When I was recovering from my tonsillectomy, alone for the most part, things got pretty dark. After days alone, in pain, with little sleep, I felt like I was at the end of my rope. I’m sure all the pain medicine added to my dispair. I was never a Catholic, or even a very devout Christian. I don’t remember how I came upon the Franciscan Sisters’ website, but there I was. The Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration hold 24 hour, 365 days a year prayer. They have for many many years. I read that anyone who needs to can make a request for prayer to the Sisters. I was willing to try anything. I filled out the online request form.

I was told that for the next seven days, the Sisters would be praying for me. Wow! That’s powerful. I don’t care what your faith is- the thought of that gives great comfort. I needed comfort- badly! My recovery was still hard, but I took just a little comfort in knowledge that someone was praying for me. I also remember feeling anxious as the 7th day arrived. By the time it did, I was on the mend and knew that it was others’ turn to receive the prayers of the Sisters.

Prayer Request

People who know me personally would probably be very surprised that I participated in this. They’d be even more surprised to learn that I was posting a link to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration’s website. I rarely even go to church. I don’t care. It helped me. It might help you.

So here’s the link. Check it out. I wish you comfort and good health.

**LINK**Submit your prayer request to the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration in La Crosse, Wisconsin.**LINK**

Take care,

Greg
-Greg My short bio

Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Prayer Request

Tonsillectomy patients often peer into their throats and wonder, “is this normal?”  What they see is never pretty.  For some it can be quite disturbing.  Since I’ve started the forum, the description of post tonsillectomy throat has been one of the most common discussions.  Believe it or not, people send me post tonsillectomy pictures of their throats all the time.  Of course I appreciate it.  Here is s series of photos from one tonsillectomy patient from each day of her tonsillectomy recovery.  A warning:  These tonsillectomy pictures may not be for the faint of heart! To enlarge the pictures simply click on the image.

These two little machines will become your best friends.  Give tonsillectomy recovery a One-Two punch!  A humidifier is probably the single most beneficial item to have at your side as you recover.  Drinking ice cold slushies will feel good, reduce inflamation,  and keep the throat activated, thus stimulating the healing process.
Order today.  Have it tomorrow from Amazon.

-Greg My short bio

More Tonsillectomy Images

Tonsillectomy Pictures

Tonsillectomy photos

————————————————————————————

Previous Comments on Tonsillectomy pictures:

On February 8, 2013 at 12:32 pm Kimberly said:
Just had my tonsils removed yesterday. I don’t even remember being out to sleep. All I could hear was my own giggling. I was having weird dreams and when I woke up in recovery, I kept thrashing about. I didn’t know where I was and why I couldn’t breathe normally. Nurses had to give me lots of morphine to heal the pain. I next woke up in the room I started in. I was the last one to have surgery and was the only patient there. The nurses were extremely kind to me (had it done at the Victoria General Hospital in Winnipeg).

For anyone else getting this procedure done, I highly recommend you drink an extreme amount of water. I woke up and had a (literal) reptile-like tongue. Swallowing is really hard to do. If a piece of Popsicle breaks off, put your face down. You won’t be able to get it out with your tongue like you may have done before the surgery. The tonsils aren’t there to stop it from sliding down your throat.
I hope this helps anyone else reading this!

I really love the pictures. It’s nice to know what my recovery should look like.

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 6, 2013 at 10:54 am Amanda Farrell said:
I am due to go into hospital to have my toncils out at 8am! I live in liverpool and I am having it done privately! I am so so worried about the pain and sleepless nights after the op! I suffer panic attacks and I have been having them all week! All I keep reading about is how painful it is x help!!??

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 6, 2013 at 11:00 am Greg Tooke said:
Amanda- Hello! Try to relax. Do you take anything for anxiety? Most people who do are able to continue those medications before and after surgery. if you don’t, it might not be a bad time to try them.

Short of that, I always recommend that patients take time to mentally walk through the day of surgery to remove the unknown. Even driving to the clinic and walking to the waiting area- This really helps make the day of surgery less scary. It’s a really simple surgery and almost always goes smoothly.

The recovery will be a little rough. It’s true. Bear in mind though, the people with easier recoveries rarely post about their experience.

You’ll be fine. We’ll be here for you. Good luck!

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 6, 2013 at 11:05 am Amanda Farrell said:
Thank you so much for getting back to me so quick! I have been struggling with panic attacks since I was pregnant with my little boy who is 14 months old! I have had really bad post natal depression since my little boy was 2 days old and I take 40mg of Citalopram once a day which is an anti depressant! Hopefully this will help keep me calm! One can hope! Since I have had post natal depression kicked in I have to be in control of everything and with being put to sleep and someone in my mouth is not me in control I panic even more! I’m so scared! Xx

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 6, 2013 at 11:07 am Greg Tooke said:
I understand. Do you have help lined up for your little guy during your recovery? You will need it my dear

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 6, 2013 at 1:32 pm Greg Tooke said:
If you’d care to join us on Facebook, a few people have offered their input about anxiety and tonsillectomy.

https://www.facebook.com/MyBigFatTonsillectomy

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 8, 2013 at 4:26 am Amanda Farrell said:
I had them removed yesterday!! The op went well! Struggles to eat anything as I have quite bad earache and chewing makes it worse! Slept well last night! However this morning I woke up gagging as it feels like I have a massive clump in my throat! Is this normal!! It’s making me gag quite a lot breathing or attempting to talk x

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 8, 2013 at 7:38 am Greg Tooke said:
Hi Amanda- Yeah, your uvula is probably swollen. That will go down- ice water might help too.

(Edit)

Thank you for the tonsillectomy pictures.  Is there a way I can submit photos of my throat after tonsil surgery?  Thanks!

On February 6, 2013 at 11:34 am Jess said:
Hi Amanda!
Before my surgery, i spent hours here, reading comments from day 1 to 10. It helped me to know what to expect.
Don’t worry to much. It’s not going to be pleasant for a while, but you’ll get through it. Everybody has a different experience, but I didn’t experience to much pain (it really was bearable) and was able to sleep every night. i just had to wake like 3 times a night to drink a little bit of water to keep my throat moist and keep up with my pain meds.

Good luck for tomorrow!

(Edit)
Respond to this
On February 6, 2013 at 12:09 pm Mairi Lindsay said:
Hi Amanda,
First of all relax, don’t stress. While yes tonsils out for teens and adults is a big surgery it isn’t as awful as all these horror stories you’ve probably been reading. As with any surgery you will get nervous beforehand and yes it will hurt, but not horribly like you think. It is about as bad as your worst case of tonsilitis. A few tips i learned, trust me they work, have your medications written down on a timeline when you get discharged, i had diclofenac, dihydrocodeine and paracetamol prescribed, which i would take one of each in 8 hour intervals. Make sure to follow the instructions but also to have your pain management spread effectively through the day (if you get pills, hide it in a teaspoon of jello, goes down easier than if you try to drink them down) the chart also helps with if you get strong pain meds and you forget when you took them that you know so you dont take too many,

This next one sounds sadistic but i lived by it through recovery, toast, that’s right, dry toast. While just after your surgery you will think this sounds nuts, trust me, when you hit day 5 or 6 when the scabs start healing and falling off you will be greatful for this, the toast helps scrape away any excess in your throat and actually worked almost like a pain reliver for me, try to get back to eating normal foods as quickly as possible, while a diet of soup, jelly and ice cream sounds great, it will not help your throat heal.(just avoid tomatos)

Another tip, don’t stress, the stress will delay healing, and just set up all your fave, teddies, movies, shows, mags whatever it is, but i guarantee all you will want to do the first wee while is sleep. But one thing i forgot to mention about the meds, Make sure you wake up in the night to take them!also to hydrate, nothing wose than your throat getting dry.

You will get to a stage where you will be slightly depressed, feeling it’s never gonna end, don’t worry, this is normal, it will end! Keep reminding yourself that, around day 10/11 you will start feeling better. Keep that goal in mind, get cuddles when you want, people forget this is a big surgery, but not one to be scared of

My name is Mairi, i’m 21 and in november i will be 3 years post op. i can honestly tell you the surgery was the best thing i could have done, i had tonsilitis 21 timesin 18 months and had glandular fever, my quality of life was non existent. Here i am 3 years later and i just had my first sore throat since surgery and life didn’t stop. Don’t worry. Honestly, everythingis manageable if you look after yourself, my tips worked well for me and a lot of others i know. I had my surgery done by the NHS.

Good luck and I hope you have a great recovery and future
Mairi

(Edit)

Are there photos of the actual tonsils after tonsillectomy?  I appreciate seeing what the throat looks like after tonsillectomy.  I thought I was a freak!  Lol.  Hope all are well.
Respond to this
On January 22, 2013 at 3:38 pm annie said:
Hi I’m due to have my tonsilectomy 31st jan and I’m really worried as my pain freshold isn’t that great and really worried about the recovery process not to mention the actual op istself just wanting to know is it bareable and any recovery tips that might help x

(Edit)
Respond to this
On January 25, 2013 at 7:52 am Anonymous said:
I had my tonsillectomy on 22/01/13 so today is my day 4 post op and to be honest I’m fine I’ve had toast and biscuits for 2 days. On day of surgery I had ice cream, jelly and mousse. Only advice I can give you is don’t let the docs give you codeine it made me sick straight after my op and I was sick 9 times but as soon as I stopped taking codeine I was great. Just taking 2 paracetamol and 2 nurofen together every 6 hours and it’s working well. No trouble sleeping, just gettin a bit of a foul breath but that’s supposed to be normal and avoid pasta because that stuck to the tonsil scabs. You will be ok if you stay positive and drink plenty

(Edit)
Respond to this
On January 30, 2013 at 1:36 am Anonymous said:
Hi Annie,
I had my tonsillectomy Jan 24 so I’m 6 days post op today. I was very anxious about the procedure. I’d never been under a general anesthetic before so I also feared some horrible side affect. I can honestly say that it was nowhere near as bad as I anticipated. The needle went into my hand (the smallest prick) and out I went. I awoke in recovery 45 mins later and it was all over. I spent 1 night in hospital and then came home with my medication. At times the pain has been nasty but most of the time when I keep on top of my meds it’s ok. I’ve been able to eat things like pancakes and avocado and sorbet. I suck on ice and drink loads of water. My medication makes me sleepy but I’m slowly feeling better so I’ll probably be off them soon. Even though yes, it can be a painful recovery, for me, it’s better than 12 more years of recurrent infections. I think it’s pretty normal to feel uneasy going into theatre but it will be worth it. Hope it goes well for you and you make a speedy recovery

(Edit)
Respond to this
On January 1, 2013 at 7:27 am Catherine said:
Greg,
I am 15 days post op and still have the thin white coating on my throat. I can’t seem to find anywhere that people say what happens after week 2. How long until my throat is pink and normal again?

(Edit)
Respond to this
On January 1, 2013 at 8:22 am Greg Tooke said:
Hi Catherine. It’s possible that you have oral thrush – http://tonsillectomyrecovery.com/oral-thrush-candida/

Thoughts?

(Edit)
Respond to this
On January 3, 2013 at 2:12 am Kelsey said:
I still have mine too, I’m on day 14 of my recovery. It looks as though my scabs are still there, just really thinned out, & taking their time coming off. At my post op check up my doctor informed me that some people’s scabs come off a lot slower than others. My friends were almost gone by day 11, & my throat still looks gross. Nothing to worry about though, as I am eating normal and they are slowly coming off. I think this whole surgery turned into more of a waiting game than anything for me. Hope it helps!

(Edit)
Respond to this
On December 26, 2012 at 10:35 am Karen said:
I also want to thank you for your pics. My child is on day six and I was kind of freaked out by the white coating. But good to know it’s normal. She also is having more pain on left side. And we are about to refill her pain meds because she is still on a regular schedule.

(Edit)
Respond to this
On December 22, 2012 at 3:19 pm Judy D. said:
Thank you for these pictures. I really had no idea what my tonsils were supposed to look like. What a great resource, thanks so much for the time and effort to set this up.

(Edit)
Respond to this
On December 22, 2012 at 7:28 pm Greg Tooke said:
Thanks Judy. It’s a labor of love. I hope you are well.

(Edit)
Respond to this
On December 2, 2012 at 9:46 am Norma said:
Hello all . I just wanted to say that I am 51 years old and I just had my tonsils removed and let me tell ya it hurts .. I am just about finished taking all the medications that the doctor has prescribed to me .and I am not feeling any better . I would also like to add that I am a type 2 diabetic and I know that things work differently on different people . But I am having problems with my tongue . its swells up on the ride side of my tongue it hurts like crazy . I just wonder if its from that surgery or from something that I have eaten .. I still have problems swollowing anything . and I have found out that even though he the doctor took out my tonsils he didn’t remove my adn.at all because he said that they were gone already .But anyway . I am drinking lots of fluids even doing hot and cold to help relief some of the pain in my mouth .I don’t fell like I am getting enough sleep these days as I would before I had the surgery .Please help if anyone has any ideals to help me with the pain that I am feeling .
Thanks
Norma Ivie

(Edit)
Respond to this
On December 14, 2012 at 2:27 am Autumn said:
Hey Norma, I had severe pain in my tongue up until day 14 or so. It lessened after that point, but even towards the end of the third week moving my tongue in any way, whether to swallow or try to feel around my mouth was painful. Even now, trying to touch the roof of my mouth with my tongue hurts. More than likely it’s just from surgery rather than something you ate. It’ll go away eventually, replaced mostly with a general stiffness of the tongue, at least that has been my experience.

It sounds weird, but staying as hydrated as possible helps. I drank as much water as I could as often as I could. There were a couple hours where all I did was sip water and watch the Food Network. Other than that, Chloraseptic spray and Cepacol lozenges help to numb the tongue.
Hope your healing progresses quickly!

(Edit)
Respond to this
On December 14, 2012 at 2:29 am Autumn said:
Cold water over hot or warm.

(Edit)
Respond to this
On October 1, 2012 at 12:43 am Christina said:
I’m on day 6 and mine look like day 11 – so I must be doing alright!

(Edit)
Respond to this
On October 2, 2012 at 4:13 am Anonymous said:
What are you doing to be recovering this well?

(Edit)
Respond to this
On September 23, 2012 at 5:41 pm Jessica said:
I just wanted to say that I appreciate the pictures that were posted. I am on day 5 post-op and the doctor had talked about a white cast, but I didn’t know if what I was seeing was the “right” type. I didn’t know what to expect even though it was it was explained. I think I need to stick with softer foods because I realize how sore my throat is after I get done eating. Thanks again for all the info!!

(Edit)
Respond to this
On September 8, 2012 at 11:35 pm Dominique D said:
I’m NOW on Day 10 & my scabs look like there all almost off

(Edit)
Respond to this
On October 2, 2012 at 4:16 am Anonymous said:
Do you taste them as they come off or you don’t even notice it coming off?

(Edit)
Respond to this
On August 6, 2012 at 7:12 am Greg said:
Hello RW, sorry you’re having such a rough time. Your doctor needs to do more follow up with his patients. Day 8 is still very painful for MANY patients. The white you see is that scabs that formed. They will fall off very soon. There is a little sharp pain associated with this sloughing off, but you are correct. It does get better after that. You’re close. Hang in there. (Thank you for the nice feedback about the site) -Greg

(Edit)
Respond to this
On August 5, 2012 at 2:59 am Rob said:
Sorry for the repost. After submitting i realized i didnt check the boxes asking to be notified of responses, as i greatly need input again, sorry for the repost.

RE
Rlw7v@yahoo.com

Firstly, I wanted to thank all the contributors to this website. It was quite informative both preop as well as post op. ESP when I freaked out on day 6 when I woke up feeling like death, worse than any previous days post op. I have looked over your site thoroughly even the pictures and I still have one question. When will the white looking stuff leave the back of my throat? My physician will not give me any more pain meds because he said on day 8 I shouldn’t have any pain yet I welcome him to feel the pain I am in right now. As of now chloraceptic is my best friend. Idk if this line of thinking is correct or not but my hopes is when the white stuff leaves my throat it won’t hurt anymore. Please help, any info is greatly appreciated!!

RW

(Edit)
Respond to this
On December 14, 2012 at 8:42 am Sharon said:
Your dr. Sounds like a yahoo! So day 8 and you should feel better? Thank
God you found this site or you might just worry something is seriously wrong with you! Day 8 was one of the worse days for me. I think your dr. Should review this site! Day 11 still on pain meds. Hope you are feeling better!

(Edit)
Respond to this
On August 5, 2012 at 2:56 am Rob said:
Firstly, I wanted to thank all the contributors to this website. It was quite informative both preop as well as post op. ESP when I freaked out on day 6 when I woke up feeling like death, worse than any previous days post op. I have looked over your site thoroughly even the pictures and I still have one question. When will the white looking stuff leave the back of my throat? My physician will not give me any more pain meds because he said on day 8 I shouldn’t have any pain yet I welcome him to feel the pain I am in right now. As of now chloraceptic is my best friend. Idk if this line of thinking is correct or not but my hopes is when the white stuff leaves my throat it won’t hurt anymore. Please help, any info is greatly appreciated!!

RW

Enlarged Tonsils

Causes of Enlarged Tonsils

Genetics

Enlarged tonsils occur in various people for various reasons. Many people are born with them. As a kid I always had tonsils like golf balls. Anytime I’d go into the doctor with a sore throat, which I did quite often, I’d always hear about it. “Oh my! Those are some big tonsils!” Yep. Of course, with inflammation or infection, they’d become even more enlarged.

Most people born with larger tonsils also have larger crevices, or crypts in them. This can lead to tonsil stones, (Tonsilloths), food getting stuck, and higher incidence of tonsillitis and strep infection. Enlarged tonsils can also contribute to snoring and, in some cases, sleep apnea. Difficulty in swallowing is also common.

Inflamation

For most people, enlarged tonsils occur when the throat becomes inflamed. Tonsillitis is the general term for inflammation of the tonsils. It can be caused by virus or bacterial infection. Bacterial infections like strep throat should be treated with antibiotics to avoid further complications. Viral tonsillitis generally must run its course and does not respond to antibiotics. People with recurrent infections, tonsillitis, tonsils stones, problems swallowing or excessive snoring, may decide to have their tonsils removed. If you suffer from one or more of these symptoms, I strongly recommend talking with your doctor about tonsillectomy.

Cancer

In some cases, enlarged tonsils can be caused by a cancer. Usually one of the tonsils is more enlarged than the other. (Not all cases of single enlarged tonsils are the result of cancer. See your doctor. If your doctor feels it is warranted, he or she may refer you to an ENT. (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist) A biopsy is usually taken from the affected tonsil to determine whether cancer is present.

Greg My short bio

Child Tonsillectomy

Child Tonsillectomy | Sleep Apnea in Children

One Mother’s Experience With Snoring, Sleep Apnea, and Tonsillectomy

Child Tonsillectomy is not simple-but a must for our kid who snored

Adenoid removal surgery on a child seems to be a 3 day recovery, while adding tonsil removal to the surgery day adds 11 more days of recovery. As a scared parent of a child with diagnosed childhood sleep apnea, I still had to talk to many people, take my son to 2 different ENT doctors AND an allergist to be convinced to do tonsillectomy surgery in our child.

Please don’t let anyone do tonsillectomy surgery on a child less than 2.5 years unless they need surgery to survive to the next day! The Internet is full of death stories about adenoid and tonsil removal surgeries on children 2 years or younger. If you decide to do tonsillectomy surgery, make sure you are within 20 minutes of a GOOD hospital; if there is major post operative bleeding, young patients can die. I had to do a lot of research to convince me to have tonsils removed from my kid.

My son’s sleep apnea and childhood tonsillectomy story:

Since birth, my son had the following issues. He snored at less than 1 year and did mostly mouth breathing which caused frequent choking while eating. The only sickness he had was a yearly sinus infection; he never had bad ear or throat infections. My son’s biggest problems were trouble sleeping, hyperactivity, and constipation. Otherwise, he seemed to be a healthy kid. Removing the Adenoids was an easy decision after I insisted an ENT look at the adenoids with a scope to verify they blocked off my son’s nose passage almost completely. My husband’s experience with adult sleep apnea also helped our decision to remove my son’s adenoids. My husband’s parents were convinced in the early 1980′s he didn’t need surgery at age 5. After decades of problems, he can’t breathe well enough to live a long life, so he is suppose to use a CPAP machine. It seems surgery after puberty does not help sleep apnea patients much, so we wanted to prevent this future problem for our son.

The first highly recommended ENT surgeon we saw pretended to check our sons adenoids with a simple flashlight looking up my son’s nose and said “oh yes, they need to come out” and “tonsils should be removed because that is standard procedure for sleep apnea” . After we found out you can’t see adenoids without a small scope, we were skeptical and sought a second opinion.

Tonsil removal should not be considered lightly, the recovery process can be long. Some doctors play down the recovery process. My heart goes out to the kids and parents making this decision based on repeated sickness in the ears and throat. After reading a lot of tonsillectomy articles written by doctors, I would wait to remove tonsils to alleviate sickness until a whole year goes by and you or your kid is: older than 2yrs AND has 4 infections IN ONE YEAR. Some ENT surgeons rush surgery and perform it on kids less than 2 yrs. You must consider the risks, pain, and recovery after tonsil removal is worth it or you shouldn’t do it! Don’t assume you will be the lucky one who has a quick recovery and no post operative bleeding. To help you after surgery, I compiled these tips we found necessary!

Good pre and post operative tips can be found on this website. Also, post-op tips for parents can be found at http://www.childrensmn.org/manuals/pfs/surg/018765.pdf. This website is good because they give you good food tips and remind patients that a soft-food diet is necessary for 2 weeks after child tonsillectomy. Did you know major arteries and veins could have been injured in tonsillectomy surgery and surgeons cauterized to stop them from bleeding? The potential for bleeding 10 days after surgery must be taken more seriously than many people want to admit to you! I didn’t get all my info in one place or from my ENT, (ear, nose, and throat)doctor. I’ve tried to help others by posting this long post on the Internet. The Internet has so many scary stories and so many websites that make you think tonsil removal is easy and routine. My husband and I really appreciated helpful tips from a real parent’s and real patient’s experience.

I found only a few websites mentioning how much propping the patient’s head up with pillows can help recovery for the whole 2 weeks (use same height/angle that helps relieve acid reflux). I wish I found this tip on day 1 post-op!! My husband and I found this website really helpful http://tonsillectomyrecovery.com/tonsillectomy-recovery-forum/ For the good photos and patient stories about how long recovery can take. Check the surgery area daily (if you can with a popsicle stick to help hold down the tongue) but look over this website’s photos so you know what to expect! http://tonsillectomyrecovery.com/tonsillectomy-recovery-forum/ .

Homemade ice pops (made with mostly water) will be necessary for weeks 1 AND 2 after tonsil surgery! I can not say enough how helpful those home-made ‘water juice pops’ were! The tonsil removal patient needs round-the-clock care like a newborn so get help or you will never make it to day 10!!

Beware, I found BAD advice posted on the internet by ear, nose, and throat professionals!! Bad advice rushes recovery telling patients they can go back to playing outside or back to work/school before the scabs come off the tonsils; the scabs don’t come off in kids until one week after surgery (at the earliest). Bad websites only mention how recovery can be quick for people so you feel better about your potential recovery. Bad advice promotes post operative bleeding by telling patients they can eat french toast for breakfast! For 2 weeks patients should only eat soft foods. Bread Is only OK IF the crust is removed and ONLY IF THE BREAD IS SUPER SOFT. You can easily find internet stories from parents whose children died due to bad doctors or bad food advice! Be prepared and you will be thankful. Our child had a successful adenoidectomy and child tonsillectomy, but it wasn’t easy. We were thankful for good tips we found on the internet! Article by: Shannon Gordon

My short bio

Whether you’re recovering from a tonsillectomy, a broken leg, or a broken heart, keeping a journal of the experience holds benefits beyond measure. On a practical day to day level, a recovery journal of the medications and treatments you are taking can help keep things organized and save you from dangerous mistakes. On a spiritual or long term level, there are huge therapeutic benefits to keeping a recovery journal.

Let’s talk first about the benefits of recording your medications and treatments in a recovery journal. When I was recovering from my tonsillectomy, I took four different medications, at different times. Two of them were narcotic pain killers that made my head a little fuzzy. As if that weren’t enough, my sleep pattern post tonsillectomy was erratic at best. I was awake much of the night, sleeping on and off through the day. Any semblance of routine was gone!

Medication Journal

It’s easy to get confused and lose track of your medications if you don’t write them down in some sort of recovery journal. Taking too much of a drug, or missing a dose can, at the least, leave you very uncomfortable. In a worse case, over-medicating can result in serious health problems and even death.

On the subject, I also suggest using mechanical aids like an alarm clock or phone reminder to help you remember your medications and treatments. Here’s a handy little app. for your Android device:

Another type of post tonsillectomy recovery journal, with its own set of benefits, is more of a recovery diary. During difficult times, I’ve always found journalling to be a great way to release the feelings I was having. (The very website you are visiting today began as a tonsillectomy recovery journal) By writing down your feelings and experiences you not only release them, but you also create a written history. As things improve, you can look back and see the transformation occurring over time.

When, 22 years ago, my son was born 3 months prematurely, I kept a journal of my daily life. It was such an incredible time that I never want to forget it. All the people who helped and offered support, the problems I experienced, and the tips I learned helped me to understand myself, but also help others. The same has been true of my adult tonsillectomy. As I like to say, when you shine a light for others, you also light your own path.

If you’re a little old school, and prefer to put pen to paper, here’s a nice little journal from Amazon:

Microsoft Office offers a free medication Log Template template for Excel. Download for free here: Medication Log Template For MS Excel

Have you learned a few tips for keeping track of medications, treatments, or feelings?  I’d love to hear about it.  Please share in the comments section below.

Take care,

Greg
My short bio

Tonsilloliths, often referred to as tonsil stones or tonsiliths , are basically clusters of calcified material collected in tonsils.  These tonsilloliths are more common in cryptic tonsils, or tonsils with larger crevices. They are composed mostly of calcium. While generally not harmful, tonsil stones are often a nuisance. Many people describe a feeling of having something stuck in their throat. These can cause chronic halitosis or bad breath. Before discussing how to get rid of tonsilloliths, let’s examine their cause.

The cause of Tonsilloliths is not known, but it appears that they are more common in adults than kids. Removing them is an obsession for some, and a profitable business for others. A search of the term, “tonsil stones removal,” will probably lead readers to numerous vendors of products purporting to have the most effective tonsil stones removal and cure.

How to Get Rid of Tonsilloliths

Before spending money on cures, try some less expensive and less invasive treatments. It may be the case that no treatment is needed. In cases where bad breath or discomfort become enough to affect the quality of life, other treatments may be justified. There a several standard treatments currently available in the United States. A brief overview includes irrigation, curettage, laser, and tonsillectomy surgery.

Irrigation Methods

A simple method removing tonsilloliths is to use an oral irrigator. Most electric irrigators are not recommended for tonsil stone removal. They are generally too powerful and are likely to cause damage the tonsils. This, in turn, can result in infection. Gargling with warm, salty water can help alleviate tonsil stones. Vigorous gargling daily can keep the tonsil crypts clear of tonsil stones. Dr. Murry Grossman has developed an irrigator specifically designed for treating chronic tonsilloliths. It can be reviewed here:

Larger tonsil stones may require removal by curettage. Large lesions may require local excision. It should be noted that these treatments may not alleviate the bad breath often associated with tonsilloliths

Laser
To decrease the surface area of the tonsils with a laser is also a tonsil stones treatment option. This procedure is called laser cryptolysis. This technique “flattens,” the edges of the crevices which can collect the debris. This can prevent material from collecting and forming Tonsilloliths.
Surgery
Tonsillectomy may be necessary if problems due to Tonsilloliths persist, despite less invasive measures.

Below are several pictures of typical tonsilloliths. While each person is unique, these photos represent fairly common Tonsillolith presentation. For those considering tonsillectomy surgery, pictures of post tonsillectomy throat, and even tonsils can be found on the tonsillectomy pictures page.

Since tonsillitis is also a common affliction among tonsilliloth sufferers, pictures of throats affected by tonsillitis are also displayed on the tonsillitis page.

More information about tonsillectomy recovery

tonsiliths

Tonsil Stones

Tonsilloliths

tonsiliths or tonsil stones

If you have a success story about tonsil stones treatment, please post it under comments and questions section below.  We want your your input!  Thanks, -Greg My short bio

Tonsillectomy

Dr. Murray Grossman has invented an amazing little machine to assist in the removal of tonsil stones. He calls it the Hydro Pulse

More Tonsil Stones Pictures and Pictures of Tonsil

Choosing the Best Humidifier

Honeywell Humidifiers offer a vast array of benefits. An environment that is too dry can aggravate ear nose and throat tissues. People suffering from sore throats from tonsillitis or tonsillectomy recovery can greatly reduce their discomfort by running a humidifier during the day and at night while sleeping. Infants and children suffering from croup and cough can also benefit from the moist air afforded by a humidifier. With all the various types and models of humidifiers available, it’s not easy to choose the best humidifier.

Humidifiers come in all shapes, sizes, and types. In order to make the best selection, consider first, the area of room you want to treat. You may even want more than one humidifier to condition more than one room. There are even portable humidifiers that individuals can carry from room to room. For those who hope to condition a large area, it’s best to select a large capacity Honeywell humidifier.

Humidifiers also come in two temperature types: Cool mist and warm mist. Warm mist humidifiers, as the name would imply, heat the water to create a warm soothing mist. Because of the risk of minor burn, these humidifiers are generally not recommended for small children. The added energy cost required also make warm mist humidifiers less appealing to many customers. While the warm mist may feel nice to the user at close range, there appears to be little added benefit provided by them when compared to the cool mist humidifier.

Humidifier technology is basically two tier. Firstly, there is the Impeller Humidifier (usually Cool Mist)  For this type of humidifier, a rotating disc flings water at a diffuser. The diffuser breaks the water into fine droplets that float into the air. These machines are fairly simple, effective and low cost. Secondly, an ultrasonic humidifier. With these, a metal diaphragm vibrating at an ultrasonic frequency creates water droplets that exit the humidifier in the form of a cool fog. Ultrasonic humidifiers run more quietly but tend to cost a bit more.

Considering the fact that these humidifiers disperse the minerals contained in water into the air, it’s common to have a white dusty build up in the conditioned areas. For this reason, consider running distilled water through the humidifier, or purchasing a humidifier with a built in filtering system.  These units have the added feature of filtering the air while humidifying.

As a tonsillectomy patient, I learned the importance of keeping the throat moist during recovery. I bought a cool mist humidifier and have been a fan since. That was three years ago and I still run a humidifier every night. I’ve tested and researched humidifiers and included links to what I think are the best for the money. They are all offered through Amazon.com and have good return policies. Proceed with confidence as you choose the best Honeywell humidifier.

As you may have guessed, my favorite is the Honeywell humidifier.  When I had my tonsillectomy, I bought a 9 gallon Honeywell humidifier.  I LOVE it!  I still use it today.  It holds enough water to go all day.  Since it’s on wheels, I can easily move it from room o room.  Since it has to removable tanks, filling is easy too.  I can honestly say, I love my Honeywell humidifier!

-Greg TookeMy short bio

Tonsillectomy

——————————————————————————-

Honeywell HCM-6009 QuietCare 9-Gallon Output Console Humidifier with Air Washing Technology

Honeywell HCM-6009 QuietCare 9-Gallon Output Console Humidifier with Air Washing Technology

Crane Adorable 1 Gallon Cool Mist Humidifier

Adorable Cool Mist Humidifier

Vicks UV 99.999% Germ Free Humidifier

Vicks UV 99.999% Germ Free Humidifier

Tonsillectomy Diet

The tonsillectomy diet can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the nutrition derived from solid foods is essential for out overall health and recovery from tonsillectomy surgery. The very act of swallowing also helps the throat recover. On the other hand, pushing foods past the raw and tender area of the tonsil beds after they’ve been cut and in many cases cauterized, can cause excruciating pain and, even bleeding. We need to go slow as we formulate our tonsillectomy diet.

The Dynamic Duo!

These two little machines will become your best friends.  Give tonsillectomy recovery a One-Two punch!  A humidifier is probably the single most beneficial item to have at your side as you recover.  Drinking ice cold slushies will feel good, reduce inflamation,  and keep the throat activated, thus stimulating the healing process.
Order today.  Have it tomorrow from Amazon.

Tonsillectomy Diet

Liquids: The Cornerstone of the tonsillectomy diet

Liquids. Let’s start here. Since you’ll be drinking at least 8 ounces per hour during  tonsillectomy recovery. Put some thought into what you want.   Sport drinks are good. They provide electrolytes and needed calories. Since most of the calories are from sugar, you’ll want to try some other drinks too. Avoid anything acidic, caffeinated, dairy, or thick for the first week. I was amazed by how many things I drank went down like battery acid or left a troublesome film on my throat. (tonsil bed) Water is always good, but it’s hard to stay interested in it. I also enjoyed chicken and beef broths. Don’t heat them beyond, “fairly warm.” Hot has an inflammatory effect on tonsil area tissue. As you’re probably picking up, the tonsillectomy diet is not a glamorous one!

Gelatin was the first thing I was given to begin eating after tonsillectomy and I thought I’d gone to heaven. It tasted wonderful and, for some reason, I found it easier to swallow than water. It’s cool, soothing, and counts as hydration. Hands down, Jell-O, Jelly, or gelatin is my top pick for foods for a tonsillectomy diet.

For the first five days I didn’t venture too far beyond the liquids and gelatin. It’s contrary to what your mother might advise but, like sleep, a normally healthy endeavor can result in an hour of searing pain. I tried mashed potatoes on day two and had tears in my eyes.  For about a day after that, I stopped eating .  I don’t recommend this.  Maintaining a good tonsillectomy diet is important for several reasons.  Nutrition, activation of muscles in the affected area, and feeling of well being are all benefits of a smart tonsillectomy diet.

Also keep in mind that most prescription pain killers can cause nausea, especially on an empty stomach.  It’s important to get some kind of food down before taking pain medicine, even if it’s just a liquid food like Ensure. Try to add as many calories to your tonsillectomy diet as you can.

As your throat allows, try some foods like oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, (NOT al dente. cook it!), ramen noodles, mashed potatoes, gravy, or cous cous to your post-tonsillectomy diet. Oatmeal was, without question, my breakthrough food as I began eating after tonsillectomy. I’m still eating it almost daily, probably because of the good feeling that  it gave me in my second week.

When I was recovering, I used to daydream about eating steak.  It seemed so unattainable.  I couldn’t even handle mashed potatoes.  When could I ever enjoy a nice juicy Steak??  I told myself, once I got through this, I would reward myself with a delicious slab of beef.  To this day, I love my steak.

Tonsillectomy Recovery

Tonsilitis

I’ve put together a collection of items that I think would be helpful, if not essential, to making tonsillectomy recovery a little more pleasant, including itemss for your tonsillectomy diet. Check out theGeneral Store.
-Greg My short bio

Not today, but someday you will be ready and looking for the perfect bloody Mary recipe. I can help.