold off. Kinda battling the wife on this one too. She didn't have her tonsils removed and regrets it as she constantly gets throat irritation/infections. So she's pretty adamant about getting it done. On top of that, my son has very "congested" breathing due to adenoids. Always sounds stuffed up. Snores at night and will wake himself up. None of the nasal sprays we've tried seem to work.
Have had relatives with these kind of issues. What we found was they had developed some food allergies/intolerances that caused them general inflammation and allergies due to an imbalance in gut bacteria from past antibiotic use. They simply couldn't digest certain foods which they could before and eating these foods caused a systemic inflammation.
Sinus infections, uncomfortable stomachs, sore throats, earaches, headaches all went away after doing the following:
They did (and still do) once or twice daily sinus rinses (distilled water + sea salt + baking soda), + a daily super potent probiotic (Natren's Healthy Trinity) and a sustained diet of protein + fruits & vegetables. They had to cut out processed foods, breads, noodles, candy, alcohol, sugar, corn syrup which were the worst offenders. Within months, a major improvement in all areas was seen.
Other possible culprits that may be causing some of these symptoms are possible hidden mold issues lurking in your home or a pet dander/allergy that may contribute. Unfortunately, we have to be detectives in order to solve these symptoms!
Good luck. I feel confident you will solve this!
Thank you very much Casually. Funny you mention mold or air quality issues in the home. At the onset of his "dry congested" breathing, we tested the air quality in our home as his breathing outdoors was never nearly as congested. Turns out the air quality was a-ok.
I definitely agree with you. Doctors seem to be in a hurry to cut things out or give us a pill these days. I started getting what the doctor calls high blood pressure out of the blue. He drew blood and sent me home with two pills to start taking. Two days later the blood work came in, my potassium was very low. Turns out, low potassium is one of the leading causes of high blood pressure. I asked him about this and he disagreed and said to continue with the pills. I never took them. Instead I started supplementing with potassium and my blood pressure went to normal within two days. We need to do our homework when it comes to OUR bodies. Maybe you could get a second opinion on your son? Better yet, find a local homeopathic clinic, especially one that has an MD in it.
If your son is on antibiotics a lot make sure you repair the gut health with probiotics . Really can't just destroy all bacteria and never replenish the good or he cannot be healthy.
Thank you! Yea, whenever he's on antibiotics, we typically supplement w/ probiotics. Are antibiotics prescribed after this procedure?
How severe are his symptoms? It used to be rare to remove these in Europe - tonsils only after recurrent bouts of infection & adenoids if blocking breathing. They’re part of the immune system - mucosal associated lymphoid tissue - that adds to mucosal defense of the gut tube & respiratory system. Nice to keep them if possible. They shrink with age anyway.
Thank you for sharing. Tonsils are a minor problem at this point, adenoids are a bigger problem as his breathing and sleep is affected.
What I dont see addressed here - Doctor or Hospital, are they pushing anything like shots first, etc. Anyone who goes to the hospital is given a form to sign and the nurse says 'This is just you giving us permission to treat" and most people dont even read it. READ IT, scratch out what you dont consent to, take a picture of that form before you give it back. So often there is a sentence to the effect of they can use their judgment/hospital policies without your permission. There is usually a DNR order despite your notification.
Yes. I've actually had to fill out the paperwork at home and already submitted. I read it over 5x :) bc of that same fear. Other than general anesthesia, no other drugs or meds were stated.
Greatly appreciate you sharing. Yea, I had it done in my early teens in early 90s. So much time has passed. I'm sure its much more routine now (I hope) and I've been researching what to expect for my boy since I don't recall much of my own experience. I'm expecting the first 3 days to suck, but hopeful after that he can get back to normal lifestyle-wise (maybe not eating wise). Thx again for sharing
I basically had constant strep until my tonsils were removed as a teen. For whatever reason antibiotics could never clear it up. So my pediatrician suggested they get removed.
I had really bad pain and clotting issues. Doubt my surgeon was very good looking back on it. Ended up in the ER and some old country doctor who used to do everything had to recauterize the back of my throat. After that I bounced back in a few days but the first week was horrible.
Given your sons age he should do fine. The younger kids seem to do best recovering. 4 days might not be enough but 7 is reasonable.
Thx for sharing. Yea, that's my wife with constant throat aches. strep, infections, etc. She still has them. I had tonsils removed in my early teens and have been healthy since. I'm just hoping my son has a speedy recovery however possible. Thx again
My step son got it done almost 2 years ago when 11. He was in more pain than he expected after and didn't talk much. Recovered within 2 weeks. Still always sick. I think it was bc his tonsils were bigger, same with my hub who got it done as a teenager. I felt that he was pushed into it bc during plandemic docs werent making as much money but who knows.
Thx for sharing and very interesting. Recovery was really 2 weeks?? I'm less concerned about the procedure since I'm hoping its so routine at this point, but I'm hoping my boy is back on his feet in 5 days or so. Is that ridiculous thinking?
This is probably a conversation that should be had with your son's doctor.
If you trust the doctor enough to have the surgery performed (removal of body parts), why don't you trust the doctor on the recovery time recommendation?
Looking through the posts, you seem inordinately concerned with pushing your son to get back on his feet quickly. Have you shared these concerns/desires with the doctor?
You are 100% correct in your interpretation of my comments. He is a very active kid, involved in sports and school and what not. Whenever he's sick and "down for the count" he's just not himself and as a father, it pains me to see that, so I guess my hope for as speedy a recovery as possible is so he can get back to being himself. I do trust the doctor (as much as I can actually trust anyone in medicine nowadays anyway) and his reco has been "everyone heals differently and recovery for kids from a procedure like this is typically quicker than a teen and adult". So I really haven't gotten a definitive timeline. I guess thats why I inquired to see if others I do trust on GAW have had a similar experience with a similarly aged child.
Gotcha. My tonsillectomy was very different. A bunch of the 5 y.o. were scheduled for the same day. This was the 70s - it was common in my area.
Everyone kept coming back that day just fine from surgery - except me.
Apparently my tonsils were still infected (or getting infected). No outward sign was visible that this was the case. I felt fine. Tonsils looked fine. It did not become apparent until they began to cut and then all the infection spread out all over. I got very sick as a result. IVs, antibiotics, vomiting, the works.
It was a few days before I got to the point of where the other were the evening of post-op.
I think my surgery was scheduled near a holiday - Thanksgiving, maybe. Because I remember being out for longer than I missed school.
Good luck.
thank you!
Probably.
Full recovery was 2 weeks. But he went back to school after a week.
My daughter is 30 and she should’ve had hers removed- the doctor wanted to wait 2 see if she would get strep a fourth time in 3 months. She’s always had large tonsils since a newborn. Every illness goes right to her throat first- she constantly gets strep. Even to this day! You can see the puck marks on her tonsils from past infections. I would get it done now- he will be better off if he’s constantly getting sick from them.
Thank you for sharing. My son has had strep once and general sore throats fairly often. Yea, my wife's line of thinking is very much like yours w/ your daughter. It'll be a constant if we dont get them removed.
I had one kiddo that had a T&A before the age of 2 and one at 12. The little one did fine. The older one was down for about 2 weeks. I couldn’t get her to drink anything, not even the liquid pain medication. She had an aversion to liquid medicine before the surgery and still does today, which made the entire ordeal so much worse. The take away should be to make your child take the liquid pain medicine, make him drink, and do not allow him to eat anything hard like Doritos or fried chicken just because he’s feeling better and begging for it. You don’t want to break away the scab prematurely. . . I’m sure you’ve read about postop hemorrhaging. I worked in surgery for prob 15 yrs and never once was called out to cauterize a post T&A bleed. Hope this helps.
Helps very much and thanks so much for sharing! We're definitely going to push fluids and soft foods as best we can. It's that recovery time that concerns me. I had it done as a teenager (like 14 or 15 I think) and I don't recall being out for 2 weeks, but its possible. I'm hoping for a speedy recovery so he's back to relative normal in a week or so. Maybe just active, not necessarily eating like normal. Is it wishful thinking to assume he may be able to be active as normal in a week, and maybe just the diet resumed after 2 weeks?
My wife's tonsils were making her sick all the time. The infection would camp out in the tonsils and spread to the lungs. She had them removed as an adult. It was a good thing the doctor lied to her. Otherwise she would have never gone through with it. The pain is several orders of magnitude greater for an adult to have them removed.
My brother and I had them removed when we were kids. My Mom was an ER Nurse. One of her favorite stories is how embarrassed she was when (after the operation) my brother and I were jumping up and down on the hospital beds. Stock up on sherbet.
Thank you for sharing. My wife is exactly like yours, but never got them removed as an adult, which is why she is steadfast in having this procedure done and I'm on board with it since I had mine removed as a teen. Compounding my sons issue is the adenoids, which makes his breathing "congested." Yes, we've loaded up on sherbet and popsicles. I'm hopeful my son is like you and your brother, bouncing on beds asap after surgery :). What I want most out of this is a speedy recovery so he can resume his activities within a week (fingers crossed).
Removing Tonsils was common when I was young. Had mine out about same age, for allergies supposedly. Tonsils tend to atrophy as you age into adulthood. Some people they remain large and get infected easily. Happens in kids also. Usually not removed unless recurring infections (such as strep throat) keep occurring, or are excessively large causing breathing/swallowing problems. I suppose your son is having such problems, in which case having them removed its a good option. When I was a kid, they used ether as a general anesthetic, lots of nausea. Today's general anesthesia is much better. Have a seasoned ENT surgeon do the procedure, that is what I would do if my kid.
Thank you for sharing and YES to everything you mentioned. Do you recall how long your recovery was? I'm hoping (perhaps overly optimistically) that he is back to his normal activities in a week.
My tonsils became infected when I was about 11, DECADES ago, and I actually remember very little about it, except that I got ice cream for my sore throat after the surgery.
Of course, medicine was a respected field back then and corporate medical care was unheard of then.
Yep, my concern exactly. I was a teen in early 90s when I had mine removed, and I think medicine could be (semi) trusted back then. Confidence is low nowadays, even tho this is a "routine" procedure. Ice cream and pudding seems like the go-to during recovery, but I'm just hoping for a speedy recovery my son's sake. Thx for sharing
Had both removed @ age 18. Recovery was horrible. I remember ice cream and dairy products created thick mucus that caused me to want to clear my throat and it hurt like HELL ! I would say Popcicles and ice Slurpies work much better. My kids got theirs out in early childhood. They never got strep throat again and they are in their 40s. I never got it again since mine were removed.
Agreed - popsicles and slurpees with a plastic spoon. Sucking on a straw will be painful for a bit.
Yes, this is what I remember. Avoid straws. Thanks for the input.
This is exactly what I was hoping to hear. What to do and avoid. Thank you for sharing!! I'm in my late 40s now and had it done years ago. My son is 11 now. I just want to know what he should actually consume when ready. We loaded up on ice cream but sounds like that could have some adverse affects. Thank you again !
You are so very welcome !! have an 11 year old grandson and that would be what I would tell my daughter. Because of my experience I never gave ice cream to my kids when they were healing.
Another thing... although you didn't say, I will assume that he's not been vaxxed for covid unless you say otherwise. With natural immunity something like 27 times better than any jab, my wife and I boost our immune systems with daily intake of vitamins B12, C, D, E, and K; Quercetin; Black Cumin Seed; zinc; and Turmeric... all of these available at grocery stores or COSTCO or Amazon.
Also, since we're both active hikers and weight-lifters, we take collagen supplement for joints and bones. Hope this helps as you look toward the future.
Thank you fren! Yes, we've been loading him up on fruits and veggies in anticipation for the surgery, hoping for a speedy recovery. We got him some of the child vaxxxes years ago (which I now regret), but we made a hard stop around 2015. Not cv vaxxxed.
My son had asthma since the age of 2, used an inhaler and a nebulizer and had repeated strep throat infections through the years. Dr. recommended tonsillectomy and removal of adenoids at the age of 9. I was a mess with nerves as this was the first surgery on my child. The surgery took less than 45 minutes. Dr. said he was surprised he could breathe as his adenoids were very swollen. Recovery was quick but it really gross at one point. When the scabs fall off, yuck! Since that surgery he has had one asthma attack and that was when he was playing football. Improved his quality of life and he no longer required medication. He just had his 34th Birthday and is very healthy. That's this Mom's experience. Many blessings to you and your family
Thank you so much for sharing. While my son doesn't have asthma, he does have everything you just described (common sore throats and adenoids which interrupt his breathing especially during sleeptime). By chance do you recall how long his recovery period was? My son, like yours, is very active in sports and I'm hopeful he can resume that within a week ( but I could be overly optimistic).
Thank you again for sharing and blessings to your family as well fren!
I think it took him about 7 to 10 days to recover. Kids are pretty resilient. I know he said he could breathe so much easier after. I completely understand how you feel and what a big decision it is. It comes down to, does the benefit outweigh the risk. Plus, my son had this done years ago. With all the new technology they have now he may be up the next day
Thats what I'm hoping for. Thank you again for sharing. Very glad to hear your boy has grown up healthy and now in the prime of his adulthood. Best, fren
I just saw this video. You might want to see it.
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/dvQb4jw67m8?feature=share
Yikes! Freaky. Thank you for sharing Casually. Greatly appreciated.
Yeah, the horrible rotten looking holes in the back of their throat is due to having the tonsils removed! That doesn't seem like a good idea AT ALL.