What to Expect After Tonsillectomy
Post-op, you’ll probably awake in a different room from the one you were first brought to. This recovery room is where the staff will observe to to see that you aren’t having complications from anything from bleeding to reactions to the anesthesia. You might be given something soft to eat, like gelatin. Depending on where you live, you will most likely be released that same day, once the staff deems you fit to leave. After being under anesthesia, you will not be allowed to drive. An adult will have to take you home.
Post Op: Tonsillectomy Medicines
You’ll probably have two medicines prescribed when you leave the hospital; a pain killer like percocet or hydrocodone, and an antibiotic like penicillin. You may also want to ask for a stool softener. The narcotic pain killers can have a profound constipating effect. Another post tonsillectomy medicine that might be beneficial is an anti nausea drug like promethizine. It can help counteract this side- effect of the pain medicine. Finally, ask your doctor about a steroid to reduce swelling. One of the first things you’ll fight with after tonsil surgery is a swollen uvula. Swallowing can be almost impossible with that inflamed thing swelling up like a punching bag.
Some tips for the first days after surgery
Begin icing the throat area immediately. This reduces swelling and makes drinking precious fluids more tolerable. Just do it, and keep doing it. Have a comfortable recliner set up. Lying flat can make breathing difficult and seems to aggravate the throat area. Be sure to have a humidifier or vaporizor to keep the air moist. If possible, have someone stay with you for those first days. You may think post tonsillectomy will be a great time to catch up on reading. It probably won’t. The medications make it a little tough to concentrate. Watching movies is probably going to be more enjoyable as you recover.
Don’t continually look at your throat. It will look awful. Here’s an example:
Many people become obsessed with how the area looks. Let it go. As long as you’re not having alot of bleeding, it’s probably fine.
Pain After Tonsillectomy
Most adults describe the first day or two after surgery as, “the honeymoon.” “This isn’t so bad!” This is partly because you’ll still have some of the general anesthesia in your system. Things typically get worse days two and three. From there, the pain will ebb and flow, with days seven and eight often being the worst.
The best advice I can give about managing pain after tonsillectomy is as follows: Stay hydrated. take pain medicines on a strict schedule. Run a humidifier. Ice the affected area often. Try to stay positive and keep your mind on other things. There is a strong psychological component to pain. Sleep with your head elevated. Keep Drinking Water!!
What to look out for
The top risk post tonsillectomy is bleeding. Some bleeding is normal. Gargling with cold water will usually stop the bleeding. If it does not, and you find more than a couple tablespoons of blood, it’s time to get to an emergency room. Don’t panic- this can easily be treated, but time is important. Get in. Get it fixed.
Another problem after tonsillectomy is oral thrush. Largely due to the antibiotics you may be taking. A white film and soreness on the tongue are usually a sign that you have thrush. Some have luck eating probiotics like yogurt. Others report that a tongue scraper helps. I recommend calling your doctor’s office.
A side effect many don’t anticipate, or even realize they are experiencing, is depression. Prolonged use of pain medicines and the subsequent withdrawal from them, can have a chemically depressing effect on a person. Likewise days and days of pain, poor sleep, and poor diet, can also wear a person down.
Tonsillectomy Recovery Time
One of the most common questions is, “how long will it take to recovery from an adult tonsillectomy?” Well, it varies. I’d recommend taking two full weeks off from work. You may feel well enough to return to work sooner, but you may not. Informal surveys that I’ve conducted indicate an average tonsillectomy recovery time for adults to be about 10 or 11 days.
Longer Term- What to expect weeks and months post-op
As your throat heal, one of the first things you’ll notice is a change in your sense of taste. This is very common and can last from two weeks to to several months. It almost always returns to normal though.
The other thing you’ll probably notice after your throat has done most of its healing is a loose feeling back there. It’s almost as if there isn;t quite a tight seal between the back of the nostrils and the throat. again, this is normal. It can take several months for all of this tissue to firm back up, but it will.
Finally, you’ll probably have a much better life after your tonsillectomy. Depending on your reasons going into the surgery, you will most likely sleep better, get sick less, and have better breath!
Best of luck to you. Please explore the rest of this site for more in-depth descriptions, as well as personal stories and photos from readers.
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My throat is tight up on me, what do I am being drink a lot water, but still happening
Did u ever find a remedy ? This is happening to me and I feel like I’m not getting oxygen it’s my throat and nose
Ok. So due to continually getting sick, then findng stones in the tonsils…my ENT Dr and I decided on a tonsilectomy. Surgery was on the 9th..all went good. Outpatient, so got to go home. Day 1 & 2 Pain was bearable, but sleep was getting impossible..from day 3 ..not actually sleeping, just.nodding off, I am Continually Taking liquids as ordered, along with the medication precisely at every 4 hrs.
Now here are my concerns; at time I take pain meds, MY THROAT IS TOO SORE…THE MEDICINE BURNS GOING DOWN, AND MY. THROAT HURTS LIKE CRAZY. Drinking anything is unbearable for the first hour….then, after the 3rd hr, the pain, when swallowing, is unbearable again. So I get about 1 hour of pain relief every 4hrs. I get 20minutes to an spur sleep every h hrs. Is this normal?
Half a year later, but I am experiencing the same thing. Were you taking percocet? I started taking mine every 3-3.5hrs as needed now, because the pain is unbearable. I am 22yrs. old and on day 4 after surgery. My entire throat, neck, jaw, and tongue are extremely sore. I can only eat soft food about 30 minutes after taking the medication. What did you end up doing? Sticking it out, changing medication…? Let me know. Thanks!
I’m 51 and I had my tonsils out oct 25, 2016. All went well, yes worst surgery ever but I’ve gotten through it but my issues is not what happened at the beginning, mine is now. Two months out almost and I thought I was gonna be completely healed but I have to carry Ice water with me at all time and drink it. I feel like I have a sore throat n hard to breathe sometimes and this awful dryness that’s just not going away and I will be completely fine with this as long as I know this is going to end. My husband said maybe it’s scar tissue that’s taken so long to heal, just wished I knew that this will go away eventually. I am also a diabetic but I have it under decent control. My Dr and everyone else said two weeks to a month and I will be all healed. Well . . . My month has passed and I’m still having issues. If I think about it long enough I’ll start having anxiety about it. Thinking I’m gonna have to live like this forever. Does anyone know if this will go away. Thanks for any insight.
I had mine done May 20, 2016 I am 48 and I still can’t really taste anything and the few things I taste, taste like crap. I went back to the doctor and have some scare tissue which is making it hard to breath at times. Water even has a bad taste. I still can’t stick my tongue out all the way and when I yawn it hurts. Can I do something to help this along? I am so frustrated I almost regret getting them done. I would rather be sick all the time then feel like this. They say to fully heal as an adult it could take up to a year. Please someone HELP ME!!!
Michele, are you doing any better. I’ve not had to issues with taste or it hurting when I yawn but I do have issues with feeling of something in the back of my throat n sometimes after a day of talking it being a lil bit harder to breathe n I also now have this slight wheezing as I breathe. Hope things are better for you.
I know this reply is a long time after your post. Hope you are doing well. I’m 39 and I had my tonsillectomy 2 years ago. It was the worst surgery by far that I have ever had. Now at 2 years, I have absolutely no after effects. Life is back to normal. Never get a sore throat. I am reading these posts now because my son (17 years old) had his tonsils taken out just a few hours ago. I dread watching him go through this pain. Best of luck to you and hope you are well.
I’m four days post op now and 18 years old. How long did it take before you started to notice improvements be it tonsil or overall health related?
Hello!, (20/f) I had my tonsillectomy May 16th 2016 along with the procedure my surgeon shortened my uvula and took out my adenoids! Needless to say I got the full treatment. I went in at 7am an was home by 10am. I was prescribed 5-325 Percocet and 10 days of liquid a amoxicillin. Day 1-3 were fine, I slept a lot and ate jello, egg whites and plenty of water. I took my Meds every 4 hours because the pain really hit. Days 4-8. I had bad (referred)ear pain, tight throat, headaches, crampy neck, swollen uvula an tongue and the mucus was horrible! By day 9 I felt a huge turn around and as soon as the scabs began to piece off I felt immediate relief within minutes. Now when your scabs begin to fall off that area will sting like no other! Even when drinking water. My uvula burned and not to mention my tongue was still swollen as well. I was able to eat thanks to some Aleeve! I had French fries, tuna sandwhich, pancakes, eggs. Chicken was a bit tuffer to swallow and stay away from hamburger an sausage. although physically I was able to walk around and breathe better and sleep. Today may 26th is day 10 and the right side is pretty much completely off but the lower part where my tongue an teeth meet still burns an hurts the pain is like at a 3-4. The left side my hole is deeper than the right and so it’s taking a while for the scabs on the inside to come off. I was able to eat solid foods again I had lasagna and that went down well! I will say that the tight lump feeling in my throat I began having on Day 7 is fading from the right side but has started on the left now. My doctor told me that it was the scab tightening around the area and would dissaper when the scabs do. So my progress has been well! I’ve had no major bleeds but did experience very minor bleeding when 1 scab on the left fell out but it stopped with cold water. I can’t wait for this to be over! I want to enjoy eating again and tasting my food.
Some tips:
1. Sleepy with a Vicks Humidifier it runs from 18-24hours an is a life saver
2. Drink water!! I would go through a 24 pack of Dasani in 3 days! drinking has made my recover speed up!
3. Cold foods–Warm Foods–Cold–Warm alternation helps with pain. In the beginning cold was good then around day 5 I needed soups
4. If you have liquid amox use the syringe an drench your throat in it slowly. This feels amazing, heals quicker ＆ provides a cold coat for temporary burning.
5. At night I slept with a hospital mask to keep the cool air out of my mouth! It kept my throat moist an made waking up less awful
6. Stay positive, this is a rollercoater! But you’ll make it:) I did experience bouts of depression it’s normal!
7. My uvula is still swollen at day 10 but my tongue feels better. Taste is affected and swallowing hurts like a sore throat.
8. No Fans
9. Netflix is your friend just like stool softeners
10. I’m taking NSAIDS like Aleeve PM it knocks me out in 20 minutes. Tylenol Extra Stength when I wake up to help with the tight, scratchy, uncomfortable feeling.
11. Colgate Peroxy Mouth Sore Rinse mixed with water an a dash of peroxide helps with cleaning the area after eating. I brush my teeth an avoid the back of my mouth cause the paste will burn! It also helps with that horrendous morning breath caused by the scabs.
12. Stay away from seasoning and condiments.
13. 7 Up keeps my mouth moist, sometimes too much water makes me dry up a bit.
14. Ice packs help with neck pain, an hot rice bags keep down inflammation.
15. Hot showers/baths open up airways
I can’t think of anything else but comment if you have any questions!
Best of Luck!
Thanks Baily- great tips! Hope you are well
Hey! I’m Anna and I’m 20. I am currently on day 10 of recovery and the recovery has been rough on me pain wise. They also took out my tonsils, adenoids, and shortened my uvula. I had to go to the ER tonight because my throat felt really tight like it was closing up and I couldn’t breathe. The outside of my neck is also swollen. It does feel like there is a lump in my throat like something is in it. At times I’ve felt like I could barely breathe and it hurts to swallow all of the time. I’m going to call my ENT doctor in the morning and see if I need to come in. My pain medicine that my doctor helps the pain where my scabs are but it does not help the pain in my throat or neck. I’ve been taking my pain medicine every 4 hours. What did you do to help this pain and to make it go away? When did all of this finally go away for you?
Hey! I’m Anna and I’m 20. I am currently on day 10 of recovery and the recovery has been rough on me pain wise. They also took out my tonsils, adenoids, and shortened my uvula. I had to go to the ER tonight because my throat felt really tight like it was closing up and I couldn’t breathe. The outside of my neck is also swollen. It does feel like there is a lump in my throat like something is in it. At times I’ve felt like I could barely breathe and it hurts to swallow all of the time. I’m going to call my ENT doctor in the morning and see if I need to come in. My pain medicine that my doctor helps the pain where my scabs are but it does not help the pain in my throat or neck. I’ve been taking my pain medicine every 4 hours. What did you do to help this pain and to make it go away? When did all of this finally go away for you?
I just want to know if this is normal because I keep on worrying about and stressing over it.
Hello Anna I am experiencing the same problem of nostrils and throat tightening up and I’m unable to breathe did you ever find a solution to this and is this normal ?