Why would my ENT remove my tonsils but leave my adenoids?Basics: I'm a 20-year-old female in otherwise good health.
Now for the story:
In high school, I struggled with recurring tonsillitis. I thought it was strep because I experienced all of the same symptoms, but when the doctor would culture my throat, it always came back negative. Eventually, I started getting the, "You have pharyngitis," response. That was insulting. I was like, "Of course my throat hurts... now tell me why and what I can do about it!"
I would have about a month or two of down time and then I'd get another infection, which would typically last 7-14 days in varying degrees dependent upon (in my opinion) the state of my immune system at the time. Obviously, being a high school student affected my immune system as I was not always sleeping well.
My senior year of high school and my freshman year of college saw the infections increasing in frequency until I only had about three weeks between the time I felt better and the next infection. Every time I would visit the quick care (didn't have a GP, which is probably why I've struggled for so long without resolve) I would be in tears of frustration. I didn't understand why it was happening so regularly.
Finally, in August or September of 2008 I got a referral to an ENT in the area and visited him. He met with me for all of thirty seconds before he prescribed a tonsillectomy. Through my research, I had pretty much decided I needed one anyway, so I was alright with the short visit at the time. I received the tonsillectomy in October of 2008 and it trashed me. I had gone on Acutane about a month before, and it noticeably lengthened my healing time, so my tonsillectomy put me out of work for three weeks and under the weather for much longer.
I had about two months of solitude, and then the infections started again. This time, there was no puss on my tonsil area (didn't have any tonsils to infect!), but the fever, cough, etc. were all the same. Since then, the infections have come every six weeks almost to the day. They still vary in severity based upon how much sleep I get and how stressed I am, but this last one (still recovering) is the worst in a long time.
My new ENT noticed that even when I was not infected, my adenoids were enlarged. Then, when I revisited while infected, he didn't even need a second look to tell that they were incredibly infected. He has scheduled an adenoidectomy for March 5th. I'm worried that my healing time will be even longer now that I'm older, but I'm not sure what options I have left. Antibiotics no longer clear up my infections and I'm starting to get otitis media much more often as well. I can't keep missing school!
SO.
My question is, knowing my history of infections and my age, why would my original ENT decide to not excise my adenoids at the same time as my tonsils? I thought they were a connected surgery, and I was never asked if I would like my adenoids removed as well. Has anyone else had a similar experience?
Enchanted One
I would love to answer this...Unfortunatley your question is ridiculously long and I am not a physician.
Give your answer to this question below! Tonsillitis explained | Better Health Channel
Links to information about tonsillitis , including tonsillectomy.
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