Another interesting post T & A finding!

[P_Mom]

Well.....we finally managed to get my younger sons tonsils and adenoids removed this past Thursday. (it had been postponed twice before) He did really great and continues to do well today. Before the surgery at the docs appointment,it was noted that his tonsils looked fine.......not infected, swollen......nothing. No sign of anything wrong. The ENT removed his tonsils and adenoids based on "his reaction to strep"....stating that although it doesn't eliminate strep...it has the potential to greatly reduce it. Dr. Latimer suggested we do it, also. Anything to help reduce the cause of their PANDAS.

Well, when it was all said and done..he came into the recovery room and told me his tonsils were "very infected, cryptic, with pus coming out of some areas." I was shocked. I had to pick my jaw off up the floor! He said that "thats what happens when tonsils go chronic." I have no idea if this will help with the few remaining symptoms he has...time will tell. I know it won't get rid of PANDAS...but...if he had a chronic infection in his tonsils...we may see further improvement...which could be 100% because he was so close before.

 

I am soooo glad that those things are out! Now, both boys are tonsil/adenoid free!

 

Oh....no surge in any PANDAS symptoms.....not yet atleast. I have been looking for his usual mild PANDAS symptoms the past 2 days...haven't seen them....nothing...but, it is early.

We'll see.

[ajcire]

Bet it feels GREAT knowing those infected messes are out! Our ENT said the same thing about my ds's tonsils.. my son had never had a sore throat before but did have positive cultures... at first glance the ent said they looked fine.. that was prior to taking them out.. when he took them out he said they were an infected mess... good riddance. He said often people think that just because tonsils are small they are fine but he said my ds's were small because they were shrilled up infected messess.. that often the smaller ones are just all squished. I can't say I see a difference in pandas symptoms with my son since having it done but since having my dd's and my ds's tonsils out (both lots of positive strep cultures) we have not had strep in the house.. that's since March.

[thereishope]

I'm glad it went well! Let him eat what he wants. My son was eating chicken nuggets hours after surgery. The ENT said the less they baby their throat, the easier and faster they will recover. My son recovered very fast. About a near week past surgery he did start to say that area was a little sore and we had to start the pain meds again (he rarely took pain meds immediately post surgery).

Edited November 6, 2010 by Vickie

[ajcire]

Vickie, I thought I was the only one with a kid who ate chicken nuggets the same day as the surgery.

[kimballot]

PHEW!! So glad those are out. my son was harboring bacteria in his tonsils for years and we did not know it until he finally got them out at age 7. It really stopped the chronic PANDAS symptoms - though he still had symptoms with illnesses. You are starting from a very good place, so I hope this takes care of some the last glitches you have!

[matis_mom]

Thanks for posting this! I am sitting on the fence about getting my own tonsils out at the young age of 40, but more and more I'm leaning towards just getting them out and be done with it!

[Joan Pandas Mom]

We had the exact same situation here.Before they came out the ENT said they didn't look too bad, but given his PANDAS symptoms he took them out. My son also had a negative throat culture 2 weeks before having them out. Sure enough, they were infected, ######, gravely. The ENT said he was surprised they didn't give him more problems.

[cobbiemommy]

Thanks for posting this. We have an appt in six long weeks with the ENT. Hopefully the LLMD will recommend we get them out as well. Great to know that those chicken nuggets were fine so soon after surgery! Good news for you.

[P_Mom]

Thanks everyone! Son is still doing very well post surgery....still have yet to see those mild PANDAS symptoms.......he is on a stronger dose of antibiotic right now...so, who really knows what is up. I can always have hope, right?

 

As far as eating nuggets...not here. Our ENT is very conservative when it comes to kids and tonsillectomy (as per his nurse) He keeps them over night in the hospital and keeps them on a strict diet. He likes to keep an eye on them the first day/night, and, likes to keep them on a strict diet to aviod bleeding and possible secondary infection. All the docs are different....whatever your doc says and whatever you are comfortable with is the way to go. My son doesn't really have an appetite the past few days, so, "eating" has been kept to fluids....popsicles, Italian ices, broth, Jello, etc. Just today he ate a cupcake and some mashed pototoes!

 

And yes....I am soooo glad it is over with and those things are out!!

 

Vickie...my son isn't taking much for pain, either. He is really doing well...thank God. Doc says it is normal for kids to have more pain about a week after surgery as the scabs slough off.

[Fixit]

yay....hope this is the last part for you ds....

thanks for posting...and let us know in the coming weeks if anything peeks in..

but if it does...i think now that they are out..and things were mild..you might just be able to bop it on the head with some more abx of some sort..or tumeric or something and just be done!!!!!!!!

[Joan Pandas Mom]

P.Mom so glad your son is doing well. I want to share our T&A experience because I feel I made a mistake on the timing of sending my son back to school. I feel I sent him back to school too soon after T&A. I think it was 3 weeks after. He was doing pretty good 3 weeks post surgery, but after starting school for a week or so symptoms started back. I don't know if it was reinfection or stress or both. Good luck with continued speedy recovery.