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
Not really sure what day I’m on, but that’s whatever (It was partway through Thursday before I realized it had been a week since the surgery).Things with me kinda are all over the place, which wouldn’t be that big of a surprise if you really knew me. My pain can go from being non-existent to pretty bad just randomly. I’m still not eating much simply due to the fact that pretty much anything I’d want to eat I can’t because it still hurts too much. The main things I’ve had are cream of chicken soup and some mashed potatoes. I don’t really even like the latter, but it actually has tasted pretty good. I’m not sure how much weight I’ve lost during all this, but some of my pants are looser, so I’ll take that as a good sign. 😀
Fortunately, I have not had any bleeds as of yet. I do keep going and getting a metallic taste in my mouth and throat which could be blood, but I haven’t had any come up, so it’s mostly just annoying. I’ve only looked at my scabs once or twice because it still hurts to open my mouth up very wide, so my sick fascination with my throat being weird has had to be put on hold. 🙁
I did have a complication come up, though. I have noticed for a few days my tongue has stayed white, even after brushing. My mother looked at it (she’s an RN and has been one for years), and since she wasn’t worried about it and it wasn’t bothering me, we didn’t call the doctor. The other night I noticed it felt like the roof of my mouth was all cut up and raw. It had been going on for a few days, but I had just pushed it off as just the top area of scabs hurting. It kept getting worse to the point where it hurt to drink or eat really anything, especially room temp water, so today I stopped by mom’s work so she could look at it again and she said the roof of my mouth looked pale and raw, and my tongue was still coated with white. This time I did call. After a grand total of 25 minutes on hold, I finally spoke to my ENT’s nurse, who said it could either be because I wasn’t drinking enough (which I’m still way dehydrated, but have not had a problem with drymouth at all) or thrush, which I already knew, that may be from my antibiotics. She said they’d call me in something, which they did. The most confusing thing is that they told the pharmacy to put a note on my meds saying to call and change my post-op appointment. I don’t really understand why, as it isn’t until Thursday since that’s the next time he’s in town, but I guess that’s a matter for Monday when I call them back.
Anyways, thrush is not fun and is highly irritating, as not only will your throat hurt, but your mouth will feel completely raw on top. So if you start feeling like I did and your mouth (note: mouth, not scabby area from the removal of your tonsils) starts getting white-ish, go ahead and call your ENT. Worst thing they can do is say it’s nothing and tell you to drink more water, or they can get you some meds in to help.
And like always, my post is way longer than I meant for it to be. Whoops.
Amber I did the same thing, got my nurse on the phone and she prescribed something to gargle with to be on the safe side….good luck with yours.
I’m guessing you were given the traditional ‘swish and swallow’ medication? That’s honestly what I was expecting, but evidently now they have disolvable tablets that do the same thing, and that’s what I was prescribed. The thing I’m most thankful for is the fact that it is utterly tasteless. Now all I can do is wait a few days and see if that’s what the problem really was. Hope yours is clearing/cleared up nicely. 🙂
Close 🙂 . I was given a swish and spit called NYSTATIN.
Are any of you craving certain things? I’m not allowed dairy yet but I need chocolate so bad. When did you all start having more dairy? Why does ”all the ice cream you can eat” have to be such a cruel myth of false hope? :,(
Ok , now my white mucusy scabs have mostly dissolved and I have holes….this cannot be good ….
Um, just checked— pics my tonsils look most like are day 11….so that is a bit confusing.
The scabs are supposed to fall off. It’s one of those two steps forwards and one step back kind of things. Things will get better again. Everyone is intended to regress as such and you may need to go back to the softer foods you were eating a few days ago till the wounds heal again.
Mine did the same thing. That’s when I had my bleed. Just be easy. This is the time where bleeds occur but it’s also the time where things really start turning around. I had my bleed, and the next day, had I not been so worked up about it, that would have been my last day of pain/eating different than usual. Go easy a couple more days. You’re going to find yourself much better pretty soon. Just be careful about bleeding. Go easy on those wounds! They’re at that teenager stage. Anything you do might piss them off.
Sorry M, was excited-did not start a new post—
Another day, 🙂 . Today I started with a can of cream of chicken soup….drank a lot of water…weighed myself–now down 10 pounds … For dinner — one beef and bean microwaved burrito barely warm…and 4 gobs of peanut butter…liberally swamped with– yes you guessed it….water. I’ve taken 2 pills (200 mg) ibuprofen and some chloraseptic spray…Scabs still thick and burny/itchy….as usual…bad taste in mouth…good outlook on life 🙂 You can beat this people..
What day are u on Steve? I was warned to avoid ib profen for awhile because it could cause bleeding? Hopefully I can take some soon 🙁
On my 3rd day post surgery. Yesterday I called the doctor and he prescribed prednisone, a steroid, for me to take to help me. I’m very health conscious. He didn’t go into detail about what the steroid will do for me if I take it. Any of you taking the steroid during recovery? Any thoughts?
Steroids reduce swelling. They tend to lower your immune system, though, so make sure you’re inside and everyone is washing their hands. They tend to make you hungry, and can cause you to retain water, and have a puffy face. Some people get easily angered while on them too. Just things to look out for. It will help your swelling, though, and I’m sure they won’t keep you on them long.
I was given prednisone the last time I had bad tonsillitis, and I can tell you it really does work wonders with the swelling. Personally, i experienced no side effects (that I noticed) and i would recomend it to anyone. I hope it works as well for you too!
I can verify this… i was given prednisone as well … well, a form of it here anyway, and it changed me DRASTICALLY within 24hours (busy with bad case of tonsilitis). Was literally the last thing the doc could give me before admission and possible emergency removal o.O Doc was quite wary of giving them to me at first hey, but it had to be done, my throat was almost closed :/ (and the sounds coming out of my throat while sleeping were like that of an axe murderer) – not cool. Date set for tonsillectomy – 27 Feb. Eek.
Good luck to everybody – and noted … no beer – poor Steve 😛
I’m having the hardest time explaining my pain to my friends and family who have not had tonsillectomies. They try to compare it to wisdom teeth but I just don’t agree. Can you guys please help describe your tonsillectomy pain in the best words you can think of? It’s so excruciating that its hard to put the pain into words. PLEASE HELP!
It’s like passing kidney stones— only the pain never goes away…and since it’s in your throat– there is literally no way to rest or ease the pain…every breathe and every swallow flexes the wound…24/7 burning/itching agony…how’s that 🙂 . ?