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 guys, im 20 and I had my tonsils taken out yesterday due to reoccurring tonsillitis and constant tonsil stones! My doctor advised it will only take 20 minutes for the procedure however I was in for an hour n a half, apparently there was a lot of gunk and stones to be removed. Everyone said its not so painful but I’m quite the tough one and felt the pain to be unbareable , I’m allergic to codene so I think the meds I got weren’t as strong. About 2 hours after I felt so nauseous and threw up lots of blood and blood clots, nurse said its normal, I also have blocked ears and constant hiccups. I am now at home and taking pain meds every 4 hours and drinking heaps, I just struggle to eat as everything gets stuck and I’m scared I’ll get an infection. I guess the removals were well worth it but I would definitely not do this all over again, good luck to everyone else that is having their tonsils removed!
Amy, it will get better. Just take it one day at a time. I hope you’re doing everything on the to do list that Greg has posted. Sleeping with a humidifier, sucking on ice chips, icing your neck, and drinking water!!!! Chew gum if you need to. That should help with the saliva and keeping your muscles moving. I know that might not seem like the right thing to do since you are in so much pain but you need to swallow liquids and keep your throat moist.
Keep is posted.
Thanks for replying so quickly. I have been doing all that’s suggested but still no relief from the pain.
I’ve been back to the doctors today and they examined my throat which apparently has now become infected. I’ve been given extra codeine for when the pain is extremely bad & I’ve been given liquid penicillin so hopefully things will be improving soon.
I’m thinking that I’m in so much pain due to the tonsilectomy site getting infected. Has this happened to anyone else?
Hi AMY what you are describing is exactly what happened to me. I couldn’t take antibiotics though so ended up in hospital but that’s great they have given you something else to help. I had dihyrocodience as a pain killer on top of everything else. I think the infection is the reason it’s so bad as that’s how I was. I also drank tepid water as cold and hot were too harsh and warm tea. Sorry you are in so much pain I can remember it now and I got so low that I didn’t think I could go on but just remember YOU WILL BE BETTER VERY SOON. Hang in there 🙂
I’m a 21 year old female who had a tonsillectomy 4 days ago.
I was in quite severe pain from the moment I came round from the anesthetic. Despite being given morphine and other pain meds the first night in hospital was extremely painful!
The morning after the operation I was allowed home and I now really need someone to tell me that this IS going to get better.
4am until about lunchtime is the MOST painful time. I can barely swallow my own saliva. I’m alternating codeine, paracetamol & ibruphrofen and right now it does not seem to be taking the edge off the pain.
I’m shaking, crying & can hardly think properly because I am in so much pain. I didn’t think the post-op pain would be THIS bad, I’ve had broken bones before and had a very painful root canal dentist procedure, but nothing comes close to this.
Can anyone tell me when the pain stops being THIS bad? Because I’m starting to lose the plot here!
Believe me I truly know what you mean. I was exactly the same but things do get better. The severe pain I had for about 11 days but I was back in hospital after the first week because I had an infection but once that was under control the severe pain eased a little. Keep taking the medication I had paracetamol and ibuprofen. They gave me s strong pain killer to take as well which made me feel sick so I had something to counteract that. If you want someone to talk to I’m here. It really will get better. Think of things to look forward to and also the reason you had it done. sleep when you can and rest as much as possible cold ice packs on the throat and chew gum.
Hope you are feeling better today 🙂
I’m 18 and its been a exactly week since i had my tonsils removed and can i say i have never been in so much pain. My prescribed painkillers have run out and i’m out of ideas! I cant talk, eat or drink without immense pain and i am now experiencing earache too. Can anybody shed some light on my situation? How long is this going to last?
Hi Ally.. I think it depends for some.. Im 32yrs old & on day 14.. It’s a lot better than day 1 that’s for sure ! I still have some ear ache & pain going on.. Im slowly able to eat some foods as long as it’s not to tough or coarse.. I took at least 2 tablets of ibuprofen before eating to cut back on the pain.. Most definitely keep swallowing to build up those muscle’s.. Chew some gum.. Make sure you keep drinking fluids so your throat does not dry out and make the pain more unbearable.. All the best.. It will get better.. I cried a lot at the stage you’re at.. Oh and wrap a scarf around your neck because I found the cold and wind bade the earache worse !
It will be bad at this stage but it REALLY does get better. Just keep taking the medications even though it feels like it’s doing no good. Try ice packs on your throat as I hear heat can make the blood vessels swell. chew gum as much as possible. I didn’t sleep for the first week apart from about one hour when I went to bed but I sipped water all night and chewed. I wasn’t able to eat because my tongue got sores so everything stung but it really wont last. Can you get my more relief you really need to keep at that?
I managed to get more pain relief but i has to be my last lot as apparently it will cause stomach ulcers. My glands are now really swollen and seem to be the only thing the pain relief can’t help. Whenever try eat, drink, chew or talk they swell like a balloon and my neck and throat turn into a stinging mess. I’m really stuck now and have no idea what to do.
I’m on day two and woke up with swollen lymph nodes this AM. It kinda freaks me out but seems quite logical considering the trauma. My doc’s nurse called to check on me and seemed puzzled about the nodes. One side goes down into my neck. She said to use cold or heat.
I haven’t found much about the lymph nodes on the Internet yet but will post something if I find it.
It will be bad at this stage but it REALLY does get better. Just keep taking the medications even though it feels like it’s doing no good. Try ice packs on your throat as I hear heat can make the blood vessels swell. chew gum as much as possible. I didn’t sleep for the first week apart from about one hour when I went to bed but I sipped water all night and chewed. I wasn’t able to eat because my tongue got sores so everything stung but it really wont last. Can you get my more relief you really need to keep at that?
Yes ask for more pain meds from your doctor
I am on day 16. And i have just been signed off for another two weeks from work, the doctor said because i work with the general public i am more prone to infection. Its doing my head in being stuck off work 🙁
but how do you feel now on day 16?