Thread: Tonsils and Tonsillectomy (scarring, sickness, ENT etc)?

I'm 16 and have I've been ill for about 10 months with tonsillitis on and off (I think in total I've had it about 12 treated cases, but other untreated cases).
However, as well as the tonsillitis causing me days off school I'm finding myself catching illnesses a lot more, especially colds (they often become so heavy that it's like the flu) and generally feeling sick most of the time. Is the sickness due to the scarring left on my tonsils from all the bouts I've had?

Also I'm visiting an ENT on the 15th of March (NHS) and was wondering what kind of things they will look for, ask me etc. I'm worried that despite all the trouble they cause me I will not qualify for tonsillectomy.
What are people's experience of these?

Most ENT's will remove tonsils much earlier than age 16 because they frequently cause these sorts of problems. If you have had more than two infections of the tonsils in a year, they are good candidates for removal. We don't require them, so once they start causing health issues, they usually need to come out.

Because you have been sick with them so often, your immune system is worn out. You'll get other illnesses more frequently and harder too, since your immune system isn't getting any time to rest and recuperate. You sound like an ideal candidate for tonsilecomy!

i had my tonsils taken out at seventeen and i never had tonsillitis or strep throat, my problem was with tonsil stones. tonsil stones are these little chunks that build up in your tonsils and cause gross problems like bad breath. so, my surgery wasn't even for health reasons (technically) and my ENT still recommended the surgery.

the amount of times you've had tonsillitis in that amount of time will qualify you for a tonsillectomy. your ENT will ask you how many times you've had it and in what time frame.

at the appointment, your doctor will obviously take a look at your tonsils, up your nose, and in your ears. then, they'll ask you what kind of problems you've been having, why you want them out, etc. from there, they will tell you whether or not they recommend surgery and explain the benefits as well as the downfalls of the surgery. if your ENT recommends surgery, it will most likely be scheduled that day.

just fyi, you will hear so many horror stories about how bad tonsillectomies are, and i'll be the first to tell you that they do suck (big time), but the surgery will be worth it. don't psych yourself out.