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
So I went to my post op appointment today. Not impressed. I have been given more antibiotics because the first bunch wasn’t enough. I was hoping I would be back to close to normal in a few days but the doctor thinks that I will take the full 3-4 weeks to be back to normal because my tonsils were so big! Which means I’m only half way through the recovery now. =[ at least most of the pain is gone =]
I did learn something else, the doctor told me generally the people with the really large tonsils have the uvula problem. he said why but I can’t remember.
First day back at uni today and it sucked I was only there for 3 hours and I was absolutely buggered after woods. Im hoping it the lack of food going in that’s giving me the no energy and that I can start eating properly soon. Tonight I’m going to be trying rice with tender chicken.
Here’s hoping I can get through more then a few mouthfuls.
Danielle, why did you get put on more antibiotics? I was reading your post from the other day and you said you thought your healing was going really well. Did you have an infection and they don’t feel it’s resolved? I know it’s incredibly frustrating but try to give yourself the rest and time you need to heal. Each of us heals differently. I’m on day 13 and still have pain (especially after eating anything remotely rough). Other have reported being pain free by day 12. We each have our own healing path – I know you need to get back to your studies, but I hope you’ll be able to still get plenty of rest when you’re not in class. Hang in there…..it’ll get a little better every day!
Hey Beth, my doc gave me more antibiotics to speed up the healing proccess as I have run out of the last lost he gave me. He reassured me that I was healing nicely and that they were just because mt throat isn’t completely healed.
Unfortunatley rest is not an option for me, this week is all go. I start back at work today as well. I have lots of studying to do and I have prac at a school as well ( which is tiering normally) lol. I’ll just have to rest at nights and on the weekends it’s the only choice I have really.
I as just kind of hoping for better news from the dr as I’m only 20 and every one say age makes a difference I expected him to tell me I’d me bright eyed and bushy tailed in a few days but he said my tonsils were so large that it would take me the full time to recover.
Day 10.
I check in my throat all the time to see how the proccess is going and it looks about 80% healed =] I’m not in any pain unless I swallow, yawn, cough or after I eat. Thank goodness because it’s back to uni today for me. I had my first decent sleep last night I thin my uvula is finally getting less and less swollen.
I still can’t manage to eat much at all and it still has to bs soft foods which is getting irritating, I think the more irritating thing actually is the drinking. I just want to be able to skull back a glass of water in the morning and have a fizzy drink during the day wonder when I will be able to do that. Also from the lack of eating I have lost 5.6 kilos!
I have my first post op appointment today and am going to be asking my doc when he thinks I will be able to start drinking and eating again.
Hope everyone is doing well
Happy healing xo
You’ll get there. Hang tough pardner. 😉
Thanks =]
I love the green tea frappucinos from Starbucks.
This made me giggle, I’ve only ever starbucks in Bali. We don’t have it here in Australia =]
Beth, I wake up each morning hoping I can swallow…I keep getting disappointed. I have lost 20 lbs, and I have a lot more I could lose, but there are a lot of things for me to eat. Whole Foods have a lot of soups like their red lentil curry, its delicious. I have instant breakfasts, they are good. Plenty to keep me from getting too hungry. I would love to bite into a cheeseburger or ribs or chicken wings. I am seeing the surgeon May 1st. I will update you.
Trish, I’m glad you have those soups from Whole Foods…what about Ensure or Slimfast? Ensure actually has a new drink that is designed to preserve muscle and aid in rebuilding strength – called Ensure Clinical Strength. I think it has extra amino acids which are the building blocks of protein. I have been taking an amino acid supplement since about 2 weeks before surgery. And making protein shakes from my Optimum Whey protein powder. I think getting a LOT of protein is crucial for healing. I’ve tried to get at least 60 grams a day or so.
I hope all goes well with your appt and that you get some solid answers from the doctor. I’m praying for you Trish. 🙂
Beth, I think that guy is a stalker, jealous that he is not a member of our club. “the tonsilnauts!