*****NEW***** Chat Room ****NEW***
A Tonsillectomy Recovery Journey
Tonsillectomy |Tonsillectomy Recovery Forums
I wasn’t always this healthy. As a kid I ingested more penicillin than a corporate-raised chicken. I was in the doctor’s office several times each year with a sore throat. As the doctor or nurse peered into my mouth, the reaction was always the same: “Whoa, those are some big tonsils!” The diagnosis was usually tonsillitis, or strep throat. As the doctor wrote the prescription, he’d explain that years ago, tonsils like mine would have been removed, but, “these days,” we try to hang onto them. “These days,” were the 1970′s. I guess the tonsillectomy pendulum had swung back from the days when kids got their tonsils out because their brother was getting his out.
Aunt Kate’s reassurance helped, but I still wrote out some just-in-case instructions for my brother and hid them in my closet. I sheepishly told him where they were, just in case.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
As an adult I continued to suffer from frequent bouts of tonsillitis. It seemed that I caught every bug that passed through my house or workplace. I guess those big ugly tonsils were a nice home for those nasties. It wasn’t until my 40′s that I also became aware that I suffered from something called, Obstructive Sleep Apnea -a condition in which a person stops breathing while asleep. I snored often and would awake abruptly, gulping in big breaths. I felt tired most days. After raising four babies, I had come to accept fatigue as a normal part of life!
One day at a routine physical my doctor remarked about the number of episodes of strep throat and tonsillitis I’d had. We also talked about the sleep problems. While he didn’t formally diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, he suspected that I had it. He recommended a tonsillectomy, because of all the tonsil problems I’d had. As a bonus, I might find relief from the sleep apnea as well. If not, I’d undergo a sleep study. Forty four years old and father of four boys and a doctor finally said it: Those tonsils are doing you more harm than good!
As much as I hated those tonsils, I was terrified at the thought of going under the knife. I started reading about tonsillectomy on the internet and talking to friends. That didn’t help. “My cousin knew a guy who got a tonsillectomy and bled to death.” “At your age, tonsillectomy is dangerous.” When I met with the ear, nose and throat specialist, (an otolaryngologist), he told me that the risks are the same for an adult undergoing tonsillectomy surgery as for a child, but the recovery is longer and more painful. He was right about that!
Tonsillectomy
I scheduled the surgery for the day after Thanksgiving. A traditional day of feasting in the United States. If it was to be my last meal, I planned to make it a good one! As it turned out, I was so nervous and scared that I could hardly eat on that day. I was recently divorced and had shared placement of my four boys. So many people counted on me that I began to question my decision. What if I died on the table? How reckless to leave behind a family, simply to avoid frequent tonsillitis? My aunt, a registered nurse reassured me about how simple the surgery was, and how far anesthesiology had come. I had nothing to worry about.
Aunt Kate’s reassurance helped, but I still wrote out some just-in-case instructions for my brother and hid them in my closet. I sheepishly told him where they were, just in case.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
“My tonsils were like a 400 pound gorilla on my back. I don’t miss them at all. Ever.” -from the forum
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I took a week off from work, asked my ex wife to take care of the boys that week, and asked my uncle to drive me to and from the hospital. (a requirement with anesthesia) That was about all the preparation I did. I was about to learn alot!
Surgery went fine. I awoke in recovery with a serving of Jell-o in front of me. (“Jelly,” to my British friends) The nurse said that I had to finish it before I could check out. I swallowed it with great relish. It was divine! I called my uncle and we were out of there. I felt ok. I told him thanks and not to worry. I’d be fine. I believed this. Aside from a couple visits, I spent the next ten days alone in misery. The pain set in after about 24 hours. Sleeping became my worst enemy. I’d wake up with my mouth dried out and my throat on fire. Oh my God. I was not prepared for this!
I ran out of Popsicle’s on day three. I ran out of pain medicine on day five. The pain peaked on day seven. I broke down and cried in front of my brother on day eight- a combination of pain, drug induced depression, and sleep deprivation. Since then, I’ve read thousands of similar accounts on the tonsillectomy forum I created.
It didn’t have to be so hard. If I’d known what I do now, I could have done so much to make my tonsillectomy recovery better. I hope to reach as many people as I can to help guide them through the tunnel. It has been my passion and taught me more about compassion and the amazing strength of the human spirit than any other life experience. When you shine a light for others, you also light your own path.
In the pages at follow, I’ll share with you what I learned from my tonsillectomy experience and years of coaching others through tonsillectomy and recovery.
More about tonsillectomy…read more
More about tonsil stones in the guide to tonsil stones
Tonsillectomy Recovery
~Greg
Take care,
Greg Tooke
My short bio
Hi all. This brilliant site is so helpful and such a refuge…I simply feel compelled to share some of my own highlights from my tonsillectomy experience in the hopes that it can help at least one person looking for some specific answers.
I am currently finishing up day 6 of my recovery (out of surgery around 1:00 pm on June 28th).
So…I suffered a horrific peritonsillar abscess this past May that had me in the hospital for 3 days. Honestly: perhaps the most painful experience of my life…THAT BEING SAID, I truly believe that the episode has braced me for the worst; it has prepped me with a mental fortitude that I have strongly maintained, and that has kept my recovery experience…not bad. My main point here is that mental strength is an undeniably HUGE factor in coping with the recovery process (I encourage you to consider practicing meditation. Merely a few minutes can really help). And ANOTHER point: anyone who has been wondering how the pain of recovery is relative to the pain of an abscess…the abscess was definitely worse. definitely. Now, stay humble. Tonsillectomy recovery is certainly no walk in the park, and…as I’m sure you’ve read all over these forums…it is completely subjective and affects everybody differently.
I’ll keep this concise:
Day 1/2: Not bad at all really. Surgery went well, got out of the surgery center pretty fast. Could eat soft solids these days (i.e. soft pasta). Preferred to stick to yogurts. Was given the antibiotic amoxicillin (1 tsp. 3 times a day) and liquid hydrocodone for pain meds (15ml every 4 hours). I was also given dilaudid pills in case I needed something stronger. Slept propped up with lots of pillows. As I mentioned before, ambient music and centering my mind facilitated the relaxing/sleeping process. Proper focus and breathing is something that shouldn’t be underestimated…in my opinion.
Day 3: Still doin’ pretty good. The evening-into-bedtime though was THE WORST pain I personally experience thus far in the entire process (7-8). This, however, was secondarily because of my mouth pain. The real culprit was the head and abdominal pressure/pain that was killin’ me. Needless to say, I had a pretty restless night. I assumed it was a response to the meds, so I started taking only half the dose (7.5ml) every 6 hours (I didn’t even start this though until the side effects subsided). This seemed to help. Onto day 4…
Day 4: I continued to take my revised dose of hydrocodone and I must say it did the trick. I think a lot of people put the meds on a pedestal and revere them in desperate glory as golden gods…which to a degree is absolutely true…but be smart. If your feeling additional problems, consider takin’ it easy of the meds. Ironically, sometimes they can do more harm than good. By all means, don’t be in misery my friends. Meds are amazing. Just be smart. I recall that during the day, I would have some phases of bad mouth pain after pounding water and soft/liquid foods. But after relaxing my mouth; breathing through my nose…I would feel the pain subside within even 10 minutes. Pain would go from a 7 to a 4. Tolerable. I can officially sleep comfortably on my side, which feels soooo good. Now my ass won’t be numb.
Day 5: A little better. Many say day 5-7 can prove to be the most painful, but not for me. Still some “phases” of pain after drinking/eating, but once again, it subsides. So after looking into my mouth again, it is naturally vile. I’ve been noticing a mucussy white/yellowish film enveloping my tongue, so I made a day-of appointment with the ENT to get it checked and make sure I wasn’t developing thrush. We discovered it was not. Phew. GET THIS: after asking how I’m feeling, expecting me to be pretty miserable, I responded with a lackadaisical drawl that I wasn’t too bad; I was pushin’ through. He was surprised. I told him I’ve been recently get up to 4 hours of sleep at a time, waking only to take my meds, drink water, and have a little cup of yogurt (to keep pushing food as well as prevent upset stomach from the medication). He was kind of amazed ha. I thought this whole time: “I’m one of the lucky ones. I don’t have it too bad.” …..The doctor proceeds to say: “that’s bizarre, cuz it’s a mess back there! Especially the abscessed tonsil was a bitch, had scar tissue, etc. And your uvula is 2-3 times its normal size.” Me: “…oh….”. Him: “has the dilaudid helped?”. Me: “I haven’t tried. I haven’t felt like I needed to.” Him: “…well damn…”. So those were some of my own words, but the point is made.
Perhaps…PERHAPS…because of the horror I went through with my abscess, what I consider a 4 (out of 10), others might consider a 6 or 7. It’s a thought. I have a pretty good tolerance for pain, but I really think it goes to prove that preparing for the worst and hoping for the best truly is one the greatest adages ever. Never forget. Never forget it gets better…whether it’s a “phase” of pain that’ll take 10 minutes, or whether it is 2 weeks of agony. Even on day 6/7, I know this to be true.
ANYWAY, the doc prescribed be some prednisone to help cut the inflammation, because i was really starting to feel it. Sometimes when bending to spit out mucus, I would feel like I could choke on my uvula. It really was a noticeable feeling. I started the steroids that day and by the next, I could already feel its magical effects. Very glad I took them. BE CAREFUL though, for steroids do increase your risk of infection. Do your research (…and have an experienced ent doc you trust. please and thank you). Also, today I started taking the dilaudid. Good decision.
DAY 6: Feelin’ pretty decent (hovering around a 4). Sleeping well. Only waking up for meds/water/nutrition. I even started eating more solid food today (had soft eggs and oatmeal for breakfast; couple o’ meatballs for dinner. Up til today, swallowing always had an annoying afterburn of sting. Today though, it’s been minimal. My lack of inflammation has made things much easier.
Now.. I journey on…
THINGS I ALWAYS DID:
Drink. Lots. DRINKS. LOTS. You hear it all the time: staying hydrated truly is the most important. Drink even when it hurts. The pros outweigh the cons. I would say I drink around 4 liters a day. Always pounding water whenever I take my medicines (since I have to swallow anyway…why not shove a bottle of water down with it, right?). Whenever I woke up at random moments in the night from discomfort, I would drink then. Drink OFTEN.
SET YOUR ALARM. Don’t skip your meds. Just don’t do it.
CONSCIOUSLY RELAX YOUR THROAT. We often hold unnecessary, and unacknowledged, tension in our bodies. Our jaw and throat muscles are no exception. Gain an awareness. Checking in really helps.
NOURISH YOURSELF. I found yogurt, protein shakes (don’t want those muscles to break down), and warm broth to me good friends of mine. The live cultures in the yogurt are helpful for fighting bad bacteria and aiding in nutrient absorption (such as calcium and b-vitamins), so I highly recommend it.
WALK AROUND. When you feel up to it, get up. Even a little activation of the body can make you feel better, mentally and physically. I found going outside very pleasant, too. A little vitamin D is a sexy thing. Thanks sun.
STAY STRONG. Know that what your going through sucks. Accept that. It’s true. Remember this site. Remember your support. Remember that no matter the pain your facing now, the freedoms you gain after recovery with undoubtedly be worth it. When you’re about to cry, remember that light. …then cry. Nothin’ wrong with a good cry. …but remember that light. You rule.
I know I said I was gonna be concise…I guess you can decide if I was ha. But there’s always so much to say. I hope this helps any of you in any way at all. I truly believe you can’t read too much information about this matter. If you have any questions, no matter how specific or seemingly ridiculous, please do not hesitate to ask.
OH I ALMOST FORGOT…I haven’t taken a quality dump since post-op…I thought you should know. Even the MiraLAX gods are teasing me. GIVE ME WHAT I WANT, MIRALAX GODS! GIVE ME MY JUSTICE!
All the best,
Jacob
Oh for the record, I am 22 years old.
Hi Everyone,
Took a road trip to the specialist at the university medical center today and I have something called Glossopharyngeal neuralgia, or a problem with the glossopharyngeal nerve. That’s what is causing some of the pain in my ear and throat. I also have irritated sublingual tonsils that are trapping food and causing tonsil stones.
So, I’ll have robotic laser surgery on the lower tonsils in Sept. A robot! It’s hoped the nerve will also improve, because it will be cut a bit in surgery. I feel so good from the upper tonsils being removed that I can’t wait to see how much better my lower throat will feel…and how I’ll feel overall.
This is not a really common condition, so for those reading this please don’t worry for yourselves. Instead, look at this and say to yourself “gee, at least I don’t have it that bad that I have to have two surgeries”
Just stopping through to say that it’s been almost 6 months since I had my tonsils removed (40f), and I haven’t been sick since. This time last year I had four sinus infections under my belt in 6 months. What a relief not to be sick all the time!
I am a 21 year old female. Been struggling with tonsil stones for 12 years and am finally getting my T&A out. Operation is set for July 12th in the early morning. It will be wonderful to not have to deal with tonsil stones anymore. Very curious to see if the removal will result in decrease of bad breath and nasally voice.
Plan on stocking up on baby food, water, Popsicle, Ensure, Pedialyte, smoothies, Jell-O, etc. Really unsure about medication, nothing ever really works for me when I have cramps and other problems. I didn’t bother with the Vicodin I got with my Wisdom teeth surgery. Had all 4 out but still gave the Vicodin to my mom who has rheumatoid arthritis. Seems like nothing ever works for me except for Benadryl when I get hives.
Might get more nervous as the surgery comes up, but right now I am excited and waiting to get it over with.
Hi all
I had my tonsils out on 18th June so I am 12 days post surgery. had a very bad time, if you’ve read my many posts you know already what terrible pain I have had and still am having. I wondered if anyone knows how long I should need such strong pain killers for? I am taking dihydracodeine, paracetamol and nurofen as many times a day as I am allowed, I’d take more if I could. Also My jaw is getting stiff and top teeth are painful now making me too tired to eat much still. Has anyone else got a sore jaw 12 days on? I don’t mean the pain and tight jaw you get when you wake this is a deep teeth pain?
Thanks all and I hope your recoveries are all going well. It’s so nice to hear when people recover fast
PS — I was not aware of sublingual tonsils. The ENT that took my tonsils out never mentioned them. I actually saw a different ENT in the same office for continued problems, and she mentioned them after an exam and a basic scope. When I told her I had my tonsils out and she must be mistaken, she explained.
Apparently, the severity of my problem isn’t all that common. She said some people do have problems, but they are minor and no big deal. Usually sublinguals are removed only when there is a cancer or a tumor. I have problems swallowing and food is getting stuck, and many other tests show no other reason.
So, don’t panic people. I repeat, *don’t* panic. It’s all ok, and you’re probably going to live a blissful life with those sublinguals intact. I only share this in the event that someone else has a similar problem after a tonsillectomy and tests rule out other other reasons such as GERD, thyroid nodules, tumors, masses, and the like.
Hi All,
I am a 39yo female and had my tonsils out in February. What a difference! I don’t regret the surgery for a second.
I am having trouble with my lower throat area and learned that my sublingual tonsils are apparently large and cryptic, and I am getting tonsil stones in them as well. I travel out of town on Monday to see a doctor that specializes in transoral robotic surgery. Although I don’t have cancer or a tumor, my ENT here says I am a candidate for the surgery. Hopefully, this other specialist (and the insurance company!) agrees.
I’m super excited for the appointment. I feel so good from having my tonsils out that I can’t imagine how good it will feel having the other pesky tonsil parts removed. Actually, I can, which is why I think I am excited.
I do wish that both sets of tonsils would have been noticed as a problem from the get-go so I would have only had one surgery, but there’s nothing I can do about that now. At least I’ll know how to prepare should all be approved
Hey, im glad your operation and recovery went well, I had my tonsils out on the 5th of July. And boy this has been the worst pain iv had.
Day by day I have got a lot better and my throat has improved a lot! I’m on day 9 now, and I feel a lot better in myself.
They say take 2 weeks off, so hopefully by next Thursday I will feel a lot more myself.
I was just wondering when will I get my normal voice back? Right now it sounds dreadful. It sounds like I’m yawning but talking at the same time. I can’t wait till I can talk better again,
Just wondering if you could help?
Thank you! X
Hello everyone. I am 17 years old and my surgery is tomorrow. I’ve had my tonsils removed as a child but they grew back because they weren’t removed completely.
Hope it won’t to be too bad!
So I’m six hours after surgery. Arrived at the hospital early, sat in the bed for abbot an hour as thy prepared me. Must say everyone was super nice. I was so nervous I was shaking and the nudges made their best to comfort me. When I woke up from the surgery the pain was pretty bad, about a 6 out of 10 but they gave me pain med and it went to about a 3.
Ate a popsicle and headed home then ate jelly and went to sleep (seated, waking up every 20 minutes and making myself swallow saliva). The pain right now is a 2 out of 10. In about half an hour I will try to drink a cup or two of water. Still sleepy.
By the way the pain med caused me to have day dreams in 3D… Pretty weird ones haha. But I’m happy it’s working.
Glad you’re doing well. I have mine out in the morning. I’m quite nervous. I’m 38… never had a surgery. It’s gonna be interesting.
Randy – so glad it went well and you’re doing well. Hope you have a good first night!
Day #5!
Here’s how it went so far:
Day 1&2: light pain, when I didn’t swallow didn’t have any pain at all. Took my meds every 4 hours.
Day 3: Meh. Pain about 4/10, tried to sleep as much as possible.
Day 4: Threw up. Luckily it was an hour after I took my pain med so didn’t feel much pain. Ate two boiled eggs, couldn’t eat anything else. Felt nauseous and was scared to take my pain med so that I don’t throw up again.
I think my mistake was not eating anything except the jello and popsicles. I drank lots of water and went to sleep. Today is
Day 5: woke up and immediately ate some cornflakes with warm milk. I will try to eat at least 800 calories today. The thought of jello and popsicles is just making me sick… oh, and my scabs started coming off. My ears kinda hurt but I’m wearing two warm scarfs over my head and it helps.
I am now on day 7. When I woke up I expected a really rough day because it felt like knives in my ears. BUT! After a few minutes the pain just went away and I felt almost no pain at all. I ate a hot dog and a bagel and it did not hurt. The cool thug is, I didn’t even have to take my pain med. If tomorrow is like this I will have a really nice 4th of July!
Yep, today is day 8 and I’m definitely getting better. The thing that bothers me though is the horrible taste in my mouth. I’m drinking sweet ice cold tea and it feels nice but won’t make the taste go away.
Sugar free gum… helps with ear pressure and mouth taste.
Well… reading all of this has been quite educational. I’ve had strep 8 times in the last 15 months. I scheduled my tonsillectomy for June 28th about 6 weeks ago hoping that I’d make it without getting strep again… no dice. I just finished my antibiotics about 10 days ago. Needless to say, I’m a bit nervous about this. I’m really just hoping that my Dr. will be willing to give me good meds. Thanks for all that you all have posted. I’ll certainly be posting as I go through this. My pre-op is in the morning. Then I’m 2 days away. Peace.
Tonsillectomy in the morning. I’ve got my meds, and supplies. I’m as ready as I’ll ever be.
Randy, Sounds like you’re prepared. If you have any questions, email away. I’m sure someone will reply. It’s not as bad as it sounds. There are a lot of us who have great experiences with our recovery. Going into it with a great attitude and hopefully it will be easy.
I meant to say, go into it with a great attitude.
At home… Procedure went great. Everyone at the facility was awesome. Pain is super tolerable so far. Smoothies and popsicles going strong. Still a little cloudy from the anesthesia.
Well… so far it just mocks a bad case of strep throat. Definitely painful.. I know it will get worse.
Big tip… don’t miss a beat with pain meds. The 30-50 minutes to get back on track is not good. Stay ahead of the game on it.
Lots of smoothies and water… I even ate some scrambled eggs last night for dinner. It was hard to feel if I was swallowing properly.
But I was.
Two days into recovery and doing pretty well. I’ve had a few moments of pretty bad pain but I’ve come to accept that this medicine is here for a reason. Now I’m staying ahead of it so I don’t go through a dip in coverage. I’ve been plowing through smoothies… 6# of bananas, 3# strawberries, powdered protein, and a huge pile of ice, all in 2.5 days. Smoothies are softer on the throat than ice water. I’ve had a little bit of crock pot chicken, some scrambled eggs and a tad of rice pudding. So, I’m eating and drinking pretty well which I think is key to success. I’m keeping a log of meds and food and drink consumption. I’m also sleeping upright in a chair…. something I typically couldn’t do but am managing. PS… I love my wife… she’s taking great care of me.
Day 5… definitely the worst day yet as far as ear pain goes. Lots of phlegm balls being coughed up and cleared from my throat. I’ve gone from 1 percocet every 3-4 hours to 1 every 2 hours, which is still in line with the RX of 1-2 every 4 hours. It’s working well going in every 2 hours. STAY ON TOP OF MEDS. If you miss a beat… you pay dearly for it. I ate pretty well the first two days but now have slowed to just smoothies and water. I may try something different tonight. Hoping to be well enough on the 4th to shoot some fireworks!
USAUSAUSA
Happy 4th of July! I’m on day 7 counting the day of surgery as day 1. The last two days have been very hard with crazy levels of pain. I learned that once a scab goes off… it’s just gonna hurt. I’m staying on top of my meds… trying not to over do it.. but I’ have gone a little heavy the last 24 hours… it just requires it. Hoping to get out tonight to light a couple fireworks. We’ll see though. So, I’ve basically lived on fruit smoothies since my tonsils were removed last thursday. Here are the amazing stats of consumed ingredients in the last week.
12# bananas
6# frozen strawberries
5 quarts of yogurt
2 cups of honey
1+ gallon milk
1.25 # powdered protein
1/3 large watermelon
20 # ice
1 bacardi pina colada mix… no booze.
plus an additional 2 dozen eggs -scrambled.
Jello- lime… just a little.
not to mention percocet, liquid lidocaine, ibuprofen, nausea meds.
This will all be so worth it.
Day 8- I keep expecting this to finally taper off but no such luck. With some wishful thinking, I even tried to share time today between percocet and ibuprofen and that showed limited results. I’m on day 8 of very little sleep… The most sleep I’ve had at one clip since the surgery is about 2 hours… and with every two hours of sleep… there’s a hour of hell to pay afterward because it hurts that bad. The pain is relentless at times… mainly when swallowing. It’s just plain awful. Hoping for a decent evening tonight and the beginning of the end tomorrow. We can only hope.
Randy, hang in there, really – you are SO close to turning that corner. I’d say in another 2-3 days you should really feel a difference. Days 5-9 were my worst and the ear pain rivaled the throat pain! I think, as you said, when the scabs clear it exposes sensitive skin and the nerves in the throat and ear are connected, hence that ear pain and general increased pain. But it DOES pass, I promise! Keep taking your meds at full dose if you need them, but you’ll feel better soon. I remember day 9 feeling truly discouraged. I think everyone hits their own personal wall at some point around this general time frame. Trust all of us when we say you’re almost there!! I hope you have a good weekend.
Hey Beth! Thanks so much. Today was a different kind of day. It started out better than the last 4 so that was nice. Pain has returned as the days gone on. Plus I tried to sleep more today and every time I wake up… it’s pain management time. But, IT was a better day. I can see the light for sure. I’m hoping that tomorrow really shows more improvement. Thanks for the encouragement.
Well, I really thought that today was gonna be my day. And in some ways, it was. It started out pretty good. As the day moved on, the pain creeped back and now that it’s night time, I’m feeling it. But I’ll continue my meds and wait. If tomorrow shows the improvement that today showed, I’ll be happy. Rome wasn’t built in a day, right?
Day 10… easy peasy lemon squeezy…. really a joyful day after many days of hell. I ate real food… it didn’t taste great but it was real food. I just took advil and used a lidocaine gargle a couple times… pain was very mild. HOLY EXHAUSTED, though. I’m tired. you forget that you haven’t slept right in ten days and you get tired quick once you really try to get back to normal. Now that I’m ready to sleep… I can’t. Food was a total shocker to my system… all of that’s trying to get back on track while working it’s way away from constipation from the meds. Hoping for day 11 to be even better.
Well, I’ve made it to day 5! Yesterday was a good day and I woke this morning with relatively little pain, so I’ve decided to try a day without painkillers. I just had some soft boiled eggs for lunch and am still drinking a lot of fluids. But, even tho I have slightly more discomfort without the pain meds, I’m happy to feel a little clearer in the head. I’m making sure to get outside and take a walk every morning and evening and that has helped me emotionally immensely. I know I might have more severe pain over the next couple of days, but I’m really trying to downplay all the fear and anxiety by trying to stay in as much a normal routine as possible, but allowing myself to rest a lot. My tongue is white and disgusting, tho. And, it’s hard to open my mouth wide enough to see where the tonsils came out. I hope they’re healing up okay! I’m sending all my best to everyone out there who is going thru this with me! Speedy recovery to all!
How are you today, Linda?
How do I stop the notifications from coming to my email account?
Hi Ericka – sorry for the unwanted notifications. You must have selected the “notify me of updates” when you posted at some point. Let me see if I can turn it off. Hope you are well! -Greg
Hi All!
I am a 39 year old femals and had my tonsils out on Feb. 23. I am almost 4 months post-op and remain *very* glad that I had the surgery. I had a couple of complications, but nothing that wasn’t able to be managed. I was a bit nervous of having surgery after reading this forum, but I was more nervous of another 40 years or so of tonsil stones, voice loss, infections, etc. Looking at it this way, my decision was an easy one.
This site helped me to prepare in ways I never would have known, and provided support that I needed when others didn’t understand that an adult tonsillectomy is very different than a child’s. Remember, everyone’s experience is different, so prepare and be informed. But, don’t be afraid.
Because this site has helped so much, here’s a tip that I learned today. For those who were on this site around the time I had my tonsils removed, you may remember my mentioning a continued problem in my lower throat, even a couple of months post-surgery. Well, the problem still exists and today I saw a new doctor. I learned that only my “upper tonsils” were removed (the ones at the back of my throat). The tonsils at the base of the back of my tongue (sublingual tonsils) were not removed. I thought everything was taken. Anyhow, it seems I am experiencing tonsil stones and other symptoms in my sublingual tonsils.
Apparently, these tonsils are not commonly removed (typically removed only if there is cancer) and may sometimes cause problems. In my case, they are causing a lot of problems…at times I can’t swallow and food gets stuck. I will need another surgery, and will have to go out of town for it. A “robot like device with a laser” will be used, because it’s difficult for a person to see and maneuver in that area. I am told the recovery is similar to the tonsillectomy, with a bit more pain because of the location and higher risk for a bleed because it’s difficult to see. Yay. I’ll have a barium swallow to rule out other problems, but we’re pretty sure this is the only problem.
None of this means any of you should panic. It just means that if, even after tonsils are removed, you still have similar problems but in a lower place, you may have dysfunctional sublingual tonsils. If you have any questions about the potential, it’s good to ask your doctor.
Kelly
I’ve read this entire site. I’m going in for my surgery on Wednesday. I’m terrified! I hope this ends up being worthwhile. At least this site is giving me a warning of what to expect. I’m sure I’ll be posting a lot this week! Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences…
Good luck Linda! I’m having my surgery Friday.
Well, it’s tonsil day. I think I’m well prepared. But, mostly, I’m scared. Maybe I read a little too much on here? Regardless, I find I keep trying to talk myself out of going. Wish me luck everyone! The story where Kelly had stones and infection in her lower tonsils has me a bit nervous as well. Is this common? Have others on here needed a second surgery?
Linda, the surgery is the easy part. You’ll be fine. Kelly’s story has me confused too. I wasn’t aware of a second set of tonsils that are difficult to get to. Seems like a rare problem as I had never heard of it before. Oh well…
Good luck today.
I’m with Deide. Have never heard of sublingual tonsils being anything that causes an issue, especially with tonsil stones or anything. I’ve gone to my ENT for 15 years and he’s never even mentioned them and I’ve talked to him in depth about all sorts of tonsil issues. This may gross to some people, but I am very curious by nature, and have felt around inside there pretty far back in my throat. I think I have almost no gag reflex from years of picking at my tonsils and dealing with the stones! I don’t feel anything back there at all except smooth, healed skin. Good luck Linda and hope it all goes smoothly for you!
So, I’m starting day 4 here and so far it hasn’t been too awful. I have a lot of pain when swallowing and haven’t eaten much solid food, but I’m hanging in there. Getting out and going for walks, fruit smoothies with a protein supplement and slurpees seem to keep me going. I’ve read on here that my worst days are coming soon… So I’m hoping I can keep up the good momentum…
I got my tonsils out on June 15th, 2012 and now I can kinda feel the scabs come off….it’s almost like a choking sensation. Like I have food stuck in my throat. Not fun! Oh, and I found out any milk product including ice cream was bad! It made the back of my throat feel slimy and gross!
Please remove thank you
Remove what?
Hi there,
I am DAY ONE of my tonsillectomy recovery and I felt the need to get online to stop people worrying about it as I was very nearly put off by the horror stories (including from one of my friends!).
I am a 32 year old female and had my operation done at Trelisk hospital in Truro, Cornwall by Ms Grobbellar who was excellent. I was quite late on the list and went in for surgery at 3.45. I had never had surgery before and so was worried about everything! The actual anaesthetic was a breeze and the Drs were lovely – chatting and allaying any fears. Aside from the usual “sharp scratch” – which is nothing, there’s no pain and once the oxygen mask went on, I just closed my eyes and fell asleep.
I woke up in recovery a little dozy but was telling jokes to the recovery nurses and managed to drink 3 glasses of (much needed – I was so thirsty as my last drink had been 11am that morning and this was now 4.30pm) water which I gulped down. To be honest, immediately post-surgery I felt pretty ok – I was very surprised by this, but this was largely due to the large dose of opiates they give you pre-op.
So I would recommend that you make the most of this – try and get some food in (I managed about 1/4 of a strip of white bread with butter) which means that they will then give you further painkillers and drink as much as you can. Make sure you have someone there to help you to go to the loo etc as you’re pretty woozy. About 4-5 hours post op, I started to get quite a lot of pain back as the opiates wore off – I was given some paracetamol in a liquid form and then an hour later had liquid codeine and ibuprofen. I was very lucky as they agreed to discharge me late (you need to be in 6 hours post surgery to ensure you’re not going to suffer a bleed) and I was allowed to go home at 10.30. They gave me some oralmorph before I went home which eased the pain for the journey and took me up to bedtime. Don’t be afraid to ask for painkillers – this is your time to get as much support to ease the first part before you leave.
I was really pleased with my care in hospital – the surgeon and nurses and anaesthetists all explained really clearly the process and aftercare. Ignore the mixed messages re what food to eat – they recommend any food you can chew – its the chewing motion that helps (think about it – you don’t eat crisps without chewing them – you make the small and soft before you swallow them down) – rather than food being ‘hard’ or ‘soft’. I have to say that I haven’t really eaten much so far – I had a tiny amount of cold custard (which I did try and chew!!) and a mini-milk (ideal as you can chew them but they are so cold and soft – I will be eating these a lot). I’m trying to push fluids as much as possible – cold tea and ribena are my drinks of choice. You won’t want anything acidic for tummy and throat reasons.
Risks of bleeding over the first 6 hours are very low – 1% – that’s why they keep you in for 6 hours. Then the risk over the recovery period goes up slightly (but is still very low) to 3%- ignore anything about treating yourself at home – if you have any bleeding, go back to hospital via A&E (not to your ENT dept as they might not have a Dr on the ward at that time).
I had no nausea whatsoever and in myself, I feel absolutely fine – aside from the throat, ear and neck area. The pain is not like a sore throat – you don’t feel fevered or achey all over. Its a very localised ache – like a muscle strain rather than a burning hot pain. It does go into my ears, particularly if I’ve been trying to eat. It is sore – especially when you swallow and talk too loudly (whispering is fine) but if you’re sleeping / chilling, its no more than a dull ache. I promise!!
So – what to stock up on – lots of liquid or dispersible ibuprofen and paracetamol is the first thing. I’ve got lots of dispersible paracetamol and although I couldn’t get dispersible ibuprofen, we got the capsules that you can break open and release the balls (which I then put into a small amount of water and swallowed – totally tasteless). I have also been given some codeine pills by the hospital which are tiny and so easy enough to swallow. My partner is a Dr and so has drawn me up a drug chart – sounds a little anal but actually really helpful to allow you to keep track of what you are taking and allowed next.
I hadn’t realised the dangers of o/ding on paracetamol and ibuprofen but can cause severe liver damage so make sure you are doing:
Ibuprofen – 2 x 500mg every 8 hours and no more
Paracetamol – 2 x 500mg every 6 hours and no more (they say on the packet every 4-6 hours but max 8 pills in 24 hours, so this is really 6 hour gaps).
What I have found useful is to split my dose of codeine and paracetamol – rather than have 60mg of codeine and 1000mg of paracetamol every 6 hours, I’ve been taking 30mg and 500mg every three hours (so still the same max amount over 24 hours but in half doses) – this stops me from having a crash where there’s no pain relief. Writing it down helps you keep track, especially at night or when you’re a bit groggy.
I’m taking the ibuprofen as well every 8 hours. I have also stocked up on Difflam spray (a godsend) and have several other mouth rinses – Gengigel and Oraldene which are good to keep your throat numb and your mouth feeling fresh.
My freezer, fridge and cupboards are stocked with chicken broth, ice lollies (both ice pops and mini milks), crushed ice to suck on, custard, angel delight, jelly, fresh pasta (ravioli type) and sweet potatoes – the pasta and potatoes will be ideal as contain fats, carbs and a small amount of protein and you get some of the all important chewing going on. The ‘kids food’ is more to keep you from feeling empty if you get very sore – its better to have something small and easy to avoid you feeling sick from the codeine if you ask me.
My first night was a bit broken – I woke up every 2 hours to spit, take meds or go to the loo – but I dropped straight back off to sleep – I was a bit disorientated. I got up at 7 and had some more pain relief and the custard and then went back to bed for a few hours. I might have another nap in a bit.
I’ve been told to watch out for a dip around days 4 – 7 when you feel terrible again, but I can’t imagine this can be much worse than immediately post-surgery (I won’t be coming back on this forum for anyone to tell me otherwise!). I think that if you are prepared with lots of fluids and rinses, keep on top of your meds (don’t miss any out – don’t be brave, just keep dulling that pain) then it is very sore, but manageable. Get someone to look after you, relax and sleep. Look after yourself and be kind to yourself. It says its minor surgery, but you have got 2 holes in your throat – its not! So be fair and take the time to make sure you have got everything covered and you’ll be ok. I’m not a very strong person and I don’t like pain but this experience has been so much better than I feared – the fear was far worse than the reality!
I hope this helps – its fine to be prepared for the worst – I was but I have to say that I’m pleasantly surprised by how its gone so far – nearly 24 hours post surgery and I’m emailing a forum!! As I said – it is painful, no one is going to deny that but meds meds meds, fluids fluids fluids and rest up and you’ll be ok.
x
Update! It’s been about 8 months since my tonsillectomy, and just wanted to post a “long-term update” for anyone interested
I am so glad I had this done. I had huge cryptic tonsils, with terrible tonsil stones. Now, no more stones, no gross taste in my mouth, and I breathe better (can even sleep on my back now). But more than anything, there’s the peace of mind of knowing that I won’t ever have to deal with tonsil stones again. Some people don’t mind them, but it was really gross for me.
The recovery was honestly not as bad as I thought it would be. I read these board religiously for weeks beforehand, so really knew what to expect – particularly that around day 7, it gets really bad for a while, but then around day 10-14, suddenly gets much better. Knowing the timetable helped SO much.
Most important things for me during the recovery, and I believe the reasons why mine went so well, were:
1) Hydration. I was CONSTANTLY sipping water and watered-down gatorade. Like literally all day and night.
2) I ate. Lots of pea soup, yogurt, etc helped the meds sit better, prevented nausea/weakness, and helped me wear the scabs away slowly vs all at once.
3) Don’t plan on sleeping much – I set my alarm for every 3-4 hours during the night, to drink water and take meds. This helped lessen the morning misery many people experience. Night/morning is the worst, but it’ll get better during the day!
4) VERY CAREFULLY monitor your meds. Keep a chart with the time/dosage/med, and use it every time. Keep in mind that many pain meds can cause intense constipation, so plan on having laxatives and stool softeners around.
4) I took a very low dose of my pain meds until the 7th day or so. That extra discomfort in the beginning is worth it, because it boosts your confidence, minimizes the weaning-off period afterwards, and ensures that when you REALLY need the meds, they’ll be more effective.
Best of luck everyone!
-KC
Thanks so much for posting this! Great to hear!
I am 57 yrs old and will be having my tonsils out one week from today. Reading everyone’s messages are helpful. Any recommendations of what to stock up on prior to surgery so my husband doesnt have to be running to the store all the time?
Pat, Greg has a section called “Preparing for a tonsilectomy” go there and follow his advice.
Keep us posted after your surgery.
Yes, that is what I have been doing. I will check back next week. I sure I will need some moral support to get through this. I liked what KC wrote about their recovery. I keep telling myself it will be so nice to swallow and not feel like something is stuck in my throat. My tonsils have really gotten bigger, ( I thought they were suppose to shrink as you get older), and push down on my esophagus EVERY time I swallow. Plus all the years of tonsillitis, I hope to be a new person. Thanks everyone, you will be hearing back from me.
Pat, The worst part about this surgery is the week before… It’s so stressful! Once you get through it, you realize it’s not that bad and that it’s well worth it. KC said it best. Follow her do’s as well as Greg’s. I did and I got through it with minimal pain. Just look at this as a personal challenge that you will get through one day at a time.
Don’t try and have dairy during the first few days. It will make your throat Phlegmy! Don’t sleep for more than 2 hours at a time. Drink water until your eyeballs are floating. Ice you neck as soon as you can after surgery and suck on ice chips in addition to drinking water. Find out if your Dr. will let you take children’s ibuprofen. If so, take it in between your pain meds. It will help with the swelling. I was told to take it but some doctors advise against it. Hope that helps. If you have any more questions, ask away.
Hello, I am currently wrapping up day 11 of my recovery and have been reading these posts for weeks and weeks prior to my surgery. I thought I would add my story in case I can offer any valuable info for anyone. I am a 31 year old female and had surgery June 5th, 2012.
After reading about so many horrid experiences I was downright terrified to have this done but I will tell you my experience (thus far) has not been nearly as awful as the stories I have read. I have had chronic tonsillitis for as long as I can remember about twice a year however in the past 3-4 years since having my children my cases increased to 9-10 times/year. I was getting sick almost monthly, sometimes twice a month. I really had no choice.
The surgery was smooth (I had electrocautery) and I was home within within 2 hours of the procedure being completed. I was prescribed Lortab for pain, antibiotics and Zofran for nausea. I needed the Zofran only one time, the day after surgery. Otherwise I never had nausea or vomiting. The Lortab worked nicely for me bring my pain to a reasonable level and I never needed the strongest allowed dose.
For me days 1 and 2 were the worst. The pain and swelling combo was pretty uncomfortable. My uvula was HUGE and the back of my tongue was a little swollen also. It was scary because swallowing and breathing in certain positions was impossible but I quickly figured out what positions to avoid! Mainly laying anywhere near flat. I am sleeping on a wedge pillow with two pillows propped on that and that has worked out great. I kept on top of those pain meds!!
Days 3-5 were not too bad, I really didn’t eat much but LOADED up on water and ice chips. I also drank Boost Plus for the nutrition (I breastfed my 10 month old through this whole recovery without missing a beat so I needed extra fluids and nutrition on top of the norm).
Days 6-8 the pain did increase some and I had 2 rough mornings but honestly they were only rough for a short time until I hydrated and got some pain meds in. The little bit I had been eating, I was not able to but still drinking a ton. The tongue and jaw pain rivaled the throat pain but I never really had much ear pain. Day 8 I started weaning down on pain meds.
By day 9 I really turned a corner and am still turning it. I have increased my diet and activity quite a bit each day, I stopped any sort of pain medication on day 9. Swallowing still hurts some but is tolerable as long as its a soft food. My scabs are still coming off very slowly and tiny bit by bit. It is not fun. I get a horribly tickle in my throat which makes me cough (again, not fun) and eventually bring up the tiniest little flake of white scab. Each day though the white is receeding and tender pink skin is in its place. I cannot wait for theses scabs to be gone but am not pushing things because I am still in the bleeding risk window.
The things that helped me the most are as follows:
- FLUIDS, FLUIDS, FLUIDS!!!!! I can’t stress it enough. Drink every single second you can. For me, ICE CHIPS were the best. I had an ice chip in my mouth every waking moment for the first 6 days. My swelling decreased pretty rapidly and it helped so much with the pain.
-I set an alarm every 1-2 hours at night so I could drink and do ice chips. This sounds like a big pain but honestly it helped me get through the nights.
-Ice packs. I had several I would rotate so I was never without. They help with throat pain and swelling, ear pain and jaw pain. I used them for 5-6 days.
- Staying elevated. I also used one of those little u-shaped travel pillows to support my neck and it was awesome!
-Cepacol throat lozanges helped dull the pain between pain med doses.
-Chewing gum (Dentyne Ice) helped to keep my throat moist and with jaw/ear pain.
-A good support system. My parents and husband alternated helping me and watching my children. They were so good to me and my kids were having fun and happy which took such a burden off me.
It’s a long recovery and has it’s challenges but knowning what to expect and preparing for it is half the battle. If anyone has any more specific questions, I would be happy to try and answer them based on my experience! Good luck everyone!
-Melissa
Hello, I am a 21 year old female with recurring tonsilitis and tonsil stones. Had my surgery almost 24 hours ago, Tuesday the 12th. Pre-anesthesia, they gave me an anti nausea patch to put behind my ear. I woke up from anesthesia and was definitely out of it for a few hours (sending text messages to friends and not even remembering sending them!). I looked at the back of throat and it was gnarly. It was all green and yellow (guess medication they put on). My uvula looked like it quadrupled in size and was touching my tongue which felt strange. When I got home I took a Percocet, ate Italian ice and drank a bottle of water which didn’t hurt too badly. But then the vomiting started. It was all water but the stomach acid burned my throat. I took off the patch and started taking Zofran, but I just threw that up as well as the following Tylenol with codeine I took. So by this time I was miserable, weak, hungry and had thrown up all my pain meds. Doctor prescribed an anti nausea seppository (yuck) and that definitely helped me keep down my meds. I ate 2 Popsicles and apple sauce last night, while watching my family eat Chipotle burritos
Apple sauce was good but stuck to the back of my throat so had to drink lots of water to get it down. Woke up this morning with swallowing pain at about a 5. The green medicine is starting to come off and I can see the white formation of scabs. Heard it is all downhill from here. I will be posting on here with updates. Thanks!
Sarah, if you slept the entire night without waking up, then yes, you will wake up in horrible pain. You need to wake up every 2 hours to drink water, suck on ice and ice your neck. Sleeping for 6-8 hours during the first week is the worst thing you can do. It is not all downhill if you do the things you’re supposed to do. Do you have a humidifier next to your bed? You need to keep the scabs moist!
Good luck!
Sarah, I had a similar experience with intense vomiting the first day out of surgery. Nothing helped, not even Zofran. I think it was a combination of the post-anesthesia affects and all the various meds given to me in such a short period of time. I was shocked to see on my detailed bill from the hospital that in a FIVE hour period I was given probably 5 or 6 different types of medications, at least 2 or 3 or which were pain-control related. For someone who rarely takes medication, no wonder I was vomiting! So I hope you are doing much, much better today.
It is not necessarily downhill….you will definitely have pain but if you take your pain meds on a regular schedule, stay well hydrated (drink constantly while awake, every 2 hours between dozing) you will manage. Yes, I had the ear pain too and it does rival the throat pain. Heat on the ears seems to help as did chewing gum. Even my doctor told me to chew gum for that. If you follow the tips on the site, it will make a lot of difference in how you experience your recovery. Try not to anticipate that it will be a lot worse from here on out. It truly seems that each of us has a different path on recovery and yours could well be complication-free.
We’re rooting for you and hope you do well in the coming days.
Thanks ladies. I did wake up twice last night to take my medicine but I mustve snoozed my alarm because I woke up 2 hours later than I was supposed to so the pain had definitely accelerated. Today hasn’t been too difficult. No more vommiting thank goodness. But it’s getting more difficult to swallow, having to try about 3 times to get anything down. I do have a humidifier which has helped. When did you guys start eating more solid food, such as mashed potatoes or Mac and cheese? I’ve still just been sticking to Popsicles and vitamin water, definitely getting hungry. Thank you for all the uplifting words!
I was able to eat baby food oatmeal and a vanilla custard brought to me by my mother-in-law right away. I tried Mac and cheese and pasta around day 3 or so, but anything pasty just stayed stuck in the open pits. Which, by the way, heal up to be flush against your throat – you won’t believe how clean and smooth your throat will look when you hit about week 3!
I also drank Slimfast shakes and some Ensure shakes. They made my mouth feel a little mucousy but the nutrition is so important to healing. I bought a big, honking box of Popsicles and found they didn’t appeal to me.
I tried to eat some pancakes around day 5 or do but even with butter and syrup they were sticky going down. But others have had great success with those and also scrambled or fried eggs. You just have to give things a try and see how it goes.
I’ve said this like a broken record on here, but dealing with the pain of swallowing is mostly mental. The pain signals healing and you are not going to hurt yourself by swallowing very soft foods. It hurts but the more you avoid it, the worse it is. Really. Your throat needs the ‘workout’ so to speak. I also did not avoid talking. It made no sense to me to write notes. I just spoke as i normally would despite it hurting and sounding funny for a while. So try to just brave the pain and keep on eating and drinking as best you can. It’ll get better!!
Hey I’m 32 and I had my tonsils out last Monday. And I have had my ups and downs with pain but nothing like everyone else. I can’t seem to get ahold of the pain in my throat n ears evn with the meds n heat n fluids which only happins at night n early morning but I guess its the healing process. But overall I guess it hasn’t been to bad other ther the pain has been hell but thank god nothing really bad has happined. Ill keep everyone in my prayers for a speedy recovery and it seems everyone has their issues reguardless of age as I see it also. Get well soon everyone n thankx for all the comments some were very usefull!!
Allison, I had the ear pain too and nothing completely made it go away but time. It does rival the throat pain. For me the ear pain was worst first waking up. I’m glad you’ve been having an ‘uneventful’ recovery. I hope it continues that way for you!
Sarah – I’d definitely try to eat something more substantial if you can. Pain meds and an empty stomach – nausea. I ate a lot of pea soup, egg salad, etc in the beginning, and it helped a lot.
I am on day 19, had a bleeding on day 11 and it repeated on days 12,13,14 then I had to cauterize the bleeding site on day 14 but before that my doctor pushed so me so hard to stop the bleeding (very unnecessary, he could have treated more gently) that my esophagus was torn and I had ınternal bleedıng (Mallory-Weıss syndrome). Now I recovered but I am almost out my patıence now and ıf one more bad thıng happens I wıll go and beat the hell out of my doctor, he dıd not ınform me about any of such possıbılıtıes and stıll keep sayıng that I wıll be OK ın no tıme …. I suggest to older pals (older than 30 years old) to keep away from tonsıllectomy unless theır lıves are ruıned by tonıllıtıs.
Deniz – I am sorry that you’ve had a bad experience. I am 2 months post op and had nothing like that. I really hope that you are completely on the mend. I have to say your circumstance is very unusual and if someone over 30 needs to have their tonsils removed, they should not be scared off by reading your account. Many on here have had non stop infections and that is absolutely no way to live. Yes, it’s also a very painful recovery for most of us, but the majority do not experience the complications you have. I am very sorry it was so rough for you and my prayers are with you that you are going to be all better very soon.
Deniz, please don’t say people over 30 shouldn’t have a tonsilectomy unless their lives are ruined by tonsils. I’m 47 and had the best experience. Age has nothing to do with this surgery. I just read Sarah’s account of her first day and she’s 21 and having a rough first day. Sorry you had a togh time but age has nothing to do with it.
Good luck.
I completely agree Deide. I don’t think age really has anything to do with this. Once your past the ‘childhood’ phase, it’s pretty much an equal playing field. In fact, in my very unscientific research that I did, before every even coming to this site, it often seemed that early 20-something were reporting the most pain/discomfort as opposed to us 40-somethings, so go figure, right? I think it’s a VERY individual experience as to how you handle the post-surgical phase. But yet we all get through it.
Deniz, it sounds like your doctor was not a very competent person if you experienced all that you did. If you have further issues, I would strongly consider seeing a different ENT as it sounds like you are at your wit’s end with this one. I do hope you’re recovering much better now.
Deniz – that’s awful, I’m so sorry. It sounds like your doctor may not have given you the best information about the risks, side effects, and length of recovery. I’d definitely disagree about warning people over 30 away from a tonsillectomy though. Mine went just fine, and I’m thrilled that I did it. Regardless of your age, having the correct information about the recovery, what to do if you have bleeding, etc is crucial.
Hello All! I am on day 8 and am through the worst. The majority of scabs have fallen off and just have a small layer left. My experience:
Day 1: Surgery at 7:30 AM. I wake up groggy and head home. I get home and take the medicine as directed and try to have some water. I then throw up (ouch!) and again and again and again until I go to bed. I am miserable. The prescribe me anti-nausea pills – the don’t help much.
Day 2: I wake up in hell – I have severe nausea, didn’t sleep and am in pain. I cry all day.
Day 3: Miserable, horrible. Can’t stand it. Regretting every second.
Day 4: I decided to change something. The medication was making me nauseous and I couldn’t eat or drink – so I made a bold move and stopped taking it. I decided to try Advil (my doc gave me the okay) and it took the majority of the pain away. This day is much better. Sore throat, but much better. I take the liquid Percocet right before bed and at 4 AM.
Day 5: Really good! Sore throat, but the scabs are starting to fall off. It hurts like heck, but I am up and around and the Advil is working. I take the liquid Percocet right before bed and at 4 AM.
Day 6: Getting better. Same as day 5 for the most part. I take the liquid Percocet right before bed and at 4 AM.
Day 7: Feeling amazing – scabs are light and leaving by the second. Still in pain, but managing it with a little advil, ice water, and ongoing eating. Woke up last night in horrible pain, took some liquid Percocet and fell right asleep.
Day 8: Smiling. Went to the store. Ate some animal crackers today. I am very happy. Moderate pain.
I had a much different experience than others. I was dreading day 5-8, but they were my easiest days. Days 1-3 were my worst – horrible, awful, dark, days!
I think the pain I have had from severe tonsilittis is so similar to this surgery that I am immune, sort of. The ear pain is nothing new for me, I dealt with that monthly.
I hope everyone is well!
Hya Chris I totally know how u are feeling I am on day 11 and feel like diffrent person I’ve been through hell and bk with the pain no sleep and ear ache and nausea I’ve not experinced any blood all I can say keep drinkin lots n lots of water medication set ur alarm and plz remeember it will pass and the relief all that is over us a great feeling take care
Im 21 I had my tonsils out on May 28 which makes today the worst day ever…DAY 5. I’ve been having the most excruciating ear aches ever that is apparently referral pain from my throat. Well it shoots through my Jaw and into my ears causing pain that I can not even describe. As far as I’m concerned it’s worse than not being able to eat. I do have to say today was a day full of sleep. I woke up felt absolutely the worst I could took a perkaset, went to the drug store for a heating pad (which is the only way to get rid of the earaches, the heat draws it out somehow) and subsequently slept for 4 Hrs, woke up drank some more water, took more pain meds went back to sleep and its now 6PM. I thought by now I’d feel so much better. Today By far was the worst. I took a total of 2 weeks off work. I work in a call centre so hopefully later this week I can re-train myself how to talk.
Last night I felt like I made amazing progress and shoveled down butter soaked waffles which were amazing!
I’m slightly concerned with the fact I haven’t used “The Lou” for a number 2 in 5 days but apparently the general anesthetic turns off your GI tract so… not much I can do about that.
Thanks everyone for sharing your comments..
What is all of this about eating foods to scrape the scabbing? Wouldn’t that cause you to bleed and then scar as opposed to heal properly?
Chris – I hate to talk about constipation but I had a horrible experience with it during my recovery, so I’ll go ahead
Be careful if you decide to take laxatives – I didn’t “go” for about 3 days, and decided to start taking them, and it was a disaster. I’d highly recommend taking stool softeners and a VERY mild dose of laxative if you are still stopped up after a few days. Good luck!!
KC, thanks for coming back after all that time to post!! Great to hear that all is going so well for you. I am 8 weeks post op. And yes, lets talk about constipation!! It is AWFUL. I didn’t go for 4-5 days and I feel like it completely shut my digestive system down. Even taking Colace (stool softener) twice a day I got nowhere. It was recommended to me to try MiraLax, so I did. It still took another 2-3 days to get any decent results. Opiods (vicodin, Percocet, all of them) are horribly constipating!!
After I got my ‘groove’ back (LOL), I only took the Percocet at night to deal with the pain before sleeping because I was so scared to get constipated again. To my ENT’s credit, he DID tell me to start on a stool softener immediately after surgery and to progress to laxative use if necessary.
One thing I’ve noticed and maybe you can comment on this, KC, is my soft palate/uvula is now much lower post op. I think the way the tissue has to heal and shrink into the smooth surface again sort of pulls everything tight. I am fine with this in terms of eating/drinking but it is something I notice. Did you have this experience?
Thank you so much for this website. If only I had found it sooner. I had my tonsils removed on Friday May 25th so I am on day 5. It is so nice to be able to relate to others and know that for the most part I am not going through anything they have not. Yesterday was a backwards day for me. Just as I thought I was doing better and maybe on the downhill, day 4 hit. The nausea returned. I was unable to eat anything without feeling like I was going to vomit. The pain meds ( oxycodone) help knock me out and relieve a lot of the pain, except the swallowing. I would have to say the biggest lesson learned for me is that I completely underestimated the recovery time for this. I was expecting to be back to work by now, but no way. Luckily, I can remote in and do some work from home. Thanks. Looking forward to getting though the rest of this with the help of your website.
Hi Steve, we had surgery the same day, so please reach out if you need to chat! I hope you are able to continue to work from home!
Ask your doctor for zofran for nausea. I had mine taken out on the 16th and normally get really sick from pain meds but it completely eliminates it.
Hey,
I’m Rachel, 28 years old, Australian and I had my tonsils and adenoids out at around 4:30/5pm on the 25th May also, i was booked in to stay over night in hopital and leave the next morning.
I woke up in recovery and could not stay awake, they had me on oxygen for hours…. I was given a lemonade ice block to suck on as my lips and mouth were so dry. I was taken back down to my room at around 8/8:30pm. My mum who waited was very worried. I was in and out of sleep all night and also kept on oxygen all night, I had nurses checking my blood pressure, oxygen, pulse every hour.
The next morning the anthiesist came in to see me and ordered a chest xray and an ekg as my oxygen levels were still too low to send me home. Turned out I had a slightly collapsed right lung which was a random side effect of the anesthesia, I was then told I had to stay an extra night and try to get my oxygen levels more normal and see the physio to work on some breathing exersises. The lung issue was a big surprise to me, I am a non smoker who had been swimming, surfing and bike riding lots recently.
Spent most of that day on oxygen and breathing into a tube to push up some plastic balls….. Was allowed to go home the next day, which was the day before my birthday!! I have been home now for 5 days and things are getting better, been back to the local doctor twice and had them listening to me breathe and taking more xrays…
My throat is the most sore when I first wake up in the morning and its dry but on the most part my throat feels like a really bad case of toncilitis, which I was very much used too. I have been getting bad toncilitis 6 or 7 times a year for the last 22 years. I haven’t been on many pain killers at all, I have been taking panadol (tylenol) every 5 hours or so since the op. I was given endone, which is alot stronger, but have only needed to take it twice, I am also on antibiotics (kephlex) 3 times per day. I am thinking that I am getting better, but I am unsure, my dr said it would get worse, but don’t really know if I am past that stage or if it just didn’t happen or if its yet to come.
I have had a dull ache in my ears sometimes but not enough to bother me, I almost fainted once, but think that was to do with my blood pressure/lung issue. I have been eating scrambled eggs, bananna, sasauges, burritos, soup, ice cream, jelly, up N go’s, custard without much issue, does take 3 or 4 swallows to push the harder food down my throat but its ok. I was told to push myself to eat less sloppy food as it was better for recovery and scarring in the long run…
So thats my story…. slightly more complications than the average person, in terms of the lung problem, but i’m doing ok… I know it will be all over soon and I am just remembering and telling myself that this is what I wanted and it will be a huge improvement on my health in the future!!
Rachel
Rachel,
Wow, what an experience you’ve been through. I hope your lung and breathing continues to stay stable. I have to say that my pain has been manageable my whole recovery, although last night was the worst it’s been. I am hoping to eat a little something today, too! Take care with your recovery!
Laurie
Thanks, Laurie
I had the operation 3 days ago. I had recurring tonsilltis for the last 3 years and my doctor recommended the tonsillectomy (I am 35 by the way). I was not much afraid before the operation but had doubts. I got general anesthezia so I do not remember the operation
. But when I woke up, I did not feel almost anything which tells me that I got a tonsillectomy. I mean I was feeling the same as was before the operation, a little bit dizziness and sleepiness that is all. Now 3 and a half days have passed and what I have suffered so far is the same as I have suffered before during a tonsillitis. But know I do not have fever, no headaches and much less nausea.
I had my surgery last Tuesday. I have had the worst excruciating pain in my throat. I am 23 and I have suffered from tonsillitious every three to five months for the past 7 years. I can’t get over the unreal amount of pain that hasn’t let up yet. I only take pain meds when I need them, but after this surgery I find myself watching the clock to see when I can take the next doseage. I gave birth to my daughter last Nov, and I have other surgeries such as a golfball sized fibroadenoma removed three years ago and I have had my wisdom teeth removed and all of that pales in comparison to the pain I am in. I thought I would feel a lot better but so far everything has stayed the same. Tomorrow is day 8, I hope it will get better. Does anyone feel like I do?
Hello,
I would like to thank you all for taking the time to post about your experiences. It has really helped me understand what to expect. Today is day 5 for me. I was able to get up and tidy the house while my husband and three children were at church, other than that I have been in bed. My husband has been waiting on me non stop and I am so grateful for him. He leaves to Boston (we live in Utah) on Tuesday for a brief business trip and I am hoping that I will be back in the swing of things by then. My throat and ears hurt so much. I have had two c-sections and this is truly a more difficult recovery. On the bright side of things- I have been meaning to lose ten pounds for a while now and I’m half way there!
Hi Kimberly, So glad it’s going well for you. Hopefully the next five days will be as easy as the first five. For the ear pain I used a warm compress and that seemed to work. I have a bean bag filled with lavender for your neck & I would microwave it and wrap it from ear to ear. My pain was never more than a 1 or 2. For the throat pain I would suck on ice to numb it and put an ice pack on your neck for swelling. I read that cinnamon gums helps too.
Try not to overdue it while your husband is out of town. It’s so easy to do.
I’m 21 I never thought that any of this would get worse. I’ve managed to sneak some really soaked in butter waffles down my throat last night after the meds kicked in – All while thinking AHhh sweet delicious food of some sort this has to get better. I had my surgery on May 28 Today is day 5 and HOLY **** I’m in so much pain. The last few days I’ve had horrible Ear Aches, I figured out a heating pad helps draw the pain away. it now will stay nearby until all this goes away. Today was the day where I slept the most litterally wake up, sip a bit of water take a pain killer and back out like a light (I’d say almost 18hrs while being awake for maybe 2/3 of them). I needed to make sure I was on the mend and thank you all for your posts! I now feel so much better. I think we can all agree we’re all healing in different stages. Me personally I hope today / this morning was as bad as it gets! I could never imagine having to take care of kids on top of this. My cat sure is loving the snuggle time though.
Good Luck Everyone
Yeah, I avoided some foods like milk, curd and oil. They are showing a bit improvement. I use to have burning throat back in Jan and Feburary but its not now. I use to get tingling sensation in my throat and sometimes acid irritations.
Hello I am going to have my tonsils removed on june 4th but I’m terrified after hearing n reading everything so what can anyone tell me to better my experience??
Allison, Read the blogs and follow Greg’s list of things to buy. Prepare yourself so you don’t have to buy anything after the surgery. If you follow Greg’s advice then hopefully you will have a good experience. Do not sleep for longer than 2 hours during the first week of recovery. You need to drink a ton of water. I read on this blog to “drink water until your eyeballs float.” That stuck with me throughout my entire recovery. If you have any specific questions, I’m sure one of us will answer. There is so much information on here so read everything. I read the posts everyday until I was rereading them. Not everyone has a bad experience. We were all terrified, but when you get out of surgery you realize that it wasn’t so bad. Then the fun begins…
Please, dont ignore me. I am worried and depressed too. Please, help me. I feel like dying.
Shiva- I’m not a doctor, but I’d like to help any way I can. Are you sure this feeling is realted to your tonsillectomy? Have you had follow up appointments with your doctor?
Hey, thanks for replying man. Yes, I’ve had many appointments with my doc and he said eveyrthing’s ok. I even underwent tests for GERD but theres no sign of them.
What do I do?
Shiva-if you’re nit getting answers you should seek a second opinion. If you are feeling a burning sensation there must be a reason for it. A second opinion from another doctor may shed some light.
Shiva, I hate to say this but maybe it’s a particular food or drink that is aggravating it. I had weird food stuff start in my 40′s and I had to eliminate foods to figure out which ones were bothering me. Maybe it’s a coincidence that this has happened at the same time or after your tonsilectomy. You would be surprised at how one food could be aggravating your throat and then everything that follows hurts too. . I went to many doctors and tested negative for everything. I finally went to an acupuncturist and she saved me. She was able to muscle test me and work on me for the foods that were painful to consume. This may or may not be your problem but it’s worth a try. It worked for me. Good luck.
Hi
I’m writing mainly for reassurance and to ask whether or not I am being melodramatic! I am now day 8 post-op, and I feel as if I am never going to recover. I am suffering with the most mind blowing ear pain, and swallowing anything makes me jump around the room and punch walls in agony! I’m also worried because today I run out of meds, and I don’t know if I will be able to cope without them. Initially I was prescribed antibiotics and pain relief and mouthwash by the hospital. The pain relief and mouthwash ran out on day 5 and I had to return to the hospital and get more, but they did not prescribe anymore antibiotics. I was advised that after the second prescription, they would not prescribe more and pain relief and once it had gone, that was it! To add to the problem, I had to return to work on day 6 post op, my job involves 12 hour shifts and a lot of talking! I am managing to sleep well albeit interrupted by the need to cough every so often, but the sleep is the least of my worries – I am getting vibes from my partner that I am ‘milking’ the situation and that I really should be recovered by now, when initially she had been really supportive. I am having regrets about having had the procedure done at all, and am starting to feel very depressed about the whole situation – especially about the speed of recovery. I have also not been to the toilet in 10 days, which is definitely a new record for me – however I am passing water ok although it is a strain to do so. Can anyone please help to put my mind at rest? I feel a visit to the doctor will only result in him telling me not to be so silly, which will make me feel worse!! Thanks to all – McDougall
McDougal,
First of all let me say that, having been through it myself, and reading thousands of accounts, I can say that day 8 can be among the worst. I remember crying in front of my brother around that time. He thought I’d lost my mind. I had! The good news is that you are nearing the end of the tunnel. Be your own advocate and press your doctor for more pain meds. You should only need a few days’ worth. Invite your partner to read this website, and the accounts of others in your situation. You are not alone!
For the ear pain, try chewing sugarless gum.. It helps. Keep drinking, keep taking pain meds, even Tylenol- if that’s all you’ve got. It WILL get better my friend. Hand in there!
What a thoughtful response Greg. McDougall, listen to what Greg says as he knows whereof he speaks. Advocate for yourself and demand more pain meds if need be. You are NOT milking this situation. I can also attest that days 5-10 were the worst for me, and the ear pain rivaled the throat pain. You are getting close to turning the corner, so try to hang in there!
Just wanted to say to all who replied to my post – thank you! I am now starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel – I am still experiencing ear discomfort and throat pain but not to the same degree as when I posted! I am now able to eat soft foods and I find drinking lots of tea has helped! I haven’t got any more meds after all, but I am taking paracetamol and the occasion ibuprofen if needed. To all those suffering right now, take it from me, you WILL get through it! Think of it as climbing a mountain, and when you reach the top and descend over the other side, the descent is such a relief and normality will return! It’s a long old haul but when you get there, normal life will come back to you! Once again thanks to all who replied to my post!
McDougall, So glad you are finally seeing the light at the end of a painful tunnel!!!!
McDougall, it will get better. I’m sorry you had to go back to work on day 6 of your recovery. Most of us took 2 weeks off and actually needed the whole time to recover. Greg is right about chewing gum for the ear pain. You might also want to try a warm compress on your ear.
As for the bathroom issue,,, are you taking stool softners? They also have prunes that come in baby food that happens to be puréed. Maybe that can help. Miralax is another laxative that you can take too. Good luck and keep us posted. There is a light at the end of the tunnel and you are close to it.
?I underwent the surgery in December and still I continue to have sore throat. Good thing, the sensations such as dry throat, burning throat, itchy feelings are gone after the surgery. Now, I am having acid tingling feeling in my throat. It’s getting better day by day. Not much but I feel a lil good. Any docs who can answer this? Is my throat healing
Shiva, you need to follow up with the doctor who did your surgery and voice your concerns. If you’re this far out from surgery (5 months) whatever you are experiencing may have nothing at all to do with your surgical recovery.
What do you mean when you say you feel like dying? Because you have an acid feeling in the back of your throat? Have you been experiencing this symptom symptom ever since your surgery? Have you ever asked your doctor about it?
If for some reason, you feel you cannot ask your surgeon, then you need to go to another ENT and tell them your concerns. Unfortunately you will not find ‘answers’ on this board as we are not doctors. We can only tell you of our personal experiences and what we went through. And all of us have usually had to follow up with our doctors about our surgery for one reason or another.
I strongly encourage you to go to a doctor as soon as you can and voice your concerns. That’s really the only way you can get some definitive answers. Good luck and let us know how you make out!
Well said Beth!
Thanks Deide!
May I also ask, why did you have the tonsillectomy to start with?