Tonsillectomy Adult – What to Expect
Tonsillectomy as an adult is quite different than tonsillectomy for children. The methods employed for tonsillectomy in adults and children are generally the same, (See Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Methods page), and the risks for adults are similar to the risks for children, (See The Tonsillectomy Risks
Tonsillectomy – Adult Recovery and Risks
Most studies indicate a two to four percent risk of delayed hemorrhage [severe bleeding]. Where tonsillectomy in adults differs most from tonsillectomy in children is in the recovery. Recovery from childhood tonsillectomy generally takes five to seven days. Recovery from tonsillectomy in adults usually requires at least ten days and more often two weeks.
Before deciding to get an adult tonsillectomy, it’s important to choose a time frame in which you have the time and the support. Recovering over your favorite Holiday might be a good choice in terms of time, (eg holiday leave from work or school), but it may not be a time that people will be available to help you.
The pain associated with adult tonsillectomy recovery, by almost all accounts, is more intense than that experienced by children. Some theorize that children haven’t had as much time without pain as adults and thus their frame of reference is different than adult tonsillectomy patients. Others assume that children may be less able to articulate their discomfort. Having read the accounts of THOUSANDS of adult tonsillectomies in the forum,(See Tonsillectomy Forum page), I can say with some confidence that generally, the younger the patient, the easier the tonsillectomy recovery. There are of course exceptions. I’ve read from many middle aged adults who had a fairly smooth recovery. Perhaps they read up on this website and prepared well. Perhaps they had good genes. In any case, many time an adult tonsillectomy recovery is better than the horror stories we hear about.
“If I could recommend one item to buy before tonsillectomy, it would be a humidifier. My readers know how important moist air is to a healing throat. I bought one of these years ago and still use it daily” -Greg
I’d like to take a moment here to make a suggestion. As you read through the people’s accounts in the various chat rooms, message boards, and adult tonsillectomy forums, consider this: People having a harder time, may be more prone to seek out information and share their experience in these venues. Adults experiencing milder tonsillectomy recoveries, might be less apt to be posting. I don’t want to drag Richard Nixon into my website, but this silent majority may be quietly recovering and you’ll never hear from them.
My advice is to research as much as you can, talk with your doctor, talk with your family and friends, and talk with your employer before scheduling your adult tonsillectomy. I wish you all the best.
I’ve put together a collection of items that I think would be helpful, if not essential, to making tonsillectomy recovery a little more pleasant. Check out the Tonsillectomy General Store.
I had my Tonsillectomy yesterday (Thursday, March 21st) at 9:15 AM. Honestly, there was nothing to the surgery at all. The most I remember is climbing up on to the operating table, the anesthesiologist injecting something into my I.V., my arm stinging, a strange taste in my mouth, my face feeling ‘prickly,’ blinking twice, and boom! Out. The next two memories I have are of the nurse removing some sticky spots from my chest where some of their equipment was hooked up and being wheeled, in bed, from recovery back to my room. I remember reading the wall clock at that point in time, it was 10:15 AM.
Apparently, I had also taken some liquid Motrin when I was in recovery, but I don’t remember that at all. I don’t remember ANY of my recovery period. I don’t remember at what point the cup of water and ice appeared, either, but I did sip on it for a while before being offered a treat. I finished three cherry popsicles by the time I was up and out the door. I really didn’t have any strange side effects from the anesthesia, just the lack of memory from first waking up and a feeling of heaviness when I first got out of the hospital bed. The heaviness passed quickly. On the way home, I did feel a tiny bit sick to my stomach, but I didn’t get sick. I took the anti-nausea medicine I had been prescribed once I got home, and that worked out well for me. It’s a small tablet that disolves on your tongue, no swallowing involved.
Hearing some of the horror stories I had heard regarding getting sick off of the pain killer — I was prescribed Hydrocodone, which is basically the liquid form of Vicodin — I wanted to try to get something in my stomach. I ate two servings of Gerber’s Rice Cereal for Babies (BUY THIS!). You mix a 1/4 C. of it with 1/2 C. water and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds. It’s fluffy and very easy to eat. It tastes good and is just the thing to make you feel full enough to take medicine. I also had a cup of applesauce, which also went down easily. (On my way home, I had also finished a 20 oz. Gatorade — I wanted to make sure I started hydrating A.S.A.P.)
I followed the cereal and applesauce with some Rice Krispies — no, it didn’t hurt eating them. I just chewed them up real well. I ate them dry, no milk. Before my next dose of pain killer, I ate an entire pouch of instant mashed potatoes; we made them with twice the amount of water called for so they were nice and soupy. Mashed potatoes never tasted better! I also had a bowl of Lipton’s noodle soup with chicken broth — it’s very easy to eat because the noodles are tiny, and it isn’t salty like most of Campell’s broth soups. I also finished a 32 oz. Gatorade and an additional 20 oz. Gatorade during this time. Water, too. (I’m taking my pain medicine every four hours.) Before this last dose of pain medicine, I ate another serving of the Gerber cereal and a popsicle. I’m planning on eating a cup of applesauce with my 3:00 AM and 7:00 AM doses. I’m also about to take another anti-nausea tablet before getting some sleep.
I currently have the humidifier going next to my bed, too. Just to be safe!
Please don’t worry too much about the surgery itself and the remainder of that day. I’ve had very MINIMAL pain, about the same as a slightly sore throat. I can drink, eat soft foods, and take the medicine. My uvula is swollen to about twice is normal size, but it hasn’t caused any issues yet. My ENT did a wonderful job, and my throat isn’t as horrific looking as I thought it would be. I spent the day on the sofa downstairs watching movies when I wasn’t up and eating. I drifted off to sleep a couple of times, but I didn’t want to just go to bed for the rest of the day. Truth is, I was hungry!
By the way, I’m a 30-year-old female. I’ve had chronic Tonsillitis since this past October, and my ENT decided this would be the best course of action. I had never had Strep, Tonsillitis, or any other throat-related issues up until this chronic Tonsillitis presented itself. My tonsils were still swollen and inflamed when they came out.
Anyway, I’ll keep everyone posted with my recovery. I’m really not looking forward to it because it seems to go downhill before getting better, but I’m hoping regular medication intervals and lots of Gatorade and water will make a slight difference.
Hang in there, everyone! 🙂
#1 How did you swallow your pain meds? By the sound of it, swallowing saliva is a challenge! I take a lot of medication already four times a day. The only pain medication that worked after brain surgery was Tylenol with codeine (big hard pill) accompanied by Phenergan since codeine makes me sick. This is an issue that stresses me out. I don’t want the medication to cause additional pain or rip up healthy healing scabs. As you can see, this is an issue I need to figure out. Any help is richly appreciated. Thank you for your postings. I’ve been keeping a record of the obvious things I need to know, do and not do!
#2 What’s the most practical position to sleep in? I read several times that people woke up gagging or choking on blood. I’d like to avoid that!
#3 So far this is what I gathered, I need a humidifier, lots of ice water, a cold pack for my neck, and sore throat lozenges, I feel like I need to know more!
#4 I am very concerned about losing too much weight. I’m teetering on the low end of my ideal weight. I can’t eat pudding or anything with milk products (causes phlegm), which rules out Ensure. Do you have any ideas to help me there?
As my new friends, I trust you’ll take good care of me.
Thank you!
Having used this forum to get my head in the right place for my tonsillectomy, I figure it’s only fair to share my story. I had suffered from intermittent tonsillitis from my late twenties. Following glandular fever in my early thirties, my tonsils enlarged and never shrank again. From this point, my tonsillitis became more frequent and more resistant to antibiotics. I had surgery to remove them shortly before my 37th birthday and don’t regret it for a second.
Immediately after the surgery, I was offered a popsicle (I mean straight away, I was in recovery and couldn’t eat it because I couldn’t stay conscious, but it was a nice thought I guess). As soon as I was able, I started on the iced water, and after a few hours I was able to eat soup and some soft sandwiches. The night after my surgery I threw up for the one and only time, but thanks to the copious amount of iced water it wasn’t very acidic and therefore not at all painful. I had discomfort rather than pain for the first few days, my worst symptom was lack of sleep. There was only one position I was able to sleep in comfortably because of the swelling in my neck, whenever I moved out of it I was unable to breathe, which woke me up. Not fun, but not as bad as it sounds.
From day three onwards the swelling began to subside and the pain kicked in. Initially the pain was from the beating my jaw and neck had taken from being wrenched about. No worse than a sprained ankle, but a little uncomfortable. I also had a burn on one side of my tongue which was sore, but healed fairly fast.
Around day five the scabs started to loosen and the wounds made themselves felt. At worst the pain was similar to the pain I experienced when a tonsil split from swelling. Nasty, but nothing I couldn’t handle. Unlike some people, I didn’t have too much pain at night. I’d typically wake up once around 1:30 for top up pain meds, read for about an hour to allow them to kick in, them sleep for another 4 hours or so. Mornings were when the pain was worst, largely due to my throat having dried out overnight. The best thing I found to help this was Up & Go, a really thick meal replacement milkshake. It coated the throat and helped to moisten it again quickly.
From day eight or so I was sleeping through the night without waking, and by day ten the pain had really subsided. I stopped the pain meds around day twelve, round about when I successfully munched a pack of thai chilli Doritos.
I returned to work as a Primary School teacher after two and a half weeks without any problems.
I know it’s been said, but keeping your fluids up is really important. Iced water is great as chomping the ice cubes loosens up your throat and jaw muscles and reduces the swelling. However, from around day four, I suddenly couldn’t tolerate the cold anymore.
In summary, the surgery isn’t a great deal worse than the illness it cures and it’s only once (rather than every six weeks like the illness).
I can’t reply to posts. Can someone please tell what the trick is! When I click on respond to this NOTHING happens. I really need to be able to connect to other posts so my comment now is HELP!
Sorry you’re having trouble Diane. Comments are limited to 5 respnses to each comment. Could it be that the original comment has 5 already?
Im am 35 am scheduled to have this done on the 9th of April. Reading all of this has made me very nervous about this whole procedure.
I am 41 and had the surgery on March 13. I first week was rough. Avoid letting your mouth get dry, the resulting pain is bad. Really cold drinks were hard to drink, room temp worked better for me. Good luck