Should I get my tonsils removed?

I deal with a sore throat pretty much every two weeks during the winter months—it’s a constant cycle. Even if I’m careful—God forbid I drink cold milk straight from the fridge or an iced Coke—it still happens. A couple of times a year, it even turns into full-blown strep throat.

Throughout the winter, I stick to tea with honey and take some immune support drops to try and stay ahead of it, but the throat pain always finds me anyway. 😢
Is this the kind of situation where getting my tonsils removed actually makes sense?

I know you guys aren't doctors, but I'd love to hear your thoughts since the waiting rooms at the local clinics are absolute madness lately—it feels like everyone is fighting for a spot! I really don't want to waste my time going in for nothing.🤷

My parents are totally against it, though; they think if I get them out, everything will just move straight to my lungs and I'll end up being sick with colds constantly.🤷 😕

Thanks! 🙂

Alex Scott14 said:I get sore throats constantly—basically every two weeks during the winter. Heaven forbid I drink milk straight from the fridge or grab a Coke with ice; it’s like an invitation for trouble. On top of that, I end up with strep throat maybe twice a year...

Throughout the winter, I stick strictly to tea with honey and take some immune support drops, but I still end up dealing with a sore throat no matter what. 😢
Is this enough of a reason to have my tonsils removed?

Look, I know none of you are doctors, but I’m looking for some perspective because the waiting rooms at the clinics are absolute madness lately—it feels like everyone is fighting over free handouts, and I don't want to waste my time sitting there if it won't help anything....🤷

My parents are actually telling me NO. Their logic is that if the tonsils go, everything will just head straight for my lungs, leaving me perpetually sick and catching every cold under the sun....🤷 😕

Thanks, 🙂

You need to see an ENT specialist. They’re the ones who can actually examine you and determine if your tonsils have stopped serving a purpose and are now doing more harm than good. Based just on the story you've told here, there isn't enough clinical info to give a definitive answer.

Alex Scott14 said:...
otherwise my parents just say NO because they're convinced if I get them out, everything will just go straight to my lungs... and I'll be sick constantly, catching every little cold imaginable...🤷 😕

Thanks 🙂

So, apparently you aren't "sick all the time" anymore?
Look, I had my tonsils removed over ten years ago—I was maybe 8 or 9 at the time—and honestly, you have no idea what a massive relief it was. Before the surgery, I was dealing with constant throat infections, coughing fits, the whole nine yards...
Don't get me wrong, I didn't become a superhero who never gets sick again—of course I still catch stuff—but it is incomparable to how much better things are now compared to before.

Just go see your doctor, talk to him, tell him exactly what's going on, and let him make the call. He'll know best.

Ugh, alright then—that’s really it... I just need to find the time to actually get to it...

thanks🙂

I actually got pushed toward getting my tonsils out too because I was dealing with constant strep throat. But my aunt, who’s an ENT, basically told me "don't you dare"—she reckoned I'm better off dealing with a sore throat than risking pneumonia.

Honestly, I think a huge part of why I'm fine now is because I went to high school in Santa Barbara, so being around that salt air all the time really did wonders for me. My throat issues just vanished into thin air.

Sophia Clark68 said:I actually got the same recommendation to have my tonsils out—mostly because of those constant bouts of strep throat. My aunt—who’s an ENT specialist—was pretty blunt about it—she said there's no way I should risk it—better to just deal with strep throat than end up fighting pneumonia!
I honestly think it helped me so much that I went to high school in Santa Barbara—spending all that time breathing in the ocean air really did the trick. My tonsillitis just vanished—poof!—like an eraser wiped it away.

Everyone’s got their own story—it's just how things go! 🤷

Well, looks like I'm off—heading out to wait at the hospital for my appointment. Wish me luck! 😢

Alex Scott14 said:I get sore throats all the time, like every two weeks during the winter months... heaven forbid I touch milk straight from the fridge or grab a Coke with ice... maybe twice a year I actually end up with full-blown strep throat too...

Throughout the winter, I stick strictly to tea with honey and those immune support drops to try and boost my system, but somehow a sore throat always finds me anyway.... 😢
is this a sign that I should just get my Krajnik removed?

Look, I know none of you are actual doctors, but I'm looking for some real advice because the waiting rooms at the clinic are absolute insanity... it’s like people think everything is free there, and I really don't want to waste my life sitting in a lobby for nothing....🤷

My parents are telling me NO, though, because they're convinced that if I go through with it, everything will just move straight to my lungs... and I'll be sick and catching colds constantly for the rest of my life....🤷 😕

Thanks 🙂

When I was a kid, I had the occasional sore throat here and there (mostly in the winter), but once I hit 18, it turned into bacterial strep throat every two weeks on the dot... I'd take an antibiotic, feel fine for a second, and then boom—new throat infection, back to the pharmacy for more antibiotics. When I finally mentioned wanting to have my Krajnik removed to my primary care doctor after about a month of this, she just told me I was "too old" to have them taken out😕, claiming that "older" patients have a harder time recovering, and I just walked home feeling completely baffled. And then, like clockwork, the infections just kept coming one after another (I spent nine straight months basically living on antibiotics), and I was totally wiped out... I couldn't even sleep at night because my tonsils would swell up so badly that my folks were literally sitting up by my bed just to make sure I wouldn't choke... even Advil didn't touch the pain, and eventually, I went back to the doctor with my parents and insisted on it until they finally gave me a referral, and once the surgery was done, I haven't had a single issue since👍
so I'm telling you, definitely push for that referral and go get checked out properly.

Honestly, man, I know plenty of older folks who went under the knife to get their tonsils out,
but this whole idea that someone would be more prone to developing pneumonia because of it?
That's news to me. First time I've ever heard that theory.

I’ll use this thread so I don't clutter things up with a new one.

So, I just had my tonsils out a few days ago, and the pain is absolutely brutal right now. Does anyone have any tips for getting some relief? Also, how much longer is this supposed to last?

Thanks!

Alex Scott14 said:I get sore throats every two weeks during the winter. If I drink milk straight from the fridge or a Coke with ice, I end up with strep throat at least twice a year.

Throughout the winter, I stick to tea with honey and take immune boosters, but the sore throats still happen. 😢
Is this a reason to have my tonsils removed?

I know you aren't doctors, but I need advice because the waiting rooms at the clinics are absolute chaos—it feels like everyone is fighting for free handouts—and I don't want to waste my time if it won't help.🤷

My parents are against it. They claim everything will just go straight to my lungs and I'll be sick with colds constantly.🤷 😕

Thanks. 🙂

When tonsils lose their function, they cause more harm than good.

The tissue stops working and becomes a perfect breeding ground for bacteria. If they are useless, get them out.

You can catch pneumonia and other illnesses even with tonsils, but if they aren't functioning, you'll deal with both pneumonia and constant strep.

Ultimately, dysfunctional tonsils act as a reservoir for bacteria and are linked to a significant number of sepsis cases, specifically meningococcal, due to their location.
I am not an ENT specialist, but my advice is to have them removed.

I deal with tonsil issues too, but my doctor has told me a thousand times that they actually serve a purpose. They act as a defense mechanism for your body. If you aren't dealing with four or more severe bouts of strep or throat infections a year, those tonsils probably shouldn't be removed. I know that sounds a bit intense, but it’s the reality. I see older folks who had them out decades ago, and they still struggle with sore throats every single winter. So, God knows, if you can manage the discomfort, just take your vitamins, boost your immune system, and leave them where they are. 🙂 Of course, you should always get regular checkups and follow whatever advice your ENT gives you!

slyowl7 said:I used to deal with random sore throats here and there, mostly just during the winter months. But once I hit 18, everything changed. Suddenly, I was getting strep throat every two weeks like clockwork. I’d finish a round of antibiotics, feel fine for a few days, and then—boom—another infection. It's just been one endless cycle of pills and relapses. When I finally brought up the idea of having my tonsils removed to my primary care doctor, she basically brushed me off. She told me I was "too old" to get them out.😕The older folks have a hard time handling it, so I usually just head home feeling totally confused. It left me in a bad way, too. My tonsillitis kept coming back one after another—I was on antibiotics constantly for nine months straight. I was completely wiped out. I couldn't even sleep through the night because my tonsils would swell up so badly that my parents actually stayed up by my side, terrified I might stop breathing. Even standard over-the-counter meds did nothing for me. Eventually, I went back to the doctor with my parents, and after they insisted, I finally got the referral. I had the surgery shortly after, and honestly, I haven't had a single issue with my tonsils since.👍
I’d really suggest getting a referral and going in for an exam.

It’s true that if you need your appendix out, you should do it by age 15, but saying someone is "too old" for the procedure is just nonsense. If your body is producing more trouble than it's worth, getting the surgery is necessary. Two weeks later, you'll feel like a brand-new person.

Alex Scott14 said:I deal with sore throats constantly—every two weeks during the winter months. God forbid I touch milk straight from the fridge or grab a Coke with ice... maybe twice a year I actually end up with strep throat too...

Throughout the winter, I stick strictly to tea with honey and take some Echinacea drops to try and boost my immune system, but the sore throats still find me no matter what. 😢
Is this a valid reason to have my Krajnik removed?

Look, I realize none of you are doctors, but I’m looking for some perspective because the waiting rooms at the local clinics are absolute madness—it's like people think everything is free there—and I really don't want to waste my time sitting around if it won't help...🤷

Besides, my parents are adamant about saying NO; they're convinced that if I go through with it, everything will just head straight to my lungs, leaving me perpetually sick and catching every cold under the sun...🤷 😕

Thanks, 🙂

Just so you know... by having your Krajnik removed, you're permanently losing a significant part of your immune system, so you really need to weigh your options carefully.

Sore throats, bronchitis, and all those other respiratory issues aren't caused by your Krajnik... you have to actually address the underlying cause of these conditions if you want results

briskfox65 said:I didn't want to start a whole new thread, so I'm just going to use this one.

So, I had my tonsils out a few days ago and honestly, the pain is pretty brutal right now. Does anyone have any tips for managing the discomfort? And, I guess, does anyone know how long this recovery actually lasts?

Thanks

When I had mine out, the nurse at the hospital gave me some Children's Motrin syrup, and she told me I could just take it straight from the bottle whenever it hurt. I ended up taking maybe two or three doses every day for about ten days—I was only seventeen at the time. It’s sweet and thick, which I guess helped coat my throat a bit. As for how long it takes... probably 10 to 14 days. Just try not to cough too much, otherwise you might risk bleeding again, and then the whole thing drags on forever. That happened to me, actually. Chicken noodle soup was my absolute lifesaver, and my mom basically had to feed me boiled chicken like I was a toddler.😂

Man, after my tonsillectomy, the pain was absolutely brutal. I guess what actually helps is grabbing some 400mg Ibuprofen, crushing it up with a knife—yeah, just smash it into powder—and then swallowing that. It keeps me steady for maybe 4 or 5 hours. Honestly, I used to get tonsillitis all the time, so getting them out was a total game changer for me. But look, the surgery itself? It sucks. And those first 10 days after? Yeah, it hurts like hell...