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
It is a good weigh loss program.
I am feeling AMAZING today! I just looked at the clock and I was 30 minutes late taking my pain pill. I just ate a small bowl of macaroni and cheese with hot dogs…my 3 yr olds favorite and it was GOOD! I have like a ton of energy after eating that. Like almost too much energy…..Myabe it’s the pain pill mixed with the food? I used to take my pain pill right after I ate because eating KILLED my throat. Now THANKS TO MARY I take the pain pill first and then eat. Boy did I hog down. And I texted my husband to bring me home a small mocha frapucino and he said he would. I will probably gain a pound today. 🙁 I am trying to get caffeined up so I can get this house in order. It’s really a mess. I cleaned the hamster cage and the bird cage and cleaned the kitchen. I need to catch up on laundry and sweep and mop and I will feel content. I can’t believe that just yesterday I felt like I was on my death bed. Those steroids are amazing! She gave me 10 of them and I take them twice a day.
How is everyone else doing today. How was work Beth? Didn’t you go back?
I am so glad I am on the up-slope!
Hey guys….Day 7 4o yr old female. Today I had a little mental breakdown of sorts. I have been in so much pain and last night even the percocet was not making a dent in the pain. I was waking up in excruciating pain every 2 hrs or so and I wasn’t writing down when I was taking what and I think I may have taken too many percocets because when I woke up again in pain at 7:20 am my stomach was churning and my throat was just on fire. Even my teeth, jaw, ears, lips the whole surrounding area was just Un-Godly pain. I popped another pill and was just bawling. My husband woke up and I couldn;t even talk the pain was so bad so I texted him that I was basically dying of pain and wanted to go to the ER. He was not sympathetic and told me to drink some juice. So I texted my ENT and told her the whole thing and she told me to come right in. I threw up while trying to get out the door, I threw up on the side of the road 3 times trying to get there and when we got there I was so weak I could barely walk. She met me in the waiting room and I just exploded in tears. She looked at my throat and told me everything looked fine and like it was healing like it should. She gave me steroids and anti nausea stull and told me to only take the percocet every 4 hrs no matter what and to write it down each time. She gave me a steroid pill right there in her office and a script for them as well. I am feeling a TON better now. I almost think the throwing up helped get the scabs and bacteria out of the back of my throat. I am sure the steriods had a lot to do with it too. I came home and ate a tiny bowl of macaroni and I am hoping for a pancake from I-hop for dinner. I have about 40 minutes to nap before the kids get home so I better go grab it while I can.
Sounds like everyone is doing well and having their follow ups. Mine is May 3rd on my lunch hr and I am sure it will be good. I am turning a corner now it seems. We will see about tonight. Night time is when the pain gets so intense.
Holly, glad you’re feeling better and I’m sure the steroid, reducing the swelling, is helping tremendously. Hopefully in just a couple of days you will be past that nasty bad window and onto a much more comfortable state. I’m really sorry it has been rough these past few days but you’re hanging in there! Good for you for contacting you ENT and taking charge of the situation. She sounds like a very good doctor and one who really listens – something so important when going through this recovery.
How are you doing today?
Hi Beth: I am doing really good. I went 7 hrs without a pain pill last night. I wrote it down this time. One thing that I think I did to totally jack up the healing process was I took benedryl like every night several times so I could sleep. When I told my ENT that her eyes got real big. She was like DO NOT DO THAT! She said the benedrly drys everything up and thats the last thing I want happening right now. So no more Benedrlys for me and I was able to sleep just fine last night without them. I am cleabing today and actually had a few bites of egg on toast soaked in hot milk of course. I have lost 13 lbs and I am happy about that. Going to research this new diet I am starting to make sure I keep it off and lose even more. I have so much energy today I kept my 3 yr old from preschool and we are sitting here watching Max and Ruby and having a good old time. So Day 8 for me is a major turn around in the right direction. Thank God because I could not take it anymore! That was quite a journey. I was really surprised by how awful the pain is. I recommend that all you guys ask for the predisone! I don’t knwo why she didn’t give that to me in the beginning. It must be bad for some reason I guess but for me it was a life saver.
Holly, I’m SO glad you’re having a better day. Yep, steroids’ll do that! I think the reason most doctors don’t prescribe them routinely is that they can impede the healing process and unless you really have to have them, they prefer not to give them. I had asked my ENT and he said they do not routinely prescribe them for this reason and that most won’t need them- I asked because I was terrified I would be so swollen and wanted to have a prescription for them just in case but he just said to call right away if I was having problems. Luckily I didn’t need to.
I’m glad that you asked for help and I’m glad your ENT was so receptive. You are probably only on them for a few days, correct? It must be very nice to get that reprieve! I have heard mixed things about the Benadryl – yes it is VERY drying and could make you dried out but I’ve also read that, in small doses, it can amplify the affects of the pain meds and provide greater relief (?). I found, at least in the first week, that the Percocet alone was strong enough to make me very, very sleepy.
Eat, eat, eat now that you can. I know you’re trying to keep weight off but your body needs lots of protein and nutrients for the healing. Ensure or Slimfast or a protein shake made from powder? The eggs are great too. 🙂
Have a great rest of your day and I hope the night is wonderful and much less pain for you. 🙂
Beth, Thanks for thinking of me. I am back in bed with sore throat & coughing, fever and congestion. This is what happens when you go back to work before your body is ready. I actually took care of a couple of sick patients on Friday. I guess u caught what they had! I guess I was too worn down and caught something. Must be a virus….I am already on antibiotics. Take it from me, don’t go back to work until you are really ready.
I’m so sorry Trish, you can’t catch a break! I really hope the virus passes quickly and you’re feeling better really soon!! 🙂
I also had my post-op appointment yesterday, and my ENT said that everything was great. All scabs are gone, and I’m 90% healed, and can eat/exercise with no restrictions. I’ve been doing that anyway, but it was nice to hear 🙂
He did comment that it was VERY unusual for someone to be so far along with healing after 2 weeks, and he was surprised that I never experienced any big discomfort. He even admitted to me that he was worried I was going to have a really tough time because my tonsils were so huge (he said they were the 3rd biggest he’s seen in his 30 years practiciing – lol). I’m glad he didn’t tell me that BEFORE my surgery, or I may have chickened out!
Oh, and this morning I went back to my bootcamp class, and we had a ridiculously tough workout and I felt ok, so I think my energy levels are getting back to where they should be.
One thing I noticed is despite being mostly healed, and pain-free, I still feel the need to constantly drink water. Before the surgery, I almost NEVER drank water throughout the day and it never bothered me. Now, if I go more than 20 minutes without taking a sip my throat feels “sticky”. I wonder if this is a permanent side effect, or if it will go away. I guess it’s a good thing because drinking water is good for you!
Hope everyone is feeling well today. Beth – I’m glad to hear your post-op appointment also went well. It sounds annoying (and a little gross – sorry) to have food constantly stuck back there, so I’m glad that’s something that will go away. For some reason I haven’t had that problem. I definitely have pits, but nothing has gotten stuck.
Holly – how are you feeling today? I’m glad you got the med situation straightened out. I thought I saw in one of your posts that you wait until right before taking your medicine to eat. You might want to try waiting a half hour to an hour AFTER your medicine to eat. That is when you should be in the least amount of pain and can tolerate food that’s a little more solid. Just a thought. Hope your pain has been manageable today.
Wow Mary! You really are super woman! I guess you will be running that race then? Good luck and so glad to hear of a very uncomplicated and ‘good’ recovery story. Glad you had a great post op visit and are green lighted for everything. 🙂