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 feel your pain and frustration. I’m 32 and suffered for so long with sleep apnea that it started to affect my mood swings and blood pressure. A decent nights rest was something I needed and if I wanted to have children with my husband. October 19, 2012 I got my tonsil surgery. It’s scary but its been 6 days and the pain is bearable with major uncomforts. I had a swollen dry tongue, sore throat, nagging cough because of the scabs forming the back of your throat. I don’t want to scare anyone but I did cough up blood on 3 occasions because when I slept my mouth tends to be open and the air drys out the throat, I should’ve got myself a humidifier. The bleeding was like horror movie but it will stop, mine was 15 minutes with blood clot and scabs. Wash your mouth out with warm salt water and put the ice pack on you neck to cool down your body temperature. The pain is tolerable just make sure you have ice to suck on instead popsickles or ice cream cause they leave a sticky feeling on the roof of your mouth. Milk products thicken your saliva. Drink room temperature water and lots it goes down easier then ice water. Your ears will ache but ice packs will relieve that.
Slowly I’m healing and I can’t wait to for a good sleep. I wish you all the best.
I am a 24 year old mom of 3 girls (3, 2, and 6 weeks). I am trying to schedule my tonsillectomy for Tuesday the 30th. I have tonsil stones (GROSS!) and have bad breath. It affects every part of my life. I hardly ever kiss my husband because of it. I can’t help but feel selfish for wanting this done and going through the risks (of morbidity and mortality) just to fix my breath and not deal with this grossness. I have to admit, I feel like I’m a scheduling my death. I don’t care about the pain after as long as I live. I see my 3 beautiful girls and want them to have their mom to raise them. Anyways, I am concerned about breastfeeding and taking all the medications for post op. Any information or experiences with breastfeeding and tonsillectomys would be greatly appreciated! Thanks:)
I had my Tonsils and uvila taken out on Monday Oct 22. I am a 52 year old male and a 20 year old sleep apnea patient. I have been on the Cpap for those twenty year. Being asked not to use the CPAP frightens me. I have not been able to sustain continued sleep for more that 2 hours yet. I have had one very bad wake up in that time. Last night I tried with the CPAP, and that dried me up terribly. Somewhat scared. The throat pain is lessening though. Swallowing somewhat difficult even the liquids I am drinking. I guess a plus is loosing weight. Time will tell.
Hi all. Im a 37 year old female. I have had very large red tonsils every since I had a case of mono when I was in high school. Since then all of my family dr’s complain how large they are and how they need to come out. About 2 weeks ago, I went to see an ENT for the first time. He stated I was a +3, but that alone was not enough to warrent having them taken out. I dont have alot of strep or tonsillitis, but I do have frequent sore throats, horrible bad breath, I am always tired and feel like I am either comming down with something or just getting over something, I have noticed it is getting more difficult to take meds orally, and while eating I am noticing it often takes 3 or more swallows to get most food down. The dr seemed more interested in my sinus problems than my tonsills. I go back in another few weeks for a CT of my sinus’s.
I know a tonsillectomy is difficult as an adult, but Im seriously wondering if they need to come out now. Ive been doing alot of research for the last month or so.
I would really like to hear thoughts and opinions from all of you.
Hi Mandy. I’m on Day 13 of my recovery and feel pretty much normal. I quit taking my pain meds around day 9 or 10, and am still having trouble getting to sleep but other than that I feel fine. I had similar problems to you – I constantly felt sick/tired, my tonsils were cryptic meaning food was getting caught in them and was giving me bad breath, and when I was ill my tonsils would swell up. I can tell you with 100% certainty that the surgery was worth it for me. The best advice I can give you right now is to see a different ENT until you can convince one of them to have your tonsils removed. Don’t wait any longer than you have to.
Thank you Petra, it’s nice to know I’m not completely crazy or alone in this. I was thinking of seeing the current ent here in a few weeks to see what he wants to do. If a tonsillectomy is not in his plans, its pretty safe to say ill be moving on to another one. I’m still not sure I really want it done, but it looks clear I NEED it done.
Hi Mandy, I’m on Day 14, and feel great. [I’m 56]. Everything went according to plan, and I’m back to normal.
It seems to me your tonsils are giving you more trouble than a tonsillectomy, especially with swallowing food. I don’t think they’re going to get better with time. If possible, see another ENT to get his/her opinion.
My whole tonsillectomy experience was extremely positive, as I’ve written in earlier posts.
Good luck ♥ Pat
Thanks Pat 🙂 it helps to hear the positive side and to feel the support of everyone here. I’m hoping at this next appointment the ding dong of a dr will realize its not my sinus’s causing the problems, although he did say if he had to fix them he would do a tonsillectomy while he was there. Not sure I want him messin with my sinus lol but I can say now I want my tonsils out 🙂
I feel your pain and frustration. I’m 32 and suffered for so long with sleep apnea that it started to affect my mood swings and blood pressure. A decent nights rest was something I needed and if I wanted to have children with my husband. October 19, 2012 I got my tonsil surgery. It’s scary but its been 6 days and the pain is bearable with major uncomforts. I had a swollen dry tongue, sore throat, nagging cough because of the scabs forming the back of your throat. I don’t want to scare anyone but I did cough up blood on 3 occasions because when I slept my mouth tends to be open and the air drys out the throat, I should’ve got myself a humidifier. The bleeding was like horror movie but it will stop, mine was 15 minutes with blood clot and scabs. Wash your mouth out with warm salt water and put the ice pack on you neck to cool down your body temperature. The pain is tolerable just make sure you have ice to suck on instead popsickles or ice cream cause they leave a sticky feeling on the roof of your mouth. Milk products thicken your saliva. Drink room temperature water and lots it goes down easier then ice water. Your ears will ache but ice packs will relieve that.
Slowly I’m healing and I can’t wait to for a good sleep. I wish you all the best.
Hi my names Hannah and I’m 22, I am due to have my surgery in a few weeks time. I have never been into hospital before so have no idea what to expect. All that I know is that I am going to be kept as an inpatient overnight. Has anyone got any useful information for me or can suggest what I should take with me? Thanks
Hi Hannah, you probably need no more than – sleepwear [although I’d wear the hospital PJ’s in case you vomit]; undies; comfy shoes or slippers; a few toiletries; a dressing gown or a warm cardigan [it can be cold in hospitals]; and use the same clothes you came in, to wear home.
I just had my surgery on the 22nd. When I woke up I didn’t have much pain until I tried to sleep that night. What I’ve been doing to subside the pain is not letting the pain meds wear off. And drinking lots of ice water. When you go to the hospital go in your pjs. They make you change but whenn your going home you get to put them back on. After when you get home on the first day all your gonna want to do Is sleep. But make sure to eat lots of popsickles the cold feeling feels great.