<p>My older son has tonsillitis again. It’s the second time since December. The ENT has him on a Z pack and on another one in a week. I wouldn’t ordinarily worry but she did mention the word “tumor” once if this antibiotic treatment dosn’t work. It’s been keeping me up at night. Has anyone else had any experience like this one? Thanks. I would love some feedback.</p>
<p>After years of tonsillitis, DD is finally getting her tonsils out this summer as soon as school is over. Hard part is she is 21 and it is worse doing it now. But everyone we have talked to says it is so worth it not to have the chronic issues. However, doctors are reluctant and it wasn’t until her current ENT who handles the voice students asked her why she still had those that we found one who would do it and the decision was made. Wish us luck. I am traveling out of town to stay with her.</p>
<p>And I would not take the word tumor lightly. It was a routine tonsillectomy that found my brother-in-law’s cancer when it was just a spec. They got it early and radiation took care of it.</p>
<p>My d had hers out at 19. Her tonsillitis was more like once a year, but with every cold they got inflamed anyway. It took 2 weeks for recovery, but all is well now. Definitely worth it for her.</p>
<p>I had mine out at 12. I stopped being constantly sick. I like my S’s solution much better though. When he was about 12 and his tonsils were also enlarged and infected considerably, he pushed out all the bad staff out of them with his finger. He did whole procedure in front of mirror. It is sound very yukky and I do not believe that everybody can do it, not me for sure. But he has his tonsils which are important part of our immune system and I do not have them. I also read in some medical article that my S’s solution is the best and could be performed at doc’s office, but I have never investigated that.</p>
<p>Every case is different but we had to push for a referral to an ENT when our now grown daughter was struggling with tonsillitis. The last straw was when a pediatrician brought up “failure to thrive” when we heard her breathing and saw how eating was difficult. Two seconds into the ENT consult, we heard, “These have to come out.” Made all the difference.</p>
<p>You’re already seeing a specialist, so my advice is to make sure you communicate about your worries. If your ENT is not good at that, see one who can talk to you. You can also get a 2nd opinion.</p>
<p>different experience but a positive outcome…son was chronically sick with strep and tonsillitis as a kid, (4-5yrs old)–repeated bouts of antibiotics never cleared it and seemed to weaken him in general. pediatrician started thinking about tonsillectomy–I didn’t want my little boy to undergo surgery unless truly necessary so I decided to try an alternative route first. We took son to a homeopath, M.D. (used alternative medicine but was medically trained and quite qualified) he put my son on several homeopathic remedies and within 4 wks the strep/tonsillitis was gone, his color and energy returned…no recurrence of the tonsillitis since, (now 20yrs old). no surgery needed in his case…I would ask what the doctor meant by tumor, is something visible, are more tests needed to determine if there is one? but if not, perhaps exploring alternative approach.</p>
<p>Augh! Tumors!?</p>
<p>Now I’m concerned… I have a chronically-inflamed tonsil and get tonsillitis or sinusitis every year, almost without fail. I’ve heard that tonsil removal when you’re not a kid anymore is a really icky procedure, so I’ve been avoiding complaining about it to my GP. At 28, it would not be a picnic. Sigh… Guess I should say something…</p>
<p>D had tonsillitis at least once a year. She had her tonsils out at 20. The surgeon said they were they worst she had ever seen. She cautioned D to adhere to the 10 day bed instructions rest very strictly. D did as she was instructed and it took every bit of 10 days until she felt able to go back to work.</p>
<p>If bouts are coming frequently, I would also consider looking to another family member who might be harboring a germ, silently.</p>
<p>Many years ago, I got strep throat three times in about eight weeks. By the third time, the doctor told me to get both my kids checked and to have cultures done. Sure enough, D1 was a ‘silent carrier’, meaning she was carrying the germ, with no symptoms. Once they treated her and me at the same time, I was fine. </p>
<p>Is it possible someone close to your son has something and is unknowingly passing it onto him, yet is asymptomatic themselves?</p>
<p>After a bout of mono my son had reoccuring tonsil problems for about 18 months. Two different ENT Docs pushed to remove them. We decided to wait. Son went off to college and he has not had a problem since. I think allergies in our area made things worse. He also has not had a sinus infection since he went off to school.</p>
<p>mom60, any pets at home? When I went away to school my sinus infections stopped and it was discovered that I was allergic to pet dander. Not so that it caused a huge reaction, but always an underlying irritation. The only pets I can live with now are the low dander varieties.</p>
<p>DS#1 had his out last year following his freshman year of college. He didn’t have terrible issues as a child (if only he had–so much easier to get them out then). They got worse in high school, and then really bad first year of college. He ended up on several courses of prednisone so they wouldn’t swell enough to interfere with his breathing.</p>
<p>When he finally got the surgery, ENT dubbed them, “Oh my God”-sized. There were big festering wounds behind one of them. Should have done it over Christmas but we were going on a trip. It does take the 2-3 weeks you’ll be forewarned to fully recover. But I’ve never heard of anyone having it done, even as an adult, who didn’t end up healthier as a result.</p>