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
If antibiotics helped you to heal the i would me fully healed 10 X over! I have been on at least 4 different antibiotics!
I hate auto correct! I need to proof read better!
Trish, I hope your infection is resolving? Thinking of you! 🙂
Danielle, if you don’t have an infection, how do antibiotics help you heal faster?
I agree Marla….I don’t get that. My doctor did not prescribe them after the surgery and said he would only do if an obvious infection began. He’s pretty conservative with their use. I was glad not to have to take them!
Beth, Thank you for your prayers. I am glad you are doing well. I will keep ib touch. Am keeping up to date on everyone’s progress. God Bless!
Recovery Day 13 – I feel a little better every day. Did a lot of housework today and though it did tire me, it was a good kind of tired. Kind of like a light-medium workout. And the stuff needed desperately to get done so the sense of accomplishment felt good too.
Question for those past the 2 or 3 week mark….I’ve noticed after I eat, especially if it’s something a little rough or with a rougher texture, that my throat feels sore/inflamed afterwards. I’m assuming this is normal since the skin and tissue is still healing and anything that is causing friction against it is going to aggravate. Does anyone know when this stops? I’m not expecting miracles, just curious. I had some Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal (one of my favs) for breakfast. I tried to let is soak in the milk for about 20 min before eating it but it stays pretty crunchy in texture. After I finished the bowl (having chewed really well) my throat was definitely flared up and aggravated.
Also, I am finding with mushy foods like mac-n-cheese, the stuff gets packed into the empty tonsil pits. I’ve been gently getting it out with a q-tip though I should probably be leaving well enough alone. I imagine if I just let it be, that through drinking and swallowing over the ensuing hours, it would dislodge on its own. I can’t ‘feel’ it stuck in the pits, I just go and looks and can see there’s food there. Anyone else experience this?
Thanks for listening and I hope everyone has a nice Monday!
Beth, I stuck to soft foods until I got the green light at my 2-week post-op appt to resume normal activities. After the 2 weeks, I ate whatever I wanted, but it was still painful. I’d say 3-4 weeks until you can expect complete pain-free eating.
Thanks Marla – I am glad to know I’m not the only one who is almost at 2 weeks and still having discomfort. 🙂 I think I had read on another forum, quite a long time ago, the experience of a woman at or about our age. Her doctor said the bulk of healing would take place in the first 2-3 weeks but that ongoing, continued healing would still take place over the next few months. I think she was writing about 2 months post-op and was still experiencing some discomfort eating certain foods. I think we all heal in our own time is the lesson.
I go back to work tomorrow and hope I am not wiped out by the end of the day. I work in a very quiet environment so it actually much more low-key than me being at home in some ways (laugh!) as my work is sort of independent and does not necessarily involved a lot of interaction all the time. I’m hoping this works in my favor.
How are you doing Marla? How about you Holly, Becky, Deide and everyone else??
Hi Beth, so glad that you’re close to the 2 week mark. You’ve come a long way since your surgery day. I guess we all have to learn “patience” and let our bodies heal. I’m at the 4 week mark tomorrow and I’m still healing. I’m not in any pain or anything, just low energy in the early morning. Going to the gym at 7am is such a struggle for me. I am listening to my body and not going as much as I use to go. Hopefully I’ll be back to 5 days a week soon. So for those of you who can’t wait to get back to excersising, it does take a while, even if you have a perfect recovery like I did.
Hi, Beth! Congrats on hitting the 2-week milestone! Things can only get better from here! Like you have been saying, continue to be patient with yourself (and not to mention kind). This healing process is slow-going, but our being healthier after ridding our bodies of those nasty tonsils will pay off! A friend of mine, who had her tonsils out last year, said I probably won’t feel completely “normal” until 6 weeks post op. I have 3 weeks to go until then, so that’s something to work toward!
I am so glad that you have a low-key job. Even if your job doesn’t require much physical activity, you will feel mentally exhausted. My job is pretty fast-paced this time of year, plus I’m still catching up on my backlog, but everyone at work has been very understanding. In fact, last Friday my boss let me cut out 3 hours early because I was completely exhausted and not feeling well (I may have a sinus infection). (Of course I always feel guilty about leaving early, but then again I have put in my fair share of working from home and shouldn’t feel too badly.) Between home and work, my energy level crashes around 2 p.m. Actually today at 4 p.m., I accidentally dozed off for a moment while typing–COMPLETELY out of character for me. I startled myself when I almost fell out of my chair. I hope no one saw me. Hey, at least I can laugh about it now! 😉
Anyway, I should hit the sack. It’s 1:30 a.m. After rocking my 1.5-year-old back to sleep (after he woke from a night terror), I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I thought I’d write a quick note to you. I hope everyone else is doing well. Take care, everyone!
Becky, oh, I am sorry you were so tired you fell asleep like that, poor thing! I can only imagine doing your job and taking care of your little ones and still healing that you are exhausted by the end of each day. I give you a lot of credit for handling all that you are especially since you said your job is busy and you’re playing catch up all at the same time.
I think what your friend said about the 6 week mark makes sense. I have read on other forums that the bulk of the initial healing is done by around 2 weeks but that healing continues in a gradual and ongoing way. It would not surprise me if it took up to 2 months to feel fully back to oneself.
Thanks for sharing Becky and you’ve made a lot of people happy with your custard recipe!!
Deide, you deserve a lot of credit for working out at all right now so glad you are being easy with yourself. I work out around 4-5 days a week as well and haven’t even started back into any routine yet. So good for you that you have! I hope you find the morning tiredness improves a lot over the next couple of weeks. 🙂
Trish….wow 20 lbs! Im on day 5 and have lost 6 lbs! What day are you on? I am going to start right in on a diet as soon as I can start eating. Me and 2 of my friends are going to do the Body For Life Diet together. I can use this next week to plan and shop for it. So far the only thing I am eating is custard. That reminds me…I need to make another batch! Have you tried Becky’s custard recipe? Maybe I will order my husband to get me a green tea frappucino today. That mocha one I had two days ago felt so good going down. It numbed my whole throat.
Danielle: I think you are doing real well for day 10. I know what you mean about drinking. I wish I could just gulp down a water but I have to take slow sips one at a time or I gag. Thanks for the input on days 3 and 4 being the worst. It seems like with me it yesterday day 4 and today day 5. It’s the sleeping that gets it all started. I wake up at midnight, 2, 4 and 6 in absolute pain….even on pain meds my throat and ears are on FIRE. I have the ice pacs, humidifier and pain meds and I am still in horrible pain. Once I get up and around Im usually ok by about 9 am. I guess it’s the laying down or the mouth breathing that gets it going?
How’s everyone else doing today? I go back to work on Thursday. Im going to fold some clothes today, make another batch of custard and try talking my hubby into another frapucinno.
Holly, hang in there girl! I do think that the pain intensifies as the healing really kicks in. I liken it to how I feel a few days after a really strenuous workout. The pain is not instant and doesn’t always hit until about 48 hrs later (especially with heavy weight training). I think the first few days the body is kind of in shock and rallying all its resources to the site that needs healing. Once it gets its troops in order and everyone knows their job, then the work begins. 🙂
You’ve probably read on here, but for the ear pain, heat seems better than ice. I used a heating pad, alternating between ears and it really did help me. I’m sorry you’re having trouble swallowing larger amounts. I didn’t have that problem and, oddly, it felt better taking big gulps for me than taking small sips. Go figure.
Are you really going to be ready to go back to work Thursday? Please, if you don’t feel well enough, stay out and at least give yourself through this coming weekend. Unless there is something super pressing or urgent, you would only be missing 2 additional days of work. You want to give your body all the rest it needs. Be good and gentle with yourself Holly!
Hey holly,
Yeah that was the worst for me to, I feel sorry for my boyfriend because I woke up scream/crying a few times it was that bad =[ i think it’s the breathing though the mouth. Before my turbenectomy I couldn’t breathe through my nose and always had to breathe throughmy mouth and noormally I would wake up with a really dry throat. So I think it’s the same, except this time I can skull backs a glass of water and it be all okay. It will get better every day you just need to keep telling your self that.
Oh, Holly, I am so glad that the custard has given you some relief! It really is delicious, plus I love the fact that it goes down soooooo smoothly. I will tell my co-worker, Judy, that her mom’s recipe is being put to good use.
Hang in there, friend! You’re doing great! By this time next week, the pain should be more manageable, and you should be able to eat/drink more. Continue to be patient with yourself, stay hydrated and get plenty of rest. And for goodness sake, if you’re not feeling up to returning to work on Thursday, please don’t. Please don’t push yourself too hard too fast, as it could compromise your healing process. It’s easier said than done, I know, but please do be careful.
I’ll be thinking of you and sending you positive healing energy. Take care!