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
I was trying to figure out a place to write on this site that I felt I could give the best advice. I am 22 years old and on day 5 of this long, often miserable recovery from surgery. Today has definitely been the most painful. I feel like I have something thick and gross all over my throat and the slightest touch to it from anything sends me into this wide-eyed, teary, mad mood. I am so desperate to feel better as I bet the majority of the people on this site are. I wanted to write on this particular wall because I suffer from depression and anxiety with or without surgery. My surgery was a tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy, nasal polyp removal, turbinoplasty, and sinus surgery. Let’s just say when I entered the pre-op room the nurse looked at me and said above all hang in there you will end up better then ever. Right now Im a tad skeptical. My problem is that I take Zoloft every single day to combat clinical depression and a huge anxiety disorder related to –get this— nausea and vomiting. Ever since I was little I would be sent into panic overload when vomit was nearby or I felt the slightest stomachache. My problem arose on the second night of my surgery. Im staying with my mom for the summer home from school in Chicago and I took my pain meds sans food. BIG MISTAKE. To put things in perspective I hadn’t thrown up since I was 8 and I ended up getting pretty sick from the pain meds. I lost it to the point I was literally sitting in my moms lap crying anyway I could that would be the least bit painful. At this point the depression set in. I can’t swallow my Zoloft to help with the depression because it’s too painful but at the same time I have this new wave of depression sinking in because I can’t eat, can’t yawn, can’t sleep longer then 45 minutes, Im terribly frightened to take my pain medications because they made me vomit, and I feel like I’m in this long dark tunnel where theres a light but the light is a train heading straight at me. Today, my mom who is honestly going to be canonized after this caregiving feat, literally had me sit down and take SLOW and GENTLE deep breaths and remind myself how much pain and discomfort I had been in since high school. I kept repeating I am going to be okay, I will be okay, this is going to be ok! We are all going to get through this. Pain levels vary from person to person and there isn’t one timeline that will fit us all. Day 4-6 may be bad for Sally but days 5-7 may be bad from John. Just know that when you feel the worst of the pain you’re in the thick of it and close to getting out. PS Greg– It is so great to see you standing and talking in your picture! HA It gives me hope. We must remember that this is one of the hardest surgeries to recover from, once we make it out we will all be so much better. Stay positive!!
Oh my goodness! I almost fell out of my chair reading this! I am 22, I had a tonsillectomy in November of 2012 (my post is below on this page, I’m Jen), and I too have had a severe fear/panic of vomit/vomitting since I was little! I remember my surgeon told me that I just had to have calories with my pain meds. So when I woke up in the middle of the night, I would just make sure that I drank an ensure with my meds and I never had a problem with throwing up! I definitely know the pain you’re going through-I did this while I was a full time college student AND had a job! But the pain WILL go away, the weird feelings WILL go away and you WILL be healthier! I haven’t even had a sore throat since my surgery and that was after 2 cases of strep and tonsillitis within 3 months! Keep your head up 🙂
I think the first week was easier. Honestly. I’m on Day Nine… and now that the scabs are coming off and I have thrush, I’m in more pain than I was before. Drinking anything is now extremely painful. Water, juice, my meds… taking pills… you name it. It hurts. the tip of my tongue hurts from the thrush. I found that putting an ice cube in a ziploc bag and putting that part of my tongue against it helps… for short moments only, though. Any advice for other things?
I am on post-op day 12 and depression day one! What the heck? I thought I was doing so well considering and now this? I know that I don’t feel the full understanding and support of those around me. I just didn’t realize I would be sitting at home sobbing like a baby all day! And I feel if I tell anyone they are just going to wonder what is wrong me and tell me to “snap out of it” or “suck it up”! So, why is this normal after tonsillectomy? What causes this? I don’t think we can full prepare for depression to hit – it just does! I just feel so crappy today and desserted in a way.
Sherrie, I’m so sorry that you’re having such a rough time. I did too. I really think there are a few things at play here here; 1. You’ve probably been on a narcotic pain killer for some time and are physically withdrawing. that’s enough right there! 2. On top of that, you probably haven’t slept well for a long time. that’ll wear ya down. 3. How’s the diet been? Let me guess- LIMITED? Yeah, give yourself a break. Give yourself some time. You’ll feel better soon. This will pass. People who haven’t been through it have no idea. Don’t be too hard on them either. Take care. Try to eat, drink, and sleep as much as you can,
Hi Greg-
I’m on day 17 I believe of recovery..and I went off the pain meds completely on day 15. I’m a 21 year old full time college student who also has a job so this has been quite the shake up in my life! I was talking to my roommate and mom about how I’ve been feeling and I said “I’m exhausted still, but eating much better, taking the vitamins, having ensure, sleeping a ton…” but there is something I can’t put into words. Something just doesn’t feel right. I realized that I just feel like I don’t have my personality anymore.
I have a card on the bulletin board on my desk from a co-worker that says “you’re always so happy and smiley…” and I thought to myself “not anymore!” and just about started crying. I sit in class with a blank stare, and moments that used to bring me joy leave me emotionless. I’m glad to have found this on here and I REALLY hope it’s just from going off the meds (roxicet). I am seeing my surgeon for a follow up in a few days and will be sure to bring this up.
Thanks,
Jen
Hi Jen. Sorry to hear this. I think your suspicion is correct though. Coming off those med’s will really do a number on your mind, body, and spirit. Don’t forget that you were also starving for sleep and food. Give yourself a little time to get back to normal. It’ll be ok. I really think so.
Hello! I am a 47 y/o female, and can absolutely attest to the depression that comes post-tonsillectomy! I had done a lot of research prior to my tonsillectomy on 10/15/12, in order to prepare for it, but somehow missed the part about dealing with depression. My depression began about two weeks post-surgery. It was absolutely miserable!! For a few days I could just hardly stand to live with my own self. I was fatigued, melancholy, cloudy headed, had some shaking, etc.. It’s hard even to put into words, but I knew it all had something to do with coming off the pain meds (dilaudid), as well as all the other trauma from surgery. The depression lasted less than two weeks – maybe 7-10 days. There were several very difficult days when it first began, but I muddled through and knew it would eventually get better. Each day then did get better and better. My energy came back. My spirits lifted… My advice to others is to just know that the depression is coming, and to take things one day at a time. You will suffer for a few days, but then, gradually things will begin to feel more normal each new day. I am just over four weeks post-op now. My energy is nearly normal, though still a little low, and NO depresssion. The bothersome throat pain is long since passed, with the exception of some discomfort when I yawn. The worst thing now is that I don’t like how my throat has healed up. The arch on each side of the uvula (dangly thing) is not symmetrical. Right side is fine, but left arch is lower and the skin feels taut on the left side. My throat just doesn’t feel “right”, and with the uvula area hanging a little lower than before surgery, it does affect my speech a bit. I also don’t like the weird taste in my mouth, and hope that goes away soon. I will probably schedule a follow-up appt. with my surgeon so he can see how my throat has healed. I imagine I will just have to live with things the way they are now, or have further surgery to correct it. THAT I am NOT interested in, though!! My best to everyone recovering from adult tonsillectomy. It is absolutely brutal, but the human body is an amazing creation and will heal and recover in time. P.S. I am a stay-at-home mom, but if I were employed I would have needed 2 1/2 weeks off work for recovery – if not, 3 full weeks!!