I have been told my tonsils are red, swollen and asymmetrical and need to come out. I've been congested SO BAD for about 2 weeks, which causes me to have to breathe out of my mouth which in turn makes my tonsils hurt even worse. My question is............is the surgery worth it (the pain)? Will my congestion go away afterwards??? Anyone who has advice or suggestions for me PLEASE write back-thank you!

I am only 16 days post surgery and I can honestly tell a difference in the way I feel. I am still in the recovery phase but yes I can say that it was worth it even with all the pain involved. Good luck to you.:)

Get them out, ESPECIALLY if they are asymmetrical! Mine were asymmetrical, and it was due to a tumor. The tonsillectomy was nothing compared to the cancer treatment I endured.

yours was cancer? Scary! I've heard that about assymetrical tonsils, but I thought it was rare. The one that's not a big is the one that hurts all the time. What, if any, other symptoms were you having and did the doctor have to take it out before he could know it was cancer?
I hope you are doing and feeling better!

thank you for your reply. I'm seeing my Dr. on Tuesday to discuss and I guess set up a surgery date-I'm just nervous about the pain. I'm sure it'll be worth it in the end, though!

Hi---the doctor did not know it was cancer, stage 2 tumor. Surprise! Turned my world upside down, treatment was quite aggressive.This was allowed to progress for 2 years before going ahead with tonsillectomy. Main symptom was fatigue. I also had a CAT scan that reported that it did not look malignant, unfortunately. The tonsil that was larger was painless. Tonsil cancer is not as rare as it used to be, in fact it is now on the rise. This is because HPV is now a major cause of tonsil cancer in young people. I'm sure you'll be fine, but best to get the tonsils out.
And thanks, I'm feeling better.
BTW---my pain level never exceeded a 6 after surgery. Two hours after surgery they had me swallow a big pain pill and eat some jello. The pain pills made me vomit( I was so afraid of be sick after, and it did happen; but didn't seem to cause more throat pain) It was quite tolerable. Was eating soup and toast 4 days after. Good luck to you!

catgirl36,

I could use some support, please. I have a rather long story so I'll try to shorten it. 3 years ago I went to the Dr with a sore throat and 1 tonsil larger than the other. Also, very heavy periods. I took 4 different antibiotics and some where between then and a year ago the sore throat got alittle better with some flare ups here and there. The period just got heavier and heavier.

Last year I tried to give blood but I was refused with the girl told me to go to the hospital and get some blood. I was extremely anemic. After many visits to the oncologist and all his testing, I had fibroid tumors. I decided to have a hysterectomy (Nov. 08) and the anemia issue has improved greatly.

Now, this is strange but it is what happened. We had muscles for dinner and a small piece of shell was in the broth and when I swallowed it, it felt like it stuck into my tonsil (the larger one). The next day my ear hurt as well as my tonsil and throat, so I went to the ER and they said they could not see anything or do anything. They referred me to and ENT. The ENT is concerned because the tonsil is hard and antibiotics did nothing to clear up any symptoms.

The next step is an MRI and a punch biopsy. Then after they find out what they can from those test a tonsillectomy. Now he has not said cancer but I am frightened. My husband is almost 5 years out from his colon cancer and I spent 1 year dealing with the anemia and this sucks! Sorry, I don't talk to anyone about this because I feel I used up all my sympathy last year.

My question is, how long did your diagnosis take and did you have any of the same test? Were you able to continue with daily routines? My boys are 13 and 11 and they were so good to me last year, I would hate for them to have to give up more of their childhood to help care for me.

Well, thank you for reading my rantings and I am grateful for your posts. If anyone else has thoughts or information I welcome it all.

Hi, my diagnosis took nearly two years. I was extremely fatigued but managed to keep up with work and responsibilities. I didn't 'feel right'. No one seemed to think it was a tumor until my tonsillectomy, and I was in fact discouraged from having the surgery. So my tonsil was never biopsied, and I did not have an MRI. It is good that they have arranged an MRI for you, and definately get a biopsy. The tonsil being hard is suspicious.
But remember---it's not cancer until they say it IS cancer.
I did well through my cancer treatment, staying busy and trying to keep positive.
Please let me know how this goes for you and I would be happy to answer any other questions!! Good luck!

Catgirl36,

Thank you. Your words are wise and comforting.

Laura

catgirl36,

Here is an update. I had a punch biopsy which did not show cancer (that surprised my doctor who told me that it still could be after the tonsillectomy biopsy) and an MRI and it showed an asymmetry in the left vallecula that measures 12 x 13 mm. I am not sure what that means and the ENT said he wont know until he sees it during my tonsillectomy which is scheduled for April 22. I have had 5 major surgeries in the past but this one really has me frightened.

Thank you for being here so that I can be hopeful. Reading your story and seeing how strong you have been is inspiring.

Laura

I agree with your doctor--only a tonsillectony can completely rule out tonsil cancer.
Even though I had just been diagnosed with cancer, I still quickly and easily recovered from my surgery. All the horror stories actually contributed to me dragging my feet on that surgery, delaying my diagnosis. Pain level never really exceeded a 6, and I was eating toast on the fourth day.
You will come through this surgery just fine, and you will set your mind at rest when the pathology comes back BENIGN.
Even if there is(really outside chance) a malignancy--it sounds like it would be very small, and you probably wouldn't require the treatment I had. My tumor was 2 CM.
Sending you good vibes for a speedy recovery!