Sqad - Thoughts Please

[queenofmean]

on Quinsy?

I'm only asking as I'm curious about it and if that is what's been causing my throats and ear pain and one sided nose bleed for the last 10 days. I am on Antibiotics (Penicillin and Nystatin apparently I had a touch of oral thrush but it's been good at numbing the pain)
The pain has all been one sided on the left ear and left tonsil...which was very red and swollen. The Uvula was also a tad red and swollen and I've been bleeding out my left nostril a wee bit.

Other than the pain and discomfort I'm fine in myself...I was just curious as I didn't want to ask the nurse at OOH. Sugars a wee bit off but stable. Fluids going down well eating anything soft and mushy.


Ta Queenie

[Sqad]

You make a good point. The symptoms that you describe could well be due to a Quinsy (peritonsillar abscess) and that would go well with the one sided infection and earache on the same side.
It sounds as thought the antibiotics are, which are the treatment of choice, are doing their job.
Blood sugars are "reasonable" so no problem at the moment.

Monitor the situation and get back to us in a couple of days.

[queenofmean]

Thank you for your feed back :)

Will keep you posted on how it goes.

Enjoy your day

[New Judge]

Yes and don’t do what I did when I was 21.

Throughout my childhood I suffered from tonsillitis at least twice a year. My GP “did not believe” in tonsil removal, assuring my mother that I would “grow out of it”. Well I didn’t. In fact the attacks worsened as I got older and I believe I was becoming more resistant to the antibiotics I was usually prescribed. On the final occasion when my usual bout of tonsillitis appeared it was more vigorous than usual. It rapidly developed into what was soon to be diagnosed as Quinsy and my tonsils became very swollen very quickly and were threatening my airway. I was taken by taxi to my local A&E where, fortuitously, an ENT surgeon was on hand. He lanced my tonsils there and then (no anaesthetic, no nothing!) to relieve what he believed may soon have become a fatal obstruction. I was admitted and spent around five days in hospital being rehydrated and pumped full of strong antibiotics.

Three months later I had my tonsils removed. This is something that is still not to be recommended in adulthood. I was in dock for ten days (having seen three lots of children come and go for the same procedure) and took a few weeks to fully recover. All unnecessary because my GP did not treat my case on its merits, preferring instead to stick to his dogma.

[queenofmean]

Good lord NJ that's horrendous - just glad that you are ok! My GP won't let me have them out either - apparently I'm a high risk.

I suffered badly with tonsillitis in my late teens until my early 20s but it quietened down this is the first sore throat in almost 5 months I'd say.

[New Judge]

Yes I'm fine thanks, queen (and it's some time since I was 21 !). I just thought I'd sound a warning because I believe recurrent tonsillitis such as I suffered should be treated by tonsil removal where possible. Of course it's not advisable for everybody but in my case it was simply my GP's attitude which held sway. It was not a properly considered clinical decision.

[Sqad]

NJ

\\\ I believe recurrent tonsillitis such as I suffered should be treated by tonsil removal where possible. Of course it's not advisable for everybody\\

So which cases would you choose for tonsil removal and which would you reject?.............;-)

[New Judge]

I’m not a medical expert, sqad and I bow to your expertise in such matters. However, in a case like mine where I clearly suffered tonsillitis a far greater number of times than the average, provided there were no reasons why I should not undergo surgery (which there were not in my case) then a tonsillectomy would seem to be a good way forward. This would seem especially open for consideration when my GP's prognosis that I would "grow out of it" was so patently incorrect. I also bear in mind that most children, when I was young, seemed to be whipped in to have their tonsils out almost as a routine as soon as they developed regular throat infections. Probably more than half of my friends had their tonsils removed (provided they were not registered with my GP, of course). Obviously anybody where surgery of itself presents a risk (e.g. those with heart or lung problems though I’m sure there are many reasons which suggest surgery should be especially avoided) should perhaps not be considered.

In my case the surgeon who lanced my tonsils told me quite frankly (and I’d no reason to disbelieve him) that I may not have survived more than another hour or two without his emergency intervention. I believe he saved my life but I also believe that my GP's rigid intransigence throughout my childhood eventually placed me in that jeopardy. He "did not believe" in childhood tonsillectomy. This belief may have had solid foundations when viewed against the almost factory-like facilities which seemed to exist then for children to have their tonsils removed (as I said, I saw three lots of kids come and go whilst having mine done). But I needed some long term remedy when it became obvious that I was not going to grow out of it and that remedy was denied.

Upon reflection I should have sought a second opinion - or at least my parents should. I would do if I was in that position today but those were different times.

[Sqad]

:-)...OK.....I was just playing the Devil's advocate........BUT, you still didn't say, had you been a medic how you would select those for tonsil removal.
What is the point of my post? Just trying to justify the opinion of your GP Nd to indicate that it is Sod's Law that the one that you advice non-operative treatment, gets the complications.
That's medicine for you.......not an exact science.

[queenofmean]

Good Question that Sqad!

My GP asked if I wanted to endure complications and I said no but if it came down to it and they needed removing I'd go for it.

[New Judge]

I don’t really know why my GP held the opinion he did, Sqad. He told me (or more precisely my mother) that he simply didn’t believe in tonsillectomy.

I think sawbones need to be a little more objective than that. I believe there was a clear need for me to have my tonsils removed (a far greater need than some of my friends who did have theirs done). This need was confirmed later in life. Surgery posed no particular risk to me (over and above the general risks that accompany all surgery). I’d have thought I would have been a prime candidate. Even with his blanket reticence to recommend people for tonsillectomy I’d have thought an objective look at my particular problem would have brought his decision down on the side of intervention.

It’s all water long since under the bridge, of course and I’ve suffered no lasting effects (except for a morbid fear of surgery because of something that happened during my operation which I won’t go into here and which isn’t really relevant). But I believe I suffered probably five or six additional years of throat problems followed by being confronted with what I believe was a life-threatening acute illness. Both of these could have been avoided had a proper assessment of my situation been made.

[Sqad]

I understand.

[SIRandyraven]

When I was on ENT ward for four days due to cyst on neck that had become infected and had to be removed , I witnessed young men with Quinsy and like coming in. Boy did they suffer. They were out of it for at least 24-36 hours.
I figured that not having tonsils removed for some of them was something they were now regretting.
When I was a kid in the 70s I remember a number of 10 year old school,chums having it done. The bonus was they got to eat lots of ice cream post op.

[Jackdaw33]

When I was 5 I had my tonsils and adenoids (whatever they are) out to try to stop regular chest infections. I remember the ice cream.

[david small]

I was booked in to have tonsillectomie and adenoids removed aged seven or eight. Did not attend, can't remember why. Fifty odd years later no problems re throat trouble. Near miss?

[jno]

david small, I also had mine removed as a child - and I've had no more trouble either. Looks like we were both lucky, but via different routes.

I expect I had the ice cream but all I actually remember is the anaesthetic.

[New Judge]

Yes I had my adenoids removed at the same time - it seems you get a "BOGOF" when you have your tonsils done. I believe they are between your nose and throat. The surgeon did show me the implement used to remove them. I remember seeing a TV programme about Egyptian mummification - same sort of process.

One after effect I did suffer was that before my tonsillectomey I had never suffered hay-fever. Every year since I have had it to various degrees. In the early days it was extremely violent though in recent years it has been far less severe.

[jno]

NJ, I developed asthma after an op about 20 years ago (not tonsils). I suspect the anaesthetic was involved - indeed, an osteopath once told me as much, rather to my surprise as I'd never met him before and gave him no medical information; all he did was hold my hand for a few minutes. This too was bad for a few months but has only recurred, not terribly strongly, once since then.

[Sqad]

\\\\it seems you get a "BOGOF" when you have your tonsils done.\\\

Oh! dear.....the medical profession is taking a bit of a "tongue lashing" here.
Let me clear the air a little.
The adenoids are pads of lymphatic tissue, at the back of the nose, 3 in number, one in the centre and the other two pads on each side of the back of the nose, surrounding the openings of the Eustachian tubes.
The adenoids may cause no trouble at all. they may block the nose causing snoring or the may obstruct the opening of the Eustachian tubes, causing what is commonly known as "glue ear."
Based on the history of the patient and the physical examination by the ENT surgeon and if operative intervention is required, one is listed for:

Ts (tonsillectomy)
Ts&As (adenotonsilectomy)
or Ads ( adenoid removal)

BOGOF doesn't enter into the discussion.

Allergies may come on at anytime in life and that "anytime" might coincide with an operation or indeed your first orgasm but as far as we know, the connection is coincidental.

I would like to think that the medical profession does know what it is doing in the main.........but we are obliged to AB and ABers for their valued input.

[New Judge]

"BOGOF doesn't enter into the discussion. "

I was being flippant, sqad :-)

I like your contention that my hay-fever may have occurred coincidentally. But I don't buy it!

It's interesting that you should mention the ear problems. I have an ear problem which means I constantly have to blow them clear by holding my nose and closing my mouth, thus increasing the pressure on the inside of my ears. Works a treat and have to do it perhaps once every day or two. Gradual deafness creeps up otherwise. Went to the docs about it once (many moons ago). Not a great help. Prescribed me some sort of balloon thing to blow up but it wasn't very effective. My method is far better. So it could be the opening of my Eustachian tubes getting gummed up. But it can't be my adenoids because they are gorn !!!,

[Sqad]

NJ..;-)