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’ve had recurring abscess on my right tonsil coming and going for 4 years, so eventually about 4 weeks ago when i wound up in emergency again, they decided to remove my right tonsil. I was in the hospital for several days afterward recovering, (I don’t do well with anesthesia so they wanted to keep and eye on me for a while) and all i was really told was that it may take several weeks before it feels normal and i won’t be able to eat solid food for a while. They really told me nothing to prepare me for the weeks to come.
5 days after the procedure my throat started bleeding quite a bit, I was in the bathroom for an hour spitting out blood.
Being someone who lives alone this was pretty scary for me. I did some research and found out that usually about 5 days after the scabs fall off, so the best thing to do is drink ice water to stop the bleeding. I did that and it helped, but I decided to go stay with my parents for a while just in case.
several days later it started bleeding again, a medium amount at first, so I drank ice water and it seemed to eventually stop, but about 30 minutes later TONS of blood just started gushing out of my mouth and my dad called an ambulance. When I got there after waiting an hour in a hallway, blood still running out of my mouth, an nurse came in to take a blood sample and I had already lost so much blood I passed out and when i came to I was told my blood pressure was dangerously low as though it were somehow my fault. When the doctor finally looked at my throat he told me they couldn’t really see what was going on because there was a blood clot in the way. They tried to remove it but they couldn’t and said I would need to stay they night, and if the blood clot moved they could look and if it didn’t they would have to figure out what to do from there. The next morning a woman I hadn’t even spoken to before looked at my throat and told me there’s no reason for it to be bleeding and told me to just go home. I don’t know if she assumed I was lying about all the blood sitting in plastic bin beside me, or if I was imagining it but since there was ‘no reason for it to be bleeding’ I guess was fine.
So i went home and that very evening it started bleeding again. I went to the hospital and pretty much the same exact thing happened. i stayed one night and they sent me home in the morning with no explanation or even any suggestions.
And that evening it started bleeding again, worse than it ever had before. My brother took me to the emergency room where I waited ages in a hallway again coughing blood and clots into a plastic bag. When I eventually saw a nurse he said to me “Yeah they never tell you how brutal a tonsillectomy is for an adult. Finally I saw a doctor who didn’t seem like it was his first day at the job. He told me my body was trying to create new blood vessels too close to the surface and there bursting. He told me that this could be dangerous and I may start losing arterial blood. He decided that the best thing was for e to go under full anesthesia to have it thoroughly cauterized. This was another five days in the hospital.
I have spent all the time since in excruciating pain, the painkillers doing nothing but making me nauseous and dizzy.
Because I wasn’t expected to have a tonsil removed, I didn’t have any chance to research the recovery before getting the operation, it would have been nice if one of the many doctors I had spoken to had given me some kind of idea what to expect, or what may potentially happen.
I almost lost my job because of the way the recovery fluctuated, feeling almost better one day, extreme pin the next, one bearable day, gushing blood another, never knowing when I was going to be in our out of the hospital.
One good moment if the whole thing though was when one of the ENT doctors told my mother that I have the cleanest ears she’s ever seen. Even as an adult, I still like my mother to know I have clean ears.
Call your surgeon and let him know that you are experincing throat pain and are suspecting a throat infection coming on. Also tell him you are currently taking some leftover amoxicilian for it. He might get you something stronger, or move the surgery date since operating on infected tissue is a no-no. But comunication with your doc is key for the best outcome.
Hello! I am having my tonsils and adenoids removed a week from today. I am 26 years old, and I have heard that the older you are, the worse the surgery is. I am borrowing a humidifier from a friend, and I recently bought a snow cone maker. I am honestly really scared about what to expect. My co-worker who had his tonsils out two years ago said that the first drink he took after surgery was the worst pain ever, is that normal in every adult who has this surgery? Also, my throat starting hurting today. I started taking some Ammoxicillan that was prescribed for a dental procedure a few weeks ago that I didn’t finish. I am scared that I am getting sick, but I can’t get to a doctor for a few days because of work. What should I do?
I am 17 days post op, and yes I am a woman I have been threw childbirth. I must say at least with childbirth you can eat. If they haven’t had their tonsils out as an adult they do not understand. My husband has been great I must say that even though I am sure he has wanted to lose his patience.
It does get better with time. I am just now in the last few days being able to eat a larger variety of food. Ice water and sprite with crushed ice are still my best friends at this point. Making sure to take meds when they are scheduled is a big part of keeping the pain away. Staying hydrated is the biggest part. ICE WATER!!! Hope you get better soon. Believe me it does get better.
Hello Everyone! I have been reading this site in preparation of my tonsillectomy that took place yesterday 2/4/13, and I must say some of these threads had me pretty nervous! I am on day 2, and so far (knock on wood) it hasn’t been that bad. From what I’ve been reading here days 3-5 can be rough, so I will keep you posted if it gets worse… My tonsils were removed by cautery and my ENT used local anesthetic as well. She also prescribed Lortab elixer 7.5/500, Zofran for nausea and Amoxicillin. I recommend setting your alarm through the night every 4 hours to take your meds so that you don’t wake up in alot pain. Above all DRINK,DRINK,DRINK! I also have a humidifier in the bedroom and have started taking colace (a stool softener) due to the possible constipation associated with narcotic pain meds. Keep your diet soft- jello, broth,chicken soup (slightly above room temp) not too hot! I also ate some ice cream last night despite being told that the dairy would thicken the secretions, and I personally didn’t have any problems. I also ate probably 10 elbows of mac and cheese out of sheer hunger, but it was quite uncomfortable. I am also a smoker, but have decided to use this opportunity to quit. I have not had a “real” cigarette but I have had a few puffs off of an electronic. Not that I am recommending this to anyone! But for myself personally it has helped me to put the cigs down. Also sleep with you head propped up on pillow at about a 45 degree angle, Euro square pillows are nice as well as bolster pillows… Good luck everyone! I hope everyone does well, and if something changes in my recovery I will certainly keep you updated!
Hi there,
I am in the UK and had my adult tonsillectomy last week. I had read this site and others and was terrified at what might happen. After getting out of hospital the next day, my weeks recovery went as expected, with the usual pain and discomfort but no drama. That was until Sunday.
I was having a cup of tea when I noticed a metallic taste in my mouth. I went to the bathroom and spat out just a tiny amount of blood. To be on the safe side, I went to my local minor injuries unit to get checked out. I was asked to go to the accident and emergency department of the hospital where I’d had the op done, so I did. I was still bleeding but not too bad.
Once I got to accident and emergency, the bleeding became a lot worse and wouldn’t stop. I was taken by ambulance to another hospital and kept in for three days. It seems that some blood clots had formed at the back of my throat and something had kick started the bleed. It eventually stopped and this is my first day home.
The point of this post is not to scare you but to say that I am actually glad that I read all the not so good stories because I felt prepared to deal with it when it did happen. I didn’t cry or panic. I just accepted that I was in the best place to get sorted out.
My recovery should be on track. It turns out that I had a very bad infection as well. I’ve been given liquid paracetamol and tramadol as well as two sets of antibiotics. The only difference is now, I feel completely exhausted, like I’m recovering from a flu so plenty of rest for me .
My advice would be to take it easy and don’t try to hurry your recovery along . I really thought that I was one of the lucky ones until this happened, but you get through . Also , keep an overnight bag packed so you can grab it if you do have to to hospital . I did not expect when I left the house in Sunday that I wouldn’t be coming home and the hospital I was taken to was 50 miles from where I live so all I has with me were the clothes I was wearing.
I hope all goes well with your recovery .
SJ