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 had my surgery oct. 23, pain has been terrible. Thought it was getting better yesterday and now today I am so nauseous and feeling faint. I am 44 years old and given birth to 3 children, had hysterectomy, gallbladder removed, kidneys tones and tooth extracted. I would do all of those things in one day compared to this!!!! Could really use some positive thoughts
Go get cepacol throat spray. Make sure it is brand name NOT chloroseptic. It will make a huge difference. Spray it and let it sit back there before swallowing. You still have a few more days of hell but it will get better!
After everything I went through and all the pain it’s now nearly 2 months post op and today I feel EXACTLY as though I have tonsillitis. I just looked at my tonsil and it looks as though it is GROWING BACK, and it is starting to get a small white lump on it. I could actually cry.
I have had two tonsillectomies as an adult. They suck and I have tissue growing back again. You are not crazy they are regenerative. I have found that soaking my tooth brush every night in strong mouthwash like cepacol helps to ward off reoccurring infections. Best of luck
Hi my name is Robert.Day of the surgery was easy because i was still feeling the drugs.On day 2 i thought that it could not get any worse but it did on day three i could not even talk but what helped is laying down whit your head up dont turn cause it will get bad.Im in day 4 in the morning it was bad but its 11 now and i feel ok
I had my tonsils out last wednesday so I’m on day 5.. I thought the pain would have subsided now but how very wrong I was. I have been awake most of the night and crying like a child (I’m 27).
The op itself wasn’t painful and afterwards I felt ok just a little sore but I was on a drip with pain killers. 1st night didn’t sleep too well, but since then I’ve been ok during the day, it’s just at night / early morning when the pain hits. And it’s not just the throat, it’s the ears too.
I’ve been sipping water throughout the day but at night it’s a little more difficult when you’re trying to sleep. Also I need to work out my meds so I’m dosed up during the night as this pain is just awful.
I wouldn’t recommend anyone has this done unless they really need to! I suffered with tonsillitis for 13 years and this last year have taken too much time off work..
hi all,
I’m 22 and having my tonsils removed in the morning. I’m pretty nervous about it. I’ve tried to prepare as much as possible. I was told by the nurse during my consult that my surgeon doesn’t believe in giving a lot of pain meds and that the best I would get is Tylenol 3. I’m not really sure what to make of the whole thing.
Hi all, I’m 29 and just had my tonsils out. I think dr’s should explain the amount of pain that is to be expected. I was told it would be just like another sore throat but I’m on day 13 and in so much pain…will this ever end
I started on hydro condone and that only helped with pain about an hour, my Dr didn’t want to prescribe anything stronger. One night I couldn’t stand it any longer so I called the office after hours and the on call Dr. Wrote me a prescription for Oxycodone, made a lot of difference. Please make sure u have a humidifier by your head at all times
Well, I had my tonsils removed this morning. So far, the pain has been comparable to a horrible case of strep that I had a few months ago which isn’t completely unbearable. What I wasn’t expecting was for my uvula(the little punching bag thing) to be so incredibly swollen. I can actually feel it resting against the top of my mouth when I breathe out. I have to lay down practically sitting up to keep from choking on the the derned thing.
Get cepacol throat spray at the drug store. NOT chloroseptic! Make sure it is cepacol. Spray it in the back of your throat an let it sit there for awhile before swallowing. It is the best throat spray on the market. At least 5 times better than that other crap. Plus ask for liquid Vicodin. Trade off between that and liquid Advil. Trust me you won’t want to swallow a pill.
Well, today is the fifth day after my surgery. So far I’ve been to the er four times. I keep having allergic reactions to the medicine they gave me. Oxycodone turned me into a complete and utter zombie. T3 caused a horrible rash up the side of my face. I’m now on hydrocodone, which is a lot better than the other two, but is still causing a tiny reaction.