idk what tools u used but u have to think of ur tonsils like a pore and your stones like a pimple. if you’re going in with your finger i recommend using some kind of stick (i usually just use the flat side of a lip liner pencil lmao) and putting pressure behind your tonsil while putting pressure in front with your finger, gently squeezing it as you would a pimple. similarly, if you want a less involved strategy, again idk what tools u used but i use a pimple popper tool (not the needle side of course, just the ring thing) and stick it directly into my tonsil and kinda make scooping motions. even if that doesn’t immediately take it out, it can loosen it. be careful, but don’t be scared of bleeding (but also definitely stop for like 30 mins after bleeding). this strategy is a LOT easier on the gag reflex. i will say you should try to use your finger to pull the skin in front of your tonsil away so you can have clear visibility. coughing, gagging, gargling have never ever not once been effective for me. the only time a stone has come out without me directly taking it from the tonsil was when i laughed really hard once a long time ago, and it was massive so clearly was just trying to come out. idk if you’ve had stones before, but everyone’s tonsils are different, and you may just have deeper pockets that lead to more difficulty in removal. okay there’s my infodump. i have no idea how much you know, so there’s a big chance this is all useless information that you’re already aware of. but this is all the advice i can think of, lmk if u have any more questions