Depression After Tonsillectomy
One challenge that many tonsillectomy patients don’t anticipate is depression after surgery. Even people with the sunniest of dispositions may find themselves in a dark place after enduring the hardships of surgery and its recovery. **Before discussing the topic of depression after surgery any further, let me say that if you are under a doctor’s care for depression before surgery, be sure to work with them to plan treatment after surgery.
Tonsillectomy Recovery- Day 17: Why don’t I feel better?
Tonsillectomy surgery, like almost any other surgery, requires more of your body than normal. The healing process takes energy. After tonsillectomy, eating and sleeping become difficult. This makes the healing process more of a strain. I have tips for both eating and sleeping on other pages. For now I’d like to address the almost inevitable event of depression after surgery.
Two weeks of battling pain, not getting enough sleep, taking narcotic pain medicine, and being removed from your normal social interaction can have a profound effect on your mental state. Being prepared for depression after surgery can help you feel better.
Doing your best to stay nourished, get sleep, and stay ahead of pain will all help. I further recommend planning some simple daily activities like a short walk outside, a relaxing bath, a daily television show. These simple activities can get your mind off the discomfort, give you something to look forward to, and give normalcy to an otherwise abnormal time.
Another trick to beating depression after surgery is to record your thoughts and feelings in a journal. Oddly, this seems to release the struggles a bit. I also suggest participating in the online forums and offering others support. As I’ve often said, when you shine a light for others, you also light your own path.
Finally, let people in. Family, friends, health professionals, even co workers have more compassion than you may realize. Let people help. Ask for help in advance- before you have surgery. I personally would be delighted if a friend asked me to run out for Popsicle’s or chewing gum because they’d run out during their tonsillectomy recovery. Help others to help you. You’ll both benefit.
Finally, try to remember that this is temporary. How you are feeling in the midst of your recovery is not how you’ll always feel. Try to imagine the better life you’ll have without the problems the surgery will have corrected. Again, you can read of success stories in my book and on the forum.
Take care,
Greg
Hiya, I’m 24 and had my tonsils out about 4/5 days ago. I have found this website so unbelievably helpful and it’s given me a sense of support that I didn’t even know I needed. Going through this is so isolating and there is just no respite. The pain is constant, simple things are difficult and there’s a fear to doing anything new in case you hurt yourself. It’s so exhausting and I’ve felt really down at times.
I have taken some time to really focus on what I am thankful for and remind myself that I am strong and will get through this. People are amazing and everyone reading this who is suffering, you should know that you are gonna come through this better off because you are awesome. We can do this.
I am a 42 yrs of age although feel 70 after have my tonsils removed a wk ago.
I was doing ok but yesterday had a horrendous bleed, it scared me very much with the amount of blood I lost.
I’m feeling is there an end to all this! I’m meant to be returning back to work in a wk and not sure I will be up to working.
I’m glad after reading these forums that people have felt depressed and emotional as I was starting to think wow what’s up with me I’ve only had my tonsils out.
Come on you can get through this, I just feel extremely miserable and want to sleep the whole time, don’t want to even get up out of bed.
Which isn’t like me.
I’m sat in hospital writing this hoping to come out today.
Hopefully I can get back to normal soon
I am a 50 year old woman, I had my tonsils removed in March 2017 due to an enlarge right tonsil, the surgery went well. The problems I am experiencing now are as follows: Dry throat, at times it hurts when swallowing, some pain discomfort at times, tighting in the the neck at times, acid reflux that goes straight to that area where my right tonsil was removed, I guess I am still healing. Anyone experiencing any of this?
How many days post op were you when you wrote this? I’m 33, 10 days post op and I know exactly how you feel. It’s horrible. I’ve lost 20 pounds in 10 days because I can eat next to nothing. I’m forcing some food down as I write this.
I’m 18 and had tonsillectomy 7 days ago, it was painful but nothing horrendous until day 5. Up to day 5 I was able to drink okay (ish) but now even water is a struggle due to the sharp burning sensation on my throat. The effects mentally and physically are proving difficult for me. I feel that any food placed infront of me is a massive challenge and I just break down. The worst part is, I know I’m hungry, I just physically can’t eat. Honestly, I would rather have my tonsils back than to feel like this ever again. It’s awful
I’m on day 18 today. I went back to work yesterday & just felt awful and weak. My throat feels ok and I’m not in much throat pain anymore, but I just feel weak and defeated. I was so tired I was nauseas. Is it normal to still feel weak/headachy/ nauseas at day 18?
I feel depressed (even more so now that I’ve tried to go to work and feel like I’ve failed – I called in sick today).