I had my tonsils removed at age 3, it was a pop thing in the 60's. Dunno what to tell ya.....it may help!I was born without tonsils!!!!!!!! REALLY!
Eight years ago I had a 6-month period during which I had 5 separate bouts of strep throat. Not fun. I saw several different specialists about the possibility of removing my tonsils. One of them looks larger than the other, although none of the doctors thought this was an issue, and one even said my tonsils looked better than his! The majority of the docs said not to get my tonsils out. Part of this is the anesthesia risk (I am obese) and part was just that it is not such an easy recovery for adults as it is for children and part was just that they felt it was an unnecessary surgery. I was terrified having read about adult tonsil recoveries where the scab can dislodge and you can choke on your own blood, so I was happy to have them say to forget it. I was still undecided when the strep throats suddenly stopped, and so I decided to leave them in.
The one tonsil continues to look larger. But more importantly, food gets caught in the folds of it, and then stays there, partially digested, looking white/cream colored and vile
Another interesting part of this...just after all those strep throats, my fibro started. That also made me want to get my tonsils out, but not enough to risk the surgery. One of my docs said that even when they take the tonsils out, there is tissue that remains that still harbors all sorts of bacteria. So if that's what's causing my fibro, removing them may not help.
Anyway, that's my story, if it helps you at all. At the very least, I can sympathize!
Innerglow, you are my tonsil soulmate. When I read your post I was like - that's me, that's me - that is what I get. I wish we lived near each other and we could go together! I wonder sometimes if the 'stuff' that I don't poke out (ew I know) I swallow or something and this makes the RA worse. For anyone who is so repulsed by this they want to cry, I am SOOOO sorry. Shaducky - WOW, really? how come?
JodeJJr, Hmmmm, maybe that blows my theory out of the water then if you still get RA without tonsils. Ach.
Ooh, Innerglow, soz, tonsil stones, look it up on the internet, that is EXACTLY what I mean, good idea with the mascara wand btw (I have been struggling with q-tips) there are sites all about tonsil stones. It is (to use an right English word here ) Minging. I have one tonsil much bigger than the other too. My right tonsil is huge and the other is ok but I get the stuff in both of them. God, I am so gross.
I have multi auto immune disease! I don't know, doc can't answer! lol, I think they ate themselves, they are apart of the immune system, and mine attacks itself...kind of makes sense. lol! Oh well! LMAO That is hysterical (I actually have tears running down my cheeks at the thought of your tonsils eating themselves). I know it's not funny, it just put into perspective for me how ridiculous this disease is. Thank you for making me smile, I swear I will be laughing about that for months.
GOOOD! Lol, I laughed when I wrote it. Makes sense though! LOL!!!Very happy to make you smile! YEY!!!!
I never had a tonsil soulmate before!! So sorry you have to be one, it is minging...not sure of the exact connotation, but I get it.
I did a quick Google of tonsil stones, and you are right, there are many sites, and it certainly looks like what I have. I read up on it on Wikipedia (see
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tonsillolith) and it says that while removing the tonsils will solve the problem, it is not recommended (although they don't specify why). They mention a laser tonsillotomy, which resurfaces the tonsils, as a solution. I'm going to "ask my doctor" (as all the prescription med commercials like to say) when I see her next. Her suggestion, gargling, was laughable.
The only other thing to do is notice if certain foods cause problems. Back when I had my long, long commute to work (1.25 hours each way, minimum), I would eat a granola bar while driving to work in the morning. The granola caused an especially bad case of you-know-what and I had to stop eating them altogether. It makes sense that small hard particles of food would be problematic.
And to clarify, mascara comb wasn't a good description. It is a lash comb (like a comb for your hair, but in miniature), with a long thin handle, like a makeup brush. I couldn't bear to stick my toothbrush back there (recommended on Wikipedia), but a thin pointer I can tolerate when I must. When I get a bad taste in my mouth or a sore throat, the first thing I do is whip out my flashlight so I can take a look at my tonsils.
If the tonsillotomy is an option, I'd be curious if we get any better with our diseases afterward.
I usually just use a q-tip. *grin* Gross, ain't it? LOLI got my tonsils out when I was 12, because I was always a sick kid. I had seven types of measles by the time I was 2, chicken pox 3 times, tonsilitis and strep like 7 times every year, scarlet fever at 8 and glandular fever at 11 (and again at 24). No wonder I have a damn AI disease now! My mum was sick and tired of having to take time off work to look after me, so a tonsillectomy really was the best thing for me. Two weeks after surgery the scab came off both tonsils and I had to have emergency surgery to fix it up. I honestly could not imagine life now with tonsils. I'd be in bed all the time. If I still had my tonsils, I'd probably be banging down an ENT surgeon demanding them out ASAP.
There are risks with RA and meds, but I'd get a consultation with an ENT surgeon just in case. I personally would rather spend 3-4 months recovering from a tonsillectomy then having to deal with tonsilitis and strep frequently! Is major owies!
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