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
We’re the nurses calling you robby ? If they were I was the one sat to your right reading the small mag. The saddest thing is wishing the hours by for the next lot of pain killers. I’ve painted my nails 3 times in the past two days I’m that bored.
Haha Bobby actually. A lot get it wrong and assume I’m a Robert though, so its possible it was that too. But yes that was me hehe, you must have been in just before me. 🙂
And yeah I get what you mean, the painkillers help at least.
Lol aww at painting your nails constantly. I’ve just been laid on my settee playing with my phone, sleeping when I can and trying not to puke heh. Almost a week now and I’m no better. 🙁 Supposed to be back at work on the 4th too but that’s not going to happen if I’m still like this, I can’t even use my PC as I feel sick if I sit and the keyboard hurts my ears.
How are you getting on?
Still bad today. Day 8 – this sucks. I was just reading about the girl with pain after 3 weeks – does this ever end!
I have a tickly throat and a bit of a cough which is making me paranoid about infection.
Is the snow still bad in Doncaster I’m over in Rotherham?
Wow three weeks? :/
And yeah I’m pretty sore today too rather than just hurting.
I had a bit of a tickly cough for a couple of days, wasn’t sure whether it was my uvula blocking my airway or I swallowed a scab or something, I think its gone now though. Don’t be too paranoid unless it gets worse or doesn’t go after a few days, you probably have a lot of crap in your chest right now.
I wouldn’t know tbh as I’m from near Rotherham myself, Rawmarsh here, just outside of it. 🙂 Can’t really look but I think its still bad here, which is crap since I won’t be able to get to Donny for if they want me to go back in before giving me those steroids :/
You must discipline youself for the first week.You Must eat+drink, take antibiotics, and gargle throat with benzynamite solution as required. You must clean your throat by eating and drinking, thats why the worst times are the mornings and nights. If you dont do these simple steps as required, result will extend your recovery time….
32. I’m an oldy for this op. mine was just before that I remember coming around and seeing the clock say 4pm. They kept me in until Friday cause of my temperature. It’s so painful, my throat feels like it has lumps stuck at the back. I’m gonna check my uvula again. Try and eat toast it will make sure the meds don’t make you sick. Also a hot water bottle is amazing pain relief for ears and jaw.
Ahh, ouch yes I bet its bad for you then. You’ll have probs been in there the same time as me since I arrived at 12:30 in the admission theatre. I was the young guy looking at the cute girl with pigtails and glasses hehe. :3
They kicked me out at like 12 ish or earlier on Thursday, despite me not being able to eat or stop puking!
Yes I’m just nibbling a bit of toast now and then. This stupid uvula litterally hanging down my throat has really taken me out though, I gag and feel sick If I as much as stand. 🙁
The doc looked at me while I was in there but said I’d heal naturally, its still the same though, bah. If its no bettwr tomorrow I’ll ring them again as it will have literally been a week I’ll have been confined to this settee. Not looking forward to trailing all the way back in to Donny though if I have to, pff.
So I had my tonsils removed on the 18th and the day I came home from the hospital things were okay, just a little discomfort. Day two, things get so much worse, and the bottom of my face swells up. EXTREMELY PAINFUL. It feels like I gave birth out of my mouth. Day three (yesterday) I had to go to the hospital because I needed stronger medication and they ended up giving me steroids. So I took it and almost all the swelling went down and ear pain went away. so the pain wasn’t that bad. But today I woke up and it’s back to horrible. But I won’t have tonsillitis anymore after this!!!! I just can’t wait until this is over..
My surgery was Jan 16, 2012. I am 18
I met with my surgeon, nurse, and anesthesiologist. The put my IV in long before sending me into surgery. I walked into the operating room and went to sleep! I woke up to the nurses basically screaming my name(what it felt like) to wake me up. I awoke a little sore but not too bad- they gave me lortab and things got even better. They then took me to the next room so my parents could come visit me.I then began to notice my surroundings and noticed that my spit was in fact, glue. I swallowed it the best I could but had to spit much out because it was too hard. The next while was reallly ok, I just kept sipping ice water and could even talk to my parents! About 5 hours after being admitted into surgery, they let me go.home! The drive home was traumatic. Lortab messes with my depth perception and makes a simple car ride feel like the most intense rollercoaster!
After getting home, my mom stationed me near her room so she could keep a closer eye on me. I had to pee every 20-30 minutes. She told me I needed to stop getting up and stay put.
I was shocked when I took a flashlight and looked back there for the first time, to find most of my throat was green/yellow!
My eating list consisted of slurpees, ice water, and pancakes (without anything but butter on them)
Pain wise, it hasn’t been that bad for me. As long as I take my lortab, swallowing hasn’t hurt at all. Until today- day 7. I woke up at 4:45 am with the most stinging sharp pain in my throat. I took my lortab and headed to the bathroom with my flashlight. I looked back there and there wasn’t any more green/yellow. Now it was all dark blood red. I was freaking out, and I asked my mom to come have a look. She said it looked normal. I guess I didn’t realize the green/yellow wasn’t going to stay forever! So my lortab has kicked in and its not so bad except a little pain when swallowing
I had my tonsillectomy yesterday at 2:30pm. I woke up from surgery very upset because it hurt so bad. When I got home I started drinking ice water like crazy. I am very lucky that I have a great ENT and family. My boyfriend of 14 yrs has gotten up every 3 hrs to give me my much needed doses of morphine. Poor guy has to work today and he is so tired.
I took advice from someone on tonsillectomy recover, and tried eating pudding, it was like heaven it coats the tonsil beds and stays cool for a long time. Allowing for a lot of comfort. I did not get much sleep last night, I felt like I was choking everytime I fell asleep sitting up even.
I want to thank Greg for making this website, and his advice which I have been using. I also want to thank everyone that has posted here for letting me know what to expect.