Pain after tonsillectomy is inevitable. Tips for easier tonsillectomy recovery from patients who have been through it. What to eat, dealing with scabs and bleeding, managing pain, and shortening recovery time.
Tonsillectomy and its subsequent recovery is no picnic, especially for an adult. Welcome to Tonsillectomy Recovery Resources. Whether you’re considering, planning, or recovering from the procedure, you’ll find all the information you will need to make the best decision about tonsil surgery. You’ll also learn how to get the best care after tonsillectomy. I’ll also help you prepare for your tonsillectomy by laying out simple steps that will make the day of surgery easier and help you to be more comfortable as you recover.
Together we are stronger. Share your experience. Read about why I got my tonsils out and what I learned
Top 10 Tonsillectomy Recovery Tips
Though I’ve added to the initial 10, these are my top tips for anyone preparing for, or recovering from tonsillectomy surgery:
- Drink cold fluids
- Continue to drink cold fluids
- Drink more cold fluids! This is perhaps the single most important tip to make life easier while speeding up your recovery period.
- Get a good cool air humidifier and run it all the time in the room you’re in. Consider having more than one for the primary rooms you’ll be spending time in. To monitor humidity levels pick up one of these. Enter the code: TONSIL for a 25% discount! Humidity Station
- Don’t worry about sleep. Forget the normal time convention. Sleep for short intervals, preferably in a recliner. Sleep can be your worst enemy. Sleeping a few hours in a bed usually results in a dry throat that hurts like crazy. It can take almost an hour to get the pain back under control.
- Keep a written log of your medications as you take them. It’s easy to forget what you’ve taken and when. If you would have problems that require help from the doctor, it can come in handy.
- Read about others’ experiences and share your own. (Check out the tonsillectomy forum)
- Plan ahead! Stock up on items you’ll need ahead of time.
- Take something with your pain medicine. Carnation Instant Breakfast or Ensure will at least provide a base in your stomach and reduce nausea.
- Drink ice cold liquids!
A few bonus tips- read on>>>>
A few bonus tips for a better recovery:
- Plan some minor events. Even a simple event like a walk or a bath can take your mind off the discomfort and help your mindset during tonsillectomy recovery
- Chew sugarless gum. When pain gets referred to the ears, and it often does, chewing gum can ease the ear pain. It also keeps the swallowing process active, which many believe aids in tonsillectomy recovery. A warm compress on the area can also relieve ear pain.
- Ice! Whether it’s a high-tech ice bag or a bag of frozen peas, applying ice directly to the throat and neck is a great way to reduce inflammation and take the edge off of break-through pain. (thanks Kate!)
- Those are my top tonsillectomy tips. For a detailed daily checklist, check out my upcoming book.
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 General Store.
Some Extra Tips – After Tonsils are Removed:
- It’s REALLY important that you drink. I know it’s almost impossible at times, but you must. A trick I used was to use Cloraseptic (sp?) numbing spray. (There’s also a lollipop your doc or pharmacist might know of)- to numb the throat a bit. Then I’d take the medicine. Once the meds kicked in (1/2 hour?), then I’d try to eat. My favorite foods at first were Jell-o and creamed soups. (sweet potato or broccoli by V-8 were good)
- You must keep drinking. It helps your throat heal and keeps you hydrated. One reader, a nurse, said she went to an emergency room and demanded IV fluids. Wow! Maybe not such a bad idea!
About the author
My name is Greg Tooke and I’m a tonsillectomy patient myself. For most of my life I lived with huge tonsils with craters that the Ear Nose and Throat doctor called, “cryptic.” I got tonsillitis and strep throat several times every year. I snored at night and woke suddenly, catching my breath. Like many people, I had sleep apnea and didn’t even know it. Speaking of breath, tonsil stones were making my breath smell awful at times. I’d heard horror stories about adult tonsillectomy , tonsils that grow back, bleeding, excruciating pain, and even death. I was afraid.
Finally, with the advice of my doctor and a resolve to improve the quality of my life, I scheduled my tonsillectomy for the day after Thanksgiving. (a last meal??) You can read all about my tonsillectomy story in the pages that follow.
Greg
Do you know anything about drinking alcohol? Taking into consideration the medicine I’ll be on but also pain wise! Something like vodka sounds deadly on the throat but maybe something less strong? You haven’t an idea on how long scabs take to heal or the stitched/lasered site have you? And sorry (1/2 last questions) do you know if all surgeons can carry out different removal methods or usually stick to one? And which are quicker recovery methods? 🙁 Sorry for 21 questions!
The Dr usually has a specific method that they use. When you go in to talk to your Dr you can ask their method. Or if you don’t see him before your surgery you can call the office and ask. Alcohol is definitely not advised after especially if your on pain meds that’s a HUGE no no!! I promise you the pain meds will be way more important to you then having a drink!! You will be way better off taking your meds and drinking water or maybe a non alcoholic icy drink to make you feel like your not missing out. Good Luck!
My surgery was yesterday. As I remember, they gave me the “sleepy” medicine sometime after 10:30 am and I was back on my way home after 1:00 pm. The first day was ok, pain wise. I took my pain medicine twice that day just to make sure I remained ok. My main issue was having excessive mucus in my throat that I could not swallow away. It made trying to sleep very hard because the mucus kept closing off my airway to breathe. I finally realized I could use a q-tip (without touching anything) to clear out some of it because it went from the top of my throat to tongue. Food-wise, I drank plenty of fluid continuously. I had no problems slowly eating jello and pudding all day. Ice pops helped greatly. 1st day down…Not bad.
BTW, I am a 38 year old woman who really wish I didnt have to have this done at this stage in life!
Day 2: My throat has began to “lock” making it hard to open my mouth. I now have to take my meds every 4 hours, but that has kept the pain manageable. That morning I was able to eat some eggs for breakfast and even a bowl of cut-up ripe mango. That night those same mangos (even cold) were painful to get down. I continue to drink gatorade and suck on popsicles to stay hydrated. So far, not so bad, but dreading day 3 from all that I have heard.
Day 3: Must schedule meds every 4 hours to keep pain manageable. It takes almost 45 minutes to eat a whole itallian ice cup, but they are the best. I can’t open my mouth much, so now talkin is almost out. I hate to even think about swallowing. There is still lots of mucus in the back of my throat so I haven’t had to worry about the area getting dry. I am able to sleep a couple hours at a time. And still sipping liquids. I try to eat eggs with cheese in the morning once my pain is at a low – although 1 scrambled egg takes me hours to get down – but that is some protein. Overall, day 3 wasn’t as bad for me as some others. I did experience a little ear discomfort for a while. Back of throat is still all black and white.
Day 4: I can see where my pain level could spiral out of control if I dont take my medicine every four to five hours. I tried eating cold watered-down instant grits, but after about 45 minutes, I quit. Jello and italian ice are best, since they can just slide down the throat. Yet, really cold water/gatorade causes pain, so I try sipping room temperature drinks. The very thought of swallowing anything, including saliva, brings about fear. It hurts to try to open my mouth more than about 3 millimeters and talking is out of the question. I still think I am doing better than some tho, but Gosh! Will it ever end??!!
I’ve also been told different methods of removing the tonsils can change the recovery time and pain. Is this true? I know some surgeons just go by their favourite/easiest method but if there’s a way to speed the recovery up I’ll do it! 🙁
I am 18 and will be having my tonsils out in 5 days. This forum has got me so worried about the recovery period! But it has also got me a lot more prepared. I am 100% having to miss out on 3 friends birthdays, A Level results day/night and do I’m hoping if somebody would be able to tell me if I would be able to make recovery within 10 days to attend a festival I’ve so far paid £300+ for 🙁 ! I’m hoping due to me being younger than some others on here that my recovery may be quicker. It’s my last event with friends before I go to University. And if not, rescheduling could be considered, but then it brings me to my first months off uni/Christmas 🙁 Please help! Thank you
Cerys, from what I have learned, with you being younger, you should be ok by day 10 to at least attend the festival. Probably won’t be jumping around and yelling, but just present in person. However, there are always those “worse case scenarios” that could happen, because everyone’s body is different. So, stay positive.
Hi! I’m 29 and even though I have been in pain I have been able to function 100% normally! I have gone to birthday parties, the store, the mall, walks, and kept my house clean. (Husband had to drive with being on the pain meds) Everyone is different but it is definitely possible to function as long as you take care of yourself! You will need to Drink TONS of water/ drinks even if it hurts! That is what I did. You WILL be in pain but If you take your meds as the Dr tells you should be good! Set an alarm overnight every two hours for drinking water and for your pain meds (usually every 4 hours) I found that a spray bottle with water helps when you spray your throat before you drink and it cuts down on the pain a bit! Try to eat for the pain meds so you dont get sick but thats something the drs don’t seem too worried about unless your getting sick from your meds. Good luck with your recovery and I hope you get to do everything you have planned!
Thank you so much you have helped millions! I have never thought to use a forum but this has honestly helped so so much. I guess finally getting my tonsils out is far more important, thank you again!
I am a 24 year old female, I had my tonsils removed on July 23. I had my tonsils removed due to horrid tonsil stones. Let me start off by saying DRINK WATER NO MATTER HOW BAD IT HURTS!!!! Day 1: after procedure you’re so loopy from meds it flys by. I was offered a blue slushing and teddy Graham’s. 8 bags of teddy Graham’s later I am ready to keave!! After surgery I even had McDonald’s I don’t even remember eating it. Throat was numb all day long. I received percocet 5mg. All you will want to do is sleep. Have someone wake you up to drink and take meds!!
Day 2: pain was still tolerable I started taking the pain medication every 4 hours so the pain doesn’t get out of control. I was eating mash potatoes ( the pre made bob Evans kind was the smoothest), I noticed ice cold water stung my throat so room temperature worked. I was drinking every 20 mins to keep the throat moist. Sleeping was horrible, I ended up sleeping on couch so my head would be propped up. Waking up every 45 mins to sip water, you get no sleep at all. I didn’t want my throat to dry out because it is so painful. I set my alarm every 4 hours so I would take my medicine.
Day 3,4,5: Worst days ever! Extreme pain 10/10, that pain medicine didn’t help! Ear pain started kicking in. I had ice constantly on my throat to keep swelling down. Scabs were formed in back of throat very thick. Drinking water was a task. Everytime I swallowed felt like razorblades. I had to force myself to eat. Ended up getting a blood clot on my left tonsil on day5 and started bleeding. On call dr told me to drink ice cold water and it helped. Woke up after and blood clot resolved on its own. I was having mini hot flashes all day.
Day 6: I felt like a new person. Pain was a 6/10. I was eating drinking taking my neds around the clock
Day 7,8,9: scabs started falling off day 7. It feels like something is caught in back of throat when them fall off. Throat is very sensitive after they fall off that any liquid or food stings the throat. I have bumped my meds down to 1 pill every 4 hours instead of 2 pills. Sleeping longer through the night.
Day 10 and on: pain has started to be controlled with Motrin. I feel 100% better!! I am starting to eat solid foods. I had PBJ sandwhich and it was easy to go down. I feel back to my normal self. Throat still hurts but just like it would as a sore throat.
I think keeping myself hydrated non stopped helped with my speedy recovery. I go back to wk in a few days and feel comfortable going back. I still have to drink water so throat doesn’t get dry. My scabs are 75% gone. I’ve had someone with me the whole time and you DO need that. Milk never seemed to cause the phlegm in my throat as others posted. It soothed the burning. I lived off mash potatoes and chick n star soup mix for the first days. Keep taking medication when it’s due so pain stays under control!! Take the full two weeks off dr reccomends because you will need it. I would do this surgery again knowing it is going to cure my tonsil stones and stinky breath! Sorry this blog is all over the place my mind is going crazy! I hope everyone as a good recovery as well as I’ve had!