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
24h done of the 3 hour cycle and Amy isn’t wrong, it certainly lengthens the days. Feels like I’m a week in after a day. Antibiotics have taken the edge off the infection, but the basic swallowing pain is still there of course. Eating is nigh impossible, but hopefully tomorrow!
Has being able to hydrate more often helped in anyway? I think for me it helped take some the edge off the pain and helped add comfort, especially when I treated myself to warm tea. Some how warm feels better than cold, but understand the importance of ice water. Also I noticed taking the pain meds through the night also helped, did you notice this too?
Staggering the pain killers through the night has made a huge difference, yes. Also I know it definitely hurts more if I slow down on the drinking. The ice water actually hurts sometimes though so I’m going to give some green tea another go.
Hey green tea is what I’ve been drinking! 😛 well green tea with pomegranate anyhow. Let us know how that works out for you.
Try pears and peaches in light syrup– slides easy…applesauce is good also until you can eat solid foods…
I’m on day 8. My throat still feels bad and like someone took a hammer to the back of my tongue. I’m full of energy though. Every day I forced down a big 12 ounce glass of pure carrot and kale juice that I made in a juicer. I was determined to keep my nutrition up so forced it down no matter how I felt. Most days not having much of anything else to eat. I’m down 10 pounds and other than my throat, I feel great. I’m waiting to turn the corner because I have to go back to work next Monday. Other than the immense pain I’m enjoying the time off. I live in south Florida where it’s warm and humid so being outside on a beautiful day takes the edge off.
My favorite item is a bucket to spit in by my bed ! It is a necessary thing to have ! im going to try the toast today im not going to lie imma lil scared my throat hurts on day 8 including the day of the surgery and it is still crappy but about 20 mins after i take my pain meds im able to some yogurt or something down including my fluids. i love this site because i have read so many situations that are almost exactly like mine it is definilty making me feel better and less alone in this whole process which has been the most painful of my life . i have new appreciation of food thats for sure
This is taken from Rxlist——-on lortab elixir——does state most people are not affected—-then read down and you see this…..it can be addictive to some…..notice the after a few days statement and you can see why my nurse was happy i got off it……its a drug people……be careful on it……….Physical dependence, the condition in which continued administration of the drug is required to prevent the appearance of a withdrawal syndrome, assumes clinically significant proportions only after several weeks of continued narcotic use, although some mild degree of physical dependence may develop after a few days of narcotic therapy. Tolerance, in which increasingly large doses are required in order to produce the same degree of analgesia, is manifested initially by a shortened duration of analgesic effect, and subsequently by decreases in the intensity of analgesia. The rate of development of tolerance varies among patients.
Thanks for the tips guys, just looked in my throat and wasn’t at all expected to see what I saw haha, was absolutely vile. What are the thoughts on stuff like listerine or mouthwash? Is that something that would be recommended or would it make it worse by probably drying it out?
I’m guessing water and salt is always a good idea, I just feel like my throat is getting more and more clogged with gunk that doesn’t seem to be going anywhere!
I don’t think I’ve heard anything saying definitely avoid mouthwash, but if you do decide to use it, you might want to go with the alcohol-free kind. Otherwise I have a serious feeling it’s going to hurt like hell.