Eating After Tonsillectomy
Eating after tonsillectomy can be a double-edged sword. On the one hand, the nutrition derived from solid foods is essential for out overall health and recovery from tonsillectomy surgery. The very act of swallowing also helps the throat recover. On the other hand, pushing foods past the raw and tender area of the tonsil beds after they’ve been cut and in many cases cauterized, can cause excruciating pain and, even bleeding. We need to go slow as we resume eating after tonsillectomy surgery.
Liquids. Let’s start here. Since you’ll be drinking at least 8 ounces per hour during tonsillectomy recovery. Put some thought into what you want. Sport drinks are good. They provide electrolytes and needed calories. Since most of the calories are from sugar, you’ll want to try some other drinks too. Avoid anything acidic, caffeinated, dairy, or thick for the first week. I was amazed by how many things I drank went down like battery acid or left a troublesome film on my throat. (tonsil bed) Water is always good, but it’s hard to stay interested in it. I also enjoyed chicken and beef broths. Don’t heat them beyond, “fairly warm.” Hot has an inflammatory effect on tonsil area tissue.
Gelatin was the first thing I was given to begin eating after tonsillectomy and I thought I’d gone to heaven. It tasted wonderful and, for some reason, I found it easier to swallow than water. It’s cool, soothing, and counts as hydration. Hands down, Jell-O, Jelly, or gelatin is my top pick for foodsfor eating after tonsillectomy surgery.
For the first five days I wouldn’t venture too far beyond the liquids and gelatin. It’s contrary to what your mother might advise but, like sleep, a normally healthy endeavor can result in an hour of searing pain. I tried mashed potatoes on day two and had tears in my eyes. For about a day after that, I stopped eating . I don’t recommend this. Eating after tonsillectomy is important for several reasons. Nutrition, activation of muscles in the affected area, and feeling of well being are all benefits of smart eating after tonsillectomy.
Also keep in mind that most prescription pain killers can cause nausea, especially on an empty stomach. It’s important to get some kind of food down before taking pain medicine, even if it’s just a liquid food like Ensure.
As your throat allows, try some foods like oatmeal, macaroni and cheese, (NOT al dente. cook it!), ramen noodles, mashed potatoes, gravy, or cous cous. Oatmeal was, without question, my breakthrough food as I began eating after tonsillectomy. I’m still eating it almost daily, probably because of the good feeling that it gave me in my second week.
When I was recovering, I used to daydream about eating steak. It seemed so unattainable. I couldn’t even handle mashed potatoes. When could I ever enjoy a nice juicy Steak?? I told myself, once I got through this, I would reward myself with a delicious slab of beef. To this day, I love my bloody Mary steak marinade recipe. Try it before surgery, or after you’ve recovered. Salud!
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 tGeneral Store.
-Greg My short bio
I’m 42 years old and had undergone tonsillectomy, surgery was a breeze 5-10 minutes and I was on recovery, Ive been told by my coworkers and what I can read online but nothing says about coughing aside from try to prevent coughing.
Day 1- I lived on ice chips and Lortab round the clock, use ice pack for my throat it was tolerable, no nausea or vomiting.
Day2-7-the worst pain ever, keep taking pain medication as often as I can and but I’ve been coughing, I’ve taken robitussin barely helps and my drainage were green, went to see my doctor and I was told its expected, the drainage comes from my throat area and no antibiotic needed, Can’t sleep if I’m not on my recliner,I can manage to sleep for about 1-2 hours at a time and my sink became my BFF, so much coughing out green drainage coming but no bleeding. I still can’t eat, porridge, ,miso soup, Popsicle helps.Am I the only one here who had bouts of coughing?? Talking was painful too. Ear ache and swallowing are the worst enemy especially at night drinking water every 3-4 hours helps a little it. I still didn’t see any scab coming out.
day 8- though it might be late but Ill try humidifier to use for at night.
Initially cold things like water and ice chips felt really good…what does it mean if now the cold things are irritating and just room temperature items feel good..Any other temperature feels like the raw battery acid down the throat and is extremely painful.
i am seventeen years old and am enduring day three post op. surgery was not as bad as i expected, trust me, do not believe everything you read on google! although there were some parts google never mentioned, or should i say peoples feedback on google. i’m not 100% sure how they do the surgery, but they managed to split the corners of my mouth open!? searing pain. probably worse than my throat itself. say of surgery i didnt eat anything, was given a tablet to swallow but felt like it didnt go down. day two managed to eat jelly & sip some milkshake, also maged later on in the day to have some mashed potato. day three (today), tried to eat some potato and gravy but spewed it all back up, havent eaten anything since so am really hungry. reading peoples feedback, might try a slushy but would LOVE to have a huuuuge feed of what i normally eat. sadly, its too painful. but all in all, i think recovery is going well, although pain killers are hardly taking the edge off. all i can do is either sleep or write blogs to take my mind off the pain. thanks for reading 🙂
30 year old female, had tonsils removed on Monday, September 24 due to chronic tonsillitis.
I was scared going in to the procedure, since I terrified myself with Google search! How I’ll be suffering and crying, in so much pain. I probably just heal well or tolerate pain very wellbut, being on day 3 (4 if you count surgery day) pain is minimal to only when I swallow or wake up to ear/tongue pain. It goes away after about a half hour. I haven’t taken the hydrocodone that was prescribed to me and haven’t used any other pain meds.
I have been able to eat since Tuesday (since pain meds made me nauseous first day). I eat a can of chicken noodle soup each night… as well as drink tea, water and Gatorade. I also purchased froyo to go, which is great! For breakfast I usually drink a superfood smoothie, but I am trying eggs today. I have lost 8 lbs. already lol.
I am awaiting the scabs to start coming off in a few days, to see how pain is. I really want to gargle with warm salt water to see if it helps. My breath is horrid, and I brush my teeth a lot in a day and swish with non alcoholic Listerine. That’s probably the worst part, right now!
32 yr old female who just had her tonsils out today due to stones. I’ve had some major surgery’s in my past but nothing prepared me for this. The pain is horrid and everything goes up my nose so i have to swallow 3+ times to make fluids go down. Of course this just makes the pain worse! Dr. Put me on tylenol w/codeine and it may as well be a placebo. My body has a high tolerance and this doesnt help. What does help? Ice ice baby! In any way possible! I’ve read people say day 3-7 is the worst yet. Why is this and what should i expect? Anybody try sucrets lozenges? Good idea or no?
22 year old female had the coblation tonsillectomy I’m on day 14 and I can’t taste food 🙁 when will I be able to taste again? 🙁 I’m miserable watching everyone eat the things I use to love to eat I take one bite and get turned off its sad 🙁