Hi..I’m a 57 yo male and had a tonsillectomy on November 5th. Today was my first day out. Unfortunately I was the lucky statistic that hemorrhages 1 hour after the operation. I really thought I was dying. Back into the OR more cauterizing and stitches. Due to the swelling and heavy bleeding I was given a traecheostomy and an inflatable Balloon inserted into my neck blocking my windpipe so I wouldn’t aspirate blood. I wound up in the hospital for 3 days and was given morphine for the pain. I’m not trying to scare anyone..but it was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. The traech balloon was removed on day 15 and I’m feeling much better. My tips would be..get at least 2 solid opinions that you need them removed.
Plan on a minimum of a 2 week recovery. Drink small sips of water as much as posdible. I also used a water spray bottle with ice water alot. I also liked Pedialite ice pops for some electrolytes. I did not eat anything gor 1 full week..just liquids…and thankfully had an IV for the first 3 days. Suggest spouse sleep in separate room if at all possible cause nights are rough. I honestly would have to say if I knew before what I know own now..I would not have had the procedure.
The Narcotic meds will plug you up and make you miserable. Drink lots of fluids and the stool softer should help. Pain will increase. Take the Pain meds as ordered. I hate to say the worst is yet to come but you will get through it. We all did.
Day 2 after day of surgery. Pain highest yet of 5-6. Had to ice throat a couple times. Talking is difficult (so is not talking, I love to talk). Very constipated ( I tried to squeeze off a bowel movement—NOT RECOMMENDED. I’m lucky the straining didn’t cause a bleed. If you think “hey, I can push without straining”, you can’t do it when you’re plugged up. I’m getting someone to get me some stool softeners tomorrow). I’m also burping a lot– didn’t think I swallowed much air but I must have. Sometimes it hurts to belch.
Wish I would have bought a wedge. Wasn’t sure what to look for, so I bought 3 body pillows. Those, along with more pillows and blankets should be enough to prop me up. I’ll find out once I come home. I hope the cat doesn’t barf on them in the meantime : ). I didn’t get a humidifier, but I’m stocked up on popsicles, powerade & gatorade, cheapy mac n cheese, instant mashed potatoes and eggs. Oh, and I have a good bit of honey…I’ll eat that, too. I have ice packs in the freeze.
Surgery today. Almost 4:30 am and I’m wide awake–I’m scared. I’ll be leaving for the hospital in about four hours. I don’t like going under (who does? It terrifies me, even though I know if I don’t wake up I won’t know it anyhow, but rational thinking doesn’t help take away the anxiety) and I’m afraid of the bleeding risk. I’ll be staying overnight so that they can monitor my oxygen levels (ent thinks I might have obstructive sleep apnea–these things are large enough to cause a problem and removing them will also get rid of my recurring tonsil stones). I’m hoping I’ll be happy with the results. I’m hoping to sleep better, have more energy and have fresh breath when this is all done and I’m healed up. Good luck to everyone going through the same, especially as an adult. I wish someone would have taken these things out when I was a kid, but I didn’t get infections. They’ve been huge as long as I can remember. Besides the likely worse recovery, I’ll have to worry about adult things like money. Oh well, it’s getting taken care of now. Better late than never. Take care, everyone! You aren’t alone.
My husband is having his tonsils out this week. He cant take the recommended amount of time off of work. He has a VERY high pain tolerance. Has anyone had there tonsils out as an adult and had it be relatively easy?
My name is Elly and I’m 23 years old from Canada. I have lived with substantially enlarged tonsils for my entire life – think…a good sized cherry, each tonsil. I had my adenoids removed when I was in the first grade and was qualified to have my tonsils removed at the same time. Unfortunately, they did not remove my tonsils and to this day we don’t know why. Over my life I’ve dealt with recurring throat infections of every kind you can imagine. When I caught mono, my tonsils swelled large enough to close my throat to the point at which I couldn’t eat, drink or take pain medication (or breathe through my mouth). This lasted over a month. At my present time typing this I am getting ready to visit the doctor for antibiotics for what I believe is my 4th tonsillitis infection this year, possibly more but really who’s counting anymore. I also suffer from severe tonsil stones and difficulty sleeping.
In my appointment today I am going to request again to look at the option of having my tonsils removed. I have been turned down 3 times already as doctors in my area seem to be of the opinion that tonsillectomy’s do more harm than good and are no longer necessary. I have been told that the benefits of having them removed do not justify the risks involved. In one specialist appointment where I was trying to leverage the difficulties I experience with tonsil stones, he examined my tonsils and told me “I don’t see any crypts – it can’t be that bad.” Let me tell you, any layman can see that not only do my tonsils have crypts, they are so large they have HOLES, no matter how hard I work on maintaining my oral hygiene I can’t avoid the crypts filling because they are so large.
As soon as I start seeing the infection on my tonsils, which is usually before the pain starts, I get depressed because I know what it is coming and I feel so helpless so difficult to get a surgery that could feasibly change my life for the better. I have an adverse reaction to the amoxicillin for the tonsillitis, for which I have to take further antibiotics, so in all every time I get sick I am on antibiotics for almost a month. I get sick so often, that means I’m on antibiotics for almost half of the year. I don’t understand how this is viewed as a better alternative to surgery.
I guess my question is, has anyone else had this hard of a time trying to convince a doctor to remove their tonsils and if so, what did you do? Did you end up getting it? How? I just can’t live like this anymore. If I was qualified to have them out when I was younger, why not now? Especially after the last 15+ years of complications!
Go to ENT and be there as a cash patient. It cost less than $2000. Have all lab work under your regular insurance. See your primary care physician to order all lab work. This will save you some.
My ENT is very good and this is very routine to him. He is out of the network and so I went there as a cash patient. He has his own clinic complete with operating room and recovery room and close to a big hospital few hundred feet away. I live in Southern California.
Just like you under my HMO insurance, They were just giving the run around.
I don’t know if this is something you can do in Canada because we don’t have private healthcare. I haven’t heard of anyone trying this. Everything goes through your GP. I am switching GP’s…maybe I will bring this up.
Just had tonsillectomy on the 23rd, so today is my 7th day. The pain is reasonably tolerable compared to what it’s been for the last 6 days. Nights are the worst, I would wake up crying in pain. No amount of water helped at night because even a short 30 minute nap dried my throat out so much it felt like I was swallowing acid. I would set my alarm for every 2 hours days 2-6 to wake up, drink water, get a fresh ice pack. That helped. I usually always woke up before the alarm in pain. I’m telling you people, get a million ice packs. Seriously. Stock your freezer. I can’t tell you how much they helped me. They helped with the debilitating ear pain, throat pain, sore neck, sore jaw, everything. There’s nothing worse than having to wait for one to re-freeze, so buy a ton!
Make sure you invest in ear plugs too. Something about the pressure being put on my ears relieved the pain dramatically. When I knew I had to swallow, but it hurt very bad too, I would plug my ears and it helped to dull the pain.
If you think you’re going to sit back, read a couple books, catch up on a few seasons of your favorite tv shows, you are mistaken! The pain meds make you so drowsy and unable to concentrate I can hardly get through an episode without passing out.
I have absolutely zero appetite whatsoever. The first two days, I ate Mac and cheese and instant potatoes without too much fuss. Now, the smell of them is nauseating, along with pretty much everything else. Fruit smoothies burn, pudding is too thick, everything tastes just a little off. I haven’t eaten much of anything in the past few days, and if I force myself to have a cup of smoothie or anything else I usually end up extremely nauseous for a couple hours until it’s time to vomit and get it out of there. Most of the goods I bought pre-op I haven’t even touched; artificially flavored cheap-o Popsicles are about the only thing I can choke down besides water and some very soft bread with lots of butter.
At times, I felt like I was an idiot for having the surgery. I couldn’t even swallow my spit for the first 6 days without writhing in pain! I broke down to my boyfriend multiple times in a crumpled sobbing mess on the floor. But people, IT GETS BETTER. IT IS WORTH IT. I’m only on day 7 and I finally have enough energy to write this without falling asleep halfway through.
When you feel like you can’t take it anymore, you can! Grab an ice pack, ice water, your ear plugs and pain medicine and let yourself heal! It sucks. It is terribly painful, but I know never having to deal with strep, tonsillitis, pharyngitis or tonsil stones again is going to be so incredibly worth it.
Thank you so much for making this website and letting us share our stories and read others! It got me through so many painful nights knowing someone else felt like this and lived!
Hi Molly,
I read a lot about tonsillectomies before I had mine done and it’s fair to say it really freaked me out. I had them removed 3 days ago and nothing could’ve prepared me for the absolute agony I’m in. As you said, so much so I really regret having them removed at this moment in time. I break down at least 4 times a day because the pain is so bad and no amount of pain killers seems to numb it.
I’ve tried everything. Ice cold water, ice pops, ice cubes, ice packs, yogurts etc. But I can’t even swallow water at the moment.
Your post has made me feel a bit better in that I’m praying this doesn’t last for much longer.
Is there anything else you would recommend to do post-op to make it as painless as possible?
Keri-Anne – day 5 is often about the worst, so focus on getting to day 6 and beyond. it WILL get better soon. Try a hot water bottle to relax the tension in your throat – this helped me in days 10+ but might be worth trying now. And try to distract yourself with films or TV. Melting crushed ice in your mouth is probably the best way to get some hydration and numb the pain (also to provide some numbing before you swallow pain meds) Good luck!
I’m on my 12th day of recovery and I’m feeling much better. Your wound is not fully heal so I would recommend drinking cold! Cold is your best friend and if you decide to eat soup recommend warm NOT HOT. Until you’re fully recovered. I would say 3 weeks to play safe but do small amount as you go. The worst pain for me is 4-6 day and 10th day. The pain medication help and yes, it does cause our body to feel drowsy, dizzy and weak. The pain does increase at night, I’ll take my pain medication and then my lollipop to help it numb quick. Do move around a Lottie bit once in awhile to keep your body flowing. I would stand for 30 minutes or sit outside it get some fresh air then go back to bed. I wouldn’t recommend going anywhere to the car and if you do, somewhere close by. I’ll get car sick and my body wouldn’t feel so good due to the medication. Good luck on your recovery
Sara, I am 34 yrs old and I had my tonsillectomy last Nov. I fought with strep 4-6 times a year. I will tell you that things are different for me not having them. I haven’t been sick since. It has done me well. It is a horrible 2 weeks but if I’d known the pleasure from it I would of done it years ago. I am very happy so far that they are out. I dealt with strep constantly my whole life and it is amazing not to have it. I know your son is young and it’s a hard decision for you to make, but it has been a miracle for me so far. Hope this helps a little, but just consult your ENT and hope you make the right decision. Good luck to you and your son!
Hello everyone. My 11 year old son is needing a tonsillectomy and I’m so scared and nervous. I’m reading everyones comments and I wolud just like to know if the outcome is worth it all? He is constantly having sore throats, tonsillitis and currently he has strep right now. I just want him to no longer have to deal with this ongoing pain. Thank you for your feedback.
I am 49 and had my tonsils removed 11 days ago. Please have your 11 yr olds tonsils removed ! Healing for him is so quick and I promise you he will not have to go though what I am going through at this very moment. The younger they are removed the easier they recove . This had been the most painful 11 days of my life i kept postponing doing it for years and regret it because it ended up being life threatening for me because they were so enlarged my airway became blocked. I’ve had all of my children’s tonsils out and they have no problems and they were back at it next day. So I would almost beg every parent if your child has had strep at all. Get them out !
I got my tonsils taken out on April 1st 2k15. (Yes a scary day to get a surgery) I got my surgery and got some ice cream and left about 3 hours after arriving. The first three days where great except for the fact that I couldn’t eat much! Then came day 4….. And the ear pain. I had ever been in so much pain. On day 5 I spit into a bottle and blood began gushing out of my mouth. I blacked out for a few minutes but was able to wake up and get my brother who was down stairs. My brother began to panic so he called my dad and he came home from work as quick as he could. Fortunately my bleeding stopped and I did not have to get them cauterized. I was all good after that but every single day was just a days of drinking lots and lots of water telling myself that i WOULD NOT have another bleed. Good news is i did not and I recovers faster than normal after two weeks. My doctor was thoroughly impressed and said he has ever seen such a quick recover. So all and all it could have been worse. Btw I am 13
Mine were so badly scarred they could only do the left side. The right bled to much the surgeon wouldn’t do it…Same horrible pain. It’s been a year since my Surgery. I am sorry I waited so long.
I go on Monday the 21st, I am 57 years old. I had tonsils taken out as a young child. They did not remove enough tissue and the tissue continues to grow! I bought a bed wedge at a 45 degree angle (supposed to help with bleeding) a humidifier, u-shaped travel pillow, soft ice packs. Tomorrow going to grocery store regarding food. I pray I will have enough pain meds! I am such a big baby regarding pain!
I am reading this site and taking notes! I met with the Doctor last week and he recommended I have a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy..I told him I will think it over. I am going to speak to him tomorrow and thanks to this site I have a list of great questions to have answered. I’m going to schedule the surgery for 2 weeks from now and I am happy with my decision. Thank you EVERYONE for your insite and comments they really make me feel prepared going into surgery.
I am 33 years old female. I had my tonsillectomy two days ago. I agree. First two days were easy and I could eat mashed potatoes with tilapia purée or mashed beans with mashed avocado (tonsillectomy style burrito). Today was hell. I made the mistake of not buying a humidifier and used the air conditioner last night because it was very hot and the dry throat is killing me. I also feel my neck very stiff and hurting today. Please buy one small humidifier and drink water every hour. In my case I am only taking children ibuprofen mixed with chopped ice because I am afraid of narcotics adicction and because they give me tachycardia and problems to go to the bathroom… anyway, my recommendation is to eat ice as much as possible. Try to avoid narcotics. I haven’t vomit and my stomach feels normal. I brush my teeth every time I eat because the taste of my mouth is grose! My uvula was badly burned but ice make it easier to breath. I have to sleep in a sitting position because I get very congested and can’t breath otherwise. I keep myself entertained reading comics. What else can I tell you…that’s the 3rd day…
4th day still horrible. Same thing as 3rd day. Ibuprofen makes me cough even though I take it with a lot of crushed ice. I recommend first to chew a lidocaine lozenge and then drink the ibuprofen.
6th day is horrible. Scabs came off and I am bleeding a little. Today I couldn’t eat a thing. Not even water or ice. Terrible terrible pain when I swallow and when the ibuprofen is fading away the ear pain is extreme also, but I don’t really care about that one. I hate that I can’t stop producing saliva and swallowing it ;( it hurts soooo much. According to what I read here, tomorrow will be better and that gives me hope!!
Hi There
I am 34 years old and just had surgery this mirning. So far, I can only stay awake for about an hour before dozing off for a couple. My uvula does feel swollen and it’s tough to swallow. I had some lentil soup as well as an ensure and a popsicle. I am drinking a ton of water, but my throat still hurts towards the back roof are of my mouth. No nausea but they did put an anti nausea medicine on the side of my neck, like a little sticker. I will keep posting as the days go by. Hang in there!
Great to read this! I grew up with tonsillitis a few times a year and now have it at least twice a year as an adult (including as I write!). I’m seriously considering a tonsillectomy but am scared so your post is great for reassurance. Thank you!
I just had mine take out 9 days ago and this website is very helpful, the day by day was almost spot on. I think I am healing a little faster so it might be based on the indiviudal. I helps to have someone there to help take care of you for the first id say 6 to 7 days, I dont know what I would have done with out my mom’s help. From simple task like doing all the dishes and waking me up to make sure I drank every hour or so. Also to make me some food that I could eat. Sounds weird but who has enough energy to waste when your not eating much. Also you don’t want to let your throat dry out.
Make sure you get some ice bags and have plenty of ice you will need it to put your throat.
Hope this helps you make the right decision on getting them taken out or not.
If you need anything or have questions, several of us are here to help!! This place was great for me, thanks Gregg, and helped me greatly through my tonsillectomy. Just let us know and we will try and help.
I had tonsils out and doc removed my uvula as well. I’m 49 and I’m on day 11. I’ve never ever ever experienced this much pain. Not sure if its because the uvula was also removed. Anyone had uvula removed along with tonsils
Getting my tonsils removed next week Thursday, August 20th, 2015 by coblation method. I’m a 35 year old male and absolutely terrified of the pain after reading all these stories. I am getting them removed for chronic tonsil stones.
I had a table saw accident about seven years ago and know what a 10-10 pain level is and am not looking forward to experiencing it again. Negotiated with the doctor for the same narcotic pain management I was on for table saw accident that is 5mg Dilaudid every 4-6 hours and 10/325 Norco every two hours, Phenergan suppositories for nausea. Then adding 10mg predizone, and those numbing lollipops on recommendation of others.
Anyone on here have a similar pain management regime?
Hoping to find someone else going through this procedure around the same period to share this potentially horrible experience.
hi Curtis – I also had my tonsils removed due to tonsil stones and am so glad I did (a year on!)
The recovery is truly not nice, but you are unlikely to have 10/10 pain, especially with all those pain meds. Stock up on ice and ice packs, soft food, plus some box sets/books for distraction. And don’t plan to do anything but recover for a couple of weeks.
Hey Kate and thank you for the reply. Here it is almost Monday and the count down begins for this Thursday.
Just signed all the release papers…
My other major concern is being able to get the pills down. I was incorrect on the dilaudid dosage, it is 4mg not 5mg every 4-6/h and Norco 10/325 every 2-4. Dr. Says they can be crushed up in apple sauce or pudding. But if you can’t swallow on day six then what?
My schedule is cleared for 16 days from work with my clients.
Will those numbing lollipops make swallowing possible to get food and meds down? Preferably in that order?
I’m sleeping in a recliner with two humidifiers next to me.
Why do people prefer the vanillia instead of chocolate ensure? Does one burn more?
Well i am British so most of what you have written about meds and food doesn’t mean anything to me!
I do suggest that you time your eating for shortly after your pain medication doses, when you have the best chance of swallowing anything.
And also try sucking on ice chips to numb your throat before forcing the medication down
Stock up on soup! I found chocolate of any type burned
And I found mouthwash useful when the thought of trying to clean my teeth was tough (due to all the swelling in my mouth) – swilling it around the front part of my mouth and teeth, but avoiding my throat, made me feel a little better about life.
It sounds like you are well prepared organisation-wise. Now you need to focus on relaxing a little and just getting through it. It’s not as bad for some people as others (I did find it fairly gruesome!). But you will get through it and then NO MORE TONSIL STONES!! Focus on that!
Hey Mary, would love to
Chat. I go in Tomorrow at 6:30a so I will keep you posted!
-Curtis
Ps… I do not do well with pain but the ENT I have is amazing and the pain management is second to none that we negotiated. My biggest recommendation is to tell them what you want to be on. What he was going to prescribe would not have worked for me.
Aug 20th, 10:41a: (Sorry for long post, this outlines from yesterdays Tonsiectomy to the following morning)
Please forgive any typos, still have a ton of drugs in me. To be clear, I am the biggest pansy when it comes to pain.
So much so, when they were hooking me up to the IV I almost decided not to go through with my tonsillectomy. The wife and the sedative they gave me helped sway my decision.
The reason: I had a table saw accident several years ago and knew what 10-10 pain is. If you are anything like me, you researched the sh!t out of this procedure and are now terrified because almost 98% of the accounts of this surgery are horrible stories.
I am journaling my experience for those like me that are spending 100’s of hours reading and prepping. Hopefully, this will help you.
Just had a coblation tonsillectomy at 7:30a Thursday August 20, 2015, for chronic tonsil stones. ENT told my wife he could not believe they were not removed as a child because of the scarring on them from multiple sicknesses.
I am a 35-year-old male and live in the USA. Just got back home now several minutes ago from outpatient surgery and wanted to start this right away while it is fresh in my mind. This must be the “honeymoon phase” since I am in very little pain. Maybe a 1-2 out of 10.
Ate jello and now about to eat Kraft mac and cheese since I hear when the anesthesia the stuff wears off, it is bad.
I am prescribed 1-2 Dilaudid 4mg every 4-6 and Norco 10/325 every 2-4 hours. Phenergan suppositories for nausea, tetracaine numbing lollipops, the tonsil fire extinguisher, and a stool softener. ENT talked me out of the steroids since he said it prolongs healing but I really want them, all I need to do is call and ask.
Drinking a TON of water right now to keep hydrated. Took two soft ice packs you can get in the camping section of Walmart and put them in a sock to wrap around my neck. Will keep you posted.
Aug. 20th 5:30p.
So pain is at about a 2-3 out of 10. Not terrible at all. I am at 64oz of water in a Nalgene bottle that has a neoprene cover on it to keep it cold. Resting in a recliner watching TV. Have two TV stands next to the recliner with a humidifier on each one, tv remote, etc.
Ate jello, which went down great then ate Kraft Mac and cheese again, and a protein shake.
Wife made me mini Gatorade ice cubes and strawberry ensure ice cubes.
ICE, ICE, ICE and WATER, WATER, WATER is a must! Was able to take a few cat naps about 30 minutes a piece. Making sure I stay hydrated.
My sister is a surgical nurse for an ENT and stressed the importance of ICE and Hydration. I have had an ice pack around my next the entire time.
Not too much more to report. Oh, buy one of those travel neck pillows.
Aug. 21st 2 am
Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your seat trays and seat backs into upright and locked position because we are in for a bumpy ride. Boy am I glad I got that food down earlier.
Took my last pain meds yesterday night around 10:30p and fell right to sleep. I set an alarm for 1:30a to make sure I drank more H2O and took more pain meds. Well, no alarm clock needed. I woke up with a solid 7-8 out of ten pain level at exactly 1:19a. Feels like the left tonsil scab is wanting to peel (which it does not appear to by flashlight inspection) and like the worse case of strep throat I ever had.
I forgot to mention from when I woke up in recovery and to now I have not talked, but two words to make sure the vocals still worked. Been using a dry erase board or texting from my computer and phone to communicate with the wife. From several other peoples stories they said talking tends to make you pay for it later.
On top of that, I also forgot to mention I am on three different blood pressure medicines and Prilosec as well for acid reflux that my GP, who referred me to the ENT said I must stay on. That is an additional four pills a day that must go down each morning.
From up until now I was rotating from one Norco 10/325 to one 4mg Dilaudid every three hours. The pain I just work up in, I just took one of each and a Phenergan to keep the nausea down. I also drank another 16oz of water, had apple sauce, and made another protein shake.
It is not my intention to scare anyone away. I did mention earlier I am the world’s biggest pansy when it comes to pain, I just want to share an accurate experience of what I am going through as it happens. It has been pretty much on par with other people’s stories.
I am journaling this in pages on my Mac, so I will go ahead and upload it to this forum in case someone else is in or near the same recovery phase as me.
The Phenergan is starting to kick in which makes you sleepy. Thanks for listening and must keep that end goal in mind of NO MORE TONSIL STONES:-)
My 14 year-old son had strep @4 times every year from age @5-10. I was told he’d grow out of it. We then went for 3 years with no strep and I thought we had. This past January, strep came back with a vengeance. He had it 3 times in 5 months. The dr said that step occurrence can increase in the teen years. Already on the adult dosage for antibiotics to fight strep, I was worried his strep would become ever more complicated and difficult to cure. I decided it was time for a tonsillectomy. I know there is still a chance for strep, but thought it was a way to at least reduce the occurrence rates. Of course, my hope is that strep will never be his diagnosis again. My son had his tonsils removed 11 days ago. This has been a particularly long and painful ordeal. I sure hope it was worth it.
He has a very high tolerance for pain. He has endured multiple in-office nose cauterizations and an open (compound) arm break requiring 2 surgeries and rods with 3 months of PT. But those were nothing compared to tonsillectomy recovery.
I want to share some of our experiences to help others. I want to make special note that having a humidifier is very helpful. I just got a small inexpensive travel one and that worked well. Ice water and ice chips were also a great source of hydration and pain management. A few soft foods that were not mentioned that were great for us were ripe avocados and baked flounder. We are trying to help him regain the 7 pounds he lost over the past week. I have learned that Wendy’s has frosty’s that are 500+ calories and Cold Spring Creamery has milkshakes that are 1,000. And I didn’t see it mentioned much on these boards, but Ensure is high in protein and calories!!
Day 1 was tough but not awful. He had painkillers in his system. He was nauseous from anesthesia, but never vomited. He started on his Hydrocodone once we got home. No bleeding. Ice chips were all he could tolerate. Gatorade and everything else burned. Artificial ice pops are the best as the fruit based ones also burn. Alternated hydrocodone and Tylenol. Nausea increased.
Day 2 was similar to Day 1
Day 3 the pain intensified and the ear pain was the worst. Nausea increased and he vomited. Tried to get him to eat applesauce etc. so the hydrocodone wouldn’t make him so sick. Didn’t work so I decided to switch to alternating Advil and Tylenol regimen instead of hydrocodone and Tylenol. The Advil worked well. Continued the Advil/Tylenol regime. (I saw some posts on here that dr had prescribed Advil – ibuprophen – so I figured we were out of the woods with the bleeding, so it would probably be ok.) I did that for 2 ½ days. Then he started spitting out blood. Small at first. Then he start puking blood. He was sent to ER and he vomited up a big blood clot as well as some more blood. A pretty scary amount, although I didn’t measure it. One doctor and one nurse yelled at me for giving him the Advil. Another doctor and nurse said it wasn’t the Advil that caused the bleeding. Either way, I was a mess and felt like a stupid idiot for giving him the Advil.
The ENT on call is my least favorite ENT at our practice, in fact, he is my least favorite doctor ever. He loves surgery and his bed-side manner is appalling. He, of course, suggested he cauterize my son – under general anesthesia. When I heard he was the ‘on call’, I knew this would be the case. My son’s bleeding self-limited and for hours he was fine so I wasn’t comfortable with the cauterization. If it was bed-side, I would be, but more general anesthesia for something that the dr was unsure if he really needed, seemed a bit much. If my regular dr would have suggested it, I would have done it, but this other dr is surgery happy and a bit of a quack. I was nervous about my decision, but thought it was the right one. The on call ENT told me that it takes 5 days for Advil to leave the system so my son had to be on a liquid diet for 4 more days. That didn’t make sense to me but I was so grateful we weren’t have surgery, I agreed.
My son was getting weaker and weaker. I knew he needed food to heal. ENSURE!! Of course, why hadn’t I thought of that earlier in the week! He drank it but he needed real food.
Since my regular dr was on vacation, I called the office to schedule an earlier follow up apt because of the hemorrhaging. The woman I spoke with asked me how my son was feeling. I told her how weak he was and about the all liquid diet…..she put me on hold and spoke to another dr in the practice. He said to get him on soft solids stat. She also agreed the Advil hadn’t been his cause of hemorrhaging.
I called Advil customer service and the woman I spoke with looked up the information on how long Advil stays in the system. She said that 70%-90% of Advil is out of the system within 24 hours. If that’s the case then 100% must be gone by 48 hours, right? Dr. Quacks 5 day theory was way off.
We had many low points. He said for the first 3 days that he regretted it. I finally agreed on day 4. Exhausted and discouraged, we cried together.
We are on day 11 and his energy is about 70% and he is beginning to talk a lot more. His voice still sounds muffled, but it doesn’t hurt to talk. Hemorrhaging again is still in the back of my mind, but it’s been 4 days so I’m feeling more confident that it won’t happen. He is eating more – although it’s all still soft. We see our regular dr in 2 days. That will be day 13.
I never thought it would happen, but we made it to the end of the dark tunnel and the light is within reach. Day 10 was a big turning point. Hang in there to all who are going thru this. This too shall pass.
Hello! what you had to live was horrible, I am so sorry. I decided not to take the vicodin because I read that’s the cause of the vomit and I just couldn’t handle it with the pain and everything. I am on my 6th day and it’s the first day I can’t eat or drink…its terrible. You say you son had the bleeding on the 7th!!! OMG I won’t eat tomorrow either because even drinking water makes me bleed today. Thanks a lot for your informative message. I am sure he is doing great now ?
Day 8. I am pretty sure the scabs have started falling off pieces at a time cause that sharp pain I feel and the mucus that fills my throat I imagine is it. The earache that I was not so warned about has come at full force which I must say has been the worst of this so far. I had strep so often that the painful throat swallowing wasn’t such an issue as this major earache that I am having (and only on the left side) does anyone have advice for me on what to do to ease the pain other than my obvious pain meds? Please.
I am on day 8, too, with ear pain and had found elsewhere on the site that chewing ice or having it melt in your mouth helps, and it does! Also, draping a cold pack, or “ice sock” like they send you home with from the hospital around your neck helps, too. Hope you get relief soon!
I know its over for you now but just in case someone reads this. Yes, for me cold packs were the best. Also, I have been reading a lot about controlling pain with auto hypnosis and relaxation and it really helps or at least I don’t feel desperate. Bye¡
I have found that ear plugs help ease the ear pain pretty dramatically. I think it has something to do with the pressure. I noticed that plugging my ears when I swallow dulls the pain a little as well. Icing around your sides of your neck towards your ears helped me a lot too. That ear pain is killer!
I am currently on day 15 post op from my original surgery, day 8 post op from my second surgery. On day 7, I had very intense bleeding and had to be taken again for cautery. Also, during my second procedure, there was an issue with the cautery, which caused a very large burn on the right medial canthus of my mouth. At this point, pain is about 5/10 on the second surgical site, ears, and burn, but I have been pulling off the pain meds. I want to stop the opioids in general, but am afraid frequent ibuprofen and similar drugs could cause more bleeding. Thankfully, I’m able to take a full two weeks off from work after the second procedure, to try and avoid a third go around, ha!
I’ve found this website incredibly helpful through this endeavor, and even with the complications, I’m so looking forward to not ha
I’ve found this website so helpful!
I’ve been keeping a blog to document my experience and any tips I’ve found useful along the way. Not going to lie, i’ve found it very hard and very painful!
I am on day five post op, including the day of the surgery. So far I haven’t found the recovery to be horribly painful or traumatic. The worst day so far was yesterday (day four) and that was mainly because I got off schedule with my medicine. My ears have bothered me more than my throat. From what I can tell my scabs have started to dissolve and fall off in some spots. Eating has been relatively normal, but my jaw gets tired after chewing. So far I can’t complain about the recovery, it definitely hasn’t been as bad for me. Hopefully I can continue this positive trend and heal quickly.
Happy healing everyone!
I understand what you are saying. I too am a smoker. I smoke about a half pack a day. But when I had my tonsillectomy, I didn’t smoke of course. I didn’t even try to have a cig until all scabs were gone and throat was healed. I know it is hard especially when your used to smoking, but I didn’t want to risk an infection or/and slow down the healing process. If you can stay strong and keep from having one until you are healed, please do so for your own good. If I can do it I believe you can. It is a great opportunity to quit, as it is a bad habit, but I would def wait until your totally healed and no scabs or anything back there. Only you can determine when you might be ready, but this is what I did. I’m not a doctor but I just didn’t want my surgeon to have to go back in my throat for some reason just from smoking. Hope this helps you, if you have anymore questions I might be able to answer let me know. Good luck and stay strong!!
Hello, I had my tonsilectomy done on July 9th, 2015. I am now starting to feel much better. The first few days were pretty brutal..I had horrible ear aches, and my jaw hurt all the time as well..and it would hurt extremely bad everytime i tried to eat…but now im on day 7 and am pretty much back on my normal diet. Im still advoiding soda, and acidic foods. Unfortunately, I am a smoker. I was wondering how soon anyone else started smoking after having the surgery? I havent started back up…and am trying not to..but I’m just curious how long anyone else waited?! Thanks!
Like Stephanie I got my tonsils taken out on July 8th too. I am currently on day 9 and I am so glad its here. I have woken up with a dry sore throat but not nearly as bad as what I went through earlier this week. Luckily, I have had no ear pain at all like the rest of my fellow tonsillectomy peers. But I did experience a weird coughing sensation on day 5-6. This coughing brought up blood and the nasty scabs that were in my throat. It wasn’t painful at the moment but that night was horrible. New tissue was starting to form in the back of my throat and it was very raw. I would drink water or swallow saliva in my mouth and it was unbelievably painful. I lay in my bed crying the whole night. Needless to say I am ready for this to be over with and can’t wait until I can start eating bacon
Day 7 post op: I’m 22 and so far it hasn’t been the worst thing I’ve gone through. It has been bad, nights are much worse. I find that no matter how much water I drink or how many times I wake up to drink water/eat a Popsicle when I wake up mid night it is miserable and takes awhile for the pain to calm down. As far as food goes ive been eating a lot compared to other people. Popsicles, ramen, soup, cheese fries that became soggy, chicken lo mein (7th day), pudding, etc. I stopped taking the pain medicine night 5 and have been rotating through Tylenol and naproxen. One side of the scabs have came off, I didn’t know they came off so must have swallowed them. For everyone going through this, you can make it!!
I had my tonsillectomy last Wednesday, July 8th. The first two days were not bad at all, but since then it has gotten worse. My throat and right ear sting everytime I swallow. For some reason it has always been the right side that is painful. I am still on a smoothie diet with chicken broth. Hoping to feel better soon.
Okay listen, stop reading all of these blogs they are just scary. I had my tonsils out on July 2nd, today is July 11th. If I had read all of these “horror stories” of incredible pain and suffering, I never would have had mine out. Which is the reason that I did not in the first place. Here’s how everything happened for me and will most likely happen for you. (If you’re looking for info just on the scabs scroll to the bottom.)
Day of Surgery: This was my first surgery so I was nervous but excited with the knowledge that once these annoying tonsils were gone I would live a much better life. So the surgery was performed and my tonsils were removed. I woke up loopy on drugs and amnesia. (P.s. if you’re scared of surgeries like I was, don’t be, it just makes it worse.) Now at this point I felt nothing at all, this whole night I was fine barely experienced any pain at all.
Day 1 (after surgery): I had slept a lot of the day of the surgery away, so most of it is quite blurry, no real pain. When I woke the day after everything was tight, and a little painful but nothing bad at all. Spent the day laying in bed and HYDRATING. THIS IS CRUCIAL TO A GREAT RECOVERY, DRINK EVERYTHING, WATER WATER WATER, NO SODA. I had a little of trouble swallowing but that is so expected, I didn’t leave my bed except to walk to the bathroom and I always held on to something while I walked because I was still getting off the amnesia and it made me dizzy.
Day 2: Throughout the night I woke up and took a drink of water to lubricate my throat, this sucks when you do it and the pain is usually pretty bad when you wake up but honestly it’s worth it, and you don’t lose that much sleep. Wake up about every three hours, maybe three times the first four nights and then you can back away in the later stages. Again today wasn’t horrible, just DRINK and stay on top of your medication.
Day 3: Woke up with the worst pain yet which was a 7/10, couldn’t eat, no appetite, and barely drank (WHICH MADE EVERYTHING WORSE). I took a pain pill without any food in my stomach and almost immediately had a lot of nausea. I was on the verge of throwing up and this was the most scary part for me because of how painful I thought it might be, luckily it did not happen. I was prescribed nausea medication for if in case it happened again. This by far was my worst day, which is a good worst day to have in my opinion.
Day 4: Again, during the night I woke and drank water per usual. I had slightly less pain, not entirely sure what caused my pain there in the first place but less. Now what you should expect, and this is normal, is pain in your ear and jaw, I’m sure you’ve read about this but it is a strange pain. I read a remedy for this somewhere online and it absolutely works. Rub your ear/jaw with a soft blanket until the pain goes away. Again, I have absolutely no idea why this works but it does. Ride this day out slowley if three was bad and just keep drinking. Also today I noticed my uvula was GIGANTIC, again this is normal but can make things harder to swallow. My suggestion, drink cold water and sluchies to reduce swelling.
Day 5: By this point I was walking around somewhat normally. (REMEMBER: I have not left my house and done any strenuous activity since the surgery. So if you can find a really free time after your surgery make sure to schedule it then because you need to be able to just relax.) Around this day the foods and drinks that I had been eating got very gross and started to lose taste so I got some new ideas, here are what I ate and drank. I highly reccomend doing this as it held me over until I could eat new foods.
Food List:
Applesauce (flavored)
Mashed Potatoes
Gatorade Sluchies, (Freeze gatorade and then put them in the blender.)
WATER haha
Peaches from a little container you buy at the store
Mac and Cheese (REALLY soften this up, this is like a day 4 food)
Ramen Noodle soup, again be careful with how soft it is
AND NOTHING HOT
THAT’S PRACTICALLY IT FOR DAY 1-4, DAY 5 and on below
Quiche
Very soft small pieces of chicken
Pasta, regular pasta.
Cheese quesidilla
Arizona Iced Tea, still staying away from soda
Matza ball soup
and anything else you can swallow will be fine, just take it slow
Day 6: Like I said, ate new foods, very exciting. Today I was talking quite a bit and was fine, your voice still might sound kinda funny, but that should be expected don’t freak out. Nothing too bad was hurting again today, just stayed on top of medication when I needed it and was okay. By now I’m only taking half of one perkaset, not even a full pill.
Practically the rest of the days have been the same, not much pain other than small spikes here and there. Don’t stress about this surgery, yes there is pain, I can’t lie. And sure it MIGHT be the worst pain you’ve experienced but for me, it has not been horrible. Now if you want to know how the scabs falling off for me were keep reading.
Scabs:
So sure they are there, and are unavoidable. Don’t do anything dumb and dig around there, I can only imagine how painful that would be. Just leave it alone and let it run its course.
My scabs are about 3/4 of the way off I would say and it’s not like a scary thing, just kind of weird.
Around day 6 I started noticing them and could slightly feel one piece coming off. Thankfully this was right before I went to sleep and just dozed off, I woke up and I believe that it came off in my sleep. Now, I had the misconception for a little while that they would peel off like regular scabs, however I could not have been more wrong. Most likely, you are just going to cough and they’ll come off. When I cough I just swallow, no pain, nothing, it is absolutely fine when it does.
I won’t lie, it does hurt a bit more when they do come off just because… I don’t know, imagine ripping a regular scab off, it stings and then stops. So don’t be concerned. Some advice though, when they come off, it is like a fresh, open, wound. So drinking acidic things does not feel great. Even water, not great. But don’t stop drinking because of this, keep drinking, it will only help the healing process.
I hope I answered any questions you have, if not just write a message and I’ll do my best to answer it. Good luck! I’m sure everything will be just fine.
I suffer from bad breath since last year. I went to the ENT yesterday and he told me to do a surgery to remove my tonsils but my problem is I hardly ever get tonsil stones so that wouldn’t be the cause of my bad breath so if I had to remove my tonisils how would that help with my bad breath?
It will defintely help with the horrible taste yes, but be aware that this surgery is no small one. So make sure you are clear on what you’re getting yourself into before you do that. But to answer your question, yes the smell will go away.
Okay listen, stop reading all of these blogs they are just scary. I had my tonsils out on July 2nd, today is July 11th. If I had read all of these “horror stories” of incredible pain and suffering, I never would have had mine out. Which is the reason that I did not in the first place. Here’s how everything happened for me and will most likely happen for you. (If you’re looking for info just on the scabs scroll to the bottom.)
Day of Surgery: This was my first surgery so I was nervous but excited with the knowledge that once these annoying tonsils were gone I would live a much better life. So the surgery was performed and my tonsils were removed. I woke up loopy on drugs and amnesia. (P.s. if you’re scared of surgeries like I was, don’t be, it just makes it worse.) Now at this point I felt nothing at all, this whole night I was fine barely experienced any pain at all.
Day 1 (after surgery): I had slept a lot of the day of the surgery away, so most of it is quite blurry, no real pain. When I woke the day after everything was tight, and a little painful but nothing bad at all. Spent the day laying in bed and HYDRATING. THIS IS CRUCIAL TO A GREAT RECOVERY, DRINK EVERYTHING, WATER WATER WATER, NO SODA. I had a little of trouble swallowing but that is so expected, I didn’t leave my bed except to walk to the bathroom and I always held on to something while I walked because I was still getting off the amnesia and it made me dizzy.
Day 2: Throughout the night I woke up and took a drink of water to lubricate my throat, this sucks when you do it and the pain is usually pretty bad when you wake up but honestly it’s worth it, and you don’t lose that much sleep. Wake up about every three hours, maybe three times the first four nights and then you can back away in the later stages. Again today wasn’t horrible, just DRINK and stay on top of your medication.
Day 3: Woke up with the worst pain yet which was a 7/10, couldn’t eat, no appetite, and barely drank (WHICH MADE EVERYTHING WORSE). I took a pain pill without any food in my stomach and almost immediately had a lot of nausea. I was on the verge of throwing up and this was the most scary part for me because of how painful I thought it might be, luckily it did not happen. I was prescribed nausea medication for if in case it happened again. This by far was my worst day, which is a good worst day to have in my opinion.
Day 4: Again, during the night I woke and drank water per usual. I had slightly less pain, not entirely sure what caused my pain there in the first place but less. Now what you should expect, and this is normal, is pain in your ear and jaw, I’m sure you’ve read about this but it is a strange pain. I read a remedy for this somewhere online and it absolutely works. Rub your ear/jaw with a soft blanket until the pain goes away. Again, I have absolutely no idea why this works but it does. Ride this day out slowley if three was bad and just keep drinking. Also today I noticed my uvula was GIGANTIC, again this is normal but can make things harder to swallow. My suggestion, drink cold water and sluchies to reduce swelling.
Day 5: By this point I was walking around somewhat normally. (REMEMBER: I have not left my house and done any strenuous activity since the surgery. So if you can find a really free time after your surgery make sure to schedule it then because you need to be able to just relax.) Around this day the foods and drinks that I had been eating got very gross and started to lose taste so I got some new ideas, here are what I ate and drank. I highly reccomend doing this as it held me over until I could eat new foods.
Food List:
Applesauce (flavored)
Mashed Potatoes
Gatorade Sluchies, (Freeze gatorade and then put them in the blender.)
WATER haha
Peaches from a little container you buy at the store
Mac and Cheese (REALLY soften this up, this is like a day 4 food)
Ramen Noodle soup, again be careful with how soft it is
AND NOTHING HOT
THAT’S PRACTICALLY IT FOR DAY 1-4, DAY 5 and on below
Quiche
Very soft small pieces of chicken
Pasta, regular pasta.
Cheese quesidilla
Arizona Iced Tea, still staying away from soda
Matza ball soup
and anything else you can swallow will be fine, just take it slow
Day 6: Like I said, ate new foods, very exciting. Today I was talking quite a bit and was fine, your voice still might sound kinda funny, but that should be expected don’t freak out. Nothing too bad was hurting again today, just stayed on top of medication when I needed it and was okay. By now I’m only taking half of one perkaset, not even a full pill.
Practically the rest of the days have been the same, not much pain other than small spikes here and there. Don’t stress about this surgery, yes there is pain, I can’t lie. And sure it MIGHT be the worst pain you’ve experienced but for me, it has not been horrible. Now if you want to know how the scabs falling off for me were keep reading.
Scabs:
So sure they are there, and are unavoidable. Don’t do anything dumb and dig around there, I can only imagine how painful that would be. Just leave it alone and let it run its course.
My scabs are about 3/4 of the way off I would say and it’s not like a scary thing, just kind of weird.
Around day 6 I started noticing them and could slightly feel one piece coming off. Thankfully this was right before I went to sleep and just dozed off, I woke up and I believe that it came off in my sleep. Now, I had the misconception for a little while that they would peel off like regular scabs, however I could not have been more wrong. Most likely, you are just going to cough and they’ll come off. When I cough I just swallow, no pain, nothing, it is absolutely fine when it does.
I won’t lie, it does hurt a bit more when they do come off just because… I don’t know, imagine ripping a regular scab off, it stings and then stops. So don’t be concerned. Some advice though, when they come off, it is like a fresh, open, wound. So drinking acidic things does not feel great. Even water, not great. But don’t stop drinking because of this, keep drinking, it will only help the healing process.
I hope I answered any questions you have, if not just write a message and I’ll do my best to answer it. Good luck! I’m sure everything will be just fine.
I had my tonsils out about 2 years ago and it was the worst pain I have experienced but well worth the agony. However about 7 weeks after the procedure I started having throat pain again. I thought I had strep throat…I went back to my doc and he told me that wasnt my usual problem and dismissed me. Over the course of the last 2 years I have been back to different doctors and was always told they didnt see anything and I was dismissed sometimes with antibotics. I found another ENT who looked and saw nothing.. but asked me if I had ever smoked. I almost said no but said yes I did I had quit 33 years ago. He numbed me up and ran a little tube down my nose and told me I had a large cyst. Basically a tonsil cyst. I do not know if I had before surgery or it developed after the surgery….but anyway had surgery again last week and poof no more throbbing pain. Hope I am through once and for all with the throat problems.
They will close eventually. You are lucky I couldn’t eat or drink for 21 days due to the pain and scabs and stiches. It’s been a little over one year and I just started to be able to drink pop/ soda again. Good luck. Eric
I’m so thankful to read other people’s comments even though it was terrifying to know how much pain I was getting into. I’m 36 and my ENT was baffled why no doctor would let me get them out earlier. (They always gave a vague “It’s a bigger deal for adults,” which I wasn’t buying since 5+ serious throat infections annually seemed like kind of a big deal as well.)
It’s been horrible but I’ve never been more relieved than when I woke up after the surgery and realized my nasty, cryptic, always-infected, tonsil-stone-studded tonsils were gone for good! The first few days were spent in an oxycodone haze with my mom taking care of me; I couldn’t handle any solid foods or thick liquids, since my tongue hurt so much that I couldn’t move it and had to sort of shove the liquid down, though if I did it too forcefully it just went up the back of my nose. Then I got thrush, which hurt surprisingly – my whole tongue stung for a few days, especially the sides, which felt like canker sores. At the same time I stopped being able to tolerate cold, it just hurt everything in my throat so much, though ice packs still helped. By day 11 the scabs on one side started to dissolve; on day 12 I realized that the “scab” on the other side was a collection of mucus with bits of food stuck in it, much like a giant tonsil stone. I dislodged it with a q-tip (that’s probably bad, but it’s got nothing on 30 years of treating tonsil stones) and spit it out. Behind it, the scabs on that side had also been dissolving. Now I can see bits of pink in most of my throat again, and for the first time, skipped a dose of oxycodone (just took acetaminophen)! I can’t even tell you how amazing this feels! One question I still have is whether those spaces where tonsils used to be are going to shrink, or can things collect there? Also, what kinds of things will be on the pathology report? (At this point I’m guessing bubonic plague was probably lurking in those suckers.)
Hey all- I’ve been hit with over 1000 spam comments per day this week! Ugh! Ive added a captcha code requirement for comments. Sorry if this adds hassle but I simply cannot continue to manage the volume of spam. -Greg
Hi I’m on day 5 and pain has been tremendous. My doctor wouldn’t give me anything stronger than Tylenol 3 and I’m about to lose my mind from the pain. Is there anyone also I can call that can help me? It’s torcher.
I definitely almost scared myself out of surgery too! I am a 25 year old professional singer so that made the idea of having someone messing around in my throat even MORE terrifying. Luckily, my doctor at MGH Voice Center is extremely reliable and experienced. Of course, it hasn’t been painless, but even in the midst of the pain, I don’t regret it. No matter the specific reason, it’s totally worth it. I dislike all medical things and hate the idea of anesthesia or surgery, but if I can do it anyone can.
Today is day 7…. After yesterday which I was sure the end of all times .. Is a complete turn around. It’s so amazing what a day could do. It was a little unnerving when I woke up this AM to fresh blood in my cough up non sense. I iced my throat , called the advice nurse and went about my day. My voice still sounds funny , I haven’t taken any pain medication since this AM (I hate that nasty cherry flavor crap) … Motrin has always been a staple for me. Hope all thankful they did this … I know I look forward to starting my life as a newlywed without constantly being sick with strep. Good luck to all !
I am currently on my 5th day of recovery. It has not been as bad as people have said. There are points where i get annoyed with the pain and that I can’t eat. Also the pain meds they gave me are very hard on my stomach and because I have not eaten a real meal since last the Thursday before. When ever i move I feel sick. I am expecting to go back to work on day 8. I will say my experience is not as bad as what people say. As long as you drink plenty of cold water your throat should be fine and heal teh quickest.
I actually had a very positive experience! Before I had the tonsillectomy, I was reading a lot about the horrible recovery and on youtube there were a lot of scary videos too.
So I was expecting quite some pain, but it really turned out okay..
The day itself I hardly felt it (probably because I was on some really good pain meds).
Day 2 and 3 were more painful but still very bearable (I took painmeds every 4 to 6 hours), my pain never went above a 4/10 I think. Those were the only days that talking wasn’t very easy (I could still talk though, I just didn’t that much… From day 4 on talking wasn’t an issue anymore).
Day 4 and 5 the pain in my throat started getting better but my ears starting hurting quite a bit (maybe the most pain I had was a 6/10), but it was okay with the painmeds.
Now I’m on day 10 of the recovery and I haven’t used pain meds since day 7. So I haven’t had any pain since day 7 (not more than an uncomfortable feeling) and I’m honestly doing just fine.
I was quite tired until day 8 though. I don’t know why my recovery was so easy, I think it had to do with the fact that I was prepared for a lot of pain, so the pain I actually got didn’t seem too bad. Next to that I made sure I drank a LOT of water, so that my throat was never dry, and I tried to eat as much as I could (my doctor told me most patients have difficulties because they are generally quite weak and tired because they can’t seem to eat anything). The first four days I tried to eat everything in a more or less “liquid” form, after that I could eat almost everything.
So my advice would be, if you have problems with your tonsils, you should definitely get them out! And to recover well: sleep a lot, drink a lot and eat a lot (to quickly gain back your strength!) !
Florence: how much water would you say you drank? Close to the 64oz a day ideal? Despite the pain it is to swallow, I feel like I’m getting close (maybe 50 or so?) plus some apple sauce and whatnot. My throat only felt dry day 1 (I assume from anesthesia).
I’m here to encourage you! I thought I was dying there for awhile,omg! I’m 59 and had both tonsils out and ear tubes out in. So the excruciating ear pain that everyone feels with the tonsillectomy has been amplified.
Here are some calming, soothing items to consume: besides all the usual Popsicles and jello, there are Haagen Daaz sorbets in wonderful flavors such as raspberry, peach and mango ( my favorite). I use these to help with taking meds. Also, cantaloupe is divine as it is natural, flavorful and slippery. After my first post op visit 6 days post surgery, yesterday, I ordered a huge Starbucks blended (icy) mocha Frapp! Omg! Heavenly. I only ate half and popped the rest in the freezer for a wonderful treat today.
I got thrush! On the walls of my mouth, tongue and I my esophagus. So, I’m having to suck on lozenges type tablets for 30 minutes 4 times a day. The medicine is called Clotrimazole. The doctor couldn’t tell me why it developed. He said I hadn’t done anything wrong.
You notice, as stated in an earlier post,that the doctors are eager to give you all the meds you need? They realize what an excruciatingly painful surgery this is for adults- and the older you are, the harder it is. I am very sensitive to all pain meds and have to use Zofran with narcotics to prevent vomiting. But without narcotics, my doctor said I’d never make it through. Now, on day 7, I can use 1/2 narcotic at night and then Tylenol extra strength the rest of the time. This is controlling the horrific ear and tonsil pain. Sometimes I awake on the verge of tears, but the narcotics back it down. Don’t even consider going to bed without taking your meds or the pain will sneak up on you.
I’m here to encourage you, that it is going to get better. I’m feeling human again and the nurse said most people turn the bend at day 10. I still don’t like talking as it feels raspy and forced, so I avoid talking now. My job entails talking and listening and both are uncomfortable now. Hopefully by the weekend, I’ll be able to do both. If I feel I can, I’ll return to work on Monday, but if not, I’ll delay two more days.
Hang in there fellow tonsillectomy survivors! We shall overcome! Meanwhile be kind to yourselves and have a Starbucks!
Dude. I had my tonsils out on Friday, June 5. That day was awesome. Saturday…also awesome. I took my liquid pain meds as prescribed (maybe a bit over), but I was eating & drinking well. I also realize now I was delusional. Monday came along and I needed a refill of my meds. I should have become suspicious when the said “ok-come and pick it up”…that was a little too easy. I know why now. My tongue hurts when it moves. I can’t swallow. My ears are killing me and now I need another refill. If I want to talk I have to bend over with my face to the floor. But–on the good side– I can still drink and I have found the Hurricaine gel that’s used on infants works wonders! And cvs makes a cool thing called “peas”…just like the frozen kind, and they work wonderfully well.
Day 10 now. So frustratrated and discouraged. The pain which everyone says magically get better today is worse. I am desperate to know if what I have going on is normal or if anyone else had this. A couple of days ago I mentioned how one side of my throat was completely blocked by thick scab. Well now that the scab is off, that side of my throat is half blocked by a thick red skin flap, that is extremely raw and painful. So hard to swallow. It burns like fire. The other side of my throat is way more open, and doesn’t hurt at all! If they were both symmetrical I would be feeling amazing now. I did get energy back yesterday some, but I still can’t eat, and I’m terrified this is permanently disfigured. I can’t find anything on the internet about skin blocking the throat. I called yesterday to try to explain to the doctors office, but I don’t think they understood what I was saying, and my follow up appointment isn’t until June 22nd. They said as long as I’m not bleeding profusely I’m fine. I will go crazy by then if this is still the same! Has anyone had this?!?!
Yes you probably have a rough week ahead of you now I’m afraid. Take all the advice you can from this website, max out on painkillers (but keep track of everything you take, because its easy to forget), and rest up. I wasn’t very aware of my scabs, just a lot of pain.
Remember: there IS an end to this, and you WILL eat properly again!! In the meantime this is a tough recovery, so give yourself permission to check out of normal life for a few days, and do whatever it takes to get through it. For me that meant lots of ice, lots of painkillers, small sips of soup, hot water bottles, a radio to keep me company in the small hours of the night, and visits from good friends.
On day 3 and omg! Its beginning to hurt now, i feel drained, and very low mood today. The pain killers i have make me feel sleepy and like a zombie. I have two white arches where my tonsils used to be. Is this the start of the dreadded scabs? Up until today ive managed to eat quite well, but i dont think im going to manage the salmon fillet i was wishing for my supper!
Just soup and jelly i think.
I’m also on day 3. Yesterday hurt, but today has been so much worse. Pain meds are barely dulling the pain. I’m using a humidifier and icing my throat. Will tomorrow be better?!
I’m 3 weeks post op and in my 40’s (my dr said age does have a factor in pain and healing). I had a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy & septum fix.
First two days…cake. Day 3-5…. Hellish. Day 6-8… Slowly got better and ate more. The worst for me was that my nose had dissolvable packing from my septum, coupled with the scabby throat, made it feel like I was suffocating AND in pain.
I preferred warm over cold drinks. Throat coat tea was great.
Fruit items were just too acidic and hurt eating. Jello was fine though.
Definitely get laxatives. It took me 9 days to poop, even using suppositories. Then it didn’t STOP for 2 days. Not fun.
At week 3: It still hurts to sneeze, yawn or cough, but overall much better.
I am on the end of day 7 counting the surgery day (I had it early in the day). 28 years old. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem. On my right side the scabs have almost completely disolved. However, on the left the scabs haven’t changed at all. They are very thick and stuck to my swollen uvula and extend all the way to my tongue, so that nothing can pass through that side of my throat. I think that’s why they aren’t disolving. It’s very painful, and very hard to swallow anything. I am worried it will all come off in 1 chunck, and I’ll bleed. Anyone else have scabs like this?
Kaley, I am experiencing the exact same thing right now. (I believe we had our respective surgeries on the same day.) Let me know if you hear any advice! I have my post op appointment next Tuesday… but hopefully this gets better before then.
The giant scab that was keeping me from swallowing came off in one giant piece this morning, So far no bleeding, but it burns like fire to swallow anything now. Hopefully should get better soon! Barely eaten all week. I’m sitting with an ice pack on my neck which seems to feel a bit better. One thing I tried last night was to gargle with some sat water with baking soda. That seemed to clean it good, but hurt like crazy after, so I don’t know if it was a good idea or not…
My experience is after day 10, you can tolerate foods. I ate mac & cheese, it wasn’t hot it was lukewarm. I didn’t eat anything like toast etc., everything was a soft food because I still had scabs in my throat. I continued to eat popsicles and didn’t need any pain meds. So, you’re going to start to feel better is very quickly.
I had my tonsillectomy 2 months ago. It was a terrible recovery, but I made it through.
It seems now that I traded my tonsils for allergies! Has this been anyone else’s experience?
Pain meds are a must for your recovery. If you can’t handle the script your Doc gave then go back to the Doc and get something you can take. If it’s in pill form, buy a pill crusher and mix it with yogurt. Get some popsicles…it makes your throat feel so much better, I ate 5 boxes in 7 days. Try an ice collar on your throat. Also, get some CloSys, it’s a mouth wash. A dentist recommend it because it doesn’t have alcohol, actually taste very much like water and kills all the bacteria in your mouth. The bonus is it keeps your mouth moist.
Thank you I will try that how long does it take for them to heal to the point where it’s comfortable I just wanna cry and my family’s making me me eat and I actually can’t
Hey im 21 yrs old and im on day 6 and I’m physically and mentally drained I’m in the worst pain I haven’t managed to eat anything since the day before my op and my pain relief tastes absolutely vile (solvable paracetamol) and I try not to take it so been using calpol instead which helps for like half an hour any suggestions please
For years I was told my tonsils needed to come out but because of the added risk from having angioedema, I put off the tonsillectomy until the age of 25. Now as of yesterday (May 20th, 2015) I under went a tonsillectomy and an adenoidectomy. I have angioedema, which means I am prone to swelling because of extreme allergies. So my eyes, upper lip, tongue, and throat swell regularly as well as I frequently get hives. On top of the those symptoms angioedema as causes me to have asthma. I was suppose to have surgery on May 13th but the anesthesiologist cancelled just before the surgery (I mean right before I had my iv in and was ready to go back for surgery). The anesthesiologist was uncomfortable witb doing the surgery because my the surgery could trigger a flare up in my angioedema and it was extra risky because of the surgery site being my airways. So a week later and a little more game planning on there end, I was back for surgery. They pretreated for my angioedema as a precautionary and off to have surgery. I had a tonsillectomy done as well as an adenoidectomy. Typically when you become an adult your adenoids shrink and eventually disappear. In some cases they do not which can result in added issues. To make matters more complicated I have several drug allergies such as penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, ranitadine, and morphine. Ranitadine commonly found in the heartburn medicine Zantac is also a treatment for angioedema which I cannot take unfortunately. Morphine causes me to stop breathi g, which is a pretty common side effect. So after I woke up from surgery I was still pretty out of it from anesthesia and dilaudid I urinated on myself… not as embarrassed about it as I probably should be but oh well. Since I have angioedema I had to stay the night… I am actually still in the hospital as I type this. I am also suppose to have someone with me constantly for the next 2 days because of the added swelling risk. I am not sure if anyone else ad an adenoidectomy along with their tonsilectomy but I can honestly say the adenoidectomy is the only relief I feel right now. For as long as I can remember I struggled to breath out of my nose and I have always souned nasally (even when I was not sick). The tonsillectomy though is pretty painfully. I cannot lay back because my uvula is enlarged (normal swelling) so sitting up is the most comfortable breathing wise. I have been drinking a ton of ice water and apple juice which the colder it is the more relief you will feel. I don’t think the ice pack under the chin is reallt helping all the much but I keep it there. Sleeping is hard but when I do doze off it is for a short period of time and I wake up with dry mouth and more pain than before I fell asleep.I cannot wait to be release. I will be using a humidifier as another person mentioned in there comment. I would not have thought about it myself. Day 1 is complete and I can honestly say it was not that bad. It feels like just a bad sore throat nothing major but that I assure you is just the percocet talking. I was told it will get better than get worse once the scabs fall off. I feel prepared mentally for the pain because I know it is coming. Since surgery the nurses have me on percocet, benedryl, and a steriod. And I am going home with an antibiotic, liquid pain meds, and a pain pill. Keep you guys posted on how the following days go. I have popcicles, a huge bag of ice, and sherbet waiting for me when I get home. My dad (such a worrier) took the day off to hang with me at my place when I am release later. Here’s to hoping you all had a speedy recovery, I have a speedy recorvery, as well as everyone in the futuer have a speedy recovery.
it is normal for things to get worse before they get better – she should turn a corner within the next few days.
Until then I suggest:
– a nice hot water bottle (quite comforting to sleep on)
– some lovely new pyjamas/a nice snuggly blanket or dressing gown to wrap herself up in
– a box set of something to distract her
Hi my 19 yr old daughter is 5 days into recovery following tonsillectomy she is feeling very down and I really wantbto make her feel brighter. Any suggestions ? Also she isnt eating very much at all and wonder if this is normal?
Julie
I’m so sorry you’re in so much pain. For me day 6 was awful too. I noticed a big improvement by day 9/10. I also had terrible ear pain and found that heat, not ice, was the most helpful. I used a heating pad that’s meant to wrap around your waist for back pain. It certainly looked weird when I wrapped it around my head but it helped a lot. Good luck!
Day 6, seems to be getting worse instead of better… Is that a good sign? ? .. I know they are all connected but should my ears be feeling nearly as bad as my throat?
How much longer before the pain starts to subside?
Hi Wendy- It’s pretty common for day 6 or 7 to get worse. It did for me. The ear pain is normal too. They call it a referred pain. Try chewing gum or putting a warm wet towel on the area.
Hang in there! There is light at the end of this tunnel!
Crushed ice made from honey and herbal tea for relief: I made ice cubes from chamomile tea sweetened with honey. The herbal ice crushes up nicely, chopped with a knife. we do not have an ice crusher. A mint tea blend worked well, also. I am going to try to make ice from one of the throat soothing tea blends (throat coat, etc.) and see how that goes down. I also made honey water: 1:4 ratio honey to hot water. dissolve honey, chill. sip. My adult daughter is day five post tonsillectomy. Lots of pain, about what you would expect. She is on Roxicet and ibuprofen for pain. Things that slid down ok yesterday, are painful today (ice cream blended with a little almond milk and pudding, jell-o) So we are back to ice chips, cold herbal tea, herbal ice and honey water.
Hi All! Had my tonsils out last Monday. First two days were ok…. The anesthetic was probably still going strong! Anyway, the last few days have been the worst. I am so hungry and tired and in constant pain. It feels like someone is constantly tattooing the back of my throat x 50000! And it’s all up and down my throat into my ears. I can’t make anyone really understand how it feels, which is the worst. Just thinking about a nice pint of beer and a roast dinner is enough to bring me to tears. I’ve lost a stone in weight already and feel dizzy and frail constantly. I’m going to eat everything when I get better!! Hope everyone gets better soon x
Hi all!
I had my surgery on January 5, 2015 at the age of 64 and had posted that I would post back after surgery…I meant to post, way before now…sorry!
I came home from surgery and went straight to bed with ice packs & my “air travel pillow” to keep my head elevated. I was very comfortable during the first 3 days after surgery (taking strong meds, of course) and so, I thought on the 4th day, I would try and take them only at night, before I went to sleep…I was fine drinking lots of water and popsicles, yogurt and chicken noodle soup…didn’t really feel enough pain to warrant taking meds! But, I was afraid of waking up in the middle of the night with a dry throat and pain so, I took the pain med and slept all night. I can say, that it was a much easier time than I was expecting…after a full week, I wasn’t on meds and back to my old self!
I had said, I would compare my c-section recovery to this and as, you can read…NO COMPARISON!!!
I know, how fortunate I was and can’t explain why my recovery was so easy…but, am thankful for all the good advice from this forum and it’s posters!
Good luck to all and speedy recovery!
I’m 23 years old and getting my tonsils out on thursday. I’ve been hearing so many horrifying recovery stories from friends and families and this site isn’t helping much either. I can’t function properly under excruciating pain and after reading all your experiences I’m considering cancelling the surgery. Lol. I know it will be worth it in the end (no more tonsillitis, no more kidney aches, no more sleepless nights) but the fear of the unknown is taking over. Guess the only thing that will get me through is the weight loss, hopefully. ;). I also have a problem with repeated episodes of sinusitis which is often triggered by cold beverages so I tend to stay away from anything that’s cold so I don’t know how I’m going to avoid ice cream. My surgeon refuses to take them out Argh
Raegan, I totally understand where you’re coming from. The process is brutal BUT I am now 5 weeks post-op and I feel back to normal. You can do it!!
I would recommend getting as many people to help you as possible and making sure you reach out to your doctor and INSIST on more medicine if what you have isn’t cutting it. Nothing will take away the pain entirely but make sure your doctor is prepared to tailor the dosage/medication type to your needs. Mine was not and it made the process a lot worse than it needed to be.
I will also say that I did not need super cold beverages to get through this. I rarely used ice and had little ice cream (I opted for dairy free when I did which helped limit phlegm). Chewing gum was incredibly helpful for me. I ate a lot of baby food and baby rice cereal at room temperature. I was taking medicine every 2 hours and I just made sure to eat a few spoonfuls of something at that time as well as at least 4 sips of water (sounds weird but I had to count it out to make sure I drank enough). My water was always room temerature. I hope that helps you feel a little better.
The entire process is a marathon, not a sprint. Super corny but true. Everyone’s recovery time seems to be different but by day 10 I was feeling a bit better and was able to eat some soft solids and by day 14/15 I was feeling a lot better. By day 21 I was back at work.
Reagan I totally understand too. If I had read online before my surgery I probably would have backed out too. It’s terrible, anyone here will tell you that. It’s going to be a terrible 10-12 days but even now, not even 2 months post-op, I am so glad I did it. And by now I don’t really remember how awful it was. It’s not like I have PTSD or anything. It’s not a picnic, but it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever been through either. Just take it one day at a time, use this site and your friends/family for support, and you’ll be fine. Good luck!
I am at day 10 post op. The last week and a half have been the worst of my life. It will be a drop in the bucket once I heal, but right now I wish I had never opted for this surgery.
My tonsil pain was constant, but my main reason for agreeing to their removal was my chronic tonsil stones.
Now I’m thinking I could have been a lifelong gum chewer.
I do have faith that I will return to 100% it just takes a long time.
I visited the er on day 6, and got a shot of steroids for swelling and dillatid for pain. That is the most relief I have had this whole experience! I just couldnt get on top of the pain; waking every 2 hours is panic because it hurt so much.
Then day 8 called my eNt just to talk to someone who knew what I was going through!
She called in a couple more prendisone tablets to help with swelling.
I am requesting more narcotics today.
People don’t think tonsillectomy is probably that bad, so visits slow and meals stop and you are alone with your remote and want to cry.
I would suggest telling people that you can use company. Have someone come over to lay in bed with you and watch movies and get you your meds and water and more soup. Call a friend who you don’t need to entertain, one who you can just be with. You will want someone there.
I’m 31 female 7 days post op. I saw 5 ENTs before finally agreeing to the surgery. I am miserable. The day of the surgery I had several instances of projectile vomiting. Awful! Thankfully that subsided and the medicine I had helped. I’m taking liquid oxycodon every 4 hours and Tylenol every four hours. So every 2 hours I get something. Thank God I have my mother and husband. I’ve decreased from from 2 tsps to 1 tsp successfully. The pain never goes away but gets better.
I’m about to run out of oxycodon and I’m terrified. My doctor doesn’t seem to care and won’t provide additional medicine. Any suggestions?
Here’s what’s been working for me.
-I use a cpap for sleep apnea with a humidifier built-in. Huge help. Also have a humidifier going round the clock.
-CHEWING GUM! Total life saver. I’m using Orbit Bubble mint. Helps get my saliva going. Loosens up my throat gently. Helps when my stomach is up set. Highly recommend gum.
-Smooth Move tea for constipation as well as Sentekot and Docolacs. It’s weird but I also watched YouTube videos on abdominal massage to help with constipation.
-HEAT! I wrap a heating pad around my neck and ears and it helps so much. I have in for the back that has velcro. On occasion I use a neck ice pack that I got at Relax the Back but the heat is way better.
-Baby food. The first 4 days I ate only baby cereal with almond or coconut milk. Now I’m eating vegetables.
-Unflavored aloe water. No pulp. Very smooth.
-Hot tea. Lavender, Throat Coat and Smooth Move. All Traditional Medicinals.
-Meditation. I’ve listened to the Calm Meditation channel on Pandora not stop. It’s surprisingly been very helpful. Getting worse every day is so discouraging and is helped me relax and not freak out.
-No dairy. Totally cut it out and it’s helped reduce phlegm.
-Text to speak app. Talking hurts. My muscles get so tight. I found this app 3 days in and it’s a life saver.
-Brush your teeth and take a shower or bath everyday. Had made me feel so much better every time.
This forum has been a lifeline for me I hope my tips help and I am eager to hear what you think about the medicine situation.
Hi Janet- Welcome to the site! Thanks for all the good tips. About the medicine- sorry your doc is being a jerk- maybe call when he’s not on duty with hopes of getting a different doc? I know some get relief from Tylenol. Obviously icing can help a little. Have you tried numbing throat spray? It’s short term. but can help with breakthrough pain…
HI Sara, I’m day 12 post op and I have to tell you to INSIST that your doctor give you more pain medication. I needed it straight through every 4 hours until day 9. Everything I’ve read says that the pain PEAKS day 7-10. For me it was 5-7, but if you need more, make them give it to you. If they won’t, you may have to go the Emergency Room, but hopefully you can convince your ENT that you need it. I did. Your tips are spot on. Good luck getting over the hump, the end it near.
scheduled for surgery next week. I have had tmj and ringing in my right ear for a few years now, wondering if these conditions will be made worse or be a problem during the surgery. Has anyone else dealt with these issues?
Hi Janet,
I have TMJ too, which has improved over the last few years since I use a night guard at night to prevent my clenching from damaging my teeth/jaw, but it hasn’t been too bad since the surgery. Just make sure that your anesthesiologist knows that you have TMJ so they will be extra careful with your jaw when intubating and positioning you for surgery. Also, if you wear any kind of appliance all ready, start using it right away. I was afraid to put mine in the first few nights and my jaw got very sore for a few days but once I started using it again it was fine. As for the ringing in your ears, I have no idea, but hope it helps!
Thanks for the advice Lisa, I will mention the tmj to my doctors before surgery. I was wondering if anyone has tried using water in a spray bottle to constantly keep the throat wet and hydrated especially before trying to eat. Maybe it would lessen the pain.
Lisa try not to stress over the work I’m sure your co workers understand. Hope your recovery is getting better.
Today is day 10 and I do not feel like I’m better. Days 5-9 were absolutely miserable. I don’t think my scabs have come off, they still have the yellowish white coating, but it does seem thinner. It still hurts like hell and I have been taking the pain meds every four hours since the surgery so I feel that awful narcotic depression now. I’m supposed to go back to work tomorrow, which I think will be impossible. My doctor told me to take a week off, I added an extra day (today). But I’ve used all my sick time now and I won’t get paid for any more time off which is distressing. Plus I’m a really dedicated worker so I feel a lot of stress for forcing my coworkers to work shorthanded. I’m so sick of this. I just want to normal again. I’m in a bit less pain this morning but I still can’t swallow more than liquids without being in agony. I know it has to get better at some point, but now I’m stressed out on top of being miserable and I just want it end!!!
I’m 49 years old… Got my tonsils removed 4/2/15. It’s 4AM and I’m up from the pain.
I sure hope this is the last sore throat I ever have. So far Kidney stones and shoulder surgery were worse but I’m not even 24 hours post-op.
Hi Scott. Be prepared, because I wasn’t. I was too nervous to read stuff like this before my surgery but I wish I had. The first say 36 hours after the surgery were not bad but then, seemingly for no reason, the pain got unbearable. Day 5 I had my fiancé call the doctor. The nurse there explained that the pain get worse day by day until day 7-10. My doctor did not explain this before. He said simply that the recovery time is 7-10 days. I don’t really understand why the doctor couldn’t have been more clear with me. Once we spoke to the nurse I decided to start reading what I can online (can’t take it back now). Sounds to me like my doc really doesn’t prepare patients well. Being a nurse, I can handle that, but I cant even imagine how people would feel. Anyway. Be prepared, it gets worse. I’m on day seven and literally praying (not something I ever do) for this to be the day things get better.
I’m 36 and on day 5 of recovery. Who schedules a surgery like this on April Fools Day anyway?? Lol well I did. I’m a long time sore throat sufferer including an abcess tonsil 3 years ago. I had an incompetant ENT for the abcess who wouldn’t even discuss a tonsillectomy. My recovery so far ha been pretty intense. Days one and two were nothing! This surgery gives you a false sense of hope the first couple of days. So far today, day five has been the most painful. I pray that tomorrow is easier than today was. I’ve been living off ice water and itilian ice with a popsicle and some soup broth thrown in. I’ve tried mac n cheese, mashed potatoes and cream soups and they brought tears to my eyes. I wish all of us the best. And try to remembet this too shall pass.
I am 21 and I had my tonsils and adenoids removed on 3/20/15. I must say I would not wish that pain on anyone, not even my worst enemy. Day 1, I was talking after surgery and drinking like everything was fine, sleeping like crazy on because of the anesthesia. Pain meds were taken around the clock of course. Days 2-5, I had plenty of help, but the pain I was in, OMG SO BAD! I felt like every time I swallowed my own saliva, which was super thick, was like swallowing glass. For some odd reason my ear pain was so bad it caused me to have migraines which caused a lot more pain that pain meds didn’t help. I couldn’t eatmuch of anything So I was basically just drinking water, Apple juice, & sports drinks for the electrolytes. Day 6-9, things didn’t seem to get better only worse, on Day 10 I ended up back in the hospital with hemorrhaging on the left side. Scared the living crap out of me because the blood woke me up out of me sleep chocking me. Rushed to the ER and they had to keep me all morning and night for observations. The hemorrhage ended up clotting back up and forming a scab again. Now I’m on Days 12-14, the hurt to swallow is almost completely gone and I’m now able to eat a little more than just Jello, Frozen Yogurt, Popsicles, etc. I recommend not sleeping with a fan on, if you do, set an alarm to wake you up every two hours to moisten your throat so it will not dry out in your sleep. That’s part of the reason I had the hemorrhaging.
Hello,
I’m 31 y/o female on day 5 today after my tonsillectomy and turbinate collation. I have had recurrent strep infections and since the last one in Nov. have been having symptoms of sleep apnea. I have been through a pretty nasty trauma in the past that took over a year and three surgeries to recover from and this is nearly as bad. I know this will get better, but it’s hard to feel so helpless. At least with broken bones you can tell yourself that the more effort you put in with physical therapy the more you are doing to get better. This is a helpless, lonely, waiting to get better kind of recovery. I felt pretty good the night of my surgery, even called and talked to my mom. That was the last time I spoke out loud. Now even whispering hurts. The first two nights were pretty bad, but the days were ok. Monday (day 3) I even ate some macaroni and cheese (overcooked the life out of the noodles). Yesterday and today (days 4-5) I can barely swallow anything but water. I have to time it to an hour after taking pain meds then try to get something with some calories down. I’ve found putting a tablespoon of butter in/on whatever I try to eat helps make it a bit more satisfying. I’m only off work until day 11, and I’m starting to think now I will have to call out for a few more days. I had my fiance call the doctor today because it seems to be getting worse instead of better. They said that’s how it goes. The peak of pain is expected at 7-10 days. Then it gets better quickly apparently. I am probably going to need a third bottle of pain meds. I’ve just opened the second one. I tried to skip a dose overnight last night and that was a mistake. I do find that ice on the throat/ears helps when the pain is really bad. I all ready took the short course of steroids the doctor prescribed and now I wish I had waited until now to take them. I also read a lot of research about the use of ibuprofen after tonsillectomy and it all shows that it does not increase the risk of post-op bleeding, so I’m taking about 200-400mg between pain med doses. That seems to be helping the meds last longer. Overall I am sure I will be glad to have gotten my tonsils out, but today especially I wish there was a less painful way to do it!
Hey Lisa – sounds like a textbook recovery pattern, even though I know it really does not feel like recovery right now! It is a grim lonely time being in pain and unable to eat, drink, sleep or talk properly but it DOES end. Hang in there, count off the days, max out the meds (including ibuprofen – did me no harm; I took 3 different types of meds in rotation). Drink as much as you can. Some people find they need laxatives too although I was OK. Book extra time off now if you can, to take the pressure off yourself. Plan something nice for about day 14 (NOT food-based!), and try to get some fresh air daily, as soon as you can. Try a hot water bottle too – I found it really helped to relax my throat and jaw in the second half of my recovery (but not the first). Good luck to you!
Day 15 after tonsilectomy–the worst is finally over. I regret getting my surgery done over spring break–I was told the recovery period would be between 7-10 days but I’ve only just started to feel normal again. The percocet has left me depressed and unable to focus since I stopped taking it 3 days ago, and while my doctor assures me it is a normal and temporary side affect of stopping the medication, I have 3 tests i need to study for and Im struggling to get out of bed every morning and open a textbook. Which is very unlike me. my throat still hurts but it is minor (especially compared to that pain in the first week–UGH!) but I’m still having some nausea which sucks. Drinking is difficult as the water keeps coming back out my nose if I drink too fast–very weird. I would have scheduled this surgery for the summer had I known the recovery period would be so lengthy. I just don’t feel quite like myself yet, and it’s frustrating. I still am having trouble pronouncing some words like “hole” and “pole.” But I’m sure I will relearn that in time. The back of my tongue still hurts to much to brush with a toothbrush so that’s made my breath not smell so awesome as of late. This has been the worst experience of my life! but some advice to those going through the recovery period: DRINK LOTS OF WATER. I didn’t keep well hydrated and I’m convinced that’s one of the reasons my recovery sucked. Drink till you can’t drink anymore. Force it down. It will help. Goodluck to all of you. It’s been a ride.
Hello all. So I am on day 8 and I’m not horrible but not great either. My main concern is I’ve gotten a disgusting case of thrush. Did or does anyone else have this problem? What is the best way to get rid of this crap? It’s a very thick layer on my tongue I can’t taste anything but the thrush itself
This is day 9.I have a thick coat on my tongue too and I now think I have ear infection bc I have major pain in one ear which my right one. I was having trouble with it a few weeks before my surgery and my ent gave me antibiotics. I am beginning to get concerned bc I haven’t been able to eat anything. I have only had vitamin water and water. I tried diluting mashed potatoes w chicken broth but they coated my mouth and left a really horrible taste. I tried oatmeal pureed and couldn’t get it down. People keep saying jello and it has no nutritional value and its just sugar. I am extremely weak and tired. I got up and cleaned a little and now I am really exhausted…..Thoughts???
Well not too long after typing this message. …i found out i indeed have thrush. My ent is calling in a prescription for a mouth rinse. So I literally had a break down. I had just bought some boost shakes and cant drink them. This surgery is crazy depressing.
Hello all,
So I’m 30yrs old and have sleep apnea. This is now day 12 including surgery day. I didn’t want to believe all the post about the recovery, but indeed they were true. So my recovery as my ENT put it, is on the more sever side. On day 6 I noticed my tongue and strange yellow color and looked hairy. I thought it was just because of the medicine i’ve been on, however day 7 came and when I went to spit (because i’ve been having trouble swallowing my saliva) It was all blood. So of course I freaked out. I had to be rushed to the ER the amount of blood that came out of my mouth was about 2 cups worth. I was admitted to the hospital for 2 days. My ENT said he couldn’t even see where all the blood was coming from and that it looked like it cleared up.
However he also said I have thrush. He put me on Nystatin for 12 days. I’ve never had anything like this, but the amount of anti-biotics I was on probably caused it.. Thrush loves sugar, I learned that the hard way. So stay away from anything with sugar, milk, carbs… It will help with the recovery. Try and eat plain greek yogurt, also it doesn’t hurt to take probiotics, you can get them at any health food store. Your body needs them.
All in all the pain is finally going away, I still have slight soreness in my tongue, and my swallowing isn’t completely normal. But I’m able to actually eat food now (slightly soft) I did’t think I would need more the a week off from work, but I still haven’t returned. Maybe by next week. Good luck to everyone getting this surgery done. Now I know why they say recovery is worse for adults.
Hello everyone, I am going crazy over this surgery. I am 39 and had to finally have them removed after 7 episodes of strep this year and a horrindous asthma attack cause from pnemonia, doc said “time to get the bacteria catchers out”. Surg 3/4/15 and I have been miserable every since. I work full time, I am currently taking five college classes, married w/ 2 teenagers. I washed rushed back in for emergency surgery on day 10 when I woke up choking. Dr. was a complete jerk because he had to come in during the night, so I haven’t called for a pain med refill. Today is 3/26 well actually 3/267 since it 3:40 am. I have been back to work for a week and half and I am miserable. Please tell me if I am crazy.. I have ear pain, itchy throat, headaches, my teeth feel like are going to fall out, my tongue feels like I have been through a meat grinder, I have insomnia, miserable hot and cold flashes (no fever), still can’t really taste anything except metal, any I constantly feel dizzy and weak. Oh, and I feel out of it like I gave been in a comatose state and just woke up. I don’t know if I lost so much blood and still can’t eat and drink enough to compensate. I really think I should have had some blood but like I said the dr.’s mannerisms were ridiculous the night I was bleeding. Is thus normal this far in the pricess? Did I start my recovery period over on the second surgery? I so need to feel normal again, I feel like I’m losing my my mind between feeling awful and my resoinsibilities. PLEASE HELP.
Ok, so I’m wondering if my experience is odd or I’m just not there yet in terms of pain. I’m 30, male, with hypertension and diabetic. I needed to have my tonsils removed due to chronic tonsillitis, stones and obstructive sleep apnea. I’ve been hospitalized for a week before due to peritonsillar abscess.
I had my tonsillectomy procedure done last week, 18 March 2015. Doc said it’ll take 7-10 days to recover and I might need to stay in the hospital until day 3. It was done very early in the morning so I consider that as day 1 of the healing process. Not so bad. I was still able to talk a bit during day 1, but eating anything was hard. I could only down 2 teaspoons of cream. Not ice cream. Just… cream. I stayed overnight at the hospital, so I had that going for me, which is nice. They can adjust the pain meds. Sleeping was tough because it felt like I was going to swallow my uvula. Still, I was able to put in around 4 hours of sleep. Not bad.
Day 2 was when it was most painful. I couldn’t talk and eat much, but on a scale of 10, I’d say the pain was a 5. I got discharged that day and I was able to drive my self home. The only pain meds the doctor gave me was Tramadol+Paracetamol to be taken only when needed and in 8-hour intervals. Only had juice and water the entire day. I was able to sleep on my side. A full night’s sleep. Again I don’t know if this is weird.
Day 3 I was expecting more pain. Well, I got a 4 out of 10 in pain scale. I even went to the grocery to buy some instant ramen, and I was able to eat them lukewarm. Still taking the tramadol+paracetamol just in case. I was wondering if it’s just so effective that’s why it’s not that painful. No problem with sleeping. In fact I was thankful because the apnea is gone!
Day 4, based on the comments here, is when it’s most painful. Well, a 3/10 for me. Accompanied my wife shopping. I was able to eat lasagna, but not the crusty bread. Day 4 was a breeze but I can already feel the scabs. I have pics if you want. ?
Day 5, it’s like a mild sore throat. I can eat a warm soupy meal. I tried eating pork steak when the wife was not looking, and I was able to down it. I’m thinking, “hey, this is not so bad. Should I be worried??”
So today is Day 6. Pain is at 2/10, only due to the scabs scratching the side and back of my throat. And I only feel the pain on the left side. I’m typing this is the office. Everyone is surprised I’m here. Tomorrow I’m supposed to give a talk to graduating students. I dunno. I feel like I’m recovering very fast. Either that or I’m doing something wrong that I’ll regret soon. I’m also curious as to the method/technique used by my ENT so I’ll ask him during our follow up on Wednesday. I’ll update you guys. Again, I don’t know anything different with what I’m doing. I’m not even praying or like that. I was expecting worse but I guess I’m recovering fast.
Oh one last thing. The thing that makes it painful (up to now) is when I strain or exert a lot of effort like climbing up the stairs really fast with a heavy laptop bag (just this morning).
Hi Ronald, I also had a tonsillectomy on March 18th. Sounds like you are recovering much faster than I am! My pain has been pretty consistent, days 2,3,4,5,6 were bad. If I were you, i would be careful not to do too much. It takes at least 3 weeks for the scabs to heal. I still can only eat oatmeal and chicken noodle soup. My main problem now is that this whole thing triggered a strange and big flare up of my ulcerative colitis. Does anyone out there have colitis? I wish I had contacted my gastroenterologist before to help prevent constipation, diarrhea etc. I just had total breakdown tryingto go to the bathroom. Now I have 2 things to deal with! My scabs started coming off yesterday. Im hoping that means that it will get better from now on? What is the experience ofothers on days 7-10?
Thanks Haley
I have been drinking water and vitamin water. I bought coconut water and it was disgusting. Lol I bought a small cheap humidifier last night. And omg the difference. I wish I didnt have this disgusting taste in my mouth lol…it doesn’t help. As far as pain meds..the burning is horrible and makes me constipated. So, I am just avoiding things to compromise my throat. I am drinking sips of water ever chance I think about it. I have heard people saying there doctor gave them gargle stuff. But mine said gargle w warm salt water and im no sure that helped me.
I am 35 and I went in for the op on Monday due to having tonsil stones, strep throat & pharyngitis. Its been 3 days i can’t sleep my body aches all over im constantly dizzy & exhausted & my jaw, teeth & ears ache & my glands(throat) have swollen up like elephant woman. I was prescribed soluble cocodomol & voltarol which i cant take because it gives me severe stomach cramps. The mornings are the worst the pain even trying to speak is unbearable & my mouth is just filling up with thick fizzy saliva, I have only managed couple sips of water until today but i have managed couple spoonfuls of soup and tea. But i am getting bad acid reflux also. The smell from back of my throat is horrific it’s smells like a ball of shit is sitting at back of my throat (exactly 1 of reasons i had op) tonight the throat has really started to ache & bleed a little. I have now tried to remove some of the gunk with a cotton bud but its all under my tongue at sides & ive rinsed with luke warm salty water & im only obvious taking excess gunk off dont want to scrape the tonsil area but its horrific the smell is sickening & i am just worried were this gunk ends up. The tip of my uvula is also very yellowy/white & hits of back of my tongue it feels so weird. There is so many horror stories regarding this procedure i am dreading next few days. What happens to all the crap at back of throat will the tonsil stone party in back of my throat be dispersed. I hope this op isn’t in vain. Does anyone know what happens to the white/yellow/grey stuff as its foul im at my wits end
Hello
Im 30yr old female and had mine out on 19th march after putting it of for far too long (i should have had them out as a child) for years ive had nothing but horrid luck with them. They were huge and id get run down, simple cold or just catch tonsillitis so easily. They also affected my sleep. Ive always looked after myself. Ive never smoked, drugs and drink alcohol hardly worth mentioning. Fit and healthy. And thought for years how unfair it was on me that i was so often sick. Being 100% well was such a rare thing for me and my husband and i celebrate when i was! So my surgery went well. I’ve been given 2wks of. Im on day 7 and i knoe im going to take that 2wks.
Day 1-3 were actually ok. Ive slept well really. Only when i wake i need to use my mouth wash and spit the crap out.
I have high dosage meds… endone. I started taking day 4. As these are addictive and are basically morphin. I needed to take my first dose to be able to eat something! I lost 4kgs in 4 days. Thats huge for me. I cant loose that amount in 3 months eating healthy!
Day 6 ans 7 i feel ok at times but out of nowhere i ger sudden excruciating pain… like someone has poured chilli on parts of my throat. . I assume this the scabs coming of and its raw ??
I actually struggle to drink at all. Even thru a straw. Even taking a sip for my meds. I tear up and punch the bench… is this pain normal ? I actually fear drinking at all. Only today could i manage icecream. Day 3 i had a good feed… after endone but it hasnt worked the same since.
I in no way regret this i know after 2wks ill be a lot better and of cause the long run but judt a little worried of this pain as i know i need to drink. And i try but im really struggling.
Hi Hailey
I know what you mean. Im cutting down in the Norco tablets because they gave me terrible constipation and hemorrhoids. But my throat is hurting much more today, day 8. Im also having trouble drinking. The trick is trying to drink water at different temperatures. Sonetimes ice water goes down best, others its lukewarm or hot tea thats best. The scabs are starting to come off so thats why our throats are really sensitive. I cant believe how slow this recovery is going! Patience is not my virtue!
Hang in there, you will make it.
I had mine on the 20th. I am 42. I am having major pain. Today has been horrible. I have ear pain and neck pain on one side. I can’t take my pain meds bc they burn like swallowing lit matches. I have not eaten anything. I tried jello but it was disgusting and i have never liked it anyway. I spit up yellow mucous and i called my ent office and they said its normal. I have asthma and other health issues. Is there anything u guys are gargling with? I have been told dairy is bad idea bc of the mucous. What color are the scalbs?
Hi roshanda
Sounds just like my pain… Unfortunatly its normal. Its hell. I spoke to my good friend who is a nurse… we MUST take our meds when we are required to.. not when pain is unbearable. Its hard. I know. I was having panic attacks day 6-7. Today not so bad. I find lukewarm or room temp water the best. Not icy. I have to psych myself up to swallow them but theres a fine line before u cause a panic attack. I try standing over bench with a cushion so i can hit if need be. Sounds corny but go to ur happy place. Listen to sum soothing music. .. get ur breathing normal. I know how hard it is. I really feel ur pain but it will get easier. Today for me was day 8. I still struggle to talk ( dont force it.. even if u can manage talking… wait 10mins and ull be in a world of pain again) my husby and i have our own sign lang-its kinda fun really. Or write what u want to day down.. carry a notepad. It really isnt worth the pain to talk. If u can sip on powerade/gatorade/coconut water. These have a tonne of electrolytes and good stuff ur body needs. If u cant swallow pills. Can u get soluble panadol? This works for me. As u can sip not have that gulp.
im not s fan of jelly either but its helpful. What about custard (cold) ? You will get there. Read up on ppls aftermath blogs.. i couldnt find one regret after the recovery. Reading these will help lift ur spirits. The scabs come of day 5-10 so id say urs are coming of to. I was prescribed cephacaine for my mouth wash. Its not as harsh as some. Im in australia though. Luke warm water with salt is also fantastic.
Spitting yellowy phlem is normal. Spit as much of that out but don’t dry ur mouth out. As painful as it is sip water or powerade etc to keep mouth moist. Stop if it starts hurting.. uvr probably had it go over a raw bit. Then sip again when u can.
You will get there.. 2weeks is nothing compared to the lifetime of wellbeing u will have !! Stay positive & good luck.
Hi Roshanda,
I had mine on the 18th and am 43. The pain was getting much better 3 days ago but today is really bad. I woke up at 3am with major jaw, ear and throat pain. I’m having a lot of difficulty in swallowing anything! I checked and it seems that quite a lot of the scabs have come off. I hope that the pain will start going down in 2 days or so. I checked with my doctor and he said that it can be normal for the pain to peak again and that’s why you really need at least 2 weeks off. Have you been able to eat anything, even after 30 minutes of taking pain meds? Pudding is better than jello. I’ve been eating oatmeal in the morning. Low sodium chicken broth, not too eat, usually goes down. I don’t have a mouth rinse, I can’t gargle because my uvula still touches my tongue!
Hope you’ll have a better day.
From about day 8 I found it was really comforting to sleep with my head on a hot water bottle. The warmth helped remove some tension and diffuse some of the pain.
Good luck with your recovery everyone – I had a tough time but am glad now that I am tonsil (stone) free
Hello vanessa
Oh i am not a patient person either.. i was a little better by the end of today though. Hopefully were on the downhill ride now! Thanks 4 the advice on temp.. it helped me my nursing friend advised me to take soluble panadal about half hour pre breakfast and an endone pill and then voltaten after (or nurofen if u don’t have voltaren). reckon this might helpme with pain tomorow. Fingers crossed! She made it quite clear not to miss taking ur pills though as hard as it may be! We need them. Pain will only get worst amd make it harder to take. Better put my big girl boots on then
I haven’t eaten anything but popsicle. I am thinking of trying oatmeal but sooo nervous. Lol I have been really weak. I walked my dog for a few minutes but omg i was exhausted.
Has anyone had the laser method? if so how was your recovery? I believe that’s what my doctor said he was going to use
If you tonsils are that bad, I wouldn’t cancel the procedure. I am 34 yr old male and just had mine out last November. I was scared too and never had a surgery in my life either. I was very scared but this site helped me through this event. And I will tell you that I am happy so far that I did this. As long as you prepare yourself and stay hydrated, it should go fine. I’m not sure if I got a steroid shot or not, but I know I had fluids and antibiotics during surgery. Also, I wasn’t too bad after 2 weeks but I did end up taking 3 weeks off due to what I do. It may be the same for you and help you out better if you can take it. Do be too scared, I know that’s easy to say, but I was petrified and nervous. Surgery was easy, i didn’t have any complications as I prepared myself for it from this site. Later in December I did get an infection that meds healed up. That was it. Good luck to you and just wanted you to know that I know what you feel and I am happy I did go through with it.
Allie, few more things for you. Yes it will be painful if you don’t take meds like your supposed too. I was prescribed hydro/liquid and it wasn’t doing the trick for me. My doc then gave me Percocet 10/325 which helped much better. Stay on top of your pain killer whatever it is and you should be okay to deal with the little pain that you do feel. Thanks and good luck.
Thank you so much , I will do my best to stay encouraged, I’m going to get it out of the way! I’m on my way to church now and will ask God for a speedy recovery : )
I am EXTERMELY close to cancelling my surgery after reading horror stories. My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday and I’ve never had surgery , I’m so afraid of the pain you guys. I’m a 26 year female with enlarged tonsils and have had strep and tonsillitis since the beginning of feb, and tonsil stones since I was a child. Should I demand a steroid for after surgery? and should I request more than 2 weeks off since I am a prek teacher and I have to repeat myself frequently.
Spelled it wrong. It’s CLO-SYS Alcohol free oral health Rinse. A dentist has written a lot of recommendations in an earlier thread review it, read it and you’ll find a lot of good things that will reduce the pain and swelling.
I had my tonsils out on the March 16th I knew ahead of time I was spending one night in the hospital and that’s been the easiest night I’ve had. I went home Tuesday feeling sore but the pain was tolerable. However Wed night I could barely breath mucus had got so thick I couldn’t get it out of my throat. I went to my ent the next morning and he told me I had an infection and had too be admitted back into the hospital. It was discussing like chunks of cottage cheese were coming out mixed with blood and mucus. Ended up in the hospital for two days getting iv antibiotics I had become dehydrated in just a the one day I was home. I got home this evening and I’m feeling better I even eat some eggs but now I’m experiencing the worst burning sensation around my teeth and my gums feels like there on fire can’t imagine it can get much worse.
I am starting Day 5 and have seen very little improvement. I was first taking lycet but could not tolerate and I threw up twice the first night. I have been taking norco since which helps a little. My tongue and uvula are still just as swollen, cant see back of my throat. My ENT said he gave me steroids during the surgery. He did not prescribe me antibiotics. How do you knowif you have an infection? Still cant eat soft foods, eating jello is still painful. I started to have some ear pain since yesterday. I wrap a damp frozen hand towel- after freezing it for 30 minutes- around my neck and jaw. , a few times a day. That feels like heaven! I still cant talk much and have dificulty sleeping with mouth open. Im really not sure i can stand another week of this!
Using ice collared to keep the swelling down. Drink as much Smart water as you can. Take your medications on time
Don’t miss or skip your medications because you get miserable,. If you like yogurt take a couple teaspoons every few hours it’ll prevent infection on the tongue. Renter mouth with CLOT-sys it kills bacteria and keep your mouth moist.
Hello everyone. Well it’s been about 10 hours since surgery and this sucks!! Can’t eat I have to force myself to drink my smart water and I keep choking and coughing. I’ve eaten two bites of pudding with my Meds and that pretty much sums it all up. Any advice from anyone?
I had my surgery march 20, 2015. I keep choking on this thick mucous. Im trying to drink water. My doctor advised trying 7up or sprite but i dont drink soda even outside of surgery. Therefore, i think it is making things worse. He has me taking liquid advil rotating w my pain meds. My head and ears hurt really bad.
Tthis website has been a dream come true so far so many helpful pants. However I do not see the advice and why not to eat dairy, (because the phlegm and coughing it causes) before I took down a ton of ice cream yesterday now I’m having terrible phlegm and coughing. does anyone have any idea what I can do now to help Clear it up… beside stop eating ice cream anymore… please help him coughing all the time
I got my tonsils removed two days ago and am recovering fairly well. I haven’t had any nausea, and they gave me a hefty supply of oxycodone so I’ve been quite happy with minimal pain. But I find that when I swallow water, some of it tends to come back up my nose (gross I know). This doesn’t happen with food or popsicles or anything. Only water. I’m feeling very dehydrated because of it and was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice to help me with this problem. It would be very much appreciated!
I had my tonsils out 11 days ago. One thing I discovered is that if you wear a hoodie to cover your ears to keep them warm as often as you can it will easy the pain from your ears because you will keep them warm all the time and pain pills. Also, you can drink something like pedyalite or gatorade so you don’t feel too weak due to the strong pain medication and dehydration. Thank you!
Braxton, I wish you luck. Stock up on smart water as it has electrolytes in the water. Drink drink drink is the most effective way that you will get in healing process. I also recommend a humidifier for your room to keep the moisture for your throat. Do not get in a hurry to eat solid foods as you will know when the time comes when you can try that.stock up on soft foods examples Jell-O Popsicles, broth and possibly mashed potatoes when you’re ready for those. I also got shaved ice from sonic if you have one. I kept chewing on ice to keep my throw hydrated. Keep up on your meds my surgeon prescribed Percocet 10/325 to me because the liquid codeine was not working for me(oxycodone). I had not problems swallowing the pills. You may handle pain different from me but I needed stronger mess. Stay on top of them and take them as prescribed. Don’t get in a hurry to eat solid foods, you’ll know when your ready. Buy some ice packs for the swelling and use them. Helped me a lot. Drink drink drink water, take meds, eat soft foods or even broth, and get a humidifier. Hope this helps!!
everything Gary wrote plus – re: the pills take them literally every 4 hours or whatever your told. Even if your sleeping wake up and take it – trust me it’s not worth that extra 20 minutes or 2 hours or whatever of sleep. you’ll hate your life if you don’t (at least I did the one time I didn’t). I also have percs (I’m currently on day 7 of recovery). they are in pill form but I’m supposed to crush them up. I can handle it that way even on day 1. I crush it with two spoons – pretty simple and then take with water or put it in a spoonful of applesauce or something like that. (don’t mix it with a lot of food, it’ll be hard to eat it all to get the meds!) also ask your doctor about sore throat spray. I just found out about it and I really wish I knew sooner. ask how early you can use it. Gatorade. put in freezer for a short bit = slushy dreaminess (if you leave it in too long it’ll just freeze). take a sip of water or Gatorade every time you wake up, you won’t want to – but it’ll make it better if you keep hydrated. also an ice collar is lovely. A bath can sometimes be soothing also. The whole thing is going to suck – just mentally prepare yourself for that. every day I read this blog though to see what others felt on the day I’m on. I either learn something new or feel a little less crazy/weak. it’s helpful. you are’t going to be alone during the recovery are you? ie. do you have a spouse, parent, etc. with you?
I had my surgery on March 4th and it was not bad at all! I spent weeks reading all these horror stories that I almost changed my mind. The first 4 days were great! I even tried to eat a bite of chicken I was so hungry lol! But unfortunately on day 5-6(now) I have been experiencing excruciating ear pain it’s almost 10/10 pain! It’s very painful… Not sure if a nerve is being pinched for 10 minutes and then stops for 2 hours than back again I hope these random ear pains stop completely soon….
I had my tonsillectomy on 3/6/15. After reading stories, I was terrified of the recovery process. Honestly, it hasn’t been that bad.
The day of the surgery I was in the most pain, at about a 4/10. I didn’t sleep well that night, but all in all it was bearable. I began drinking water immediately after surgery, and I honestly think that’s why my recovery process hasn’t been so bad.
Day 2 was better than day 1, with pain staying at about a 2-3/10. Was able to eat mashed potatoes and baby food today.
Day 3 was a little worse. I had to travel and I think that’s what made it so bad. My pain reached about a 6/10 but only at the last hour before I could take my pain medication.
Day 4 has been easy, with pain reaching no higher than a 3 (except when I tried eating spaghetti os). I’ve been able to go 8 hours without my pain meds. Tried eating spaghetti os, I would recommend NOT doing so. I was in pain of about a 7/10 for an hour after I tried this.
Not every experience is terrible and I was people who are going into surgery to feel more comfortable! As long as you rest, drink A LOT of water, and keep up on your medicine, you will be fine
I had mine taken out on 3/3/15, because the were large. I also had my deviated septum fixed along with other sinus issues. I was nervous to because of the stories I have read. I’m finishing day 5 of recovery and it hasn’t been that bad. If you drink lots of water, stay on top of the pain meds, you will be fine. My nose has splints and gauze in it, so I have to breath through my mouth. I kept ice by me, to keep my mouth wet. Sleeping was the hardest part.
I had my tonsillectomy Friday Feb. 27. Today is Sunday March 8, 2015. My post op experience wasn’t the worst story I’ve heard so far. Days 2-5 were the worst and my pain was almost unbearable but now that I’ve reached Day 8 I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My best advice for anyone getting ready to have the procedure done is to drink drink drink! Do not let your throat get dry or you will regret it! To prevent it from drying while sleeping I used a humidifier. Take pain meds on schedule or you will regret it as well. I have successfully been able to eat scrambled eggs, soup, Mac and cheese, and popsicles anything else has felt like such a chore. Personally, things got exceptionally better for my on Day 7 which was also yhe day I went back to my ENT. He said that I was healing ahead of schedule and I should be back to normal by day 10.
Oh yea, I also used the ice pack I was given at the hospital for my neck and ears. Hope this helps someone else out.
Hello all. I got my Tonsillectomy 3/5/15. After surgery I was given ginger ale and ice chips before I came home. So far so good? I mean I’m staving but I’m at least able to swallow water and my liquid Vicodin that tastes horrible. I have been nauseated alot today being the second day and the anesthesia im assuming wearing off. I drink as much water as I can but the ice chips are soooo much more better. It’s certainly 1 a.m and I’m munching on them as I type. I am prepared for the worst but expecting the best for all these blogs I’ve read about the daily changes. I’ve happy to have had those nasty tonsils out and will post back on my updates. Stay well and very hydrated people!
I got mine out on 3/2/2015 (3 days ago)
And it’s doable for me. I can only eat when my pain meds are fully working (2,5 hours after taking) and still nowhere near painfree, but it’s okay. And these are warm foods, like: overoiled pastas or some soup. The real pain for me is when i have to eat a ice lolly or drink ice water. Or whenever i’m in between meds which suck so bad. But for the rest, it’s really not too bad. The worst part was when i had to throw up the all the old blood i swallowed during and after the procedure. But for everybody whose experience is worse than mine i have one tip, DON’T FORGET TO DRINK WATER AT NIGHT! I forgot it yesterday and waking up this morning was pretty painfull and i took me a full day to get my throat hydrated again.
I had my tonsils out on March 2 – 2015 and it is now day 5 after op – in hospital they told me to try to eat normal food because ruffage and the chewing motion helps recovery and iceblocks help with swelling
The importent part was thet I have to gurgel with saltwater – it speeds up recovery ( hahaha) they never told me how strong this saltwater should be – I am on 4 hourly painkillers and antibiotics 3 times a day
Pain at the moment is mean and the back of my tongue is hurting like mad
I am 66 years old and my recovery might take up to 3 weeks
*Got a tonsillectomy 2/23… 3/5 there is still a lot of pain. I have a high tolerance for pain, but I’m chugging pain meds every three hours. Everything hurts, head, gums, neck, under tongue, roof of mouth, have minimal desire to eat (if I’m not doped up I can’t) because it’s often excruciating to swallow, waking up at night is awful. I can only hope it’s worth it because I had no idea the pain would last so long, and cold foods make it WORSE for me. Warm foods, and drinks are most soothing. I damn near want to cry, and I didn’t cry during childbirth! I have no tips other than get it done sooner than later, make sure you have lots of help if you have kids, you’ll need at LEAST two weeks off work, drink as much as you can after you take your pain meds cus it will be hard to get fluids in, get lots of rest. I was hoping to get pain relief alternatives between meds… So far nothing. Good luck!
Ok, so i’m writing here, because my doctor wants me to see an ENT due to large tonsils. I’m scared as heck after reading all the “internet stories”. I do not take pain well, nor pain medication. I do feel a sensation in my throat like something is stuck, but besides that I don’t really have any problems. My question, has any one had there tonsils taking out due to enlarged tonsils? I do not want to get them out at all, but of course if I have to what choice do i have
If you are ok with them then it’s your right to keep them. I am recovering from having mine removed on 2/20/15 and then being life flighted on 3/1/15, yes that is only a couple of days ago, to have cauterization done because of a bad bleed. I was sick all of the time and if the problem is solved from this then it will have been worth it. But right now, thinking that my husband and 4 young kids could have ended up without me, makes me really question it. A lot of people recover well, but the pain is no joke and you will have to stay on top of the pain meds. No matter what, the choice to have your tonsils removed or not is yours. No one can force you into a decision. Best of luck!
52 yr female. dealing with tonsil stones for many years. Everyday I use popsicle stick to try and dislodge stones. I’ve seen 4 ENT over the years and discussed tonsillectomy, but have been too nervous to go forward. I have read a lot of posts about patient recover and I’m wondering what type of procedure did people choose and if one is better than another.
Cold Knife
Microdebrider
Cobaltion
Electroautery
I’m not even sure what they are and if there are more and what ENT’s use which one. All very confusing!! I would love to know how the procedures effected results and recovery. thanks for your help.
As for which methods allows the easiest recovery, the jury is out. If I had to pick, based on the anecdotal accounts posted here, I might say coblation.
Thank You Greg for your quick response and for this website you created. Its the only one I have found that addresses adult tonsillectomy. I have anxiety issues when trying to make decisions like this and the tips you have for preparing yourself with the items needed for a easier recovery are greatly appreciated. If you do further research on this subject I would be interested to know if the people that had a easier recovery had smaller size tonsils, less severe throat issues before surgery (Less scarring from throat infections) and of course the type of surgery used. Thank you again, you and the others on this site are very helpful to all us scaredy cats!
hi Janet – I am a 47 year old female and had tonsillectomy due to tonsil stones last September; no idea what method (didn’t realise there was more than one – not sure my surgeon would have given me a choice anyway!).
The first two weeks of recovery were really quite horrible BUT I had no complications, and am now tonsil stone free, which was revolutionised my life – no bad breath, no constant digging to remove them. I have so much more self confidence as a result.
So your biggest decision is not which method, but IF you want to put yourself through what can be a nasty recovery to be rid of them forever. Good luck!
Thank you Kate, I’m glad to hear from someone that was happy they made the decision to go for it. Also the fact that your not like a teenage boy makes your story more relevant and encouraging for me. would be interested to know if they used the coblation technique on you. My issues are mostly the tonsil stones not really strep throat problems was that your case too? Thanks for responding to my post you have helped me by telling your success story.
Yes Janet my surgery was mainly due to tonsil stones – although I do have a history of throat infections, with an abscess once. I had tonsil stones for about 20 years and decided I didn’t want to live the rest of my life obsessed with mouthwash, mint chewing gum, and keeping my distance from people due to fear of bad breath!
If you decide to go for it, follow the advice on this forum for things that will help ease the recovery. Block at least two weeks out when you will hibernate at home, and enlist someone to be around at least for the first few days for moral support and practical help. It was my first surgery and I nearly fainted at the prospect the day before/had to receive extra drugs to calm me down before I went into theatre. But actually the surgery itself was the easy bit, its the recovery that can be tough.
I don’t regret it though: no more tonsils = no more tonsil stones. I am so much happier and confident
I am up to day 20 and am a lot better then what I was. I thought it was never going to end!! I still have a gross matalic taste in my mouth whenever I eat or drink things now which I’m praying will go away. I was admitted back to hospital because my pain was excruciating and I could not swallow or eat anything. They gave me steroid injections to make the swelling go down but also they gave me a script for this pink looking jelly medicine called lidocaine viscous, I’m telling you know it was the best thing ever! It numbed my whole throat and mouth and took away the ear pain. I could drink after that. Although it only lasts a few hours when you have it you feel although you don’t even have the pain. I was the worst when it came to this, every day I was crying and pleading for it to end, I had no sleep for a week or so because it hurt but once I got this stuff I pretty much depended on it because it helped so much. It is a bit pricey if you get a script and go to the chemist but completely worth it!! Just know it will end to! I thought I was never going to be able to eat again, but the days come where it slowly wears off. I’m still struggling with the horrible metallic taste, and I can’t yawn which is killing me haha. But I was nowhere near what I was two weeks ago!!
I forgot to ask in another question I posted, I keep feeling I need to cough or clear my throat and I was told not to do so. I haven’t tried eating anything yet except a Popsicle that made my mouth swell so I will not be going back to that. I have tried water and ice chips and nothing is helping. Any suggestions?
I found warm drinks helped sooth my throat. I drank so much tea. It helped keep my throat lubricated and didn’t hurt like cold things. In the UK we are told to eat rough foods to promote healing and get the muscles working. good luck. Remember, this is temporary and it WILL get better.
I had my Surgwry feb 19 and I must admit possibly the worst pain I have ever experienced . The first day wasn’t too bad but the days after got worse and worse I stopped taking my morphine because it was making me super nauseas and dizzy. Have not had much to eat other then Apple sauce and ice cream. Today is end of day 5 I managed to have some soup today but still very hard to swallow soup even water. I can’t wait for all of this to be over and done with! Even started asking myself why I did this but hopefully gets better and is worth all the pain at the end of it all.
I had the exact same surgery as you. It was painful and all I can relate is what I did. Instead of taking two pain pills every four hours I took one pain pill every two hours. I wanted to keep the same level of drug in my system all the time. I woke up every two hours during the night to take pills. I purchased a pill crusher and mixed the crushed pain pill with two teaspoons of yogurt. 30 minutes after taking the pill I would drink a 1/2 bottle of Smart Water. Drink as much water as you can, it’s painful but it helps recovery. Also, I ate two case of popsicles…..popsicles when I woke up at night, popsicles before I ate my yogurt with my crushed pain pill, popsicles all day long. If you have an ice collar use it. If you don’t have one put some ice in plastic bags and place them on you neck to keep the swelling down. The recovery for this surgery is painful, difficult and the pain keeps getting worse for the first ten days. Again, popsicles, drink at a minimum 32 ounces of ICE COLD water daily, use the ice collar, and take your pain pills. I used yogurt so I’d have something in my stomach. Best of luck.
Someone guide me. I’m 22 and I’m on day 7 of recovery from tonsillectomy and andenoidectomy. I’m in terrible pain constantly. I’ve lost so much weight. I can’t eat or drink, let alone swallow.
I found this website two days ago and am so thankful I did! It was a relief to hear that I wasn’t the only one going through the extreme pain that I have experienced over the last 8 days. I am on day 8 after my tonsillectomy and wanted to recommend that everyone getting a tonsillectomy or anyone who is still recovering to go buy a cool mist humidifier. It changed my entire night while sleeping. It kept my mouth moist so it didn’t feel like my throat was on fire this morning. This is the first day I have felt some relief and I even decided to skip taking the Lortab and just take a couple of ibuprofens. I am praying I am close to being out of the woods. Good luck to everyone, and go get a cool mist humidifier!
Hang in there it’s get better. I bought a pill smasher and smashed my pills and ate two teaspoons of yogurt with the pill. For ten days all I had was two teaspoons of yogurt every two hours and all the popsicles I could eat and Smart Water I could drink. My first meal was mac & cheese and it a itty bitty size portion. After day 14 you’ll begin to rock and roll. Best of luck with your recovery. BTW, after it’s all done…..IT WORTH IT!
This website has been a great relief for me, I had my tonsils removed on Feb 5 , I am now on day 5 after removal and it has probably been there worst day for pain. Day 1-3 seemed like a breeze compared to day 5. Yesterday I had some Kraft dinner for supper and it was really easy going down. I have had extremely bad breath but I assume that is just a side effect of the healing. I have been on Tylenol 3 with codeine to relieve pain.I have three questions, when does the pain start to die down? And, when should I go back to eating my normal diet? And, did any of you deal with infection and how did you know you had one?
I got my tonsils out on the 5th of Feb also, the first day in the hospital was fine, I sucked on ice and thought this is no problem at all. Boy was I mistaken. They told me day four would be the worse, I had my heart set that after that it would be better! Day four came around and the pain was excruciating, I could barely swallow water let alone anything else! The pain from my throat was referring to the pain in my ears and head also! They had me on panadene forte but even though that wasn’t hitting me it was also making me feel very very sick in the stomach. I was struggling to eat soft foods, I’d have the slightest bit of jelly, water and just couldn’t hack anything else. The next day I went to my local GP and he put me on something slightly stronger, Endone. That night I had so many different medications and it relieved the pain for a hour or to, but then just went down hill from there again. I was so restless, getting no sleep what so ever. It was decided, I was going back to hospital. My mum is a nurse so she took me to the private hospital she works at, they put me into emergency because they were worried about bleeding or infection, they took blood and found out I was very very dehydrated they pumped 4L of water into me through an IV and gave me different medication through the drip. It relieved me and it felt amazing to be able to swallow and talk again! I was able to eat a sandwich and Mac and Cheese! And it was the best thing ever, through all my tears from this I had never been happier! I came home and the night was okay, but I guess everything wore off and now I’m back to how I was before the hospital. In excruciating pain! It’s day 6 and I am just praying this will end sooner rather then later but I don’t believe it will. If I could go back in time I most certainly would not want this surgery! I don’t want to wait another week plus for this to wear off and for me to be a normal eating human being again! But I guess I’m going to have to. Its reassuring reading other people’s comments saying that they were in pain to, I have spoken to some friends that have had theirs done in the past and they were fine, eating, drinking alcohol even!! I wish I could heal that easily but I guess everyone’s different and I am an unlucky one.
I had my tonsils out on February 5th also! I stayed the night in the hospital for one night. The nurses had to play around with my pain medication because I wasn’t getting any relief from morphine. Literally it didn’t even faze me. They tried another type of medication that is in the same family as morphine and this made me very sick to my stomach. It was horrible. Finally they tried one more type of pain med after calling my doctor (This was late at night), and it was awesome. I had a good first day out of the hospital, but I found the medication very hard to take. My mom mushed up my pills and I mixed them with water on a tea spoon. That was the only way I could get them down. My first three days flew by because all I did was sleep. Out of those three days though I only ate two spoonfuls of pudding. Day four, five, six, were very difficult. My pain meds, mixed with no food in my stomach really made me feel nauseated. I did a lot of crying over those few days and started to wonder if this was all worth it even though I did often suffer from severe strep. It was so frustrating not being able to eat while being overwhelmingly hungry. So far as the days have gone on I am feeling better and better. I am don’t really eat to much because I am so scared of opening my wounds. Today is day 10 post-op and I am feeling sooo much better I am barely taking any pain medication and I am eating foods such as, Kraft Dinner (lifesaver), soft cheese, soup and other soft foods. I haven’t graduated up (had the guts) to eat anything solid yet. I have found drinking tons of water does really help. I hope you all are feeling better! Here’s to a fast recovery!
Dawn,
Yes if you have had that much issues with them then def talk to your doc about taking them out. If you decide to, read these forums on here and prepare yourself for it. It is very important. I am 34 and had mine out a few months ago, and haven’t snored at all, not once. Yay. Good luck to you and keep us posted.
I have always had tonsillitis and swollen tonsils. They are about the size of a dollar coin in diameter. When I was a kid I would have tonsillitis and would lose my voice for weeks at a time. I am now almost 44 and still have chronic sinus problems, asthma, allergies not so much food that I know of but outside stuff and a good bit of inside stuff also and sinus drainage all the time that gets on peoples nerves because I make noises all the time. I stay sick with a cold or sinus infection throughout most of the year. What made me start looking on the web is because I have this white spot on my right tonsil and it is about the size of dime not quite a nickel and I am finally going to the doctor about it because my brother had cancer in his neck and I was afraid that I had what he had, but as I started looking at pics and searching for an answer before I went to the doctor I came across tonsil stones and this makes perfect sense to me now. I have a few bad teeth that I have been slowly having pulled and my dentist has not said anything about the white spot so I wasn’t worried and then I said I’m going to the doctor and then I immediately feared the worse. I don’t have that bad of bad breath like most that I have read has had. After reading about tonsil stones this has shown me that it may really not be anything really bad so I’m going to the doctor and see what they say hopefully I can get my tonsils taken out that’s what I really want to do because I am tired of having sinus problems all the time. One thing that I did not read anything about is people saying that they snore a lot. I snore like a freight train and it has become really bothersome since I have insomnia and have had it all of my life. I am a fulltime student and as with anyone that goes to college sleep is not a luxury. lol If I do get to sleep good I will snore loud and wake up, so having my tonsils taken out will hopefully solve that. It has helped two of my kids from snoring. If I have my tonsils taken out I hope it will be a smooth ride. Wish me luck. Thanks Dawn
Today is day 10 for me after surgery. One thing I wish I would have been told is to take Stool Softeners. Three days ago, felt the urge to go and I could not go. It hurt worse than the surgery. LOL. So I ended up taking the suppository and a softener, it finally came out but it still hurts so now I know take them daily. Other than that I lost 16 pounds in 10 days. I was on a diet before this so it helps that.lol The pain in my throat is not that bad, i learned that if you want to eat make sure you do that after the medication is in your system. The first five days I was on water and ice cream, some pudding. My throat burned with orange jello, and the lemon lime gatorade and also ibprofen burned, so everyone is different. The thing is you have to try on your own and see what you can handle. The first two to three days i had a slight temperature which i delt with. My speech is impared alittle cause my tongue is still swollen a little bit. The only thing i am still wondering about is why does your tongue stay white for so long? I know babys get thrust when drinking lots of milk ect but adults. My tongue is normal now..lol. I also had my Uvula taken out besides the tonsils… lots of tonsilitis and i also have sleep apnea. So hopefully this helps with both. I am still reading up and learning about this and i hope i can help others as well.
I’ve posted several times on here. The first week is rough, but I have had strep so bad that I could not drink water, and it got to the point that I would have strep and ear infections and could not sleep even with pain medication, no medicines would help, and I had one infection that lasted 3 months straight. Then tonsillitis, then strep again, but being the person I am, I pushed through, ran races, and just dealt with it until the tonsillectomy. The first week of recovery was just like the strep and ear infections, the only difference was, I had pain meds that actually helped and knocked me out, Thank God!!
Drink lots of water throughout the recovery, get off the pain meds as soon as you can, take stool softeners while on them, I quit taking them on day 8 and the next day switched to extra strength Tylenol after talking to nurses. The pain is still bad, but if able to bare it, better to stop the pain meds and get the head right, at least that’s how I felt. Popsicles are your best friend. If unable to swallow pills, break them up and make a slushie with the popsicles or put in cold apple sauce.
The ears will hurt pretty bad Days 5-10 or even 12. I am on day 20 now, and still have some ear pain. I just started running again yesterday, alternating between 10 minutes run and 10 walking for an hour. I ran 3 miles straight today, then walked for a while. I was extremely active before the surgery and to be honest, I was supposed to wait till day 21-tomorrow-to start light running (which is a 9 minute 30 sec mile for me). So, be careful. If you feel any strain, slow down.
Still not eating hard foods, tomato sauces, pizzas. But am drinking mocha’s Everyone deals with pain and healing differently. For the first two weeks, sleep and take it easy. Sleep reclined if able. I could not lay down on a stack of pillows until day 18. Hopefully be back in the bed by next week. And as everyone on here says, drink lots and lots of water. The doctor said wait at least 3-4 weeks before drinking any alcohol, preferably 4 weeks. They said after 3 weeks the remaining scabs will heal very fast and the more hydrated the throat, the faster it may heal. Always ask a dr. Or nurse if there is any doubt.
I hate to break it to you but imagine your worst case of strep throat/tonsillitis and multiply that pain by 1000 and that is how you’ll feel. Drink lots of ice water and keep popsicles with you. Ice packs feel pretty good too. Also STAY ON TOP OF YOUR MEDS. Even in the middle of the night because it will hurt so much more if you don’t and you will be miserable. Make sure you have plenty of fun things to do to keep you busy and have someone to take care of you and bring you more soft foods when you run out because you won’t be able to drive really or go anywhere. I’m 21 and currently on day 3. I’m not ready for my scabs to come off because I heard that is going to be miserable. Get a sippy cup because it makes drinking water and juice and other things such as that so muc easier. I also had my adenoids removed and some tubes in my nose shrunk so I have a lot of drainage. The best thing to do for that is make sure you’re well hydrated before you try to swallow it. Make sure your throat stays moist, that will be the best thing that you can do to help yourself stay out of as little pain as possible. Also keep your head elevated and your head up because it makes the drainage of whatever that stuff is easier to go down. If things get too bad with swallowing, if you tilt your head back and kind of open your throat, stuff just slides down which helps when swallowing gets really painful. Also a little tip I learned, I’m taking liquid hydrocodone and lidocaine. Take the lidocaine before the hydrocodone and you can take the hydrocodone up to an hour early and still be okay. I’m only on day 3 so this is just what I’ve learned so far. If I come up with anything else I shall let you all know.
Oh and DON’T have sex. It can cause bleeding. I didn’t try it but I asked my doctor about it and she said a firm no. Keep your heart rate at a minimum and you’ll be good.
Best of luck to everyone having this done, who’s had this done, and who’s in recovery. We can all get through this!
While I recovered popsicles and 4 bottles of Smart Water every day. Every time I woke up I had popsicle and more as the scabs began to peel off. I set my alarm to go off every two hours because of the pain. Instead of taking pain pills every four hours, I took one every two hours to keep the drugs in my systems. Also, I ate two teaspoon of yogurt every two hours, which helps prevent getting Thrust infection in the mouth. Clo-Sys mouth wash has no alcohol and pretty much tastes like water. It’s great to prevent infection and keep your mouth moist, unlike other mouth washes on the market. It was recommended by a Dentist. I lost 18 pounds in 12 days and I’m not overweight for any stretch of the imagination.
I am a 22 yr old female currently on day 8 of my recovery. Recovery is not easy, so I wanted to share some tips I learned to make it as pain-free for anyone interested. Here are some things I found helpful:
– I hate the taste of the pain medicine so I mix it with some applesauce to help it go down easier. I also found the slightly thicker consistency easier to swallow than just simply liquid.
– STAY HYDRATED and try to eat something with the pain medicine to avoid getting an upset stomach. On day four I became sick and threw up. Easily the worst 3 minutes of my life.
– make sure you stay on top of the pain meds. Sometimes I found it tempting to stay asleep in the middle of the night rather than waking up to take my pain meds. BIG MISTAKE. When I woke up for my next dose I realized the extra few hours of sleep was not worth it. So, I set alarms for every 4 hours for my meds. Now, I find myself waking up just a few minutes before my alarm goes off every time! (haha)
-ice packs seem to be very helpful, at least for a few minutes while you are trying to fall asleep or before you eat!
– try and keep your throat lubricated. It really hurts to swallow (obviously) but the longer you put off drinking the harder it gets. So whether or not you are experiencing a lot of pain at any given moment, DRINK!
– moving my tongue around too much hurts as I am sure the back of it is pretty swollen. Try and stay away from foods that however soft, may be kind of “sticky” in your mouth. My mom had a really soft brownie that I was able to swallow for the most part but it seemed the gooiest parts of it got stuck to the back of my mouth and I had to use my finger to get it out.
– Some days I was starving, other days I wasn’t hungry at all. So if you are worried about being really hungry all the time like I was you can find some relief in knowing that sometimes you have no interest in eating.
– I found Days 1-5 to be quite different than 6 – now. So I’ll break it up into 2 parts
Days 1-5: I stuck to drinking gatorade and water for hydration. I was able to eat pudding, popsicles, jello, mashed potatoes, applesauce, soup, yogurt and smoothies. I was in a lot of pain, but most of the time it was tolerable.
Days 5-8 (current): Most things burn when I drink them. I think this is because some of my scabs have started falling off and I have raw spots which are very sensitive. The right side of my throat hurts far worse than the left (the left side feels fine). So, I have found that drinking room temperature water is best. Cold water stings pretty bad, as does straight gatorade. I have found, however, that watering down the gatorade helps. Maybe consider G2 gatorade as it is a little less concentrated than regular gatorade. ROOM TEMP chicken broth seems to be a big help right now. I tried it when it was a little hot still and that was pretty painful. Overall, I can get down a lot of different soft foods, some just sting more than others.
I am grateful to all sharing. Interestingly, though, I have discovered what some say does not work, tends to work for others and vice versa. I am at Day 6 post op. I don’t like ice cream that well and the dairy did not sound good to me. However, I found ice cream shakes are about the only thing I can get down. Before surgery, I had planned to be the best prepared person for a liquid diet. If I had to be on liquids, I was going to juicer and blender delicious combinations. Surprise! Most things I had planned on burned like being set on fire. I had the brilliant idea to blend banana, blueberry, and strawberry with yogurt. Terrible decision I will never forget. Took an hour to stop crying over 3 tiny sips. Banana and milk? No. Again, bad decision. I’ll just say: no fresh fruit. None. It is a killer for pain. Tart juices and energy drinks were a waste of money too. I thought a bite of thin mashed potatoes might be difficult, but would surely go down by day 3. Then I thought I would choke. My tongue and cheek swelling only began to go down on Day 6. Another surprise: ice bag on the throat has been a godsend. So my food routine has been this: hot tea, hot bouillon, shake, and ice water. All those fancy groceries are wasting away. I have been worried about getting my voice back. It’s good to read that is normal. At this point, I can’t imagine feeling normal again but I have faith that I will.
I got sent home on the same day of my surgery 2 days ago, everything seemed okay considering the surgery I just had. I was prescribed co-codomol, very strong ibuprofen and a throat spray. The next day I threw up non stop, my throat started to swell, couldn’t eat or drink – could barely swallow my own spit. My aunt it a doctor so I asked her advice and she said the co-codomol was making me sick so she told me to get an adults version of calpol dissolvable tablets. They barely worked & today the pain just got worse and worse till I was crying non stop. I rang the hospital and they told me to go to a&e – when I got there they discovered that I had an infection in my throat, gave me liquid ibuprofen and liquid antibiotics – I am taking the ibuprofen with the calpol (paracetamol based) and I have been able to eat almost properly for the first time since the operation.
The foods I will recommend are boiled leeks, jelly etc. NO DAIRY oh my god, you might aswell dig yourself an early grave if you have ice cream, cheese, macaroni cheese, yoghurts etc. you will not get rid of the phlegm for HOURS and it causes you to cough so much. Also, anything that’s sticky you must avoid e.g. Apple sauce, porridge, bananas etc. as these will get stuck in your thoat, give you some phlegm and set up home in the wholes where your tonsils used to be – good luck getting rid of it!
Don’t drink cold water, the doctor I saw in a&e said cold water doesn’t soothe as much as warm/hot water does and it’s true – you also have more chance of getting rid of phlegm with warm water.
I was also instructed to eat toast to scrape away everything as well as the infection – I passed on that one but if you get tuc biscuits & mush them up in your mouth then add some hot water, they go down a treat. Then obviously as you feel more brave stop adding the water and take bigger bites, THEN move onto toast – don’t just go for it straight away unless you want a bleeding throat.
I hope some people find this helpful – a lot of websites I’ve looked on have said that ice lollies are good but I find that all the ones I’ve tried have given me phlegm – go for water based ones not dairy ones if you find they help. Also I almost forgot, STAY AWAY FROM SCRAMBLED EGGS – I had these on the day I came home from surgery and they completely blocked up the wholes where my tonsils were & there was no getting it out apart from drinking a butt load of water.
I hope this helps, I wish I had this to read before I went into hospital
One more thing, take your medication on time – even if your not in pain and don’t feel like it because as soon as you don’t & the pain starts creeping back, it’s bloody hard to get rid of again.
Hi all, I really appreciate having this forum which helped prepare me for surgery. I am 31 and had the tonsillectomy yesterday. My cause for surgery was not so much due to frequent bouts of tonsillitis but more so because my sinuses do not drain properly and they drop into my tonsils which then blends with residue from food, causes bacteria to grow and then leads to a buildup of sulfur causing bad breath and sore throats. I am a big water drinker but the couple of nights leading up to surgery increase your intake of clear fluids. The night before make sure the last thing you drink before midnight or your cutoff time is water. My cutoff time was midnight and I literally drank water right up until. The nurse will ask you about the last items you had and time. They recommend having water the minute before the cutoff time so that your body the next morning will better absorb the IV. The surgery itself was no more than 10 minutes. I suffer from motion sickness and nausea easily so I received a patch prior to surgery from the nurse that would help alleviate the nausea post surgery. If you suffer from an upset stomach ask for the patch (absorbs best behind the ear) and also ask for something to control the acid in your stomach. The combination will not only help calm you down before surgery but really helps to prevent nausea from the anesthesia. In the recovery room a nurse gave me ice chips, ginger ale (also to help fight against nausea) and a Popsicle. The ice is the best thing to relieve a dry and sore throat. The nurse also gave me an ice pack for my neck and a dose of the same liquid pain medication my doctor prescribed (Lortab) which help keep pain away a little longer after anesthesia wore off. Anything you drink SIP not gulp. Gulping will irritate your surgery site and cause stinging. Do not leave the hospital with pain high than a 3-4 (if that’s bareable for you). My surgery was at 8a and I was home before 11a. The anestesia wore off about 4p and so I instantly needed the ice pack and meds. I was told to take 10ccs (a little over a tsp) of liquid Lortab (aka Vicodin) every four hours but if needed can slightly increase the dose or frequency. Because I have a high tolerance for pain the average pain reliever doesn’t usually work for me and I am allergic to Roxicet. Do not wait until you feel the pain to take your dose. I counted four hours from the time the nurse gave me to meds and started the routine schedule then and for the first 3/4 of the day tried the prescribed dose to see if it would help. Later that night I increases the doseage to 15cc every three hours just until the pain is bareable. I prestocked the house with smart water (for the electrolytes), Apple juice, Popsicles, yogurt, ensure, chicken stock and pudding. Do not try to force yourself to eat solid foods. Allow your body to tell you what you can handle. Keep a glass of ice water and a tall cup of ice chips close to you at all times. I was also prescribed amoxicillin (antibiotic) since I’m allergic to clindimycin. The nurse will probably tell you to wait until later in the day or the next before taking because they will put some in your IV. For every sip you take, everything you swallow you may need to swallow twice to prevent choking since you will still be swollen from surgery. Don’t be afraid to keep ice packs in rotation and on your neck. In addition to the pain and antibiotic, I was prescribed liquid lidocaine which is a thick substance that you can swish around your mouth as a numbing agent and in some cases swallow. The pamphlets I received from the pharmacy were not clear, one side said swallow and the other said do not. So for the first day I did not swallow. (I was prescribed to take 5ccs (a little less than a tap every four hours). This means only my mouth was numb which helped but not entirely because it’s the back of your throat that needs the numbing. The next day I swallowed just to test if it would help or make me sick and swallowing did help the back of my throat making it easier to swallow my pain meds, water and Apple sauce. I also bought closys rinse to keep the mouth moist and fresh because the meds especially the lidocaine leave an odd taste in your mouth. I am still on day two and in pain but not unbearable. I was able to speak fine yesterday (day of surgery) but am having trouble today. Again do not force it. You don’t want the added strain in your throat. I started sleeping in 15-20 intervals and not can sleep for an hour or more straight. The couch will be your best friend. You will need to sit up to sleep to prevent choking from the fluids and drainage and it prevents bleeding. My couch has arm rests so I prob the back seat cushion of the couch along the arm rest and then place a regular pillow against that for a comfortable way to be propped up. If you are uncomfortable sitting or sleeping straight up, slightly move down so that you are on an angle similar to a recliner. But pay attention to your body because the lower you move down the harder it will be to prevent choking and coughing. Every hour is you can take 10 deep breaths in, hold for a few seconds and let out through your mouth. This will help reduce the amount of fluids in your lungs. Right after you take your medicine walk around for a few minutes to allow your body to stretch and this also helps pass the time until the pain meds kick in making you drowsy. The numbing med (lidocaine) may also make you sleepy or dizzy don’t worry just make your way back to the couch or chaise chair or recliner and rest. Oh I forgot to mention have a cool air humidifier. Do not wait I tol you go to bed to turn it on, have it on ally at least for the first two days to keep moisture in your body. Breathing in cool damp air also help to keep your throat from drying out when you are sleeping. If you are a female reading this, be sure to have yogurt available as it will help to prevent a yeast infection from the antibiotics. I will keep you posted on my progress. Speedy recovery to all!
I forgot to mention do not have any dairy for the first 24 hrs it increases the mucus in the back of your throat and feel free to place ice chips in your applesauce to help make it colder. This will really soothe your throat and allow it to go down easily. Also chew gum every now and then to help loosen the tension that was placed on your jaw during surgery. Before you leave the hospital ask for a cup of ice to go. It will hold you over until you get home/settled. And I can’t stress enough, keep the humidifier on at all times and drink, drink, drink.
Here are random thoughts and things I learned when while I was recovering form the surgery:
Have you real most of the past posts? Michael’s post, he is a Dentist and his daughter had her tonsils removed. He provides some excellent suggestions which help. Read it before you have your surgery. Lots of good post-op things to help the recovery. I can’t stress enough you must stay hydrated. The day of surgery, when I got home and knew I still had a lot of general anesthesia in my system, I knew it would be the least painful time to drink….I drank as much water as I could. I drank almost a gallon of Smart Water. It has electrolytes in it and helps keep the stomach from getting upset. Also, if you like yogurt, buy some and eat it. It prevents what’s called “Thrust Infection” in the mouth. I ate a couple of teaspoon every couple of hours because I bought a pill smasher and mixed the smashed pills with the yogurt and and took my pills that way. I iced down my throat with an ice collar for the first couple of days. Home made Ice tea has tannis (spelling?) in it and it restrict blood flow and will help prevent bleeding in the throat. I also ate a boatload of popsicles, the cold feels really, really good. I’d wake up a couple times a night and have several because the first week I slept with my mouth open due to the swelling. You’ll have to sleep sitting up. I used the couch and placed a pillow next to my head so when I did doze off, my head wouldn’t cock to one side; otherwise, I’d wake up with a very sore neck. It took me two nights to figure out i needed to place a pillow next to me so I could doze soundly. Ask you doctor what you must do if you start bleeding. Knowing what to do eases the anxiety. Have his number available and ready to call and know the number for your closest medical facility just in case you need to go there. There is a mouth was called CLO-SYS, it was recommended by Michael. It’s sold at Wal Mart, Walgreens. It has no alcohol in it and helps keep the mouth moist and breath fresh. It tastes pretty much just like water. I recommend it. Best of luck.
Allison, my surgeon had me on a laxative,(Dulcolax), twice a day until I had a bowl movement. Then colace(stool softer) twice a day until I was done with pain meds. It help me, hope this advice helps you. Good luck!
Thanks, things are doing good for now, I actually stopped the pain pills yesterday, only took one, but the pain is still pretty bad. I talked to a nurse because. Do not want to continue the pain meds and decided I will take Tylenol for the pain, just to take the edge off, and just took 2 extra strength today (keep in mind, not taking any more of the pain meds) and it has taken the edge off. So happy.
Wanted to say, I am sleeping in a recliner, because laying down-even on stacks of pillows-makes the pain worse. Ice packs and slightly reclined have worked well, but have never been so anxious to get back in my bed.
Also, I have to ask, how long should one wait before drinking some beer-I planned on at least 4 weeks, but someone told me 2-3, I think that’s too soon.
I had a tonsillectomy on Jan. 2, 2015, just last week. To be honest, the pain was no worse than many of the strep throat and ear infections I have experienced. I have had strep so bad that I could not drink water, and had strep and ear infection for 3 months straight and nothing seemed to help it. I have suffered with severe strep for 3 years, got guttate psoriasis from it, and this past year (2014) it started on New Year’s Day and I ended up getting it almost every month. The pain is bad though, no sugar coating it, I am still having to take some pain meds-about 2 a day, mainly for the ear pain. The worst part now is, I think I am constipated from the pain meds. If anyone can give me advice on that and what can help, please do. Also, after stopping the pain meds, will the constipation go away? This is one thing I did not expect.
I had a tonsil removed on 17 December due to it remaining enlarged following infections and also to rule out anything sinister. I have to be honest and say it was the worst pain I have ever experienced. The first 4 days following surgery were bearable but days 5 to 10 were hell, I couldn’t drink plain water without incredible searing, burning pain! Here in the UK, they make you eat your normal diet straight away (I ate half a sandwich as soon as able on return from surgery) and I tried as best I could. Now on day 20, scabs all gone and surgeon says all is good.Maybe its because I am older (40’s) that recovery was so painful just for one tonsil, I can only imagine what it would have been like to have them both removed! Hang in there everyone!
Irene, Chuck is absolutely right. I had my surgery Nov. 25 2014. My surgeon told me the same that Chuck posted. Luckily, I never did bleed. My surgeon said to immediately come to the ER and they would call him and he’d be there to stop the bleeding. Unless it’s emergency where the ER doc would have to do it of course but he was sincere about him being there no matter what. I could not image what your going through and hope your okay. As far as I know by only reading about this, it is normal to bleed a little bit,(which I did a little the first day but that’s it) but lots of bleeding can be very serious and go to the ER immediately. The doc can stop the bleeding but would also put you out again. I don’t know of any ones doctor saying that’s normal if your bleeding that heavy. Any commented support on this is appreciated. Again, I’d listen to Chucks comment and possible get another opinion if it is possible. I’m not a doctor but if I bled heavily, my surgeon would be there to stop it and fix and/or stitch it up again. Good luck to you and so sorry your going through this.
My Doctor said more than one time prior to surgery, if I start to bleed and I bleed more than 5 minutes I must immediately proceed to the closest hospital and go to the ER and have the bleeding stopped.
I’m a 35 F and had my surgery 12/29/14. On day 7. Not good. Spit up/threw up insane amounts of blood on day 4 and again on day 5. Went to ER and saw my ENT and was told it was normal when scabs break off????? WTF. The blood flows down my throat in a steady fast flow and I feel like I’m going to choke on it, it fills my toilet, and that’s normal??? And why didn’t anyone warn me about this before surgery??? I literally think I’m going to bleed out!
This post op is not good. I can handle the pain ect , but the blood pouring from the back if my throat is crazy!!!!
I’m really scared to sleep, drink, eat soft foods, everything…
Please respond if this happened to you and/or suggestions.
I had my tonsillectomy at the beginning of December 2014 and was very apprehensive having read numerous horror stories online.
It was a miserable three weeks but having spoken with my surgeon two weeks in, it would seem I didn’t experience the worst that could have happened for which I am eternally grateful !
My wife unfortunately came out with a cold on Day 2 so we had to avoid each other until it passed. I was sleeping in an armchair for the first week as found this easier – plus I was likely to be awake within an hour as the pain meds wore off and the dryness of the throat was painful. So I was in the right place to watch TV until I slept again a couple of hours later – ice lolly was useful at this time to ease the pain while waiting for the time to come to take the painkillers again.
I was told that to eat hard foods straightaway and no ice cream. Day after the op breakfast was cornflakes and lunch I had toast. It isn’t easy but worth persevering with every day . This I believe helps ensure that the back of the throat is kept clean. I also cleaned my teeth five or six times a day – oral hygiene important to keep infections at bay.
I drank insane amounts of water – probably up to 5 litres at day – this keeps the throat moist – dry throat = pain.
Yes, the pain does get worse before it gets better – probably from about Day 4 for about 3 days. I used soluble pain relief as this in cold water was soothing too – take the meds when they are due – no point trying to be a hero/heroine. Also expect some ear pain too.
A month later and I am feeling well, slightly uncomfortable in the back of my throat but nothing to worry about.Just as an aside lost some weight too which was good but not a recommended method of dieting !
Summary – unpleasant time but could have been worse. It sounds a bit brutal but as my daughter said to me “its only a few weeks of the rest of your life”. I haven’t had tonsillitis and my operation was due to a “C” scare and for me having the tonsils removed and knowing that there were no hidden “nasties” made it worthwhile.
Hi I am 23 years old and I had my tonsillectomy the same day as you! They do say that bleeding is normal but depending how much it is. So far I have been lucky that I haven’t bled. I have been in severe pain though and the ear pain started yesterday and is slowly dragging out to today I had to force down pancakes for dinner tonight, it felt like knives in my throat but I chose that pain over nausea. If I don’t eat real food before my pain meds I get really sick. So far I have been able to tolerate oatmeal, soup, mashed up crab cakes, soft flounder, rice, soft cut up pancakes, soft pumpkin bread and icepops. I find that I need to eat food with carbs before I take my meds. The first few days I tried doing protein shakes and taking my meds but it wasn’t enough to coat my stomach. I lost 9lbs but gained back 2 because of the amount of carbs i’m eating. Not gonna lie but I was pretty happy that I lost so much weight that I actually didn’t really want to eat but realized that’s not why I got this surgery so I had to do a little reality check lol. I am just counting down the days for this pain to go away, it is truly unbearable at times. But do not be afraid to drink or eat your body needs the nutrients even though it hurts like hell. The key is to stay hydrated or else there will be more pain and more bleeding unfortunately. Try some lukewarm tea or if there is swelling in your throat try some ice pops. The ice pops have really been helping me. good luck!
Thanks for all the great information that you have posted to help me get through my recovery after my tonsillectomy. I am a 50 year old female 13 days Post Op. and feeling much better. The things I would highly recommend are : Cool Mist Humidifier, Multiple Ice Packs, a snow cone maker (for shaved ice) and a caregiver(if possible). I had a tough recovery but am looking forward to feeling better with those nasty tonsils gone. Good luck to everyone out there having a tonsillectomy and those going through the recovery process. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Thanks Greg for this forum, it is a huge help…I am going in for my tonsillectomy tomorrow morning.
I am and am not looking forward to it!
I am 64 yrs old and female, have 3 adult children. They say on here, that having a c-section is a piece of cake, compared to this. Well, I had 2 of our children naturally & 1 c-section. So, I know both kinds of birth pain. I will compare them to my tonsillectomy and let you know!!!
Hopefully, this will take care of the nasty tonsil stones, as well…if, not…someone will have to just shoot me!!
Will post again soon.
God bless us all, before and after surgery.
Hope ur op goes well! Keep us informed how ur doing x x I had my op 21st Nov…. But bled a week later and had to go back to theatre for stitches! To be fair the pain throughout was not that bad at all!!! Iv still got one stitch in there now though which won’t dissolve which is a pain in the ass!! Good luck x
Good luck Eva! I had my tonsillectomy 4 months ago, age 47. The recovery was extremely painful for the first two weeks and pretty ghastly BUT my tonsil stones are gone and I am back to normal now. Just remember that every day post-op is progress, take lots of drugs, suck crushed ice and focus on a future without tonsil stones !
I had mine removed the 21st of November 2014 and I’m 59 yrs old. My suggestions: drink as much water as you can. I drank SMART WATER because the electrolytes kept my stomach from getting upset. The day of the surgery when I had all the general anesthesia in my system I drank a gallon of water as soon as I got home. IMHO, I thought the pain would be at its lowest point because I was still drugged up from the surgery. Another thing I did, I didn’t wait four hours to take my med’s. I started as soon as got home and had a pain pill every two hours instead of two pills every four hours. Water, ice chips, healthy popsicles, and an ice collar are your friends. Recommend using the ice collar as much as you can tolerate the first week…it helps with the swelling.
In case you haven’t read Michaels post here’s a copy of it. He a Dentist and has some great suggestions….
MICHAEL says:
December 4, 2014 at 3:21 am
MY Daughter ( 18 years old ) is on day 7 of recovery post her tonsillectomy. She has lost some of her scabs yesterday and is still having considerable discomfort. I had my Tonsils removed at 40 years old so I could help her through her recovery but I wanted to THANK YOU for having this forum!! It has helped her for sure!! Im a Dentist and I feel there is a sincere need for more education on the recovery from this surgery. Here are a few things that I’ve done to help my daughter through her recovery. I had a topical anti-inflammatory made up at a compounding pharmacy. It contained ibuprofen as the anti-inflammatory ( diclofenac is a good choice as well ) lidocaine for a numbing effect, cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer, chitosan and DMSO to help the meds penetrate the tissues to provide the relief. The topical really helped!! She asked for me to apply the compounded med ( apply directly under the chin where the neck is swollen and sore after the surgery ) each time she woke from her pain meds and gave a big thumbs up and was even able to muster a smile! I have also had her rinse with Chlorhexidine which is a mint flavored oral antibiotic rinse. That helped her breath odor a bit as well as helps to prevent a post op infection. The Chlorhexidine lasts for 3 days so it isn’t imperative to rinse with it daily. Closys is an antiseptic mouth rinse you can buy over the counter at Walgreens that is a terrific antiseptic as well as an odor oxidizer which will help keep your mouth moist. It contains no alcohol and has no real taste so its like rinsing with water. There is a small container or peppermint oil to flavor the rinse but do that in a separate container in the case you don’t like the taste. To help control the bleeding when the scabs start to fall off make a strong tea using a tea bag and chill it. The tea has tannic’s in it that will cause the small vessels to constrict to slow the bleeding and the cold will sooth the lesions. Slowing the bleeding limits the amount of blood you may swallow and that will keep you from getting nauseated as well. Biotene is a brand of oral moisturizers that may help and you can get it at the local drug store.
The only other recommendation I can recommendation I can make is to give your loved one a lot of TLC and encouragement!! Empathy is good in large doses as well. If you have not had your tonsils out please don’t give your patient a hard time after you think they should be better. The Tonsillectomy is a MAJOR surgery to endure. Be patient and it will pay off in dividends!!
If you have any questions post them here and I will do my best to help. God Bless you all!! Prayer works wonders as well!!
After multiple cases of severe strep throat, I finally got a tonsillectomy monday morning 12/29. It is now Saturday 1/3, 5th day post-op, 6th day including the surgery. I am a 21 yr old female. I have read multiple cases online and wanted to share mine, for anyone who is looking to go through with the surgery. Unlike a lot of the pretty terrifying stories online, mine thus far definitely seems pretty positive overall.The first three days (two days post-op) for me were the worst, but they weren’t unbearable. I slept an hour at a time the first night, but I found sleeping sitting up was important so that I didn’t choke on my extremely swollen uvula. I wasn’t able to eat substantial food until early the third day. Sure, the pain was pretty bad, but I think the fact I did not stop drinking water helped me the most. And not to mention I was visiting home for the holidays and so I had my mother’s help when I needed it. I didn’t leave the house until the 4th day post-op, and only left for about 20 minutes. On the 4th day post-op, the worst pain was my ears and jaw. I found that chewing gum hurt at first, but has helped in the long run. Also, I had been putting ice packs on my throat, but heat on my ears and upper jaw. It helped a lot. By today, the 5th day, the pain is super manageable. It’s definitely worse in the mornings and at night, but today is nothing compared to how I felt earlier on in the recovery process. I had read everywhere that the pain only gets worse at this point, but I’m relieved it’s been the opposite for me!I think when it comes down to it, my recovery has been pretty easy. And here’s what I’ve done:
-Drink water. Even when it hurts. Drink ice water to take down the swelling. But don’t stop drinking water. Don’t be afraid that there’s pain. Just keep drinking.
-Eat as soon as you’re able to. I was put on Percocets and antibiotics. Food helped to calm my stomach after taking the meds and it strengthens your immune system. I ate apple sauce, chicken broth, oatmeal, potatoes, etc.
-Have someone around to help.. because it helps! I didn’t have to leave my house and I got plenty of rest.
-Rest. Sleep whenever possible, and set alarms to take your meds throughout the night. You don’t want to start the day in pain.
-Take your meds. After the 3rd day post-op, I weaned myself off of the Percocets (by only taking them at night) and started taking Tylenol 3 with codeine. It was easier on my stomach. Ask your doctor about it! It’s a prescription and it still pretty strong.
-If you’re on antibiotics like I am, eat yogurt or take a probiotic. It’ll help you feel better and help your digestion.
-Oh and did I say DRINK WATER. Because that’s very important. Sucking on ice is great like everyone says, but I’m talking drinking a lot of water.
My recovery hasn’t been a nightmare and hopefully yours won’t be either! (although, for me, expecting the worst made the outcome a lot more surprising and positive).
My Doctor didn’t prescribe steroids….sounds like they work great for you. I hope your recovery is quick and have a nice meal with your family on New Year’s day.
I had pain pill and used them up to the morning of day 8 and after that I stopped using them I’m now 5 weeks post-op, still swollen, not sore and can eat anything I want. I had my surgery on 21 Nov and the Doc said all the swelling will be gone by early Feb. Happy New Year to ALLLLLLLLLLL
I want to thank everyone for sharing their experiences. I am 29 and had my tonsils removed on the 23rd. Initially, I thought I had gotten really lucky because my pain was no worse than strep throat. I was prescribed liquid lortab 7.5/325, prednisone x 4 days, OTC Ibuprofen 600 every 8 hours. When the pain increased on day 5, I was so miserable! My husband and the doctor encouraged me to come by yesterday. It took all I had in me to pull my dizzy, nauseous, hungry, buring, stinging, stabbing throat self off the couch. It hurt to even try to sit up straight. All I wanted to do was lay in an un-right fetal position on my couch. My doctor told me that everything looked great (HAH) and I was going to turn the corner. And he was right but The best thing he did for me was NOT refilling my narcotics yesterday but putting me back on steriods. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, I went home yesterday, took the prednisone and within 1 hour.. I went from knocking on deaths door to being able to swallow with a reasonable amount of pain. This afternoon (day 8 ) I took another dose of prednisone and I felt great! I went to the grocery store, I am drinking and I ate ramen noodles tonight with NO PAIN. I am wondering if anyone else experiences this with the steroid? Is it just a coincidence? I am going to take it easy the rest of the night and keep my drinking up. I really can’t handle anymore day 5-7 pain!
Well guys just doing a follow up. 5 weeks since surgery and today I went to the hospital. The last 4 days I’ve had increasing pain, as I didn’t have much at all. I ended up looking at the back of my throat and saw more white stuff forming and weird spots. As my family doctor is out till Monday, same with my ENT, I came to emergency room and I have an infection. Geeze, this was the whole point of getting my tonsils out. I’m disappointed but I will say, I’m not running a fever and not miserable like when I had them in. I hope this will get better and can’t wait till I’m over this. Thought I was doing well until this. For those reading this, an infection can happen as I am here with it. Good luck to you all and happy new year!!!
Since childhood, I was suffering from tonsillitis, 3-4 times a year my tonsil got inflamed. Most of my attending physician advised us to remove the tonsil to avoid the complications. Until now, I’m 35 and still suffering from tonsillitis. And finally I had my tonsillectomy last 24th of December this year. So, it’s been 6 days ago and suffering the worst and unbearable pain. I wake up my mouth is dry and my throat is firing and felt something bulge inside my throat. I’m working in other country and living alone , I feel so miserable and alone, I asked one of my friend to stay with me just for emergency. Today I tried to eat pizza and I guess I don’t feel much pain why swallowing or maybe because I took pain reliever. I hope my life would be more better and sick free. Thanks guys and god bless!
There are 2 different methods for a tonsillectomy and I feel that how much pain, whether you bleed much and how long it takes to recover depends on what method is used.
Surgery is quickly done using method 1 – a small instrument called a tonsillar snare is used. It has a fine wire loop (snare) at one end of a tube and when the plunger at the other end is depressed, the wire loop retracts (closes) both crushing and cutting the tonsil off at the base of the stem (the connection) attached to the sides. While there’s more to a tonsillectomy, basically this is what most surgeons use.
Method 2 takes longer to do and is more finicky so few surgeons do it this way. Rather than cutting the tonsils off at the base, the surgeon basically peels the tonsils off. There’s a thin membrane between tonsils and the sides of the throat. By slowly and carefully peeling them off, there’s a VERY low risk of bleeding. Recovery is quicker and pain is less.
If I had to have a tonsillectomy, I’d make sure I found a surgeon willing to use the second method.
I’m 18 and had my tonsils removed the 22nd so today is day 8 for me. From day 3 on I’ve expireinced the most excruciating and unbearable pain, I was miserable and saw no end in sight. Today, For the first time since surgery, I ifelt a glimmer of hope as my pain seemed to reduced drastically and I’ve regained so much energy. I was able to eat toast and avocado and eggs for breakfast…my first food besides soup and ice chips since surgery!! I thought the worst was over but my scabs have begun falling off and even the slightest sip of water sends my mouth into this searing, burning and stinging pain..is this normal? If so, how long does it last? I’m so OVER this recovery and just want to eat real food again and leave my couch. I was banking on being better for New Years Eve but from the looks of things I’ll be staying in. sos
I’m 19 and on my 10th day of recovery. I almost feel back to normal but my throat is still sore. What I found help when my scabs fell off was warm tea instead of cold liquids. I did this until about day 9 when I could drink Gatorade and cold water again without being in pain. This was the longest recovery I felt like and the pain was unreal. But on day 8 for me everything just seemed to change and from then on I have been better and been able to eat. So just know that you will have a day when all of a sudden the pain is bearable and you feel human again!!
I found this after my op on 8th December this year….. I can empathise with the night wakings feeling like my throat was on fire. I had to move to the spare room as I would literally count the hours until I could take my next codeine. It was hell and took an hour to eat my dinner! On Tuesday 16th December I became one of the small, yet devastating statistics of the bleed…. I had a spontaneous arterial bleed and lost over a litre in my kitchen sink in the 13mins it took the ambulance to arrive. I was blue lighted to hospital and needed resuscitation as I was haemodynamically unstable. It was the most terrifying experience of my life! Turns out I had a bad infection. So guys – keep on top of your pain. Mine was bad. And quickly recovered when I was on iv antibiotics. If you are unsure see your doc!
Rebecca I too was a bleeder! I had my op on 21st nov and a week later I had big bleed had to go back to theatre to be re cauterised and stitched! How are you now? Did u have stitches? How did they stop the bleeding? My stitches are still there and don’t seem to be going away 4 weeks later
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who has been conducting
a little research on this. And he in fact bought me dinner because
I discovered it for him… lol. So let me reword this….
Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to discuss this matter here on your site.
I’m getting ready for this surgery and I’ve heard different things on the amount of weight you’ll lose from the surgery. I’m already under weight so I’m just curious add to others results.
Hang in there it will get better. I’ve already seen my Doc for the post-op office visit. We discussed keeping hydrated and my intake of Smart Water was over a 1/2 gallon a day. I’d take my pain meds, wait about 20 minutes and eat two popsicles and then down the water. My Doc acknowledged the hydration is very painful but it is the best thing I could have done. Your body needs it to heal. I missed my Thanksgiving dinner because it was four days after I had the surgery, so I kinda have an idea how you feel. Use an ice collar to keep the swelling down, popsicles to keep the swelling down and do eat yogurt so you don’t get a Thrust infection in you mouth. Go back in this forum and look for a threat written by Michael, he’s helping his daughter who had her tonsils removed. He’s a DENTIST and provides excellent recommendations to help reduce the pain and good oral hygiene. Best of luck.
Tateh, hang in there, it does get better. I know first hand what it is like just wanting to eat something normal again. I’m at the ending of week four for me, and doing well. Your mom and doc may be right about day ten, you still may not eat but small foods. Try not to over due the food to fast and break off your scabs. Hang in there though, and trust me, we are here for you. Day 6-12 was rough for me but everyone is different. Hope you had a great Christmas the best you could of!! If you need anything just ask. Good luck and stay extra hydrated!!
I’m 19, home from college for winter break, and I just finished day 7 and I’ve got to say I am exhausted. The pain is still so excruciating that I’m having trouble even swallowing my own saliva. Drinking water or diluted Gatorade stings. It feels like I keep swallowing something but it just stays in my throat. The pain is more direct and my ears, my god. It was Christmas so I didn’t get to eat with my family, at around 9pm I went to the kitchen cause I just couldn’t take the hunger any longer and try to take a few bites of my moms perfectly made chicken and steak enchiladas. It felt so nice to have real food in my mouth but after two bites, it hurt so bad I felt sick. This was the first time I really broke down and cried, cried because I didn’t realize this surgery had a recovery so painful and what seems to be lasting forever. I cried because I haven’t eaten more that a yogurt or some mash potatoes a day, I’ve lost 10 pounds…I am so hungry. And for some reason I’m having horrible chest pains.
My mom keeps telling me to wait till day 10, that the doc said it will all get better on that day. I just need that day to come. This is a hard process.
It’s been a month since the surgery. I didn’t have stitches and I’m back to normal…..well I’m not normal but I’m back to my usual self. Doing my yoga, martial arts and strength training……it’s good to be back in the groove. I saw my Doc a week ago and I still have swelling and will have it until late Jan or early Feb. If the food isn’t nailed down I’m eating it and it tastes good. I can’t wait for Christmas dinner because I missed Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone Merry Christmas and be safe for the New Year
Hiya…. How is everyone who had their tonsillectomy around the 20th Nov? I had nick of a back step after week 1 as you know, with bleeding and had to go to theatre for re cauterisation and stitches in the left side. Iv still got bit of pain on the left and few stitches still there…. I’m hoping they come out soon it’s been nearly 4 weeks!!!! Is anyone atill a bit delicate nearing the 4 week mark? Although I am eating and drinking quite normally apart from really sharp foods. Does anyone also feel a bit strange back there? Nasal drip…. Feel likes loads of air when breathe through nose? Strange feeling all round? Thanks guys x
I’m just finishing day 6…which I think has been the worst day recovery wise. The day of surgery I was able to drink 100 ounces of fluid (water and some powerade) and even ate a few pieces of toast. I never went 30 minutes without taking a sip and the pain really wasn’t bad. I was taking my OxyCodone every 5 hours. Day 2 was a little more painful, my fluid intake was half of what it was on day 1 but I was still able to eat some toast, scrambled eggs and stew. Each day has been increasingly more painful, though still tolerable. I am now taking OxyContin every 12 hours and keeping up on my OxyCodone every 2. The ear pain is worse than the throat pain. My tongue is very sore and I can still feel where my breathing tube was…which I don’t understand seeing as how my surgery lasted all of 13 minutes! At any rate, I’m really hoping tomorrow is the beginning of an upswing in my recovery. I’m hoping to feel better by Christmas! The method my surgeon used was cold knife dissection. He said that he did a big study on his patients using several different methods over a year and that this method had the least pain, postop bleeding and shortest recovery time. I will say, I do not have a scabbing problem. He said the method and the fact that I’ve really pushed the fluids has helped with that.
Not sure if anyone on here can help me with this one…
What does a doctor do when they DIDNT GET ALL THE TONSIL TISSUE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!
I had my tonsils removed on October 8. This forum helped get me through the worst pain of my life!
Before I was fully recovered, I ended up with bronchitis. As I have finally gotten through the last of that, something keeps tickling my throat and causing me to cough. I knew there was a residual “flap” on the right side where my worst swollen, tonsil stone filled tonsil had been. I even went back to the doc with this when I got diagnosed with bronchitis. She said she had to cut the tissue off somewhere and that’s the result. I thought it was just inflamed from all my hacking.
Fast forward to tonight. I feel something back there. I’m coughing and have some sinus goo going on. I’m used to that part. I finally look back there with a flash light (something I thought I wouldn’t ever have to do again) and if I flatten my tongue, I can see it- A TONSIL STONE PEEKING OUT OF A LITTLE TINY POCKET! That nub, as I call it, sticks out and annoys me worse than my tonsil did! If she could get the left side clear and smooth, why not the right side?! I have such a bad gag reflex and I have literally been coughing since October 27. SO UPSET RIGHT NOW!!!!
Has anyone ever heard of a doc that didn’t get all the tissue in the first place and admitting it so I don’t gave to foot the bill again?! I’m a teacher and I’ve already missed almost a month of work this year for this once. But I can’t stand this feeling and I can’t keep coughing and clearing my throat!
I’ve heard of tissue growing back and having it done again, but never this!
Kristen is providing sound advice. Drink ice water and I mean as cold as it gets before it become solid. As for pill, I used a pill grinder and mixed the ground pills in with two teaspoons of yogurt because that is all the food my throat could handle. Yogurt will prevent a Thrust infection so it is good to eat some. Other foods I had were applesauce, eggs mashed up and…..basically anything soft. I didn’t attempt to eat in any whole grains until my scabs fell off and that started around day 8 till day 12. You have to be careful because if too much of the scab comes off too soon you’ll end up back in there Emergency Room to have the Doc’s stop the bleeding and be start like day one again. IMHO, it’s much better eat soft foods, and hydrate as much as you can tolerate, that will help. After seeing my Doc on a follow up appointment he said he knew how hard it is to swallow; however, because I was drinking a gallon of ice water a day it helped the healing process. Popsicle are fantastic and will help your throat feel better especially during days 5 to 10. Keep an ice collar on when every you can.
Well first things first. Eating solid foods like a sandwhich post op and your early in your recovery your causing yourself problems.
You should be on a liquid diet or at the very most soft foods like pudding pablum meal replacments or other things like that. You need to be nice to your throat not punish it. Pick up popsicles that you can fit in your mouth and keep topped up on your pain. Place an ice pack on the outside of your neck as well to help reduce any swelling.
Hi all, I am John from Scotland I am on day 6 of my recovery and things just seem to be getting worse. I got my tonsils out because they were causing me to have sleep apnea and having to use a CPAP machine. On the day of the operation in woke up fine but because I had sleep apnea I was placed in the ICU for 24 hours but was fine the pain meds worked a treat i was able to eat a sandwich and couple of hours after my op and dinner that night. For the next 4 days this was the same, however the pain was getting increasingly worse. Day 5 was the sorest but I still have today which I feel will beat it. I have struggled to eat anything for the last twould days. The worst pain for me Is whenever I wake up my mouth is so dry that even drinking water hurts alot and trying to drink my solibul meds is close to impossible. I have been drinking alot of tea which has seemed to help but have not coughed up any scabs so feel I have a long couple of days ahead of me. I am taking tramadol, paracetamol and diclophenac to ease the pain. Has anyone got any suggestions as how to ether stop my mouth getting dry or ease the pain in the morning?
John, just hang in there! Days 8-12 were my peak pain days. Yes, waking up is the WORST! It will be for a while. I set an alarm for my meds and tried to make sure to be awake and drinking water 15 minutes or so before my next scheduled dose. But I’m not going to sugar coat it- the first 30 minutes after waking up was always bad. I would suggest eating something frozen in tiny bites to numb your throat. My doctor also prescribed tetracaine lollipops-they numb the area. Didn’t help much, but glad I had them.
Just to prepare you- I ate well the first 5-7 days post-op, then when I hit the brick wall of pain on day 8, I literally drank water, ate Popsicles, Italian ice, and ice pellets (sonic will sell you a bag), and chicken broth (Lipton noodle soup without noodles) for the next 5-7 days. It was all I could take. Plus, there was a point when the scabs came off that frozen was too cold and hurt! Then it was Luke warm everything. Even applesauce was scratchy! That fresh skin sans scabs is very sensitive!
Are you using a cool mist humidifier?! That was one thing I think helped a lot!
Good luck! This forum damn near saved my sanity during my recovery! Feel free to read my rants! Surgery date: October 8, 2014.
This was posted my Michael who is a dentist and it has lots of good information for those of recovering:
MICHAEL says:
December 4, 2014 at 3:21 am
MY Daughter ( 18 years old ) is on day 7 of recovery post her tonsillectomy. She has lost some of her scabs yesterday and is still having considerable discomfort. I had my Tonsils removed at 40 years old so I could help her through her recovery but I wanted to THANK YOU for having this forum!! It has helped her for sure!! Im a Dentist and I feel there is a sincere need for more education on the recovery from this surgery. Here are a few things that I’ve done to help my daughter through her recovery. I had a topical anti-inflammatory made up at a compounding pharmacy. It contained ibuprofen as the anti-inflammatory ( diclofenac is a good choice as well ) lidocaine for a numbing effect, cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer, chitosan and DMSO to help the meds penetrate the tissues to provide the relief. The topical really helped!! She asked for me to apply the compounded med ( apply directly under the chin where the neck is swollen and sore after the surgery ) each time she woke from her pain meds and gave a big thumbs up and was even able to muster a smile! I have also had her rinse with Chlorhexidine which is a mint flavored oral antibiotic rinse. That helped her breath odor a bit as well as helps to prevent a post op infection. The Chlorhexidine lasts for 3 days so it isn’t imperative to rinse with it daily. Closys is an antiseptic mouth rinse you can buy over the counter at Walgreens that is a terrific antiseptic as well as an odor oxidizer which will help keep your mouth moist. It contains no alcohol and has no real taste so its like rinsing with water. There is a small container or peppermint oil to flavor the rinse but do that in a separate container in the case you don’t like the taste. To help control the bleeding when the scabs start to fall off make a strong tea using a tea bag and chill it. The tea has tannic’s in it that will cause the small vessels to constrict to slow the bleeding and the cold will sooth the lesions. Slowing the bleeding limits the amount of blood you may swallow and that will keep you from getting nauseated as well. Biotene is a brand of oral moisturizers that may help and you can get it at the local drug store.
The only other recommendation I can recommendation I can make is to give your loved one a lot of TLC and encouragement!! Empathy is good in large doses as well. If you have not had your tonsils out please don’t give your patient a hard time after you think they should be better. The Tonsillectomy is a MAJOR surgery to endure. Be patient and it will pay off in dividends!!
If you have any questions post them here and I will do my best to help. God Bless you all!! Prayer works wonders as well!!
I am on day 5 of recovery. Mornings are the worst! My dr gave me liquid Tylenol with Codeine for pain every 3 hrs. Takes the edge off but doesn’t get rid of the pain. Wish I got something longer acting b/c I literally have to take it every 3 hrs esp if I need to sleep/eat. I have the worst taste in my mouth always!! I gently gargle with salt water or non-alcohol mouthwash, but doesn’t help much. I’m eating soft foods…very slowly. I feel like food gets stuck and I have to sip water between bites. I miss real food! Hoping to be able to eat somewhat normal by xmas!!! Thank you for this forum!!
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Yesterday, I saw my ENT for a follow up. Everything is healing well. The only issue I have is everything is still swollen but I can deal with that. My diet is back to normal and the Doc gave me the go ahead to start training. He did mention the swelling will be with me until the end of January and asked that I set an appointment to see him then. The pain is gone but I’d say it’s a little tender and that’s a heck of a lot better than pain. Michelle, I wish you the very best while you recover and I wish you and all a Merry Christmas. Everyone, thank you for the support while going through this recovery process. At this point in my life it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with and I’m glad it is getting behind all of us and we can say we’re done with it. God Bless.
Hi, I’m am doing good. My stitches have pretty much dissolved and just got a couple on my left side. I can say I’m pretty well done but of courser I’m still healing. My follow up was 2 days ago and surgeon said everything looks good. Still a little weird to yawn and spicy foods are tough to eat yet. But good news is I haven’t snored that I know of since I got them out!! lol. Overall I’m just still healing but all in all doing great!!! Thanks for asking Michelle. Hope you recover well!!
Hi Gary, how are your stitches doing now? I’m coming up to 3 weeks and they are still hanging on in there annoying me! Also how is everyone doing with pain? I still have slight pain on swallowing and pain in the ear and jaw and I’m still so scared of bleeding again!!
hi and thanks for sharing this … im on day 7 right now … monday i had my tonsils out and i felt fine … by 9pm that night i was sent home with pain meds and a goodbye … my travel home was 40 mins but was made longer due to stopping as i felt sick … the last time we stopped was half a mile away from home and i was violently sick, blood too … i went home and for the next hour or more till 11.30pm i writhed in agony and was sick again … i went to bed (with help from my mum who i live with – im disabled) with bucket in tow and some tissues … i was sick about 8 times during the next 12 hours … this meant i was way too sore to do anything or eat or drink, let alone take medication to stop the pain … my mum had to practically force me to drink some water that day … the wednesday came and i felt a little better tho i still cudnt take my meds … i did however have some soup and tried some egg … the egg didnt work … thursday i felt a bit better and had some super cooked super soft vegetables some soup and water … still not any meds in sight … friday i thought was a good day as i tried lots of soft foods some i managed small amounts of some i cudnt … saturday was the best day for me without pain meds as i was able to have as much soup water and jelly as i cud get altho swallowing was still hard work and my soup was cold before i finished … sunday i felt sore again so i started trying my diclofenac medication (only) … i dissolved my first tablet in some water and drank it … it worked well … so well that i only had pain when i tried to eat solid food that was hard like toast or the crust of pie … i had a second dissolved tabled later in the day but by the time it was 9pm i felt brave enough to swallow a whole tablet … bad mistake … it didnt work … i swallowed it fine but the meds went to my stomach not my throat … it didnt do a thing … i had pain all night last night because of this … so what i did was dissolve again this morning and instead of wsting whqt i cudnt drink of my single tablet i kept it in the wqter and topped myself up every 4 hours or so … i have finished one tablet today during the course of one day (meant to have 3 in one day) and i feel fantastic … i have taken another tablet out of the pack and had it dissolving for overnight … in case i wake up in the night a bit sore … then i can keep myself topped up thanks for this and i hope i help someone … oh and before i forget i cant do more than one swallow at a time till i learn to swallow again … i forgot earlier today about it and went to drink normally … whoops … i got to my third swallow in one breath before it happened … i started getting a build up of water at the back of my throat but i cudnt stop drinking … i needed it … by swallow 8 i was forced to stop as it was coming down my nose … and i cudnt breath when i needed to … it make me choke and i had to blow my nose several times to get all the excess water out so for those of u who have my problem be careful
Kirsten, congratulations to you!! I am also on day 18 and I too am doing very well. I can eat normal foods now and am enjoying the taste. I quit drinking soda since the surgery and hope to keep it up. I have lost about 14 pounds and still slowly losing from the surgery. I’m staying away from the soda. I haven’t tried to eat chips yet. I’m not in pain anymore but when I swallow it still feels a little weird. Can’t wait till that goes away. My follow up is Monday and I am excited to see what the ENT has to say. Good luck to everyone and thank you all for the help and feedback you have provided!!!!
I can officially consider myself recovered from surgery!!:) im talking 90% clear, sleeping in my own bed and able to eat regular food again and my scabs are all gone with only minor bleeding for 1 day ?
good luck to everyone else!!
I hate to day this but, you’re going to start to feel worse before you feel better. Days 6 to 11 are the worst. After that, you begin to feel better. So given the worse can scenario you have until the 15th before things begin to get better. I would say stay hydrated as much as possible, eat yogurt, it prevents Thrust infection in the mouth. If you can eat solids do so and let your body tell you what it can ingest. The days that you feel good and want to move around just rest and relax. If you haven’t read all the threads go back and read the one written by the Dentist who is helping his 18 year old daughter recover, he gave great advise to reduce pain and get rid of the bad breath. Best of luck with the recovery.
I hate to day this but, you’re going to start to feel worse before you feel better. Days 6 to 11 are the worst. After that, you begin to feel better. So given the worse can scenario you have until the 15th before things begin to get better. I would say stay hydrated as much as possible, eat yogurt, it prevents Thrust infection in the mouth. If you can eat solids do so and let your body tell you what it can ingest. The days that you feel good and want to move around just rest and relax. If you haven’t read all the threads go back and read the one written by the Dentist who is helping his 18 year old daughter recover, he gave great advise to reduce pain and get rid of the bad breath. Best of luck with the recovery.
Hey, I’ve had a lot of the same problems with my tonsils, frequent visits to the doctor for tonsillitis or sore throat. I’m 19 and I got a tonsilectomy done 5 days ago (including surgery day) and I haven’t gotten any better. I feel like no progress is being made and I absolutely have to be better by Boxing Day for my sister’s 19th birthday, I haven’t been to her birthday in 12 years. Any tips and tricks will help. Please help me.
Keep a timer for your pain meds. They’re your only hope to make it out alive! Day 7 and I’m screaming….good luck. I’m reading to get as many tips as I can!
I should be thanking everyone on here. There has been lots of knowledge and helpful tips. i startcback at a new job and my voice is going to be a big part of my job so im looking forward to it ?
Kirsten, I think your right now that you said that. I understand now. Thank you. I’m not much of a drinker at all, just on occasions, however a DP or Pepsi would be nice!!!
Adenoidectomy is more for snoring. Which i had done at a really young age, tonsils were removed for chronic infections.
Im snoring because my sinuses and tonsils are angry and something is mildly blocked. I tend to snore when im sick :S
and in tems to drinking alcohol etc it takes 3-6 months to fully heal from a tonsilectomy and i think i read somewhere to avoid alcohol for at least a month. Depending on your recovery id ask your doctor or the surgeon upon a follow up examination.
Oh man I wish I could eat proper food I am sooo hungry! My throat isn’t particularly sore but I can feel a certain point where it has been stitched after the bleed pulling, I am scared of eating anything substantial incase I tear one of the stitches and bleed again when do you think the stitches will be healed enoughed to relax? How long do tonsils normally take to fully heal before there is no risk of bleeding? I’m sick of this now ….. Iv lost 9lb so far and look ill! Also when are you allowed to have alcohol again? I really need a beer! x
Day-13. Well everything is going okay so far. Been eating pretty normal foods. Went out to a Mexican restaurant and had cheese enchaladas. Really good!! So badly wanted a top shelf margarita!! Anyway, food went down pretty good, still hurts a little to swallow but not bad enough to take pain meds. Still feel several stitched in my throat, hopefully they will be gone soon. Lost 2 already that I know of. Kirsten, I’m def not a pro of this tonsillectomy stuff, but don’t some people get them removed because of snoring? Just thought I read that several times. But yea, I can imaging the dryness of your throat. Good luck!!!!
Hopefully everyone is recovering well today. I discovered last night that ive been snoring. Mom woke me up and handed me water cause id been out cold mouth open snoring away. Suffice to say my throat hurt. Thanks to being woken up though i got to figure out why its been sore. Damn snoring.
Just a question hope to be answered, but when would it be okay to drink a carbonated drink again? Should I just try it or wait till I pretty much healed? I have been craving a Pepsi!!! Lol.
You described exactly what happened while I was recovering. Same thing, I had blood in the phlegm. It started very early on and didn’t have any adverse affect during the recovery and I always felt better after i coughed it up.
Michelle:
I had phlegm but thebstuff in thebback of my throat was yellow. It could be the stuff they put on your tonsils.
Also in terms of bleeding if it isnt a lot i wouldnt worry too much justbstick with fluids. I stayed on a fluid diet longer then necessary and it really helped my sotuation.
Try an ice pack around/on your neck and popsicles and liquids. If youbarent bleeding a lot id guess it could be normal. Stitches do bleed after all. If it persists orbgets worse after a day or two then go back. I was told minor bleeding is fine and to be expected.
Michelle- I know that my surgeon told me that some people try to eat what they can. But he did not want me to eat anything acidic, like tomato soup, toast, peanut butter, or any solid food for several days until I start healing well. I couldn’t eat nothing anyways and sipping water hurt like heck. But anyways, he said he want me to cause any irritation to make me bleed. Haven’t bled since day after surgery. And I have made sure and followed his instructions and lived off of pretty much yogurt, broth, Popsicles, water, and jello. Had mashed potatoes after several days. I just did and tried my best not to rub solid foods against those stitches. I was scared enough.
No I had the bleed on day 7 and had to go back to theatre for stitches…. I am now on day 7 after the stitching but day 15 from the original surgery. I ate normal soft foods inc toast from day 1 until the bleed like they tell us to here in the UK ….. But since the bleed and stitching I have been living off soup
I have had phlegm but not much. I have not bleed since the day after surgery, that I have noticed anyways. Did you start out with stitches at all? I did and have been very careful what I eat to not irritate them. Are you still eating soft soft foods?
Hi me again! Does anyone get loads of phlegm? And sometimes streaks of blood init? I am very scared and paranoid now after my bleed and re cauterisation/stitching
Thanks guys! I don’t think that it is thrush. I will keep an eye on it though and yes I have been brushing it. Thanks for the help, will see if it changes tomorrow or not.
Have you be able to brush your tongue? I know my tongue had like 5 layers of plaque on it.
If nit gargle and rinse with tea tree oil. Its not an antibiotic but is antifungal and antibacterial. If it is thrush it will get rid of it fairly quick.
Hi Gary, glad to know I am not alone as for the White tongue…. It may just be normal from the not eating properly etc, but I have heard of people getting thrush? Is it sore at all?
I wonder when the White scabs will actually go away altogether and our throats be actually fully healed?!
I am on day 11. And yes, I could feel my stitches too. Especially when swallowing. The ENT said they would dissolve on their own, just said when I’m healing they’d dissolve on their own. No specific day. And yes, I still have the white junk in back of my throat but it is slowly but surely going away. The pain has deminished pretty well, if I take anything for pain it’s after eating a meal because it’s throbing. All in all doing much better. I noticed today though my tongue is white. Is this normal or should I call the Dr?
I don’t really know why I got stitches to be sure. I do the the ENT said I bleed much more than others. This might of been the cause. He told me he put dissolvable stitches in, but where he tied them is what is coming out. Don’t know how many I got honestly. Thank you guys for your responses and hope it’ll be over soon!!
So what day are you on again Gary? My stitches are making me gag, I can feel them at the back of my throat now are your tonsils still white? How long did the ENT say it would take for the stitches to come out? I wish this was over! Argh!!!! X
Haha i was forced to sleep in my bed. Had a hell of a txt conversation with my mom over it. I am couch bound again which makes me quite happy. Means i can sleep again
Hey, at least you tried to sleep in a bed. I’m on day 14 and still sleeping on the couch each night. I finally found out if put an extra pillow next to my shoulder, when I do doze off, I don’t have a sore neck when I wake up. Before I used the pillow, I’d wake up due to my neck getting sore, Good luck with your recovery. At day 10 and from then on things will get better….hang in there!
Tried sleeping in my bed propped up but because i kept sliding i feel like my recovery has regressed back to day 5 instead of day day 10. Coughing up scabs and such sucks. I woke up this morning after a horrible sleep. Lesson learned: mom can live with me on the couch…also i need the couch. Keeps me from sliding down and getting all swollen and awful.
popsicles and soup for me today i was eating just fine and healing great. Damn
Gary,
You’re getting better with each passing day and that’s great! I wish I could provide a time frame saying here’s when you’re going to feel really good. What I’ve learned during the recovery process is once you start to lose the scabs you’re going to progress each day and you’re going to feel better with each passing day. (Not like that’s something you already don’t know .) Today is day 14 for me. Like you, I didn’t have stitches and I can’t imagine how uncomfortable feels. Again, once you start losing the scabs the worst is over. An uncomfortable feeling continues for several days as the scabs continue to leave in layers and that was a turning point for me. I don’t feel fantastic but I felt a heck of a lot better that before and I hope it’s the same for you. All I can honestly say is this: Your throat will feel better & your ability to eat solids food comes back. You’ll start using your voice, a little at first and that too improves with each passing day. I had scheduled to be off of work for two weeks and I did not allocate enough time. I’m going to take an additional week. At the end of three weeks I’m praying that will be sufficient time to return to work.
Thoughts and Prayer go out to all who are recovering.
Hi Gary, how come you had stitches? I had my tonsillectomy 2 weeks ago today, but last week had to go back to theatre for one of them bled and needed stitches. My stitches are starting to fall out on that side today (day6 for that side!) and I am crapping myself!!! My other tonsil is nearly completely healed now with just a tiny speck off white on it. I am however in no pain on either side and havnt had pain for nearly a week apart from a bit of war pain on the stitched side x ps what colour are your stitches? Keep in touch :). X
Oh yea, Michelle I am happy to hear your doing good. Hopefully you be much better soon. Good luck to you and thoughts and prayers have been made. Sorry you’ve have a rough one, couldn’t imagine the difficulty you have been through. Good luck!!
Starting Day 11-2:28am here in Texas, and I just coughed up 2 stitches. Hope this is normal, no blood though. Didn’t hurt. Hacking up scabs slowly but surely. Sleep is getting a little better. Taking maybe 1 pain pill a day, usually after I eat, only if throat hurts bad. Swallowing still hurts. Pain is decreasing by the day. Been eating better soft foods than just soup, yogurt etc. been keeping hydrated, drinking smart water(lots lots lots). Humidifier still going strong. I guess I can hopefully say I’m just healing now with little to no pain. Freeze pops still feel good to the throat. Still can’t talk very well. What day could you actually say(on average) that your just over this? I’m seeing the light, but it’s still cloudy. Am I gonna reach it in a month? Few more days? Weeks? Good luck to you all going through this. This site has helped a lot, thanks for having it!!!
hi Gary – yay you made it to day 11! The worst is over! I would say it took about a month before I began to feel I was swallowing/eating normally. Three months on I still have a sticky feeling at the back of my throat, and seem to cough/choke on food a bit more than usual. But otherwise I feel normal – and very happy to no tonsils/tonsil stones!
Good Afternoon from California,
Today is day 13, Post-Op and each day is getting better. Scabs are about 90% gone maybe more than that. The taste I got in my mouth from Post-Op recovery is almost all gone. With each passing day food is now tasting better and better Yea-haw! I’m still not a 100% as the swelling interferes with my breathing while trying to sleep and I’ve not been able to get 4 straight hours of sleep since this amazing adventure to the path of recovery started on the 22 of November. Yesterday, I spoke with a friend for about 10 minutes and it was the first conversation I’ve had since surgery. Also, went to Costco to by some Smart Water and other items. When I got home it felt like I had just finished one of my Yoga routines, I was whipped. Even though my throat is much better there is still more to recovery. I attribute to my age more than anything. An almost 60 year old just doesn’t recover like a younger person will. We’ll, for today….That’s All Folks
Hi all, how are we all doing? What day is everyone on? One of my tonsils is on day 13 and looking pretty good just slightly white in appearance. The other tonsil is on day 5 as had to go back to theatre for stitching after a 2 hr bleed last sat which I posted about …… I just cannot wait for this all to be over! I constantly worry every day that the bleeding is going to happen again. And I just want to get back to normal life with my 3 children ……. X x
MY Daughter ( 18 years old ) is on day 7 of recovery post her tonsillectomy. She has lost some of her scabs yesterday and is still having considerable discomfort. I had my Tonsils removed at 40 years old so I could help her through her recovery but I wanted to THANK YOU for having this forum!! It has helped her for sure!! Im a Dentist and I feel there is a sincere need for more education on the recovery from this surgery. Here are a few things that I’ve done to help my daughter through her recovery. I had a topical anti-inflammatory made up at a compounding pharmacy. It contained ibuprofen as the anti-inflammatory ( diclofenac is a good choice as well ) lidocaine for a numbing effect, cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer, chitosan and DMSO to help the meds penetrate the tissues to provide the relief. The topical really helped!! She asked for me to apply the compounded med ( apply directly under the chin where the neck is swollen and sore after the surgery ) each time she woke from her pain meds and gave a big thumbs up and was even able to muster a smile! I have also had her rinse with Chlorhexidine which is a mint flavored oral antibiotic rinse. That helped her breath odor a bit as well as helps to prevent a post op infection. The Chlorhexidine lasts for 3 days so it isn’t imperative to rinse with it daily. Closys is an antiseptic mouth rinse you can buy over the counter at Walgreens that is a terrific antiseptic as well as an odor oxidizer which will help keep your mouth moist. It contains no alcohol and has no real taste so its like rinsing with water. There is a small container or peppermint oil to flavor the rinse but do that in a separate container in the case you don’t like the taste. To help control the bleeding when the scabs start to fall off make a strong tea using a tea bag and chill it. The tea has tannic’s in it that will cause the small vessels to constrict to slow the bleeding and the cold will sooth the lesions. Slowing the bleeding limits the amount of blood you may swallow and that will keep you from getting nauseated as well. Biotene is a brand of oral moisturizers that may help and you can get it at the local drug store.
The only other recommendation I can recommendation I can make is to give your loved one a lot of TLC and encouragement!! Empathy is good in large doses as well. If you have not had your tonsils out please don’t give your patient a hard time after you think they should be better. The Tonsillectomy is a MAJOR surgery to endure. Be patient and it will pay off in dividends!!
If you have any questions post them here and I will do my best to help. God Bless you all!! Prayer works wonders as well!!
Wow! Michael that’s some great stuff- Thank you! I’m glad that you and your daughter have benefitted from the site and seem to be doing well. It sounds like she’s in good hands! Take care. Best wishes to you both.
I know the recovery time is different for each of us but hang in there!!!! You’re about finished with the worst part of the healing process and things start to get better. Day 8 was it for me. After that each day became progressively better and better. Wish you the best.
Congrats chuck im so glad your recovery is going well
i am on day 8 now and havent lost too many scabs yet but im coughing up an incredible amount of phlegm. Yay for catching colds prior to surgery.
I hope the rest of your recovery goes smoothly and enjoy every bit ofbfood you are getting for those of us who cant eat it yet ?
Day 8 – I stopped taking all med’s. Pain is tolerable. Scabs continued to diminish in size.
Day 8 thru 11 – Scabs continue to diminish in size. Throat feels very good compared to what I was dealing with from day one. I ‘d rate it like a very, very, very mild sore throat. MAJOR BREAK THUR – I’m back on solid foods which started on day 11. I actually had stuffed bell peppers, some chicken and fresh steamed veggies….ahhhh, life is beginning to get back to normal. I didn’t eat the food while “hot.” I waited until it was just warm and the throat handled it well. Things I continue to do is drink as much smart water as I can take. Also, I continue to eat the popsicles and will do both until all the scabs are gone. Sleeping is a bit rough as my throat tickles all the time while I’m trying to sleep, so I keep a thermos of cold water by me when I sleep. I take a sip and it nips it in the bud until next time. Last, I was able to call the doctors office and schedule and appointment. Voice is coming back slowly. Total weight loss was 12 pounds. I pray all of you have a good recovery!!!!!!!!!
Day 8- scabs are starting to come of slowly but surely. I still cannot talk very well at all though and swallowing hurts. I only take a pain killer like if I eat and throat is throbing afterwards. Everyday pain level has com down a lot. I can eat better foods than just soup but still being careful not to overdue it. Is anyone else talking okay on day 8?
I am officially a week into recovery and the scabs were coming off on day 5 with no bleeding. I dont know wether im severly lucky or if i drank more than necessary but im goig to say that dear god it burns!!! Got an interview today and i spent most of the night hacking up scabs and the rest of it suckin on popsicles and sleeping not so restfully with pain killers. Avoid anything acidic when the scabs start coming off. Burns like a beast.
The spitting is normal and my scabs are coming off as well, your spitting because your scabs are coming off. Id suggest drinking more fluids and more salt rinsing. It seems to have helped me significantly
Day-7, can anyone tell me if I’m just different or is there an explanation to this. I have been spitting all day today. It’s clear and no blood. Don’t get me wrong, I have since the operation but today is like 12 times worse. I think I spit up just a little bit of scabs too this morning but no other time. Just really bad today. Any reason? Poor day to spend my bday. (Oh what did you do for you birthday? Oh I just spit all day). lol.
Yeah, I did end up talking to her about it as much as possible, she’s still kinda pissy about it but oh well. I will be seeing my doctor on Thursday to ask a couple questions and maybe get another day or two for pain killers in case I need them. I haven’t been in terrible pain, past 3 days have only had to take half a dose for the entire day. But my scabs are starting to come off now and my throat is a bit on the side of tender now. Thanks for the input, that’s kinda how I feel because I am not yet comfortable with laying down, feels much more comfortable to be elevated. I hit my 7 day mark tomorrow.
Kirsten – you have to do what feels best for you. This is a horrible recovery and your mother perhaps does not understand quite how bad it feels. If you explain then I am sure she can allow you a few more days in the chair. You should start to feel a lot better soon, then you can eat a bit more food, get stronger AND get more sleep too.
Kirsten- the only thing about that that my surgeon told me is for the first several nights, make sure k sleep elevated. I know this isn’t much help, but honestly the more elevated you keep yourself the better in my opinion so blood isn’t rushed to your throat.
Does anybody know how long your supposed to sleep elevated for?? My mom is gettin a bit cranky cause ive taken over her couch. Its the only way currently that i feel comfortable or not worried that ill choke in my sleep. Im coughing phlegm up right now, had a cold when i had my surgery done.
H michelle im sorry to hear that. Thats one of my biggest fears right now im sorry your goibg through that, recovery is bad enough without complications. Who wants to go back when the experience is allmost never pleasant.
Hugs and jello to you and hope theres no more hiccups.
Hi guys thanks very much….. Well the first bleed didn’t last very long but I started bleeding again last night, and it hadn’t stopped after 2 hrs so I had to go back to theatre and have stitches I am very sore today and hope it doesnt happen again….. I am scared
I have cut back massively on my pain medecine. Hasnt been anythibg i cant handle. Though im going to have to start because i have svabs starting to come off i think. Sleep last night kept getting interrupted by coughing and such and couple times there was this gross stuff in my mouth after. Havent noticed any bleeding yet but will have to wait and see i guess since the bits were quite small.
Day 6- I didn’t take a pain killer last night as I was feeling a little nauseous. I woke up this morning with a pain level of a 4-5. Still hurts like heck to swallow. I got up and ate 2 Popsicles and drank water. Ended up taking a pain killer which dropped my pain to a 1-2. Throat still feels swollen. All in all though not a bad morning. I’m just starting to get the depressed feeling though that this isn’t getting better. I’m starting to get tired of eating(drinking) water all day long with nothing but Popsicles, soup, and Maybe mashed taters. And yogurt. I can not wait to taste a rib eye steak again with a full course meal. I’ve realized going through this how lucky I really am to be able to eat normal foods. I understand now why dad always said don’t take food for granted, order what you’ll eat and clean up your plate. Man I’d never complain about that again. I’d be happy too!!! Lol. I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel just yet, but I’m still looking. Pain not too bad today unless I swallow, just another day, just a little depressed is all. I will see what today brings. Tomorrow is my birthday and will be partying it up with ice water, Popsicles and yogurt I guess. Not birthday shot for me unless it is a liquid codeine shot, lol. Good luck to everyone else going through this!!!!
Chuck- thanks for sharing that. I bet you were very scared with your mind going 100 miles an hour on what to do. I would be nervous and probably handle it worse than you. Good luck to you!!!
In closing day 7 I decided I wouldn’t take any pain pills as I’m just tired of grinding those pills up 12 times a day and frankly, when I die and come back I never, ever want to see any more yogurt. You know when have too much of something when you get that gag reflex and it’s not because your throat feels like you have a thousand itty bitty soldiers armed with chainsaws working their way back and forth across the back of your throat. No, in this case it’s yogurt overload; whether it’s peach, strawberry, blueberry or whatever, thinking about pain pills and yogurt doesn’t work anymore.
I continue to surf the Internet until 12:30 AM researching tonsillectomies. My interest in researching tonsillectomies was zilch until I had this procedure. I’ve derived a hypothesis while rooting about the Internet. There are three basic categories of recovery. Those who recovery very quick with a very limited amount of discomfort; those, who like most of us feel the pain is like a roller coaster at Magic Mountain, the up & downs, the instant acceleration and coming to an instant stop. Lets not forget how our stomach feels when you’re upside down and weightless, what was it I just ate? ☺ Finally, those who have things go wrong that fall into that 2 to 4 percentile when recovering. It’s this group that has it the roughest time during recovery. Everyone loathes thinking what it would be like if I were a 2 to 4 percenter?
Sleep for night number 7 did not exist, it seems as though it was indeed a figment of my imagination. Since the surgery, I sleep with three pillows behind by back, so I’m sitting up right and I can’t get comfortable, the swelling mixed with discomfort and pain was the perfect formula for no sleep. This went on throughout the night and I found just before sunrise I did indeed dose off for a bit. I decided for some unknown reason to try to sleep on my side and that’s when it happened.
At 6:10AM I ran to the bathroom and coughed up phlegm and it had some scab and blood in it. I spat into the sink and saw part of the scab and small dark red balls of blood. Thinking to myself the right scab is breaking lose I hope I don’t hemorrhage and fall into that 2 to 4 percent group. Again, more dark balls of blood, all different sizes this time. The dark red color told me this blood is probably coagulated from the initial cauterization during surgery. Again, I spit into the sink this time the blood is bright red, this confirmed I’m bleeding but I don’t know how bad it is? Huston, we have a problem. I immediately grabbed a large glass filled it with ice, grabbed some cold water and started to gargle with the ice water. Each time I expectorated the ice water it had bright red blood in it. The more I rinsed my mouth the more bright red blood I observed. I went back grabbed the ice pack for my neck used it while I was gargling. After 15 minutes, not 5 minutes as the Doctor recommended, the bright red blood seems to have diminished. By 7:00 AM the blood was gone. This was not at all painful. I was more concerned what it did to my psyche than me physically. Lets just say your mind starts to move like a blender at high speed while this going on. Should I call 911, should I wait, what happens if I wait to long and pass out…….all these questions popped into my mind? Probably won’t affect you the same way it affected me!
The thing I do notice now is the left scab, which is still intact, has a burning sensation to it. I didn’t notice this before because both scabs had this feeling; however, with one scab now gone, there is a discernable difference B/T the right and left side of throat. Also, after this happen I realized I lost my appetite, which was beginning come back before this happened. I looking forward to a meal of fresh mashed potatoes.
I ‘m still forcing the water down. A minimum of two quarts a day to ensure I keep hydrated. Almost forgot, once the scab removal starts, those pesky little bits of scab keep coming off throughout the day. Oh boy, I can’t wait until the left scab comes off. ☺
Im going to say this now, i have been allmost painless and sleepibg soundly since i was given emtec.
for those of you thinking you need to go through with pain. This is not true. I sleep allmost solidly through the night and i have not had any pain of note since i threw up my antibiotics prior to med change over.
seek out your doctor and get emtec if your in the beginning stages as you will greatly apprexiate it. I can go withoutbpopsicles mostly as swellig is not too terrible.
Day-5, woke up today after 5-6 hours of sleep(the most I’ve had in one nap since surgery) and wasn’t in as much pain as I have been in. Immediately drank cold water and ate a Popsicle which helped my throat. Took my pain med and just relaxing. Decided to try some mashed potatoes and got them down with no issue(swallowing still hurts of course). So far a better day for today, we will see what it brings. So far weight loss is 6 pounds for day 5. Will add that sometimes when I drink, the water tries to go up my nose. This is new to me so I’m guessing I will learn to swallow food and drinks again. It does seem like I can breathe better, maybe it’s just me. I’ve read day 6-8 can be pretty rough so we will see what it brings. Good luck to all going through this!
Michelle, if you get to read this I hope your doing better and get to go back home soon.
No the surgeon said go to the ER if I have bad bleeding and he would meet me up there, I guess cause they would call him and he lives near the hospital. I didn’t get specific instructions other than that. And yes, thoughts and prayers for Michelle….
WOW, I’m so sorry to hear you’re back in the hospital. Thoughts and prayers go out to you!
My Doctor provided specific instructions if I started to bleed. Immediately gargle with ice water for a minimum of five minutes and if bleeding slows down continue with ice water. If bleeding does not slow down, immediately call 911 just like Michelle did. Gary and Kristen did you Doctor give you the same guideline to follow if you start to bleed?
I am on day 7 too and was doing well, eating drinking fine….. Then last night I felt warm stuff go down my throat and blood started gushing out! I filled 1/4 pint glass! So had to call an ambulance and am now in hospital under observation on a drip
Kristen- I can barely open mine also. Today I was able to brush my teeth for the first time in 3 days. Gross I know, but very true. I couldn’t open my mouth but to drink and eat a little bit after taking pain med. I still can’t talk very well at all. Just a mumble.
I just finished another popsicle now I can start typing. I can feel the scabs when I swallow water and they are more pronounced as each day passes. It feels like the scabs will start to fall off any time now. It’s very important when sleeping the mouth remain moist. Mine has not been moist while sleeping because of swelling. My body responds by having me breath through my mouth rather than my nose. Today I’ve really been drinking a lot of Smart Water. Hopefully, I will ingested a gallon before going to sleep. Maybe I’m just fooling myself into thinking all the hydration will help with the scabbing, I really don’t know but I’m going to try.
Today is Friday the 28th of November 2014 and its been exactly 7 days since I’ve had my Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy. I’m 58 years old and knew this would not be a walk in the park. The night before surgery I went to Costco and bought two cases of Smart Water because it has electrolytes and I wanted something to help with nausea. I knew I would be nauseated from surgery and taking medication. Also, I bought three cases of popsicles a case of yogurt and a pill smasher. Surgery went well, no issues and I woke up by a nurse holding a cup of ice chips. Pain scale, 1 being the least and 10 the most was about 6 when I woke up. I was given who knows what, taken orally. It came in a container that looks like those small plastic jelly containers you get with breakfast at your local eatery. I swallowed the contents and results were immediate, I digressed into lala land and was utterly comfortable. I started to ingest ice chips, looking into the cup to find the smallest one I could tolerate and thinking….will I have the manual dexterity to pick this chip up with this spoon as high as I am? Well, it worked! One chip turned into two, two into three and so on. Right now it’s not called pain there’s only a slight bit of discomfort and I can deal with this. My Doctor popped in and asked how I was feeling and re-enforced his concern about me keeping properly hydrated when I’m at home and asked that I walk around the block (assisted) when I get home. I got the message: one hydration to help with flushing of all the general aesthesia and keep moving to keep the system flushed while recovering. When I arrived home I used what was left of the general aesthesia in my system to my advantage, I drank as much as water as I could. That was about 1 ½ pints of Smart Water. I immediately started taking my meds, which are two pills every four hours for pain. I crush them and mix them with two teaspoons of yogurt, which worked well for me. By 9:00 PM I was started to eat the popsicles. They provided a great deal of relief. I ate a case of popsicles in three days and was glad I bought more than one case the night I went shopping at Costco. I’d wake up at night and grab a popsicle, the ice cold helps relieve the pain. After surgery days 1 to 3 are about a three to five on the pain scale; however, days four, five and six the pain increases as does the amount the amount of popsicles you eat and the ice cold Smart Water you drink. When I awoke this morning (day 7) it felt like I was swallowing chards of glass when eating the popsicle. After having 3 popsicles one right after another; then, ice water, two pain pills I began to fell better. After starting off with such a poor start this morning I’m amazed at how well I feel the rest of the day. A mild discomfort in the throat (more discomfort when eating yogurt and drinking water) and today is the best I’ve felt since leaving the hospital. Things to note: 1. Sleeping is very difficult if not impossible the first nights because of swelling so get it when you can: 2 Mornings are the most painful. I don’t know why, they just are more painful then the rest of the day. I start each day with popsicles ☺ : 3. Take in as much liquid as you can tolerate it helps flush the system and even though you’re hungry being hydrated is most important: 4. My chest felt congested after surgery until day 6. I wanted to cough and did everything physically possible not to. I was afraid the scabs in my throat would come off prematurely, resulting in a trip to ER for them to be cauterized. Also, dairy products of any type increase chest congestion and it’s the last thing I want, so I stay away from the products like the plague. This is my first seven days, I’m hoping tomorrow (Saturday) will be better than today and each day after better than the day before. I wish all of you the best while recovering! It’s not easy but it’s something we all must do.
This is why im not even trying soft foods. Im going to stick with soup and jello etc for a while to avoid that.
Im on day 3 and apart from being a smidge swollen im doing allright so far.
Kate- thank you for your reply. For a minute I was thinking this isn’t so bad until I woke up today. The one thing I didn’t get or try is throat longes or spray. I will try to get some today. Your right, I see about days 3-5 is when it gets bad for some people. I’m gonna stay strong and work through this today. Thanks again for your reply.
Sorry Gary – you are entering the worst part of the recovery, and I am afraid you probably have a few days (maybe about 4) of this bad phase to go. If you look back through the posts you will see a trend of people starting to feel worse at day 4 onwards. The shock is that regular, maxxed out painkillers can’t take it all away, so you have to try other tactics, especially sucking on crushed ice, lozenges, using numbing throat spray, distraction e.g. watching DVDs. You might manage to get some soup down once the painkillers take the edge off it. There is a reason this operation is not routinely done on adults, and now you are experiencing it. Sorry you feel so bad – it DOES get better.
Starting day 4, and geeze, woke up pretty swollen this morning. Is this going to end? Already tired taking pain killer but it seems like it’s the only thing that helps. Can’t talk much and don’t wanna eat pudding or anything as it hurts too bad. Seems like the painkiller allowed me to eat but suffering now cause I’m swollen. Putting ice packs on now. When is the relief gonna start? When can you start telling it’s getting better?
Michelle, My surgeon first gave me liquid hydrocodone. This just wasn’t doing the trick for me so he then gave me oxycodone. It is a much better help. Hope this helps you. I am also on liquid amoxicillin and stool softener.
Day three is almost over. Thanks to the new painkiller, I have ate some scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes today. Getting up from a nap seems to to rough and feels like my throat is swollen until I take a painkiller and drink ice water. Mouth don’t feel dry though, prob due to the expensive humidifier I bought. Day 4 is tomorrow, counting down the days. I have a lot of white stuff all over the back of my throat. Is this scabs? I feel like there is stitches in my throat when I swallow. I know I got some just didn’t know I’d feel them. Despite the painkiller that has helped, swallowing is a task with every bite. Good luck to the others also in here going through this. Stay hydrated!!!!!!
It looks like it can take 3-6 months to fully fecover and heal from a tonsilectomy.
I spent most of today sleeping, can safely say i greatly appreciate my new medication. Day 2 is a great success.
Hi I am 35 and I had my tonsils out last fri 21st at 3pm….. I have been doing well to be fair, having hydrocodiene every 6 hrs and paracetamol every 6 hrs, so basically having pain med every 3 hrs. Drinking lots of ice water, humidifier on in room….. Up until today! The pain in my ear and throat is really bad iv not been able to eat much today at all….. And I havnt been to the toilet since the op! So now I have bad belly ache aswell. I have started movicol today to help with constipation…. Hope it works soon!!! I cannot wait til 2 weeks are over!!!
Kristen I’m sorry. I’m on day 2 and couldn’t imagine how painful it would be not keeping something down. Hopefully you got a good painkiller that will help you. Best of luck, just know your not alone.
Had to go to emerg, my antibiotic wouldnt stay down my throat has never hurt so much.
Got a new ptescription and a new pain killer. Hopefully theres some improvment tomorrow. Im only on day 1.
Km going to be taking my progression back into food really slow. My antibiotic makes me gag. Sooo painful
Im probably going to get my doctor to get me something stronger then tylenol. I can manage the swelling with lots of ice packs on the neck and popsicles. My uvula was allmost normal this morning before the gagging
Came home after a 4 hour recovery period in the hospital. Its 2:20am and i slept propped up after lots of broth and water. Tried vegetable soup with lots of chewing….was too hard so just drank the broth. Coughing or mucous has caused me to gag twice and my uvulva is so swollen it is also causing mild problems. Im not looking forward to if i do vomit over the next few days as ive read that can occur. Is there anything better for pain and swelling other then tylenol and popsicles?
Poor you Kirsten. Suck on crushed ice/drink as much iced water as you can. Take all the pain relief you can – you should be able to combine Tylenol with other drugs – check on that with your hospital. I was on a 3/4 hourly cycle of 2 different pain relievers for about 10 days, combined with numbing throat sprays, ice packs around the neck etc. Do everything you can to rest and relieve the pain. Good luck
I had my surgery yesterday and didn’t realize how painful it is. I was on liquid painkiller and it was just taking a little pain away. Talked to my surgeon personally later in the day and he is giving me something stronger today. I was well prepared for this from research like this page, but this is more painful than I thought. My surgeon did say I bled more than normal, not sure if this causes more pain or not. I’m not nauseous, atleast not yet. Look forward for a little stronger pain reliever today.
Well I never took one and then on day 8, it was a nightmare for me. So that day 8, i was in so much pain, I drank prune juice, took stool softner and took Epson salt baths and then 24 hrs later I had relief from the constipation pain. Also In the beginning to many milk products almost made me throw up, I think from pain medication mixed with dairy. Also I’m on 3 weeks on Wednesday and my throat still hurts right now, feels like a really sore throat. I Stopped pain meds on that day 8 when I had major constipation issues. Now I’m fine and back to work and Advil is fine for the pain but it will be nice when I don’t feel any throat pain. Dr told me it could take 3-4 weeks for that. You will be ok just keep in mind that day 3-5 can be the worst.
Hi Elena I’m on day 17 after surgery I also still have a sore throat, pain further down the neck my specialist said its not from tonsili surgery but my throat still swollen (really no kidding) all in all he said my recovery is going great he also said it can take 3 to 4 weeks if not longer to feel no pain in the throat great!!! I can also still feel my glands are still swollen similar to when I got Quincy feels like an infection again which I’m sure it’s not
Thank you Greg. I just was sure about the anesthesia I went through and then now I can’t sleep. Didn’t make sense. But I got about 1-1/2 hrs so far. Your right, journey begins and I’m ready for it to be over already. Hopefully this will change my life for the better though. Thanks again.
Elena, thank you. Did you start the stool softener immediately or when you started eating a little? Dr. did prescribe laxative and stool softener. Said once I hit the home run with laxative don’t take it anymore just continue with stool softener. I just didn’t ask when to start them. Should I start today? Any help appreciated.
I took my pain meds every 31/2 hrs. I would set my phone alarm to take them on time. And I would eat crushed ice. I would put ice cubes in bad and then smash them with a hammer to make my own soft crushed ice. Remember to take a stool softner or drink prune juice because in a couple days the pain meds will constipate you and you will have horrible pain if they do.
Had my tonsils removed this morning at 8am. After I woke up I have been in pain, prob an 8. Dr. Gave me meds and knocked it down to prob a 5. At home now and have not been able to sleep. Pain at 6-7. I’m miserable right now. I have been drinking(sipping) lots of water though with excruciating pain swallowing. Humidifier on ice packs been on the neck. Any feedback is appreciated.
Hi Gary. The journey begins! Forget about good sleep for a little while. Get it when you can. Preferably in a recliner or propped up. That helps keep swelling down. Keep drinking, even though it hurts- It’s about THE most important thing you can do. Keep running that humidifier, keep taking the pain meds on schedule. My routine was this: I’d use a numbing throat spray to help swallow the meds. Once they kicked in, I’d try to eat a little something. This reduces nausea. Lots of Jell-O for me- also broths and smooth soups. Popsicles- NOT the real juice ones- they burn! My fav;s” Root beer and banana flavors. Best of luck!!!
Thanks Kate. I have to be there in 3 hours. Haven’t slept much tonight. I am nervous as this is a first procedure for me. I will flow up and share my experience. I know I am in good hands will professionals, just some stories are horrible and some stories are not bad at all. Hopefully my experience won’t be bad.
It was my first ever surgery too – i was petrified. No sleep, and I had a cold as well. They gave me extra meds to calm me down. I so badly wanted to chicken out but people go through much worse so I knew I had to stick it out. I had tonsil stones, and life without them now is amazing!
I had my surgery on November 21st 2014. I have been eating a lot of popsicles, drinking plenty of water and have even managed to eat some mashed potatoes in the evening and an egg in the morning. The medication I’m taking is supposed to last 6 hours,but it wears off somewhere between 3 and 4 hours. My tongue and uvula are both swollen so any drinking, talking or eating is quite a task! I cannot wait until my throat is healed and this pain has subsided.
I am 34 yrs old and have my tonsillectomy in the morning. I am really nervous. Thanks to you guys I have got a humidifier, ice, Gatorade, Popsicles, soups, ice pack for neck(throat), and soft food. Am I missing anything? Very nervous.(scared)
Hey Gary – the surgery itself is the easiest part. You are in and out quickly, in the hands of experts, and when you wake up it actually doesn’t feel so bad straight away. Sounds like you have done some great preparation. You will also need a stack of painkillers (not sure what you will get from the hospital – it’s different in the UK), and maybe some lozenges to suck on – these can help distract you from the pain. I also used a spray called Chloraseptic which numbs the throat. Stock up on some DVDs to keep you occupied, and cancel ANY plans you have made for the next two weeks as you will need lots of rest. It is normal to be scared at this point – this is a tough recovery, but you will get better in a couple of weeks (or so!). Take some deep breaths and focus on the bright future without your tonsils to drag you down!
Had surgery yesterday morning at 7:30am and tonight I feel better already. Dr. gave me stronger pain meds and I was able to eat a scrambled egg and soup. I had 2 Popsicles today also along with plenty of water. Swallowing hurts badly, but I are after taking pain med. it feels like around my uvula hurts worse during swallowing. So far today a better day. Pain level after taking med is 2-3 compared to 6-7 yesterday. On day 3 tomorrow!!!
ICE – LOTS OF CRUSHED ICE! Sucking on ice/drinking iced water will really help his post-op pain.
Wrapping ice packs around the neck can also be useful
And yes – read older posts here, they are full of great tips.
My son is booked to get his tonsils out this Friday morning at 6:30am. He is 19 yrs old and I am quite scared of what’s to follow afterwards? What can I do to help him heal fast? How must he sleep? What are we exactly in for? He has a 22 month old daughter that we currently help him raise and how is he going to be when he comes home? Someone please give us some advice. We know they must come out as he was rushed in twice when his throat almost closed and he has abcesses on both and they popped n bled… Please respond
Hi Tara- It’s great that your son has your support. That’s huge. Read through as as of this site as you can. I’ve covered lots and lots of what to expect and how to recover. Be sure to have a humidifier, plenty of popsicles, enough pain medicine to cover at least 10 days, movies for him to watch, and help with his 22 month old. He’ll need it for the first week for sure!
Hi I’m 15 years old and I had my tonsils out last Monday and I’m still trying to recover. Here are a few things I wish that I knew last week that I know now being in my second week of recovery. 1.) Take 1tsp. of Children’s Motrin and 1tsp. of Children’s Benadryl at least every 2 hours. You can even take it less than every 2 hours because the Motrin and Benadryl is meant for children and it such a low dose it won’t affect or hurt him since he’s older. Doctors recommend this to cancer patients that have pain in their throat/mouth because it coats the throat making it easier to swallow food and any beverages. I started taking these medications and I can’t live without it now. It takes 30 minutes to start working so have him take it 30 minute before he’s going to eat. It also makes you drowsy; I’ve been sleeping a lot since I’ve started using both of these medicines, which is great because it allows my throat to heal. 2.) Take stool softeners (laxatives) if he hasn’t gone to the bathroom after 4 days post-surgery day, because I’m still in much misery because I didn’t do that. Anesthesia slows the systems in your body down, it’s common not to go for up 4-5 days but after that it’s tough trying to get it working again. They will probably give you Colace at the hospital anyway. I guess what I’m trying to say is I wish I took it earlier and kept on top of taking stool softeners to prevent the pain I am in now.3.) I have been the most congested I have ever been in my entire life! I have ear and nose congestion, and it’s terrible. The ear congestion came later in my recovery, as the ear congestion came on the nose congestion went away. At the hospital they gave me Afrin a nasal spray and it didn’t work for me at all, my dad instead picked up a “Nasal Mist” from Walgreen and it’s just a typical Sodium Chloride Solution, or a Nasal Moisturizer, and I found that it worked much better than the Afrin. With the Afrin you can’t spray up your nose as frequently at you can with the Nasal Mist. What I would do is spray the Nasal Mist constantly up my nose and then blow my nose. I also would apply “Vicks Vaporub” on my upper lip. Lastly I would take the Walgreens brand Mucinex, which is the Mucus Relief, it tastes great and works amazing! Not only are the products that I talked about above perfect to help the congestion but also sleeping up right. My bed is pushed up against the wall and so I would prop 3 pillows up in the corner where my bed met the wall. This helped the most when I had my ear congestion. You mentioned that he had a 22 month old daughter, well I have 24 month old twin brothers, and they actually helped a lot surprisingly. They helped in the sense that I would interact with them as much as possible when I wasn’t sleeping or hurting too much and when they weren’t down for a nap. Sitting upright and moving around and playing with them helped keep my mind off the pain and the congestion to drain a lot easier. I also went to the grocery store with my mom which again helped a lot, by keeping my mind off the pain and helping the congestion drain a whole lot easier.4.) The hospital prescribed me hydrocodone which recommends you to take it with food, although in the middle of the night when I needed the hydrocodone I was way too tired to eat something which in turn made me extremely nauseous in the morning, the toilet and I got extremely close in the morning. I would just feel so sick to my stomach and I wouldn’t want to eat anything wich made it worse. So the doctor prescribed me Zofran which helps with the nauseous feeling, so if the hospital prescribes you with hydrocodone or any other antibiotic that may cause nauseous feelings if you take it without food than make sure you buy something that will help the nauseous feeling.5.) Make a chart or a list of every medication he takes and at what time he took it so you don’t lose track, because he may be taking a lot of medication like I am and it’s too much to remember because they all require multiple different time periods until you can take the next dose. And like my mom did she set alarm or wrote down when the next dose/medication should be taken, or else I would be in pain if I didn’t take it as soon as I possibly could. So if you can prevent his pain why not do it?Eating and drinking is so important, you are going to constantly hear this but it’s the most important thing. I lost 6 lbs. in the first week because I didn’t eat, and my dad had to explain to me why it’s so important. He said it’s the same thing as if you broke your leg, when someone breaks their leg they have to go to physical therapy because he leg hasn’t been used and it changed when the doctor worked on it so your body need to get back into the groove of things, the leg need to get back to working like it did before. Same thing with your throat they just got rid of something you’ve had in your body since you were born and now they take it away you need to exercise it back to how it was swallowing foods before.Please take everything with a grain of salt, everybody is different , what worked for me may not work for him. He is much older and probably has a much higher pain tolerance than I do, so he may be better off. Just keep in mind the surgery is worth in the end, and a few weeks of misery for a life time of better health is worth it. I expected better than it was, my aunt told me she went on a date the next day after her surgery; I expected it to be easy. The surgery seems easy, it’s not a major surgery. But its uncomfortable, painful, and seems never-ending But I’m in my second week and I’m feeling much better but not a 100%. The doctor can also prescribe you special suckers that numb your pain, but he probably won’t need it, I’m not sure. Everything will be great, best wishes! I hope this helped!
I am on day 4 from my tonsillectomy and the pain has been constant since I woke after op. It is actually the worst pain I have ever experienced . I did have a blood clot whilst in hospital that had to be picked off.
I’m 36 yrs old and I workout, light weight train and yoga. I try to eat all organic and healthy. I was told the same thing! It’s hard. But you will get light at the end of this dark tunnel. I personally loved my humidifier because it kept my throat so moist. I would drink wheat gras juice everyday. You can have someone buy you a container of it in dry form and mix it with water. I was watching oat meal and cream of wheat for most of my meals. It’s so hard. Also I started drinking prune juice just a little bit here and there around day 9,10. You don’t want to be constipated. I had the worst experience with that. I took warm Epson salt baths to relax, forced myself to shower even though it was hard. Just stay clean and get lots if rest. Be patient. All your symptoms are normal and I felt them too. I’m on day 14 and my throat is still sore, but just feels like a regular sore throat. I’m going to try throat losenges today and try to get up and go for a small walk. I have a post op aptt tomorrow so I’ll let you know if the dr gives me any advice on what else to do. It’s the worst most annoying recovery ever but it will be over soon. Just keep calm and keep your throat relaxed so it can heal. No crying. Try not too.
Im on day 13 so I just got through the hard part. It will get better. I ate a lot of crushed ice. Just hang in there and rest as much a possible. I loved having a humidifier to keep my throat wet at night, it’s next to my bed. Also make sure to take some type of stool softner, I learned the hard way and had a bad day 8 because I was so constipated from pain meds. But just keep in mind it will get better in the next couple days. Your almost there.
You know what I’m really struggling with is the fact I am never sick I go to the gym 6 days a week eat reasonably healthy so everyone was telling me it will be a breeze the only reason I had my tonsils out was I have had 2 Quincy that I was rushed to hospital with because they can get very nasty so the specialists said they need to come out he told when I was in recovery I had large tonsils stones as well — at the moment I feel like I have some major stuff stuck in my throat and just want to cough it up ewwww and yes I’m constipated as well tomorrow is day 8 lets see what that brings
firstly OMG thank goodness I found this page I’m on day 6 of recovery ouch ouch ouch it really hurts to talk, eat, drink, sleep but I’m doing all of them everyone is saying drink ice cold water or have a Popsicles that hurts more, I had no idea what to expect after surgery I was only told for an adult it hurt more I had my 55th birthday on day 3 I am struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel I’m still in heaps of pain
Day 7 – (Thu. Nov. 13 2014)- Only taken one pain med dose throughout the day when I first waken up upon 5 hours sleep with a pain level 5, pretty much the same similar counts as described on day 6 however felt 15 percent better today on day 7 vs. day 6, as my pain level was constant between 3 to 5 for the day and didn’t feel the need to take any more pain medication throughout the day yet again…still consuming jello, otter pops, ice cold water, sesame chicken and noodles, chili, and soup as swallowing food or fluids wasn’t too bad 90 percent of the time with a pain level 3 but a few times it increased to a pain level 5….still waiting on “when the pain is really going to hurt” stage.
Day 8 – (Fri. Nov. 14 2014)- Finally regressed upon the worst for first time in this recovery ordeal after waking up to a pain level 7 and noticed my right side surgical area is bloody red and freaking out about it, immediately gargled (pain level 8) and held ice cold 30.7 F temp water in my mouth (pain level 6) for the next 10 minutes…..didn’t notice tasting blood until 5 minutes after waking up and looked inside my mouth to see it’s status, as I estimated only losing about one quarter of a teaspoon of blood.
The bleeding had stopped after the 10 minutes initially, then briefly started bleeding again another 10 minutes later and I promptly continued to gargle and hold ice water in my mouth again, this time for an additional 20 minutes…..Waited for an hour after that as my bleeding never progressed any further and stopped, took one dose of pain medication while pimpin’ hard on drinking ice water a lot, which eventually brought the pain level down to a 1 after the dose kicked in.
Calmed down after three and a half hours following this recent ordeal and went back to sleep, woke up four hours later with a pain level 5 and took another dose of pain med, after the dose kicked in my pain level never got any higher than a 3 throughout the rest of the day and didn’t feel the need to take any more pain med….swallowing pain regressed back to similar accounts of how it was on day 6.
Day 9 – (Sat. Nov. 15 2014)- Woke up with a pain level 6 and took a dose of pain med, brought the pain level down to a 1, and to my surprise that exposed red bleeding spot that happened yesterday in day 8 had rehealed itself and coated back to white just like the rest of the surgical areas.
Two hours later out of nowhere I had some serious abdominal pain in my lower intestinal area and fought this for 30 minutes while feeling nauseous and real close to throwing up, so I loitered in the bathroom for the half hour and finally lost three pounds of number two as it finally exited my body – to my surprise I was constipated and had a blockage incident, more likely from all the noodles I was consuming the past three days as I also consumed one banana each day which generally keeps me regular.
Later in the day I felt the hungriest appetite since day 3 and decided to fix a three egg omelet (first time eating eggs) as I started taking half bites and swallowed the food which I felt no pain or any minor difficulty for the first time since surgery, and tried a full bite which was successful and didn’t hurt in any way – everything I ate and drank throughout day 9 was painless swallowing with full bites…..I felt I gotten over the hump after the second half of day 9.
Day 10 – (Sun. Nov. 16 2014)- Woke up for the first time feeling like a dry throat with a pain level 5 and took a dose of pain med after four hours sleeping (still sleeping in the recliner chair with the neck brace as my airway is still getting partially blocked trying to lay down flat in a bed)…went back to sleep after 30 minutes and slept another four hours and woke up with no pain of any kind in my throat, full bite swallowing solid foods and fluids now with no difficulty or any pain to my surprise….gargling, coughing up a loogie, sneezing, and yawning still hurts up to a pain level 5 though if it is a full scale cough, sneeze, yawn.
Day 10 recovery is the first time I ever sneezed (twice) or coughed (once) since before surgery as I have to alter the way I cough, sneeze, yawn, etc. so it does not hurt too much, and plus I was very fortunate to never having a congested nose as I was able to fully breathe in and out my nose throughout this ordeal of entire recovery phase with no issues at all….I still feel I achieved over the hump and coasting downhill (at least for now) upon the worst of the recovery process as I even improved more compared to the last half of day 9 recovery…..never had the need for any more pain med throughout the day yet once again other than first waking up to an irritated throat.
The swelling is virtually gone in my tongue and the center overhang thing, as the white surgical surface areas are still present but they seemed more glazed than solid white and feels like it is improving.
If I regress backwards upon my improved condition at the present time from here on out, I will post on the status, otherwise I will stop posting on my condition of improvement should this continue forward, as my recovery status throughout 10 days seemed like a cakewalk and was very blessed without too much pain overall and not really suffered at all other than a two hour ordeal during day 8 recovery which was my worst period, compared to the hundreds of people here that had posted their experiences that were very grueling and painful and even worse, which I fully expected to go thru that at 49 years of age.
I still plan to take it easy and not over exert for this upcoming week as well, recommended by the doctor’s orders.
So I am on day 7 and I am
Going through a lot of the same things as you but what I Also do to help ease the pain is I bought a humdfier the day before surgery, it was $35 target, Honeywell brand and it sits right next to my bed and it’s like sleeping in a rainforest. It has helped so much! It keeps my face and my mouth so nice and moist. It’s quiet and has different settings, I use the high one and it’s just gives a nice cloud of mist all over my head area while I sleep. It is so great! Keeps my mouth nice and hydrated. Two is I bought a snow cone machine, by Ninja it was $40 target, it makes like snow type ice. Super fluffy and soft and I just eat spoon fills of it all day and I put it in my water to keep my water cold. It numbs my mouth so taking pills is easier, it’s the best thing ever. I bought plastic spoons to eat with since they are smaller and softer. Cream of wheat has been the easiest thing for me to eat, with a dash of sugar and little milk on top, I let it cool down and that’s all I basically eat cause it goes down so easy and it’s bland. And they have the box with individual microwave packets so it’s easy to make. Lastly ice packs. I got the gel like ice packs and I tie them with a towel on the lower back of my neck, sides of my throat and sometimes my forehead. This combo has been making this horrible experience a lot better so far. Day 5 and 6 were my worst days and those ice packs saved my life those days, they are the soft gel ones. So we shall see if the pain gets better or worse as my days go on. But so far this remedie is keeping me as comfortable as possible.
Also I do not talk at all. I got a dry erase board so I write on it or text if i need to say something. I just want to heal as fast a possible so I don’t talk. I have whispered like 3 times but just a couple words.
Elena, it’s okay to talk. ? Most of us did and it did not affect our recovery. I talked throughout my recovery. My ENT encouraged me to do as much ‘normal’ stuff as possible, including eating whatever I wanted, short of sharp or extra crunchy foods. Glad you are getting to the other side!
I am currently on day 10 (counting surgery as day 1) of a tonsillectomy and I have been completely miserable! I keep telling myself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel but some days/moments it does not feel that way. I was very easily able to talk for the first few days after my surgery with minimal pain. Now it kills me to talk unless my medicine has recently kicked in. I have had to maintain the 4 hour medicine schedule very closely in order to not rip my head and throat off— which is very unusual for me! Even after having a c-section or my spleen removed, I was not on pain medicine around the clock and definitely not by day 10! I am still unable to really eat anything because I end up with pain 10 out of 10 (even with medication) with everything I swallow. Every food I have tried (including mashed potatoes and ice cream) cause a severe burning and pain. Food and liquids often feel as though they get stuck in the surgical areas. And now every time I sleep, I end up struggling to breathe at some point (with no previous history of sleep apnea). Please someone tell me what I am doing wrong or tell me what I can do to make this any better!! Thank you in advance!
hi Lori – the way I swallow changed after surgery, presumably due to the shape of my throat changing, and that may be what you are adjusting to. It feels really odd at first, and took me a while to get used to it, but I did. I used to wake at night coughing which I think was due to phlegm getting stuck somewhere. All this should improve very soon – do you have a post-op check up pending? I had mine on day 14 and it was great to have the reassurance that everything was healing well. By that time I had also significantly reduced my pain meds. My surgeon told me it would take months to fully heal, and I still find (2 months later) that I am prone to choking/coughing more than usual. He also told me that throat muscles tighten up after surgery, and I found that sleeping with my head/neck on a hot water bottle in week two really helped me relax my throat and sleep better. You have come a long way now and should be feeling better very soon.
Steam became my friend. Fill your favorite mug 1/3 full and microwave it for 1-1 1/2 min. Inhale the steam opening your mouth as wide as you can inhaling deeply. Continue doing this until you feel relief. Sometimes, I had to reheat the cup of water a couple of times more.
Even water began to burn my throat. I found tepid/lukewarm (don’t make it hot—–could bring on bleeding)plain decaffeinated tea was a soothing lifesaver. The fancy flavored teas that I love had spices which burned. Insomnia is already a problem. Be sure to use decaffeinated. I would chase water with the tea, so that I could continue to stay hydrated when my scabs screamed.
When ice doesn’t soothe anymore, turn your surgery ice pack bag into a hot water bottle. This is to soothe that resonating ear pain.
Chicken noodle soup with a heavy broth thoroughly coated my throat. If you live where you have a Hy-Vee grocery store, have someone pick up their brand of chicken noodle soup. It tastes homemade and works wonders. Campbell’s is okay, but the broth is thicker with the Hy-Vee brand. You might could use the Campbell’s and add chicken broth to it.
Acid and bacteria will build up in your mouth making you feel like you have hundreds of ulcers. Gargle with 1 tsp. of salt to 2 cups (500 ml) warm water 30 seconds for each sip twice a day (thank you to the person that noted that on this site).
Starting @ Day 7, my scabs begged for a change. Foods that I lived on:
scrambled eggs with no pepper and little salt, oatmeal, & chicken noodle soup (I added chopped up pasta).
I was so bummed to have to give up the foods I had especially purchased for this surgery. I could no longer eat orange sherbert, popsicles, applesauce, jello nor drink orange juice. Anything acidic or cold hurt.
Looks like you and I may have had the surgery on the same day. Today was a turn-a-round. I’m actually looking forward to tomorrow continuing improvement. I’m starting to vary from the diet a tiny bit, but like you, that burning is something to deal with. I told my husband that nursing this throat has become a full time job.
Day 5 – Pain level has increased slightly a couple times during the entire day as swallowing was still minor pain ok just like day 4, however upon the end of day 5 it started to become painful to swallow (pain level peaked at a 7 for the first time) while both ears reached a pain level 5 at it’s highest (ear pain was averaging a level 3)…..note that I am still holding out from using the pain medication from its designated 4 hour intervals, as I only took two doses throughout the day (the second dose at the very end of the day in order to sleep I was at pain level 5 to 6)…I am now 10 doses ahead (40 hours worth) and feel the worst pain is still yet to arrive according to everyone else’s experiences and I am sure that I will need that reserved pain medication the most during the homestretch.
When I did take the pain medication on day 5, the pain levels 5 thru 7 had lowered it to a nice tolerable level 1 within 20 minutes time after taking it, so the liquid hydrocodone has been effective with no side or altered effects for me….Taste buds are still there, and I am still clearly talking normal since day 1 surgery but now at 85 percent capacity since day 4 as it is slightly painful at times to talk (pain level 2).
Also taken one Cepacol extra strength lozenge for the first time (during a pain level 6)….that did not seem to take any pain away for me.
Day 6 -(today Wed. Nov. 12 2014)- Slept good for 4 hours after closing out day 5 recovery (thank god for the pain medication), however woke up with a pain level 7 and immediately took another dose of medicine (perfect timing on the four hour interval), and slept good for another four hours…
Pain level is at it’s highest now in my recovery period (pain level 5 thru 7) as swallowing ice cold water now makes a pain level 4 to 5, however otter pops is the only thing soothing the pain in the meantime (pain level 1 to 3) as I have not taken another dose of pain med and holding out on one interval which I have an hour to go to make it 44 hours and 11 doses ahead, and will eat after taking the dose so it will not hurt as much.
Upon after waking up today, I looked in my mouth and now notice two fresh red sores (not bleeding), in which each red sore is located on the left and right sides at the upper back channel of the surgical white area (10 o’ clock and 2 o’ clock positions)….unsure if this is normal in the recovery process but I am sure this is due to my increased pain, as I have not experienced any of the scabbing process every one else mentions here either.
If someone can elaborate if it is a good or bad thing if one has experienced these red sores I am describing, I would appreciate it – I do not feel my mouth had dried out to cause this, nor do I think it was food consumption related as I been consuming jello, otter pops, ice cold water, seseme chicken and noodles, chili, and soup – although I did eat two frosted pop tarts in very small bites that was broke down pretty good.
Forgot to mention in my previous long post prior to surgery while I had the frequent infections, since August 1 2014 the doc recommended me to use a waterpick to blast out any food particles and debris on my tonsils, which I did after every meal, brushed and flossed four times a day rather than the normal two times, took every precaution imaginable and followed this on a sacred basis even while on vacation in my camper…When I got that overnight 103.6 fever out of nowhere despite all the precautions taken while on vacation (which was a back to back 5 week infection incident), that’s when my mind was set on really needing surgery.
I still cannot thank Greg enough and everyone else that have posted to share their recovery process, making this website possible as it has certainly helped me out on preparing going thru this ordeal.
Doc had also recommended me taking the meds at it’s intervals too – especially important at the early stages, which I taken the first four doses on schedule on day 1 but I was not hurting much at all.
Going throughout day 2 and day 3 was virtually very tolerable low pain without medication, I decided to take my pain medication “as needed” like the label had said.
I was not in a great deal of pain overall, although I did take my pain medication when I needed to during discomfort or some pain present….as of completing day 10 recovery for me (ending Mon. Nov. 17 2014 at 1200pm), I only had the need to use 23 total doses of pain medication..one dose short of a full four days supply upon ten full days thus far.
I was prescribed an 8 day supply (48 total doses) of pain medicine as I was one of the lucky ones upon not in much pain overall during my first 10 full days of recovery and was very comfortable with not needing the pain meds when only little pain was present and very tolerable.
The majority of people that posted their painful and grueling experiences on this site is what I expected to go thru, and believe me I would have consumed every drop of pain medicine and begging for more upon running out if I went thru the same prolong pain for days on end as others.
So you are able to talk? Is it a whisper or actually talking?
I haven’t even tried to talk yet but I was whispering yesterday and then later that day some blood started pouring out of my mouth so I wasn’t sure if it was because I was whispering or maybe something rough that I ate or maybe just because. It eventually stopped after 30 min of putting ice cubes in my mouth. Oh and that was yesterday day 4. Another question what do the dr say about milk products or milk, why is it bad to drink milk? Because I had a glass and it feels so good on my throat. And so does yogurt?
Yes i could talk from day one – albeit quietly. Just do what feels right for your throat.
And you did the right thing with the ice cubes!
Some people report that dairy products cause mucus to build up in their mouth – I didn’t find that, and yogurts/milky porridge were one of the few things I could eat (and soup, lots of soup!)
I also sucked on strong lozenges sometimes, which seemed to help distract me from the pain.
So now you are on day 6 – almost one week in. Hang in there!
First of all I would like to special thank Greg for making this website happen as I done a lot of research since late July 2014, when I suddenly flared up with two throat infections plus one other infection that attacked the left side of my face as the doctor speculated it was probably also tonsil related in early Oct. 2014, which totaled to three incidents within a 15 week span which now became pretty frequent.
My prior history of any head or throat infections had started in January 2009 at 44 years old, which were an average occurrence of once a year prior to 2014 (5 incidents total) as the 10 day antibiotics supply taken were always immediate relief after day 1, however the late July 2014 incident had took the fever away within 24 hours like normal but the discomfort lingered thru day 9 of the 10 day antibiotic supply, which I know now this infection thing is getting worse and not recovering as well, so as a precaution I better start looking into researching which I glad I done (and finding this website) for what’s going to happen eventually – SURGERY.
So the following month (mid Aug. 2014), I got a good bill of health after my follow-up and decided to take my planned yearly vacation in Canada as I reside in Alaska (thinking this is still just a once a year occurrence for infection), however because of the different way I had now healed – prior to vacation while planning ahead I prepared on stocking up plenty of soft foods, low sodium broth, protein shakes, breaking out the recliner chair that was stored for 15 years, second humidifier placed next to the recliner, 4 bags of small ice, 300 otter pops, 4 onhand rotating ice packs I have yet to use, etc. for the worst case scenario should it happen sooner upon a possible surgery in the near future ….which turned out to be the right call because my vacation was cut short with a no warning out of the blue 103.6 fever on the road and decided to turn back towards home, as I was glad mentioning to the doc about my planned vacation as he suggested I keep onhand a 10 day supply of antibiotics should I need them, and turned out that I had to resort to them (saving me) after a week and a half on the road in northern Canada where it is generally quite a remote area.
Second of all I am a 49 year old male that just had my very FIRST SURGERY and IV hookup EVER, which happened on Fri. Nov. 7, 2014…I was hoping to make it to at least 50 years of age before having any type of surgery…. I didn’t accomplish that feat however I do feel very blessed and glad I got this procedure done of tonsillectomy.
My fears were intense upon facing my first time ever surgery of course, (especially people posting their horrible events)- but because of this website and all the other suggestions everyone else had posted that I took well in consideration and weighing the factors, I learned to ask all the right questions upon the pre op phase with the doc and making final preparations on what supplies and equipment to really have, which so far has turned out to be such a life saver upon a three month stretch of research and stocking up, as in comparison trying to gear up everything in a week span would certainly be a tight timeframe for a person that works full time (as I still had not missed more than one scheduled day of work due to a headcold while infected upon the entire 15 week duration).
Although I could not find that large foam neck pillow anywhere in my local area the day prior to surgery, I did purchase a small typical padded neck brace and sure glad I did as this is one of the essential items I can confirm like others which keeps your head aligned and not slump when sleeping….I just added a pillow to elevate the back of my head so I can have full airway upon sleeping on the recliner chair when extended out, because without the neckbrace and extra pillow, there would be no way I could breathe to sleep in a semi upright position as many will find out the airway in your throat will be completely blocked by laying down or reclined back.
As far as advanced prescriptions is concerned, do have them onhand prior to surgery which I stressed to the doc, as he felt only prescribing me a 5 day supply of liquid hydrocodone and nothing else after asking him all the recommendations everyone else had posted, however I ended up with an 8 day supply of the medication after converting the bottle and dosages, as I been stretching out the timeframe intervals and not yet personally experienced the intense severe pain of what’s about to occur in the near future upon everyone else’s experiences, by preserving my supply for which I am sure will be in need to use upon the regular intervals.
Now for the status of my current recovery….so far I been one of the real lucky ones especially at 49 years old compared most of the others :
Day 1 – surgery day .. walking, talking, pain very minor, feeling almost ‘better than normal’ like I’m 30 again, swallowing everything I am consuming does not hurt, people telling me how healthy I look already, never believed them until I looked in the mirror, they were telling the truth…thought I would be in bad shape but to my surprise I did not think day 1 would feel like I was 95 percent healed….slept two hours which felt like a refreshed 7 hours worth.
Day 2 – still talking, went shopping and stocked up on more jello and noodles, my energy level is amazing and walking faster like someone spiked speed in my ice cold water that I constantly drink non stop (thirsty or not ! – taking note on everyone’s advice here), throat not hurting too much and swallowing either, slept three hours and felt fully refreshed yet again ….pain level no more than a 3 out of 10 throughout day 2.
Day 3 – still talking, pain increased somewhat significant but not totally severe as of yet, tongue swelling increased a bit more and now feels like I bit into it in two places, still swallowing soft foods well including Wendys chili, sesame chicken in tiny bites (and I don’t mean half bites either) and pasta type noodles, first time I felt the ‘real’ need to take pain med for a couple times throughout the day as pain level average was a 3 out of 10 but felt the peak level of a 5, still tolerable pain for me but an immediate dose sure got rid of the discomfort right away (fully functional and relaxed with no side effects for me) when that pain level 5 existed while half tired upon the late interval of day, which I decided to take the dose because I was planning on going to sleep – slept back to back four hour intervals (most sleep so far post surgery) feeling great and refreshed with a still tolerable sore throat after day 3.
Day 4 – (today Mon Nov. 10 2014) – still talking but only at 85 percent capacity as it hurts a little to do so but very tolerable, pain level is now between 3 to 6 out of 10 while getting a first glimpse of ear pain everyone is talking about (only the left ear and the pain level is currently a 2 out of 10 at most), while typing to you all here posting my experience, haven’t eaten anything yet other than two jellos, 10 otter pops and still toadin’ down ice cold water thirsty or not, stretching out another two intervals of pain med dosage as I am now 4 full doses ahead (16 extra hours worth).
Comparing to everyone’s experiences of what and what not to consume, the doc told me lean towards the soft foods but stated I could eat whatever I want with no restrictions as long as my body could tolerate it but would not recommend solid and sharp type foods in the early stages.
I also took the advice of others upon staying away from any dairy products as even the doctor stated to me it could build up mucus but depends on the individual like many things.
I cant remember the exact type of surgical procedure that was given to me but it was done by electronic cauterize ? with scalpel tools I think when I asked….
As of day 4 I have not yet experienced the horror pain or any complications by others, no severe bleeding or nausea or anything of the sort, even my taste buds are still all there ! – I just feel blessed and thanks to this website I think I prepared well with all the suggestions and resources to make it thru full recovery the best way how and the least suffering….Believe it or not – I had worse discomfort when the throat was strep or infected (pain level 7) as I had not yet experienced beyond that pain level but right now I am about at 4.
I will keep posting updates on me as well in order to hopefully help others guide thru this ordeal….after my experiences of an easy day 1 and 2, I realized how mentally prepared I become with the great confidence I now have of dealing with the next phases although I am sure it’s gonna really hurt like everyone else says.
I am a 59 year old female. My tonsillectomy was a week ago. I am forever grateful to Greg for providing this site. I just wish I would have found it sooner. I knew the recovery was a 2 week one, but I thought I’d be bed ridden just the first 2-3 days.
I’d like to know if anyone had similar or same circumstances that brought me to the operating table. Yes, I was sick as a child with my very enlarged tonsils. Penicillin was my friend.
What brought me to the operating table at first was that, when out to dinner and in more conversation than usual, I could feel food sticking to the ends of my tonsils making me choke. I have had to invest in gum. That was the only thing that would stop the choking. It got to where I would panic if I forgot to restock gum in my purse. There were a couple of outings that I thought I was going to have to go to the ER as I couldn’t stop the cough or choke.
The biggest thing that brought me to surgery was that I could feel my tonsils closing off my air passage. I’m not a person with allergies. I had a full blood count done and extensive throat culture as well. All came back normal. Finally, I decided it was time to see the E.N.T. doctor. He told me I had one index finger’s width to breathe. He told me that most people have 3 fingers’ width. He told me that as we age tonsils keep growing.
Is there anyone else that’s had this experience? My recovery is going well. I’m at day 7.
Hi Flo. Thanks for the kind words. My experience was similar to yours but I didn’t quite have the breathing limitations you describe. I’ll bet your life is about to improve greatly! Thanks for sharing and best of luck and a speedy recovery to you.
I ate a slice of pizza on day 11 (and a mild CURRY on day 16!) and thought I had gone to heaven – that was a real turning point. And I talked every day from day one, although not as much as usual! Don’t worry about the meds – you can start to scale them down when your body is ready – one day you will realise you forgot to take some and you are OK! This is a tough recovery, so take EVERYTHING you need to get through. I wasn’t really aware of my scabs, except one particularly painful morning when I think one fell off – cue ice pack and more drugs! Consider a hot water bottle too – in week two I found sleeping on this really helped me relax my throat and sleep better. One more thing – don’t go back to work early: in a few months time you will forget you took those extra few days, but they are very valuable now to help you get your strength back.
Thanks for all your help. Yes day 3 was bad and today, day 4 has been about the same amount of pain like an 8, just taking the pain meds evey 31/2 hrs and that seems to ease the pain a little. I asked my mom to go get me some type of snoopy shaved ice machine anything she could find at target/ wallmart so hopefully I’ll be eating snow cones soon. IJust pray and can’t imagine the pain getting worse than it is now! It’s the very worst around 3-5 am. When do you think I could eat like a bean burrito or like ravioli? For now it’s just been apple sauce , soup, yogurt, ice cream and the cream of wheat was an awesome suggestion! I’m also craving like chicken or turkey bad. Thanks for the idea of ice packs I just tried it and it works great. At what day do the scabs form? And is it going to be dreadful getting off these pain meds because they make me feel really loopy and grooggy like I can tell they are strong on my head. Should I gargle with warm salt water or anything like that? Just a thought. Any advice is great! Thanks so munch for caring. I’m basically taking care of myself all alone because I only have my mom and she works 15 hr days. I do have 2 weeks off work but would love to go back before that if possible. One more thing when can I start try to talk or say something out loud?
I’m on day 3 and it’s the worst so far! Day 2 was mild and I thought that I was going to be able to handle this pain no problem, well today I woke up at 4 am, day 3 and the pain is so bad once again I can’t swallow. The first 2 days I was eating ice creams, yogurts and I feel like dairy products were up setting my stomach bad. Any suggestions on what I should try to eat and is day 4 going to be worse than this? When can I wxpwct the pain to go back down instead of getting worse?
Hi! I’m on day 14 and finally feeling better. I have been eating cream of wheat, jello, pudding, ensure shakes, popsicles. But the 1st week for me was not that bad. It wasn’t until day 8 that I starting really hurting and was too exhausted to get out of bed. I hope you feel better soon and find something you can eat!
hi Elena – days 4 – 8 were the worst for me, so it may get worse before it gets better I am afraid. Try mashed/jacket potato, porridge? Max out on painkillers and suck on crushed ice/wrap an ice pack around your throat. I also used Chloraseptic spray to help numb my throat when I needed to take painkillers. Good luck – you WILL get better
Hey Melissa – yes the mornings were the absolute worst for me, as were days 7/8 because it felt like it would never end and I was so worn down by it all. Just a few more days and you really will turn a corner. Takes a bit longer to get your strength back though. Rest all the time, eat what you can, keep sucking on ice chips and treat yourself to something e.g. buy new PJs online/book a haircut/treat for when you are feeling a bit better. You will be better soon, the worst is over!
My son thought his was mouth ulcers but it was thrush. You might want to call your ENT they can prescribe a liquid that heals them quickly. Our son had them down his throat but again it was thrush and it’s very painful. Hope you get to feeling better real soon.
God Bless
Gosh everyone here is saying pain gets worse not better..I’m on day 7 tomorrow and I must say pain is incredible still. Has anyone been suffering with mouth ulcers? I have the worst one in my cheek and it’s not going down well at all..when do the scabs come of..? I have heard that’s horrible, I’m drinking lots of water and lots of tea …soups and getting 2 pieces of toast down me…I did slip a little choc in my mouth but boy that was not good..I don’t see light yet, does anybody as the mornings are terrible!
Hello, Day 7 post OP 28 yo male here and starting to feel better, not 100% yet by any means but better. I have to thank you and everyone that contributed to this website it has been more help then any small handout they give you at the doctors. my case had been pretty mild until day 3 when the bleeding started the pain was unreal. Once they cauterized it to stop the bleeding the pain subsided. It has been a long week and can honestly say I can’t wait for it to be over, so much so I can almost taste the turkey bacon sandwich and large beer!
Day 8 post op – I can honestly say that this has been a living hell. Still in pain today – throat and ears! At the age of 35, I have cried like a baby daily, because I didn’t know what else to do!!! I hope to be better soon. If I’d known it was going to be so bad, I would never of gone through with tonsillectomy.
I am on day 6 post op, and it has been getting worse by the days! I am thankful with God thar the operation went fine and that i honestly have been in a lot of pain, but not to the point of crying with the exception of the first day. Today however, it seems my pain killers arent lasting as long or working as well.
Hi! I am 4 days post op. I have to admit I was absolutely terrified of the recovery. I did a lot of research before the tonsillectomy. Including this website. I ate ramen noodles same day as surgery. And since then I’ve eaten ramen, cream of wheat, chicken and dumplings, Popsicles, pudding and jello. I have not slowed down on eating. I read the sooner you eat the better. The first day I set an alarm for every 30 minutes to make sure I drank enough water. After that I set it for every hour. Even when I am sleeping. There have been a few times I needed ice and throat spray. I have 3 humidifiers in my bedroom with 2 fans. I keep my room closed and seldom come out. I have to say that I’m feeling really good. I have a sore throat and that’s it. Pain level is maybe a 3 on a scale 1-10. Of course I am not going to take any chances by over doing it. I plan on staying in my room for at least a week. It’s very lonely and depressing but I feel like it’s worth it. I hope that I can help with anyone’s recovery. I will keep you posted.
I am a 35 year old female. Married with kids 18 months and 4 yrs old.
@Christie- good for you! Keep eating good stuff! It worked for me at first, too. You will probably hit a day soon where all of a sudden, broth and warm drinks will be all you can handle, and you’ll be glad you ate some food with sustenance early on! Just be careful, as I hit a point on day 7 where I thought I was doing so good, I tried to eat “real food”! Don’t do that! Keep going with the mushy stuff! If I can save you the pain and setback, oh don’t try to eat real food too soon! Hang in there, as it could get worse. We’re all different. For many, days 4-7 are the calm before the storm! I’m on day 22. I still have throat and ear pain. This forum is wonderful for when you can’t sleep! Good luck and healthy recovery to you!
@Angel
You were right about it getting worse! Now I’m I day 9 and my pain level is about an 8. Yesterday was really bad. I have done everything I’m suppose to do. I’m tired of staying in my bedroom in my makeshift sauna.
Another thing, I ran out of painkillers on Friday(a week after surgery). The dr said that that should be enough. I should be better by then. Well, I was still in pain Friday and started freaking out because I knew I couldn’t get any over the weekend. I called my drs nurse and thankfully got ahold of my dr as he was boarding a plane. From there it almost took an act from congress to get more meds! I had to have another appt just to get more. Luckily they fit me in with another dr and I got my meds.
And of course yesterday and today were the worst pain.
So my advice is to try and get a refill and don’t trust your dr when he says you’ll be better in a week!
Has anyone fought depression since their tonsillectomy? My son is 35 married and father of two young children and was sick from May of this year 2014 with constant tonsillitis. Every two weeks he would be sick severely sick, antibiotics all summer finally the ENT said he needed a tonsillectomy. It was rough for him and his energy still hasn’t returned it’s now 7 weeks post surgery. He is really depressed and exhausted all the time. He hasn’t felt good since the surgery. Please if anyone has experienced this or has any advice please let me know. His doctor has prescribed an anti depressant but he had a reaction to it. Please any advice?
I think depression is normall after being sick. Then having surgery where you can’t eat and you don’t sleep the pain is intense and you take pain Meds on an empty stomach. All your sick and vacation time is gone and your exaughsted doing the best you can to get through each day. I am on day 25 post op for tonsils and adenoids. I go to work and come home and go to bed. Not much energy.
My recomendations after going through this.
1. Stock up on jello, pudding (not chocolate it burned my throat) apples sauce, shaved ice. I lived on ice. Mashed potatoes, gravy and broth. This was what I ate for 18 days.
2. Necessary medicine prescribed by doctor. Zofrain(anti nausea med) liquid pain med I had Tylenol with codine. I had to ask the doctor for something stronger on day six. Steroids and antibiotics for five days all liquid form. I also got lollipops with prescription numbing medicine. Also buy childrens livid ibuprofen.
3. Take your medicine every three hours set and alarm. Rotate narcotic and then ibuprofen every three hours. Don’t miss a dose!
4. Sleeping to long you will get dried out and the pain is really bad. I loved my ice chips.
Having my tonsils out was awful. Living with infections was worse and I would do it again.
I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety last year and had my tonsils out yesterday….I’m still in hospital ATM and the pain is there but isn’t too bad ATM…can’t drink water but ice is AMAZING and I managed to get some custard and jelly down and some of a chicken sandwich….before the surgery I had fasted for 12 hours so I am sooooo hungry but your throat doesn’t really let you eat what you want :p I started having a down turn last night since I was alone in hospital but I tried to get some sleep, having a good support system is crucial for anyone with depression going through this I have my mum to look after me and that is making me feel heaps better inside good luck with it
I’m really sorry for what I heard about your son I had a surgery 14 days ago I still have a lots of pain I feel I’m going to die I take daily more than 7 tablets pain killers but I still don’t feel good .
Wow. Day 17 and I still feel like crap, especially if I try to “do something”! As in, anything! I agree with Diane- it’s so nice and airy back there, although I’ve been told I still snore ( you can’t win them all)! SO GLAD I was able to take 3 weeks plus some teacher workdays and a weekend- total of 26 days off. I’m a first grade teacher, so imagine my face when the doctor said 2 weeks off and 2 weeks light duty…”excuse me? Define light duty for my job?!” I basically looked at her like she was crazy, left the office with my pre-op packet, and called back thirty minutes later to move my surgery back a week and keep the same return date. Thank you, Lord, for giving me the extra push to do that!!! Luckily I had enough sick days to cover thus plus some.
My public service announcement to all I meet is this: if your child’s doctor says they need their tonsils out–DO IT! Don’t make them go through what adults go through!
On another note- my ears are still achy. Anyone try anything besides oil in there? Earache drops? Anything? The oil is good and soothes, but doesn’t manage the pain so well anymore. Diane- thanks for letting me know not to expect much different at three weeks, lol! Happy recovery! Maybe by thanksgiving or Christmas we’ll feel “normal-er”?!
I am so glad that you had taken that extra time off!!! Ok, day 22 SO much better!!! The scabs are gone I am told (I still have not looked back there!) I can eat whatever I want and my ears no longer hurt. I am still a bit tired but it is because I have gone 3 weeks without working and my sleep pattern is a disaster.
I seriously could not have made it through had it not been for the support on here and for Greg creating this! THANK YOU a thousand times over!
Angel, as for the ear pain, I tried a cold compress that seemed to help me a bit more than a warm one. I had to cover my head when I went outside up til this point. I have never been this sensitive!!! I agree with your advice. Both my kids had theirs out. One was 5 at the time and my other was 19. Even the 19 yo bounced back within a week. I was told from my teens I needed them out but noooooooooo!! Please people learn this lesson!!!
Here are to much happier and healthier days ahead!!
It isn’t all bad…I can eat “normal” food now, as long as it doesn’t require lots of chewing or sharp, scratchy foods. My jaw and throat muscles are still aching after a something as simple as chicken tenders, but slow and steady, and I can knock ‘me out. Really cold water still sends a shock wave through my entire body and I literally have to shake it off. Guess some of those last few scabs have come off, maybe?
I bought some Hyland’s earache drops and they have helped a little with the pain in my ears. I wish I would have known about the seriousness of the ear pain before my surgery so I could have been a little more mentally prepared! Hey, everyone, expect your ears to feel like Freddy Krugger or Wolverine or Edward Scissorhands is doing quite a number on your eustachean tubes from about day 5 to who-the-crap-knows-when?! At least day 18 I guess!
I still can’t sleep through the night, for several reasons: ear pain, staying hydrated, and going to pee from all the hydration! In the last two days, my asthma has kept me up coughing thanks to post nasal drip. So I use my inhaler and try to calm down the cough, but you try telling my asthma that the “ick” in my throat is normal and to stop freaking out about it! So then I need a nap around 1-2:00 everyday.
I only have one more week off. I hope I can get my sleep pattern back somewhat close to normal soon!
Report cards and parent-teacher conferences aren’t going to do themselves. I need to bring my A-game on November 3rd!
Thanks so much to Greg for this site! I don’t know what I would have done without it! Diane, too- thanks for your replies to my posts, they have kept me encouraged and going!
I hate that so much of my posts are negative, but I don’t like venting in front of my kids and they are always around! My family already knows how miserable I am so reminding them is pointless! I hope that I will be able to make some positive posts in the best future to help others going through this craptastic journey!
I am now almost 3wks as well. I still get tired and I start work next Monday. Thank goodness I was able to take an extra week off!! I still have a slight scabbing on my right side. I am so done with this! I have been mostly positive through this procedure knowing that it is already worth it since I can now eat dairy and it feels so *airy* back there!! But geez…enough!!! Happy healing
Angel: Are you drinking enough? Maybe you are dehydrated? Your body needs to heal and I know I JUST slept through the night and it has been two weeks. Maybe your throat feels sensitive because of the scabbing and all that. I would still ice your neck and drink LOTS. Are you eating things that are a bit rougher on your throat? If so maybe go back to soup and stuff. Maybe, if it does not hurt your throat try some Gatorade? Are you able to eat at all? Can you try to get some protein somehow? Good luck!
Whew! So get this, after posting about feeling weird, I realized that I had removed the cotton soaked with sweet oil from my ears and replaced it with dry this morning! And all this after posting yesterday on the ear pain page about how much the oil has made a huge difference!
I was literally lightheaded and couldn’t keep my balance and wanted to sleep. After feeling helpless all day, I put fresh oil in my ears, capped with cotton and wham- my equilibrium is back and I’m perky! I feel really stupid after that!
Here I was thinking I was having something weird going on, and all the time, I had just taken away the one thing that was holding me together! Having a teen in our home who suffers from inner ear weakness has really helped me stay in tune to my needs during this recovery! Your inner ear really can screw you up! Take my advice and try the sweet oil as it can apparently really keep you from being in a funk!
So here I am, day 9 post op, and I feel weird. The extreme pain now comes in flashes and I am so exhausted. I feel disoriented and lightheaded. My throat feels more swollen than before, but it know that can’t be right because the scabs have been coming off and it’s pretty clear in there. I can barely keep my eyes open. No bleeding. I wonder if it could be that the prednisone I finished on Wednesday is now gone from my system or because my toddler has been sick and I have been taking care of him more. Anybody else feel different, weird almost on day 9/10?
I want to make sure it isn’t meds side effects or complications or something, at the doc yesterday,, my blood pressure was a tiny bit high they said,d but I had just been venting to my mom in the car…
Diane I think you need to eat, sleep and drink more. Get some help with your toddler, drink lots of water, and consume calories however you can. You will feel lots better in a few days – you are through the worst now.
I agree. Get some help with your toddler. I am 3 weeks post tonsillectomy and still feel exhausted in the afternoon and still have a sore throat and mild ear pain. Additionally I have no appetite and cannot taste anything. They say taste buds can be temporarily compromised. Absolutely awful and lengthy recovery.
Update: I had to go to the ENT today to pick up a refill prescription for Percocet. I am NOT running out if this stuff yet-I am no hero and there is no gold star at the end of this recovery! While on the phone I asked for an appointment to be checked for thrush, since about 3 or 4 days ago, i have had a thick film on my tongue and some of it scraped off with my toothbrush and now my tongue is RAW and dry and hurts to eat and drink… I called about it two days ago, but they said since I had not been on any antibiotics it was unlikely. Unlikely? I’ve been drinking apple juice, eating applesauce, pudding, jello, and Hawaiian rolls all PACKED with SUGAR and thrush is unlikely? Yeah, guess what? I was right- it’s THRUSH! Of course, now it is on the roof of my mouth in little swirls and the yeast is starting to grow toward my palette! As if I don’t already have ENOUGH going on in there! On top of that, my scabs in my “gag reflex” area are starting to dangle and dear goodness, that’ s making me gag and hack, which in turn just hurts!
Here is your laugh at my expense: my doctor prescribed “lozenges” that are to be dissolved on my tongue/ against the roof of my mouth until they completely dissolve, up to 30 minutes if needed. NO WATER OR BEVERAGE DURING THE DISSOLVING! And I am supposed to do this five times a day until the meds are gone! Guess what? It’s a DIME SIZED chalky lozenge who’s only redeeming quality is it tastes sweet. Oh, it’s sooooo gross and I just want some water!!! At least it is keeping me from talking, because I’ve been doing too much of that anyway and paying the painful toll for it. The residue from this thing is impossible to swallow, and yet, that’s what I am going to to have to do to get better! At least they do promote saliva creation and are sweet. Uuugggghhhh!
When all is said and done, I had better be a shining example of great health! When I saw the dr today I did ask how bad my tonsils we’re. Her reply was they were really disgusting, and a lot of gunk that needed to go. I told her despite the pain, I already freely much healthier. Even without sleep, I feel far more rested than I had in several years!
omg I just saw this! you crack me up!!! (sorry!) I feel really bad that you are going through so much of this.
I had my post op apt today. Doc said everything looks good. I am out of work for another week. I asked when the heck I am going to be *normal* with no pain. He said it will be sore for a bit with yawning and sneezing. (ya think!) I am still on semi soft food. I did sleep through the night and when I woke it was not as sore so it does get better hold on!!
Kendra: I totally get what you mean. I am now post op 13 days. I still have throat pain but nothing what it was. I have my follow up tomorrow and I am due to go back to work Monday but highly doubt it will happen since I am on the phone for 8hrs a day. Yesterday I did go out and go grocery shopping, ran some errands and cooked a semi-normal dinner. Fish, veggies and pasta. I never thought I would have missed veggies so much!! When I was out I felt like a zombie. I think because I am off my pain meds for a few days now and I am just exhausted from not sleeping through the night, (last night I finally slept 5 hours in a row!!!!) I keep coughing at night. Did this ever happen to you? Is your throat healed? I still have scabbing unsure if it is normal.
Angel: Superwoman!! I did the same thing I think it was about day 8 or 9? All the sudden I thought I could eat meatloaf and potatoes like a champ. I cleaned the house & did laundry that was until the shooting pain in my ears and throat started. I ended up setting myself back because that night it was horrible!!! All I could do was eat ice chips and ice my head and neck. That was, until, all the sudden I could not handle cold things and only could tolerate luke warm liquids including water. Also, my neighbor had said to me you are STILL recovering? I wanted to poke her eyes out. I am a 44yo female and have two children. Never in my life did I think this would come out of my mouth but by God, it has: I would rather give birth than do this ever again!!! Right now I can a talk a bit more but definitely feel it if I do not stop for a bit.
On a positive note: I am so excited to be able to eat dairy again!!!! To not be embarrassed by bad breath!! To not have to be miserable after work and live off of cough drops and ice! YAY!!! Most of all so thankful to Greg and this forum I would have been lost without it and all the support. Oh and it helped my 75 pound weight loss dropping 6 pounds during this crap
Diane- no my throat is still not healed and I do have scabbing… I had my follow up appointment Tuesday, and the doctor said I was healing well.. So I’m assuming that scabbing at this point is normal
Thanks so much for this site! Sorry I didn’t find it sooner and participate, as it it nice, er, comforting, to commiserate in real time…I am a 33 year old female, elementary school teacher, wife and mom of 3kids- ours, his, and teenage relative. had my surgery on October 8, so I just finished Day 8 and this was by far the day I hit the “brick wall”! Pain, emotional, exhaustion, betrayal, hunger, frustration, helplessness, I have felt it all!
Yesterday I had a super woman moment and thought I could handle accompanying my mom to my 4 year olds well check appointment, story time at the library, and a “real” lunch at Cracker Barrel! DONT DO IT!!! I was fine, other than a sore throat and a little fatigue. I even made it through half my country fried chicken with sawmill gravy, fried okra ( it was mushy), hash brown casserole, and cornbread dressing…I just kept going through the dull, bruised-like pain savoring those tasty flavors until my 4yo said he had to go potty. As I waited on him in the bathroom, I found myself propping up against the wall, shallow breathing, forehead sweating, wishing I had one of my special lollipops to numb it all away. My EARS hurt from chewing! Ooohhh, needless to say, I did it to myself. Got back to the table, asked for a to go box and two cups of sweet tea as I laid my head on the table and my 4yo patted my head and said “nope, mommy.s still not feeling better yet.” Utter defeat.it tasted SO good, too…it sits in the fridge staring at me every time I open the door!
For the rest of the day yesterday and most of today, my throat was so tight and bruised feeling, and my jaw and ear was apparently tired, that all I could down was jello and Lipton noodle soup ( the kind that is mostly broth)! Even swallowing my Percocet cut in halves proved to squeak tears out of my eyes, wrapped in jello!
My advice after trying to overdo it on day 7: REST! You have earned the right to take care of yourself and do it right by all the crap you have dealt with those nasty tonsils over the years! A few more days of soft foods, laying around is going to do you good! Don’t try to be a super hero! I’m going to remind my ENT tomorrow that those were her words of advice as I call to request one more Rx for Percocet. I’m not taking any chances! I’ve been on 2 every 4 hours since coming home, and even still I’ve had severe breakthrough ear pain three times causing me to need ibuprofin.
After all I have been through, I am definitely thankful to this and a couple other sites I’ve found. It has really helped to know I am not alone and others are going through the same things I am! It feels so strange to be fine for a couple days and then spiral downward…you start to look suspicious to loved ones until you hand them the tablet with a post from someone who is going through the same thing on the same recovery day! I really enjoy writing about my experience since I am a nonstop talker and haven’t been doing much of that lately!
Better take this chance to rest as my eyelids are drooping and I’ve been drinking Water like crazy! Good nite all, good rest and hydration to you all! Angel
When I was 16, 26 years ago I had my tonsils removed or at least I thought I had all of them removed. The past couple of years I have been getting horrific flaming sore throats. Then a few months back tonsil stones started forming in the back of my throat, so I went to my ears, nose & throat doctor and it seems there is still tonsil tissue on the left side of my throat, lucky me, so as if the painful experience wasn’t bad enough the first time around I have to go under next week for the procedure & they are telling me it will be just as painful. So what I gather tons of ice water & the one bad thing is my boyfriend I haven’t seen in 6 weeks will be visiting 2 weeks after surgery….
Because of a complication during my surgery; my doctor only did 1 tonsil (the right) and my Adenoids. He wants to wait until I am healed from the first surgery before scheduling the second. The “complication” was excess bleeding due to scarring from repeat sore throats tonsillitis strep. I put off having surgery for probably 20 + years. Then in August my throat felt as if it were closing up. And I went ahead with the surgery.. Plus I have sleep apnea. With just the one tonsil gone my husband says my snoring is almost non existent. I wish I had had the surgery sooner even with how much pain there was. NOW I have to decide If I want the second surgery. I just had one round of antibiotics because of a sore/scratchy red throat last week. My surgery was 9/2/14. I think because of the bleeding my doctor is afraid to try again I probably won’t have a second surgery…what do you guys think …Would you have the second surgery?
Hi DragonLady, that is a hard decision. Honestly, the thought of going through this twice is a rough one. I guess you have to weigh what you are up to putting up with for the rest of your life and will it get better? It is never a bad idea to get a second opinion. Gather all the info talk it over with your docs and your family. You will do what is right for you although super scary I am sure.
Kendra: I am on day 11. Day 1 through 4 Wasn’t so bad I thought. Thanks to this website I was prepared. I drank ALOT of iced water. I took my pain meds on day 1 & 2 and thought I could get off of them and just use my xtra strength Tylenol. That went alright until day 5. Every time you wake up from sleeping drink. Make yourself drink even if it hurts drink.
I became really uncomfortable between day 6 & 7. My ear pain was insane. BUT I knew it was coming so I had my ice packs. It helped me to ice my ears and neck. Took my rx meds. I used my humidifier in the evening and always, always had water next to me. Day 7 & 8 I now could not take ice cold things and needed warm. I drank a lot of decaf tea and throat tamer tea. I made myself have breakfast every day. 2 poached eggs on top of toast. I believe this helped me not get sick from the meds. I started feeling human and wanted OUT.
I still thought and think this is the best decision I could have made even though I am 44yo. I was in agony all the time with my throat. I worked on the phones 8 hrs a day for work and when I came home I could not talk, I had stones so avoided a lot of dairy. I always felt run down. Just keep thinking that this is worth it and it is only 2 weeks out of your life and you are not looking back. I really,really tried to remain positive. Not going to lie, day 6ish I called my mom to come get me crying (that’s the break I guess everyone warns you about) then in the car I was crying again and apologizing lol
Day 10 I still had ear pain but on the other side of my head and became discouraged because it hurt when I tried to eat semi normal. I believe that it may have been my scabbing. I am very queasy so I have yet to look at my throat. My husband says it is coming along great. During this process I had developed a cold. I have constant coughing lingering but I am now wondering if this is due to the junk coming off of my throat. (especially at night) If anyone knows this answer please let me know.
I am impatient and done with this whole process but at the same time realize it has not been two weeks and as of this morning (day 11) I woke with tolerable pain instead of feeling like I was swallowing glass in the morning, I am off my meds except Tylenol, I can almost yawn without hurting and I sneezed and did not want to die! I really do not have a lot of energy but plan on going for a walk in the sun today.
The things I ate: Soup (until day 5 ish then it stung) Italian ice, popsicles, jello, carrots mixed with potatoes all mashed, butternut squash mashed, toast butter and jelly dipped in my tea, yesterday a pumpkin muffin!!! Soft boiled or poached eggs, day 10 chicken in small bites, potatoes and green beans. I learned if you do not take small bites you will be in pain. Do not rush. Listen to your body. I rarely eat meat and I am craving a cheeseburger like nobodys business! I try to wake up and say almost halftway there!! Try to be positive in the end, it is a positive thing.
That’s all the information I have on my end. I really wish the ear pain would cease it does drive me nuts but keep thinking it is not forever! I hope this helps!!!!!
YES!!!!! Thank you Greg!!!!! Every time I have a concern or question my husband says “check the forum’ !! Seriously, this would have been awful had I not found this!!
First I would like to thank everyone who has posted helpful information on this site.. I read this site for months before having my tonsillectomy, 10/6/2014. I expected the worst!!! To my surprise things have not been that bad.. Day 1-3 were a breeze… I ate pretty well and drank plenty of water.. Day 4/5 is when the ear pain started and I haven’t been able to talk much, but all and all the pain level has never been more than a 5 or 6. I’m only on day 6 but I wanted to post my positive experience to help anyone who is on the fence about having surgery..
Hi Kendra, Good for you! From my experience, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. But it WILL GET BETTER. Don’t despair. Keep hydrated, keep taking your meds, and follow the other tips on this website. I’m 1 year out and so glad I had a tonsillectomy (even tho I waited 50 years!).
Danny I’m on day 8. My advice even if it kills is to drink. Ice chips. Just keep hydrated. When I can’t sleep I come here and read. It’s good to know that feeling like this is normal. Hang in there!
Pain coping strategy that helped me was to take my pain meds and drink or eat really really cold stuff soft frozen or almost frozen gatorade Icees before eating any thing that I knew would be hard to eat I (kind of numbed my throat). There were still a couple of days it took me an hour or more to eat or drink anything. You guys will get there…
day 2 man I had no idea and went into this thinking the dangalie thingies were comming out… only to learn after the fact… they were caller uvelias. or something. and there still there.. swollen and tore up from the surgury..cant breath out my nose when i sit back … plus there as no way I can take meds.. had to go with liquid codean..man my spelling sucks…. think i will just go back to bed…
I hope this forum is still active!!! I had my tonsils removed yesterday and all went ok. I came home from took my vicodin and then I encountered what I thought was a UTI. Well, after 24oz of water and NO voiding off to the er I went. They think it was most likely the anesthisa side effect. But this did not happen til about half an hour after I took my pain meds. I am home with a cath bag til tomorrow and now I am nervous wondering if I should just get off the vics and head to the Tylenol. Has this happened to anyone??? Im allergic to asprin and ibuprofen so that is limited. BTW thank you for this page. I am well prepared for almost everything!
i found this website 2 yrs ago. due to scheduling conflicts at work, i just now got my tonsils taken out. im 30 years old, and let me tell ya , IT SUCKS! i never realized i could go so long without wanting or needing food! scrambled eggs with milk and a little mac and cheese is all that saves me. even pudding and ice cream hurt. honestly, i did expect a lot worse that this… but its still really crappy. today is day 7 and im really hoping i live long enough to eat normal human food again! good luck to those of u who r having this done. man, i hope i breathe better once i heal up! better b worth it. my ent said one tonsil was as big as her palm, so its gotta b better.
Danny it does. Drinking Ice water Italian Icees found in the popsicle section of grocery store rest movies on TV pain meds right before eating or drinking. Taking pain meds round the clock and writing down when you take them. Pretty much what these pages/posts say. Everyone it does get better.
I am a 21 year old female due to have my tonsils and adenoids out on Tuesday. My ent insists that I have the cold steel method and I was wondering about the recovery for this specific type of removal as there are not many stories specifying what type of removal. I am terrified for the recovery as I have a super high tolerance to pain medication. After informing my ent of this he said he was going to give me a norco pain patch as well as Vicodin (which has never worked in the past) and a norco anti inflammatory. If anyone had some insight on this I would be more than happy to hear as I am terrified for what’s to come. I and supposed to move into my apartment at college only a week after the procedure.
Sloan – you are young and should recover relatively quickly, but change your college apartment plans! You will NOT be fit enough to move into your apartment within a week. Take this pressure off yourself BEFORE your surgery and give yourself a few more days to rest and recover. Good luck!
unfortunately I don’t have the option to change it kim ;( but luckily i have great friends and family that are doing all the moving for me. all i have to do is drive there. i already packed everything so it is all ready to be loaded up.
Im 18 and had my Tonsillectomy 4 days ago via coblation. I don’t want to sound like a wimp as I’m sure there are plenty of people recovering who feel a lot worse than me and I know its only day 4. However, Im feeling really depressed, I hate nothing more than mooching around the house all day/all night and my friends don’t seem to understand the severity of the operation and the recovery as they are asking me to come out and join them at the pub most evenings. In addition to all this I start my first year of university in a little over a week, will I feel normal by then? I know that I still need to take care of myself and that freshers week is probably off the cards. But will the ear ache stop and will I be able to eat by then. HELP PLEASE! I want my tonsils back!!!
I’m 27 years old and had both my tonsils and adenoids removed due to tonsil stones. Although my primary care physician said and I quote “I’ve seen worse” (implying he didnt think I should do it), my ENT specializes in this sort of thing and he felt it would be a wise choice. I knew it had to be done when he said it could get worse as I got older. So I had my tonsils and adenoids removed 10 days ago. Day 1 was alright cause I didn’t get any nausea from the anesthesia. Not saying it wasn’t painful to swallow, but no nausea is a big help! So Days 2-5 was painful but hydrocodone helped with that. I also found using an ice pack, and crushing my meds( mixed with cranberry juice to reduce chalky taste) to be helpful. Oh and I ended up taking medication to prevent nausea because of the side effects from the hydrocodone. Being stuck in the house all day was making me feel worse so I took short walks after day 4. I was waking up every 15-30 minutes to drink water or suck on ice chips. I also took hot showers because the humidity would help ease the pain. Sleeping on a recliner was the best thing I could’ve done ; every time I would lay flat, I’d swear I was swallowing my uvula, my tongue, my teeth, you name it! I just couldn’t breathe! It wasn’t until day 5 that I could actually eat, even though I still couldn’t enjoy the food. I ate boiled eggs, jello, pudding, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese. I even tried the soft part of bread. Yes, I ate. But it was a VERY limited amount of food. There’s only so much pain a person could handle. Days 6 and 7 the pain was a little bit more tolerable and I slept more through the night despite some ear pain ( mine wasn’t as bad as some people mentioned) . Sometimes eating cold food or drinking cold fluids would sting my throat, which made me think the scabs were starting to come off but I’m not sure. Anything with sugar, acid, or salt was pretty painful so try avoiding those types of foods. Day 8 was by far the worst for me. I was still taking my medications and could hardly eat because everything stung my throat so I became extremely fatigued and nauseated. I even lost color to my face! I decided to try a humidifier that night and I think it was pretty helpful. I continued to walk after meals to help with the nausea from the medications and drank Gatorade for hydration but the nausea was BAD. I almost took myself to the hospital because of it. Later on day 9, I went a few hours without any pain So I ate an ice cream Sunday thinking my throat would handle it, but boy was I wrong. It gave me lots of sharp pains and I woke up with phlem that was almost impossible to get rid of the next day. Day 8 was actually when I starting gagging because I could feel the scabs hanging in the back of my throat. I spit up some of them with some phlem. YUCK. I thought the bad part was over but gagging because of the scabs was just it for me. If I would’ve known I would’ve been nauseous most of the time and getting gagged by scabs, I may have thought more about taking this surgery! Anyway, the ENT put me on steroids to help the swelling and I guess to make it heal faster.
Today, I ran out of anti nausea pills so I took one of my moms reglan pills after confirming with the ENT , and it felt like a bomb was dropped in my stomach. It was another BAD IDEA. The Good news is that I made it to my appointment regardless of my stomach issues and was told by my ENT that everything was going great, and I could eat anything I want except for any sharp foods that could scratch my throat , like chips. The bad news is that he told me I have one more week to get gagged by scabs! Ughh. Good luck to everyone who is taking this surgery or is going through it. I hope it’s all worth it.
Writing about my 19 year old daughter. Today is Day 5 (with tonsillectomy on Day1). Her pain meds, percocet, are making her nauseous, sleepy, itchy, dizzy, and causing her to have absolutely no appetite. She tried taking only extra strength tylenol yesterday, but the pain became too intense. We have a script for hydrocodone-acetaminophen 7.5-325 that the ENT gave her during the week before her procedure. She wants to switch from percocet to the hydrocodone to see if she tolerates it better. What do you think? Is it okay to keep switching it up until she finds an acceptable balance between pain management and side effects?
Hi..I’m a 57 yo male and had a tonsillectomy on November 5th. Today was my first day out. Unfortunately I was the lucky statistic that hemorrhages 1 hour after the operation. I really thought I was dying. Back into the OR more cauterizing and stitches. Due to the swelling and heavy bleeding I was given a traecheostomy and an inflatable Balloon inserted into my neck blocking my windpipe so I wouldn’t aspirate blood. I wound up in the hospital for 3 days and was given morphine for the pain. I’m not trying to scare anyone..but it was the worst pain I’ve ever experienced. The traech balloon was removed on day 15 and I’m feeling much better. My tips would be..get at least 2 solid opinions that you need them removed.
Plan on a minimum of a 2 week recovery. Drink small sips of water as much as posdible. I also used a water spray bottle with ice water alot. I also liked Pedialite ice pops for some electrolytes. I did not eat anything gor 1 full week..just liquids…and thankfully had an IV for the first 3 days. Suggest spouse sleep in separate room if at all possible cause nights are rough. I honestly would have to say if I knew before what I know own now..I would not have had the procedure.
Charlie- Oh my goodness! How terrifying that must have been. I’m glad you’re ok. Thank you for sharing your story. Take care
The Narcotic meds will plug you up and make you miserable. Drink lots of fluids and the stool softer should help. Pain will increase. Take the Pain meds as ordered. I hate to say the worst is yet to come but you will get through it. We all did.
Day 2 after day of surgery. Pain highest yet of 5-6. Had to ice throat a couple times. Talking is difficult (so is not talking, I love to talk). Very constipated ( I tried to squeeze off a bowel movement—NOT RECOMMENDED. I’m lucky the straining didn’t cause a bleed. If you think “hey, I can push without straining”, you can’t do it when you’re plugged up. I’m getting someone to get me some stool softeners tomorrow). I’m also burping a lot– didn’t think I swallowed much air but I must have. Sometimes it hurts to belch.
Wish I would have bought a wedge. Wasn’t sure what to look for, so I bought 3 body pillows. Those, along with more pillows and blankets should be enough to prop me up. I’ll find out once I come home. I hope the cat doesn’t barf on them in the meantime : ). I didn’t get a humidifier, but I’m stocked up on popsicles, powerade & gatorade, cheapy mac n cheese, instant mashed potatoes and eggs. Oh, and I have a good bit of honey…I’ll eat that, too. I have ice packs in the freeze.
Surgery today. Almost 4:30 am and I’m wide awake–I’m scared. I’ll be leaving for the hospital in about four hours. I don’t like going under (who does? It terrifies me, even though I know if I don’t wake up I won’t know it anyhow, but rational thinking doesn’t help take away the anxiety) and I’m afraid of the bleeding risk. I’ll be staying overnight so that they can monitor my oxygen levels (ent thinks I might have obstructive sleep apnea–these things are large enough to cause a problem and removing them will also get rid of my recurring tonsil stones). I’m hoping I’ll be happy with the results. I’m hoping to sleep better, have more energy and have fresh breath when this is all done and I’m healed up. Good luck to everyone going through the same, especially as an adult. I wish someone would have taken these things out when I was a kid, but I didn’t get infections. They’ve been huge as long as I can remember. Besides the likely worse recovery, I’ll have to worry about adult things like money. Oh well, it’s getting taken care of now. Better late than never. Take care, everyone! You aren’t alone.
My husband is having his tonsils out this week. He cant take the recommended amount of time off of work. He has a VERY high pain tolerance. Has anyone had there tonsils out as an adult and had it be relatively easy?
My name is Elly and I’m 23 years old from Canada. I have lived with substantially enlarged tonsils for my entire life – think…a good sized cherry, each tonsil. I had my adenoids removed when I was in the first grade and was qualified to have my tonsils removed at the same time. Unfortunately, they did not remove my tonsils and to this day we don’t know why. Over my life I’ve dealt with recurring throat infections of every kind you can imagine. When I caught mono, my tonsils swelled large enough to close my throat to the point at which I couldn’t eat, drink or take pain medication (or breathe through my mouth). This lasted over a month. At my present time typing this I am getting ready to visit the doctor for antibiotics for what I believe is my 4th tonsillitis infection this year, possibly more but really who’s counting anymore. I also suffer from severe tonsil stones and difficulty sleeping.
In my appointment today I am going to request again to look at the option of having my tonsils removed. I have been turned down 3 times already as doctors in my area seem to be of the opinion that tonsillectomy’s do more harm than good and are no longer necessary. I have been told that the benefits of having them removed do not justify the risks involved. In one specialist appointment where I was trying to leverage the difficulties I experience with tonsil stones, he examined my tonsils and told me “I don’t see any crypts – it can’t be that bad.” Let me tell you, any layman can see that not only do my tonsils have crypts, they are so large they have HOLES, no matter how hard I work on maintaining my oral hygiene I can’t avoid the crypts filling because they are so large.
As soon as I start seeing the infection on my tonsils, which is usually before the pain starts, I get depressed because I know what it is coming and I feel so helpless so difficult to get a surgery that could feasibly change my life for the better. I have an adverse reaction to the amoxicillin for the tonsillitis, for which I have to take further antibiotics, so in all every time I get sick I am on antibiotics for almost a month. I get sick so often, that means I’m on antibiotics for almost half of the year. I don’t understand how this is viewed as a better alternative to surgery.
I guess my question is, has anyone else had this hard of a time trying to convince a doctor to remove their tonsils and if so, what did you do? Did you end up getting it? How? I just can’t live like this anymore. If I was qualified to have them out when I was younger, why not now? Especially after the last 15+ years of complications!
Thank you,
Elly
Go to ENT and be there as a cash patient. It cost less than $2000. Have all lab work under your regular insurance. See your primary care physician to order all lab work. This will save you some.
My ENT is very good and this is very routine to him. He is out of the network and so I went there as a cash patient. He has his own clinic complete with operating room and recovery room and close to a big hospital few hundred feet away. I live in Southern California.
Just like you under my HMO insurance, They were just giving the run around.
I don’t know if this is something you can do in Canada because we don’t have private healthcare. I haven’t heard of anyone trying this. Everything goes through your GP. I am switching GP’s…maybe I will bring this up.
Just had tonsillectomy on the 23rd, so today is my 7th day. The pain is reasonably tolerable compared to what it’s been for the last 6 days. Nights are the worst, I would wake up crying in pain. No amount of water helped at night because even a short 30 minute nap dried my throat out so much it felt like I was swallowing acid. I would set my alarm for every 2 hours days 2-6 to wake up, drink water, get a fresh ice pack. That helped. I usually always woke up before the alarm in pain. I’m telling you people, get a million ice packs. Seriously. Stock your freezer. I can’t tell you how much they helped me. They helped with the debilitating ear pain, throat pain, sore neck, sore jaw, everything. There’s nothing worse than having to wait for one to re-freeze, so buy a ton!
Make sure you invest in ear plugs too. Something about the pressure being put on my ears relieved the pain dramatically. When I knew I had to swallow, but it hurt very bad too, I would plug my ears and it helped to dull the pain.
If you think you’re going to sit back, read a couple books, catch up on a few seasons of your favorite tv shows, you are mistaken! The pain meds make you so drowsy and unable to concentrate I can hardly get through an episode without passing out.
I have absolutely zero appetite whatsoever. The first two days, I ate Mac and cheese and instant potatoes without too much fuss. Now, the smell of them is nauseating, along with pretty much everything else. Fruit smoothies burn, pudding is too thick, everything tastes just a little off. I haven’t eaten much of anything in the past few days, and if I force myself to have a cup of smoothie or anything else I usually end up extremely nauseous for a couple hours until it’s time to vomit and get it out of there. Most of the goods I bought pre-op I haven’t even touched; artificially flavored cheap-o Popsicles are about the only thing I can choke down besides water and some very soft bread with lots of butter.
At times, I felt like I was an idiot for having the surgery. I couldn’t even swallow my spit for the first 6 days without writhing in pain! I broke down to my boyfriend multiple times in a crumpled sobbing mess on the floor. But people, IT GETS BETTER. IT IS WORTH IT. I’m only on day 7 and I finally have enough energy to write this without falling asleep halfway through.
When you feel like you can’t take it anymore, you can! Grab an ice pack, ice water, your ear plugs and pain medicine and let yourself heal! It sucks. It is terribly painful, but I know never having to deal with strep, tonsillitis, pharyngitis or tonsil stones again is going to be so incredibly worth it.
Thank you so much for making this website and letting us share our stories and read others! It got me through so many painful nights knowing someone else felt like this and lived!
Hi Molly,
I read a lot about tonsillectomies before I had mine done and it’s fair to say it really freaked me out. I had them removed 3 days ago and nothing could’ve prepared me for the absolute agony I’m in. As you said, so much so I really regret having them removed at this moment in time. I break down at least 4 times a day because the pain is so bad and no amount of pain killers seems to numb it.
I’ve tried everything. Ice cold water, ice pops, ice cubes, ice packs, yogurts etc. But I can’t even swallow water at the moment.
Your post has made me feel a bit better in that I’m praying this doesn’t last for much longer.
Is there anything else you would recommend to do post-op to make it as painless as possible?
Keri-Anne – day 5 is often about the worst, so focus on getting to day 6 and beyond. it WILL get better soon. Try a hot water bottle to relax the tension in your throat – this helped me in days 10+ but might be worth trying now. And try to distract yourself with films or TV. Melting crushed ice in your mouth is probably the best way to get some hydration and numb the pain (also to provide some numbing before you swallow pain meds) Good luck!
I’m on my 12th day of recovery and I’m feeling much better. Your wound is not fully heal so I would recommend drinking cold! Cold is your best friend and if you decide to eat soup recommend warm NOT HOT. Until you’re fully recovered. I would say 3 weeks to play safe but do small amount as you go. The worst pain for me is 4-6 day and 10th day. The pain medication help and yes, it does cause our body to feel drowsy, dizzy and weak. The pain does increase at night, I’ll take my pain medication and then my lollipop to help it numb quick. Do move around a Lottie bit once in awhile to keep your body flowing. I would stand for 30 minutes or sit outside it get some fresh air then go back to bed. I wouldn’t recommend going anywhere to the car and if you do, somewhere close by. I’ll get car sick and my body wouldn’t feel so good due to the medication. Good luck on your recovery
Sara, I am 34 yrs old and I had my tonsillectomy last Nov. I fought with strep 4-6 times a year. I will tell you that things are different for me not having them. I haven’t been sick since. It has done me well. It is a horrible 2 weeks but if I’d known the pleasure from it I would of done it years ago. I am very happy so far that they are out. I dealt with strep constantly my whole life and it is amazing not to have it. I know your son is young and it’s a hard decision for you to make, but it has been a miracle for me so far. Hope this helps a little, but just consult your ENT and hope you make the right decision. Good luck to you and your son!
Gary, thank you very much for your feedback. Much appreciated. I feel it’s best to have them removed for my son. Thank you.
Hello everyone. My 11 year old son is needing a tonsillectomy and I’m so scared and nervous. I’m reading everyones comments and I wolud just like to know if the outcome is worth it all? He is constantly having sore throats, tonsillitis and currently he has strep right now. I just want him to no longer have to deal with this ongoing pain. Thank you for your feedback.
I am 49 and had my tonsils removed 11 days ago. Please have your 11 yr olds tonsils removed ! Healing for him is so quick and I promise you he will not have to go though what I am going through at this very moment. The younger they are removed the easier they recove . This had been the most painful 11 days of my life i kept postponing doing it for years and regret it because it ended up being life threatening for me because they were so enlarged my airway became blocked. I’ve had all of my children’s tonsils out and they have no problems and they were back at it next day. So I would almost beg every parent if your child has had strep at all. Get them out !
I got my tonsils taken out on April 1st 2k15. (Yes a scary day to get a surgery) I got my surgery and got some ice cream and left about 3 hours after arriving. The first three days where great except for the fact that I couldn’t eat much! Then came day 4….. And the ear pain. I had ever been in so much pain. On day 5 I spit into a bottle and blood began gushing out of my mouth. I blacked out for a few minutes but was able to wake up and get my brother who was down stairs. My brother began to panic so he called my dad and he came home from work as quick as he could. Fortunately my bleeding stopped and I did not have to get them cauterized. I was all good after that but every single day was just a days of drinking lots and lots of water telling myself that i WOULD NOT have another bleed. Good news is i did not and I recovers faster than normal after two weeks. My doctor was thoroughly impressed and said he has ever seen such a quick recover. So all and all it could have been worse. Btw I am 13
Mine were so badly scarred they could only do the left side. The right bled to much the surgeon wouldn’t do it…Same horrible pain. It’s been a year since my Surgery. I am sorry I waited so long.
I go on Monday the 21st, I am 57 years old. I had tonsils taken out as a young child. They did not remove enough tissue and the tissue continues to grow! I bought a bed wedge at a 45 degree angle (supposed to help with bleeding) a humidifier, u-shaped travel pillow, soft ice packs. Tomorrow going to grocery store regarding food. I pray I will have enough pain meds! I am such a big baby regarding pain!
ok Debbie- your prep sounds good. hunker down and get ready for a teb day tunnel. When you emerge, life will be better!! We’ll be here for you!!
I am reading this site and taking notes! I met with the Doctor last week and he recommended I have a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy..I told him I will think it over. I am going to speak to him tomorrow and thanks to this site I have a list of great questions to have answered. I’m going to schedule the surgery for 2 weeks from now and I am happy with my decision. Thank you EVERYONE for your insite and comments they really make me feel prepared going into surgery.
I am 33 years old female. I had my tonsillectomy two days ago. I agree. First two days were easy and I could eat mashed potatoes with tilapia purée or mashed beans with mashed avocado (tonsillectomy style burrito). Today was hell. I made the mistake of not buying a humidifier and used the air conditioner last night because it was very hot and the dry throat is killing me. I also feel my neck very stiff and hurting today. Please buy one small humidifier and drink water every hour. In my case I am only taking children ibuprofen mixed with chopped ice because I am afraid of narcotics adicction and because they give me tachycardia and problems to go to the bathroom… anyway, my recommendation is to eat ice as much as possible. Try to avoid narcotics. I haven’t vomit and my stomach feels normal. I brush my teeth every time I eat because the taste of my mouth is grose! My uvula was badly burned but ice make it easier to breath. I have to sleep in a sitting position because I get very congested and can’t breath otherwise. I keep myself entertained reading comics. What else can I tell you…that’s the 3rd day…
4th day still horrible. Same thing as 3rd day. Ibuprofen makes me cough even though I take it with a lot of crushed ice. I recommend first to chew a lidocaine lozenge and then drink the ibuprofen.
6th day is horrible. Scabs came off and I am bleeding a little. Today I couldn’t eat a thing. Not even water or ice. Terrible terrible pain when I swallow and when the ibuprofen is fading away the ear pain is extreme also, but I don’t really care about that one. I hate that I can’t stop producing saliva and swallowing it ;( it hurts soooo much. According to what I read here, tomorrow will be better and that gives me hope!!
Hi There
I am 34 years old and just had surgery this mirning. So far, I can only stay awake for about an hour before dozing off for a couple. My uvula does feel swollen and it’s tough to swallow. I had some lentil soup as well as an ensure and a popsicle. I am drinking a ton of water, but my throat still hurts towards the back roof are of my mouth. No nausea but they did put an anti nausea medicine on the side of my neck, like a little sticker. I will keep posting as the days go by. Hang in there!
Great to read this! I grew up with tonsillitis a few times a year and now have it at least twice a year as an adult (including as I write!). I’m seriously considering a tonsillectomy but am scared so your post is great for reassurance. Thank you!
I just had mine take out 9 days ago and this website is very helpful, the day by day was almost spot on. I think I am healing a little faster so it might be based on the indiviudal. I helps to have someone there to help take care of you for the first id say 6 to 7 days, I dont know what I would have done with out my mom’s help. From simple task like doing all the dishes and waking me up to make sure I drank every hour or so. Also to make me some food that I could eat. Sounds weird but who has enough energy to waste when your not eating much. Also you don’t want to let your throat dry out.
Make sure you get some ice bags and have plenty of ice you will need it to put your throat.
Hope this helps you make the right decision on getting them taken out or not.
If you need anything or have questions, several of us are here to help!! This place was great for me, thanks Gregg, and helped me greatly through my tonsillectomy. Just let us know and we will try and help.
I had tonsils out and doc removed my uvula as well. I’m 49 and I’m on day 11. I’ve never ever ever experienced this much pain. Not sure if its because the uvula was also removed. Anyone had uvula removed along with tonsils
Getting my tonsils removed next week Thursday, August 20th, 2015 by coblation method. I’m a 35 year old male and absolutely terrified of the pain after reading all these stories. I am getting them removed for chronic tonsil stones.
I had a table saw accident about seven years ago and know what a 10-10 pain level is and am not looking forward to experiencing it again. Negotiated with the doctor for the same narcotic pain management I was on for table saw accident that is 5mg Dilaudid every 4-6 hours and 10/325 Norco every two hours, Phenergan suppositories for nausea. Then adding 10mg predizone, and those numbing lollipops on recommendation of others.
Anyone on here have a similar pain management regime?
Hoping to find someone else going through this procedure around the same period to share this potentially horrible experience.
hi Curtis – I also had my tonsils removed due to tonsil stones and am so glad I did (a year on!)
The recovery is truly not nice, but you are unlikely to have 10/10 pain, especially with all those pain meds. Stock up on ice and ice packs, soft food, plus some box sets/books for distraction. And don’t plan to do anything but recover for a couple of weeks.
wishing you a speedy recovery!
Hey Kate and thank you for the reply. Here it is almost Monday and the count down begins for this Thursday.
Just signed all the release papers…
My other major concern is being able to get the pills down. I was incorrect on the dilaudid dosage, it is 4mg not 5mg every 4-6/h and Norco 10/325 every 2-4. Dr. Says they can be crushed up in apple sauce or pudding. But if you can’t swallow on day six then what?
My schedule is cleared for 16 days from work with my clients.
Will those numbing lollipops make swallowing possible to get food and meds down? Preferably in that order?
I’m sleeping in a recliner with two humidifiers next to me.
Why do people prefer the vanillia instead of chocolate ensure? Does one burn more?
Well i am British so most of what you have written about meds and food doesn’t mean anything to me!
I do suggest that you time your eating for shortly after your pain medication doses, when you have the best chance of swallowing anything.
And also try sucking on ice chips to numb your throat before forcing the medication down
Stock up on soup! I found chocolate of any type burned
And I found mouthwash useful when the thought of trying to clean my teeth was tough (due to all the swelling in my mouth) – swilling it around the front part of my mouth and teeth, but avoiding my throat, made me feel a little better about life.
It sounds like you are well prepared organisation-wise. Now you need to focus on relaxing a little and just getting through it. It’s not as bad for some people as others (I did find it fairly gruesome!). But you will get through it and then NO MORE TONSIL STONES!! Focus on that!
Hi there,
I am getting my tonsils out on 26th August 2015. I’m 30 and also quite nervous about what to expect!
Would be good to chat I think!
Hey Mary, would love to
Chat. I go in Tomorrow at 6:30a so I will keep you posted!
-Curtis
Ps… I do not do well with pain but the ENT I have is amazing and the pain management is second to none that we negotiated. My biggest recommendation is to tell them what you want to be on. What he was going to prescribe would not have worked for me.
Good luck!
Aug 20th, 10:41a: (Sorry for long post, this outlines from yesterdays Tonsiectomy to the following morning)
Please forgive any typos, still have a ton of drugs in me. To be clear, I am the biggest pansy when it comes to pain.
So much so, when they were hooking me up to the IV I almost decided not to go through with my tonsillectomy. The wife and the sedative they gave me helped sway my decision.
The reason: I had a table saw accident several years ago and knew what 10-10 pain is. If you are anything like me, you researched the sh!t out of this procedure and are now terrified because almost 98% of the accounts of this surgery are horrible stories.
I am journaling my experience for those like me that are spending 100’s of hours reading and prepping. Hopefully, this will help you.
Just had a coblation tonsillectomy at 7:30a Thursday August 20, 2015, for chronic tonsil stones. ENT told my wife he could not believe they were not removed as a child because of the scarring on them from multiple sicknesses.
I am a 35-year-old male and live in the USA. Just got back home now several minutes ago from outpatient surgery and wanted to start this right away while it is fresh in my mind. This must be the “honeymoon phase” since I am in very little pain. Maybe a 1-2 out of 10.
Ate jello and now about to eat Kraft mac and cheese since I hear when the anesthesia the stuff wears off, it is bad.
I am prescribed 1-2 Dilaudid 4mg every 4-6 and Norco 10/325 every 2-4 hours. Phenergan suppositories for nausea, tetracaine numbing lollipops, the tonsil fire extinguisher, and a stool softener. ENT talked me out of the steroids since he said it prolongs healing but I really want them, all I need to do is call and ask.
Drinking a TON of water right now to keep hydrated. Took two soft ice packs you can get in the camping section of Walmart and put them in a sock to wrap around my neck. Will keep you posted.
Aug. 20th 5:30p.
So pain is at about a 2-3 out of 10. Not terrible at all. I am at 64oz of water in a Nalgene bottle that has a neoprene cover on it to keep it cold. Resting in a recliner watching TV. Have two TV stands next to the recliner with a humidifier on each one, tv remote, etc.
Ate jello, which went down great then ate Kraft Mac and cheese again, and a protein shake.
Wife made me mini Gatorade ice cubes and strawberry ensure ice cubes.
ICE, ICE, ICE and WATER, WATER, WATER is a must! Was able to take a few cat naps about 30 minutes a piece. Making sure I stay hydrated.
My sister is a surgical nurse for an ENT and stressed the importance of ICE and Hydration. I have had an ice pack around my next the entire time.
Not too much more to report. Oh, buy one of those travel neck pillows.
Aug. 21st 2 am
Ladies and Gentlemen, please put your seat trays and seat backs into upright and locked position because we are in for a bumpy ride. Boy am I glad I got that food down earlier.
Took my last pain meds yesterday night around 10:30p and fell right to sleep. I set an alarm for 1:30a to make sure I drank more H2O and took more pain meds. Well, no alarm clock needed. I woke up with a solid 7-8 out of ten pain level at exactly 1:19a. Feels like the left tonsil scab is wanting to peel (which it does not appear to by flashlight inspection) and like the worse case of strep throat I ever had.
I forgot to mention from when I woke up in recovery and to now I have not talked, but two words to make sure the vocals still worked. Been using a dry erase board or texting from my computer and phone to communicate with the wife. From several other peoples stories they said talking tends to make you pay for it later.
On top of that, I also forgot to mention I am on three different blood pressure medicines and Prilosec as well for acid reflux that my GP, who referred me to the ENT said I must stay on. That is an additional four pills a day that must go down each morning.
From up until now I was rotating from one Norco 10/325 to one 4mg Dilaudid every three hours. The pain I just work up in, I just took one of each and a Phenergan to keep the nausea down. I also drank another 16oz of water, had apple sauce, and made another protein shake.
It is not my intention to scare anyone away. I did mention earlier I am the world’s biggest pansy when it comes to pain, I just want to share an accurate experience of what I am going through as it happens. It has been pretty much on par with other people’s stories.
I am journaling this in pages on my Mac, so I will go ahead and upload it to this forum in case someone else is in or near the same recovery phase as me.
The Phenergan is starting to kick in which makes you sleepy. Thanks for listening and must keep that end goal in mind of NO MORE TONSIL STONES:-)
Hey! What happened to you after the 21st????
I am good jealous that it’s over for you now!!!
My 6th day has been horrible. Is 7th better??
My 14 year-old son had strep @4 times every year from age @5-10. I was told he’d grow out of it. We then went for 3 years with no strep and I thought we had. This past January, strep came back with a vengeance. He had it 3 times in 5 months. The dr said that step occurrence can increase in the teen years. Already on the adult dosage for antibiotics to fight strep, I was worried his strep would become ever more complicated and difficult to cure. I decided it was time for a tonsillectomy. I know there is still a chance for strep, but thought it was a way to at least reduce the occurrence rates. Of course, my hope is that strep will never be his diagnosis again. My son had his tonsils removed 11 days ago. This has been a particularly long and painful ordeal. I sure hope it was worth it.
He has a very high tolerance for pain. He has endured multiple in-office nose cauterizations and an open (compound) arm break requiring 2 surgeries and rods with 3 months of PT. But those were nothing compared to tonsillectomy recovery.
I want to share some of our experiences to help others. I want to make special note that having a humidifier is very helpful. I just got a small inexpensive travel one and that worked well. Ice water and ice chips were also a great source of hydration and pain management. A few soft foods that were not mentioned that were great for us were ripe avocados and baked flounder. We are trying to help him regain the 7 pounds he lost over the past week. I have learned that Wendy’s has frosty’s that are 500+ calories and Cold Spring Creamery has milkshakes that are 1,000. And I didn’t see it mentioned much on these boards, but Ensure is high in protein and calories!!
Day 1 was tough but not awful. He had painkillers in his system. He was nauseous from anesthesia, but never vomited. He started on his Hydrocodone once we got home. No bleeding. Ice chips were all he could tolerate. Gatorade and everything else burned. Artificial ice pops are the best as the fruit based ones also burn. Alternated hydrocodone and Tylenol. Nausea increased.
Day 2 was similar to Day 1
Day 3 the pain intensified and the ear pain was the worst. Nausea increased and he vomited. Tried to get him to eat applesauce etc. so the hydrocodone wouldn’t make him so sick. Didn’t work so I decided to switch to alternating Advil and Tylenol regimen instead of hydrocodone and Tylenol. The Advil worked well. Continued the Advil/Tylenol regime. (I saw some posts on here that dr had prescribed Advil – ibuprophen – so I figured we were out of the woods with the bleeding, so it would probably be ok.) I did that for 2 ½ days. Then he started spitting out blood. Small at first. Then he start puking blood. He was sent to ER and he vomited up a big blood clot as well as some more blood. A pretty scary amount, although I didn’t measure it. One doctor and one nurse yelled at me for giving him the Advil. Another doctor and nurse said it wasn’t the Advil that caused the bleeding. Either way, I was a mess and felt like a stupid idiot for giving him the Advil.
The ENT on call is my least favorite ENT at our practice, in fact, he is my least favorite doctor ever. He loves surgery and his bed-side manner is appalling. He, of course, suggested he cauterize my son – under general anesthesia. When I heard he was the ‘on call’, I knew this would be the case. My son’s bleeding self-limited and for hours he was fine so I wasn’t comfortable with the cauterization. If it was bed-side, I would be, but more general anesthesia for something that the dr was unsure if he really needed, seemed a bit much. If my regular dr would have suggested it, I would have done it, but this other dr is surgery happy and a bit of a quack. I was nervous about my decision, but thought it was the right one. The on call ENT told me that it takes 5 days for Advil to leave the system so my son had to be on a liquid diet for 4 more days. That didn’t make sense to me but I was so grateful we weren’t have surgery, I agreed.
My son was getting weaker and weaker. I knew he needed food to heal. ENSURE!! Of course, why hadn’t I thought of that earlier in the week! He drank it but he needed real food.
Since my regular dr was on vacation, I called the office to schedule an earlier follow up apt because of the hemorrhaging. The woman I spoke with asked me how my son was feeling. I told her how weak he was and about the all liquid diet…..she put me on hold and spoke to another dr in the practice. He said to get him on soft solids stat. She also agreed the Advil hadn’t been his cause of hemorrhaging.
I called Advil customer service and the woman I spoke with looked up the information on how long Advil stays in the system. She said that 70%-90% of Advil is out of the system within 24 hours. If that’s the case then 100% must be gone by 48 hours, right? Dr. Quacks 5 day theory was way off.
We had many low points. He said for the first 3 days that he regretted it. I finally agreed on day 4. Exhausted and discouraged, we cried together.
We are on day 11 and his energy is about 70% and he is beginning to talk a lot more. His voice still sounds muffled, but it doesn’t hurt to talk. Hemorrhaging again is still in the back of my mind, but it’s been 4 days so I’m feeling more confident that it won’t happen. He is eating more – although it’s all still soft. We see our regular dr in 2 days. That will be day 13.
I never thought it would happen, but we made it to the end of the dark tunnel and the light is within reach. Day 10 was a big turning point. Hang in there to all who are going thru this. This too shall pass.
To clarify, The hemorrhaging occurred on day 7.
Hello! what you had to live was horrible, I am so sorry. I decided not to take the vicodin because I read that’s the cause of the vomit and I just couldn’t handle it with the pain and everything. I am on my 6th day and it’s the first day I can’t eat or drink…its terrible. You say you son had the bleeding on the 7th!!! OMG I won’t eat tomorrow either because even drinking water makes me bleed today. Thanks a lot for your informative message. I am sure he is doing great now ?
Day 8. I am pretty sure the scabs have started falling off pieces at a time cause that sharp pain I feel and the mucus that fills my throat I imagine is it. The earache that I was not so warned about has come at full force which I must say has been the worst of this so far. I had strep so often that the painful throat swallowing wasn’t such an issue as this major earache that I am having (and only on the left side) does anyone have advice for me on what to do to ease the pain other than my obvious pain meds? Please.
I am on day 8, too, with ear pain and had found elsewhere on the site that chewing ice or having it melt in your mouth helps, and it does! Also, draping a cold pack, or “ice sock” like they send you home with from the hospital around your neck helps, too. Hope you get relief soon!
I know its over for you now but just in case someone reads this. Yes, for me cold packs were the best. Also, I have been reading a lot about controlling pain with auto hypnosis and relaxation and it really helps or at least I don’t feel desperate. Bye¡
I have found that ear plugs help ease the ear pain pretty dramatically. I think it has something to do with the pressure. I noticed that plugging my ears when I swallow dulls the pain a little as well. Icing around your sides of your neck towards your ears helped me a lot too. That ear pain is killer!
I am currently on day 15 post op from my original surgery, day 8 post op from my second surgery. On day 7, I had very intense bleeding and had to be taken again for cautery. Also, during my second procedure, there was an issue with the cautery, which caused a very large burn on the right medial canthus of my mouth. At this point, pain is about 5/10 on the second surgical site, ears, and burn, but I have been pulling off the pain meds. I want to stop the opioids in general, but am afraid frequent ibuprofen and similar drugs could cause more bleeding. Thankfully, I’m able to take a full two weeks off from work after the second procedure, to try and avoid a third go around, ha!
I’ve found this website incredibly helpful through this endeavor, and even with the complications, I’m so looking forward to not ha
I’ve found this website so helpful!
I’ve been keeping a blog to document my experience and any tips I’ve found useful along the way. Not going to lie, i’ve found it very hard and very painful!
Read more about my journey here:
http://laurastonsillectomyjourney.blogspot.co.uk
Please share, I hope I can help more people with their journey. Thanks!
I am on day five post op, including the day of the surgery. So far I haven’t found the recovery to be horribly painful or traumatic. The worst day so far was yesterday (day four) and that was mainly because I got off schedule with my medicine. My ears have bothered me more than my throat. From what I can tell my scabs have started to dissolve and fall off in some spots. Eating has been relatively normal, but my jaw gets tired after chewing. So far I can’t complain about the recovery, it definitely hasn’t been as bad for me. Hopefully I can continue this positive trend and heal quickly.
Happy healing everyone!
Maria,
I understand what you are saying. I too am a smoker. I smoke about a half pack a day. But when I had my tonsillectomy, I didn’t smoke of course. I didn’t even try to have a cig until all scabs were gone and throat was healed. I know it is hard especially when your used to smoking, but I didn’t want to risk an infection or/and slow down the healing process. If you can stay strong and keep from having one until you are healed, please do so for your own good. If I can do it I believe you can. It is a great opportunity to quit, as it is a bad habit, but I would def wait until your totally healed and no scabs or anything back there. Only you can determine when you might be ready, but this is what I did. I’m not a doctor but I just didn’t want my surgeon to have to go back in my throat for some reason just from smoking. Hope this helps you, if you have anymore questions I might be able to answer let me know. Good luck and stay strong!!
Hello, I had my tonsilectomy done on July 9th, 2015. I am now starting to feel much better. The first few days were pretty brutal..I had horrible ear aches, and my jaw hurt all the time as well..and it would hurt extremely bad everytime i tried to eat…but now im on day 7 and am pretty much back on my normal diet. Im still advoiding soda, and acidic foods. Unfortunately, I am a smoker. I was wondering how soon anyone else started smoking after having the surgery? I havent started back up…and am trying not to..but I’m just curious how long anyone else waited?! Thanks!
Like Stephanie I got my tonsils taken out on July 8th too. I am currently on day 9 and I am so glad its here. I have woken up with a dry sore throat but not nearly as bad as what I went through earlier this week. Luckily, I have had no ear pain at all like the rest of my fellow tonsillectomy peers. But I did experience a weird coughing sensation on day 5-6. This coughing brought up blood and the nasty scabs that were in my throat. It wasn’t painful at the moment but that night was horrible. New tissue was starting to form in the back of my throat and it was very raw. I would drink water or swallow saliva in my mouth and it was unbelievably painful. I lay in my bed crying the whole night. Needless to say I am ready for this to be over with and can’t wait until I can start eating bacon
Day 7 post op: I’m 22 and so far it hasn’t been the worst thing I’ve gone through. It has been bad, nights are much worse. I find that no matter how much water I drink or how many times I wake up to drink water/eat a Popsicle when I wake up mid night it is miserable and takes awhile for the pain to calm down. As far as food goes ive been eating a lot compared to other people. Popsicles, ramen, soup, cheese fries that became soggy, chicken lo mein (7th day), pudding, etc. I stopped taking the pain medicine night 5 and have been rotating through Tylenol and naproxen. One side of the scabs have came off, I didn’t know they came off so must have swallowed them. For everyone going through this, you can make it!!
Hello,
I had my tonsillectomy last Wednesday, July 8th. The first two days were not bad at all, but since then it has gotten worse. My throat and right ear sting everytime I swallow. For some reason it has always been the right side that is painful. I am still on a smoothie diet with chicken broth. Hoping to feel better soon.
Okay listen, stop reading all of these blogs they are just scary. I had my tonsils out on July 2nd, today is July 11th. If I had read all of these “horror stories” of incredible pain and suffering, I never would have had mine out. Which is the reason that I did not in the first place. Here’s how everything happened for me and will most likely happen for you. (If you’re looking for info just on the scabs scroll to the bottom.)
Day of Surgery: This was my first surgery so I was nervous but excited with the knowledge that once these annoying tonsils were gone I would live a much better life. So the surgery was performed and my tonsils were removed. I woke up loopy on drugs and amnesia. (P.s. if you’re scared of surgeries like I was, don’t be, it just makes it worse.) Now at this point I felt nothing at all, this whole night I was fine barely experienced any pain at all.
Day 1 (after surgery): I had slept a lot of the day of the surgery away, so most of it is quite blurry, no real pain. When I woke the day after everything was tight, and a little painful but nothing bad at all. Spent the day laying in bed and HYDRATING. THIS IS CRUCIAL TO A GREAT RECOVERY, DRINK EVERYTHING, WATER WATER WATER, NO SODA. I had a little of trouble swallowing but that is so expected, I didn’t leave my bed except to walk to the bathroom and I always held on to something while I walked because I was still getting off the amnesia and it made me dizzy.
Day 2: Throughout the night I woke up and took a drink of water to lubricate my throat, this sucks when you do it and the pain is usually pretty bad when you wake up but honestly it’s worth it, and you don’t lose that much sleep. Wake up about every three hours, maybe three times the first four nights and then you can back away in the later stages. Again today wasn’t horrible, just DRINK and stay on top of your medication.
Day 3: Woke up with the worst pain yet which was a 7/10, couldn’t eat, no appetite, and barely drank (WHICH MADE EVERYTHING WORSE). I took a pain pill without any food in my stomach and almost immediately had a lot of nausea. I was on the verge of throwing up and this was the most scary part for me because of how painful I thought it might be, luckily it did not happen. I was prescribed nausea medication for if in case it happened again. This by far was my worst day, which is a good worst day to have in my opinion.
Day 4: Again, during the night I woke and drank water per usual. I had slightly less pain, not entirely sure what caused my pain there in the first place but less. Now what you should expect, and this is normal, is pain in your ear and jaw, I’m sure you’ve read about this but it is a strange pain. I read a remedy for this somewhere online and it absolutely works. Rub your ear/jaw with a soft blanket until the pain goes away. Again, I have absolutely no idea why this works but it does. Ride this day out slowley if three was bad and just keep drinking. Also today I noticed my uvula was GIGANTIC, again this is normal but can make things harder to swallow. My suggestion, drink cold water and sluchies to reduce swelling.
Day 5: By this point I was walking around somewhat normally. (REMEMBER: I have not left my house and done any strenuous activity since the surgery. So if you can find a really free time after your surgery make sure to schedule it then because you need to be able to just relax.) Around this day the foods and drinks that I had been eating got very gross and started to lose taste so I got some new ideas, here are what I ate and drank. I highly reccomend doing this as it held me over until I could eat new foods.
Food List:
Applesauce (flavored)
Mashed Potatoes
Gatorade Sluchies, (Freeze gatorade and then put them in the blender.)
WATER haha
Peaches from a little container you buy at the store
Mac and Cheese (REALLY soften this up, this is like a day 4 food)
Ramen Noodle soup, again be careful with how soft it is
AND NOTHING HOT
THAT’S PRACTICALLY IT FOR DAY 1-4, DAY 5 and on below
Quiche
Very soft small pieces of chicken
Pasta, regular pasta.
Cheese quesidilla
Arizona Iced Tea, still staying away from soda
Matza ball soup
and anything else you can swallow will be fine, just take it slow
Day 6: Like I said, ate new foods, very exciting. Today I was talking quite a bit and was fine, your voice still might sound kinda funny, but that should be expected don’t freak out. Nothing too bad was hurting again today, just stayed on top of medication when I needed it and was okay. By now I’m only taking half of one perkaset, not even a full pill.
Practically the rest of the days have been the same, not much pain other than small spikes here and there. Don’t stress about this surgery, yes there is pain, I can’t lie. And sure it MIGHT be the worst pain you’ve experienced but for me, it has not been horrible. Now if you want to know how the scabs falling off for me were keep reading.
Scabs:
So sure they are there, and are unavoidable. Don’t do anything dumb and dig around there, I can only imagine how painful that would be. Just leave it alone and let it run its course.
My scabs are about 3/4 of the way off I would say and it’s not like a scary thing, just kind of weird.
Around day 6 I started noticing them and could slightly feel one piece coming off. Thankfully this was right before I went to sleep and just dozed off, I woke up and I believe that it came off in my sleep. Now, I had the misconception for a little while that they would peel off like regular scabs, however I could not have been more wrong. Most likely, you are just going to cough and they’ll come off. When I cough I just swallow, no pain, nothing, it is absolutely fine when it does.
I won’t lie, it does hurt a bit more when they do come off just because… I don’t know, imagine ripping a regular scab off, it stings and then stops. So don’t be concerned. Some advice though, when they come off, it is like a fresh, open, wound. So drinking acidic things does not feel great. Even water, not great. But don’t stop drinking because of this, keep drinking, it will only help the healing process.
I hope I answered any questions you have, if not just write a message and I’ll do my best to answer it. Good luck! I’m sure everything will be just fine.
Thanks Spencer- It’s always good to hear a positive story
Take care!
Hey
I suffer from bad breath since last year. I went to the ENT yesterday and he told me to do a surgery to remove my tonsils but my problem is I hardly ever get tonsil stones so that wouldn’t be the cause of my bad breath so if I had to remove my tonisils how would that help with my bad breath?
Seems like a pretty invasive option for bad breath. I’d get a second opinion. Good luck to you!
It will defintely help with the horrible taste yes, but be aware that this surgery is no small one. So make sure you are clear on what you’re getting yourself into before you do that. But to answer your question, yes the smell will go away.
Okay listen, stop reading all of these blogs they are just scary. I had my tonsils out on July 2nd, today is July 11th. If I had read all of these “horror stories” of incredible pain and suffering, I never would have had mine out. Which is the reason that I did not in the first place. Here’s how everything happened for me and will most likely happen for you. (If you’re looking for info just on the scabs scroll to the bottom.)
Day of Surgery: This was my first surgery so I was nervous but excited with the knowledge that once these annoying tonsils were gone I would live a much better life. So the surgery was performed and my tonsils were removed. I woke up loopy on drugs and amnesia. (P.s. if you’re scared of surgeries like I was, don’t be, it just makes it worse.) Now at this point I felt nothing at all, this whole night I was fine barely experienced any pain at all.
Day 1 (after surgery): I had slept a lot of the day of the surgery away, so most of it is quite blurry, no real pain. When I woke the day after everything was tight, and a little painful but nothing bad at all. Spent the day laying in bed and HYDRATING. THIS IS CRUCIAL TO A GREAT RECOVERY, DRINK EVERYTHING, WATER WATER WATER, NO SODA. I had a little of trouble swallowing but that is so expected, I didn’t leave my bed except to walk to the bathroom and I always held on to something while I walked because I was still getting off the amnesia and it made me dizzy.
Day 2: Throughout the night I woke up and took a drink of water to lubricate my throat, this sucks when you do it and the pain is usually pretty bad when you wake up but honestly it’s worth it, and you don’t lose that much sleep. Wake up about every three hours, maybe three times the first four nights and then you can back away in the later stages. Again today wasn’t horrible, just DRINK and stay on top of your medication.
Day 3: Woke up with the worst pain yet which was a 7/10, couldn’t eat, no appetite, and barely drank (WHICH MADE EVERYTHING WORSE). I took a pain pill without any food in my stomach and almost immediately had a lot of nausea. I was on the verge of throwing up and this was the most scary part for me because of how painful I thought it might be, luckily it did not happen. I was prescribed nausea medication for if in case it happened again. This by far was my worst day, which is a good worst day to have in my opinion.
Day 4: Again, during the night I woke and drank water per usual. I had slightly less pain, not entirely sure what caused my pain there in the first place but less. Now what you should expect, and this is normal, is pain in your ear and jaw, I’m sure you’ve read about this but it is a strange pain. I read a remedy for this somewhere online and it absolutely works. Rub your ear/jaw with a soft blanket until the pain goes away. Again, I have absolutely no idea why this works but it does. Ride this day out slowley if three was bad and just keep drinking. Also today I noticed my uvula was GIGANTIC, again this is normal but can make things harder to swallow. My suggestion, drink cold water and sluchies to reduce swelling.
Day 5: By this point I was walking around somewhat normally. (REMEMBER: I have not left my house and done any strenuous activity since the surgery. So if you can find a really free time after your surgery make sure to schedule it then because you need to be able to just relax.) Around this day the foods and drinks that I had been eating got very gross and started to lose taste so I got some new ideas, here are what I ate and drank. I highly reccomend doing this as it held me over until I could eat new foods.
Food List:
Applesauce (flavored)
Mashed Potatoes
Gatorade Sluchies, (Freeze gatorade and then put them in the blender.)
WATER haha
Peaches from a little container you buy at the store
Mac and Cheese (REALLY soften this up, this is like a day 4 food)
Ramen Noodle soup, again be careful with how soft it is
AND NOTHING HOT
THAT’S PRACTICALLY IT FOR DAY 1-4, DAY 5 and on below
Quiche
Very soft small pieces of chicken
Pasta, regular pasta.
Cheese quesidilla
Arizona Iced Tea, still staying away from soda
Matza ball soup
and anything else you can swallow will be fine, just take it slow
Day 6: Like I said, ate new foods, very exciting. Today I was talking quite a bit and was fine, your voice still might sound kinda funny, but that should be expected don’t freak out. Nothing too bad was hurting again today, just stayed on top of medication when I needed it and was okay. By now I’m only taking half of one perkaset, not even a full pill.
Practically the rest of the days have been the same, not much pain other than small spikes here and there. Don’t stress about this surgery, yes there is pain, I can’t lie. And sure it MIGHT be the worst pain you’ve experienced but for me, it has not been horrible. Now if you want to know how the scabs falling off for me were keep reading.
Scabs:
So sure they are there, and are unavoidable. Don’t do anything dumb and dig around there, I can only imagine how painful that would be. Just leave it alone and let it run its course.
My scabs are about 3/4 of the way off I would say and it’s not like a scary thing, just kind of weird.
Around day 6 I started noticing them and could slightly feel one piece coming off. Thankfully this was right before I went to sleep and just dozed off, I woke up and I believe that it came off in my sleep. Now, I had the misconception for a little while that they would peel off like regular scabs, however I could not have been more wrong. Most likely, you are just going to cough and they’ll come off. When I cough I just swallow, no pain, nothing, it is absolutely fine when it does.
I won’t lie, it does hurt a bit more when they do come off just because… I don’t know, imagine ripping a regular scab off, it stings and then stops. So don’t be concerned. Some advice though, when they come off, it is like a fresh, open, wound. So drinking acidic things does not feel great. Even water, not great. But don’t stop drinking because of this, keep drinking, it will only help the healing process.
I hope I answered any questions you have, if not just write a message and I’ll do my best to answer it. Good luck! I’m sure everything will be just fine.
I had my tonsils out about 2 years ago and it was the worst pain I have experienced but well worth the agony. However about 7 weeks after the procedure I started having throat pain again. I thought I had strep throat…I went back to my doc and he told me that wasnt my usual problem and dismissed me. Over the course of the last 2 years I have been back to different doctors and was always told they didnt see anything and I was dismissed sometimes with antibotics. I found another ENT who looked and saw nothing.. but asked me if I had ever smoked. I almost said no but said yes I did I had quit 33 years ago. He numbed me up and ran a little tube down my nose and told me I had a large cyst. Basically a tonsil cyst. I do not know if I had before surgery or it developed after the surgery….but anyway had surgery again last week and poof no more throbbing pain. Hope I am through once and for all with the throat problems.
They will close eventually. You are lucky I couldn’t eat or drink for 21 days due to the pain and scabs and stiches. It’s been a little over one year and I just started to be able to drink pop/ soda again. Good luck. Eric
I’m so thankful to read other people’s comments even though it was terrifying to know how much pain I was getting into. I’m 36 and my ENT was baffled why no doctor would let me get them out earlier. (They always gave a vague “It’s a bigger deal for adults,” which I wasn’t buying since 5+ serious throat infections annually seemed like kind of a big deal as well.)
It’s been horrible but I’ve never been more relieved than when I woke up after the surgery and realized my nasty, cryptic, always-infected, tonsil-stone-studded tonsils were gone for good! The first few days were spent in an oxycodone haze with my mom taking care of me; I couldn’t handle any solid foods or thick liquids, since my tongue hurt so much that I couldn’t move it and had to sort of shove the liquid down, though if I did it too forcefully it just went up the back of my nose. Then I got thrush, which hurt surprisingly – my whole tongue stung for a few days, especially the sides, which felt like canker sores. At the same time I stopped being able to tolerate cold, it just hurt everything in my throat so much, though ice packs still helped. By day 11 the scabs on one side started to dissolve; on day 12 I realized that the “scab” on the other side was a collection of mucus with bits of food stuck in it, much like a giant tonsil stone. I dislodged it with a q-tip (that’s probably bad, but it’s got nothing on 30 years of treating tonsil stones) and spit it out. Behind it, the scabs on that side had also been dissolving. Now I can see bits of pink in most of my throat again, and for the first time, skipped a dose of oxycodone (just took acetaminophen)! I can’t even tell you how amazing this feels! One question I still have is whether those spaces where tonsils used to be are going to shrink, or can things collect there? Also, what kinds of things will be on the pathology report? (At this point I’m guessing bubonic plague was probably lurking in those suckers.)
Hey all- I’ve been hit with over 1000 spam comments per day this week! Ugh! Ive added a captcha code requirement for comments. Sorry if this adds hassle but I simply cannot continue to manage the volume of spam. -Greg
Hi I’m on day 5 and pain has been tremendous. My doctor wouldn’t give me anything stronger than Tylenol 3 and I’m about to lose my mind from the pain. Is there anyone also I can call that can help me? It’s torcher.
I definitely almost scared myself out of surgery too! I am a 25 year old professional singer so that made the idea of having someone messing around in my throat even MORE terrifying. Luckily, my doctor at MGH Voice Center is extremely reliable and experienced. Of course, it hasn’t been painless, but even in the midst of the pain, I don’t regret it. No matter the specific reason, it’s totally worth it. I dislike all medical things and hate the idea of anesthesia or surgery, but if I can do it anyone can.
Today is day 7…. After yesterday which I was sure the end of all times .. Is a complete turn around. It’s so amazing what a day could do. It was a little unnerving when I woke up this AM to fresh blood in my cough up non sense. I iced my throat , called the advice nurse and went about my day. My voice still sounds funny , I haven’t taken any pain medication since this AM (I hate that nasty cherry flavor crap) … Motrin has always been a staple for me. Hope all thankful they did this … I know I look forward to starting my life as a newlywed without constantly being sick with strep. Good luck to all !
I am currently on my 5th day of recovery. It has not been as bad as people have said. There are points where i get annoyed with the pain and that I can’t eat. Also the pain meds they gave me are very hard on my stomach and because I have not eaten a real meal since last the Thursday before. When ever i move I feel sick. I am expecting to go back to work on day 8. I will say my experience is not as bad as what people say. As long as you drink plenty of cold water your throat should be fine and heal teh quickest.
I actually had a very positive experience! Before I had the tonsillectomy, I was reading a lot about the horrible recovery and on youtube there were a lot of scary videos too.
So I was expecting quite some pain, but it really turned out okay..
The day itself I hardly felt it (probably because I was on some really good pain meds).
Day 2 and 3 were more painful but still very bearable (I took painmeds every 4 to 6 hours), my pain never went above a 4/10 I think. Those were the only days that talking wasn’t very easy (I could still talk though, I just didn’t that much… From day 4 on talking wasn’t an issue anymore).
Day 4 and 5 the pain in my throat started getting better but my ears starting hurting quite a bit (maybe the most pain I had was a 6/10), but it was okay with the painmeds.
Now I’m on day 10 of the recovery and I haven’t used pain meds since day 7. So I haven’t had any pain since day 7 (not more than an uncomfortable feeling) and I’m honestly doing just fine.
I was quite tired until day 8 though. I don’t know why my recovery was so easy, I think it had to do with the fact that I was prepared for a lot of pain, so the pain I actually got didn’t seem too bad. Next to that I made sure I drank a LOT of water, so that my throat was never dry, and I tried to eat as much as I could (my doctor told me most patients have difficulties because they are generally quite weak and tired because they can’t seem to eat anything). The first four days I tried to eat everything in a more or less “liquid” form, after that I could eat almost everything.
So my advice would be, if you have problems with your tonsils, you should definitely get them out! And to recover well: sleep a lot, drink a lot and eat a lot (to quickly gain back your strength!) !
Florence: how much water would you say you drank? Close to the 64oz a day ideal? Despite the pain it is to swallow, I feel like I’m getting close (maybe 50 or so?) plus some apple sauce and whatnot. My throat only felt dry day 1 (I assume from anesthesia).
I’m here to encourage you! I thought I was dying there for awhile,omg! I’m 59 and had both tonsils out and ear tubes out in. So the excruciating ear pain that everyone feels with the tonsillectomy has been amplified.
Here are some calming, soothing items to consume: besides all the usual Popsicles and jello, there are Haagen Daaz sorbets in wonderful flavors such as raspberry, peach and mango ( my favorite). I use these to help with taking meds. Also, cantaloupe is divine as it is natural, flavorful and slippery. After my first post op visit 6 days post surgery, yesterday, I ordered a huge Starbucks blended (icy) mocha Frapp! Omg! Heavenly. I only ate half and popped the rest in the freezer for a wonderful treat today.
I got thrush! On the walls of my mouth, tongue and I my esophagus. So, I’m having to suck on lozenges type tablets for 30 minutes 4 times a day. The medicine is called Clotrimazole. The doctor couldn’t tell me why it developed. He said I hadn’t done anything wrong.
You notice, as stated in an earlier post,that the doctors are eager to give you all the meds you need? They realize what an excruciatingly painful surgery this is for adults- and the older you are, the harder it is. I am very sensitive to all pain meds and have to use Zofran with narcotics to prevent vomiting. But without narcotics, my doctor said I’d never make it through. Now, on day 7, I can use 1/2 narcotic at night and then Tylenol extra strength the rest of the time. This is controlling the horrific ear and tonsil pain. Sometimes I awake on the verge of tears, but the narcotics back it down. Don’t even consider going to bed without taking your meds or the pain will sneak up on you.
I’m here to encourage you, that it is going to get better. I’m feeling human again and the nurse said most people turn the bend at day 10. I still don’t like talking as it feels raspy and forced, so I avoid talking now. My job entails talking and listening and both are uncomfortable now. Hopefully by the weekend, I’ll be able to do both. If I feel I can, I’ll return to work on Monday, but if not, I’ll delay two more days.
Hang in there fellow tonsillectomy survivors! We shall overcome! Meanwhile be kind to yourselves and have a Starbucks!
Dude. I had my tonsils out on Friday, June 5. That day was awesome. Saturday…also awesome. I took my liquid pain meds as prescribed (maybe a bit over), but I was eating & drinking well. I also realize now I was delusional. Monday came along and I needed a refill of my meds. I should have become suspicious when the said “ok-come and pick it up”…that was a little too easy. I know why now. My tongue hurts when it moves. I can’t swallow. My ears are killing me and now I need another refill. If I want to talk I have to bend over with my face to the floor. But–on the good side– I can still drink and I have found the Hurricaine gel that’s used on infants works wonders! And cvs makes a cool thing called “peas”…just like the frozen kind, and they work wonderfully well.
Glad I read your page. My 8 year old son is on day seven and it seems to be worse.
I realize this could be normal.
Day 10 now. So frustratrated and discouraged. The pain which everyone says magically get better today is worse. I am desperate to know if what I have going on is normal or if anyone else had this. A couple of days ago I mentioned how one side of my throat was completely blocked by thick scab. Well now that the scab is off, that side of my throat is half blocked by a thick red skin flap, that is extremely raw and painful. So hard to swallow. It burns like fire. The other side of my throat is way more open, and doesn’t hurt at all! If they were both symmetrical I would be feeling amazing now. I did get energy back yesterday some, but I still can’t eat, and I’m terrified this is permanently disfigured. I can’t find anything on the internet about skin blocking the throat. I called yesterday to try to explain to the doctors office, but I don’t think they understood what I was saying, and my follow up appointment isn’t until June 22nd. They said as long as I’m not bleeding profusely I’m fine. I will go crazy by then if this is still the same! Has anyone had this?!?!
hi Mandy
Yes you probably have a rough week ahead of you now I’m afraid. Take all the advice you can from this website, max out on painkillers (but keep track of everything you take, because its easy to forget), and rest up. I wasn’t very aware of my scabs, just a lot of pain.
Remember: there IS an end to this, and you WILL eat properly again!! In the meantime this is a tough recovery, so give yourself permission to check out of normal life for a few days, and do whatever it takes to get through it. For me that meant lots of ice, lots of painkillers, small sips of soup, hot water bottles, a radio to keep me company in the small hours of the night, and visits from good friends.
wishing you well!
On day 3 and omg! Its beginning to hurt now, i feel drained, and very low mood today. The pain killers i have make me feel sleepy and like a zombie. I have two white arches where my tonsils used to be. Is this the start of the dreadded scabs? Up until today ive managed to eat quite well, but i dont think im going to manage the salmon fillet i was wishing for my supper!
Just soup and jelly i think.
I’m also on day 3. Yesterday hurt, but today has been so much worse. Pain meds are barely dulling the pain. I’m using a humidifier and icing my throat. Will tomorrow be better?!
I’m 3 weeks post op and in my 40’s (my dr said age does have a factor in pain and healing). I had a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy & septum fix.
First two days…cake. Day 3-5…. Hellish. Day 6-8… Slowly got better and ate more. The worst for me was that my nose had dissolvable packing from my septum, coupled with the scabby throat, made it feel like I was suffocating AND in pain.
I preferred warm over cold drinks. Throat coat tea was great.
Fruit items were just too acidic and hurt eating. Jello was fine though.
Definitely get laxatives. It took me 9 days to poop, even using suppositories. Then it didn’t STOP for 2 days. Not fun.
At week 3: It still hurts to sneeze, yawn or cough, but overall much better.
I am on the end of day 7 counting the surgery day (I had it early in the day). 28 years old. I was wondering if anyone else has had this problem. On my right side the scabs have almost completely disolved. However, on the left the scabs haven’t changed at all. They are very thick and stuck to my swollen uvula and extend all the way to my tongue, so that nothing can pass through that side of my throat. I think that’s why they aren’t disolving. It’s very painful, and very hard to swallow anything. I am worried it will all come off in 1 chunck, and I’ll bleed. Anyone else have scabs like this?
Kaley, I am experiencing the exact same thing right now. (I believe we had our respective surgeries on the same day.) Let me know if you hear any advice! I have my post op appointment next Tuesday… but hopefully this gets better before then.
The giant scab that was keeping me from swallowing came off in one giant piece this morning, So far no bleeding, but it burns like fire to swallow anything now. Hopefully should get better soon! Barely eaten all week. I’m sitting with an ice pack on my neck which seems to feel a bit better. One thing I tried last night was to gargle with some sat water with baking soda. That seemed to clean it good, but hurt like crazy after, so I don’t know if it was a good idea or not…
Jessica
My experience is after day 10, you can tolerate foods. I ate mac & cheese, it wasn’t hot it was lukewarm. I didn’t eat anything like toast etc., everything was a soft food because I still had scabs in my throat. I continued to eat popsicles and didn’t need any pain meds. So, you’re going to start to feel better is very quickly.
I had my tonsillectomy 2 months ago. It was a terrible recovery, but I made it through.
It seems now that I traded my tonsils for allergies! Has this been anyone else’s experience?
Jessica,
Pain meds are a must for your recovery. If you can’t handle the script your Doc gave then go back to the Doc and get something you can take. If it’s in pill form, buy a pill crusher and mix it with yogurt. Get some popsicles…it makes your throat feel so much better, I ate 5 boxes in 7 days. Try an ice collar on your throat. Also, get some CloSys, it’s a mouth wash. A dentist recommend it because it doesn’t have alcohol, actually taste very much like water and kills all the bacteria in your mouth. The bonus is it keeps your mouth moist.
Good luck
Thank you I will try that how long does it take for them to heal to the point where it’s comfortable I just wanna cry and my family’s making me me eat and I actually can’t
Hey im 21 yrs old and im on day 6 and I’m physically and mentally drained I’m in the worst pain I haven’t managed to eat anything since the day before my op and my pain relief tastes absolutely vile (solvable paracetamol) and I try not to take it so been using calpol instead which helps for like half an hour any suggestions please
For years I was told my tonsils needed to come out but because of the added risk from having angioedema, I put off the tonsillectomy until the age of 25. Now as of yesterday (May 20th, 2015) I under went a tonsillectomy and an adenoidectomy. I have angioedema, which means I am prone to swelling because of extreme allergies. So my eyes, upper lip, tongue, and throat swell regularly as well as I frequently get hives. On top of the those symptoms angioedema as causes me to have asthma. I was suppose to have surgery on May 13th but the anesthesiologist cancelled just before the surgery (I mean right before I had my iv in and was ready to go back for surgery). The anesthesiologist was uncomfortable witb doing the surgery because my the surgery could trigger a flare up in my angioedema and it was extra risky because of the surgery site being my airways. So a week later and a little more game planning on there end, I was back for surgery. They pretreated for my angioedema as a precautionary and off to have surgery. I had a tonsillectomy done as well as an adenoidectomy. Typically when you become an adult your adenoids shrink and eventually disappear. In some cases they do not which can result in added issues. To make matters more complicated I have several drug allergies such as penicillin, amoxicillin, erythromycin, ranitadine, and morphine. Ranitadine commonly found in the heartburn medicine Zantac is also a treatment for angioedema which I cannot take unfortunately. Morphine causes me to stop breathi g, which is a pretty common side effect. So after I woke up from surgery I was still pretty out of it from anesthesia and dilaudid I urinated on myself… not as embarrassed about it as I probably should be but oh well. Since I have angioedema I had to stay the night… I am actually still in the hospital as I type this. I am also suppose to have someone with me constantly for the next 2 days because of the added swelling risk. I am not sure if anyone else ad an adenoidectomy along with their tonsilectomy but I can honestly say the adenoidectomy is the only relief I feel right now. For as long as I can remember I struggled to breath out of my nose and I have always souned nasally (even when I was not sick). The tonsillectomy though is pretty painfully. I cannot lay back because my uvula is enlarged (normal swelling) so sitting up is the most comfortable breathing wise. I have been drinking a ton of ice water and apple juice which the colder it is the more relief you will feel. I don’t think the ice pack under the chin is reallt helping all the much but I keep it there. Sleeping is hard but when I do doze off it is for a short period of time and I wake up with dry mouth and more pain than before I fell asleep.I cannot wait to be release. I will be using a humidifier as another person mentioned in there comment. I would not have thought about it myself. Day 1 is complete and I can honestly say it was not that bad. It feels like just a bad sore throat nothing major but that I assure you is just the percocet talking. I was told it will get better than get worse once the scabs fall off. I feel prepared mentally for the pain because I know it is coming. Since surgery the nurses have me on percocet, benedryl, and a steriod. And I am going home with an antibiotic, liquid pain meds, and a pain pill. Keep you guys posted on how the following days go. I have popcicles, a huge bag of ice, and sherbet waiting for me when I get home. My dad (such a worrier) took the day off to hang with me at my place when I am release later. Here’s to hoping you all had a speedy recovery, I have a speedy recorvery, as well as everyone in the futuer have a speedy recovery.
it is normal for things to get worse before they get better – she should turn a corner within the next few days.
Until then I suggest:
– a nice hot water bottle (quite comforting to sleep on)
– some lovely new pyjamas/a nice snuggly blanket or dressing gown to wrap herself up in
– a box set of something to distract her
Hi my 19 yr old daughter is 5 days into recovery following tonsillectomy she is feeling very down and I really wantbto make her feel brighter. Any suggestions ? Also she isnt eating very much at all and wonder if this is normal?
Julie
I’m so sorry you’re in so much pain. For me day 6 was awful too. I noticed a big improvement by day 9/10. I also had terrible ear pain and found that heat, not ice, was the most helpful. I used a heating pad that’s meant to wrap around your waist for back pain. It certainly looked weird when I wrapped it around my head but it helped a lot. Good luck!
Day 6, seems to be getting worse instead of better… Is that a good sign? ? .. I know they are all connected but should my ears be feeling nearly as bad as my throat?
How much longer before the pain starts to subside?
Hi Wendy- It’s pretty common for day 6 or 7 to get worse. It did for me. The ear pain is normal too. They call it a referred pain. Try chewing gum or putting a warm wet towel on the area.
Hang in there! There is light at the end of this tunnel!
Crushed ice made from honey and herbal tea for relief: I made ice cubes from chamomile tea sweetened with honey. The herbal ice crushes up nicely, chopped with a knife. we do not have an ice crusher. A mint tea blend worked well, also. I am going to try to make ice from one of the throat soothing tea blends (throat coat, etc.) and see how that goes down. I also made honey water: 1:4 ratio honey to hot water. dissolve honey, chill. sip. My adult daughter is day five post tonsillectomy. Lots of pain, about what you would expect. She is on Roxicet and ibuprofen for pain. Things that slid down ok yesterday, are painful today (ice cream blended with a little almond milk and pudding, jell-o) So we are back to ice chips, cold herbal tea, herbal ice and honey water.
Hi All! Had my tonsils out last Monday. First two days were ok…. The anesthetic was probably still going strong! Anyway, the last few days have been the worst. I am so hungry and tired and in constant pain. It feels like someone is constantly tattooing the back of my throat x 50000! And it’s all up and down my throat into my ears. I can’t make anyone really understand how it feels, which is the worst. Just thinking about a nice pint of beer and a roast dinner is enough to bring me to tears. I’ve lost a stone in weight already and feel dizzy and frail constantly. I’m going to eat everything when I get better!! Hope everyone gets better soon
x
Hang in there Helen. Things will get much much better
Hi all!
I had my surgery on January 5, 2015 at the age of 64 and had posted that I would post back after surgery…I meant to post, way before now…sorry!
I came home from surgery and went straight to bed with ice packs & my “air travel pillow” to keep my head elevated. I was very comfortable during the first 3 days after surgery (taking strong meds, of course) and so, I thought on the 4th day, I would try and take them only at night, before I went to sleep…I was fine drinking lots of water and popsicles, yogurt and chicken noodle soup…didn’t really feel enough pain to warrant taking meds! But, I was afraid of waking up in the middle of the night with a dry throat and pain so, I took the pain med and slept all night. I can say, that it was a much easier time than I was expecting…after a full week, I wasn’t on meds and back to my old self!
I had said, I would compare my c-section recovery to this and as, you can read…NO COMPARISON!!!
I know, how fortunate I was and can’t explain why my recovery was so easy…but, am thankful for all the good advice from this forum and it’s posters!
Good luck to all and speedy recovery!
Wow! Thank you Eva. So good to hear from you! Best of health to you in the future!
I’m 23 years old and getting my tonsils out on thursday. I’ve been hearing so many horrifying recovery stories from friends and families and this site isn’t helping much either. I can’t function properly under excruciating pain and after reading all your experiences I’m considering cancelling the surgery. Lol. I know it will be worth it in the end (no more tonsillitis, no more kidney aches, no more sleepless nights) but the fear of the unknown is taking over. Guess the only thing that will get me through is the weight loss, hopefully. ;). I also have a problem with repeated episodes of sinusitis which is often triggered by cold beverages so I tend to stay away from anything that’s cold so I don’t know how I’m going to avoid ice cream. My surgeon refuses to take them out Argh
Raegan, I totally understand where you’re coming from. The process is brutal BUT I am now 5 weeks post-op and I feel back to normal. You can do it!!
I would recommend getting as many people to help you as possible and making sure you reach out to your doctor and INSIST on more medicine if what you have isn’t cutting it. Nothing will take away the pain entirely but make sure your doctor is prepared to tailor the dosage/medication type to your needs. Mine was not and it made the process a lot worse than it needed to be.
I will also say that I did not need super cold beverages to get through this. I rarely used ice and had little ice cream (I opted for dairy free when I did which helped limit phlegm). Chewing gum was incredibly helpful for me. I ate a lot of baby food and baby rice cereal at room temperature. I was taking medicine every 2 hours and I just made sure to eat a few spoonfuls of something at that time as well as at least 4 sips of water (sounds weird but I had to count it out to make sure I drank enough). My water was always room temerature. I hope that helps you feel a little better.
The entire process is a marathon, not a sprint. Super corny but true. Everyone’s recovery time seems to be different but by day 10 I was feeling a bit better and was able to eat some soft solids and by day 14/15 I was feeling a lot better. By day 21 I was back at work.
Good luck!
Reagan I totally understand too. If I had read online before my surgery I probably would have backed out too. It’s terrible, anyone here will tell you that. It’s going to be a terrible 10-12 days but even now, not even 2 months post-op, I am so glad I did it. And by now I don’t really remember how awful it was. It’s not like I have PTSD or anything. It’s not a picnic, but it’s not the worst thing I’ve ever been through either. Just take it one day at a time, use this site and your friends/family for support, and you’ll be fine. Good luck!
I am at day 10 post op. The last week and a half have been the worst of my life. It will be a drop in the bucket once I heal, but right now I wish I had never opted for this surgery.
My tonsil pain was constant, but my main reason for agreeing to their removal was my chronic tonsil stones.
Now I’m thinking I could have been a lifelong gum chewer.
I do have faith that I will return to 100% it just takes a long time.
I visited the er on day 6, and got a shot of steroids for swelling and dillatid for pain. That is the most relief I have had this whole experience! I just couldnt get on top of the pain; waking every 2 hours is panic because it hurt so much.
Then day 8 called my eNt just to talk to someone who knew what I was going through!
She called in a couple more prendisone tablets to help with swelling.
I am requesting more narcotics today.
People don’t think tonsillectomy is probably that bad, so visits slow and meals stop and you are alone with your remote and want to cry.
I would suggest telling people that you can use company. Have someone come over to lay in bed with you and watch movies and get you your meds and water and more soup. Call a friend who you don’t need to entertain, one who you can just be with. You will want someone there.
I’m 31 female 7 days post op. I saw 5 ENTs before finally agreeing to the surgery. I am miserable. The day of the surgery I had several instances of projectile vomiting. Awful! Thankfully that subsided and the medicine I had helped. I’m taking liquid oxycodon every 4 hours and Tylenol every four hours. So every 2 hours I get something. Thank God I have my mother and husband. I’ve decreased from from 2 tsps to 1 tsp successfully. The pain never goes away but gets better.
I’m about to run out of oxycodon and I’m terrified. My doctor doesn’t seem to care and won’t provide additional medicine. Any suggestions?
Here’s what’s been working for me.
-I use a cpap for sleep apnea with a humidifier built-in. Huge help. Also have a humidifier going round the clock.
-CHEWING GUM! Total life saver. I’m using Orbit Bubble mint. Helps get my saliva going. Loosens up my throat gently. Helps when my stomach is up set. Highly recommend gum.
-Smooth Move tea for constipation as well as Sentekot and Docolacs. It’s weird but I also watched YouTube videos on abdominal massage to help with constipation.
-HEAT! I wrap a heating pad around my neck and ears and it helps so much. I have in for the back that has velcro. On occasion I use a neck ice pack that I got at Relax the Back but the heat is way better.
-Baby food. The first 4 days I ate only baby cereal with almond or coconut milk. Now I’m eating vegetables.
-Unflavored aloe water. No pulp. Very smooth.
-Hot tea. Lavender, Throat Coat and Smooth Move. All Traditional Medicinals.
-Meditation. I’ve listened to the Calm Meditation channel on Pandora not stop. It’s surprisingly been very helpful. Getting worse every day is so discouraging and is helped me relax and not freak out.
-No dairy. Totally cut it out and it’s helped reduce phlegm.
-Text to speak app. Talking hurts. My muscles get so tight. I found this app 3 days in and it’s a life saver.
-Brush your teeth and take a shower or bath everyday. Had made me feel so much better every time.
This forum has been a lifeline for me I hope my tips help and I am eager to hear what you think about the medicine situation.
Hi Janet- Welcome to the site! Thanks for all the good tips. About the medicine- sorry your doc is being a jerk- maybe call when he’s not on duty with hopes of getting a different doc? I know some get relief from Tylenol. Obviously icing can help a little. Have you tried numbing throat spray? It’s short term. but can help with breakthrough pain…
HI Sara, I’m day 12 post op and I have to tell you to INSIST that your doctor give you more pain medication. I needed it straight through every 4 hours until day 9. Everything I’ve read says that the pain PEAKS day 7-10. For me it was 5-7, but if you need more, make them give it to you. If they won’t, you may have to go the Emergency Room, but hopefully you can convince your ENT that you need it. I did. Your tips are spot on. Good luck getting over the hump, the end it near.
scheduled for surgery next week. I have had tmj and ringing in my right ear for a few years now, wondering if these conditions will be made worse or be a problem during the surgery. Has anyone else dealt with these issues?
Hi Janet,
I have TMJ too, which has improved over the last few years since I use a night guard at night to prevent my clenching from damaging my teeth/jaw, but it hasn’t been too bad since the surgery. Just make sure that your anesthesiologist knows that you have TMJ so they will be extra careful with your jaw when intubating and positioning you for surgery. Also, if you wear any kind of appliance all ready, start using it right away. I was afraid to put mine in the first few nights and my jaw got very sore for a few days but once I started using it again it was fine. As for the ringing in your ears, I have no idea, but hope it helps!
Thanks for the advice Lisa, I will mention the tmj to my doctors before surgery. I was wondering if anyone has tried using water in a spray bottle to constantly keep the throat wet and hydrated especially before trying to eat. Maybe it would lessen the pain.
Lisa try not to stress over the work I’m sure your co workers understand. Hope your recovery is getting better.
Today is day 10 and I do not feel like I’m better. Days 5-9 were absolutely miserable. I don’t think my scabs have come off, they still have the yellowish white coating, but it does seem thinner. It still hurts like hell and I have been taking the pain meds every four hours since the surgery so I feel that awful narcotic depression now. I’m supposed to go back to work tomorrow, which I think will be impossible. My doctor told me to take a week off, I added an extra day (today). But I’ve used all my sick time now and I won’t get paid for any more time off which is distressing. Plus I’m a really dedicated worker so I feel a lot of stress for forcing my coworkers to work shorthanded. I’m so sick of this. I just want to normal again. I’m in a bit less pain this morning but I still can’t swallow more than liquids without being in agony. I know it has to get better at some point, but now I’m stressed out on top of being miserable and I just want it end!!!
I’m 49 years old… Got my tonsils removed 4/2/15. It’s 4AM and I’m up from the pain.
I sure hope this is the last sore throat I ever have. So far Kidney stones and shoulder surgery were worse but I’m not even 24 hours post-op.
Hi Scott. Be prepared, because I wasn’t. I was too nervous to read stuff like this before my surgery but I wish I had. The first say 36 hours after the surgery were not bad but then, seemingly for no reason, the pain got unbearable. Day 5 I had my fiancé call the doctor. The nurse there explained that the pain get worse day by day until day 7-10. My doctor did not explain this before. He said simply that the recovery time is 7-10 days. I don’t really understand why the doctor couldn’t have been more clear with me. Once we spoke to the nurse I decided to start reading what I can online (can’t take it back now). Sounds to me like my doc really doesn’t prepare patients well. Being a nurse, I can handle that, but I cant even imagine how people would feel. Anyway. Be prepared, it gets worse. I’m on day seven and literally praying (not something I ever do) for this to be the day things get better.
I’m 36 and on day 5 of recovery. Who schedules a surgery like this on April Fools Day anyway?? Lol well I did. I’m a long time sore throat sufferer including an abcess tonsil 3 years ago. I had an incompetant ENT for the abcess who wouldn’t even discuss a tonsillectomy. My recovery so far ha been pretty intense. Days one and two were nothing! This surgery gives you a false sense of hope the first couple of days. So far today, day five has been the most painful. I pray that tomorrow is easier than today was. I’ve been living off ice water and itilian ice with a popsicle and some soup broth thrown in. I’ve tried mac n cheese, mashed potatoes and cream soups and they brought tears to my eyes. I wish all of us the best. And try to remembet this too shall pass.
I am 21 and I had my tonsils and adenoids removed on 3/20/15. I must say I would not wish that pain on anyone, not even my worst enemy. Day 1, I was talking after surgery and drinking like everything was fine, sleeping like crazy on because of the anesthesia. Pain meds were taken around the clock of course. Days 2-5, I had plenty of help, but the pain I was in, OMG SO BAD! I felt like every time I swallowed my own saliva, which was super thick, was like swallowing glass. For some odd reason my ear pain was so bad it caused me to have migraines which caused a lot more pain that pain meds didn’t help. I couldn’t eatmuch of anything So I was basically just drinking water, Apple juice, & sports drinks for the electrolytes. Day 6-9, things didn’t seem to get better only worse, on Day 10 I ended up back in the hospital with hemorrhaging on the left side. Scared the living crap out of me because the blood woke me up out of me sleep chocking me. Rushed to the ER and they had to keep me all morning and night for observations. The hemorrhage ended up clotting back up and forming a scab again. Now I’m on Days 12-14, the hurt to swallow is almost completely gone and I’m now able to eat a little more than just Jello, Frozen Yogurt, Popsicles, etc. I recommend not sleeping with a fan on, if you do, set an alarm to wake you up every two hours to moisten your throat so it will not dry out in your sleep. That’s part of the reason I had the hemorrhaging.
Hello,
I’m 31 y/o female on day 5 today after my tonsillectomy and turbinate collation. I have had recurrent strep infections and since the last one in Nov. have been having symptoms of sleep apnea. I have been through a pretty nasty trauma in the past that took over a year and three surgeries to recover from and this is nearly as bad. I know this will get better, but it’s hard to feel so helpless. At least with broken bones you can tell yourself that the more effort you put in with physical therapy the more you are doing to get better. This is a helpless, lonely, waiting to get better kind of recovery. I felt pretty good the night of my surgery, even called and talked to my mom. That was the last time I spoke out loud. Now even whispering hurts. The first two nights were pretty bad, but the days were ok. Monday (day 3) I even ate some macaroni and cheese (overcooked the life out of the noodles). Yesterday and today (days 4-5) I can barely swallow anything but water. I have to time it to an hour after taking pain meds then try to get something with some calories down. I’ve found putting a tablespoon of butter in/on whatever I try to eat helps make it a bit more satisfying. I’m only off work until day 11, and I’m starting to think now I will have to call out for a few more days. I had my fiance call the doctor today because it seems to be getting worse instead of better. They said that’s how it goes. The peak of pain is expected at 7-10 days. Then it gets better quickly apparently. I am probably going to need a third bottle of pain meds. I’ve just opened the second one. I tried to skip a dose overnight last night and that was a mistake. I do find that ice on the throat/ears helps when the pain is really bad. I all ready took the short course of steroids the doctor prescribed and now I wish I had waited until now to take them. I also read a lot of research about the use of ibuprofen after tonsillectomy and it all shows that it does not increase the risk of post-op bleeding, so I’m taking about 200-400mg between pain med doses. That seems to be helping the meds last longer. Overall I am sure I will be glad to have gotten my tonsils out, but today especially I wish there was a less painful way to do it!
Hey Lisa – sounds like a textbook recovery pattern, even though I know it really does not feel like recovery right now! It is a grim lonely time being in pain and unable to eat, drink, sleep or talk properly but it DOES end. Hang in there, count off the days, max out the meds (including ibuprofen – did me no harm; I took 3 different types of meds in rotation). Drink as much as you can. Some people find they need laxatives too although I was OK. Book extra time off now if you can, to take the pressure off yourself. Plan something nice for about day 14 (NOT food-based!), and try to get some fresh air daily, as soon as you can. Try a hot water bottle too – I found it really helped to relax my throat and jaw in the second half of my recovery (but not the first). Good luck to you!
Day 15 after tonsilectomy–the worst is finally over. I regret getting my surgery done over spring break–I was told the recovery period would be between 7-10 days but I’ve only just started to feel normal again. The percocet has left me depressed and unable to focus since I stopped taking it 3 days ago, and while my doctor assures me it is a normal and temporary side affect of stopping the medication, I have 3 tests i need to study for and Im struggling to get out of bed every morning and open a textbook. Which is very unlike me. my throat still hurts but it is minor (especially compared to that pain in the first week–UGH!) but I’m still having some nausea which sucks. Drinking is difficult as the water keeps coming back out my nose if I drink too fast–very weird. I would have scheduled this surgery for the summer had I known the recovery period would be so lengthy. I just don’t feel quite like myself yet, and it’s frustrating. I still am having trouble pronouncing some words like “hole” and “pole.” But I’m sure I will relearn that in time. The back of my tongue still hurts to much to brush with a toothbrush so that’s made my breath not smell so awesome as of late. This has been the worst experience of my life! but some advice to those going through the recovery period: DRINK LOTS OF WATER. I didn’t keep well hydrated and I’m convinced that’s one of the reasons my recovery sucked. Drink till you can’t drink anymore. Force it down. It will help. Goodluck to all of you. It’s been a ride.
Hello all. So I am on day 8 and I’m not horrible but not great either. My main concern is I’ve gotten a disgusting case of thrush. Did or does anyone else have this problem? What is the best way to get rid of this crap? It’s a very thick layer on my tongue I can’t taste anything but the thrush itself
This is day 9.I have a thick coat on my tongue too and I now think I have ear infection bc I have major pain in one ear which my right one. I was having trouble with it a few weeks before my surgery and my ent gave me antibiotics. I am beginning to get concerned bc I haven’t been able to eat anything. I have only had vitamin water and water. I tried diluting mashed potatoes w chicken broth but they coated my mouth and left a really horrible taste. I tried oatmeal pureed and couldn’t get it down. People keep saying jello and it has no nutritional value and its just sugar. I am extremely weak and tired. I got up and cleaned a little and now I am really exhausted…..Thoughts???
Well not too long after typing this message. …i found out i indeed have thrush. My ent is calling in a prescription for a mouth rinse. So I literally had a break down. I had just bought some boost shakes and cant drink them. This surgery is crazy depressing.
Hello all,
So I’m 30yrs old and have sleep apnea. This is now day 12 including surgery day. I didn’t want to believe all the post about the recovery, but indeed they were true. So my recovery as my ENT put it, is on the more sever side. On day 6 I noticed my tongue and strange yellow color and looked hairy. I thought it was just because of the medicine i’ve been on, however day 7 came and when I went to spit (because i’ve been having trouble swallowing my saliva) It was all blood. So of course I freaked out. I had to be rushed to the ER the amount of blood that came out of my mouth was about 2 cups worth. I was admitted to the hospital for 2 days. My ENT said he couldn’t even see where all the blood was coming from and that it looked like it cleared up.
However he also said I have thrush. He put me on Nystatin for 12 days. I’ve never had anything like this, but the amount of anti-biotics I was on probably caused it.. Thrush loves sugar, I learned that the hard way. So stay away from anything with sugar, milk, carbs… It will help with the recovery. Try and eat plain greek yogurt, also it doesn’t hurt to take probiotics, you can get them at any health food store. Your body needs them.
All in all the pain is finally going away, I still have slight soreness in my tongue, and my swallowing isn’t completely normal. But I’m able to actually eat food now (slightly soft) I did’t think I would need more the a week off from work, but I still haven’t returned. Maybe by next week. Good luck to everyone getting this surgery done. Now I know why they say recovery is worse for adults.
Hello everyone, I am going crazy over this surgery. I am 39 and had to finally have them removed after 7 episodes of strep this year and a horrindous asthma attack cause from pnemonia, doc said “time to get the bacteria catchers out”. Surg 3/4/15 and I have been miserable every since. I work full time, I am currently taking five college classes, married w/ 2 teenagers. I washed rushed back in for emergency surgery on day 10 when I woke up choking. Dr. was a complete jerk because he had to come in during the night, so I haven’t called for a pain med refill. Today is 3/26 well actually 3/267 since it 3:40 am. I have been back to work for a week and half and I am miserable. Please tell me if I am crazy.. I have ear pain, itchy throat, headaches, my teeth feel like are going to fall out, my tongue feels like I have been through a meat grinder, I have insomnia, miserable hot and cold flashes (no fever), still can’t really taste anything except metal, any I constantly feel dizzy and weak. Oh, and I feel out of it like I gave been in a comatose state and just woke up. I don’t know if I lost so much blood and still can’t eat and drink enough to compensate. I really think I should have had some blood but like I said the dr.’s mannerisms were ridiculous the night I was bleeding. Is thus normal this far in the pricess? Did I start my recovery period over on the second surgery? I so need to feel normal again, I feel like I’m losing my my mind between feeling awful and my resoinsibilities. PLEASE HELP.
Ok, so I’m wondering if my experience is odd or I’m just not there yet in terms of pain. I’m 30, male, with hypertension and diabetic. I needed to have my tonsils removed due to chronic tonsillitis, stones and obstructive sleep apnea. I’ve been hospitalized for a week before due to peritonsillar abscess.
I had my tonsillectomy procedure done last week, 18 March 2015. Doc said it’ll take 7-10 days to recover and I might need to stay in the hospital until day 3. It was done very early in the morning so I consider that as day 1 of the healing process. Not so bad. I was still able to talk a bit during day 1, but eating anything was hard. I could only down 2 teaspoons of cream. Not ice cream. Just… cream. I stayed overnight at the hospital, so I had that going for me, which is nice. They can adjust the pain meds. Sleeping was tough because it felt like I was going to swallow my uvula. Still, I was able to put in around 4 hours of sleep. Not bad.
Day 2 was when it was most painful. I couldn’t talk and eat much, but on a scale of 10, I’d say the pain was a 5. I got discharged that day and I was able to drive my self home. The only pain meds the doctor gave me was Tramadol+Paracetamol to be taken only when needed and in 8-hour intervals. Only had juice and water the entire day. I was able to sleep on my side. A full night’s sleep. Again I don’t know if this is weird.
Day 3 I was expecting more pain. Well, I got a 4 out of 10 in pain scale. I even went to the grocery to buy some instant ramen, and I was able to eat them lukewarm. Still taking the tramadol+paracetamol just in case. I was wondering if it’s just so effective that’s why it’s not that painful. No problem with sleeping. In fact I was thankful because the apnea is gone!
Day 4, based on the comments here, is when it’s most painful. Well, a 3/10 for me. Accompanied my wife shopping. I was able to eat lasagna, but not the crusty bread. Day 4 was a breeze but I can already feel the scabs. I have pics if you want. ?
Day 5, it’s like a mild sore throat. I can eat a warm soupy meal. I tried eating pork steak when the wife was not looking, and I was able to down it. I’m thinking, “hey, this is not so bad. Should I be worried??”
So today is Day 6. Pain is at 2/10, only due to the scabs scratching the side and back of my throat. And I only feel the pain on the left side. I’m typing this is the office. Everyone is surprised I’m here. Tomorrow I’m supposed to give a talk to graduating students. I dunno. I feel like I’m recovering very fast. Either that or I’m doing something wrong that I’ll regret soon. I’m also curious as to the method/technique used by my ENT so I’ll ask him during our follow up on Wednesday. I’ll update you guys. Again, I don’t know anything different with what I’m doing. I’m not even praying or like that. I was expecting worse but I guess I’m recovering fast.
Oh one last thing. The thing that makes it painful (up to now) is when I strain or exert a lot of effort like climbing up the stairs really fast with a heavy laptop bag (just this morning).
Hi Ronald, I also had a tonsillectomy on March 18th. Sounds like you are recovering much faster than I am! My pain has been pretty consistent, days 2,3,4,5,6 were bad. If I were you, i would be careful not to do too much. It takes at least 3 weeks for the scabs to heal. I still can only eat oatmeal and chicken noodle soup. My main problem now is that this whole thing triggered a strange and big flare up of my ulcerative colitis. Does anyone out there have colitis? I wish I had contacted my gastroenterologist before to help prevent constipation, diarrhea etc. I just had total breakdown tryingto go to the bathroom. Now I have 2 things to deal with! My scabs started coming off yesterday. Im hoping that means that it will get better from now on? What is the experience ofothers on days 7-10?
Thanks Haley
I have been drinking water and vitamin water. I bought coconut water and it was disgusting. Lol I bought a small cheap humidifier last night. And omg the difference. I wish I didnt have this disgusting taste in my mouth lol…it doesn’t help. As far as pain meds..the burning is horrible and makes me constipated. So, I am just avoiding things to compromise my throat. I am drinking sips of water ever chance I think about it. I have heard people saying there doctor gave them gargle stuff. But mine said gargle w warm salt water and im no sure that helped me.
I am 35 and I went in for the op on Monday due to having tonsil stones, strep throat & pharyngitis. Its been 3 days i can’t sleep my body aches all over im constantly dizzy & exhausted & my jaw, teeth & ears ache & my glands(throat) have swollen up like elephant woman. I was prescribed soluble cocodomol & voltarol which i cant take because it gives me severe stomach cramps. The mornings are the worst the pain even trying to speak is unbearable & my mouth is just filling up with thick fizzy saliva, I have only managed couple sips of water until today but i have managed couple spoonfuls of soup and tea. But i am getting bad acid reflux also. The smell from back of my throat is horrific it’s smells like a ball of shit is sitting at back of my throat (exactly 1 of reasons i had op) tonight the throat has really started to ache & bleed a little. I have now tried to remove some of the gunk with a cotton bud but its all under my tongue at sides & ive rinsed with luke warm salty water & im only obvious taking excess gunk off dont want to scrape the tonsil area but its horrific the smell is sickening & i am just worried were this gunk ends up. The tip of my uvula is also very yellowy/white & hits of back of my tongue it feels so weird. There is so many horror stories regarding this procedure i am dreading next few days. What happens to all the crap at back of throat will the tonsil stone party in back of my throat be dispersed. I hope this op isn’t in vain. Does anyone know what happens to the white/yellow/grey stuff as its foul im at my wits end
Hello
Im 30yr old female and had mine out on 19th march after putting it of for far too long (i should have had them out as a child) for years ive had nothing but horrid luck with them. They were huge and id get run down, simple cold or just catch tonsillitis so easily. They also affected my sleep. Ive always looked after myself. Ive never smoked, drugs and drink alcohol hardly worth mentioning. Fit and healthy. And thought for years how unfair it was on me that i was so often sick. Being 100% well was such a rare thing for me and my husband and i celebrate when i was! So my surgery went well. I’ve been given 2wks of. Im on day 7 and i knoe im going to take that 2wks.
Day 1-3 were actually ok. Ive slept well really. Only when i wake i need to use my mouth wash and spit the crap out.
I have high dosage meds… endone. I started taking day 4. As these are addictive and are basically morphin. I needed to take my first dose to be able to eat something! I lost 4kgs in 4 days. Thats huge for me. I cant loose that amount in 3 months eating healthy!
Day 6 ans 7 i feel ok at times but out of nowhere i ger sudden excruciating pain… like someone has poured chilli on parts of my throat. . I assume this the scabs coming of and its raw ??
I actually struggle to drink at all. Even thru a straw. Even taking a sip for my meds. I tear up and punch the bench… is this pain normal ? I actually fear drinking at all. Only today could i manage icecream. Day 3 i had a good feed… after endone but it hasnt worked the same since.
I in no way regret this i know after 2wks ill be a lot better and of cause the long run but judt a little worried of this pain as i know i need to drink. And i try but im really struggling.
Hi Hailey
I know what you mean. Im cutting down in the Norco tablets because they gave me terrible constipation and hemorrhoids. But my throat is hurting much more today, day 8. Im also having trouble drinking. The trick is trying to drink water at different temperatures. Sonetimes ice water goes down best, others its lukewarm or hot tea thats best. The scabs are starting to come off so thats why our throats are really sensitive. I cant believe how slow this recovery is going! Patience is not my virtue!
Hang in there, you will make it.
I had mine on the 20th. I am 42. I am having major pain. Today has been horrible. I have ear pain and neck pain on one side. I can’t take my pain meds bc they burn like swallowing lit matches. I have not eaten anything. I tried jello but it was disgusting and i have never liked it anyway. I spit up yellow mucous and i called my ent office and they said its normal. I have asthma and other health issues. Is there anything u guys are gargling with? I have been told dairy is bad idea bc of the mucous. What color are the scalbs?
Hi roshanda
Sounds just like my pain… Unfortunatly its normal. Its hell. I spoke to my good friend who is a nurse… we MUST take our meds when we are required to.. not when pain is unbearable. Its hard. I know. I was having panic attacks day 6-7. Today not so bad. I find lukewarm or room temp water the best. Not icy. I have to psych myself up to swallow them but theres a fine line before u cause a panic attack. I try standing over bench with a cushion so i can hit if need be. Sounds corny but go to ur happy place. Listen to sum soothing music. .. get ur breathing normal. I know how hard it is. I really feel ur pain but it will get easier. Today for me was day 8. I still struggle to talk ( dont force it.. even if u can manage talking… wait 10mins and ull be in a world of pain again) my husby and i have our own sign lang-its kinda fun really. Or write what u want to day down.. carry a notepad. It really isnt worth the pain to talk. If u can sip on powerade/gatorade/coconut water. These have a tonne of electrolytes and good stuff ur body needs. If u cant swallow pills. Can u get soluble panadol? This works for me. As u can sip not have that gulp.
im not s fan of jelly either but its helpful. What about custard (cold) ? You will get there. Read up on ppls aftermath blogs.. i couldnt find one regret after the recovery. Reading these will help lift ur spirits. The scabs come of day 5-10 so id say urs are coming of to. I was prescribed cephacaine for my mouth wash. Its not as harsh as some. Im in australia though. Luke warm water with salt is also fantastic.
Spitting yellowy phlem is normal. Spit as much of that out but don’t dry ur mouth out. As painful as it is sip water or powerade etc to keep mouth moist. Stop if it starts hurting.. uvr probably had it go over a raw bit. Then sip again when u can.
You will get there.. 2weeks is nothing compared to the lifetime of wellbeing u will have !! Stay positive & good luck.
Hi Roshanda,
I had mine on the 18th and am 43. The pain was getting much better 3 days ago but today is really bad. I woke up at 3am with major jaw, ear and throat pain. I’m having a lot of difficulty in swallowing anything! I checked and it seems that quite a lot of the scabs have come off. I hope that the pain will start going down in 2 days or so. I checked with my doctor and he said that it can be normal for the pain to peak again and that’s why you really need at least 2 weeks off. Have you been able to eat anything, even after 30 minutes of taking pain meds? Pudding is better than jello. I’ve been eating oatmeal in the morning. Low sodium chicken broth, not too eat, usually goes down. I don’t have a mouth rinse, I can’t gargle because my uvula still touches my tongue!
Hope you’ll have a better day.
From about day 8 I found it was really comforting to sleep with my head on a hot water bottle. The warmth helped remove some tension and diffuse some of the pain.
Good luck with your recovery everyone – I had a tough time but am glad now that I am tonsil (stone) free
Hello vanessa
my nursing friend advised me to take soluble panadal about half hour pre breakfast and an endone pill and then voltaten after (or nurofen if u don’t have voltaren). reckon this might helpme with pain tomorow. Fingers crossed! She made it quite clear not to miss taking ur pills though as hard as it may be! We need them. Pain will only get worst amd make it harder to take. Better put my big girl boots on then 
Oh i am not a patient person either.. i was a little better by the end of today though. Hopefully were on the downhill ride now! Thanks 4 the advice on temp.. it helped me
I haven’t eaten anything but popsicle. I am thinking of trying oatmeal but sooo nervous. Lol I have been really weak. I walked my dog for a few minutes but omg i was exhausted.
Has anyone had the laser method? if so how was your recovery? I believe that’s what my doctor said he was going to use
If you tonsils are that bad, I wouldn’t cancel the procedure. I am 34 yr old male and just had mine out last November. I was scared too and never had a surgery in my life either. I was very scared but this site helped me through this event. And I will tell you that I am happy so far that I did this. As long as you prepare yourself and stay hydrated, it should go fine. I’m not sure if I got a steroid shot or not, but I know I had fluids and antibiotics during surgery. Also, I wasn’t too bad after 2 weeks but I did end up taking 3 weeks off due to what I do. It may be the same for you and help you out better if you can take it. Do be too scared, I know that’s easy to say, but I was petrified and nervous. Surgery was easy, i didn’t have any complications as I prepared myself for it from this site. Later in December I did get an infection that meds healed up. That was it. Good luck to you and just wanted you to know that I know what you feel and I am happy I did go through with it.
Allie, few more things for you. Yes it will be painful if you don’t take meds like your supposed too. I was prescribed hydro/liquid and it wasn’t doing the trick for me. My doc then gave me Percocet 10/325 which helped much better. Stay on top of your pain killer whatever it is and you should be okay to deal with the little pain that you do feel. Thanks and good luck.
Thank you so much , I will do my best to stay encouraged, I’m going to get it out of the way! I’m on my way to church now and will ask God for a speedy recovery : )
Thank you so much Gary : ) I think I’ll stick with it and maybe request more time off lol
I am EXTERMELY close to cancelling my surgery after reading horror stories. My surgery is scheduled for Tuesday and I’ve never had surgery , I’m so afraid of the pain you guys. I’m a 26 year female with enlarged tonsils and have had strep and tonsillitis since the beginning of feb, and tonsil stones since I was a child. Should I demand a steroid for after surgery? and should I request more than 2 weeks off since I am a prek teacher and I have to repeat myself frequently.
Spelled it wrong. It’s CLO-SYS Alcohol free oral health Rinse. A dentist has written a lot of recommendations in an earlier thread review it, read it and you’ll find a lot of good things that will reduce the pain and swelling.
I had my tonsils out on the March 16th I knew ahead of time I was spending one night in the hospital and that’s been the easiest night I’ve had. I went home Tuesday feeling sore but the pain was tolerable. However Wed night I could barely breath mucus had got so thick I couldn’t get it out of my throat. I went to my ent the next morning and he told me I had an infection and had too be admitted back into the hospital. It was discussing like chunks of cottage cheese were coming out mixed with blood and mucus. Ended up in the hospital for two days getting iv antibiotics I had become dehydrated in just a the one day I was home. I got home this evening and I’m feeling better I even eat some eggs but now I’m experiencing the worst burning sensation around my teeth and my gums feels like there on fire can’t imagine it can get much worse.
So is it normal to choke on saliva and phlegm? And also it’s it normal to have a very swollen uvula?
I am starting Day 5 and have seen very little improvement. I was first taking lycet but could not tolerate and I threw up twice the first night. I have been taking norco since which helps a little. My tongue and uvula are still just as swollen, cant see back of my throat. My ENT said he gave me steroids during the surgery. He did not prescribe me antibiotics. How do you knowif you have an infection? Still cant eat soft foods, eating jello is still painful. I started to have some ear pain since yesterday. I wrap a damp frozen hand towel- after freezing it for 30 minutes- around my neck and jaw. , a few times a day. That feels like heaven! I still cant talk much and have dificulty sleeping with mouth open. Im really not sure i can stand another week of this!
Using ice collared to keep the swelling down. Drink as much Smart water as you can. Take your medications on time
Don’t miss or skip your medications because you get miserable,. If you like yogurt take a couple teaspoons every few hours it’ll prevent infection on the tongue. Renter mouth with CLOT-sys it kills bacteria and keep your mouth moist.
Chuck what is CLOT
Hello everyone. Well it’s been about 10 hours since surgery and this sucks!! Can’t eat I have to force myself to drink my smart water and I keep choking and coughing. I’ve eaten two bites of pudding with my Meds and that pretty much sums it all up. Any advice from anyone?
I had my surgery march 20, 2015. I keep choking on this thick mucous. Im trying to drink water. My doctor advised trying 7up or sprite but i dont drink soda even outside of surgery. Therefore, i think it is making things worse. He has me taking liquid advil rotating w my pain meds. My head and ears hurt really bad.
Me too Brandon. ..i wake up choking
Tthis website has been a dream come true so far so many helpful pants. However I do not see the advice and why not to eat dairy, (because the phlegm and coughing it causes) before I took down a ton of ice cream yesterday now I’m having terrible phlegm and coughing. does anyone have any idea what I can do now to help Clear it up… beside stop eating ice cream anymore… please help him coughing all the time
I got my tonsils removed two days ago and am recovering fairly well. I haven’t had any nausea, and they gave me a hefty supply of oxycodone so I’ve been quite happy with minimal pain. But I find that when I swallow water, some of it tends to come back up my nose (gross I know). This doesn’t happen with food or popsicles or anything. Only water. I’m feeling very dehydrated because of it and was wondering if anyone had any tips or advice to help me with this problem. It would be very much appreciated!
I had my tonsils out 11 days ago. One thing I discovered is that if you wear a hoodie to cover your ears to keep them warm as often as you can it will easy the pain from your ears because you will keep them warm all the time and pain pills. Also, you can drink something like pedyalite or gatorade so you don’t feel too weak due to the strong pain medication and dehydration. Thank you!
Thanks everyone! I get it in a week I’ll let you know how it goes!
Braxton, I wish you luck. Stock up on smart water as it has electrolytes in the water. Drink drink drink is the most effective way that you will get in healing process. I also recommend a humidifier for your room to keep the moisture for your throat. Do not get in a hurry to eat solid foods as you will know when the time comes when you can try that.stock up on soft foods examples Jell-O Popsicles, broth and possibly mashed potatoes when you’re ready for those. I also got shaved ice from sonic if you have one. I kept chewing on ice to keep my throw hydrated. Keep up on your meds my surgeon prescribed Percocet 10/325 to me because the liquid codeine was not working for me(oxycodone). I had not problems swallowing the pills. You may handle pain different from me but I needed stronger mess. Stay on top of them and take them as prescribed. Don’t get in a hurry to eat solid foods, you’ll know when your ready. Buy some ice packs for the swelling and use them. Helped me a lot. Drink drink drink water, take meds, eat soft foods or even broth, and get a humidifier. Hope this helps!!
So I’m betting my tonsils out in a week. Any advice on what to expect and what to do?
Anything helps!
everything Gary wrote plus – re: the pills take them literally every 4 hours or whatever your told. Even if your sleeping wake up and take it – trust me it’s not worth that extra 20 minutes or 2 hours or whatever of sleep. you’ll hate your life if you don’t (at least I did the one time I didn’t). I also have percs (I’m currently on day 7 of recovery). they are in pill form but I’m supposed to crush them up. I can handle it that way even on day 1. I crush it with two spoons – pretty simple and then take with water or put it in a spoonful of applesauce or something like that. (don’t mix it with a lot of food, it’ll be hard to eat it all to get the meds!) also ask your doctor about sore throat spray. I just found out about it and I really wish I knew sooner. ask how early you can use it. Gatorade. put in freezer for a short bit = slushy dreaminess (if you leave it in too long it’ll just freeze). take a sip of water or Gatorade every time you wake up, you won’t want to – but it’ll make it better if you keep hydrated. also an ice collar is lovely. A bath can sometimes be soothing also. The whole thing is going to suck – just mentally prepare yourself for that. every day I read this blog though to see what others felt on the day I’m on. I either learn something new or feel a little less crazy/weak. it’s helpful. you are’t going to be alone during the recovery are you? ie. do you have a spouse, parent, etc. with you?
I had those same ear pains on day 2 and 3. The only thing that helped me was to put ice on them and take the pain meds.
I had my surgery on March 4th and it was not bad at all! I spent weeks reading all these horror stories that I almost changed my mind. The first 4 days were great! I even tried to eat a bite of chicken I was so hungry lol! But unfortunately on day 5-6(now) I have been experiencing excruciating ear pain it’s almost 10/10 pain! It’s very painful… Not sure if a nerve is being pinched for 10 minutes and then stops for 2 hours than back again
I hope these random ear pains stop completely soon….
I had my tonsillectomy on 3/6/15. After reading stories, I was terrified of the recovery process. Honestly, it hasn’t been that bad.
The day of the surgery I was in the most pain, at about a 4/10. I didn’t sleep well that night, but all in all it was bearable. I began drinking water immediately after surgery, and I honestly think that’s why my recovery process hasn’t been so bad.
Day 2 was better than day 1, with pain staying at about a 2-3/10. Was able to eat mashed potatoes and baby food today.
Day 3 was a little worse. I had to travel and I think that’s what made it so bad. My pain reached about a 6/10 but only at the last hour before I could take my pain medication.
Day 4 has been easy, with pain reaching no higher than a 3 (except when I tried eating spaghetti os). I’ve been able to go 8 hours without my pain meds. Tried eating spaghetti os, I would recommend NOT doing so. I was in pain of about a 7/10 for an hour after I tried this.
Not every experience is terrible and I was people who are going into surgery to feel more comfortable! As long as you rest, drink A LOT of water, and keep up on your medicine, you will be fine
I had mine taken out on 3/3/15, because the were large. I also had my deviated septum fixed along with other sinus issues. I was nervous to because of the stories I have read. I’m finishing day 5 of recovery and it hasn’t been that bad. If you drink lots of water, stay on top of the pain meds, you will be fine. My nose has splints and gauze in it, so I have to breath through my mouth. I kept ice by me, to keep my mouth wet. Sleeping was the hardest part.
I had my tonsillectomy Friday Feb. 27. Today is Sunday March 8, 2015. My post op experience wasn’t the worst story I’ve heard so far. Days 2-5 were the worst and my pain was almost unbearable but now that I’ve reached Day 8 I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. My best advice for anyone getting ready to have the procedure done is to drink drink drink! Do not let your throat get dry or you will regret it! To prevent it from drying while sleeping I used a humidifier. Take pain meds on schedule or you will regret it as well. I have successfully been able to eat scrambled eggs, soup, Mac and cheese, and popsicles anything else has felt like such a chore. Personally, things got exceptionally better for my on Day 7 which was also yhe day I went back to my ENT. He said that I was healing ahead of schedule and I should be back to normal by day 10.
Oh yea, I also used the ice pack I was given at the hospital for my neck and ears. Hope this helps someone else out.
Hello all. I got my Tonsillectomy 3/5/15. After surgery I was given ginger ale and ice chips before I came home. So far so good? I mean I’m staving but I’m at least able to swallow water and my liquid Vicodin that tastes horrible. I have been nauseated alot today being the second day and the anesthesia im assuming wearing off. I drink as much water as I can but the ice chips are soooo much more better. It’s certainly 1 a.m and I’m munching on them as I type. I am prepared for the worst but expecting the best for all these blogs I’ve read about the daily changes. I’ve happy to have had those nasty tonsils out and will post back on my updates. Stay well and very hydrated people!
I got mine out on 3/2/2015 (3 days ago)
And it’s doable for me. I can only eat when my pain meds are fully working (2,5 hours after taking) and still nowhere near painfree, but it’s okay. And these are warm foods, like: overoiled pastas or some soup. The real pain for me is when i have to eat a ice lolly or drink ice water. Or whenever i’m in between meds which suck so bad. But for the rest, it’s really not too bad. The worst part was when i had to throw up the all the old blood i swallowed during and after the procedure. But for everybody whose experience is worse than mine i have one tip, DON’T FORGET TO DRINK WATER AT NIGHT! I forgot it yesterday and waking up this morning was pretty painfull and i took me a full day to get my throat hydrated again.
I had my tonsils out on March 2 – 2015 and it is now day 5 after op – in hospital they told me to try to eat normal food because ruffage and the chewing motion helps recovery and iceblocks help with swelling
The importent part was thet I have to gurgel with saltwater – it speeds up recovery ( hahaha) they never told me how strong this saltwater should be – I am on 4 hourly painkillers and antibiotics 3 times a day
Pain at the moment is mean and the back of my tongue is hurting like mad
I am 66 years old and my recovery might take up to 3 weeks
*Got a tonsillectomy 2/23… 3/5 there is still a lot of pain. I have a high tolerance for pain, but I’m chugging pain meds every three hours. Everything hurts, head, gums, neck, under tongue, roof of mouth, have minimal desire to eat (if I’m not doped up I can’t) because it’s often excruciating to swallow, waking up at night is awful. I can only hope it’s worth it because I had no idea the pain would last so long, and cold foods make it WORSE for me. Warm foods, and drinks are most soothing. I damn near want to cry, and I didn’t cry during childbirth! I have no tips other than get it done sooner than later, make sure you have lots of help if you have kids, you’ll need at LEAST two weeks off work, drink as much as you can after you take your pain meds cus it will be hard to get fluids in, get lots of rest. I was hoping to get pain relief alternatives between meds… So far nothing. Good luck!
Ok, so i’m writing here, because my doctor wants me to see an ENT due to large tonsils. I’m scared as heck after reading all the “internet stories”. I do not take pain well, nor pain medication. I do feel a sensation in my throat like something is stuck, but besides that I don’t really have any problems. My question, has any one had there tonsils taking out due to enlarged tonsils? I do not want to get them out at all, but of course if I have to what choice do i have
If you are ok with them then it’s your right to keep them. I am recovering from having mine removed on 2/20/15 and then being life flighted on 3/1/15, yes that is only a couple of days ago, to have cauterization done because of a bad bleed. I was sick all of the time and if the problem is solved from this then it will have been worth it. But right now, thinking that my husband and 4 young kids could have ended up without me, makes me really question it. A lot of people recover well, but the pain is no joke and you will have to stay on top of the pain meds. No matter what, the choice to have your tonsils removed or not is yours. No one can force you into a decision. Best of luck!
52 yr female. dealing with tonsil stones for many years. Everyday I use popsicle stick to try and dislodge stones. I’ve seen 4 ENT over the years and discussed tonsillectomy, but have been too nervous to go forward. I have read a lot of posts about patient recover and I’m wondering what type of procedure did people choose and if one is better than another.
Cold Knife
Microdebrider
Cobaltion
Electroautery
I’m not even sure what they are and if there are more and what ENT’s use which one. All very confusing!! I would love to know how the procedures effected results and recovery. thanks for your help.
Hi Janet, and welcome. Your question is a good one! Here’s an overview of the methods:https://tonsillectomyrecovery.com/laser-tonsillectomy/
As for which methods allows the easiest recovery, the jury is out. If I had to pick, based on the anecdotal accounts posted here, I might say coblation.
Best of luck to you!
Thank You Greg for your quick response and for this website you created. Its the only one I have found that addresses adult tonsillectomy. I have anxiety issues when trying to make decisions like this and the tips you have for preparing yourself with the items needed for a easier recovery are greatly appreciated. If you do further research on this subject I would be interested to know if the people that had a easier recovery had smaller size tonsils, less severe throat issues before surgery (Less scarring from throat infections) and of course the type of surgery used. Thank you again, you and the others on this site are very helpful to all us scaredy cats!
Thanks!
hi Janet – I am a 47 year old female and had tonsillectomy due to tonsil stones last September; no idea what method (didn’t realise there was more than one – not sure my surgeon would have given me a choice anyway!).
The first two weeks of recovery were really quite horrible BUT I had no complications, and am now tonsil stone free, which was revolutionised my life – no bad breath, no constant digging to remove them. I have so much more self confidence as a result.
So your biggest decision is not which method, but IF you want to put yourself through what can be a nasty recovery to be rid of them forever. Good luck!
Thank you Kate, I’m glad to hear from someone that was happy they made the decision to go for it. Also the fact that your not like a teenage boy makes your story more relevant and encouraging for me. would be interested to know if they used the coblation technique on you. My issues are mostly the tonsil stones not really strep throat problems was that your case too? Thanks for responding to my post you have helped me by telling your success story.
Yes Janet my surgery was mainly due to tonsil stones – although I do have a history of throat infections, with an abscess once. I had tonsil stones for about 20 years and decided I didn’t want to live the rest of my life obsessed with mouthwash, mint chewing gum, and keeping my distance from people due to fear of bad breath!
If you decide to go for it, follow the advice on this forum for things that will help ease the recovery. Block at least two weeks out when you will hibernate at home, and enlist someone to be around at least for the first few days for moral support and practical help. It was my first surgery and I nearly fainted at the prospect the day before/had to receive extra drugs to calm me down before I went into theatre. But actually the surgery itself was the easy bit, its the recovery that can be tough.
I don’t regret it though: no more tonsils = no more tonsil stones. I am so much happier and confident
I am up to day 20 and am a lot better then what I was. I thought it was never going to end!! I still have a gross matalic taste in my mouth whenever I eat or drink things now which I’m praying will go away. I was admitted back to hospital because my pain was excruciating and I could not swallow or eat anything. They gave me steroid injections to make the swelling go down but also they gave me a script for this pink looking jelly medicine called lidocaine viscous, I’m telling you know it was the best thing ever! It numbed my whole throat and mouth and took away the ear pain. I could drink after that. Although it only lasts a few hours when you have it you feel although you don’t even have the pain. I was the worst when it came to this, every day I was crying and pleading for it to end, I had no sleep for a week or so because it hurt but once I got this stuff I pretty much depended on it because it helped so much. It is a bit pricey if you get a script and go to the chemist but completely worth it!! Just know it will end to! I thought I was never going to be able to eat again, but the days come where it slowly wears off. I’m still struggling with the horrible metallic taste, and I can’t yawn which is killing me haha. But I was nowhere near what I was two weeks ago!!
I forgot to ask in another question I posted, I keep feeling I need to cough or clear my throat and I was told not to do so. I haven’t tried eating anything yet except a Popsicle that made my mouth swell so I will not be going back to that. I have tried water and ice chips and nothing is helping. Any suggestions?
I found warm drinks helped sooth my throat. I drank so much tea. It helped keep my throat lubricated and didn’t hurt like cold things. In the UK we are told to eat rough foods to promote healing and get the muscles working. good luck. Remember, this is temporary and it WILL get better.
I had my Surgwry feb 19 and I must admit possibly the worst pain I have ever experienced . The first day wasn’t too bad but the days after got worse and worse I stopped taking my morphine because it was making me super nauseas and dizzy. Have not had much to eat other then Apple sauce and ice cream. Today is end of day 5 I managed to have some soup today but still very hard to swallow soup even water. I can’t wait for all of this to be over and done with! Even started asking myself why I did this but hopefully gets better and is worth all the pain at the end of it all.
Danielle,
I had the exact same surgery as you. It was painful and all I can relate is what I did. Instead of taking two pain pills every four hours I took one pain pill every two hours. I wanted to keep the same level of drug in my system all the time. I woke up every two hours during the night to take pills. I purchased a pill crusher and mixed the crushed pain pill with two teaspoons of yogurt. 30 minutes after taking the pill I would drink a 1/2 bottle of Smart Water. Drink as much water as you can, it’s painful but it helps recovery. Also, I ate two case of popsicles…..popsicles when I woke up at night, popsicles before I ate my yogurt with my crushed pain pill, popsicles all day long. If you have an ice collar use it. If you don’t have one put some ice in plastic bags and place them on you neck to keep the swelling down. The recovery for this surgery is painful, difficult and the pain keeps getting worse for the first ten days. Again, popsicles, drink at a minimum 32 ounces of ICE COLD water daily, use the ice collar, and take your pain pills. I used yogurt so I’d have something in my stomach. Best of luck.
Someone guide me. I’m 22 and I’m on day 7 of recovery from tonsillectomy and andenoidectomy. I’m in terrible pain constantly. I’ve lost so much weight. I can’t eat or drink, let alone swallow.
I found this website two days ago and am so thankful I did! It was a relief to hear that I wasn’t the only one going through the extreme pain that I have experienced over the last 8 days. I am on day 8 after my tonsillectomy and wanted to recommend that everyone getting a tonsillectomy or anyone who is still recovering to go buy a cool mist humidifier. It changed my entire night while sleeping. It kept my mouth moist so it didn’t feel like my throat was on fire this morning. This is the first day I have felt some relief and I even decided to skip taking the Lortab and just take a couple of ibuprofens. I am praying I am close to being out of the woods. Good luck to everyone, and go get a cool mist humidifier!
Hang in there it’s get better. I bought a pill smasher and smashed my pills and ate two teaspoons of yogurt with the pill. For ten days all I had was two teaspoons of yogurt every two hours and all the popsicles I could eat and Smart Water I could drink. My first meal was mac & cheese and it a itty bitty size portion. After day 14 you’ll begin to rock and roll. Best of luck with your recovery. BTW, after it’s all done…..IT WORTH IT!
This website has been a great relief for me, I had my tonsils removed on Feb 5 , I am now on day 5 after removal and it has probably been there worst day for pain. Day 1-3 seemed like a breeze compared to day 5. Yesterday I had some Kraft dinner for supper and it was really easy going down. I have had extremely bad breath but I assume that is just a side effect of the healing. I have been on Tylenol 3 with codeine to relieve pain.I have three questions, when does the pain start to die down? And, when should I go back to eating my normal diet? And, did any of you deal with infection and how did you know you had one?
I got my tonsils out on the 5th of Feb also, the first day in the hospital was fine, I sucked on ice and thought this is no problem at all. Boy was I mistaken. They told me day four would be the worse, I had my heart set that after that it would be better! Day four came around and the pain was excruciating, I could barely swallow water let alone anything else! The pain from my throat was referring to the pain in my ears and head also! They had me on panadene forte but even though that wasn’t hitting me it was also making me feel very very sick in the stomach. I was struggling to eat soft foods, I’d have the slightest bit of jelly, water and just couldn’t hack anything else. The next day I went to my local GP and he put me on something slightly stronger, Endone. That night I had so many different medications and it relieved the pain for a hour or to, but then just went down hill from there again. I was so restless, getting no sleep what so ever. It was decided, I was going back to hospital. My mum is a nurse so she took me to the private hospital she works at, they put me into emergency because they were worried about bleeding or infection, they took blood and found out I was very very dehydrated they pumped 4L of water into me through an IV and gave me different medication through the drip. It relieved me and it felt amazing to be able to swallow and talk again! I was able to eat a sandwich and Mac and Cheese! And it was the best thing ever, through all my tears from this I had never been happier! I came home and the night was okay, but I guess everything wore off and now I’m back to how I was before the hospital. In excruciating pain! It’s day 6 and I am just praying this will end sooner rather then later but I don’t believe it will. If I could go back in time I most certainly would not want this surgery! I don’t want to wait another week plus for this to wear off and for me to be a normal eating human being again! But I guess I’m going to have to. Its reassuring reading other people’s comments saying that they were in pain to, I have spoken to some friends that have had theirs done in the past and they were fine, eating, drinking alcohol even!! I wish I could heal that easily but I guess everyone’s different and I am an unlucky one.
I had my tonsils out on February 5th also! I stayed the night in the hospital for one night. The nurses had to play around with my pain medication because I wasn’t getting any relief from morphine. Literally it didn’t even faze me. They tried another type of medication that is in the same family as morphine and this made me very sick to my stomach. It was horrible. Finally they tried one more type of pain med after calling my doctor (This was late at night), and it was awesome. I had a good first day out of the hospital, but I found the medication very hard to take. My mom mushed up my pills and I mixed them with water on a tea spoon. That was the only way I could get them down. My first three days flew by because all I did was sleep. Out of those three days though I only ate two spoonfuls of pudding. Day four, five, six, were very difficult. My pain meds, mixed with no food in my stomach really made me feel nauseated. I did a lot of crying over those few days and started to wonder if this was all worth it even though I did often suffer from severe strep. It was so frustrating not being able to eat while being overwhelmingly hungry. So far as the days have gone on I am feeling better and better. I am don’t really eat to much because I am so scared of opening my wounds. Today is day 10 post-op and I am feeling sooo much better I am barely taking any pain medication and I am eating foods such as, Kraft Dinner (lifesaver), soft cheese, soup and other soft foods. I haven’t graduated up (had the guts) to eat anything solid yet. I have found drinking tons of water does really help. I hope you all are feeling better! Here’s to a fast recovery!
Dawn,
Yes if you have had that much issues with them then def talk to your doc about taking them out. If you decide to, read these forums on here and prepare yourself for it. It is very important. I am 34 and had mine out a few months ago, and haven’t snored at all, not once. Yay. Good luck to you and keep us posted.
I have always had tonsillitis and swollen tonsils. They are about the size of a dollar coin in diameter. When I was a kid I would have tonsillitis and would lose my voice for weeks at a time. I am now almost 44 and still have chronic sinus problems, asthma, allergies not so much food that I know of but outside stuff and a good bit of inside stuff also and sinus drainage all the time that gets on peoples nerves because I make noises all the time. I stay sick with a cold or sinus infection throughout most of the year. What made me start looking on the web is because I have this white spot on my right tonsil and it is about the size of dime not quite a nickel and I am finally going to the doctor about it because my brother had cancer in his neck and I was afraid that I had what he had, but as I started looking at pics and searching for an answer before I went to the doctor I came across tonsil stones and this makes perfect sense to me now. I have a few bad teeth that I have been slowly having pulled and my dentist has not said anything about the white spot so I wasn’t worried and then I said I’m going to the doctor and then I immediately feared the worse. I don’t have that bad of bad breath like most that I have read has had. After reading about tonsil stones this has shown me that it may really not be anything really bad so I’m going to the doctor and see what they say hopefully I can get my tonsils taken out that’s what I really want to do because I am tired of having sinus problems all the time. One thing that I did not read anything about is people saying that they snore a lot. I snore like a freight train and it has become really bothersome since I have insomnia and have had it all of my life. I am a fulltime student and as with anyone that goes to college sleep is not a luxury. lol If I do get to sleep good I will snore loud and wake up, so having my tonsils taken out will hopefully solve that. It has helped two of my kids from snoring. If I have my tonsils taken out I hope it will be a smooth ride. Wish me luck. Thanks Dawn
Today is day 10 for me after surgery. One thing I wish I would have been told is to take Stool Softeners. Three days ago, felt the urge to go and I could not go. It hurt worse than the surgery. LOL. So I ended up taking the suppository and a softener, it finally came out but it still hurts so now I know take them daily. Other than that I lost 16 pounds in 10 days. I was on a diet before this so it helps that.lol The pain in my throat is not that bad, i learned that if you want to eat make sure you do that after the medication is in your system. The first five days I was on water and ice cream, some pudding. My throat burned with orange jello, and the lemon lime gatorade and also ibprofen burned, so everyone is different. The thing is you have to try on your own and see what you can handle. The first two to three days i had a slight temperature which i delt with. My speech is impared alittle cause my tongue is still swollen a little bit. The only thing i am still wondering about is why does your tongue stay white for so long? I know babys get thrust when drinking lots of milk ect but adults. My tongue is normal now..lol. I also had my Uvula taken out besides the tonsils… lots of tonsilitis and i also have sleep apnea. So hopefully this helps with both. I am still reading up and learning about this and i hope i can help others as well.
I’ve posted several times on here. The first week is rough, but I have had strep so bad that I could not drink water, and it got to the point that I would have strep and ear infections and could not sleep even with pain medication, no medicines would help, and I had one infection that lasted 3 months straight. Then tonsillitis, then strep again, but being the person I am, I pushed through, ran races, and just dealt with it until the tonsillectomy. The first week of recovery was just like the strep and ear infections, the only difference was, I had pain meds that actually helped and knocked me out, Thank God!!
Drink lots of water throughout the recovery, get off the pain meds as soon as you can, take stool softeners while on them, I quit taking them on day 8 and the next day switched to extra strength Tylenol after talking to nurses. The pain is still bad, but if able to bare it, better to stop the pain meds and get the head right, at least that’s how I felt. Popsicles are your best friend. If unable to swallow pills, break them up and make a slushie with the popsicles or put in cold apple sauce.
The ears will hurt pretty bad Days 5-10 or even 12. I am on day 20 now, and still have some ear pain. I just started running again yesterday, alternating between 10 minutes run and 10 walking for an hour. I ran 3 miles straight today, then walked for a while. I was extremely active before the surgery and to be honest, I was supposed to wait till day 21-tomorrow-to start light running (which is a 9 minute 30 sec mile for me). So, be careful. If you feel any strain, slow down.
Still not eating hard foods, tomato sauces, pizzas. But am drinking mocha’s
Everyone deals with pain and healing differently. For the first two weeks, sleep and take it easy. Sleep reclined if able. I could not lay down on a stack of pillows until day 18. Hopefully be back in the bed by next week. And as everyone on here says, drink lots and lots of water. The doctor said wait at least 3-4 weeks before drinking any alcohol, preferably 4 weeks. They said after 3 weeks the remaining scabs will heal very fast and the more hydrated the throat, the faster it may heal. Always ask a dr. Or nurse if there is any doubt.
Good Luck to all, and just remember, it will end.
I hate to break it to you but imagine your worst case of strep throat/tonsillitis and multiply that pain by 1000 and that is how you’ll feel. Drink lots of ice water and keep popsicles with you. Ice packs feel pretty good too. Also STAY ON TOP OF YOUR MEDS. Even in the middle of the night because it will hurt so much more if you don’t and you will be miserable. Make sure you have plenty of fun things to do to keep you busy and have someone to take care of you and bring you more soft foods when you run out because you won’t be able to drive really or go anywhere. I’m 21 and currently on day 3. I’m not ready for my scabs to come off because I heard that is going to be miserable. Get a sippy cup because it makes drinking water and juice and other things such as that so muc easier. I also had my adenoids removed and some tubes in my nose shrunk so I have a lot of drainage. The best thing to do for that is make sure you’re well hydrated before you try to swallow it. Make sure your throat stays moist, that will be the best thing that you can do to help yourself stay out of as little pain as possible. Also keep your head elevated and your head up because it makes the drainage of whatever that stuff is easier to go down. If things get too bad with swallowing, if you tilt your head back and kind of open your throat, stuff just slides down which helps when swallowing gets really painful. Also a little tip I learned, I’m taking liquid hydrocodone and lidocaine. Take the lidocaine before the hydrocodone and you can take the hydrocodone up to an hour early and still be okay. I’m only on day 3 so this is just what I’ve learned so far. If I come up with anything else I shall let you all know.
Oh and DON’T have sex. It can cause bleeding. I didn’t try it but I asked my doctor about it and she said a firm no. Keep your heart rate at a minimum and you’ll be good.
Best of luck to everyone having this done, who’s had this done, and who’s in recovery. We can all get through this!
While I recovered popsicles and 4 bottles of Smart Water every day. Every time I woke up I had popsicle and more as the scabs began to peel off. I set my alarm to go off every two hours because of the pain. Instead of taking pain pills every four hours, I took one every two hours to keep the drugs in my systems. Also, I ate two teaspoon of yogurt every two hours, which helps prevent getting Thrust infection in the mouth. Clo-Sys mouth wash has no alcohol and pretty much tastes like water. It’s great to prevent infection and keep your mouth moist, unlike other mouth washes on the market. It was recommended by a Dentist. I lost 18 pounds in 12 days and I’m not overweight for any stretch of the imagination.
Wish you a speedy, easy recovery.
Hi all,
I am a 22 yr old female currently on day 8 of my recovery. Recovery is not easy, so I wanted to share some tips I learned to make it as pain-free for anyone interested. Here are some things I found helpful:
– I hate the taste of the pain medicine so I mix it with some applesauce to help it go down easier. I also found the slightly thicker consistency easier to swallow than just simply liquid.
– STAY HYDRATED and try to eat something with the pain medicine to avoid getting an upset stomach. On day four I became sick and threw up. Easily the worst 3 minutes of my life.
– make sure you stay on top of the pain meds. Sometimes I found it tempting to stay asleep in the middle of the night rather than waking up to take my pain meds. BIG MISTAKE. When I woke up for my next dose I realized the extra few hours of sleep was not worth it. So, I set alarms for every 4 hours for my meds. Now, I find myself waking up just a few minutes before my alarm goes off every time! (haha)
-ice packs seem to be very helpful, at least for a few minutes while you are trying to fall asleep or before you eat!
– try and keep your throat lubricated. It really hurts to swallow (obviously) but the longer you put off drinking the harder it gets. So whether or not you are experiencing a lot of pain at any given moment, DRINK!
– moving my tongue around too much hurts as I am sure the back of it is pretty swollen. Try and stay away from foods that however soft, may be kind of “sticky” in your mouth. My mom had a really soft brownie that I was able to swallow for the most part but it seemed the gooiest parts of it got stuck to the back of my mouth and I had to use my finger to get it out.
– Some days I was starving, other days I wasn’t hungry at all. So if you are worried about being really hungry all the time like I was you can find some relief in knowing that sometimes you have no interest in eating.
– I found Days 1-5 to be quite different than 6 – now. So I’ll break it up into 2 parts
Days 1-5: I stuck to drinking gatorade and water for hydration. I was able to eat pudding, popsicles, jello, mashed potatoes, applesauce, soup, yogurt and smoothies. I was in a lot of pain, but most of the time it was tolerable.
Days 5-8 (current): Most things burn when I drink them. I think this is because some of my scabs have started falling off and I have raw spots which are very sensitive. The right side of my throat hurts far worse than the left (the left side feels fine). So, I have found that drinking room temperature water is best. Cold water stings pretty bad, as does straight gatorade. I have found, however, that watering down the gatorade helps. Maybe consider G2 gatorade as it is a little less concentrated than regular gatorade. ROOM TEMP chicken broth seems to be a big help right now. I tried it when it was a little hot still and that was pretty painful. Overall, I can get down a lot of different soft foods, some just sting more than others.
Hope this helps! Good luck!
I am grateful to all sharing. Interestingly, though, I have discovered what some say does not work, tends to work for others and vice versa. I am at Day 6 post op. I don’t like ice cream that well and the dairy did not sound good to me. However, I found ice cream shakes are about the only thing I can get down. Before surgery, I had planned to be the best prepared person for a liquid diet. If I had to be on liquids, I was going to juicer and blender delicious combinations. Surprise! Most things I had planned on burned like being set on fire. I had the brilliant idea to blend banana, blueberry, and strawberry with yogurt. Terrible decision I will never forget. Took an hour to stop crying over 3 tiny sips. Banana and milk? No. Again, bad decision. I’ll just say: no fresh fruit. None. It is a killer for pain. Tart juices and energy drinks were a waste of money too. I thought a bite of thin mashed potatoes might be difficult, but would surely go down by day 3. Then I thought I would choke. My tongue and cheek swelling only began to go down on Day 6. Another surprise: ice bag on the throat has been a godsend. So my food routine has been this: hot tea, hot bouillon, shake, and ice water. All those fancy groceries are wasting away. I have been worried about getting my voice back. It’s good to read that is normal. At this point, I can’t imagine feeling normal again but I have faith that I will.
I got sent home on the same day of my surgery 2 days ago, everything seemed okay considering the surgery I just had. I was prescribed co-codomol, very strong ibuprofen and a throat spray. The next day I threw up non stop, my throat started to swell, couldn’t eat or drink – could barely swallow my own spit. My aunt it a doctor so I asked her advice and she said the co-codomol was making me sick so she told me to get an adults version of calpol dissolvable tablets. They barely worked & today the pain just got worse and worse till I was crying non stop. I rang the hospital and they told me to go to a&e – when I got there they discovered that I had an infection in my throat, gave me liquid ibuprofen and liquid antibiotics – I am taking the ibuprofen with the calpol (paracetamol based) and I have been able to eat almost properly for the first time since the operation.
The foods I will recommend are boiled leeks, jelly etc. NO DAIRY oh my god, you might aswell dig yourself an early grave if you have ice cream, cheese, macaroni cheese, yoghurts etc. you will not get rid of the phlegm for HOURS and it causes you to cough so much. Also, anything that’s sticky you must avoid e.g. Apple sauce, porridge, bananas etc. as these will get stuck in your thoat, give you some phlegm and set up home in the wholes where your tonsils used to be – good luck getting rid of it!
Don’t drink cold water, the doctor I saw in a&e said cold water doesn’t soothe as much as warm/hot water does and it’s true – you also have more chance of getting rid of phlegm with warm water.
I was also instructed to eat toast to scrape away everything as well as the infection – I passed on that one but if you get tuc biscuits & mush them up in your mouth then add some hot water, they go down a treat. Then obviously as you feel more brave stop adding the water and take bigger bites, THEN move onto toast – don’t just go for it straight away unless you want a bleeding throat.
I hope some people find this helpful – a lot of websites I’ve looked on have said that ice lollies are good but I find that all the ones I’ve tried have given me phlegm – go for water based ones not dairy ones if you find they help. Also I almost forgot, STAY AWAY FROM SCRAMBLED EGGS – I had these on the day I came home from surgery and they completely blocked up the wholes where my tonsils were & there was no getting it out apart from drinking a butt load of water.
I hope this helps, I wish I had this to read before I went into hospital
One more thing, take your medication on time – even if your not in pain and don’t feel like it because as soon as you don’t & the pain starts creeping back, it’s bloody hard to get rid of again.
Hi all, I really appreciate having this forum which helped prepare me for surgery. I am 31 and had the tonsillectomy yesterday. My cause for surgery was not so much due to frequent bouts of tonsillitis but more so because my sinuses do not drain properly and they drop into my tonsils which then blends with residue from food, causes bacteria to grow and then leads to a buildup of sulfur causing bad breath and sore throats. I am a big water drinker but the couple of nights leading up to surgery increase your intake of clear fluids. The night before make sure the last thing you drink before midnight or your cutoff time is water. My cutoff time was midnight and I literally drank water right up until. The nurse will ask you about the last items you had and time. They recommend having water the minute before the cutoff time so that your body the next morning will better absorb the IV. The surgery itself was no more than 10 minutes. I suffer from motion sickness and nausea easily so I received a patch prior to surgery from the nurse that would help alleviate the nausea post surgery. If you suffer from an upset stomach ask for the patch (absorbs best behind the ear) and also ask for something to control the acid in your stomach. The combination will not only help calm you down before surgery but really helps to prevent nausea from the anesthesia. In the recovery room a nurse gave me ice chips, ginger ale (also to help fight against nausea) and a Popsicle. The ice is the best thing to relieve a dry and sore throat. The nurse also gave me an ice pack for my neck and a dose of the same liquid pain medication my doctor prescribed (Lortab) which help keep pain away a little longer after anesthesia wore off. Anything you drink SIP not gulp. Gulping will irritate your surgery site and cause stinging. Do not leave the hospital with pain high than a 3-4 (if that’s bareable for you). My surgery was at 8a and I was home before 11a. The anestesia wore off about 4p and so I instantly needed the ice pack and meds. I was told to take 10ccs (a little over a tsp) of liquid Lortab (aka Vicodin) every four hours but if needed can slightly increase the dose or frequency. Because I have a high tolerance for pain the average pain reliever doesn’t usually work for me and I am allergic to Roxicet. Do not wait until you feel the pain to take your dose. I counted four hours from the time the nurse gave me to meds and started the routine schedule then and for the first 3/4 of the day tried the prescribed dose to see if it would help. Later that night I increases the doseage to 15cc every three hours just until the pain is bareable. I prestocked the house with smart water (for the electrolytes), Apple juice, Popsicles, yogurt, ensure, chicken stock and pudding. Do not try to force yourself to eat solid foods. Allow your body to tell you what you can handle. Keep a glass of ice water and a tall cup of ice chips close to you at all times. I was also prescribed amoxicillin (antibiotic) since I’m allergic to clindimycin. The nurse will probably tell you to wait until later in the day or the next before taking because they will put some in your IV. For every sip you take, everything you swallow you may need to swallow twice to prevent choking since you will still be swollen from surgery. Don’t be afraid to keep ice packs in rotation and on your neck. In addition to the pain and antibiotic, I was prescribed liquid lidocaine which is a thick substance that you can swish around your mouth as a numbing agent and in some cases swallow. The pamphlets I received from the pharmacy were not clear, one side said swallow and the other said do not. So for the first day I did not swallow. (I was prescribed to take 5ccs (a little less than a tap every four hours). This means only my mouth was numb which helped but not entirely because it’s the back of your throat that needs the numbing. The next day I swallowed just to test if it would help or make me sick and swallowing did help the back of my throat making it easier to swallow my pain meds, water and Apple sauce. I also bought closys rinse to keep the mouth moist and fresh because the meds especially the lidocaine leave an odd taste in your mouth. I am still on day two and in pain but not unbearable. I was able to speak fine yesterday (day of surgery) but am having trouble today. Again do not force it. You don’t want the added strain in your throat. I started sleeping in 15-20 intervals and not can sleep for an hour or more straight. The couch will be your best friend. You will need to sit up to sleep to prevent choking from the fluids and drainage and it prevents bleeding. My couch has arm rests so I prob the back seat cushion of the couch along the arm rest and then place a regular pillow against that for a comfortable way to be propped up. If you are uncomfortable sitting or sleeping straight up, slightly move down so that you are on an angle similar to a recliner. But pay attention to your body because the lower you move down the harder it will be to prevent choking and coughing. Every hour is you can take 10 deep breaths in, hold for a few seconds and let out through your mouth. This will help reduce the amount of fluids in your lungs. Right after you take your medicine walk around for a few minutes to allow your body to stretch and this also helps pass the time until the pain meds kick in making you drowsy. The numbing med (lidocaine) may also make you sleepy or dizzy don’t worry just make your way back to the couch or chaise chair or recliner and rest. Oh I forgot to mention have a cool air humidifier. Do not wait I tol you go to bed to turn it on, have it on ally at least for the first two days to keep moisture in your body. Breathing in cool damp air also help to keep your throat from drying out when you are sleeping. If you are a female reading this, be sure to have yogurt available as it will help to prevent a yeast infection from the antibiotics. I will keep you posted on my progress. Speedy recovery to all!
I forgot to mention do not have any dairy for the first 24 hrs it increases the mucus in the back of your throat and feel free to place ice chips in your applesauce to help make it colder. This will really soothe your throat and allow it to go down easily. Also chew gum every now and then to help loosen the tension that was placed on your jaw during surgery. Before you leave the hospital ask for a cup of ice to go. It will hold you over until you get home/settled. And I can’t stress enough, keep the humidifier on at all times and drink, drink, drink.
My 6yr old just had hes removed sent home the same day …re admitted the next day with bad infection . Was givin milk sake in hos x
Donna,
Here are random thoughts and things I learned when while I was recovering form the surgery:
Have you real most of the past posts? Michael’s post, he is a Dentist and his daughter had her tonsils removed. He provides some excellent suggestions which help. Read it before you have your surgery. Lots of good post-op things to help the recovery. I can’t stress enough you must stay hydrated. The day of surgery, when I got home and knew I still had a lot of general anesthesia in my system, I knew it would be the least painful time to drink….I drank as much water as I could. I drank almost a gallon of Smart Water. It has electrolytes in it and helps keep the stomach from getting upset. Also, if you like yogurt, buy some and eat it. It prevents what’s called “Thrust Infection” in the mouth. I ate a couple of teaspoon every couple of hours because I bought a pill smasher and mixed the smashed pills with the yogurt and and took my pills that way. I iced down my throat with an ice collar for the first couple of days. Home made Ice tea has tannis (spelling?) in it and it restrict blood flow and will help prevent bleeding in the throat. I also ate a boatload of popsicles, the cold feels really, really good. I’d wake up a couple times a night and have several because the first week I slept with my mouth open due to the swelling. You’ll have to sleep sitting up. I used the couch and placed a pillow next to my head so when I did doze off, my head wouldn’t cock to one side; otherwise, I’d wake up with a very sore neck. It took me two nights to figure out i needed to place a pillow next to me so I could doze soundly. Ask you doctor what you must do if you start bleeding. Knowing what to do eases the anxiety. Have his number available and ready to call and know the number for your closest medical facility just in case you need to go there. There is a mouth was called CLO-SYS, it was recommended by Michael. It’s sold at Wal Mart, Walgreens. It has no alcohol in it and helps keep the mouth moist and breath fresh. It tastes pretty much just like water. I recommend it. Best of luck.
My surgery is on Mondsy and I’m sooo scared! I feel like I won’t survive the pain. I’m a big wus and can’t stand pain.
Takes A week and a half for the constipation to go away
Thanks for the information, having tonsillectomy 1/15/15 no choice in the matter, will try these things, thanks again!
Good luck Rhonda. Let us know how things go!
Allison, my surgeon had me on a laxative,(Dulcolax), twice a day until I had a bowl movement. Then colace(stool softer) twice a day until I was done with pain meds. It help me, hope this advice helps you. Good luck!
Thanks, things are doing good for now, I actually stopped the pain pills yesterday, only took one, but the pain is still pretty bad. I talked to a nurse because. Do not want to continue the pain meds and decided I will take Tylenol for the pain, just to take the edge off, and just took 2 extra strength today (keep in mind, not taking any more of the pain meds) and it has taken the edge off. So happy.
Wanted to say, I am sleeping in a recliner, because laying down-even on stacks of pillows-makes the pain worse. Ice packs and slightly reclined have worked well, but have never been so anxious to get back in my bed.
Also, I have to ask, how long should one wait before drinking some beer-I planned on at least 4 weeks, but someone told me 2-3, I think that’s too soon.
I had a tonsillectomy on Jan. 2, 2015, just last week. To be honest, the pain was no worse than many of the strep throat and ear infections I have experienced. I have had strep so bad that I could not drink water, and had strep and ear infection for 3 months straight and nothing seemed to help it. I have suffered with severe strep for 3 years, got guttate psoriasis from it, and this past year (2014) it started on New Year’s Day and I ended up getting it almost every month. The pain is bad though, no sugar coating it, I am still having to take some pain meds-about 2 a day, mainly for the ear pain. The worst part now is, I think I am constipated from the pain meds. If anyone can give me advice on that and what can help, please do. Also, after stopping the pain meds, will the constipation go away? This is one thing I did not expect.
I had a tonsil removed on 17 December due to it remaining enlarged following infections and also to rule out anything sinister. I have to be honest and say it was the worst pain I have ever experienced. The first 4 days following surgery were bearable but days 5 to 10 were hell, I couldn’t drink plain water without incredible searing, burning pain! Here in the UK, they make you eat your normal diet straight away (I ate half a sandwich as soon as able on return from surgery) and I tried as best I could. Now on day 20, scabs all gone and surgeon says all is good.Maybe its because I am older (40’s) that recovery was so painful just for one tonsil, I can only imagine what it would have been like to have them both removed! Hang in there everyone!
Irene, Chuck is absolutely right. I had my surgery Nov. 25 2014. My surgeon told me the same that Chuck posted. Luckily, I never did bleed. My surgeon said to immediately come to the ER and they would call him and he’d be there to stop the bleeding. Unless it’s emergency where the ER doc would have to do it of course but he was sincere about him being there no matter what. I could not image what your going through and hope your okay. As far as I know by only reading about this, it is normal to bleed a little bit,(which I did a little the first day but that’s it) but lots of bleeding can be very serious and go to the ER immediately. The doc can stop the bleeding but would also put you out again. I don’t know of any ones doctor saying that’s normal if your bleeding that heavy. Any commented support on this is appreciated. Again, I’d listen to Chucks comment and possible get another opinion if it is possible. I’m not a doctor but if I bled heavily, my surgeon would be there to stop it and fix and/or stitch it up again. Good luck to you and so sorry your going through this.
My Doctor said more than one time prior to surgery, if I start to bleed and I bleed more than 5 minutes I must immediately proceed to the closest hospital and go to the ER and have the bleeding stopped.
I’m a 35 F and had my surgery 12/29/14. On day 7. Not good. Spit up/threw up insane amounts of blood on day 4 and again on day 5. Went to ER and saw my ENT and was told it was normal when scabs break off????? WTF. The blood flows down my throat in a steady fast flow and I feel like I’m going to choke on it, it fills my toilet, and that’s normal??? And why didn’t anyone warn me about this before surgery??? I literally think I’m going to bleed out!
This post op is not good. I can handle the pain ect , but the blood pouring from the back if my throat is crazy!!!!
I’m really scared to sleep, drink, eat soft foods, everything…
Please respond if this happened to you and/or suggestions.
Desperate,
Irene
I had my tonsillectomy at the beginning of December 2014 and was very apprehensive having read numerous horror stories online.
It was a miserable three weeks but having spoken with my surgeon two weeks in, it would seem I didn’t experience the worst that could have happened for which I am eternally grateful !
My wife unfortunately came out with a cold on Day 2 so we had to avoid each other until it passed. I was sleeping in an armchair for the first week as found this easier – plus I was likely to be awake within an hour as the pain meds wore off and the dryness of the throat was painful. So I was in the right place to watch TV until I slept again a couple of hours later – ice lolly was useful at this time to ease the pain while waiting for the time to come to take the painkillers again.
I was told that to eat hard foods straightaway and no ice cream. Day after the op breakfast was cornflakes and lunch I had toast. It isn’t easy but worth persevering with every day . This I believe helps ensure that the back of the throat is kept clean. I also cleaned my teeth five or six times a day – oral hygiene important to keep infections at bay.
I drank insane amounts of water – probably up to 5 litres at day – this keeps the throat moist – dry throat = pain.
Yes, the pain does get worse before it gets better – probably from about Day 4 for about 3 days. I used soluble pain relief as this in cold water was soothing too – take the meds when they are due – no point trying to be a hero/heroine. Also expect some ear pain too.
A month later and I am feeling well, slightly uncomfortable in the back of my throat but nothing to worry about.Just as an aside lost some weight too which was good but not a recommended method of dieting !
Summary – unpleasant time but could have been worse. It sounds a bit brutal but as my daughter said to me “its only a few weeks of the rest of your life”. I haven’t had tonsillitis and my operation was due to a “C” scare and for me having the tonsils removed and knowing that there were no hidden “nasties” made it worthwhile.
Hi I am 23 years old and I had my tonsillectomy the same day as you! They do say that bleeding is normal but depending how much it is. So far I have been lucky that I haven’t bled. I have been in severe pain though and the ear pain started yesterday and is slowly dragging out to today
I had to force down pancakes for dinner tonight, it felt like knives in my throat but I chose that pain over nausea. If I don’t eat real food before my pain meds I get really sick. So far I have been able to tolerate oatmeal, soup, mashed up crab cakes, soft flounder, rice, soft cut up pancakes, soft pumpkin bread and icepops. I find that I need to eat food with carbs before I take my meds. The first few days I tried doing protein shakes and taking my meds but it wasn’t enough to coat my stomach. I lost 9lbs but gained back 2 because of the amount of carbs i’m eating. Not gonna lie but I was pretty happy that I lost so much weight that I actually didn’t really want to eat but realized that’s not why I got this surgery so I had to do a little reality check lol. I am just counting down the days for this pain to go away, it is truly unbearable at times. But do not be afraid to drink or eat your body needs the nutrients even though it hurts like hell. The key is to stay hydrated or else there will be more pain and more bleeding unfortunately. Try some lukewarm tea or if there is swelling in your throat try some ice pops. The ice pops have really been helping me. good luck!
Thanks for all the great information that you have posted to help me get through my recovery after my tonsillectomy. I am a 50 year old female 13 days Post Op. and feeling much better. The things I would highly recommend are : Cool Mist Humidifier, Multiple Ice Packs, a snow cone maker (for shaved ice) and a caregiver(if possible). I had a tough recovery but am looking forward to feeling better with those nasty tonsils gone. Good luck to everyone out there having a tonsillectomy and those going through the recovery process. There is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Thanks Greg for this forum, it is a huge help…I am going in for my tonsillectomy tomorrow morning.
I am and am not looking forward to it!
I am 64 yrs old and female, have 3 adult children. They say on here, that having a c-section is a piece of cake, compared to this. Well, I had 2 of our children naturally & 1 c-section. So, I know both kinds of birth pain. I will compare them to my tonsillectomy and let you know!!!
Hopefully, this will take care of the nasty tonsil stones, as well…if, not…someone will have to just shoot me!!
Will post again soon.
God bless us all, before and after surgery.
Hope ur op goes well! Keep us informed how ur doing x x I had my op 21st Nov…. But bled a week later and had to go back to theatre for stitches! To be fair the pain throughout was not that bad at all!!! Iv still got one stitch in there now though which won’t dissolve which is a pain in the ass!! Good luck x
Good luck Eva! I had my tonsillectomy 4 months ago, age 47. The recovery was extremely painful for the first two weeks and pretty ghastly BUT my tonsil stones are gone and I am back to normal now. Just remember that every day post-op is progress, take lots of drugs, suck crushed ice and focus on a future without tonsil stones !
Eva,
I had mine removed the 21st of November 2014 and I’m 59 yrs old. My suggestions: drink as much water as you can. I drank SMART WATER because the electrolytes kept my stomach from getting upset. The day of the surgery when I had all the general anesthesia in my system I drank a gallon of water as soon as I got home. IMHO, I thought the pain would be at its lowest point because I was still drugged up from the surgery. Another thing I did, I didn’t wait four hours to take my med’s. I started as soon as got home and had a pain pill every two hours instead of two pills every four hours. Water, ice chips, healthy popsicles, and an ice collar are your friends. Recommend using the ice collar as much as you can tolerate the first week…it helps with the swelling.
In case you haven’t read Michaels post here’s a copy of it. He a Dentist and has some great suggestions….
MICHAEL says:
December 4, 2014 at 3:21 am
MY Daughter ( 18 years old ) is on day 7 of recovery post her tonsillectomy. She has lost some of her scabs yesterday and is still having considerable discomfort. I had my Tonsils removed at 40 years old so I could help her through her recovery but I wanted to THANK YOU for having this forum!! It has helped her for sure!! Im a Dentist and I feel there is a sincere need for more education on the recovery from this surgery. Here are a few things that I’ve done to help my daughter through her recovery. I had a topical anti-inflammatory made up at a compounding pharmacy. It contained ibuprofen as the anti-inflammatory ( diclofenac is a good choice as well ) lidocaine for a numbing effect, cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer, chitosan and DMSO to help the meds penetrate the tissues to provide the relief. The topical really helped!! She asked for me to apply the compounded med ( apply directly under the chin where the neck is swollen and sore after the surgery ) each time she woke from her pain meds and gave a big thumbs up and was even able to muster a smile! I have also had her rinse with Chlorhexidine which is a mint flavored oral antibiotic rinse. That helped her breath odor a bit as well as helps to prevent a post op infection. The Chlorhexidine lasts for 3 days so it isn’t imperative to rinse with it daily. Closys is an antiseptic mouth rinse you can buy over the counter at Walgreens that is a terrific antiseptic as well as an odor oxidizer which will help keep your mouth moist. It contains no alcohol and has no real taste so its like rinsing with water. There is a small container or peppermint oil to flavor the rinse but do that in a separate container in the case you don’t like the taste. To help control the bleeding when the scabs start to fall off make a strong tea using a tea bag and chill it. The tea has tannic’s in it that will cause the small vessels to constrict to slow the bleeding and the cold will sooth the lesions. Slowing the bleeding limits the amount of blood you may swallow and that will keep you from getting nauseated as well. Biotene is a brand of oral moisturizers that may help and you can get it at the local drug store.
The only other recommendation I can recommendation I can make is to give your loved one a lot of TLC and encouragement!! Empathy is good in large doses as well. If you have not had your tonsils out please don’t give your patient a hard time after you think they should be better. The Tonsillectomy is a MAJOR surgery to endure. Be patient and it will pay off in dividends!!
If you have any questions post them here and I will do my best to help. God Bless you all!! Prayer works wonders as well!!
Best of luck…
V/R
Chuck
Hello!
After multiple cases of severe strep throat, I finally got a tonsillectomy monday morning 12/29. It is now Saturday 1/3, 5th day post-op, 6th day including the surgery. I am a 21 yr old female. I have read multiple cases online and wanted to share mine, for anyone who is looking to go through with the surgery. Unlike a lot of the pretty terrifying stories online, mine thus far definitely seems pretty positive overall.The first three days (two days post-op) for me were the worst, but they weren’t unbearable. I slept an hour at a time the first night, but I found sleeping sitting up was important so that I didn’t choke on my extremely swollen uvula. I wasn’t able to eat substantial food until early the third day. Sure, the pain was pretty bad, but I think the fact I did not stop drinking water helped me the most. And not to mention I was visiting home for the holidays and so I had my mother’s help when I needed it. I didn’t leave the house until the 4th day post-op, and only left for about 20 minutes. On the 4th day post-op, the worst pain was my ears and jaw. I found that chewing gum hurt at first, but has helped in the long run. Also, I had been putting ice packs on my throat, but heat on my ears and upper jaw. It helped a lot. By today, the 5th day, the pain is super manageable. It’s definitely worse in the mornings and at night, but today is nothing compared to how I felt earlier on in the recovery process. I had read everywhere that the pain only gets worse at this point, but I’m relieved it’s been the opposite for me!I think when it comes down to it, my recovery has been pretty easy. And here’s what I’ve done:
-Drink water. Even when it hurts. Drink ice water to take down the swelling. But don’t stop drinking water. Don’t be afraid that there’s pain. Just keep drinking.
-Eat as soon as you’re able to. I was put on Percocets and antibiotics. Food helped to calm my stomach after taking the meds and it strengthens your immune system. I ate apple sauce, chicken broth, oatmeal, potatoes, etc.
-Have someone around to help.. because it helps! I didn’t have to leave my house and I got plenty of rest.
-Rest. Sleep whenever possible, and set alarms to take your meds throughout the night. You don’t want to start the day in pain.
-Take your meds. After the 3rd day post-op, I weaned myself off of the Percocets (by only taking them at night) and started taking Tylenol 3 with codeine. It was easier on my stomach. Ask your doctor about it! It’s a prescription and it still pretty strong.
-If you’re on antibiotics like I am, eat yogurt or take a probiotic. It’ll help you feel better and help your digestion.
-Oh and did I say DRINK WATER. Because that’s very important. Sucking on ice is great like everyone says, but I’m talking drinking a lot of water.
My recovery hasn’t been a nightmare and hopefully yours won’t be either! (although, for me, expecting the worst made the outcome a lot more surprising and positive).
Best of luck!
My Doctor didn’t prescribe steroids….sounds like they work great for you. I hope your recovery is quick and have a nice meal with your family on New Year’s day.
I had pain pill and used them up to the morning of day 8 and after that I stopped using them I’m now 5 weeks post-op, still swollen, not sore and can eat anything I want. I had my surgery on 21 Nov and the Doc said all the swelling will be gone by early Feb. Happy New Year to ALLLLLLLLLLL
I want to thank everyone for sharing their experiences. I am 29 and had my tonsils removed on the 23rd. Initially, I thought I had gotten really lucky because my pain was no worse than strep throat. I was prescribed liquid lortab 7.5/325, prednisone x 4 days, OTC Ibuprofen 600 every 8 hours. When the pain increased on day 5, I was so miserable! My husband and the doctor encouraged me to come by yesterday. It took all I had in me to pull my dizzy, nauseous, hungry, buring, stinging, stabbing throat self off the couch. It hurt to even try to sit up straight. All I wanted to do was lay in an un-right fetal position on my couch. My doctor told me that everything looked great (HAH) and I was going to turn the corner. And he was right but The best thing he did for me was NOT refilling my narcotics yesterday but putting me back on steriods. HOLY MOTHER OF GOD, I went home yesterday, took the prednisone and within 1 hour.. I went from knocking on deaths door to being able to swallow with a reasonable amount of pain. This afternoon (day 8 ) I took another dose of prednisone and I felt great! I went to the grocery store, I am drinking and I ate ramen noodles tonight with NO PAIN. I am wondering if anyone else experiences this with the steroid? Is it just a coincidence? I am going to take it easy the rest of the night and keep my drinking up. I really can’t handle anymore day 5-7 pain!
Well guys just doing a follow up. 5 weeks since surgery and today I went to the hospital. The last 4 days I’ve had increasing pain, as I didn’t have much at all. I ended up looking at the back of my throat and saw more white stuff forming and weird spots. As my family doctor is out till Monday, same with my ENT, I came to emergency room and I have an infection. Geeze, this was the whole point of getting my tonsils out. I’m disappointed but I will say, I’m not running a fever and not miserable like when I had them in. I hope this will get better and can’t wait till I’m over this. Thought I was doing well until this. For those reading this, an infection can happen as I am here with it. Good luck to you all and happy new year!!!
Since childhood, I was suffering from tonsillitis, 3-4 times a year my tonsil got inflamed. Most of my attending physician advised us to remove the tonsil to avoid the complications. Until now, I’m 35 and still suffering from tonsillitis. And finally I had my tonsillectomy last 24th of December this year. So, it’s been 6 days ago and suffering the worst and unbearable pain. I wake up my mouth is dry and my throat is firing and felt something bulge inside my throat. I’m working in other country and living alone , I feel so miserable and alone, I asked one of my friend to stay with me just for emergency. Today I tried to eat pizza and I guess I don’t feel much pain why swallowing or maybe because I took pain reliever. I hope my life would be more better and sick free. Thanks guys and god bless!
There are 2 different methods for a tonsillectomy and I feel that how much pain, whether you bleed much and how long it takes to recover depends on what method is used.
Surgery is quickly done using method 1 – a small instrument called a tonsillar snare is used. It has a fine wire loop (snare) at one end of a tube and when the plunger at the other end is depressed, the wire loop retracts (closes) both crushing and cutting the tonsil off at the base of the stem (the connection) attached to the sides. While there’s more to a tonsillectomy, basically this is what most surgeons use.
Method 2 takes longer to do and is more finicky so few surgeons do it this way. Rather than cutting the tonsils off at the base, the surgeon basically peels the tonsils off. There’s a thin membrane between tonsils and the sides of the throat. By slowly and carefully peeling them off, there’s a VERY low risk of bleeding. Recovery is quicker and pain is less.
If I had to have a tonsillectomy, I’d make sure I found a surgeon willing to use the second method.
I’m 18 and had my tonsils removed the 22nd so today is day 8 for me. From day 3 on I’ve expireinced the most excruciating and unbearable pain, I was miserable and saw no end in sight. Today, For the first time since surgery, I ifelt a glimmer of hope as my pain seemed to reduced drastically and I’ve regained so much energy. I was able to eat toast and avocado and eggs for breakfast…my first food besides soup and ice chips since surgery!! I thought the worst was over but my scabs have begun falling off and even the slightest sip of water sends my mouth into this searing, burning and stinging pain..is this normal? If so, how long does it last? I’m so OVER this recovery and just want to eat real food again and leave my couch. I was banking on being better for New Years Eve but from the looks of things I’ll be staying in.
sos
I’m 19 and on my 10th day of recovery. I almost feel back to normal but my throat is still sore. What I found help when my scabs fell off was warm tea instead of cold liquids. I did this until about day 9 when I could drink Gatorade and cold water again without being in pain. This was the longest recovery I felt like and the pain was unreal. But on day 8 for me everything just seemed to change and from then on I have been better and been able to eat. So just know that you will have a day when all of a sudden the pain is bearable and you feel human again!!
I found this after my op on 8th December this year….. I can empathise with the night wakings feeling like my throat was on fire. I had to move to the spare room as I would literally count the hours until I could take my next codeine. It was hell and took an hour to eat my dinner! On Tuesday 16th December I became one of the small, yet devastating statistics of the bleed…. I had a spontaneous arterial bleed and lost over a litre in my kitchen sink in the 13mins it took the ambulance to arrive. I was blue lighted to hospital and needed resuscitation as I was haemodynamically unstable. It was the most terrifying experience of my life! Turns out I had a bad infection. So guys – keep on top of your pain. Mine was bad. And quickly recovered when I was on iv antibiotics. If you are unsure see your doc!
Rebecca I too was a bleeder! I had my op on 21st nov and a week later I had big bleed
had to go back to theatre to be re cauterised and stitched! How are you now? Did u have stitches? How did they stop the bleeding? My stitches are still there and don’t seem to be going away 4 weeks later 
An outstanding share! I have just forwarded this onto a co-worker who has been conducting
a little research on this. And he in fact bought me dinner because
I discovered it for him… lol. So let me reword this….
Thanks for the meal!! But yeah, thanks for spending the time to discuss this matter here on your site.
Ok…why does everyone say it can’t talk? It’s not awesome to talk but it don’t see no talking as part of healing. Maybe they forgot.
Tara
I’m getting ready for this surgery and I’ve heard different things on the amount of weight you’ll lose from the surgery. I’m already under weight so I’m just curious add to others results.
Hang in there it will get better. I’ve already seen my Doc for the post-op office visit. We discussed keeping hydrated and my intake of Smart Water was over a 1/2 gallon a day. I’d take my pain meds, wait about 20 minutes and eat two popsicles and then down the water. My Doc acknowledged the hydration is very painful but it is the best thing I could have done. Your body needs it to heal. I missed my Thanksgiving dinner because it was four days after I had the surgery, so I kinda have an idea how you feel. Use an ice collar to keep the swelling down, popsicles to keep the swelling down and do eat yogurt so you don’t get a Thrust infection in you mouth. Go back in this forum and look for a threat written by Michael, he’s helping his daughter who had her tonsils removed. He’s a DENTIST and provides excellent recommendations to help reduce the pain and good oral hygiene. Best of luck.
Tateh, hang in there, it does get better. I know first hand what it is like just wanting to eat something normal again. I’m at the ending of week four for me, and doing well. Your mom and doc may be right about day ten, you still may not eat but small foods. Try not to over due the food to fast and break off your scabs. Hang in there though, and trust me, we are here for you. Day 6-12 was rough for me but everyone is different. Hope you had a great Christmas the best you could of!! If you need anything just ask. Good luck and stay extra hydrated!!
I’m 19, home from college for winter break, and I just finished day 7 and I’ve got to say I am exhausted. The pain is still so excruciating that I’m having trouble even swallowing my own saliva. Drinking water or diluted Gatorade stings. It feels like I keep swallowing something but it just stays in my throat. The pain is more direct and my ears, my god. It was Christmas so I didn’t get to eat with my family, at around 9pm I went to the kitchen cause I just couldn’t take the hunger any longer and try to take a few bites of my moms perfectly made chicken and steak enchiladas. It felt so nice to have real food in my mouth but after two bites, it hurt so bad I felt sick. This was the first time I really broke down and cried, cried because I didn’t realize this surgery had a recovery so painful and what seems to be lasting forever. I cried because I haven’t eaten more that a yogurt or some mash potatoes a day, I’ve lost 10 pounds…I am so hungry. And for some reason I’m having horrible chest pains.
My mom keeps telling me to wait till day 10, that the doc said it will all get better on that day. I just need that day to come. This is a hard process.
Michelle,
It’s been a month since the surgery. I didn’t have stitches and I’m back to normal…..well I’m not normal but I’m back to my usual self. Doing my yoga, martial arts and strength training……it’s good to be back in the groove. I saw my Doc a week ago and I still have swelling and will have it until late Jan or early Feb. If the food isn’t nailed down I’m eating it and it tastes good. I can’t wait for Christmas dinner because I missed Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone Merry Christmas and be safe for the New Year
Hiya…. How is everyone who had their tonsillectomy around the 20th Nov? I had nick of a back step after week 1 as you know, with bleeding and had to go to theatre for re cauterisation and stitches in the left side. Iv still got bit of pain on the left and few stitches still there…. I’m hoping they come out soon it’s been nearly 4 weeks!!!! Is anyone atill a bit delicate nearing the 4 week mark? Although I am eating and drinking quite normally apart from really sharp foods. Does anyone also feel a bit strange back there? Nasal drip…. Feel likes loads of air when breathe through nose? Strange feeling all round? Thanks guys x
I’m just finishing day 6…which I think has been the worst day recovery wise. The day of surgery I was able to drink 100 ounces of fluid (water and some powerade) and even ate a few pieces of toast. I never went 30 minutes without taking a sip and the pain really wasn’t bad. I was taking my OxyCodone every 5 hours. Day 2 was a little more painful, my fluid intake was half of what it was on day 1 but I was still able to eat some toast, scrambled eggs and stew. Each day has been increasingly more painful, though still tolerable. I am now taking OxyContin every 12 hours and keeping up on my OxyCodone every 2. The ear pain is worse than the throat pain. My tongue is very sore and I can still feel where my breathing tube was…which I don’t understand seeing as how my surgery lasted all of 13 minutes! At any rate, I’m really hoping tomorrow is the beginning of an upswing in my recovery. I’m hoping to feel better by Christmas! The method my surgeon used was cold knife dissection. He said that he did a big study on his patients using several different methods over a year and that this method had the least pain, postop bleeding and shortest recovery time. I will say, I do not have a scabbing problem. He said the method and the fact that I’ve really pushed the fluids has helped with that.
Ernie, how is your recovery? Are you in pain?
Not sure if anyone on here can help me with this one…
What does a doctor do when they DIDNT GET ALL THE TONSIL TISSUE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!
I had my tonsils removed on October 8. This forum helped get me through the worst pain of my life!
Before I was fully recovered, I ended up with bronchitis. As I have finally gotten through the last of that, something keeps tickling my throat and causing me to cough. I knew there was a residual “flap” on the right side where my worst swollen, tonsil stone filled tonsil had been. I even went back to the doc with this when I got diagnosed with bronchitis. She said she had to cut the tissue off somewhere and that’s the result. I thought it was just inflamed from all my hacking.
Fast forward to tonight. I feel something back there. I’m coughing and have some sinus goo going on. I’m used to that part. I finally look back there with a flash light (something I thought I wouldn’t ever have to do again) and if I flatten my tongue, I can see it- A TONSIL STONE PEEKING OUT OF A LITTLE TINY POCKET! That nub, as I call it, sticks out and annoys me worse than my tonsil did! If she could get the left side clear and smooth, why not the right side?! I have such a bad gag reflex and I have literally been coughing since October 27. SO UPSET RIGHT NOW!!!!
Has anyone ever heard of a doc that didn’t get all the tissue in the first place and admitting it so I don’t gave to foot the bill again?! I’m a teacher and I’ve already missed almost a month of work this year for this once. But I can’t stand this feeling and I can’t keep coughing and clearing my throat!
I’ve heard of tissue growing back and having it done again, but never this!
Kristen is providing sound advice. Drink ice water and I mean as cold as it gets before it become solid. As for pill, I used a pill grinder and mixed the ground pills in with two teaspoons of yogurt because that is all the food my throat could handle. Yogurt will prevent a Thrust infection so it is good to eat some. Other foods I had were applesauce, eggs mashed up and…..basically anything soft. I didn’t attempt to eat in any whole grains until my scabs fell off and that started around day 8 till day 12. You have to be careful because if too much of the scab comes off too soon you’ll end up back in there Emergency Room to have the Doc’s stop the bleeding and be start like day one again. IMHO, it’s much better eat soft foods, and hydrate as much as you can tolerate, that will help. After seeing my Doc on a follow up appointment he said he knew how hard it is to swallow; however, because I was drinking a gallon of ice water a day it helped the healing process. Popsicle are fantastic and will help your throat feel better especially during days 5 to 10. Keep an ice collar on when every you can.
Well first things first. Eating solid foods like a sandwhich post op and your early in your recovery your causing yourself problems.
You should be on a liquid diet or at the very most soft foods like pudding pablum meal replacments or other things like that. You need to be nice to your throat not punish it. Pick up popsicles that you can fit in your mouth and keep topped up on your pain. Place an ice pack on the outside of your neck as well to help reduce any swelling.
Hi all, I am John from Scotland I am on day 6 of my recovery and things just seem to be getting worse. I got my tonsils out because they were causing me to have sleep apnea and having to use a CPAP machine. On the day of the operation in woke up fine but because I had sleep apnea I was placed in the ICU for 24 hours but was fine the pain meds worked a treat i was able to eat a sandwich and couple of hours after my op and dinner that night. For the next 4 days this was the same, however the pain was getting increasingly worse. Day 5 was the sorest but I still have today which I feel will beat it. I have struggled to eat anything for the last twould days. The worst pain for me Is whenever I wake up my mouth is so dry that even drinking water hurts alot and trying to drink my solibul meds is close to impossible. I have been drinking alot of tea which has seemed to help but have not coughed up any scabs so feel I have a long couple of days ahead of me. I am taking tramadol, paracetamol and diclophenac to ease the pain. Has anyone got any suggestions as how to ether stop my mouth getting dry or ease the pain in the morning?
John, just hang in there! Days 8-12 were my peak pain days. Yes, waking up is the WORST! It will be for a while. I set an alarm for my meds and tried to make sure to be awake and drinking water 15 minutes or so before my next scheduled dose. But I’m not going to sugar coat it- the first 30 minutes after waking up was always bad. I would suggest eating something frozen in tiny bites to numb your throat. My doctor also prescribed tetracaine lollipops-they numb the area. Didn’t help much, but glad I had them.
Just to prepare you- I ate well the first 5-7 days post-op, then when I hit the brick wall of pain on day 8, I literally drank water, ate Popsicles, Italian ice, and ice pellets (sonic will sell you a bag), and chicken broth (Lipton noodle soup without noodles) for the next 5-7 days. It was all I could take. Plus, there was a point when the scabs came off that frozen was too cold and hurt! Then it was Luke warm everything. Even applesauce was scratchy! That fresh skin sans scabs is very sensitive!
Are you using a cool mist humidifier?! That was one thing I think helped a lot!
Good luck! This forum damn near saved my sanity during my recovery! Feel free to read my rants! Surgery date: October 8, 2014.
This was posted my Michael who is a dentist and it has lots of good information for those of recovering:
MICHAEL says:
December 4, 2014 at 3:21 am
MY Daughter ( 18 years old ) is on day 7 of recovery post her tonsillectomy. She has lost some of her scabs yesterday and is still having considerable discomfort. I had my Tonsils removed at 40 years old so I could help her through her recovery but I wanted to THANK YOU for having this forum!! It has helped her for sure!! Im a Dentist and I feel there is a sincere need for more education on the recovery from this surgery. Here are a few things that I’ve done to help my daughter through her recovery. I had a topical anti-inflammatory made up at a compounding pharmacy. It contained ibuprofen as the anti-inflammatory ( diclofenac is a good choice as well ) lidocaine for a numbing effect, cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer, chitosan and DMSO to help the meds penetrate the tissues to provide the relief. The topical really helped!! She asked for me to apply the compounded med ( apply directly under the chin where the neck is swollen and sore after the surgery ) each time she woke from her pain meds and gave a big thumbs up and was even able to muster a smile! I have also had her rinse with Chlorhexidine which is a mint flavored oral antibiotic rinse. That helped her breath odor a bit as well as helps to prevent a post op infection. The Chlorhexidine lasts for 3 days so it isn’t imperative to rinse with it daily. Closys is an antiseptic mouth rinse you can buy over the counter at Walgreens that is a terrific antiseptic as well as an odor oxidizer which will help keep your mouth moist. It contains no alcohol and has no real taste so its like rinsing with water. There is a small container or peppermint oil to flavor the rinse but do that in a separate container in the case you don’t like the taste. To help control the bleeding when the scabs start to fall off make a strong tea using a tea bag and chill it. The tea has tannic’s in it that will cause the small vessels to constrict to slow the bleeding and the cold will sooth the lesions. Slowing the bleeding limits the amount of blood you may swallow and that will keep you from getting nauseated as well. Biotene is a brand of oral moisturizers that may help and you can get it at the local drug store.
The only other recommendation I can recommendation I can make is to give your loved one a lot of TLC and encouragement!! Empathy is good in large doses as well. If you have not had your tonsils out please don’t give your patient a hard time after you think they should be better. The Tonsillectomy is a MAJOR surgery to endure. Be patient and it will pay off in dividends!!
If you have any questions post them here and I will do my best to help. God Bless you all!! Prayer works wonders as well!!
I am on day 5 of recovery. Mornings are the worst! My dr gave me liquid Tylenol with Codeine for pain every 3 hrs. Takes the edge off but doesn’t get rid of the pain. Wish I got something longer acting b/c I literally have to take it every 3 hrs esp if I need to sleep/eat. I have the worst taste in my mouth always!! I gently gargle with salt water or non-alcohol mouthwash, but doesn’t help much. I’m eating soft foods…very slowly. I feel like food gets stuck and I have to sip water between bites. I miss real food! Hoping to be able to eat somewhat normal by xmas!!! Thank you for this forum!!
Jerome, are you on some special medication from your tonsillectomy?
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Michelle,
Yesterday, I saw my ENT for a follow up. Everything is healing well. The only issue I have is everything is still swollen but I can deal with that. My diet is back to normal and the Doc gave me the go ahead to start training. He did mention the swelling will be with me until the end of January and asked that I set an appointment to see him then. The pain is gone but I’d say it’s a little tender and that’s a heck of a lot better than pain. Michelle, I wish you the very best while you recover and I wish you and all a Merry Christmas. Everyone, thank you for the support while going through this recovery process. At this point in my life it was the most difficult thing I’ve ever had to deal with and I’m glad it is getting behind all of us and we can say we’re done with it. God Bless.
Hi, I’m am doing good. My stitches have pretty much dissolved and just got a couple on my left side. I can say I’m pretty well done but of courser I’m still healing. My follow up was 2 days ago and surgeon said everything looks good. Still a little weird to yawn and spicy foods are tough to eat yet. But good news is I haven’t snored that I know of since I got them out!! lol. Overall I’m just still healing but all in all doing great!!! Thanks for asking Michelle. Hope you recover well!!
Hi Gary, how are your stitches doing now? I’m coming up to 3 weeks and they are still hanging on in there annoying me! Also how is everyone doing with pain? I still have slight pain on swallowing and pain in the ear and jaw
and I’m still so scared of bleeding again!!
hi and thanks for sharing this … im on day 7 right now … monday i had my tonsils out and i felt fine … by 9pm that night i was sent home with pain meds and a goodbye … my travel home was 40 mins but was made longer due to stopping as i felt sick … the last time we stopped was half a mile away from home and i was violently sick, blood too … i went home and for the next hour or more till 11.30pm i writhed in agony and was sick again … i went to bed (with help from my mum who i live with – im disabled) with bucket in tow and some tissues … i was sick about 8 times during the next 12 hours … this meant i was way too sore to do anything or eat or drink, let alone take medication to stop the pain … my mum had to practically force me to drink some water that day … the wednesday came and i felt a little better tho i still cudnt take my meds … i did however have some soup and tried some egg … the egg didnt work … thursday i felt a bit better and had some super cooked super soft vegetables some soup and water … still not any meds in sight … friday i thought was a good day as i tried lots of soft foods some i managed small amounts of some i cudnt … saturday was the best day for me without pain meds as i was able to have as much soup water and jelly as i cud get altho swallowing was still hard work and my soup was cold before i finished … sunday i felt sore again so i started trying my diclofenac medication (only) … i dissolved my first tablet in some water and drank it … it worked well … so well that i only had pain when i tried to eat solid food that was hard like toast or the crust of pie … i had a second dissolved tabled later in the day but by the time it was 9pm i felt brave enough to swallow a whole tablet … bad mistake … it didnt work … i swallowed it fine but the meds went to my stomach not my throat … it didnt do a thing … i had pain all night last night because of this … so what i did was dissolve again this morning and instead of wsting whqt i cudnt drink of my single tablet i kept it in the wqter and topped myself up every 4 hours or so … i have finished one tablet today during the course of one day (meant to have 3 in one day) and i feel fantastic … i have taken another tablet out of the pack and had it dissolving for overnight … in case i wake up in the night a bit sore … then i can keep myself topped up
thanks for this and i hope i help someone … oh and before i forget i cant do more than one swallow at a time till i learn to swallow again … i forgot earlier today about it and went to drink normally … whoops … i got to my third swallow in one breath before it happened … i started getting a build up of water at the back of my throat but i cudnt stop drinking … i needed it … by swallow 8 i was forced to stop as it was coming down my nose … and i cudnt breath when i needed to … it make me choke and i had to blow my nose several times to get all the excess water out 
so for those of u who have my problem be careful
Kirsten, congratulations to you!! I am also on day 18 and I too am doing very well. I can eat normal foods now and am enjoying the taste. I quit drinking soda since the surgery and hope to keep it up. I have lost about 14 pounds and still slowly losing from the surgery. I’m staying away from the soda. I haven’t tried to eat chips yet. I’m not in pain anymore but when I swallow it still feels a little weird. Can’t wait till that goes away. My follow up is Monday and I am excited to see what the ENT has to say. Good luck to everyone and thank you all for the help and feedback you have provided!!!!
Kristen,
Congrat’s! It’s so much nicer when it’s all done. Enjoy life
I can officially consider myself recovered from surgery!!:) im talking 90% clear, sleeping in my own bed and able to eat regular food again and my scabs are all gone with only minor bleeding for 1 day ?
good luck to everyone else!!
Justice,
I hate to day this but, you’re going to start to feel worse before you feel better. Days 6 to 11 are the worst. After that, you begin to feel better. So given the worse can scenario you have until the 15th before things begin to get better. I would say stay hydrated as much as possible, eat yogurt, it prevents Thrust infection in the mouth. If you can eat solids do so and let your body tell you what it can ingest. The days that you feel good and want to move around just rest and relax. If you haven’t read all the threads go back and read the one written by the Dentist who is helping his 18 year old daughter recover, he gave great advise to reduce pain and get rid of the bad breath. Best of luck with the recovery.
Justice,
I hate to day this but, you’re going to start to feel worse before you feel better. Days 6 to 11 are the worst. After that, you begin to feel better. So given the worse can scenario you have until the 15th before things begin to get better. I would say stay hydrated as much as possible, eat yogurt, it prevents Thrust infection in the mouth. If you can eat solids do so and let your body tell you what it can ingest. The days that you feel good and want to move around just rest and relax. If you haven’t read all the threads go back and read the one written by the Dentist who is helping his 18 year old daughter recover, he gave great advise to reduce pain and get rid of the bad breath. Best of luck with the recovery.
Hey, I’ve had a lot of the same problems with my tonsils, frequent visits to the doctor for tonsillitis or sore throat. I’m 19 and I got a tonsilectomy done 5 days ago (including surgery day) and I haven’t gotten any better. I feel like no progress is being made and I absolutely have to be better by Boxing Day for my sister’s 19th birthday, I haven’t been to her birthday in 12 years. Any tips and tricks will help. Please help me.
The date is December 9th 2014.
Keep a timer for your pain meds. They’re your only hope to make it out alive! Day 7 and I’m screaming….good luck. I’m reading to get as many tips as I can!
I should be thanking everyone on here. There has been lots of knowledge and helpful tips.
i startcback at a new job and my voice is going to be a big part of my job so im looking forward to it ?
Kristen,
That’s good to know…. thanks a bunch
Kirsten, I think your right now that you said that. I understand now. Thank you. I’m not much of a drinker at all, just on occasions, however a DP or Pepsi would be nice!!!
Adenoidectomy is more for snoring. Which i had done at a really young age, tonsils were removed for chronic infections.
Im snoring because my sinuses and tonsils are angry and something is mildly blocked. I tend to snore when im sick :S
and in tems to drinking alcohol etc it takes 3-6 months to fully heal from a tonsilectomy and i think i read somewhere to avoid alcohol for at least a month. Depending on your recovery id ask your doctor or the surgeon upon a follow up examination.
Oh man I wish I could eat proper food
I am sooo hungry! My throat isn’t particularly sore but I can feel a certain point where it has been stitched after the bleed pulling, I am scared of eating anything substantial incase I tear one of the stitches and bleed again 
when do you think the stitches will be healed enoughed to relax? How long do tonsils normally take to fully heal before there is no risk of bleeding? I’m sick of this now ….. Iv lost 9lb so far and look ill! Also when are you allowed to have alcohol again? I really need a beer! 
x
Day-13. Well everything is going okay so far. Been eating pretty normal foods. Went out to a Mexican restaurant and had cheese enchaladas. Really good!! So badly wanted a top shelf margarita!! Anyway, food went down pretty good, still hurts a little to swallow but not bad enough to take pain meds. Still feel several stitched in my throat, hopefully they will be gone soon. Lost 2 already that I know of. Kirsten, I’m def not a pro of this tonsillectomy stuff, but don’t some people get them removed because of snoring? Just thought I read that several times. But yea, I can imaging the dryness of your throat. Good luck!!!!
Hopefully everyone is recovering well today. I discovered last night that ive been snoring. Mom woke me up and handed me water cause id been out cold mouth open snoring away. Suffice to say my throat hurt. Thanks to being woken up though i got to figure out why its been sore. Damn snoring.
Chuck- I think we’d all agree on that!! Maybe a whiskey drink too to sooth the throat after all this!!! Lol.
Gary,
I was thinking the same thing but my carbonated drink will say Budweiser on it
Just a question hope to be answered, but when would it be okay to drink a carbonated drink again? Should I just try it or wait till I pretty much healed? I have been craving a Pepsi!!! Lol.
Hey Michelle,
You described exactly what happened while I was recovering. Same thing, I had blood in the phlegm. It started very early on and didn’t have any adverse affect during the recovery and I always felt better after i coughed it up.
Michelle:
I had phlegm but thebstuff in thebback of my throat was yellow. It could be the stuff they put on your tonsils.
Also in terms of bleeding if it isnt a lot i wouldnt worry too much justbstick with fluids. I stayed on a fluid diet longer then necessary and it really helped my sotuation.
Try an ice pack around/on your neck and popsicles and liquids. If youbarent bleeding a lot id guess it could be normal. Stitches do bleed after all. If it persists orbgets worse after a day or two then go back. I was told minor bleeding is fine and to be expected.
Michelle- I know that my surgeon told me that some people try to eat what they can. But he did not want me to eat anything acidic, like tomato soup, toast, peanut butter, or any solid food for several days until I start healing well. I couldn’t eat nothing anyways and sipping water hurt like heck. But anyways, he said he want me to cause any irritation to make me bleed. Haven’t bled since day after surgery. And I have made sure and followed his instructions and lived off of pretty much yogurt, broth, Popsicles, water, and jello. Had mashed potatoes after several days. I just did and tried my best not to rub solid foods against those stitches. I was scared enough.
No I had the bleed on day 7 and had to go back to theatre for stitches…. I am now on day 7 after the stitching but day 15 from the original surgery. I ate normal soft foods inc toast from day 1 until the bleed like they tell us to here in the UK ….. But since the bleed and stitching I have been living off soup
I have had phlegm but not much. I have not bleed since the day after surgery, that I have noticed anyways. Did you start out with stitches at all? I did and have been very careful what I eat to not irritate them. Are you still eating soft soft foods?
Hi me again! Does anyone get loads of phlegm? And sometimes streaks of blood init? I am very scared and paranoid now after my bleed and re cauterisation/stitching
Thanks guys! I don’t think that it is thrush. I will keep an eye on it though and yes I have been brushing it. Thanks for the help, will see if it changes tomorrow or not.
Have you be able to brush your tongue? I know my tongue had like 5 layers of plaque on it.
If nit gargle and rinse with tea tree oil. Its not an antibiotic but is antifungal and antibacterial. If it is thrush it will get rid of it fairly quick.
Hi Gary, glad to know I am not alone
as for the White tongue…. It may just be normal from the not eating properly etc, but I have heard of people getting thrush? Is it sore at all?
I wonder when the White scabs will actually go away altogether and our throats be actually fully healed?!
I am on day 11. And yes, I could feel my stitches too. Especially when swallowing. The ENT said they would dissolve on their own, just said when I’m healing they’d dissolve on their own. No specific day. And yes, I still have the white junk in back of my throat but it is slowly but surely going away. The pain has deminished pretty well, if I take anything for pain it’s after eating a meal because it’s throbing. All in all doing much better. I noticed today though my tongue is white. Is this normal or should I call the Dr?
I don’t really know why I got stitches to be sure. I do the the ENT said I bleed much more than others. This might of been the cause. He told me he put dissolvable stitches in, but where he tied them is what is coming out. Don’t know how many I got honestly. Thank you guys for your responses and hope it’ll be over soon!!
So what day are you on again Gary? My stitches are making me gag, I can feel them at the back of my throat now
are your tonsils still white? How long did the ENT say it would take for the stitches to come out? I wish this was over! Argh!!!! X
Haha i was forced to sleep in my bed. Had a hell of a txt conversation with my mom over it. I am couch bound again which makes me quite happy. Means i can sleep again
Kirsten,
Hey, at least you tried to sleep in a bed. I’m on day 14 and still sleeping on the couch each night. I finally found out if put an extra pillow next to my shoulder, when I do doze off, I don’t have a sore neck when I wake up. Before I used the pillow, I’d wake up due to my neck getting sore, Good luck with your recovery. At day 10 and from then on things will get better….hang in there!
Tried sleeping in my bed propped up but because i kept sliding i feel like my recovery has regressed back to day 5 instead of day day 10. Coughing up scabs and such sucks. I woke up this morning after a horrible sleep. Lesson learned: mom can live with me on the couch…also i need the couch. Keeps me from sliding down and getting all swollen and awful.
i was eating just fine and healing great. Damn
popsicles and soup for me today
Gary,
You’re getting better with each passing day and that’s great! I wish I could provide a time frame saying here’s when you’re going to feel really good. What I’ve learned during the recovery process is once you start to lose the scabs you’re going to progress each day and you’re going to feel better with each passing day. (Not like that’s something you already don’t know .) Today is day 14 for me. Like you, I didn’t have stitches and I can’t imagine how uncomfortable feels. Again, once you start losing the scabs the worst is over. An uncomfortable feeling continues for several days as the scabs continue to leave in layers and that was a turning point for me. I don’t feel fantastic but I felt a heck of a lot better that before and I hope it’s the same for you. All I can honestly say is this: Your throat will feel better & your ability to eat solids food comes back. You’ll start using your voice, a little at first and that too improves with each passing day. I had scheduled to be off of work for two weeks and I did not allocate enough time. I’m going to take an additional week. At the end of three weeks I’m praying that will be sufficient time to return to work.
Thoughts and Prayer go out to all who are recovering.
Hi Gary, how come you had stitches? I had my tonsillectomy 2 weeks ago today, but last week had to go back to theatre for one of them bled and needed stitches. My stitches are starting to fall out on that side today (day6 for that side!) and I am crapping myself!!! My other tonsil is nearly completely healed now with just a tiny speck off white on it. I am however in no pain on either side and havnt had pain for nearly a week apart from a bit of war pain on the stitched side x ps what colour are your stitches? Keep in touch :). X
Oh yea, Michelle I am happy to hear your doing good. Hopefully you be much better soon. Good luck to you and thoughts and prayers have been made. Sorry you’ve have a rough one, couldn’t imagine the difficulty you have been through. Good luck!!
Starting Day 11-2:28am here in Texas, and I just coughed up 2 stitches. Hope this is normal, no blood though. Didn’t hurt. Hacking up scabs slowly but surely. Sleep is getting a little better. Taking maybe 1 pain pill a day, usually after I eat, only if throat hurts bad. Swallowing still hurts. Pain is decreasing by the day. Been eating better soft foods than just soup, yogurt etc. been keeping hydrated, drinking smart water(lots lots lots). Humidifier still going strong. I guess I can hopefully say I’m just healing now with little to no pain. Freeze pops still feel good to the throat. Still can’t talk very well. What day could you actually say(on average) that your just over this? I’m seeing the light, but it’s still cloudy. Am I gonna reach it in a month? Few more days? Weeks? Good luck to you all going through this. This site has helped a lot, thanks for having it!!!
hi Gary – yay you made it to day 11! The worst is over! I would say it took about a month before I began to feel I was swallowing/eating normally. Three months on I still have a sticky feeling at the back of my throat, and seem to cough/choke on food a bit more than usual. But otherwise I feel normal – and very happy to no tonsils/tonsil stones!
Thanks Chuck appreciate it
Michelle,
Hang in there as the only relief is the passing of time. I hope and pray you’re through the roughest part and now on the path to recovery.
V/R
Chuck
Good Afternoon from California,
Yea-haw! I’m still not a 100% as the swelling interferes with my breathing while trying to sleep and I’ve not been able to get 4 straight hours of sleep since this amazing adventure to the path of recovery started on the 22 of November. Yesterday, I spoke with a friend for about 10 minutes and it was the first conversation I’ve had since surgery. Also, went to Costco to by some Smart Water and other items. When I got home it felt like I had just finished one of my Yoga routines, I was whipped. Even though my throat is much better there is still more to recovery. I attribute to my age more than anything. An almost 60 year old just doesn’t recover like a younger person will. We’ll, for today….That’s All Folks
Today is day 13, Post-Op and each day is getting better. Scabs are about 90% gone maybe more than that. The taste I got in my mouth from Post-Op recovery is almost all gone. With each passing day food is now tasting better and better
Hi all, how are we all doing? What day is everyone on? One of my tonsils is on day 13 and looking pretty good just slightly white in appearance. The other tonsil is on day 5 as had to go back to theatre for stitching after a 2 hr bleed last sat which I posted about
…… I just cannot wait for this all to be over! I constantly worry every day that the bleeding is going to happen again. And I just want to get back to normal life with my 3 children 
……. X x
MIchael,
Working with our physician these can be on a list as pre-op items to acquire. Informative, very informative! Thanks for the suggestions.
V/R
Chuck
MY Daughter ( 18 years old ) is on day 7 of recovery post her tonsillectomy. She has lost some of her scabs yesterday and is still having considerable discomfort. I had my Tonsils removed at 40 years old so I could help her through her recovery but I wanted to THANK YOU for having this forum!! It has helped her for sure!! Im a Dentist and I feel there is a sincere need for more education on the recovery from this surgery. Here are a few things that I’ve done to help my daughter through her recovery. I had a topical anti-inflammatory made up at a compounding pharmacy. It contained ibuprofen as the anti-inflammatory ( diclofenac is a good choice as well ) lidocaine for a numbing effect, cyclobenzaprine as a muscle relaxer, chitosan and DMSO to help the meds penetrate the tissues to provide the relief. The topical really helped!! She asked for me to apply the compounded med ( apply directly under the chin where the neck is swollen and sore after the surgery ) each time she woke from her pain meds and gave a big thumbs up and was even able to muster a smile! I have also had her rinse with Chlorhexidine which is a mint flavored oral antibiotic rinse. That helped her breath odor a bit as well as helps to prevent a post op infection. The Chlorhexidine lasts for 3 days so it isn’t imperative to rinse with it daily. Closys is an antiseptic mouth rinse you can buy over the counter at Walgreens that is a terrific antiseptic as well as an odor oxidizer which will help keep your mouth moist. It contains no alcohol and has no real taste so its like rinsing with water. There is a small container or peppermint oil to flavor the rinse but do that in a separate container in the case you don’t like the taste. To help control the bleeding when the scabs start to fall off make a strong tea using a tea bag and chill it. The tea has tannic’s in it that will cause the small vessels to constrict to slow the bleeding and the cold will sooth the lesions. Slowing the bleeding limits the amount of blood you may swallow and that will keep you from getting nauseated as well. Biotene is a brand of oral moisturizers that may help and you can get it at the local drug store.
The only other recommendation I can recommendation I can make is to give your loved one a lot of TLC and encouragement!! Empathy is good in large doses as well. If you have not had your tonsils out please don’t give your patient a hard time after you think they should be better. The Tonsillectomy is a MAJOR surgery to endure. Be patient and it will pay off in dividends!!
If you have any questions post them here and I will do my best to help. God Bless you all!! Prayer works wonders as well!!
Wow! Michael that’s some great stuff- Thank you! I’m glad that you and your daughter have benefitted from the site and seem to be doing well. It sounds like she’s in good hands! Take care. Best wishes to you both.
Greg
Michael would you mind if I shared this comment as a permanent post for others to refer to in the future? Thanks again
KIRSTEN,
I know the recovery time is different for each of us but hang in there!!!!
You’re about finished with the worst part of the healing process and things start to get better. Day 8 was it for me. After that each day became progressively better and better. Wish you the best.
Congrats chuck im so glad your recovery is going well
i am on day 8 now and havent lost too many scabs yet but im coughing up an incredible amount of phlegm. Yay for catching colds prior to surgery.
I hope the rest of your recovery goes smoothly and enjoy every bit ofbfood you are getting for those of us who cant eat it yet ?
Day 8 – I stopped taking all med’s. Pain is tolerable. Scabs continued to diminish in size.
Day 8 thru 11 – Scabs continue to diminish in size. Throat feels very good compared to what I was dealing with from day one. I ‘d rate it like a very, very, very mild sore throat. MAJOR BREAK THUR – I’m back on solid foods which started on day 11. I actually had stuffed bell peppers, some chicken and fresh steamed veggies….ahhhh, life is beginning to get back to normal. I didn’t eat the food while “hot.” I waited until it was just warm and the throat handled it well. Things I continue to do is drink as much smart water as I can take. Also, I continue to eat the popsicles and will do both until all the scabs are gone. Sleeping is a bit rough as my throat tickles all the time while I’m trying to sleep, so I keep a thermos of cold water by me when I sleep. I take a sip and it nips it in the bud until next time. Last, I was able to call the doctors office and schedule and appointment. Voice is coming back slowly. Total weight loss was 12 pounds. I pray all of you have a good recovery!!!!!!!!!
Day 8- scabs are starting to come of slowly but surely. I still cannot talk very well at all though and swallowing hurts. I only take a pain killer like if I eat and throat is throbing afterwards. Everyday pain level has com down a lot. I can eat better foods than just soup but still being careful not to overdue it. Is anyone else talking okay on day 8?
I am officially a week into recovery and the scabs were coming off on day 5 with no bleeding. I dont know wether im severly lucky or if i drank more than necessary but im goig to say that dear god it burns!!! Got an interview today and i spent most of the night hacking up scabs and the rest of it suckin on popsicles and sleeping not so restfully with pain killers. Avoid anything acidic when the scabs start coming off. Burns like a beast.
Thank you Kirsten. I will def stay hydrated.
The spitting is normal and my scabs are coming off as well, your spitting because your scabs are coming off. Id suggest drinking more fluids and more salt rinsing. It seems to have helped me significantly
Day-7, can anyone tell me if I’m just different or is there an explanation to this. I have been spitting all day today. It’s clear and no blood. Don’t get me wrong, I have since the operation but today is like 12 times worse. I think I spit up just a little bit of scabs too this morning but no other time. Just really bad today. Any reason? Poor day to spend my bday. (Oh what did you do for you birthday? Oh I just spit all day).
lol.
Yeah, I did end up talking to her about it as much as possible, she’s still kinda pissy about it but oh well. I will be seeing my doctor on Thursday to ask a couple questions and maybe get another day or two for pain killers in case I need them. I haven’t been in terrible pain, past 3 days have only had to take half a dose for the entire day. But my scabs are starting to come off now and my throat is a bit on the side of tender now. Thanks for the input, that’s kinda how I feel because I am not yet comfortable with laying down, feels much more comfortable to be elevated. I hit my 7 day mark tomorrow.
Kirsten – you have to do what feels best for you. This is a horrible recovery and your mother perhaps does not understand quite how bad it feels. If you explain then I am sure she can allow you a few more days in the chair. You should start to feel a lot better soon, then you can eat a bit more food, get stronger AND get more sleep too.
Kirsten- the only thing about that that my surgeon told me is for the first several nights, make sure k sleep elevated. I know this isn’t much help, but honestly the more elevated you keep yourself the better in my opinion so blood isn’t rushed to your throat.
Does anybody know how long your supposed to sleep elevated for?? My mom is gettin a bit cranky cause ive taken over her couch. Its the only way currently that i feel comfortable or not worried that ill choke in my sleep. Im coughing phlegm up right now, had a cold when i had my surgery done.
I got my tonsillectomy 14 days ago. I took my last dose of Lortab two days ago. I’m currently in severe withdrawal – it’s terrible.
H michelle im sorry to hear that. Thats one of my biggest fears right now
im sorry your goibg through that, recovery is bad enough without complications. Who wants to go back when the experience is allmost never pleasant.
Hugs and jello to you and hope theres no more hiccups.
Hi guys thanks very much….. Well the first bleed didn’t last very long but I started bleeding again last night, and it hadn’t stopped after 2 hrs so I had to go back to theatre and have stitches
I am very sore today and hope it doesnt happen again….. I am scared 
I have cut back massively on my pain medecine. Hasnt been anythibg i cant handle. Though im going to have to start because i have svabs starting to come off i think. Sleep last night kept getting interrupted by coughing and such and couple times there was this gross stuff in my mouth after. Havent noticed any bleeding yet but will have to wait and see i guess since the bits were quite small.
Day 6- I didn’t take a pain killer last night as I was feeling a little nauseous. I woke up this morning with a pain level of a 4-5. Still hurts like heck to swallow. I got up and ate 2 Popsicles and drank water. Ended up taking a pain killer which dropped my pain to a 1-2. Throat still feels swollen. All in all though not a bad morning. I’m just starting to get the depressed feeling though that this isn’t getting better. I’m starting to get tired of eating(drinking) water all day long with nothing but Popsicles, soup, and Maybe mashed taters. And yogurt. I can not wait to taste a rib eye steak again with a full course meal. I’ve realized going through this how lucky I really am to be able to eat normal foods. I understand now why dad always said don’t take food for granted, order what you’ll eat and clean up your plate. Man I’d never complain about that again. I’d be happy too!!! Lol. I don’t see a light at the end of the tunnel just yet, but I’m still looking. Pain not too bad today unless I swallow, just another day, just a little depressed is all. I will see what today brings. Tomorrow is my birthday and will be partying it up with ice water, Popsicles and yogurt I guess. Not birthday shot for me unless it is a liquid codeine shot, lol. Good luck to everyone else going through this!!!!
Chuck- thanks for sharing that. I bet you were very scared with your mind going 100 miles an hour on what to do. I would be nervous and probably handle it worse than you. Good luck to you!!!
DAY EIGHT
In closing day 7 I decided I wouldn’t take any pain pills as I’m just tired of grinding those pills up 12 times a day and frankly, when I die and come back I never, ever want to see any more yogurt. You know when have too much of something when you get that gag reflex and it’s not because your throat feels like you have a thousand itty bitty soldiers armed with chainsaws working their way back and forth across the back of your throat. No, in this case it’s yogurt overload; whether it’s peach, strawberry, blueberry or whatever, thinking about pain pills and yogurt doesn’t work anymore.
I continue to surf the Internet until 12:30 AM researching tonsillectomies. My interest in researching tonsillectomies was zilch until I had this procedure. I’ve derived a hypothesis while rooting about the Internet. There are three basic categories of recovery. Those who recovery very quick with a very limited amount of discomfort; those, who like most of us feel the pain is like a roller coaster at Magic Mountain, the up & downs, the instant acceleration and coming to an instant stop. Lets not forget how our stomach feels when you’re upside down and weightless, what was it I just ate? ☺ Finally, those who have things go wrong that fall into that 2 to 4 percentile when recovering. It’s this group that has it the roughest time during recovery. Everyone loathes thinking what it would be like if I were a 2 to 4 percenter?
Sleep for night number 7 did not exist, it seems as though it was indeed a figment of my imagination. Since the surgery, I sleep with three pillows behind by back, so I’m sitting up right and I can’t get comfortable, the swelling mixed with discomfort and pain was the perfect formula for no sleep. This went on throughout the night and I found just before sunrise I did indeed dose off for a bit. I decided for some unknown reason to try to sleep on my side and that’s when it happened.
At 6:10AM I ran to the bathroom and coughed up phlegm and it had some scab and blood in it. I spat into the sink and saw part of the scab and small dark red balls of blood. Thinking to myself the right scab is breaking lose I hope I don’t hemorrhage and fall into that 2 to 4 percent group. Again, more dark balls of blood, all different sizes this time. The dark red color told me this blood is probably coagulated from the initial cauterization during surgery. Again, I spit into the sink this time the blood is bright red, this confirmed I’m bleeding but I don’t know how bad it is? Huston, we have a problem. I immediately grabbed a large glass filled it with ice, grabbed some cold water and started to gargle with the ice water. Each time I expectorated the ice water it had bright red blood in it. The more I rinsed my mouth the more bright red blood I observed. I went back grabbed the ice pack for my neck used it while I was gargling. After 15 minutes, not 5 minutes as the Doctor recommended, the bright red blood seems to have diminished. By 7:00 AM the blood was gone. This was not at all painful. I was more concerned what it did to my psyche than me physically. Lets just say your mind starts to move like a blender at high speed while this going on. Should I call 911, should I wait, what happens if I wait to long and pass out…….all these questions popped into my mind? Probably won’t affect you the same way it affected me!
The thing I do notice now is the left scab, which is still intact, has a burning sensation to it. I didn’t notice this before because both scabs had this feeling; however, with one scab now gone, there is a discernable difference B/T the right and left side of throat. Also, after this happen I realized I lost my appetite, which was beginning come back before this happened. I looking forward to a meal of fresh mashed potatoes.
I ‘m still forcing the water down. A minimum of two quarts a day to ensure I keep hydrated. Almost forgot, once the scab removal starts, those pesky little bits of scab keep coming off throughout the day. Oh boy, I can’t wait until the left scab comes off. ☺
Im going to say this now, i have been allmost painless and sleepibg soundly since i was given emtec.
for those of you thinking you need to go through with pain. This is not true. I sleep allmost solidly through the night and i have not had any pain of note since i threw up my antibiotics prior to med change over.
seek out your doctor and get emtec if your in the beginning stages as you will greatly apprexiate it. I can go withoutbpopsicles mostly as swellig is not too terrible.
Day-5, woke up today after 5-6 hours of sleep(the most I’ve had in one nap since surgery) and wasn’t in as much pain as I have been in. Immediately drank cold water and ate a Popsicle which helped my throat. Took my pain med and just relaxing. Decided to try some mashed potatoes and got them down with no issue(swallowing still hurts of course). So far a better day for today, we will see what it brings. So far weight loss is 6 pounds for day 5. Will add that sometimes when I drink, the water tries to go up my nose. This is new to me so I’m guessing I will learn to swallow food and drinks again. It does seem like I can breathe better, maybe it’s just me. I’ve read day 6-8 can be pretty rough so we will see what it brings. Good luck to all going through this!
Michelle, if you get to read this I hope your doing better and get to go back home soon.
No i was told if i bled minor not to worry. They didnt expect me to i guess.
No the surgeon said go to the ER if I have bad bleeding and he would meet me up there, I guess cause they would call him and he lives near the hospital. I didn’t get specific instructions other than that. And yes, thoughts and prayers for Michelle….
WOW, I’m so sorry to hear you’re back in the hospital. Thoughts and prayers go out to you!
My Doctor provided specific instructions if I started to bleed. Immediately gargle with ice water for a minimum of five minutes and if bleeding slows down continue with ice water. If bleeding does not slow down, immediately call 911 just like Michelle did. Gary and Kristen did you Doctor give you the same guideline to follow if you start to bleed?
V/R
Chuck
Michelle OMG I’m so sorry. Did the scabs just come off at once or something? Good luck to you and keep us updated. Sorry for what your going through.
I am on day 7 too and was doing well, eating drinking fine….. Then last night I felt warm stuff go down my throat and blood started gushing out! I filled 1/4 pint glass! So had to call an ambulance and am now in hospital under observation on a drip
I had my surgery Tuesday at 730am. So going on day five with little improvement from pain or talking.
Hopefully this will get better soon.
How many days are you on so far??
Kristen- I can barely open mine also. Today I was able to brush my teeth for the first time in 3 days. Gross I know, but very true. I couldn’t open my mouth but to drink and eat a little bit after taking pain med. I still can’t talk very well at all. Just a mumble.
Has anyone else had trouble with opening their mouth cause i can barely open mine.
The hydration is supposed to help with the scabbing. If the scabs are moist they dont hurt so much coming off.
I just finished another popsicle now I can start typing. I can feel the scabs when I swallow water and they are more pronounced as each day passes. It feels like the scabs will start to fall off any time now. It’s very important when sleeping the mouth remain moist. Mine has not been moist while sleeping because of swelling. My body responds by having me breath through my mouth rather than my nose. Today I’ve really been drinking a lot of Smart Water. Hopefully, I will ingested a gallon before going to sleep. Maybe I’m just fooling myself into thinking all the hydration will help with the scabbing, I really don’t know but I’m going to try.
Im on my 3rd day. Its been pretty easy since i got my new pain killers. Got a rough idea when the scabs form??:S
Chuck, has your scabs healed at all yet? Coming off? Good luck to your recovery too. On day 4 right now.
Today is Friday the 28th of November 2014 and its been exactly 7 days since I’ve had my Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy. I’m 58 years old and knew this would not be a walk in the park. The night before surgery I went to Costco and bought two cases of Smart Water because it has electrolytes and I wanted something to help with nausea. I knew I would be nauseated from surgery and taking medication. Also, I bought three cases of popsicles a case of yogurt and a pill smasher. Surgery went well, no issues and I woke up by a nurse holding a cup of ice chips. Pain scale, 1 being the least and 10 the most was about 6 when I woke up. I was given who knows what, taken orally. It came in a container that looks like those small plastic jelly containers you get with breakfast at your local eatery. I swallowed the contents and results were immediate, I digressed into lala land and was utterly comfortable. I started to ingest ice chips, looking into the cup to find the smallest one I could tolerate and thinking….will I have the manual dexterity to pick this chip up with this spoon as high as I am? Well, it worked! One chip turned into two, two into three and so on. Right now it’s not called pain there’s only a slight bit of discomfort and I can deal with this. My Doctor popped in and asked how I was feeling and re-enforced his concern about me keeping properly hydrated when I’m at home and asked that I walk around the block (assisted) when I get home. I got the message: one hydration to help with flushing of all the general aesthesia and keep moving to keep the system flushed while recovering. When I arrived home I used what was left of the general aesthesia in my system to my advantage, I drank as much as water as I could. That was about 1 ½ pints of Smart Water. I immediately started taking my meds, which are two pills every four hours for pain. I crush them and mix them with two teaspoons of yogurt, which worked well for me. By 9:00 PM I was started to eat the popsicles. They provided a great deal of relief. I ate a case of popsicles in three days and was glad I bought more than one case the night I went shopping at Costco. I’d wake up at night and grab a popsicle, the ice cold helps relieve the pain. After surgery days 1 to 3 are about a three to five on the pain scale; however, days four, five and six the pain increases as does the amount the amount of popsicles you eat and the ice cold Smart Water you drink. When I awoke this morning (day 7) it felt like I was swallowing chards of glass when eating the popsicle. After having 3 popsicles one right after another; then, ice water, two pain pills I began to fell better. After starting off with such a poor start this morning I’m amazed at how well I feel the rest of the day. A mild discomfort in the throat (more discomfort when eating yogurt and drinking water) and today is the best I’ve felt since leaving the hospital. Things to note: 1. Sleeping is very difficult if not impossible the first nights because of swelling so get it when you can: 2 Mornings are the most painful. I don’t know why, they just are more painful then the rest of the day. I start each day with popsicles ☺ : 3. Take in as much liquid as you can tolerate it helps flush the system and even though you’re hungry being hydrated is most important: 4. My chest felt congested after surgery until day 6. I wanted to cough and did everything physically possible not to. I was afraid the scabs in my throat would come off prematurely, resulting in a trip to ER for them to be cauterized. Also, dairy products of any type increase chest congestion and it’s the last thing I want, so I stay away from the products like the plague. This is my first seven days, I’m hoping tomorrow (Saturday) will be better than today and each day after better than the day before. I wish all of you the best while recovering! It’s not easy but it’s something we all must do.
This is why im not even trying soft foods. Im going to stick with soup and jello etc for a while to avoid that.
Im on day 3 and apart from being a smidge swollen im doing allright so far.
Kate- thank you for your reply. For a minute I was thinking this isn’t so bad until I woke up today. The one thing I didn’t get or try is throat longes or spray. I will try to get some today. Your right, I see about days 3-5 is when it gets bad for some people. I’m gonna stay strong and work through this today. Thanks again for your reply.
Sorry Gary – you are entering the worst part of the recovery, and I am afraid you probably have a few days (maybe about 4) of this bad phase to go. If you look back through the posts you will see a trend of people starting to feel worse at day 4 onwards. The shock is that regular, maxxed out painkillers can’t take it all away, so you have to try other tactics, especially sucking on crushed ice, lozenges, using numbing throat spray, distraction e.g. watching DVDs. You might manage to get some soup down once the painkillers take the edge off it. There is a reason this operation is not routinely done on adults, and now you are experiencing it. Sorry you feel so bad – it DOES get better.
Starting day 4, and geeze, woke up pretty swollen this morning. Is this going to end? Already tired taking pain killer but it seems like it’s the only thing that helps. Can’t talk much and don’t wanna eat pudding or anything as it hurts too bad. Seems like the painkiller allowed me to eat but suffering now cause I’m swollen. Putting ice packs on now. When is the relief gonna start? When can you start telling it’s getting better?
Its kinda like t3 i think without the caffine??
What is that? I haven’t heard of it.
I was put on emtec, it is quite a fabulous pain killer.
Sorry, oxycodone is the generic for Percocet.
Michelle, My surgeon first gave me liquid hydrocodone. This just wasn’t doing the trick for me so he then gave me oxycodone. It is a much better help. Hope this helps you. I am also on liquid amoxicillin and stool softener.
Day three is almost over. Thanks to the new painkiller, I have ate some scrambled eggs and mashed potatoes today. Getting up from a nap seems to to rough and feels like my throat is swollen until I take a painkiller and drink ice water. Mouth don’t feel dry though, prob due to the expensive humidifier I bought. Day 4 is tomorrow, counting down the days. I have a lot of white stuff all over the back of my throat. Is this scabs? I feel like there is stitches in my throat when I swallow. I know I got some just didn’t know I’d feel them. Despite the painkiller that has helped, swallowing is a task with every bite. Good luck to the others also in here going through this. Stay hydrated!!!!!!
What painkiller have you got?
It looks like it can take 3-6 months to fully fecover and heal from a tonsilectomy.
I spent most of today sleeping, can safely say i greatly appreciate my new medication. Day 2 is a great success.
Hi I am 35 and I had my tonsils out last fri 21st at 3pm….. I have been doing well to be fair, having hydrocodiene every 6 hrs and paracetamol every 6 hrs, so basically having pain med every 3 hrs. Drinking lots of ice water, humidifier on in room….. Up until today! The pain in my ear and throat is really bad
iv not been able to eat much today at all….. And I havnt been to the toilet since the op! So now I have bad belly ache aswell. I have started movicol today to help with constipation…. Hope it works soon!!! I cannot wait til 2 weeks are over!!!
Kristen I’m sorry. I’m on day 2 and couldn’t imagine how painful it would be not keeping something down. Hopefully you got a good painkiller that will help you. Best of luck, just know your not alone.
No i got prescribed clindamycin. Its only for 5 days so i can deal with that.
Sorry, does not.
Kristen, Did you get a liquid antibiotic? I did and it does taste bad at all. Might ask for it also if you didn’t.
Had to go to emerg, my antibiotic wouldnt stay down
my throat has never hurt so much.
Got a new ptescription and a new pain killer. Hopefully theres some improvment tomorrow. Im only on day 1.
Km going to be taking my progression back into food really slow. My antibiotic makes me gag. Sooo painful
Im probably going to get my doctor to get me something stronger then tylenol. I can manage the swelling with lots of ice packs on the neck and popsicles. My uvula was allmost normal this morning before the gagging
Came home after a 4 hour recovery period in the hospital. Its 2:20am and i slept propped up after lots of broth and water. Tried vegetable soup with lots of chewing….was too hard so just drank the broth. Coughing or mucous has caused me to gag twice and my uvulva is so swollen it is also causing mild problems. Im not looking forward to if i do vomit over the next few days as ive read that can occur. Is there anything better for pain and swelling other then tylenol and popsicles?
Poor you Kirsten. Suck on crushed ice/drink as much iced water as you can. Take all the pain relief you can – you should be able to combine Tylenol with other drugs – check on that with your hospital. I was on a 3/4 hourly cycle of 2 different pain relievers for about 10 days, combined with numbing throat sprays, ice packs around the neck etc. Do everything you can to rest and relieve the pain. Good luck
I had my surgery yesterday and didn’t realize how painful it is. I was on liquid painkiller and it was just taking a little pain away. Talked to my surgeon personally later in the day and he is giving me something stronger today. I was well prepared for this from research like this page, but this is more painful than I thought. My surgeon did say I bled more than normal, not sure if this causes more pain or not. I’m not nauseous, atleast not yet. Look forward for a little stronger pain reliever today.
Well I never took one and then on day 8, it was a nightmare for me. So that day 8, i was in so much pain, I drank prune juice, took stool softner and took Epson salt baths and then 24 hrs later I had relief from the constipation pain. Also In the beginning to many milk products almost made me throw up, I think from pain medication mixed with dairy. Also I’m on 3 weeks on Wednesday and my throat still hurts right now, feels like a really sore throat. I Stopped pain meds on that day 8 when I had major constipation issues. Now I’m fine and back to work and Advil is fine for the pain but it will be nice when I don’t feel any throat pain. Dr told me it could take 3-4 weeks for that. You will be ok just keep in mind that day 3-5 can be the worst.
Hi Elena I’m on day 17 after surgery I also still have a sore throat, pain further down the neck my specialist said its not from tonsili surgery but my throat still swollen (really no kidding) all in all he said my recovery is going great he also said it can take 3 to 4 weeks if not longer to feel no pain in the throat great!!! I can also still feel my glands are still swollen similar to when I got Quincy feels like an infection again which I’m sure it’s not
Thank you Greg. I just was sure about the anesthesia I went through and then now I can’t sleep. Didn’t make sense. But I got about 1-1/2 hrs so far. Your right, journey begins and I’m ready for it to be over already. Hopefully this will change my life for the better though. Thanks again.
Elena, thank you. Did you start the stool softener immediately or when you started eating a little? Dr. did prescribe laxative and stool softener. Said once I hit the home run with laxative don’t take it anymore just continue with stool softener. I just didn’t ask when to start them. Should I start today? Any help appreciated.
I took my pain meds every 31/2 hrs. I would set my phone alarm to take them on time. And I would eat crushed ice. I would put ice cubes in bad and then smash them with a hammer to make my own soft crushed ice. Remember to take a stool softner or drink prune juice because in a couple days the pain meds will constipate you and you will have horrible pain if they do.
Had my tonsils removed this morning at 8am. After I woke up I have been in pain, prob an 8. Dr. Gave me meds and knocked it down to prob a 5. At home now and have not been able to sleep. Pain at 6-7. I’m miserable right now. I have been drinking(sipping) lots of water though with excruciating pain swallowing. Humidifier on ice packs been on the neck. Any feedback is appreciated.
Hi Gary. The journey begins! Forget about good sleep for a little while. Get it when you can. Preferably in a recliner or propped up. That helps keep swelling down. Keep drinking, even though it hurts- It’s about THE most important thing you can do. Keep running that humidifier, keep taking the pain meds on schedule. My routine was this: I’d use a numbing throat spray to help swallow the meds. Once they kicked in, I’d try to eat a little something. This reduces nausea. Lots of Jell-O for me- also broths and smooth soups. Popsicles- NOT the real juice ones- they burn! My fav;s” Root beer and banana flavors. Best of luck!!!
Thanks Kate. I have to be there in 3 hours. Haven’t slept much tonight. I am nervous as this is a first procedure for me. I will flow up and share my experience. I know I am in good hands will professionals, just some stories are horrible and some stories are not bad at all. Hopefully my experience won’t be bad.
It was my first ever surgery too – i was petrified. No sleep, and I had a cold as well. They gave me extra meds to calm me down. I so badly wanted to chicken out but people go through much worse so I knew I had to stick it out. I had tonsil stones, and life without them now is amazing!
I had my surgery on November 21st 2014. I have been eating a lot of popsicles, drinking plenty of water and have even managed to eat some mashed potatoes in the evening and an egg in the morning. The medication I’m taking is supposed to last 6 hours,but it wears off somewhere between 3 and 4 hours. My tongue and uvula are both swollen so any drinking, talking or eating is quite a task! I cannot wait until my throat is healed and this pain has subsided.
I am 34 yrs old and have my tonsillectomy in the morning. I am really nervous. Thanks to you guys I have got a humidifier, ice, Gatorade, Popsicles, soups, ice pack for neck(throat), and soft food. Am I missing anything? Very nervous.(scared)
Hey Gary – the surgery itself is the easiest part. You are in and out quickly, in the hands of experts, and when you wake up it actually doesn’t feel so bad straight away. Sounds like you have done some great preparation. You will also need a stack of painkillers (not sure what you will get from the hospital – it’s different in the UK), and maybe some lozenges to suck on – these can help distract you from the pain. I also used a spray called Chloraseptic which numbs the throat. Stock up on some DVDs to keep you occupied, and cancel ANY plans you have made for the next two weeks as you will need lots of rest. It is normal to be scared at this point – this is a tough recovery, but you will get better in a couple of weeks (or so!). Take some deep breaths and focus on the bright future without your tonsils to drag you down!
Had surgery yesterday morning at 7:30am and tonight I feel better already. Dr. gave me stronger pain meds and I was able to eat a scrambled egg and soup. I had 2 Popsicles today also along with plenty of water. Swallowing hurts badly, but I are after taking pain med. it feels like around my uvula hurts worse during swallowing. So far today a better day. Pain level after taking med is 2-3 compared to 6-7 yesterday. On day 3 tomorrow!!!
ICE – LOTS OF CRUSHED ICE! Sucking on ice/drinking iced water will really help his post-op pain.
Wrapping ice packs around the neck can also be useful
And yes – read older posts here, they are full of great tips.
My son is booked to get his tonsils out this Friday morning at 6:30am. He is 19 yrs old and I am quite scared of what’s to follow afterwards? What can I do to help him heal fast? How must he sleep? What are we exactly in for? He has a 22 month old daughter that we currently help him raise and how is he going to be when he comes home? Someone please give us some advice. We know they must come out as he was rushed in twice when his throat almost closed and he has abcesses on both and they popped n bled… Please respond
Hi Tara- It’s great that your son has your support. That’s huge. Read through as as of this site as you can. I’ve covered lots and lots of what to expect and how to recover. Be sure to have a humidifier, plenty of popsicles, enough pain medicine to cover at least 10 days, movies for him to watch, and help with his 22 month old. He’ll need it for the first week for sure!
Best of luck to you all. He’s young- that helps.
Hi I’m 15 years old and I had my tonsils out last Monday and I’m still trying to recover. Here are a few things I wish that I knew last week that I know now being in my second week of recovery. 1.) Take 1tsp. of Children’s Motrin and 1tsp. of Children’s Benadryl at least every 2 hours. You can even take it less than every 2 hours because the Motrin and Benadryl is meant for children and it such a low dose it won’t affect or hurt him since he’s older. Doctors recommend this to cancer patients that have pain in their throat/mouth because it coats the throat making it easier to swallow food and any beverages. I started taking these medications and I can’t live without it now. It takes 30 minutes to start working so have him take it 30 minute before he’s going to eat. It also makes you drowsy; I’ve been sleeping a lot since I’ve started using both of these medicines, which is great because it allows my throat to heal. 2.) Take stool softeners (laxatives) if he hasn’t gone to the bathroom after 4 days post-surgery day, because I’m still in much misery because I didn’t do that. Anesthesia slows the systems in your body down, it’s common not to go for up 4-5 days but after that it’s tough trying to get it working again. They will probably give you Colace at the hospital anyway. I guess what I’m trying to say is I wish I took it earlier and kept on top of taking stool softeners to prevent the pain I am in now.3.) I have been the most congested I have ever been in my entire life! I have ear and nose congestion, and it’s terrible. The ear congestion came later in my recovery, as the ear congestion came on the nose congestion went away. At the hospital they gave me Afrin a nasal spray and it didn’t work for me at all, my dad instead picked up a “Nasal Mist” from Walgreen and it’s just a typical Sodium Chloride Solution, or a Nasal Moisturizer, and I found that it worked much better than the Afrin. With the Afrin you can’t spray up your nose as frequently at you can with the Nasal Mist. What I would do is spray the Nasal Mist constantly up my nose and then blow my nose. I also would apply “Vicks Vaporub” on my upper lip. Lastly I would take the Walgreens brand Mucinex, which is the Mucus Relief, it tastes great and works amazing! Not only are the products that I talked about above perfect to help the congestion but also sleeping up right. My bed is pushed up against the wall and so I would prop 3 pillows up in the corner where my bed met the wall. This helped the most when I had my ear congestion. You mentioned that he had a 22 month old daughter, well I have 24 month old twin brothers, and they actually helped a lot surprisingly. They helped in the sense that I would interact with them as much as possible when I wasn’t sleeping or hurting too much and when they weren’t down for a nap. Sitting upright and moving around and playing with them helped keep my mind off the pain and the congestion to drain a lot easier. I also went to the grocery store with my mom which again helped a lot, by keeping my mind off the pain and helping the congestion drain a whole lot easier.4.) The hospital prescribed me hydrocodone which recommends you to take it with food, although in the middle of the night when I needed the hydrocodone I was way too tired to eat something which in turn made me extremely nauseous in the morning, the toilet and I got extremely close in the morning. I would just feel so sick to my stomach and I wouldn’t want to eat anything wich made it worse. So the doctor prescribed me Zofran which helps with the nauseous feeling, so if the hospital prescribes you with hydrocodone or any other antibiotic that may cause nauseous feelings if you take it without food than make sure you buy something that will help the nauseous feeling.5.) Make a chart or a list of every medication he takes and at what time he took it so you don’t lose track, because he may be taking a lot of medication like I am and it’s too much to remember because they all require multiple different time periods until you can take the next dose. And like my mom did she set alarm or wrote down when the next dose/medication should be taken, or else I would be in pain if I didn’t take it as soon as I possibly could. So if you can prevent his pain why not do it?Eating and drinking is so important, you are going to constantly hear this but it’s the most important thing. I lost 6 lbs. in the first week because I didn’t eat, and my dad had to explain to me why it’s so important. He said it’s the same thing as if you broke your leg, when someone breaks their leg they have to go to physical therapy because he leg hasn’t been used and it changed when the doctor worked on it so your body need to get back into the groove of things, the leg need to get back to working like it did before. Same thing with your throat they just got rid of something you’ve had in your body since you were born and now they take it away you need to exercise it back to how it was swallowing foods before.Please take everything with a grain of salt, everybody is different , what worked for me may not work for him. He is much older and probably has a much higher pain tolerance than I do, so he may be better off. Just keep in mind the surgery is worth in the end, and a few weeks of misery for a life time of better health is worth it. I expected better than it was, my aunt told me she went on a date the next day after her surgery; I expected it to be easy. The surgery seems easy, it’s not a major surgery. But its uncomfortable, painful, and seems never-ending But I’m in my second week and I’m feeling much better but not a 100%. The doctor can also prescribe you special suckers that numb your pain, but he probably won’t need it, I’m not sure. Everything will be great, best wishes! I hope this helped!
I am on day 4 from my tonsillectomy and the pain has been constant since I woke after op. It is actually the worst pain I have ever experienced . I did have a blood clot whilst in hospital that had to be picked off.
I’m 36 yrs old and I workout, light weight train and yoga. I try to eat all organic and healthy. I was told the same thing! It’s hard. But you will get light at the end of this dark tunnel. I personally loved my humidifier because it kept my throat so moist. I would drink wheat gras juice everyday. You can have someone buy you a container of it in dry form and mix it with water. I was watching oat meal and cream of wheat for most of my meals. It’s so hard. Also I started drinking prune juice just a little bit here and there around day 9,10. You don’t want to be constipated. I had the worst experience with that. I took warm Epson salt baths to relax, forced myself to shower even though it was hard. Just stay clean and get lots if rest. Be patient. All your symptoms are normal and I felt them too. I’m on day 14 and my throat is still sore, but just feels like a regular sore throat. I’m going to try throat losenges today and try to get up and go for a small walk. I have a post op aptt tomorrow so I’ll let you know if the dr gives me any advice on what else to do. It’s the worst most annoying recovery ever but it will be over soon. Just keep calm and keep your throat relaxed so it can heal. No crying. Try not too.
Im on day 13 so I just got through the hard part. It will get better. I ate a lot of crushed ice. Just hang in there and rest as much a possible. I loved having a humidifier to keep my throat wet at night, it’s next to my bed. Also make sure to take some type of stool softner, I learned the hard way and had a bad day 8 because I was so constipated from pain meds. But just keep in mind it will get better in the next couple days. Your almost there.
You know what I’m really struggling with is the fact I am never sick I go to the gym 6 days a week eat reasonably healthy so everyone was telling me it will be a breeze the only reason I had my tonsils out was I have had 2 Quincy that I was rushed to hospital with because they can get very nasty so the specialists said they need to come out he told when I was in recovery I had large tonsils stones as well — at the moment I feel like I have some major stuff stuck in my throat and just want to cough it up ewwww and yes I’m constipated as well tomorrow is day 8 lets see what that brings
firstly OMG thank goodness I found this page I’m on day 6 of recovery ouch ouch ouch it really hurts to talk, eat, drink, sleep but I’m doing all of them everyone is saying drink ice cold water or have a Popsicles that hurts more, I had no idea what to expect after surgery I was only told for an adult it hurt more I had my 55th birthday on day 3 I am struggling to see the light at the end of the tunnel I’m still in heaps of pain
Hi Debbie. Glad you found us! You are in the thick of it. The next 48 hours won’t be fun but it WILL get better. Hang in there and KEEP DRINKING!!!
And happy belated birthday!!
Thanks Greg
Updating :
Day 7 – (Thu. Nov. 13 2014)- Only taken one pain med dose throughout the day when I first waken up upon 5 hours sleep with a pain level 5, pretty much the same similar counts as described on day 6 however felt 15 percent better today on day 7 vs. day 6, as my pain level was constant between 3 to 5 for the day and didn’t feel the need to take any more pain medication throughout the day yet again…still consuming jello, otter pops, ice cold water, sesame chicken and noodles, chili, and soup as swallowing food or fluids wasn’t too bad 90 percent of the time with a pain level 3 but a few times it increased to a pain level 5….still waiting on “when the pain is really going to hurt” stage.
Day 8 – (Fri. Nov. 14 2014)- Finally regressed upon the worst for first time in this recovery ordeal after waking up to a pain level 7 and noticed my right side surgical area is bloody red and freaking out about it, immediately gargled (pain level 8) and held ice cold 30.7 F temp water in my mouth (pain level 6) for the next 10 minutes…..didn’t notice tasting blood until 5 minutes after waking up and looked inside my mouth to see it’s status, as I estimated only losing about one quarter of a teaspoon of blood.
The bleeding had stopped after the 10 minutes initially, then briefly started bleeding again another 10 minutes later and I promptly continued to gargle and hold ice water in my mouth again, this time for an additional 20 minutes…..Waited for an hour after that as my bleeding never progressed any further and stopped, took one dose of pain medication while pimpin’ hard on drinking ice water a lot, which eventually brought the pain level down to a 1 after the dose kicked in.
Calmed down after three and a half hours following this recent ordeal and went back to sleep, woke up four hours later with a pain level 5 and took another dose of pain med, after the dose kicked in my pain level never got any higher than a 3 throughout the rest of the day and didn’t feel the need to take any more pain med….swallowing pain regressed back to similar accounts of how it was on day 6.
Day 9 – (Sat. Nov. 15 2014)- Woke up with a pain level 6 and took a dose of pain med, brought the pain level down to a 1, and to my surprise that exposed red bleeding spot that happened yesterday in day 8 had rehealed itself and coated back to white just like the rest of the surgical areas.
Two hours later out of nowhere I had some serious abdominal pain in my lower intestinal area and fought this for 30 minutes while feeling nauseous and real close to throwing up, so I loitered in the bathroom for the half hour and finally lost three pounds of number two as it finally exited my body – to my surprise I was constipated and had a blockage incident, more likely from all the noodles I was consuming the past three days as I also consumed one banana each day which generally keeps me regular.
Later in the day I felt the hungriest appetite since day 3 and decided to fix a three egg omelet (first time eating eggs) as I started taking half bites and swallowed the food which I felt no pain or any minor difficulty for the first time since surgery, and tried a full bite which was successful and didn’t hurt in any way – everything I ate and drank throughout day 9 was painless swallowing with full bites…..I felt I gotten over the hump after the second half of day 9.
Day 10 – (Sun. Nov. 16 2014)- Woke up for the first time feeling like a dry throat with a pain level 5 and took a dose of pain med after four hours sleeping (still sleeping in the recliner chair with the neck brace as my airway is still getting partially blocked trying to lay down flat in a bed)…went back to sleep after 30 minutes and slept another four hours and woke up with no pain of any kind in my throat, full bite swallowing solid foods and fluids now with no difficulty or any pain to my surprise….gargling, coughing up a loogie, sneezing, and yawning still hurts up to a pain level 5 though if it is a full scale cough, sneeze, yawn.
Day 10 recovery is the first time I ever sneezed (twice) or coughed (once) since before surgery as I have to alter the way I cough, sneeze, yawn, etc. so it does not hurt too much, and plus I was very fortunate to never having a congested nose as I was able to fully breathe in and out my nose throughout this ordeal of entire recovery phase with no issues at all….I still feel I achieved over the hump and coasting downhill (at least for now) upon the worst of the recovery process as I even improved more compared to the last half of day 9 recovery…..never had the need for any more pain med throughout the day yet once again other than first waking up to an irritated throat.
The swelling is virtually gone in my tongue and the center overhang thing, as the white surgical surface areas are still present but they seemed more glazed than solid white and feels like it is improving.
If I regress backwards upon my improved condition at the present time from here on out, I will post on the status, otherwise I will stop posting on my condition of improvement should this continue forward, as my recovery status throughout 10 days seemed like a cakewalk and was very blessed without too much pain overall and not really suffered at all other than a two hour ordeal during day 8 recovery which was my worst period, compared to the hundreds of people here that had posted their experiences that were very grueling and painful and even worse, which I fully expected to go thru that at 49 years of age.
I still plan to take it easy and not over exert for this upcoming week as well, recommended by the doctor’s orders.
AK the red soars may be the scabs falling off earlier than they did for me but call your doc to ask.
So I am on day 7 and I am
Going through a lot of the same things as you but what I Also do to help ease the pain is I bought a humdfier the day before surgery, it was $35 target, Honeywell brand and it sits right next to my bed and it’s like sleeping in a rainforest. It has helped so much! It keeps my face and my mouth so nice and moist. It’s quiet and has different settings, I use the high one and it’s just gives a nice cloud of mist all over my head area while I sleep. It is so great! Keeps my mouth nice and hydrated. Two is I bought a snow cone machine, by Ninja it was $40 target, it makes like snow type ice. Super fluffy and soft and I just eat spoon fills of it all day and I put it in my water to keep my water cold. It numbs my mouth so taking pills is easier, it’s the best thing ever. I bought plastic spoons to eat with since they are smaller and softer. Cream of wheat has been the easiest thing for me to eat, with a dash of sugar and little milk on top, I let it cool down and that’s all I basically eat cause it goes down so easy and it’s bland. And they have the box with individual microwave packets so it’s easy to make. Lastly ice packs. I got the gel like ice packs and I tie them with a towel on the lower back of my neck, sides of my throat and sometimes my forehead. This combo has been making this horrible experience a lot better so far. Day 5 and 6 were my worst days and those ice packs saved my life those days, they are the soft gel ones. So we shall see if the pain gets better or worse as my days go on. But so far this remedie is keeping me as comfortable as possible.
Also I do not talk at all. I got a dry erase board so I write on it or text if i need to say something. I just want to heal as fast a possible so I don’t talk. I have whispered like 3 times but just a couple words.
Elena, it’s okay to talk. ? Most of us did and it did not affect our recovery. I talked throughout my recovery. My ENT encouraged me to do as much ‘normal’ stuff as possible, including eating whatever I wanted, short of sharp or extra crunchy foods. Glad you are getting to the other side!
I am currently on day 10 (counting surgery as day 1) of a tonsillectomy and I have been completely miserable!
I keep telling myself that there is a light at the end of the tunnel but some days/moments it does not feel that way. I was very easily able to talk for the first few days after my surgery with minimal pain. Now it kills me to talk unless my medicine has recently kicked in. I have had to maintain the 4 hour medicine schedule very closely in order to not rip my head and throat off— which is very unusual for me! Even after having a c-section or my spleen removed, I was not on pain medicine around the clock and definitely not by day 10! I am still unable to really eat anything because I end up with pain 10 out of 10 (even with medication) with everything I swallow. Every food I have tried (including mashed potatoes and ice cream) cause a severe burning and pain. Food and liquids often feel as though they get stuck in the surgical areas. And now every time I sleep, I end up struggling to breathe at some point (with no previous history of sleep apnea). Please someone tell me what I am doing wrong or tell me what I can do to make this any better!! Thank you in advance!
hi Lori – the way I swallow changed after surgery, presumably due to the shape of my throat changing, and that may be what you are adjusting to. It feels really odd at first, and took me a while to get used to it, but I did. I used to wake at night coughing which I think was due to phlegm getting stuck somewhere. All this should improve very soon – do you have a post-op check up pending? I had mine on day 14 and it was great to have the reassurance that everything was healing well. By that time I had also significantly reduced my pain meds. My surgeon told me it would take months to fully heal, and I still find (2 months later) that I am prone to choking/coughing more than usual. He also told me that throat muscles tighten up after surgery, and I found that sleeping with my head/neck on a hot water bottle in week two really helped me relax my throat and sleep better. You have come a long way now and should be feeling better very soon.
See if this will help you from Day 4 on:
Steam became my friend. Fill your favorite mug 1/3 full and microwave it for 1-1 1/2 min. Inhale the steam opening your mouth as wide as you can inhaling deeply. Continue doing this until you feel relief. Sometimes, I had to reheat the cup of water a couple of times more.
Even water began to burn my throat. I found tepid/lukewarm (don’t make it hot—–could bring on bleeding)plain decaffeinated tea was a soothing lifesaver. The fancy flavored teas that I love had spices which burned. Insomnia is already a problem. Be sure to use decaffeinated. I would chase water with the tea, so that I could continue to stay hydrated when my scabs screamed.
When ice doesn’t soothe anymore, turn your surgery ice pack bag into a hot water bottle. This is to soothe that resonating ear pain.
Chicken noodle soup with a heavy broth thoroughly coated my throat. If you live where you have a Hy-Vee grocery store, have someone pick up their brand of chicken noodle soup. It tastes homemade and works wonders. Campbell’s is okay, but the broth is thicker with the Hy-Vee brand. You might could use the Campbell’s and add chicken broth to it.
Acid and bacteria will build up in your mouth making you feel like you have hundreds of ulcers. Gargle with 1 tsp. of salt to 2 cups (500 ml) warm water 30 seconds for each sip twice a day (thank you to the person that noted that on this site).
Starting @ Day 7, my scabs begged for a change. Foods that I lived on:
scrambled eggs with no pepper and little salt, oatmeal, & chicken noodle soup (I added chopped up pasta).
I was so bummed to have to give up the foods I had especially purchased for this surgery. I could no longer eat orange sherbert, popsicles, applesauce, jello nor drink orange juice. Anything acidic or cold hurt.
Looks like you and I may have had the surgery on the same day. Today was a turn-a-round. I’m actually looking forward to tomorrow continuing improvement. I’m starting to vary from the diet a tiny bit, but like you, that burning is something to deal with. I told my husband that nursing this throat has become a full time job.
Updating :
Day 5 – Pain level has increased slightly a couple times during the entire day as swallowing was still minor pain ok just like day 4, however upon the end of day 5 it started to become painful to swallow (pain level peaked at a 7 for the first time) while both ears reached a pain level 5 at it’s highest (ear pain was averaging a level 3)…..note that I am still holding out from using the pain medication from its designated 4 hour intervals, as I only took two doses throughout the day (the second dose at the very end of the day in order to sleep I was at pain level 5 to 6)…I am now 10 doses ahead (40 hours worth) and feel the worst pain is still yet to arrive according to everyone else’s experiences and I am sure that I will need that reserved pain medication the most during the homestretch.
When I did take the pain medication on day 5, the pain levels 5 thru 7 had lowered it to a nice tolerable level 1 within 20 minutes time after taking it, so the liquid hydrocodone has been effective with no side or altered effects for me….Taste buds are still there, and I am still clearly talking normal since day 1 surgery but now at 85 percent capacity since day 4 as it is slightly painful at times to talk (pain level 2).
Also taken one Cepacol extra strength lozenge for the first time (during a pain level 6)….that did not seem to take any pain away for me.
Day 6 -(today Wed. Nov. 12 2014)- Slept good for 4 hours after closing out day 5 recovery (thank god for the pain medication), however woke up with a pain level 7 and immediately took another dose of medicine (perfect timing on the four hour interval), and slept good for another four hours…
Pain level is at it’s highest now in my recovery period (pain level 5 thru 7) as swallowing ice cold water now makes a pain level 4 to 5, however otter pops is the only thing soothing the pain in the meantime (pain level 1 to 3) as I have not taken another dose of pain med and holding out on one interval which I have an hour to go to make it 44 hours and 11 doses ahead, and will eat after taking the dose so it will not hurt as much.
Upon after waking up today, I looked in my mouth and now notice two fresh red sores (not bleeding), in which each red sore is located on the left and right sides at the upper back channel of the surgical white area (10 o’ clock and 2 o’ clock positions)….unsure if this is normal in the recovery process but I am sure this is due to my increased pain, as I have not experienced any of the scabbing process every one else mentions here either.
If someone can elaborate if it is a good or bad thing if one has experienced these red sores I am describing, I would appreciate it – I do not feel my mouth had dried out to cause this, nor do I think it was food consumption related as I been consuming jello, otter pops, ice cold water, seseme chicken and noodles, chili, and soup – although I did eat two frosted pop tarts in very small bites that was broke down pretty good.
Forgot to mention in my previous long post prior to surgery while I had the frequent infections, since August 1 2014 the doc recommended me to use a waterpick to blast out any food particles and debris on my tonsils, which I did after every meal, brushed and flossed four times a day rather than the normal two times, took every precaution imaginable and followed this on a sacred basis even while on vacation in my camper…When I got that overnight 103.6 fever out of nowhere despite all the precautions taken while on vacation (which was a back to back 5 week infection incident), that’s when my mind was set on really needing surgery.
I still cannot thank Greg enough and everyone else that have posted to share their recovery process, making this website possible as it has certainly helped me out on preparing going thru this ordeal.
I had a tonsillectomy at age 34 in 2010.
My doc recommended taking my meds on schedule to help me heal and not saving them up. He renewed them when I asked him to.
I was back at work in about 10 days with limited talking. Far fewer throat infections now.
Doc had also recommended me taking the meds at it’s intervals too – especially important at the early stages, which I taken the first four doses on schedule on day 1 but I was not hurting much at all.
Going throughout day 2 and day 3 was virtually very tolerable low pain without medication, I decided to take my pain medication “as needed” like the label had said.
I was not in a great deal of pain overall, although I did take my pain medication when I needed to during discomfort or some pain present….as of completing day 10 recovery for me (ending Mon. Nov. 17 2014 at 1200pm), I only had the need to use 23 total doses of pain medication..one dose short of a full four days supply upon ten full days thus far.
I was prescribed an 8 day supply (48 total doses) of pain medicine as I was one of the lucky ones upon not in much pain overall during my first 10 full days of recovery and was very comfortable with not needing the pain meds when only little pain was present and very tolerable.
The majority of people that posted their painful and grueling experiences on this site is what I expected to go thru, and believe me I would have consumed every drop of pain medicine and begging for more upon running out if I went thru the same prolong pain for days on end as others.
So you are able to talk? Is it a whisper or actually talking?
I haven’t even tried to talk yet but I was whispering yesterday and then later that day some blood started pouring out of my mouth so I wasn’t sure if it was because I was whispering or maybe something rough that I ate or maybe just because. It eventually stopped after 30 min of putting ice cubes in my mouth. Oh and that was yesterday day 4. Another question what do the dr say about milk products or milk, why is it bad to drink milk? Because I had a glass and it feels so good on my throat. And so does yogurt?
Yes i could talk from day one – albeit quietly. Just do what feels right for your throat.
And you did the right thing with the ice cubes!
Some people report that dairy products cause mucus to build up in their mouth – I didn’t find that, and yogurts/milky porridge were one of the few things I could eat (and soup, lots of soup!)
I also sucked on strong lozenges sometimes, which seemed to help distract me from the pain.
So now you are on day 6 – almost one week in. Hang in there!
First of all I would like to special thank Greg for making this website happen as I done a lot of research since late July 2014, when I suddenly flared up with two throat infections plus one other infection that attacked the left side of my face as the doctor speculated it was probably also tonsil related in early Oct. 2014, which totaled to three incidents within a 15 week span which now became pretty frequent.
My prior history of any head or throat infections had started in January 2009 at 44 years old, which were an average occurrence of once a year prior to 2014 (5 incidents total) as the 10 day antibiotics supply taken were always immediate relief after day 1, however the late July 2014 incident had took the fever away within 24 hours like normal but the discomfort lingered thru day 9 of the 10 day antibiotic supply, which I know now this infection thing is getting worse and not recovering as well, so as a precaution I better start looking into researching which I glad I done (and finding this website) for what’s going to happen eventually – SURGERY.
So the following month (mid Aug. 2014), I got a good bill of health after my follow-up and decided to take my planned yearly vacation in Canada as I reside in Alaska (thinking this is still just a once a year occurrence for infection), however because of the different way I had now healed – prior to vacation while planning ahead I prepared on stocking up plenty of soft foods, low sodium broth, protein shakes, breaking out the recliner chair that was stored for 15 years, second humidifier placed next to the recliner, 4 bags of small ice, 300 otter pops, 4 onhand rotating ice packs I have yet to use, etc. for the worst case scenario should it happen sooner upon a possible surgery in the near future ….which turned out to be the right call because my vacation was cut short with a no warning out of the blue 103.6 fever on the road and decided to turn back towards home, as I was glad mentioning to the doc about my planned vacation as he suggested I keep onhand a 10 day supply of antibiotics should I need them, and turned out that I had to resort to them (saving me) after a week and a half on the road in northern Canada where it is generally quite a remote area.
Second of all I am a 49 year old male that just had my very FIRST SURGERY and IV hookup EVER, which happened on Fri. Nov. 7, 2014…I was hoping to make it to at least 50 years of age before having any type of surgery…. I didn’t accomplish that feat however I do feel very blessed and glad I got this procedure done of tonsillectomy.
My fears were intense upon facing my first time ever surgery of course, (especially people posting their horrible events)- but because of this website and all the other suggestions everyone else had posted that I took well in consideration and weighing the factors, I learned to ask all the right questions upon the pre op phase with the doc and making final preparations on what supplies and equipment to really have, which so far has turned out to be such a life saver upon a three month stretch of research and stocking up, as in comparison trying to gear up everything in a week span would certainly be a tight timeframe for a person that works full time (as I still had not missed more than one scheduled day of work due to a headcold while infected upon the entire 15 week duration).
Although I could not find that large foam neck pillow anywhere in my local area the day prior to surgery, I did purchase a small typical padded neck brace and sure glad I did as this is one of the essential items I can confirm like others which keeps your head aligned and not slump when sleeping….I just added a pillow to elevate the back of my head so I can have full airway upon sleeping on the recliner chair when extended out, because without the neckbrace and extra pillow, there would be no way I could breathe to sleep in a semi upright position as many will find out the airway in your throat will be completely blocked by laying down or reclined back.
As far as advanced prescriptions is concerned, do have them onhand prior to surgery which I stressed to the doc, as he felt only prescribing me a 5 day supply of liquid hydrocodone and nothing else after asking him all the recommendations everyone else had posted, however I ended up with an 8 day supply of the medication after converting the bottle and dosages, as I been stretching out the timeframe intervals and not yet personally experienced the intense severe pain of what’s about to occur in the near future upon everyone else’s experiences, by preserving my supply for which I am sure will be in need to use upon the regular intervals.
Now for the status of my current recovery….so far I been one of the real lucky ones especially at 49 years old compared most of the others :
Day 1 – surgery day .. walking, talking, pain very minor, feeling almost ‘better than normal’ like I’m 30 again, swallowing everything I am consuming does not hurt, people telling me how healthy I look already, never believed them until I looked in the mirror, they were telling the truth…thought I would be in bad shape but to my surprise I did not think day 1 would feel like I was 95 percent healed….slept two hours which felt like a refreshed 7 hours worth.
Day 2 – still talking, went shopping and stocked up on more jello and noodles, my energy level is amazing and walking faster like someone spiked speed in my ice cold water that I constantly drink non stop (thirsty or not ! – taking note on everyone’s advice here), throat not hurting too much and swallowing either, slept three hours and felt fully refreshed yet again ….pain level no more than a 3 out of 10 throughout day 2.
Day 3 – still talking, pain increased somewhat significant but not totally severe as of yet, tongue swelling increased a bit more and now feels like I bit into it in two places, still swallowing soft foods well including Wendys chili, sesame chicken in tiny bites (and I don’t mean half bites either) and pasta type noodles, first time I felt the ‘real’ need to take pain med for a couple times throughout the day as pain level average was a 3 out of 10 but felt the peak level of a 5, still tolerable pain for me but an immediate dose sure got rid of the discomfort right away (fully functional and relaxed with no side effects for me) when that pain level 5 existed while half tired upon the late interval of day, which I decided to take the dose because I was planning on going to sleep – slept back to back four hour intervals (most sleep so far post surgery) feeling great and refreshed with a still tolerable sore throat after day 3.
Day 4 – (today Mon Nov. 10 2014) – still talking but only at 85 percent capacity as it hurts a little to do so but very tolerable, pain level is now between 3 to 6 out of 10 while getting a first glimpse of ear pain everyone is talking about (only the left ear and the pain level is currently a 2 out of 10 at most), while typing to you all here posting my experience, haven’t eaten anything yet other than two jellos, 10 otter pops and still toadin’ down ice cold water thirsty or not, stretching out another two intervals of pain med dosage as I am now 4 full doses ahead (16 extra hours worth).
Comparing to everyone’s experiences of what and what not to consume, the doc told me lean towards the soft foods but stated I could eat whatever I want with no restrictions as long as my body could tolerate it but would not recommend solid and sharp type foods in the early stages.
I also took the advice of others upon staying away from any dairy products as even the doctor stated to me it could build up mucus but depends on the individual like many things.
I cant remember the exact type of surgical procedure that was given to me but it was done by electronic cauterize ? with scalpel tools I think when I asked….
As of day 4 I have not yet experienced the horror pain or any complications by others, no severe bleeding or nausea or anything of the sort, even my taste buds are still all there ! – I just feel blessed and thanks to this website I think I prepared well with all the suggestions and resources to make it thru full recovery the best way how and the least suffering….Believe it or not – I had worse discomfort when the throat was strep or infected (pain level 7) as I had not yet experienced beyond that pain level but right now I am about at 4.
I will keep posting updates on me as well in order to hopefully help others guide thru this ordeal….after my experiences of an easy day 1 and 2, I realized how mentally prepared I become with the great confidence I now have of dealing with the next phases although I am sure it’s gonna really hurt like everyone else says.
Thanks for the post AK! Glad you’ve found value in my little website. The people here are amazing. Best of luck and health to you !!
I am a 59 year old female. My tonsillectomy was a week ago. I am forever grateful to Greg for providing this site. I just wish I would have found it sooner. I knew the recovery was a 2 week one, but I thought I’d be bed ridden just the first 2-3 days.
I’d like to know if anyone had similar or same circumstances that brought me to the operating table. Yes, I was sick as a child with my very enlarged tonsils. Penicillin was my friend.
What brought me to the operating table at first was that, when out to dinner and in more conversation than usual, I could feel food sticking to the ends of my tonsils making me choke. I have had to invest in gum. That was the only thing that would stop the choking. It got to where I would panic if I forgot to restock gum in my purse. There were a couple of outings that I thought I was going to have to go to the ER as I couldn’t stop the cough or choke.
The biggest thing that brought me to surgery was that I could feel my tonsils closing off my air passage. I’m not a person with allergies. I had a full blood count done and extensive throat culture as well. All came back normal. Finally, I decided it was time to see the E.N.T. doctor. He told me I had one index finger’s width to breathe. He told me that most people have 3 fingers’ width. He told me that as we age tonsils keep growing.
Is there anyone else that’s had this experience? My recovery is going well. I’m at day 7.
Hi Flo. Thanks for the kind words. My experience was similar to yours but I didn’t quite have the breathing limitations you describe. I’ll bet your life is about to improve greatly! Thanks for sharing and best of luck and a speedy recovery to you.
What a kind, caring, thoughtful man you are.
Thank you, Greg.
I ate a slice of pizza on day 11 (and a mild CURRY on day 16!) and thought I had gone to heaven – that was a real turning point. And I talked every day from day one, although not as much as usual! Don’t worry about the meds – you can start to scale them down when your body is ready – one day you will realise you forgot to take some and you are OK! This is a tough recovery, so take EVERYTHING you need to get through. I wasn’t really aware of my scabs, except one particularly painful morning when I think one fell off – cue ice pack and more drugs! Consider a hot water bottle too – in week two I found sleeping on this really helped me relax my throat and sleep better. One more thing – don’t go back to work early: in a few months time you will forget you took those extra few days, but they are very valuable now to help you get your strength back.
Thanks for all your help. Yes day 3 was bad and today, day 4 has been about the same amount of pain like an 8, just taking the pain meds evey 31/2 hrs and that seems to ease the pain a little. I asked my mom to go get me some type of snoopy shaved ice machine anything she could find at target/ wallmart so hopefully I’ll be eating snow cones soon. IJust pray and can’t imagine the pain getting worse than it is now! It’s the very worst around 3-5 am. When do you think I could eat like a bean burrito or like ravioli? For now it’s just been apple sauce , soup, yogurt, ice cream and the cream of wheat was an awesome suggestion! I’m also craving like chicken or turkey bad. Thanks for the idea of ice packs I just tried it and it works great. At what day do the scabs form? And is it going to be dreadful getting off these pain meds because they make me feel really loopy and grooggy like I can tell they are strong on my head. Should I gargle with warm salt water or anything like that? Just a thought. Any advice is great! Thanks so munch for caring. I’m basically taking care of myself all alone because I only have my mom and she works 15 hr days. I do have 2 weeks off work but would love to go back before that if possible. One more thing when can I start try to talk or say something out loud?
I’m on day 3 and it’s the worst so far! Day 2 was mild and I thought that I was going to be able to handle this pain no problem, well today I woke up at 4 am, day 3 and the pain is so bad once again I can’t swallow. The first 2 days I was eating ice creams, yogurts and I feel like dairy products were up setting my stomach bad. Any suggestions on what I should try to eat and is day 4 going to be worse than this? When can I wxpwct the pain to go back down instead of getting worse?
Hi! I’m on day 14 and finally feeling better. I have been eating cream of wheat, jello, pudding, ensure shakes, popsicles. But the 1st week for me was not that bad. It wasn’t until day 8 that I starting really hurting and was too exhausted to get out of bed. I hope you feel better soon and find something you can eat!
hi Elena – days 4 – 8 were the worst for me, so it may get worse before it gets better I am afraid. Try mashed/jacket potato, porridge? Max out on painkillers and suck on crushed ice/wrap an ice pack around your throat. I also used Chloraseptic spray to help numb my throat when I needed to take painkillers. Good luck – you WILL get better
Hey Melissa – yes the mornings were the absolute worst for me, as were days 7/8 because it felt like it would never end and I was so worn down by it all. Just a few more days and you really will turn a corner. Takes a bit longer to get your strength back though. Rest all the time, eat what you can, keep sucking on ice chips and treat yourself to something e.g. buy new PJs online/book a haircut/treat for when you are feeling a bit better. You will be better soon, the worst is over!
My son thought his was mouth ulcers but it was thrush. You might want to call your ENT they can prescribe a liquid that heals them quickly. Our son had them down his throat but again it was thrush and it’s very painful. Hope you get to feeling better real soon.
God Bless
Gosh everyone here is saying pain gets worse not better..I’m on day 7 tomorrow and I must say pain is incredible still. Has anyone been suffering with mouth ulcers? I have the worst one in my cheek and it’s not going down well at all..when do the scabs come of..? I have heard that’s horrible, I’m drinking lots of water and lots of tea …soups and getting 2 pieces of toast down me…I did slip a little choc in my mouth but boy that was not good..I don’t see light yet, does anybody as the mornings are terrible!
Hello, Day 7 post OP 28 yo male here and starting to feel better, not 100% yet by any means but better. I have to thank you and everyone that contributed to this website it has been more help then any small handout they give you at the doctors. my case had been pretty mild until day 3 when the bleeding started the pain was unreal. Once they cauterized it to stop the bleeding the pain subsided. It has been a long week and can honestly say I can’t wait for it to be over, so much so I can almost taste the turkey bacon sandwich and large beer!
Day 8 post op – I can honestly say that this has been a living hell. Still in pain today – throat and ears! At the age of 35, I have cried like a baby daily, because I didn’t know what else to do!!! I hope to be better soon. If I’d known it was going to be so bad, I would never of gone through with tonsillectomy.
I am on day 6 post op, and it has been getting worse by the days! I am thankful with God thar the operation went fine and that i honestly have been in a lot of pain, but not to the point of crying with the exception of the first day. Today however, it seems my pain killers arent lasting as long or working as well.
Im supposed to go back to work in two days!
Hi! I am 4 days post op. I have to admit I was absolutely terrified of the recovery. I did a lot of research before the tonsillectomy. Including this website. I ate ramen noodles same day as surgery. And since then I’ve eaten ramen, cream of wheat, chicken and dumplings, Popsicles, pudding and jello. I have not slowed down on eating. I read the sooner you eat the better. The first day I set an alarm for every 30 minutes to make sure I drank enough water. After that I set it for every hour. Even when I am sleeping. There have been a few times I needed ice and throat spray. I have 3 humidifiers in my bedroom with 2 fans. I keep my room closed and seldom come out. I have to say that I’m feeling really good. I have a sore throat and that’s it. Pain level is maybe a 3 on a scale 1-10. Of course I am not going to take any chances by over doing it. I plan on staying in my room for at least a week. It’s very lonely and depressing but I feel like it’s worth it. I hope that I can help with anyone’s recovery. I will keep you posted.
I am a 35 year old female. Married with kids 18 months and 4 yrs old.
@Christie- good for you! Keep eating good stuff! It worked for me at first, too. You will probably hit a day soon where all of a sudden, broth and warm drinks will be all you can handle, and you’ll be glad you ate some food with sustenance early on! Just be careful, as I hit a point on day 7 where I thought I was doing so good, I tried to eat “real food”! Don’t do that! Keep going with the mushy stuff! If I can save you the pain and setback, oh don’t try to eat real food too soon! Hang in there, as it could get worse. We’re all different. For many, days 4-7 are the calm before the storm! I’m on day 22. I still have throat and ear pain. This forum is wonderful for when you can’t sleep! Good luck and healthy recovery to you!
@Angel
You were right about it getting worse! Now I’m I day 9 and my pain level is about an 8. Yesterday was really bad. I have done everything I’m suppose to do. I’m tired of staying in my bedroom in my makeshift sauna.
Another thing, I ran out of painkillers on Friday(a week after surgery). The dr said that that should be enough. I should be better by then. Well, I was still in pain Friday and started freaking out because I knew I couldn’t get any over the weekend. I called my drs nurse and thankfully got ahold of my dr as he was boarding a plane. From there it almost took an act from congress to get more meds! I had to have another appt just to get more. Luckily they fit me in with another dr and I got my meds.
And of course yesterday and today were the worst pain.
So my advice is to try and get a refill and don’t trust your dr when he says you’ll be better in a week!
Thank you so much for this great advise. I’m getting my surfer in 2 days and I’m am getting nervous.
Has anyone fought depression since their tonsillectomy? My son is 35 married and father of two young children and was sick from May of this year 2014 with constant tonsillitis. Every two weeks he would be sick severely sick, antibiotics all summer finally the ENT said he needed a tonsillectomy. It was rough for him and his energy still hasn’t returned it’s now 7 weeks post surgery. He is really depressed and exhausted all the time. He hasn’t felt good since the surgery. Please if anyone has experienced this or has any advice please let me know. His doctor has prescribed an anti depressant but he had a reaction to it. Please any advice?
I think depression is normall after being sick. Then having surgery where you can’t eat and you don’t sleep the pain is intense and you take pain Meds on an empty stomach. All your sick and vacation time is gone and your exaughsted doing the best you can to get through each day. I am on day 25 post op for tonsils and adenoids. I go to work and come home and go to bed. Not much energy.
My recomendations after going through this.
1. Stock up on jello, pudding (not chocolate it burned my throat) apples sauce, shaved ice. I lived on ice. Mashed potatoes, gravy and broth. This was what I ate for 18 days.
2. Necessary medicine prescribed by doctor. Zofrain(anti nausea med) liquid pain med I had Tylenol with codine. I had to ask the doctor for something stronger on day six. Steroids and antibiotics for five days all liquid form. I also got lollipops with prescription numbing medicine. Also buy childrens livid ibuprofen.
3. Take your medicine every three hours set and alarm. Rotate narcotic and then ibuprofen every three hours. Don’t miss a dose!
4. Sleeping to long you will get dried out and the pain is really bad. I loved my ice chips.
Having my tonsils out was awful. Living with infections was worse and I would do it again.
Good luck.
I was diagnosed with depression and anxiety last year and had my tonsils out yesterday….I’m still in hospital ATM and the pain is there but isn’t too bad ATM…can’t drink water but ice is AMAZING and I managed to get some custard and jelly down and some of a chicken sandwich….before the surgery I had fasted for 12 hours so I am sooooo hungry but your throat doesn’t really let you eat what you want :p I started having a down turn last night since I was alone in hospital but I tried to get some sleep, having a good support system is crucial for anyone with depression going through this
I have my mum to look after me and that is making me feel heaps better inside 
good luck with it 
I’m really sorry for what I heard about your son I had a surgery 14 days ago I still have a lots of pain I feel I’m going to die I take daily more than 7 tablets pain killers but I still don’t feel good .
Wow. Day 17 and I still feel like crap, especially if I try to “do something”! As in, anything! I agree with Diane- it’s so nice and airy back there, although I’ve been told I still snore ( you can’t win them all)! SO GLAD I was able to take 3 weeks plus some teacher workdays and a weekend- total of 26 days off. I’m a first grade teacher, so imagine my face when the doctor said 2 weeks off and 2 weeks light duty…”excuse me? Define light duty for my job?!” I basically looked at her like she was crazy, left the office with my pre-op packet, and called back thirty minutes later to move my surgery back a week and keep the same return date. Thank you, Lord, for giving me the extra push to do that!!! Luckily I had enough sick days to cover thus plus some.
My public service announcement to all I meet is this: if your child’s doctor says they need their tonsils out–DO IT! Don’t make them go through what adults go through!
On another note- my ears are still achy. Anyone try anything besides oil in there? Earache drops? Anything? The oil is good and soothes, but doesn’t manage the pain so well anymore. Diane- thanks for letting me know not to expect much different at three weeks, lol! Happy recovery! Maybe by thanksgiving or Christmas we’ll feel “normal-er”?!
I am so glad that you had taken that extra time off!!! Ok, day 22 SO much better!!! The scabs are gone I am told (I still have not looked back there!) I can eat whatever I want and my ears no longer hurt. I am still a bit tired but it is because I have gone 3 weeks without working and my sleep pattern is a disaster.
I seriously could not have made it through had it not been for the support on here and for Greg creating this! THANK YOU a thousand times over!
Angel, as for the ear pain, I tried a cold compress that seemed to help me a bit more than a warm one. I had to cover my head when I went outside up til this point. I have never been this sensitive!!! I agree with your advice. Both my kids had theirs out. One was 5 at the time and my other was 19. Even the 19 yo bounced back within a week. I was told from my teens I needed them out but noooooooooo!! Please people learn this lesson!!!
Here are to much happier and healthier days ahead!!
Day 18 of recovery:
It isn’t all bad…I can eat “normal” food now, as long as it doesn’t require lots of chewing or sharp, scratchy foods. My jaw and throat muscles are still aching after a something as simple as chicken tenders, but slow and steady, and I can knock ‘me out. Really cold water still sends a shock wave through my entire body and I literally have to shake it off. Guess some of those last few scabs have come off, maybe?
I bought some Hyland’s earache drops and they have helped a little with the pain in my ears. I wish I would have known about the seriousness of the ear pain before my surgery so I could have been a little more mentally prepared! Hey, everyone, expect your ears to feel like Freddy Krugger or Wolverine or Edward Scissorhands is doing quite a number on your eustachean tubes from about day 5 to who-the-crap-knows-when?! At least day 18 I guess!
I still can’t sleep through the night, for several reasons: ear pain, staying hydrated, and going to pee from all the hydration! In the last two days, my asthma has kept me up coughing thanks to post nasal drip. So I use my inhaler and try to calm down the cough, but you try telling my asthma that the “ick” in my throat is normal and to stop freaking out about it! So then I need a nap around 1-2:00 everyday.
I only have one more week off. I hope I can get my sleep pattern back somewhat close to normal soon!
Report cards and parent-teacher conferences aren’t going to do themselves. I need to bring my A-game on November 3rd!
Thanks so much to Greg for this site! I don’t know what I would have done without it! Diane, too- thanks for your replies to my posts, they have kept me encouraged and going!
I hate that so much of my posts are negative, but I don’t like venting in front of my kids and they are always around! My family already knows how miserable I am so reminding them is pointless! I hope that I will be able to make some positive posts in the best future to help others going through this craptastic journey!
Thanks for the update Angel. Hope you feel better each day.
I am now almost 3wks as well. I still get tired and I start work next Monday. Thank goodness I was able to take an extra week off!! I still have a slight scabbing on my right side. I am so done with this! I have been mostly positive through this procedure knowing that it is already worth it since I can now eat dairy and it feels so *airy* back there!! But geez…enough!!! Happy healing
Angel: Are you drinking enough? Maybe you are dehydrated? Your body needs to heal and I know I JUST slept through the night and it has been two weeks. Maybe your throat feels sensitive because of the scabbing and all that. I would still ice your neck and drink LOTS. Are you eating things that are a bit rougher on your throat? If so maybe go back to soup and stuff. Maybe, if it does not hurt your throat try some Gatorade? Are you able to eat at all? Can you try to get some protein somehow? Good luck!
Whew! So get this, after posting about feeling weird, I realized that I had removed the cotton soaked with sweet oil from my ears and replaced it with dry this morning! And all this after posting yesterday on the ear pain page about how much the oil has made a huge difference!
I was literally lightheaded and couldn’t keep my balance and wanted to sleep. After feeling helpless all day, I put fresh oil in my ears, capped with cotton and wham- my equilibrium is back and I’m perky! I feel really stupid after that!
Here I was thinking I was having something weird going on, and all the time, I had just taken away the one thing that was holding me together! Having a teen in our home who suffers from inner ear weakness has really helped me stay in tune to my needs during this recovery! Your inner ear really can screw you up! Take my advice and try the sweet oil as it can apparently really keep you from being in a funk!
So here I am, day 9 post op, and I feel weird. The extreme pain now comes in flashes and I am so exhausted. I feel disoriented and lightheaded. My throat feels more swollen than before, but it know that can’t be right because the scabs have been coming off and it’s pretty clear in there. I can barely keep my eyes open. No bleeding. I wonder if it could be that the prednisone I finished on Wednesday is now gone from my system or because my toddler has been sick and I have been taking care of him more. Anybody else feel different, weird almost on day 9/10?
I want to make sure it isn’t meds side effects or complications or something, at the doc yesterday,, my blood pressure was a tiny bit high they said,d but I had just been venting to my mom in the car…
Diane I think you need to eat, sleep and drink more. Get some help with your toddler, drink lots of water, and consume calories however you can. You will feel lots better in a few days – you are through the worst now.
I agree. Get some help with your toddler. I am 3 weeks post tonsillectomy and still feel exhausted in the afternoon and still have a sore throat and mild ear pain. Additionally I have no appetite and cannot taste anything. They say taste buds can be temporarily compromised. Absolutely awful and lengthy recovery.
Yes, Diane, superwoman, lol!
Update: I had to go to the ENT today to pick up a refill prescription for Percocet. I am NOT running out if this stuff yet-I am no hero and there is no gold star at the end of this recovery! While on the phone I asked for an appointment to be checked for thrush, since about 3 or 4 days ago, i have had a thick film on my tongue and some of it scraped off with my toothbrush and now my tongue is RAW and dry and hurts to eat and drink… I called about it two days ago, but they said since I had not been on any antibiotics it was unlikely. Unlikely? I’ve been drinking apple juice, eating applesauce, pudding, jello, and Hawaiian rolls all PACKED with SUGAR and thrush is unlikely? Yeah, guess what? I was right- it’s THRUSH! Of course, now it is on the roof of my mouth in little swirls and the yeast is starting to grow toward my palette! As if I don’t already have ENOUGH going on in there! On top of that, my scabs in my “gag reflex” area are starting to dangle and dear goodness, that’ s making me gag and hack, which in turn just hurts!
Here is your laugh at my expense: my doctor prescribed “lozenges” that are to be dissolved on my tongue/ against the roof of my mouth until they completely dissolve, up to 30 minutes if needed. NO WATER OR BEVERAGE DURING THE DISSOLVING! And I am supposed to do this five times a day until the meds are gone! Guess what? It’s a DIME SIZED chalky lozenge who’s only redeeming quality is it tastes sweet. Oh, it’s sooooo gross and I just want some water!!! At least it is keeping me from talking, because I’ve been doing too much of that anyway and paying the painful toll for it. The residue from this thing is impossible to swallow, and yet, that’s what I am going to to have to do to get better! At least they do promote saliva creation and are sweet. Uuugggghhhh!
When all is said and done, I had better be a shining example of great health! When I saw the dr today I did ask how bad my tonsils we’re. Her reply was they were really disgusting, and a lot of gunk that needed to go. I told her despite the pain, I already freely much healthier. Even without sleep, I feel far more rested than I had in several years!
omg I just saw this! you crack me up!!! (sorry!) I feel really bad that you are going through so much of this.
I had my post op apt today. Doc said everything looks good. I am out of work for another week. I asked when the heck I am going to be *normal* with no pain. He said it will be sore for a bit with yawning and sneezing. (ya think!) I am still on semi soft food. I did sleep through the night and when I woke it was not as sore so it does get better hold on!!
Kendra: I totally get what you mean. I am now post op 13 days. I still have throat pain but nothing what it was. I have my follow up tomorrow and I am due to go back to work Monday but highly doubt it will happen since I am on the phone for 8hrs a day. Yesterday I did go out and go grocery shopping, ran some errands and cooked a semi-normal dinner. Fish, veggies and pasta. I never thought I would have missed veggies so much!! When I was out I felt like a zombie. I think because I am off my pain meds for a few days now and I am just exhausted from not sleeping through the night, (last night I finally slept 5 hours in a row!!!!) I keep coughing at night. Did this ever happen to you? Is your throat healed? I still have scabbing unsure if it is normal.
Angel: Superwoman!! I did the same thing I think it was about day 8 or 9? All the sudden I thought I could eat meatloaf and potatoes like a champ. I cleaned the house & did laundry that was until the shooting pain in my ears and throat started. I ended up setting myself back because that night it was horrible!!! All I could do was eat ice chips and ice my head and neck. That was, until, all the sudden I could not handle cold things and only could tolerate luke warm liquids including water. Also, my neighbor had said to me you are STILL recovering? I wanted to poke her eyes out. I am a 44yo female and have two children. Never in my life did I think this would come out of my mouth but by God, it has: I would rather give birth than do this ever again!!! Right now I can a talk a bit more but definitely feel it if I do not stop for a bit.
On a positive note: I am so excited to be able to eat dairy again!!!! To not be embarrassed by bad breath!! To not have to be miserable after work and live off of cough drops and ice! YAY!!! Most of all so thankful to Greg and this forum I would have been lost without it and all the support. Oh and it helped my 75 pound weight loss dropping 6 pounds during this crap
Good luck girls!!
Diane- I too am due back at work on Monday
I am out another week! how are you doing?
Diane- no my throat is still not healed and I do have scabbing… I had my follow up appointment Tuesday, and the doctor said I was healing well.. So I’m assuming that scabbing at this point is normal
Will I ever feel normal?? I’m on post op day 10.. I’m not an any real pain, I just don’t feel like a human.
Thanks so much for this site! Sorry I didn’t find it sooner and participate, as it it nice, er, comforting, to commiserate in real time…I am a 33 year old female, elementary school teacher, wife and mom of 3kids- ours, his, and teenage relative. had my surgery on October 8, so I just finished Day 8 and this was by far the day I hit the “brick wall”! Pain, emotional, exhaustion, betrayal, hunger, frustration, helplessness, I have felt it all!
Yesterday I had a super woman moment and thought I could handle accompanying my mom to my 4 year olds well check appointment, story time at the library, and a “real” lunch at Cracker Barrel! DONT DO IT!!! I was fine, other than a sore throat and a little fatigue. I even made it through half my country fried chicken with sawmill gravy, fried okra ( it was mushy), hash brown casserole, and cornbread dressing…I just kept going through the dull, bruised-like pain savoring those tasty flavors until my 4yo said he had to go potty. As I waited on him in the bathroom, I found myself propping up against the wall, shallow breathing, forehead sweating, wishing I had one of my special lollipops to numb it all away. My EARS hurt from chewing! Ooohhh, needless to say, I did it to myself. Got back to the table, asked for a to go box and two cups of sweet tea as I laid my head on the table and my 4yo patted my head and said “nope, mommy.s still not feeling better yet.” Utter defeat.it tasted SO good, too…it sits in the fridge staring at me every time I open the door!
For the rest of the day yesterday and most of today, my throat was so tight and bruised feeling, and my jaw and ear was apparently tired, that all I could down was jello and Lipton noodle soup ( the kind that is mostly broth)! Even swallowing my Percocet cut in halves proved to squeak tears out of my eyes, wrapped in jello!
My advice after trying to overdo it on day 7: REST! You have earned the right to take care of yourself and do it right by all the crap you have dealt with those nasty tonsils over the years! A few more days of soft foods, laying around is going to do you good! Don’t try to be a super hero! I’m going to remind my ENT tomorrow that those were her words of advice as I call to request one more Rx for Percocet. I’m not taking any chances! I’ve been on 2 every 4 hours since coming home, and even still I’ve had severe breakthrough ear pain three times causing me to need ibuprofin.
After all I have been through, I am definitely thankful to this and a couple other sites I’ve found. It has really helped to know I am not alone and others are going through the same things I am! It feels so strange to be fine for a couple days and then spiral downward…you start to look suspicious to loved ones until you hand them the tablet with a post from someone who is going through the same thing on the same recovery day! I really enjoy writing about my experience since I am a nonstop talker and haven’t been doing much of that lately!
Better take this chance to rest as my eyelids are drooping and I’ve been drinking Water like crazy! Good nite all, good rest and hydration to you all! Angel
When I was 16, 26 years ago I had my tonsils removed or at least I thought I had all of them removed. The past couple of years I have been getting horrific flaming sore throats. Then a few months back tonsil stones started forming in the back of my throat, so I went to my ears, nose & throat doctor and it seems there is still tonsil tissue on the left side of my throat, lucky me, so as if the painful experience wasn’t bad enough the first time around I have to go under next week for the procedure & they are telling me it will be just as painful. So what I gather tons of ice water & the one bad thing is my boyfriend I haven’t seen in 6 weeks will be visiting 2 weeks after surgery….
Because of a complication during my surgery; my doctor only did 1 tonsil (the right) and my Adenoids. He wants to wait until I am healed from the first surgery before scheduling the second. The “complication” was excess bleeding due to scarring from repeat sore throats tonsillitis strep. I put off having surgery for probably 20 + years. Then in August my throat felt as if it were closing up. And I went ahead with the surgery.. Plus I have sleep apnea. With just the one tonsil gone my husband says my snoring is almost non existent. I wish I had had the surgery sooner even with how much pain there was. NOW I have to decide If I want the second surgery. I just had one round of antibiotics because of a sore/scratchy red throat last week. My surgery was 9/2/14. I think because of the bleeding my doctor is afraid to try again I probably won’t have a second surgery…what do you guys think …Would you have the second surgery?
Hi DragonLady, that is a hard decision. Honestly, the thought of going through this twice is a rough one. I guess you have to weigh what you are up to putting up with for the rest of your life and will it get better? It is never a bad idea to get a second opinion. Gather all the info talk it over with your docs and your family. You will do what is right for you although super scary I am sure.
Kendra: I am on day 11. Day 1 through 4 Wasn’t so bad I thought. Thanks to this website I was prepared. I drank ALOT of iced water. I took my pain meds on day 1 & 2 and thought I could get off of them and just use my xtra strength Tylenol. That went alright until day 5. Every time you wake up from sleeping drink. Make yourself drink even if it hurts drink.
I became really uncomfortable between day 6 & 7. My ear pain was insane. BUT I knew it was coming so I had my ice packs. It helped me to ice my ears and neck. Took my rx meds. I used my humidifier in the evening and always, always had water next to me. Day 7 & 8 I now could not take ice cold things and needed warm. I drank a lot of decaf tea and throat tamer tea. I made myself have breakfast every day. 2 poached eggs on top of toast. I believe this helped me not get sick from the meds. I started feeling human and wanted OUT.
I still thought and think this is the best decision I could have made even though I am 44yo. I was in agony all the time with my throat. I worked on the phones 8 hrs a day for work and when I came home I could not talk, I had stones so avoided a lot of dairy. I always felt run down. Just keep thinking that this is worth it and it is only 2 weeks out of your life and you are not looking back. I really,really tried to remain positive. Not going to lie, day 6ish I called my mom to come get me crying (that’s the break I guess everyone warns you about) then in the car I was crying again and apologizing lol
Day 10 I still had ear pain but on the other side of my head and became discouraged because it hurt when I tried to eat semi normal. I believe that it may have been my scabbing. I am very queasy so I have yet to look at my throat. My husband says it is coming along great. During this process I had developed a cold. I have constant coughing lingering but I am now wondering if this is due to the junk coming off of my throat. (especially at night) If anyone knows this answer please let me know.
I am impatient and done with this whole process but at the same time realize it has not been two weeks and as of this morning (day 11) I woke with tolerable pain instead of feeling like I was swallowing glass in the morning, I am off my meds except Tylenol, I can almost yawn without hurting and I sneezed and did not want to die! I really do not have a lot of energy but plan on going for a walk in the sun today.
The things I ate: Soup (until day 5 ish then it stung) Italian ice, popsicles, jello, carrots mixed with potatoes all mashed, butternut squash mashed, toast butter and jelly dipped in my tea, yesterday a pumpkin muffin!!! Soft boiled or poached eggs, day 10 chicken in small bites, potatoes and green beans. I learned if you do not take small bites you will be in pain. Do not rush. Listen to your body. I rarely eat meat and I am craving a cheeseburger like nobodys business! I try to wake up and say almost halftway there!! Try to be positive in the end, it is a positive thing.
That’s all the information I have on my end. I really wish the ear pain would cease it does drive me nuts but keep thinking it is not forever! I hope this helps!!!!!
Thanks Diane! You’re almost there. This site was so helpful….thanks loads to Greg for starting it…
YES!!!!! Thank you Greg!!!!! Every time I have a concern or question my husband says “check the forum’ !! Seriously, this would have been awful had I not found this!!
Diane, you made my day. Thanks! Best of health to you.
My pleasure Dragon’! Thanks for jumping in with support!
I am wondering if this chronic coughing especially at night is normal?
First I would like to thank everyone who has posted helpful information on this site.. I read this site for months before having my tonsillectomy, 10/6/2014. I expected the worst!!! To my surprise things have not been that bad.. Day 1-3 were a breeze… I ate pretty well and drank plenty of water.. Day 4/5 is when the ear pain started and I haven’t been able to talk much, but all and all the pain level has never been more than a 5 or 6. I’m only on day 6 but I wanted to post my positive experience to help anyone who is on the fence about having surgery..
Hi Kendra, Good for you! From my experience, it’s likely to get worse before it gets better. But it WILL GET BETTER. Don’t despair. Keep hydrated, keep taking your meds, and follow the other tips on this website. I’m 1 year out and so glad I had a tonsillectomy (even tho I waited 50 years!).
Danny I’m on day 8. My advice even if it kills is to drink. Ice chips. Just keep hydrated. When I can’t sleep I come here and read. It’s good to know that feeling like this is normal. Hang in there!
Pain coping strategy that helped me was to take my pain meds and drink or eat really really cold stuff soft frozen or almost frozen gatorade Icees before eating any thing that I knew would be hard to eat I (kind of numbed my throat). There were still a couple of days it took me an hour or more to eat or drink anything. You guys will get there…
day 2 man I had no idea and went into this thinking the dangalie thingies were comming out… only to learn after the fact… they were caller uvelias. or something. and there still there.. swollen and tore up from the surgury..cant breath out my nose when i sit back … plus there as no way I can take meds.. had to go with liquid codean..man my spelling sucks…. think i will just go back to bed…
Starting day 3 cane pain moustly early in the morning, an wandwring whrn the drooling will stop , and when the scabies will fall off
I hope this forum is still active!!! I had my tonsils removed yesterday and all went ok. I came home from took my vicodin and then I encountered what I thought was a UTI. Well, after 24oz of water and NO voiding off to the er I went. They think it was most likely the anesthisa side effect. But this did not happen til about half an hour after I took my pain meds. I am home with a cath bag til tomorrow and now I am nervous wondering if I should just get off the vics and head to the Tylenol. Has this happened to anyone??? Im allergic to asprin and ibuprofen so that is limited. BTW thank you for this page. I am well prepared for almost everything!
please tell me it gets better…
i found this website 2 yrs ago. due to scheduling conflicts at work, i just now got my tonsils taken out. im 30 years old, and let me tell ya , IT SUCKS! i never realized i could go so long without wanting or needing food! scrambled eggs with milk and a little mac and cheese is all that saves me. even pudding and ice cream hurt. honestly, i did expect a lot worse that this… but its still really crappy. today is day 7 and im really hoping i live long enough to eat normal human food again! good luck to those of u who r having this done. man, i hope i breathe better once i heal up! better b worth it. my ent said one tonsil was as big as her palm, so its gotta b better.
Danny it does. Drinking Ice water Italian Icees found in the popsicle section of grocery store rest movies on TV pain meds right before eating or drinking. Taking pain meds round the clock and writing down when you take them. Pretty much what these pages/posts say. Everyone it does get better.
I am a 21 year old female due to have my tonsils and adenoids out on Tuesday. My ent insists that I have the cold steel method and I was wondering about the recovery for this specific type of removal as there are not many stories specifying what type of removal. I am terrified for the recovery as I have a super high tolerance to pain medication. After informing my ent of this he said he was going to give me a norco pain patch as well as Vicodin (which has never worked in the past) and a norco anti inflammatory. If anyone had some insight on this I would be more than happy to hear as I am terrified for what’s to come. I and supposed to move into my apartment at college only a week after the procedure.
Sloan – you are young and should recover relatively quickly, but change your college apartment plans! You will NOT be fit enough to move into your apartment within a week. Take this pressure off yourself BEFORE your surgery and give yourself a few more days to rest and recover. Good luck!
unfortunately I don’t have the option to change it kim ;( but luckily i have great friends and family that are doing all the moving for me. all i have to do is drive there. i already packed everything so it is all ready to be loaded up.
Im 18 and had my Tonsillectomy 4 days ago via coblation. I don’t want to sound like a wimp as I’m sure there are plenty of people recovering who feel a lot worse than me and I know its only day 4. However, Im feeling really depressed, I hate nothing more than mooching around the house all day/all night and my friends don’t seem to understand the severity of the operation and the recovery as they are asking me to come out and join them at the pub most evenings. In addition to all this I start my first year of university in a little over a week, will I feel normal by then? I know that I still need to take care of myself and that freshers week is probably off the cards. But will the ear ache stop and will I be able to eat by then. HELP PLEASE! I want my tonsils back!!!
I’m 27 years old and had both my tonsils and adenoids removed due to tonsil stones. Although my primary care physician said and I quote “I’ve seen worse” (implying he didnt think I should do it), my ENT specializes in this sort of thing and he felt it would be a wise choice. I knew it had to be done when he said it could get worse as I got older. So I had my tonsils and adenoids removed 10 days ago. Day 1 was alright cause I didn’t get any nausea from the anesthesia. Not saying it wasn’t painful to swallow, but no nausea is a big help! So Days 2-5 was painful but hydrocodone helped with that. I also found using an ice pack, and crushing my meds( mixed with cranberry juice to reduce chalky taste) to be helpful. Oh and I ended up taking medication to prevent nausea because of the side effects from the hydrocodone. Being stuck in the house all day was making me feel worse so I took short walks after day 4. I was waking up every 15-30 minutes to drink water or suck on ice chips. I also took hot showers because the humidity would help ease the pain. Sleeping on a recliner was the best thing I could’ve done ; every time I would lay flat, I’d swear I was swallowing my uvula, my tongue, my teeth, you name it! I just couldn’t breathe! It wasn’t until day 5 that I could actually eat, even though I still couldn’t enjoy the food. I ate boiled eggs, jello, pudding, mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese. I even tried the soft part of bread. Yes, I ate. But it was a VERY limited amount of food. There’s only so much pain a person could handle. Days 6 and 7 the pain was a little bit more tolerable and I slept more through the night despite some ear pain ( mine wasn’t as bad as some people mentioned) . Sometimes eating cold food or drinking cold fluids would sting my throat, which made me think the scabs were starting to come off but I’m not sure. Anything with sugar, acid, or salt was pretty painful so try avoiding those types of foods. Day 8 was by far the worst for me. I was still taking my medications and could hardly eat because everything stung my throat so I became extremely fatigued and nauseated. I even lost color to my face! I decided to try a humidifier that night and I think it was pretty helpful. I continued to walk after meals to help with the nausea from the medications and drank Gatorade for hydration but the nausea was BAD. I almost took myself to the hospital because of it. Later on day 9, I went a few hours without any pain So I ate an ice cream Sunday thinking my throat would handle it, but boy was I wrong. It gave me lots of sharp pains and I woke up with phlem that was almost impossible to get rid of the next day. Day 8 was actually when I starting gagging because I could feel the scabs hanging in the back of my throat. I spit up some of them with some phlem. YUCK. I thought the bad part was over but gagging because of the scabs was just it for me. If I would’ve known I would’ve been nauseous most of the time and getting gagged by scabs, I may have thought more about taking this surgery! Anyway, the ENT put me on steroids to help the swelling and I guess to make it heal faster.
Today, I ran out of anti nausea pills so I took one of my moms reglan pills after confirming with the ENT , and it felt like a bomb was dropped in my stomach. It was another BAD IDEA. The Good news is that I made it to my appointment regardless of my stomach issues and was told by my ENT that everything was going great, and I could eat anything I want except for any sharp foods that could scratch my throat , like chips. The bad news is that he told me I have one more week to get gagged by scabs! Ughh. Good luck to everyone who is taking this surgery or is going through it. I hope it’s all worth it.
Writing about my 19 year old daughter. Today is Day 5 (with tonsillectomy on Day1). Her pain meds, percocet, are making her nauseous, sleepy, itchy, dizzy, and causing her to have absolutely no appetite. She tried taking only extra strength tylenol yesterday, but the pain became too intense. We have a script for hydrocodone-acetaminophen 7.5-325 that the ENT gave her during the week before her procedure. She wants to switch from percocet to the hydrocodone to see if she tolerates it better. What do you think? Is it okay to keep switching it up until she finds an acceptable balance between pain management and side effects?