traitorous organs

[veronica_rich]

In which I whine and complain about yet ANOTHER sore throat, the third in well under a year's time. This is not terribly unusual for me, it's been going on for many years like this. I don't think it's normal to get a sore throat quite this often.

Today one of my co-workers who notices these things asked if I'd ever had my tonsils out. I have not, in fact. She pointed out this may be the problem and that I should talk to my doctor about it. My questions are, if it is my tonsils, do I have to wait until I have a sore throat to have them taken out, or can it be done when I'm feeling fine? And what is involved with having this done as an adult - is it worse than having it done as a child? Does anyone have answers?

(Even if I should have them out when I don't feel well, I can't do it this time; if this persists, it'll be back on antibiotics for me, for now. I need a few months to save the deductible that the surgery would require through my insurance.)

Comments

[zagzagael.livejournal.com]

Much more serious. Risk of hemorrhage increases exponentially. Mixed opinions on whether or not removal helps with this sort of thing. My fifteen year old has enlarged grade tonsils and we've been thinking about having them out....

[sirriamnis.livejournal.com]

I spend all winter sounding like Kathleen Turner, so I sympathize. I don't think mine's my tonsils though, at least no one's mentioned them ever and I still have them.

[nazz88.livejournal.com]

They can't really take the tonsils out when they are inflamed, could cause other infections. And yes - that operation doesn't have to, but could be real bad with an adult as compared with a kid. So I would only do this if this is constantly and there is no other cure to it. But it is worth to have this checked up, because there are some other causes for a sore throat.

[pktaxwench.livejournal.com]

They have to be healthy for them to safely take them out.

A plus of the operation is that you have to eat nothing but sherbert for a few days afterwards. Cold and non-dairy, yum! I had them removed when I was 6.

As someone with a chronically weak immune system (which has only gotten worse in the past six months) I wish I only got sore throats/sick three times a year. It happens every other month for me, with two smack-you-down-and-want-to-die illnesses a year.

[lizzie-omalley.livejournal.com]

Kids heal much more quickly than adults. It is usually an operation of last resort to remove organs from adults. There is much debate, I believe, in the merits of removing them from kids too.

[finding-neo.livejournal.com]

Please do some 'net research first - I'm pretty sure they use lasers now for tonsillectomies and blood loss would be minimal if not non-existent. Of course would depend on the surgeon, but they use lasers now in animal surgeries even so it's common in human surgery.

[a-silver-rose.livejournal.com]

*HUGS* I still have my tonsils, but they've been behaving for the most part for the last 10 or so years. I still wish they were taken out when I had my first bout with tonsilitis, though.