Tonsil Stones from IVF Treatment - Anyone Else?

[anz07]

I began my first cycle of IVF back in the summer of 2020. Whilst in treatment and injecting Gonal F, I started having tonsil stones. These are debris that builds up and sit in your tonsils causing some discomfort. I ended up doing 4 rounds of IVF so obviously the drugs/hormones messed up my body somewhat. I continued to have recurrent tonsil stones throughout my treatment and, in the end, also during my lasting pregnancy. I would have the odd week or two where they would stop, but they would always eventually return. Some time after giving birth to my daughter, I noticed that they stopped completely. I hadn't had them for almost a year. During this time, I was waiting for a referral to a throat specialist which finally came through recently. I almost ended up cancelling it but then, bam, the tonsil stones have suddenly returned about a month ago. There is definitely something hormonal going on with my body at the moment - I am no longer doing IVF or on any hormone-related medication but you know when you can just tell you are having a strange hormonal surge? Very disrupted sleep, spots when I never get them, thrush on and off...all horrible! But the fact that the tonsil stones have returned during this time just confirms my suspicions that they were indeed brought on by surges of hormones or some kind of hormonal imbalance.

I appreciate this is a rather strange story but has anyone had anything similar to this? I've also read that recurring tonsillitis has been linked to IVF treatment.

Any insight would be greatly appreciated!

[JA-fnuk Partner Nurse Fertility Network UK]

Hope you get some replies to your post .It has been suggested that hormonal changes can increase the likelihood of tonsil stone formation Good that you are keeping appointment at ENT clinic

Look after yourself

Janet-Partner

[anz07 in reply to JA-fnuk]

Thank you Janet. I will put any updates here in case they are of help to anyone else.

[JB124]

hi anz07 I rarely get tonsil stones but on my last cycle I did get two. I started googling and it does suggest hormonal changes which would make sense it may be related to all the medication we are on. I did find that gargling salt water helped get rid of it. They have not returned on this cycle, thank god x

[anz07 in reply to JB124]

Hi JB124, thank you for sharing - that's really interesting. I think the medication certainly is the cause of mine. What I don't get is how I'm still getting them years down the line...and how I had a long break from them and then they suddenly returned. Hope yours stay away! x