As I’ve written, there was much that I did not know as I planned, experienced, and recovered from my own tonsillectomy. My Ear Nose and Throat doctor, (ENT), and his nurse gave me some general information about the surgery. We talked about how tonsillectomy surgery was performed, what the risks were, and what to expect after my adult tonsillectomy surgery.

In addition to this information, I tried to arm myself with as much information from other sources as I could. The internet is filled with medical information and advice. Some of it related to tonsillectomy. Some of it is accurate. Some of it is valuable to a person considering or recovering from tonsillectomy surgery. Most of it is not. Some of the scariest information I got was from my family and friends. Everyone seemed to have some horror story about an adult dying from tonsillectomy, or having a near-death experience from bleeding or anesthesia. As if I wasn’t nervous enough!  Fear and anxiety are usually born of uncertainty   The more we know about what to expect, the better we are able to execute a task without irrational fears.

For a live discussion about tonsillectomy and tonsillectomy recovery, join us in the Tonsillectomy Recovery Forum

Tonsillectomy Advice

The doctors, nurses, bloggers, publishers, family and friends all helped shape my expectations about what to expect before, during and after my tonsillectomy. None of it compares to the value of actually experiencing it. I learned more in the weeks before and after my adult tonsillectomy than I could have learned from years of research. This website is filled with over 50 pages of that wisdom.

If you are reading this, you probably have some experience yourself. How would you like to help someone who is trying to decide whether to have a tonsillectomy? Help someone planning or recovering from tonsillectomy surgery? By answering this one question, you may be able to save someone from a struggle you had:

IF I WAS PLANNING MY TONSILLECTOMY TODAY, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY…

Tonsillectomy |Tonsillectomy Recovery Forums

I wasn’t always this healthy. As a kid I ingested more penicillin than a corporate-raised chicken. I was in the doctor’s office several times each year with a sore throat. As the doctor or nurse peered into my mouth, the reaction was always the same: “Whoa, those are some big tonsils!” The diagnosis was usually tonsillitis, or strep throat. As the doctor wrote the prescription, he’d explain that years ago, tonsils like mine would have been removed, but, “these days,” we try to hang onto them. “These days,” were the 1970′s. I guess the tonsillectomy pendulum had swung back from the days when kids got their tonsils out because their brother was getting his out.
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Aunt Kate’s reassurance helped, but I still wrote out some just-in-case instructions for my brother and hid them in my closet. I sheepishly told him where they were, just in case.
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As an adult I continued to suffer from frequent bouts of tonsillitis. It seemed that I caught every bug that passed through my house or workplace. I guess those big ugly tonsils were a nice home for those nasties. It wasn’t until my 40′s that I also became aware that I suffered from something called, Obstructive Sleep Apnea -a condition in which a person stops breathing while asleep. I snored often and would awake abruptly, gulping in big breaths. I felt tired most days. After raising four babies, I had come to accept fatigue as a normal part of life!

One day at a routine physical my doctor remarked about the number of episodes of strep throat and tonsillitis I’d had. We also talked about the sleep problems. While he didn’t formally diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, he suspected that I had it. He recommended a tonsillectomy, because of all the tonsil problems I’d had. As a bonus, I might find relief from the sleep apnea as well. If not, I’d undergo a sleep study. Forty four years old and father of four boys and a doctor finally said it: Those tonsils are doing you more harm than good!

As much as I hated those tonsils, I was terrified at the thought of going under the knife. I started reading about tonsillectomy on the internet and talking to friends. That didn’t help. “My cousin knew a guy who got a tonsillectomy and bled to death.” “At your age, tonsillectomy is dangerous.” When I met with the ear, nose and throat specialist, (an otolaryngologist), he told me that the risks are the same for an adult undergoing tonsillectomy surgery as for a child, but the recovery is longer and more painful. He was right about that!

Tonsillectomy

I scheduled the surgery for the day after Thanksgiving. A traditional day of feasting in the United States. If it was to be my last meal, I planned to make it a good one! As it turned out, I was so nervous and scared that I could hardly eat on that day. I was recently divorced and had shared placement of my four boys. So many people counted on me that I began to question my decision. What if I died on the table? How reckless to leave behind a family, simply to avoid frequent tonsillitis? My aunt, a registered nurse reassured me about how simple the surgery was, and how far anesthesiology had come. I had nothing to worry about.

Aunt Kate’s reassurance helped, but I still wrote out some just-in-case instructions for my brother and hid them in my closet. I sheepishly told him where they were, just in case.

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“My tonsils were like a 400 pound gorilla on my back. I don’t miss them at all. Ever.” -from the forum
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I took a week off from work, asked my ex wife to take care of the boys that week, and asked my uncle to drive me to and from the hospital. (a requirement with anesthesia) That was about all the preparation I did. I was about to learn alot!

Surgery went fine. I awoke in recovery with a serving of Jell-o in front of me. (“Jelly,” to my British friends) The nurse said that I had to finish it before I could check out. I swallowed it with great relish. It was divine! I called my uncle and we were out of there. I felt ok. I told him thanks and not to worry. I’d be fine. I believed this. Aside from a couple visits, I spent the next ten days alone in misery. The pain set in after about 24 hours. Sleeping became my worst enemy. I’d wake up with my mouth dried out and my throat on fire. Oh my God. I was not prepared for this!

I ran out of Popsicle’s on day three. I ran out of pain medicine on day five. The pain peaked on day seven. I broke down and cried in front of my brother on day eight- a combination of pain, drug induced depression, and sleep deprivation. Since then, I’ve read thousands of similar accounts on the tonsillectomy forum I created.

It didn’t have to be so hard. If I’d known what I do now, I could have done so much to make my tonsillectomy recovery better. I hope to reach as many people as I can to help guide them through the tunnel. It has been my passion and taught me more about compassion and the amazing strength of the human spirit than any other life experience. When you shine a light for others, you also light your own path.

In the pages at follow, I’ll share with you what I learned from my tonsillectomy experience and years of coaching others through tonsillectomy and recovery.

More about tonsillectomy…read more

More about tonsil stones in the guide to tonsil stones

Tonsillectomy Recovery

~Greg

Taste after tonsillectomy or sense of taste are subjects of much discussion on the tonsillectomy forum. The experience of tonsillectomy has rippling effects upon individuals, beginning with the anticipation of surgery and, hopefully, extending long after surgery in improved quality of life. During the first two weeks of recovery, tonsillectomy patients’ daily lives are turned upside down. The daily diet is often limited to liquids and very smooth, soft foods like gelatin. Narcotic pain medications are usually taken several times per day. Sleep is erratic and often fitful. Activity levels are greatly reduced. When the fog of pain, fatigue, and disruption lifts, one of the first irregularities patients complain of is an altered sense of taste. Let’s take a moment to look at tonsillectomy and its effect on sense of taste.

The American Academy of Otalayngology- Head and Neck Surgery describes how taste sensation works as,

Gustatory (taste nerve) cells are clustered in the taste buds of the mouth and throat. They react to food or drink mixed with saliva. Many of the small bumps that can be seen on the tongue contain taste buds. These surface cells send taste information to nearby nerve fibers, which send messages to the brain.

I suggest that several factors contribute to disturbances in a person’s sense of taste after tonsillectomy. Firstly, tonsillectomy surgery itself can cause bruising to the tongue, where taste buds reside. Most patients complain of tongue pain after surgery.

It’s also likely that the post tonsillectomy diet has an impact on the patient’s sense of taste for some time after recovery. Many experts point out that taste buds are in a constant state of growth. As people eat various rough textured foods, small amounts of tissue scrape off and are replaced by new growth. Many believe that the almost liquid diet of most tonsillectomy patients disrupts this process and thus, affects their sense of taste.

Tasting After Tonsillectomy

Still another camp holds that deficiency in zinc after tonsillectomy contributes to these taste disruptions. JOSEPH M. BICKNELL, MD and ROBERT V. WIGGINS, MD published in the Western Journal of Medicine in October of 1988. [Bicknell JM, Wiggins RV: Taste disorder from zinc deficiency after tonsillectomy.West J Med 1988 Oct; 149:457460] They followed two tonsillectomy patients who complained of unpleasant taste sensation after tonsillectomy. The patients complained of changes in their sense of taste after tonsillectomy. They used descriptions like, coppery, or metallic when interviewed. Both had these complaints two months after tonsillectomy surgery. The doctors tested liver and thyroid function, as well as hepatitis. All were normal, but serum zinc levels were low in both patients. They were given 220mg zinc supplements twice per day. Within three weeks, the zinc levels were normal. They reported tastes improving after ten days, and after 22 days, the metallic sensation had ended. I’ve read anecdotal accounts on the tonsillectomy forum from people having success with zinc supplements after tonsillectomy. Ask your doctor before trying the zinc supplement for tonsillectomy and sense of taste.

Considering all the variables, one must also consider the effects of both antibiotics and narcotic pain killers over a two week period on the sense of taste. The FDA does not list taste disturbance as a side effect of either penicillin or hydrocodone. (the two most commonly prescribed medications after tonsillectomy in the U.S.) There has been a connection between the use of oral antibiotics and oral thrush, (Fungal infection – mouth; Candida)

It is very common to experience an altered sense of taste after tonsillectomy. Most people feel that their taste returns to normal within three to six weeks. However some may experience unpleasant taste sensation for several months.

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Tonsil stones, also known as tonsilloliths, are fairly common in adults. Tonsil stones are caused by the accumulation of bacteria and debris that become lodged in tonsils, particularly in the crypts or crevices of the tonsils. This usually leads to bad breath. I’ve had so many questions on the topic lately, I felt that it was worth digging into.

The composition of these tonsilloliths is a mix of calcium, debris and bacteria. High sulfur content is probably the cause of the associated bad breath, or halitosis. Tonsil stones not always readily apparent. Many people that suffer from halitosis don’t realize that the source of their bad breath might be tonsil stones. They are not always visible, since they become logged in crypts within the tonsils. Sadly, many of the people around tonsil stone sufferers are more aware of the problem than the affected individual.

tonsil stone

Researching the subject on the internet will likely yield several pages of home remedies for treatment and removal of tonsil stones. You can even find videos of individuals picking them out of their throats with foreign objects. Reliable information about the causes, symptoms, and treatments is like tip-toeing through a neighborhood park where people come form miles away to walk their dogs. No one seems to be cleaning up after these information dogs. The level of spam is overwhelming.

I’ve consulted with Otolaryngologists and researched reputable sites like the Journal Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery. Shoving things down your throat, squeezing your tonsils and expensive gadgets were not recommended once. Tonsil stones can go away on their own in many cases. Good oral hygiene seems to be the preferred approach to minimizing or eliminating tonsilloliths. Gargling with salt water a few times per day can go a long way to removing and preventing the tonsil stones.

Recurrent tonsillitis may also increase the risk of tonsil stones. A study in the British Dental Journal found that in all, 75 patients that had tonsillitis had tonsil stones. The question of cause or effect comes into question. Do these bouts of tonsillitis make people more susceptible to the stones? Do these stones make tonsils more vulnerable to inflammation and infection of the tonsils? It’s the old chicken or the egg question. I would suggest that, in many cases, both tonsil stones and tonsillitis are a factor of the anatomy of the tonsils. Large tonsils with many crevices or crypts are simply more apt to become infected by a number of bacterial, viral, and or organic invaders. While good oral hygiene may reduce these problems, sometimes removal of the tonsils is necessary. Obviously a throat without tonsils is less likely to succumb to tonsil stones or tonsillitis. Also obvious is the fact that surgery is more invasive, expensive, and carries more risks. Other methods of combating tonsil stones are usually recommended as a first line treatment.

If you think that you have tonsilloliths, try gargling with warm salt water three times per day. If this doesn’t help see your doctor or, better yet, an Otolaryngologist. Hope this helps. Take care, Greg

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Symptoms and Causes of Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is one of the most common causes of sore throat. At the back of the throat are two masses of tissue called tonsils. These tonsils act as filters to germs entering the body through the mouth. Their function is primarily to fight off infection and virus. However, occasionally the tonsils themselves become infected. This leads to a painful inflammation called tonsillitis.

Tonsillitis occurs more commonly in children. Some children and adults are more susceptible to tonsillitis and suffer recurrent bouts of the inflammation. Many believe that the anatomic configuration of the tonsils can contribute to recurrent tonsillitis. Tonsils which are larger than normal, or more cryptic, (have multiple large crevices in which germs and other matter can accumulate), may become infected and inflamed more frequently.

Symptoms of Tonsillitis

Symptoms of tonsillitis usually include soreness at the back of the throat, a redness in the tissues of the tonsils and surrounding area. Hoarseness of voice is also common. Many patients with tonsillitis also develop a white film or blisters on the tonsils. Other common symptoms include; headache, loss of appetite, ear pain, difficulty swallowing or difficulty in breathing, swollen glands in the neck area, fever, chills, and bad breath.

Causes and treatments of Tonsillitis

Tonsillitis is typically caused by either viral or bacterial infection of the tonsils. Treatment for viral tonsillitis is primarily treatment of symptoms. Over the counter pain relievers, salt water gargle, throat lozenges, and use of a cool mist humidifier are useful treatments to relieve symptoms of viral tonsillitis. Tonsillitis caused by bacterial infection is treatable with antibiotics like penicillin. The most common bacterial infection causing tonsillitis is strep throat, or streptococcal bacterial infection Patients suffering from recurrent tonsillitis, especially children, are sometimes referred for tonsillectomy surgery. Tonsillectomy is usually not indicated unless more than five or six incidents of tonsillitis occur within one calendar year. Recovery from tonsillectomy, especially in adults, can be quite painful. However most tonsillectomy patients feel that two weeks of discomfort is worth saving the trouble of tonsil problems like recurrent tonsillitis.

Please post here for tonsillitis OR tonsillectomy recovery questions and concerns. -Greg

Throat with Tonsillitis

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Just for old time’s sake. I’ve revived the original Tonsillectomy Recovery site: My Big Fat Tonsillectomy.

Tonsillectomy recovery time is unique to each individual- sure.  My own experience taught me that ten days off from a job that required lots of talking was a bit light.  I generally advise two weeks.  As I’ve said, most employers will let you come back early.  That’s easier than asking for more time after the fact. I’d like to get a better feel for the average adult tonsillectomy recovery time.

So let me put this out as an informal survey for people who have been through it, to help those planning a tonsillectomy.  (It’s also one of the most commonly researched questions by adults considering tonsillectomy.)  It’s my hope that we can amass a good sampling of experiences to help guide would-be adult tonsillectomy patients as they plan their family, work, and other obligations,

What is the average recovery time for tonsillectomy in adults?

So, what is it?  What is your recommended adult tonsillectomy recovery time?

-Thanks for helping out!

Greg

Adult Tonsillectomy Recovery Time

Tonsillectomy recovery can be a long dark tunnel. With all the anxiety leading up to tonsillectomy surgery, and all the challenges of recovering from a tonsillectomy, a patient can easily become overwhelmed. The best weapon a tonsillectomy patient can arm them self with is information. Knowledge is truly power. Going into surgery unprepared is the most common mistake made. Your doctor, while trained in treating tonsil problems like tonsillitis, strep throat, and tonsil stones is an excellent resource. If you and your doctor decide that a tonsillectomy is the right choice, your job is to arm yourself with the best information you can and, perhaps more importantly, tonsillectomy recovery. I’ve maintained a forum for patients recovering from the surgery for several years. Most patients report that their Doctor’s attention quickly wanes after discharge. Many people complain that after their tonsillectomy, their doctor was pretty hard to get a hold of. The key to successful planning is self advocacy. Planning for tonsillectomy must begin weeks before surgery. Get support from your health care provider, your job, your family, your friends, and other tonsillectomy patients. We’ve built an amazing community of adults considering, anticipating and experiencing tonsillectomy recovery.

Tonsillectomy for me was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. After a lifetime of chronic tonsillitis, strep throat, tonsil stones, and sleep apnea, a couple weeks of pain and anxiety were a small price to pay. Three years ago, when I finally made the decision, there wasn’t much support for patients considering a tonsillectomy or recovering from one. The internet was like an ugly landscape of random horror stories and snake oil salesmen with cures for tonsil stones, bad breath, and belly fat. I decided to create a one stop resource for adults considering or recovering from tonsillectomy.

Tonsillectomy Recovery Resources is a place you can research topics relating to tonsils and tonsillectomy. I’ve experienced and researched topics like tonsil stones, tonsillitis, strep throat, tonsillectomy methods, oral thrush, and tonsillectomy recovery time.

I learned a great deal about tonsillectomy as an adult. In particular, I learned that it would have been better to undergo the surgery as a child. Tonsillectomy recovery as an adult is much tougher. There are however numerous tonsillectomy recovery tips that can make the experience a little easier. Simple practices like drinking and drinking and drinking can have profound positive impact upon your tonsillectomy recovery.

Tonsillectomy recovery tips like chewing gum to alleviate referred ear pain are not obvious or intuitively logical, but can make all the difference when nothing else seems to help. I’ve collected, researched and shared many of these morsels of wisdom and published them all here in one place to help others.

Tonsillectomy recovery questions like yours may have already been asked and answered. Try searching the site using the Google search box at the right side of the page. Type in a term like, “tonsil stones, ” or, “tonsils,” and see what you find. Feel free to comment on most of the pages of the site. Open and active communication is what makes this community such a valuable resource for everyone considering tonsillectomy or in the middle of tonsillectomy recovery.

Relax and be yourself. Ask questions, share concerns, and offer support. It’s our community. Thank you for joining us!

-Greg Tooke

Greg Tooke, Author

My short bio