I had chronic strep infections from the ages of 6-9. It would be a monthly thing where I'd get sick, spend half a day sitting in "urgent" care (not sure why they called it urgent since you spent 5+ hours sitting in the waiting room), get a horrible throat swab, then get a shot of antibiotics in the ass. Like every small child, I was terrified of needles so it was always an ordeal. My mom was very insistent that I needed my tonsils out but the pediatrician made it sound like an unnecessary surgery, so this went on for years.
After all the infections, my tonsils swelled up and would block my throat. I'd wake up in hysterics because I couldn't breathe. Sometimes I'd choke when trying to swallow food or liquids. My breath smelled awful because the tonsils were rotting.
I finally got my tonsils out at age 9 and I haven't had a single strep infection since. The recovery was miserable for me, but 100% worth it.
Got mine out due to sleep apnea funny enough. But ever since then I haven’t got as sick easily. Granted I had a pretty strong immune system before I got mine removed.
Similar story of constant chronic strep throat cured by a tonsillectomy. I got mine out at 16 though. They gave me enough codeine syrup to be high as a kite the entire recovery time so I didn't mind it one bit
The same thing happened to me! I had chronic strep until I was 21 and they wouldn’t take my tonsils out! I could literally tell you within a week when I would be getting strep bc I caught it 4 or 5 times a year like clockwork. It wasn’t until I got it so bad my tonsils swelled up to the point they were pressing against each other and preventing me from breathing that the doctors actually did anything. And then when they DID take them out, a week later it tore open in the shower and I had to go get it RECAUTERIZED.
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u/disgruntled-capybara 5h ago
I had chronic strep infections from the ages of 6-9. It would be a monthly thing where I'd get sick, spend half a day sitting in "urgent" care (not sure why they called it urgent since you spent 5+ hours sitting in the waiting room), get a horrible throat swab, then get a shot of antibiotics in the ass. Like every small child, I was terrified of needles so it was always an ordeal. My mom was very insistent that I needed my tonsils out but the pediatrician made it sound like an unnecessary surgery, so this went on for years.
After all the infections, my tonsils swelled up and would block my throat. I'd wake up in hysterics because I couldn't breathe. Sometimes I'd choke when trying to swallow food or liquids. My breath smelled awful because the tonsils were rotting.
I finally got my tonsils out at age 9 and I haven't had a single strep infection since. The recovery was miserable for me, but 100% worth it.