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
Well, I had my tonsils out yesterday and it’s probably a bit early for sharing tips. Nevertheless, I find myself awake at 4am, no pain really, just can’t sleep, so thought I’d share a healthy, soothing, energy drink that I’ve found really helpful (so far). It sounds weird but bear with me…
Chilled honey water and chia seeds
mix 1 generous spoonful of honey with hot water in a jar/bottle with a lid, then allow to cool.
Add 1 dessertspoon of chia seeds then shake. Place mixture in the fridge for a few hours.
The outer shell of the seeds is soluble fibre, and swells up in water creating a gelatinous jello like consistency, that slips down the throat very easily. I’ve found this more soothing than liquid alone. Other benefits:
Honey contains electrolytes and relatively slow release sugars, it has antibacterial properties, and it soothes the throat
Chia seeds are high in protein and omega 3, which can be otherwise lacking in the post-op diet. The fibre is good for keeping regular whilst taking meds. When water is absorbed by the seeds it makes them soothing to swallow, and also allows for slow release hydration in the stomach.
Hope this helps…
I posed this question on the FaceBook page= thought you might be interested…
Tonsillectomy Resources
Yesterday
What product would you tell a friend to buy before their tonsillectomy?
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Nick Stewart Thanks mate, that’s a relief. Looks gross back there, but can’t help shine a torch and have a look every now and then…
15 hours ago via mobile · Like
Sue Evans-Hoffman I had strep throat 30 days after my surgery so I hope your recovery is better than mine!!! God speed!!!
15 hours ago · Like
Juan Vizcaino A video game that won’t requiere much attention, but that is highly addictive…
12 hours ago · Unlike · 2
Alysia Lehneman Jello!! And the easy Mac and cheese. For some reason those were the only things I could eat for 3 weeks. I also drank Ensure for some nutrients but had to have it room temp.
11 hours ago via mobile · Unlike · 1
Hi everyone,
I’m in the UK, had my surgery on 4th September. I am so jealous of everyone who had an easy recovery! I had the worst time.
The hospital I went to sent me home 12 hours after surgery (morphine still in my system) with cocodamol and diclofenac. I had a bad reaction and vomited twice the next day which was bad, very bad. We called the ward who said to come off both meds and change to the less effective pain relief paracetamol and ibuprofen. I was already hovering on a 6/10 for pain. Dropping the meds took me to 9/10 for the majority of the time; I had about 2 hours at 8/10 after taking the meds.
Two days later I couldn’t take any more so tried the cocodamol which took it to a 7/10. I was nearly completely unable to eat, drink and speak and spent my time locked in pain. My tongue was so swollen that when I went to see an emergency GP in the evening on day 6 she could not see down my throat. Terrible pain in my throat, jaw and ears. Agony, absolute agony. I was prescribed naproxen, cocodamol and a difflam gargle (anti-inflammatory) which was a godsend. I took the naproxen and cocodamol when I got home and was able to sleep for the first time in days. Pain level was c. 5/10 (warning: naproxen gives very strange and disturbing nightmares/hallucinations!).
Unfortunately in the early hours of day 7 I woke up with a bleed and had to be taken to A&E in an ambulance. After spitting out several cups of blood, then vomiting 3 loads of blood, I ended up having emergency surgery at 5am. The only good thing about this is that I was prescribed morphine. This experience was extremely traumatic and frightening. It really knocked my confidence and I struggled with the idea of going to sleep, evening refusing the morphine in case I slept too deeply. I changed my mind though when I woke up in the middle of the night in excrutiating pain!
The ENT doctor could not believe I had been given such poor pain medication when I went home after the tonsillectomy. I was on IV antibiotics and a drip for dehydration before going home 3 days later with Oramorph (morphine), cocodamol, ibuprofen, penicillin and difflam gargle.
I tell you one thing for a fact – without suitable pain relief you will suffer from this operation! Make a fuss if needs be!!! I don’t like to have help to look after myself or to complain as I personally feel there are other people needing more help, but I wish I had. I honestly feel the lack of pain relief contributed to my poor recovery and have complained against the hospital. I lost 5kg in 6 days and my teeth are stained brown from being unable to brush properly and blood being in my mouth for so long before I could brush them in hospital.
I was able to eat quite well by day 12. I can now eat almost normally. I did have to learn to eat and drink again due to the extra space in my throat. Drinking was tricky, took 3 gulps to get a mouthfull of water down.
I was off all pain relief by day 14, off the numbing gargle by day 16.
I am now on day 19. I think a nerve was tweaked at the back of my throat as my tongue feels numb and like it doesn’t move properly at the back. My scarring also feels tight and I am trying to stretch my mouth and throat regularly to improve this. Perhaps this wouldn’t be the case if I had been able to eat and drink to exercise the muscles and flex the tissues.
All this said, assuming things continue to improve, I would still recommend the operation PROVIDED you can get your doctor to prescribe decent pain relief. Morphine was the only thing that really worked for me!
For info, I am 23 years old, female. I had tonsillitus several times a year since I was 15.
Good luck if you are about to have the operation. If you are worried about bleeding, don’t be; yes it is frightening but get to A&E and have the blood vessels cauterised. This was a piece of cake compared to the rest of the recovery to be honest! Also this is worst case scenario – I was told only 5% of patients bleed and only 1% end up having surgery to fix a bleed.
Bleeding occurs more than 5 percent of the time. There is no concrete literature. Bleeds are not reported to any medical or federal agency. I have read stats that it can be up to ten percent. It’s very traumatic.
I had my surgery on the 21st in the AM. This I guess is the beigning of day 3. The first two days really only brought some mild discomfort, alon with some panic attacks (which I suffer from). My doc is adamanet about me not mixing pain meds with benzos so its a real struggle. I stayed 1 night in the hospital to be monotiored b/c of sleep apnea. For pain i have been prescribe Lortab if the pain is not bad, percocert 5 if it is moderate, percacer 10 if bad, and dialuded if severe. I can fill what I want as needed. The perc 5 does the trick, although today for the first time i am feeling the free standing pain and the scabs. From what I have heard day 3 is supposed to be the worst day. I may bump up to perc 10 on my next dose.
I am on prednizone for the swellling, amoxilican to prevent infection, and a stool softner which i have not taken yet being tht I have not eaten anything since thursday night!
Is the day 3 pain as bad as it gets, or should I expect worse???
I am now entering day 4 of this experience. Surgery was on the 21st. Pain is largely controlled with percacet. The percacet makes me very lightheaded and tired. My doc said I can take up to 2 pills every 4 hours but I am taking 1 every 3.5 hrs. More than that I think would knock me on my ass. This seems to r controlling the pain. I would say my day 4 pain without meds is a 6 but meds bring it to a 3. Praying that this is as bad as it will get. I do get a shooting pain towards my ears when I eat my Italian ices and apple sauce. I have found that Walmart brand ensure in vanilla flavor has been an excellent meal replacement and has not burned. The real ensure has too much acid in it and burns. I am going to start using my rinse today in an attempt to eat something like a Mac and cheese.
One weird side effect is I have the feeling of needing to constantly urinate but very little comes out. I do have a humidifier next to me but probably need another 25 percent more water today than yesterday. Most of my water intake came through Walmart brand ensure Italian ices and applesauce. I do feel the scabs having formed in the back of my mouth. Kinda a weird feeling.
One weird side note is my uvula is now enormous. Just enormous. A piece of Italian ice got stuck behind it and I could not get to it so I just had to wait for it to melt. You really don’t realize how the uvula effects speech until you can’t really use it!! It keeps hitting my tongue making it impossible for me to speak properly.
Day 5 has begun, and wow here is some new added pain. I am hoping i can control it with only 1 percocet. 1 percocet makes me feel horrible, I can only imagine how 2 will make me feel. Dr. told me to add a 2nd percocet if necessary. I have an RX for Dialauded if the pain intensifies too much… and Lortab if the pain level drops a bit. My doc was careful with his instructions that I should knock out whatever pain and discomfort that we can. Unfortunately, its the pain pills themselves that I can’t stand, but wow it is incredible how well percocet works. Is this Day 5 pain going to be the peak anyone know?
Some advice is do not oversleep the pain meds. Wake up throughout the night regularly and take them! Do not let the pain overtake you! If your doctor did not give you a LONG RX for a strong pain killer, you need to reconsider your Doc.
My biggest problem has been dealing with my regular panic attacks. I take ativan regularly to control attacks, but it is dangerous to take concurrently with pain meds and can arrest breathing together. I have been fighting terrible sweats and panic attacks now. Imagine thrown off a boat without a life preserve feeling like you are drowning with no boat in site (or in this case for 15 days!)
Made the mistake of trying to eat a chobani yogurt. Big big mistake!!! Way too thick.
Today is day 6. Scabs feel like they are almost ready to come off. Pain is not horrible when on meds.
Hi all,
I’m now 3 weeks post-op and just wanted to say thank you to everyone for the advice and words of encouragement. This forum helped me do much. Honestly, I don’t know if I was just lucky or all the tricks worked but I was off all pain meds and eating tuna salad at one week. Did have one evening (I think day 3) were I was randomly throwing up immediately after taking any medicine but quickly called the doc for anti-nausea pills to remedy it. I think the worst for me was trying to get that darn hydrocodone liquid down every 4 hours without gagging so bad…. Horrible tasting! Don’t mix with applesauce! Makes it 100x worse. Some things I found quite helpful: cold mist humidifier, sleeping with an ice pack secured in place by a neck pillow, ice chips and water nonstop, protein powder with almond milk for nutrients, and the best was seedless watermelon chopped incredibly small and thrown in the freezer. After 3 weeks my only issue now is yawning is still a bit uncomfortable but things are looking up 🙂 Looking forward to attempting a run tomorrow… Let’s hope for no earaches anymore. Best of luck to everyone in their recoveries!