Top Tips for Tonsillectomy Recovery

Hemorrhage After Tonsillectomy
Tonsillectomy Recovery Experience

Krissy’s Tips for a Better Recovery

Hey guys! Thought i’d also share a few tips that are helping me through. I am from the UK so hopefully we have the same meds (just different brands). Remember everyone’s pain tolerance is difference, just because someone recovered more easily than you doesn’t mean you should be a hero and try and cut back on the pain killers, seriously, if you are hurting, take them. You need your strength to recover quickly.

I am post-op day 6 (inc day of surgery), had massive nausea attack from anaesthetic, spewing every 15 mins so they kept me in over night. If you do find that you literally cannot handle the nausea, ask for something called DEXAMETHASONE, usually administered by IV. Sorted me right out. False sense of security for day 2,3 & 4, the likelihood is it will get worse before it gets better because of the scabs, so brace yourself! Just remember why you had it done, never have to worry about tonsil issues again! Hopefully we’ll look back and laugh (or cry, or completely repress the memory of it lol).

top tips for tonsillectomy recovery
top tips for tonsillectomy recovery

Here’s a few things helping me through;

Humidifier – (warm or cold) doesn’t matter as long as you’re getting some moisture in the air. Also if you have central heating crack a window slightly.

DO NOT LAY FLAT – If you can as uncomfortable as it is, prop pillows behind you so you are almost sitting upright, if you are that tired you’ll nod off soon enough.

Drink as much as you can (pref water) – i’ve found anything else stings more for my throat but everyone is different.

Soluble Solpadeine Max – If you are in the US i’m not sure if they have it or what the equivalent is but these pills have been a god send, they aren’t like the liquid pain killers (gloopy and acidic), I feel as i’m drinking it it’s numbing my throat as it’s passing all the nastiness. (Genuinely tried to switch to cocodamol last night as solpadeine can be addictive, huge mistake woke up in agony this morn.) Everyone reacts diff to medications just find the right one for you, morphine for some reason does nothing for me except space me out!

Scratchy/Soft foods – I alternate them right now as I want to scrape the crap off but need to be careful in case they come off prematurely, do noooooot want to go back to that hospital. Just eat what you can. For some reason quavers have been amazing.

Also finally, STEAM! – This has worked wonders for me especially with jaw ache etc, get a pan/pot chuck some boiling water in it and put a towel over your head and in hale it. It’s taken the edge off when the meds are starting to wear off.

I won’t lie there’s been a few times I have wanted to cry, it seriously sucks, that being said it’ll be over at some point and I can eat a burger again, that day will be god damn glor

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