Tonsillectomy

[greenmachine]

Hi,

I am looking to join the royal marines later this year. But i am getting a tonsillectomy in the next 3 months, most likely in mid september. The doctor said downtime after the operation is only 1 week. Will this hinder my chances in the marines? Or do they not look at this as a concern?


Also, has anyone here had a tonsillectomy and can explain their experience/pain or anything about it? As i don't know much about the procedure yet..

Thanks

[ashley]

I don't know if this is relevent at all but I was speaking to someone from my old school yesterday and he mentioned someone was going to join the Army. However, they refused him on the medical because he had tonsil problems and can't join unless he has them removed. So, really, I think you should give your local AFCO a buzz and see what they have to say about it.

[gradnojob]

Damn! I had reoccuring tonsillitis (caught from a dirty girl, hate them girls) a few months ago the doctor said a tonsillectomy is usually a last resort, they're done very rarely now. I can't see that having bits of your throat cut out is going to be anything other than painful. On the bright side your diet is likely to consist of jelly and ice-cream for a while. Your tonsils are part of your immune system, trapping infections in the throat before they can spread and producing antibodies but apparently after having them removed, other glands/bits etc can make up the shortfall. So i dont see why an all clear from your doctor would not be good enough for entering a service. But like ashley said, ring your AFCO.

[blodwyn]

Don't want to put you off, but the jelly and ice cream thing's a myth...

Its dry toast and shredded wheat all the way I'm affraid, gooey sticky food is avoided post op as it sticks to the wound in the throat and can cause infection, where as dry food has a cleaning effect by "scouring" the area (ouch ).

Had mine done in my teens, my, how I looked forward to dinner time..not.

You having your adenoids done at the same time?, watched a documentery about how they remove them about a month after, nearly passed out!

Blod

[Meekon]

Had mine taken out when I was 17 and my best mate had them taken out the same day. We were both fully recovered and back to normal within less than 2 weeks. I felt totally fine the day after apart from a sore throat. It's less painfull than tonsillitis put it that way. You will be back to normal in no time.

And the toast eating thing is true in order to scrape your throat - not nice but worth it to prevent infection.

Hope it goes well

[greenmachine]

thanks guys!

I thought the toast eating thing wasn't true, i'm sure i read that eating foods that can scrape your throat may cause it to bleed and lead to needing another op to fix that..

Meekon, did you have any problems from the surgery at all? Ie, bleeding, voice changing!! <-- (been reading up on this) and i've read this can happen..

[Hyperlithe]

I had part of a tonsil taken out when I was 16 after having tonsillitis almost constantly for 5 years. Had to stay in hospital overnight because they gave me far too much anaesthetic, and didn't sleep all night because of the pain... then the nurse shouted at me in the morning because I wouldn't eat cornflakes for breakfast, or take the huge painkiller tablets they were trying to give me! Cow... They didn't even put me in the children's ward, I was in with a load of old biddies who'd had hip replacements and the like. I think I was off school for a week, but have occasionally had tonsillitis since. The doctor told me they wouldn't take my tonsils out because they catch infections going into the body, and without them I would get lots of chest infections instead, which could be more dangerous.

[Meekon]

Hi greenmachine - no I had no strange side-effects and I was honestly more or less back to normal within a couple of days - but obviously I had to milk it for sympathy for a while!

Never heard about it having any effect on your voice but maybe it's different for blokes but I doubt it, can't see how it would have an effect? Having my tonsils whipped out was one of the best things I've ever done as I've never had tonsillitis since and have been a picture of health ever since

You will be back to normal in no time after having the procedure - just remember to get that toast down yer neck

[HardRock]

I had my tonsils and adnoids out when i was about four, I can remember it pretty clearly as well!

I can remember the sore throat and dry food well, its great (not)
but I can say im not some big infectious guy because I have no tonsills, it was very common back in the day to whip them out, the surgery is pretty routine, and recovery is pretty quick, you feel fine the next day (unless your unlucky like Hyperlithe!)

I think they really cut back on doing it due to the NHS stress levels, where it can be helped without surgery, they try to avoid it...

Get it done mate, its a lot better than tonsillitis!
Good luck and make a speedy recovery, enjoy the toast!

The best,
Rock

[joethejudge]

This is a bit of a coincidence!
On July 2 I'm getting my adenoids (and hopefully my tonsils) out.
At least I will be able to breathe when I run though.

[andy_s]

I had both done a couple of years back and now i sound like lee evans, but atleast i can hit the high notes when im singing 'california girls'............................................