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 am getting my tonsils and adenoids out today. I’ve been in my room waiting for the last 2 hours and the nerves are growing the longer they keep me here waiting. Since I haven’t been able to eat or drink since midnight I’m starving and dehydrated already. This site and all the different stories from different people have helped me prepare but I’m so ready to get those over with already. Expecting the worst and hoping I will be wrong! Good luck to everyone else.
I just had the procedure done this morning. Before the procedure i read almost all these stories and was so scared! Am 28
And when i woke up i felt a bit of discomfort but not as bad as everyone was making it seem. I do have problems swallowing liquids i feel as am choking and its not coming down i also have this phlem sensation that makes me choke even more! I dont know if it actually is mucous or its just my swollen throat! I feel very nauseaus and everytime i get my meds it makes it worse!’ How much longer 🙁
I had my tonsils removed on April 17 and am going into Day 7 of my recovery. I was nauseated and even vomited in recovery the day of surgery and on the way home. My doctor gave me an anti-nausea pill (I don’t remember the name of it) but it melted under your tongue. I would recommend calling and asking for that as it helps. Also force yourself to drink lots of water and/or gatorade. It really helps to stay hydrated. It is very hard to drink. You really have to force it down but it is well worth it. You will feel a lot sicker if you get dehydrated. I also ate pudding or yogurt right after taking the medicine, for one thing to get that taste out of my mouth from the medicine, but also to have something in my stomach so I wouldn’t feel sick. I think since I forced myself to eat soft things and drink a lot from the beginning, I am able to eat more real food now. I have been eating macaroni & cheese and mashed potatoes along with other soft things since Day 3, and I even tried chopped up hamburger today on Day 6. It still hurts to swallow and I have gotten food caught in the holes where the tonsils were, but I take a drink of water and gently swish not gargle to get it out. It is still difficult to eat on Day 7, but not as bad as the beginning. It is also important to stay on top of the medication. I have to take it every 4 hours or I feel miserable. They had me on a steroid too and today was my last day taking it. Maybe that helped also. I also had an antibiotic that I just finished today. Good luck to everyone recovering!
I am 34yrs old and am on day 2 recovery from a tonsillectomy. It’s not that bad. Make sure to have a formable ice pack to wrap around your throat, take meds EVERY 4 hours (set an alarm at night) and drink lots and lots of ice cold beverages. Also, I’ve been eating quite a bit. I don’t want to get sick from pain meds, so apple sauce, fruit cups, instant mashed potatoes, soup, rainbow sherbert…the more I move my jaw and work my throat, the better it is. Pain is worse when I’ve been asleep and just wake up. But, I really psyched myself out reading all these horror story blogs before surgery…these are extreme cases. Not everybody has such a hard time. IT’S NOT THAT BAD!
Thanks for sharing your good story. Did your recovery remain good as the days went on?
I’m on day 4 post-surgery. The only way I can justify this pain is knowing that tonsillitis will not be part of my life again. Although for that to happen I have to overcome the toughest pain I have experience so far.
Even though I don’t have a humidifier as most people here have recommended, I have made sure to keep constantly hydrated. During the day my diet includes at least 5 glasses of water/gatorade mix and other liquids such as soups, smoothies, apple sauce and tons of frozen yogurt. At day 4 I haven’t yet dared to eat any solids but will give eggs a try. Even though sometimes it takes a long time to finish a single glass of water there’s no other way to get it in your system and once your throat goes dry you’ll want to do whatever you can to keep it moist.
All I hope is that after today the pain starts to ease down and I can finally start eating some solid food. The throat-ear pain combination has not let me sleep for lapses longer that 2 hrs since I had the surgery and my bad mood (thanks to my severe pain) is wearing off my gf.
Oh yeah and I’m running low on Tylenol 3 🙁 I hope I can start seeing light at the end of this dark tunnel
I have to have a t & a on may 2nd. I thought I would be tough and could handle this but the more I read the more I am unsure about this choice. Although I know I can no longer live with strep, tonsil stones, and thoat infections. My mom has offered to drive up here and sit with me til I am released but then she wants to drive me back to her house which is two hrs away. Not sure this is a good idea. Other option is to have a friend sit with me and drive me home… where I would be alone. I am 25 so hopefully because I am young I will heal faster. Grrr. Darn. I do have 10 or 11 days off of work and boss said she would work with me but I cannot afford to be off more than 10 days.
I would recommend going home with your mom so she can take care of you. You will still be drugged up so the two hour car ride probably won’t be as bad as you think. You really will appreciate having someone to help you out. I am single and if I wouldn’t have had my sister numerous people coming over several times a day for 10 days I don’t think I would have made it!