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 am 20 and on day five after surgery. I feel like I am in hell. Right after surgery I had no pain at all. Up until day two I thought it was going to be a breeze! Today I had to go get new medication from my doctor because the pain is not dissipating. I am now on morphine and anti nausea drugs. I am also allergic to fructose so ice cream/popcicles are really an option for me. I am wondering how long this pain is going to last? I think I can feel something in the back of my throat….could it be the scabs? Someone help me as this has become unbearable 🙁
Hey Carly! I’m sorry things aren’t going so well right now. Although you aren’t able to really do ice cream/Popsicles because of the fructose, I would try the next best thing: Crushed/shaved ice. If you don’t have a snow cone maker, I would go get one if you can. Although there won’t be any taste unless you can find something without fructose to put on it, it will be nice and cold, and therefore help out with the pain and whatnot. As for the feeling stuff in the back of your throat, it probably is just the scabs. I myself would every so often feel something funky in my throat, especially I drank room temperature water and it feels really funky and annoying.
Hello Carly, mine were out on the 4th and I know exactly what your saying. Drink twice the water you think you need, use ice chips,chloraseptic spray and Dentine Ice gum. If your throat really hurts, then drink your food for another day— chicken broth,protein drinks–most juices burn.Try and not speak–pretend your three and point or get a notepad . 🙂 Time is on your side, hold on your almost there….
I am Female 21 and on day 6 and it hasn’t been too bad, mornings are a little tougher but i find the best thing to eat a bit of toast and take pain killers then it eases off, the surgeon said eat anything, and toast is good to push any other foods away so it doesn’t cause infection. So far i have eaten more than i do on a regular day- i’ve eaten toast, cereal, normal gravy dinners, fish pie, curry! biscuits, chocolate, sausages (frank furters) jelly fruit pots, mac donalds pasta pizza and much more, few things with tomato in sting more than others and chocolate but some days it won’t. I found today the hardest as it feels more like a bruise and a bit of ear pain but it could be worse! just grit and bare the first time you eat and then it becomes easier. Eat eat eat drink drink drink
Are you able to return to work by now? I’m 21 and need this surgery so bad!! I’m worried about time off from my new job 🙁
I am almost 54 weeks post-surgery. Meant to post at the one year mark but life got in the way and I forgot. I have had a great year throat wise! No pain, no awful tonsil stones, no throat related illness. The pain of surgery is a vague memory–at the time I thought I would never forget it. For me the three BEST tools were LIQUIDS, LIQUIDS, LIQUIDS — hot or cold or room temperature what ever feels the best, a spray bottle to spray my throat before speaking especially after sleeping or not talking in a while–basically any time my throat felt dry, and a humidifier. Many blessings and prayers for all of you who are in the throws of recovery or planning for your surgery. There is a great life after recovery!!!
All these posts give me mixed feelings about the upcoming op … But its mentally preparing me for possible outcomes, so I’m very much appreciative to each and every one of you. Will clock in with my day by day pain ratios when D-day happens. Eek.
TAM I MISSED YOU 🙂
Ahahahahaha aww shiyucks! (I have this Goofy problem! :P) My D-Day is still a while, as I have to have a month of healthiness before going in and being “clamped and yanked”. Egad. So, i’m literally counting down the days til the 27th Feb.
But hey, at least I can TALK and EAT now (post apocalyptic tonsilitis (cos seriously that’s what it felt like)) – two of my favourite things in the whole wide world ahaha.
Lol nice.
It will be two weeks on wed… Able to eat but have to chew forever and have to have a glass of water near by.. throat is still slightly sore and it drys out through the night and day..cant yawn yet, hurts like hell and feels like my throat is going to rip apart..still talk a little funny too