Guest guest Posted August 21, 2004 Report Share Posted August 21, 2004 There is an acute kidney condition called post-strep glomerulonephritis. It can follow a strep throat. But medically, it's not the same thing as IgA nephropathy. They don't cut out tonsils for soar throats as readily as they did this when I was a kid. A sore throat can cause people who have IgAN to have a bit of a " flare-up " , with visibly coloured urine - probably only because the immune system just happens to become more active during this period. But the sore throat does not, apparently, cause the IgAN itself. So, if your son is having a problem with recurring soar throat, it may make the IgAN look as if it's more active. However, there doesn't really seem to be much evidence that removing tonsils prevents the process that causes IgAN to continue. You would probably be more likely to have the tonsils taken out via the ear-nose-throat specialist, for reasons not related to the IgAN - but I think the medical community is fairly resistant to removing tonsils unless it's really necessary even in that case. Pierre IgA and tonsils > My son was diagnosed with IgA this summer. Since April, he's > had several bouts of Strep Throat (no symptoms, just enlarged > tonsils that test positive for strep via throat culture). > Now he has enlarged tonsils again. Do any of you also have > these types of symptoms? Perhaps it is a coincidence that > the strep is continuously recurring this year when the IgA > was also diagnosed (via biopsy). Our nephrologist doesn't > put much stock in the research showing that taking tonsils > out can improve IgA and I'm not sure what to make of it myself. > > Thank you. > > > > > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group > home page: > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iga-nephropathy/ > > To unsubcribe via email, > iga-nephropathy-unsubscribe > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported by donations. If you would like to help, go to: > http://www.igan.ca/id62.htm > > Thank you > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 2004 Report Share Posted August 21, 2004 I'm sorry to hear of your son's diagnosis. There isn't much proof for or against tonsil removal for IgAN purposes. I had mine out in Jan of this year, 4 months after my IgAN diagnosis. HOWEVER I had them removed because I also had constantly swollen tonsils which would test positive for strep even without any symptoms of a cold. Added to that the prednisone I was taking caused a nasty thick discharge from my tonsils that was making me gag constantly. I saw my regular doctor who sent me to an ear, nose, throat specialist. The only time my IgAN was considered was to determine the timing of the surgery. Since being a renal patient made me high risk for surgery the longer we waited to do it the higher risk I would have become (due to further reduced kidney function) My nephrologist is interested in watching my case to see if the tonsillectomy slows down my progression (I have the aggressive form of the disease) but he also was indifferent to me having them out for strictly IgAN reasons. My advice to you is to have your son checked by his pediatrician or general practitioner. It's my understanding (from my pediatrician) that many insurance companies employ a " three strikes they're out " sort of rule, meaning three distinct bouts of strep in a 12 month period and they don't balk at doctors removing the tonsils. Many ear, nose, throat doctors in the USA work on that principle. You also may find that you will have to insist on having the tonsils removed or being referred to an ear, nose, throat doctor as it still isn't a surgery that doctors will willingly offer themselves. Amy IgA and tonsils My son was diagnosed with IgA this summer. Since April, he's had several bouts of Strep Throat (no symptoms, just enlarged tonsils that test positive for strep via throat culture). Now he has enlarged tonsils again. Do any of you also have these types of symptoms? Perhaps it is a coincidence that the strep is continuously recurring this year when the IgA was also diagnosed (via biopsy). Our nephrologist doesn't put much stock in the research showing that taking tonsils out can improve IgA and I'm not sure what to make of it myself. Thank you. To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group home page: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iga-nephropathy/ To unsubcribe via email, iga-nephropathy-unsubscribe Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported by donations. If you would like to help, go to: http://www.igan.ca/id62.htm Thank you Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 21, 2004 Report Share Posted August 21, 2004 My baby sister, who also has IgA, had strep for a year or so before they removed her tonsils. They thought the cat had strep and they kept passing it back and forth but it turned out not to be the cats fault. I don't remember if she was dx with IgA after the tonsils came out or not but it was around that time that she found out she had it, she was 9 or 10. BRANDY > My son was diagnosed with IgA this summer. Since April, he's > had several bouts of Strep Throat (no symptoms, just enlarged > tonsils that test positive for strep via throat culture). > Now he has enlarged tonsils again. Do any of you also have > these types of symptoms? Perhaps it is a coincidence that > the strep is continuously recurring this year when the IgA > was also diagnosed (via biopsy). Our nephrologist doesn't > put much stock in the research showing that taking tonsils > out can improve IgA and I'm not sure what to make of it myself. > > Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 24, 2004 Report Share Posted August 24, 2004 When 's sister was 9, she came to me & told me she was peeing blood. Since had already been Dx'ed with IgAn, I immediately expected the same. The Docs however strongly believed it to be post- strep glomerulonephritis, since Amy had had several episodes of recurrent strep throat. The bummer was that after treating the strep, the hematuria didn't resolve. A biopsy confirmed aggressive IgAn. Here's another " however, " she continued to get strep throat, so 4 months after biopsy she had her tonsils out. Now here's the unscientifically proven part: since having her tonsils out (she only had 2 more episodes of strep shortly after T & A was done), her IgAn has not advanced like we were told it would. It's been 8 years since biopsy & tonsillectomy & her renal function is still within normal limits. Regardless of the effects of T & A on IgAn, I'd consider tonsillectomy if he continues to have strep throat. Repeated strep infections aren't good for the body. Sue > > My son was diagnosed with IgA this summer. Since April, he's > > had several bouts of Strep Throat (no symptoms, just enlarged > > tonsils that test positive for strep via throat culture). > > Now he has enlarged tonsils again. Do any of you also have > > these types of symptoms? Perhaps it is a coincidence that > > the strep is continuously recurring this year when the IgA > > was also diagnosed (via biopsy). Our nephrologist doesn't > > put much stock in the research showing that taking tonsils > > out can improve IgA and I'm not sure what to make of it myself. > > > > Thank you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 25, 2004 Report Share Posted August 25, 2004 One more thing about tonsillectomies. Every study I've ever read, and especially the ones done in Japan, stress that the tonsillectomy (and pulse steroid therapy if you combine the two) typically needs to be done at an EARLY stage of IgAN if it is to be effective. So MAYBE this had something to do with the lack of progression for 's sister, but then again maybe this is just anecdotal. > > > > My son was diagnosed with IgA this summer. Since April, he's > > > > had several bouts of Strep Throat (no symptoms, just enlarged > > > > tonsils that test positive for strep via throat culture). > > > > Now he has enlarged tonsils again. Do any of you also have > > > > these types of symptoms? Perhaps it is a coincidence that > > > > the strep is continuously recurring this year when the IgA > > > > was also diagnosed (via biopsy). Our nephrologist doesn't > > > > put much stock in the research showing that taking tonsils > > > > out can improve IgA and I'm not sure what to make of it myself. > > > > > > > > Thank you. > > > > > > > > > > To edit your settings for the group, go to our Yahoo Group > > home page: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/iga-nephropathy/ > > > > To unsubcribe via email, > > iga-nephropathy-unsubscribe > > Visit our companion website at www.igan.ca. The site is entirely supported > by donations. If you would like to help, go to: > > http://www.igan.ca/id62.htm > > > > Thank you > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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