I'M On My 4Th Tonsilitis Of The Year

[David9988]

I have lived in Thailand 6 years. I suffered 3 throat infections that first 5 years. This last year I have had 4 of them. Each time, I will go to the doctor at a major hospital and he will prescribe me antibiotics without checking to see if the infection is bacterial or viral. By the time the antibiotics are finished, I will feel better... So I guess that all of these infections have actually been bacterial and not viral since the antibiotics appear to work.

A. bacterial tonsillitis is supposed to be highly contagious yet my wife never catches anything from me, which i find interesting. it makes me think that it is more likely that i have not been having the strep bacteria because it is supposed to be very contagious?

B. I have read up a bit on "chronic tonsillitis" which is basically when previous cases of tonsillitis cause scarring and crypts (holes) in the tonsils where bacteria can hide and grow and food particles can get stuck and turn into tonsil stones (foul smelling little white stones). My question is: can simply having food stuck in your tonsil crypt lead to a full blown bacterial infection or will it only lead to tonsil stones and potentially bad breathe?

C. Has anyone here opted to have a tonsillectomy as an adult? If so, has it decreased your bouts of tonsillitis? Has the decision been positive or negative for you?

I am going to really start working at brushing my teeth + mouth washing + purchasing a dentistry device to clean the tonsils with water after every meal and after every time I arrive home from outside. I've always considered myself to have good hygiene (only 1 cavity) but this is getting ridiculous.

Edited August 9, 2010 by David9988

[dominique355]

Maybe you have a weak immune system. Try to make a complete blood check.

[mommysboy]

Maybe you have a weak immune system. Try to make a complete blood check.

If the doc. thought that he would have suggested it already.

Recurrent tonsilitis usually suggests the tonsils themselves are infected and I think standard advice may be removal.

But you might also check to see if you just have post nasal drip which is common in Thailand due to atmospheric conditions, particularly if living in the city. In this instance then the constant dripping of fluid on to the tonsils sets up just the right conditions for bacterial growth.

I've had 2 bouts of tonsilitis, it rivals flu as an illness. Basically you would have a nasty fever, headache and achy symptoms. Curiously the throat might not feel too bad. If your symptoms were not so bad, it could be you have been hit by strep-throat and have just been unfortunate enough to have had more than your fair share.

The fact you got better each time, does not mean that the antibiotics did or didn't work, it could just mean you got better! Nevertheless IMHO I always take what's prescribed reasoning that things like amoxcyllin in small doses are unlikely to cause any harm either.

[David9988]

u r right. in the past, the throat pain really wasn't that bad. this time it is excruciating. all they gave me for the pain was paracetamol. i could use a morphine drip. cant even sip water without pain.

[David9988]

do any viral infections cause the white ulcer marks or is it only bacterial infections?

[Farma]

C. Has anyone here opted to have a tonsillectomy as an adult? If so, has it decreased your bouts of tonsillitis? Has the decision been positive or negative for you?

Mine were taken out during snoring laser treatment. For me it was the best thing, no more inflamed and sore throats. It took a few weeks for the pain of the operation to clear.

[David9988]

so it was taken out with the new laser technology? how bad was the pain afterward? thanks

[moe666]

I finally had mine removed when I was in my 20s the old fashioned way with a scapel, yes it did hurt like hel_l for about a week afterward. But no more tonsilitis. The constant use of antibiotics are not good for ones health it will cause ones immune system to fail. Antibiotics are not selective they also kill the good bacteria in one digestive tract we are dependant upon for the proper absorbation of minerals and vitamins.

Get your tonsils out it isn't going to get any better.

[mommysboy]

I finally had mine removed when I was in my 20s the old fashioned way with a scapel, yes it did hurt like hel_l for about a week afterward. But no more tonsilitis. The constant use of antibiotics are not good for ones health it will cause ones immune system to fail. Antibiotics are not selective they also kill the good bacteria in one digestive tract we are dependant upon for the proper absorbation of minerals and vitamins.

Get your tonsils out it isn't going to get any better.

A short course of standard issue antibiotics is unlikely to do much damage!

Whether surgery is approp. or not really relies on someone qualified diagnosing that the tonsils are chronically infected. It really is a bit much gunning for surgery at this stage.!

OP, what about your nose, or sinuses? Do you get blocked up? Could you be breathing overly through your mouth? Do you suffer from any low grade allergies?

It could be the answer is more mundane and merely relies on something as simple as an anti-histamine and/or nasal wash.

I wouldn't rush to any hasty decisions.

[Rumpole]

Like yourself, I used to get recurrent bouts of tonsillitis three or four times a year (doctors have remarked that I have unusually enlarged tonsils}. I was on the point of seriously considering a tonsillectomy when someone suggested I try taking ginseng. I have taken 1 capsule per day of the Ginsana brand capsules (available in Thailand) and, even as a fairly heavy smoker, have been free of tonsillitis for about 10 years.

I am not suggesting this will work for everyone, but it certainly worked for me.

Edited August 9, 2010 by Rumpole

[waza]

Your tonsils are doing what they are meant to do. provide a first line protection from pathogens. I used to suffer from chronic tonsilitis requiring antibiotics as well, but it has ceased now and I havent had an episode for many years. The last occasion was when I got a mouthfull of sea water at a Phuket beach, that developed into septic shock. However, it may also be a chemical reaction, I know of people who get this reaction from eating chillies. Gargling with clean salt water is a good treatment for tonsilitis. Although tonsilectomies are no longer common treatment for acute and chronic tonsilitis having them removed will stop the infections.

[wasabi]

I had a chronic problem with this in Thailand, however I did have my tonsils removed. The scar tissue created an area where bacteria constantly infected and inflamed. I had to have my throat cauterized three times during my 2 years in Thailand. I found not drinking any water except bottled from overseas and not brushing my teeth with tap water helped. If I couldn't find good bottled water I would boil it. My wife never had these problems. Most likely she like most from the area were accustomed to the bacteria which I am not and apparently could not adapt to. It just seems like luck of the draw as some farangs are immune but I definitely was not.

[Farma]

David9988 I can only speak from my experience. Obviously have a Dr check and offer suggestions prior to having your tonsils removed. Prior to the operation I was constantly getting tonsil stones and smelly breath. I tried everything but couldn't stop the problem.

I had snoring treatment so there was a lot more removed than in a normal tonsillectomy. I won't deny it hurt for a couple of weeks but a lot of that was due to the snoring operation stitches poking down onto my tongue. It was more related to the snoring treatment than the tonsillectomy. Good painkillers helped. The operation was done under local and took less than an hour.

Since the operation I've had a couple of English doctors say they wouldn't have approved the operation if I'd asked them to do it. They prefer other methods.

I haven't had problems with sore throat etc since. There's been no increase in infections. I now catch a cold every 2 years instead of yearly as I'd previously done. Best of all the bad breath and sore throats have gone.

Talk to a Dr and see what he recommends.

[imjustagirl]

i had mine out in 2001 as an adult. Had it done in the UK after 5 years of hel_l where i was getting tonsiititus every 2 months. The doc advised them out. I was told basically the same that once the tonsils are scarred and pitted you get resistant strains of bacteria embedding themselves in there and even after antibiotics they can flare right back up again.

There is a higher risk with adults of complications and i weighed that up. i did have complications with bleeding (it wouldnt stop! rushed to er as felt at any moment i would not be able to breath, and heaved a giant gross lump of congealed blood that had been pooling in my throat and slowly choking me all over a hungover trainee doctor...who then threw up at the sight of it all! hahaha) and was readmitted to hospital for another 3 days in care. When it was finally all done and dusted i felt great and i have been relatively sore throat free for almost 10 years. I did get two or three very mild bouts of tonsilititus and was told this is because they do sometimes leave a tiny amount of tissue there...but i havent had it now for a few years.

Did it hurt - yes, but not unbearably and it was all worth it after a few weeks recovery. Talk to a few doctors and weigh up the pros and cons, it is a horrible illness and i felt truly poisoned and awful when i was ill so i hope whatever you decide that you feel better.

[imjustagirl]

Also had a friend here have it done (he is in his 30's)in bangkok. Didnt cost much and he had no complications, was in and out in 2 days and not had a bout of it since. That was 4 years ago. He said was painful but the meds helped and after a week was all healed. For him too it was the right decision and wouldnt have them back if you paid him lol.

[mommysboy]

Also had a friend here have it done (he is in his 30's)in bangkok. Didnt cost much and he had no complications, was in and out in 2 days and not had a bout of it since. That was 4 years ago. He said was painful but the meds helped and after a week was all healed. For him too it was the right decision and wouldnt have them back if you paid him lol.

I guess it's about whether the tonsils themselves are chronically infected.

If yes, then on balance removal is best IMHO, as the benefit outweighs the pain of complications, although it should be remembered a very small minority of people do die on the operating table, it is an operation after all. I'm not scare mongering it's fact. So even then advice needs to be tempered.

However, if the tonsils are in reasonable shape, it's probably correct to surmise that this is a reactive ailment, ie, they are doing their job, and there is a more underlying cause. In this case removal is akin to shooting oneself in the foot twice!! Not good advice at all. And treating the real cause is the answer.

[ronz28]

To reduce the germ population you might try to rinse your mouth two or three times a day with half your favorite mouthwash and half 3% hydrogen peroxide labeled for use to rinse your mouth with,etc., but back off the hydrogen peroxide a little if it irritates your mouth. Gargle with warm salt water between the times you use the hydrogen peroxide. If you eat or drink coffee, soft drinks, etc. all day long that could be a part of the problem so you should stop that until its healed. That might be enough for your body to heal itself with a little help from the reduction in the germ population.

If you also snore and are fatigued all the time you might also have sleep apnea which would be another reason to remove those tonsils or more if its really bad.

Edited August 18, 2010 by ronz28

[billyfix]

Thank you this very useful topic. I have same problem like OP. I got tonsillitis this year but no fever, just sore throat, pain in my throat and totally blocked nose. I went one very good Bangkok hospital and doctor gave me first time about 7 medicines, include 2 antibiotics. After finished seems like everything OK with my throat but only 1-2 week laters came back same symptoms (pain in throat and blocked nose). I went same doctor, I got same medicine. Suprise me, why not changed, maybe these not worked on me. After finished again and I got only 2-3 week in calm. I asked again same doctor - can remove my tonsills, but he totally disagree with me. Honestly 2-3 years ago when I hed problems with my tonsil asked Thai and European doctors in my home, and everybody told the same: the times is changed and today doctors don't like and don't offer tonsillectomy.

Now I am little bit in despair. If somebody can offer me conscientious and good doctor or specialist in Bangkok, please IM me.

[phaethon]

Do you suffer from dyspepsia?

I had recurrent sore throats and tonsillitis for a couple of years in the UK - it was driving me mad. Turned out to be due to acid reflux, GORD or (GERD if you're an illiterate with no respect for etymology). At night in particular stomach acid will return up the oesophagus and burn the delicate tissues of the throat including the tonsils, leaving them more prone to infection. A healing course of antacids and changes in diet put me right.

Just a thought.

K.