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
I used the children’s liquid ibuprofen. It worked well for me. I took it in between my pain meds. For the people with ear and neck pain, try ice on the neck and warm compresses on the ears.
Second that…ice packs have been doing wonders for me since day 1!
Miss. T, not all Dr’s believe ibuprofen is associated with bleeding. Mine didn’t have a problem with me taking it. In fact my attending nurse took it after her tonsillectomy and recommended that I take it as soon as I got home from surgery. I took for the first 10 days and I had Zero bleeding.
That’s good, deide! 🙂 It seems that the opinions of doctors vary on this…Some are strictly against it, some say that it’s ok…
Just be safe, everyone! 🙂
Today is day 3 after surgery and I am still in a lot of pain. I thought it was going away yesterday when I at half a ham and cheese toasted sandwich only to find today it even worse. I changed my meds from Endone to just Nurofen -the endone made me feel horrible, shaky as a leaf and not on this planet. Thanks heaps for everyone’s advice on water, first time I’ve heard about it and immediately forced a glass down 🙂
Be careful with the Nurofen, Amy…It’s based on Ibuprofen, which I was specifically instructed NOT to take due to bleeding risks!! It would be better to stick with Tylenol during your recovery!
Day twenty, eating, almost pain free, it wasn’t a fun experience for sure, but its over. Good luck everyone, read all these and drink drink drink take your rx and get as much rest as you can. Best susaj
Can yoy taste food ?
Im Devin. almost 21 yrs old. I got my tonsils removed a week and two days ago, tomorrow morning will be day 9. I broke free from the narcotics/painkillers on day 3 or 4. Bad idea. I should have stayed on them for a few more days, but i have classes that i have to drive to, and i cant drive while im on those drugs. All your posts seem very fortunate. Around day 3-4 I was able to eat, but since then the pain has been intolerable every time i try to eat. I think because it rips the scabs off my throat, but thats not what hurts the most. What happens is the pain shoots up into my ear to the point where it feels like my ear could be bleeding out. Its excruciating and i drink water constantly and take tylenol every 4 hours. During the day i usually am able to make it to 4-6 hours without taking more tylenol, but even if i try to swallow a lick of a popsicle it shoots pain to my ears to the point where i cant eat anymore. Thus ive only eaten 4 puddings 4 yogurts two bowls of soup and a bowl of chicken broth and maybe a few popsicles in the past 10 days. I feel like my scabs are almost gone, but I’m hoping i can eat in the next few days. Im sure my recovery has slowed due to not eating anything, but like i said, i should have stayed on the narcotics so i was able to eat. So I know you seem to be doing rather well, for future readers, i recommend painkillers for at least a week. I thought I could be rid of them and honestly felt like i could break free but its taking its toll on me now. eat all you can like ice cream and popsicles early on just in case you end up like me.
update. i was doing some research on medication and learned some doctors shun ibuprofen due to believed increased risk of bleeding, but other doctors say it has no such effect. Thus, i researched taking ibuprofen and tylenol together. Basically you can do that too as long as you follow dosage rules. So, i decided i would try ibuprofen first this morning. took 2 tablets (400mg) boom. able to eat. Still some slight ear and throat pain, but it was insignificant compared to the pain in my ears after eating only a bite or two for the past 2 day. Scabs still slowly coming off. I dont know why everyone thinks the scabs are so disgusting. They are more painful i suppose than gross. Its your own body’s production inside your own throat. (not like your peeling off someone elses and eating them). Anyway, WHY have i not been taking ibuprofen!? tylenol would help with the throat pain, but ibuprofen seems to take the cake for both ear and throat pain. I was finally able to eat 2 yogurts, scrambled eggs, and a blueberry pancake this morning. so pumped. day 9.
HI what brand of ibeprofen do u use for your pain
I’m on day seven after surgery and this ear pain is just
Unbearable when can we expect tge scabs to fall off and when
Will we know. I still have prescription meds but I stop taking them
Because they are maken me sick