Tonsillectomy Recovery Time
After a lifetime of tonsillitis, it was time. I made the appointment. Was I scared? Yes. Was I prepared for tonsillectomy recovery? NO. Can you be? YES!
Planning for and recovering from a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy procedure, (often referred to as T & A Surgery), can be daunting experiences. The days leading up to your surgery can be frightening. If you haven’t read up yet, you can find information on tonsillectomy methods, risks, costs, adult tonsillectomy, sleep apnea, and numerous tips for tonsillectomy recovery on the other pages of this site. I’ve even added pictures of a post tonsillectomy throat by each day. Study, talk with your doctor and consult with your friends about the decision to undergo tonsillectomy and adenoid surgery. Explore the pages created here to aid in your journey.
If you should decide to have tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy, let us help you through the entire process. Whether due to problems with sleep apnea, chronic tonsillitis and strep throat, tonsil stones, trouble swallowing, or a combination thereof, you can benefit from the experience of others. My own experience taught me that, as patients, we need to advocate for ourselves. Ear, nose, and throat doctors are, by and large, extremely talented individuals. However, very few of them have experienced an adult tonsillectomy, and the subsequent recovery. I have. Many others have too. We share our experiences here at the adult tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy recovery resource center. As you’ll read in the tonsillectomy recovery forum, everyone’s experience is unique. There are many factors that influence the level of pain you experience, as well as the length of time required during recovery. The method, and skill of your surgeon can have an affect, but there are also many things within your control that will reduce pain and recovery time. I’ve tried to include as many helpful tips as possible within the pages of this online resource. Tonsillectomy recovery can be pretty rough, especially if you are unlucky enough to be an adult! It takes longer for an adult to recover from most things. Tonsillectomy is no exception. There are many things you can do to make it go more smoothly. I’ve published numerous tips here on various pages. I encourage you to read up BEFORE you are in the throws of tonsillectomy recovery.
Talk with your doctor, friends, family, and work as you prepare. You are not alone in this. Like you and like me, many others are facing or have faced a tonsillectomy recovery. I created this forum for you. The community of adults or parents of patients will amaze you and warm your heart. I read these comments every day and every day I am humbled by everyone’s story and their compassion for others in the midst of recovery, or the anxiety that often precedes a tonsillectomy. Please join in. Hundreds of other people, perhaps in your same situation, have shared their wisdom, concerns, tips, and questions about tonsillectomy, as well as their tonsillectomy recovery.
-Greg My short bio
Hi Miss T, I am so sorry to hear that. But you will be okay as days go by. Anyway, you are right about what you said. Yea, everybody respond differently to surgery, medications, treatments etc because of our uniqueness. However, there is one thing that everyone has, needs, and has to have as humans. That thing is WATER. Water does everything. Even, one would not die if he/she did not eat for forty days. But guess what, a person cannot survive for ten days without water. So please, drink a lot of water at least two cups per hour. Also, put ice in your mouth and drink when it turns water. I know it is hard to swallow, but it worth the pain. Please, keep you throat moist as much as possible, and continue eating your pop sickles, yogurts, apple source, ice cream, and very cold food. I hope you will be okay. Just keep the faith.
Hi Charmin, yes, all that you have to do is to drink a lot of water, and ice. It is very hard to swallow but please, force the water to go through your throat. It doesn’t have to be dried at all. Always keep it moist. It helps the healing process and minimizes the pain. I drink two cups of water almost every hour, and I put some ice in my mouth to melt and drink in between those hours. Also, continue to eat your yogurts, pop sickles, apple source, ice cream, and very cold food. Again,drink cold juice like apple juice. Please, DO NOT drink orange juice, lemon or anything that has acid in it. Keep drinking water and you will be okay. Thanks.
Sorry Kieran – oops! Great advice and you are right about the constant drinking. 🙂
Kieran, you’re spot on with your observations! Great advice – everbody listen to this lady!
I’m a guy, Beth, but thanks all the same! 😛
I am Charles. Today is my sixth day and I am doing okay. The problem I am having is constipation due to the yogurts, ice cream, pop sickle, apple source etc. But it worth it. The first three days were great but the forth, fifth, sixth. But I am coping with it. I drink a lot of water, ice, because it becomes painful when the scabs dry up. In fact, it is not all that bad as others were saying provided you follow instructions. It could be terrible if you don’t do what you suppose to do. Now I am hoping for the best as days go by.
Hey Charles this is my fourth day post surgery do you have any
Suggestions as to what I should do when the scabs dry what helps the pain
Because I heard this part was the worst
Hey, I’m now on my seventh day of recovery, exactly a week since I had my surgery and I think I’m starting to feel a noticeable difference. The only way you’re going to stop your scabs from drying out is drinking plenty of water, even if it hurts, force yourself to drink some water every 10-15 minutes. At night, unfortunately, unless you don’t sleep and drink through the night, your scabs are going to dry out and cause a lot of pain, however what I’ve been doing each night is setting my alarm for every hour and waking up and having some water to keep myself hydrated and keep my throat moist (also to take meds at the time needed). This does hurt quite a bit because the throat has already dried out somewhat in the hour, but I just try to keep in mind that it will be so much more painful if I just leave it ’til the morning to wake up and have my water. Some people recommend chewing gum as well because it gets rid of the bad taste and keeps your saliva flowing, but personally it didn’t really help me.
Ice packs or anything frozen around the throat has really helped me to ease the discomfort and pain as well, especially in the morning when it’s most painful, and I also keep them on my neck while I’m eating as I find it’s much easier to get through my food with it than without. Hope you feel better soon!
I’m glad to hear that you’re feeling better, Kieran! 🙂 That’s positive!
Thanks Miss T! 🙂 Hopefully I’ve gone past the ‘It gets worse before it gets better’ part and am actually on the home run now, I don’t think I’d be able to deal with anymore days like days 3, 4 and 5!
Hey Charles!
Good to hear that you’re doing pretty well and that you’re taking care of yourself! Hope you recover as quickly as possible!
I just have to disagree with you about the following instructions issues….The majority of us here did exactly what was needed and we still had a terrible experience after our surgery..The thing is that everyone reacts to surgery differently and everyone has a different level of pain tolerance. You’re one of the lucky few that is not suffering so much. I did everything that I was told to and read that I should, and I suffered through excruciating pain and discomfort, and even post-op bleeding and a cauterization. And believe me, I am one of the most careful and cautious people that you would come across- I’m even obsessive about doing everything right, especially in regards to my health.