I'm 26 and had my tonsils removed a little over a year ago. For the year prior to my surgery I had been sick off and on, always with a sore throat. Then I got sick in january of last year and as long as I was on antibiotics I was fine but within 36 hours of taking the last pill I would start to get really sick again. My regular doctor sent me to an ear, nose and throat doctor who took one look at my tonsils and said they needed to come out. He said I had two options 1. Stay on antibiotics for the rest of my life (which would be very bad) or 2. Have the surgery and be done with getting sick. I refused to consent to surgery but after a few weeks of thinking it over and talking with my family I decided it was probably the best solution.

I do not recommend the surgery for anyone who is not down to their last option. It is not fun and it is very painful. But if you have been sick for awhile and unable to get better, the pros of having the surgery far outweigh the cons. Since my surgery I have had only had a cold and pink eye (at the same time) and my regular seasonal allergies. I have yet to have a sore throat like I used to get. I feel a hundred times better not being sick all the time and not having all the energy drained out of my body trying to fight the constant infection in my tonsils.

My suggestion to you is if you are unhappy with the opinion of one doctor go to another. You have the right to get a second or third or fourth opinion from different doctors. Its your health and your body so push for what you think is right. Good luck and I hope you start feeling better soon.

"i do not recommend the surgery for anyone who is not down to their last option"

-agreed... And it sounds like you are down to your last option. It is risky the older you get, but you are still in good shape at 20 to have surgery. I have a friend who is in his early 40s and he just had his out in february. It takes longer to heal the older you are, which is why it is riskier.. But if you keep having tonsillitis, then that risk is worth it. I would definitely get another opinion.

I had chronic cases of tonsilitis when I was a teen. After years and years of trying different meds it would keep recurring and not go away. I had craters and scarring on both tonsils. I am 30 now and had them out when I was 21. Best thing I could have done. I left the same day and took pain killers for 1 day. Pain was not all that bad for me.