Adult tonsillectomy and turbinate reduction... - Women's Health

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Adult tonsillectomy and turbinate reduction - worth it? Skip the tonsillectomy?

mrrossi profile image
6 Replies

Hi all

Posting on behalf of my wife (38). She's booked in for a tonsillectomy and turbinate reduction and she's absolutely terrified of the pain and the recovery time. The max time she can get off work is 2 weeks and it sounds like recovery could be longer; she hates her job as it is (I won't say what it is for anonymity, but it's brutal, and the management are bullies - we are looking at a change of job and/or career, but that's another topic & not so easily addressed!). She'd be scheduled to give a verbal presentation too the first day back.

Thing is, the reason she's having the op is due to sneezing fits (often in the middle of the night, so they affect sleeping). All the research we've done suggest turbinate reduction usually does help (related to allergies; she is sensitive to dust and animal hair). However, that doesn't seem to be the case with the tonsillectomy; if anything, some research suggests it can CAUSE more sneezing!

The doctor had suggested removing them as they are huge and he did say it "could" help with sneezing too, but I feel it was a bit of an offhand remark and more of a "let's rip 'em out while we're in there" kinda comment!!

Note: she does NOT get tonsillitis.

So, our question is: why suffer the pain and long recovery of a tonsillectomy if she doesn't really need them removing?? Can't we just say "do the turbinate reduction" ONLY (it's private healthcare through my work, so surely we can ask??) and leave the tonsils in, if that's the main cause of the sneezing issue.

The recovery for that seems nowhere near as bad (long term recovery can be longer but she'd be back at work ok and the pain levels sound much more manageable)

Thoughts/opinions?

Thanks all

x

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6 Replies
Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14

mrrossi

Have you considered a second opinion?

🐬

mrrossi profile image
mrrossi in reply toDolphin14

Hi, yes but it was already booked in for tomorrow - last minute "cold feet". Bit late to get a second opinion and didn't want to reschedule around all the work/childcare/lifecare arrangements already made! She's since been able to talk to the doctor again though who has explained that her inflamed tonsils are also blocking the nasal passageway so they need to come out too, and he's reassured her on the topic of pain and medication - apparently they will provide steroids.

Dolphin14 profile image
Dolphin14 in reply tomrrossi

That's good news

I wish her well

hedgehogan profile image
hedgehogan

Your wife should be able to choose what she is comfortable doing especially given this is done privately. They can make a recommendation but they can't force you to take it

mrrossi profile image
mrrossi in reply tohedgehogan

Thanks, yes - see the other reply, she's now been able to get reassurance from the doctor

mrrossi profile image
mrrossi

Further update: .. she's been in today for it and they've had a chat again and said "let's just do the nose today" - they're going to skip the tonsillectomy after all, and just do the turbinate reduction. Clarified with the doctor that if the tonsils do get inflamed then that can affect affect the airways but confirmed it wasn't a "we need to remove the tonsils" but rather a "removing them may help, but the prime issue is the turbinates". And as they said, the tonsils could also be removed later if they absolutely needed to be...!

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