Hello, and thank you for your question. Having large tonsils can be particular uncomfortable during flu season, when even a slight viral or bacterial infection can cause tonsillitis and stone formation. At the age of 35, your options are essentially the same as they would be for a pediatric patient - a tonsillectomy, or removal of the tonsils is the best and quickest procedure you can get to permanently treat your problem. A less invasive, although less common and more expensive, treatment option is laser tonsillectomy, so called Cryptolysis, which uses a laser to shrink the tonsils to a more normal form, and significantly reduces the occurrence of tonsillitis and stone formation. Given your fear of surgery, this would be a viable option. It is a 15 minute procedure that can be done in the office setting. You should consult with an ENT surgeon who does this procedure. There are various resources on the internet that can help you locate a specialist depending on where you live. Less effective, although helpful, recommendations include: 1) Hand hygiene - wash hands often with anti-bacterial soap and use hand sanitizers to avoid spreading infection you come into contact with 2) Avoid touching and rubbing your eyes, nose or mouth without proper hand sanitation 3) Get an annual flu vaccine 4) Avoid sick contacts 5) Get on antibiotics early at first sign of any bacterial infections. It may help to also take a Prednisone (Steroid) pill if you ever get Strep throat as this could be very painful and uncomfortable in people with enlarge tonsils. I hope this helps somewhat. You can google Cryptolysis online and find a specialist close to your location who may help you with the laser procedure, and of course, you should always seek counsel from a physician face to face before trying any of the recommendations I have mentioned. -Dr. Marco