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
Guys, Guys… I have just undergone this very invasive surgery and am swiftly starting to realise that many people are just not able to take pain. I have a theory about pain management and have this demonstrated to me every week whilst training Kung Fu. Some wince at the smallest of knocks, where as others will happily get a smack in the nose for the love of their sport and brush it off as though it is something they must accept to do what they want or should I say, need to do. Either way, the mind if a very powerful thing and it there is no denying that it all helps with pain control and tolerance levels. So, more to the point… I had my surgery last Wednesday afternoon (27th) and came out of recovery around 3.30pm. By 5pm I was eating Macaroni and Cheese, two slices of toast with Marmalade, Digestive Biscuits, a cup of warm milk, warm Tea and two jugs of water! I was encouraged to eat as much as I can and to not make myself sick. yes, it hurt for sure and I knew it would get worse, but I also knew I had to persist through the pain and ultimately the food would be very good for me and help me heal – rather than have nothing in my gut apart from pain meds, little nutrition to help repair damaged tissue and not enough natural hydration.
I continued to drink water every 20 minutes and eat something solid requiring chewing with a warm drink, every hour or two!
Every night, mid afternoon and morning I rinsed with Corsodyl Mouth Wash and Oraldene alternating between the two! Oraldene is brilliant for Sore Throat and is Anti Bacterial and the Corsodyl is something they give you when you have teeth taken out, need to manage sore gums or even control Oral Thrush or Mouth Ulcers! Stings, but great for you….
I can safely say that I did not stop this routine for Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Only on Sunday and Monday did I go a little easier as I knew my scabs started to come away and the pain was peaking – even then, I kept eating what I could, as often as I could knowing it was for the best despite the clawing / scratching sensation in my throat. It is now Tuesday and I am feeling quite well overall. Yes, it hurts a little, but taking my pain meds and I firmly believe I am over the dreaded hill that is supposed to come and stay between days 6 and 9 before you start to feel better!
TIPS: Stay fit, train hard, keep focussed and force yourself to eat, drink and chew constantly. The activity makes the muscles work, which makes the blood circulate better and encourages healing faster!
Eat anything you can manage, and I mean anything you can manage safely. Don’t eat crisps if you will complain about the salt… but if chewed and swallowed with a drink, they are fine. In fact, anything salty will help if you are keeping hydrated anyway, as the salt is a natural wound healer and steriliser!
I haven’t had smelly breath, nor have I not been able to brush my teeth or walk around and do pretty much what I wanted. I did everything and did not stay in bed at all apart from when I went to sleep at night time. I propped up pillows and slept in my dressing gown, upright with a flight pillow around my neck to support me and vicks vapour rub on my throat to help soothe it and assist my breathing.
Easy! 🙂 Stop worrying and act as normal as possible. I am 40 years old by the way and this is supposed to be the really bad age to have it done – apparently!
Thanks! Im scheduled for mine on April 25th. Kind of nervous, but determined to fight through the recovery. Your post and tips are good to know. Thnx.
Hi there,
Had a tonsilectomy, and am now on my 5th day of recovery….. Thought I would be getting better, the pain is actually worse now…. Hurts so much to talk and swallow, and my ears ache like crazy today.. Ive got worse since ate proper meal last night…… I thought i had a high pain tolerance as well…. Decided best place to be is in bed, so im away from people (so cant talk), and can drift in and out of sleep…..
Am on medication, and not sure if they are tiring me out as well…… I sufferred badly with tonsiliths and food was getting stuck behind my right tonsil as well and i kept getting infections…. Hopefully when the pain of having my tonsils out has gone, I will feel its been worth it.
I had my tonsils removed on monday… My voice sounds terrible, but all in all, it will change back to normal in a couple more days of healing. Happy Tonsillectomies!!! :/
Hey guys! It’s my day 5 recovery. I was doing excellent… Until today… I woke up with excruciating pain! I took my pain meds, and went back to sleep…
I found that buying fresh seedless watermelon, and cutting it up to small bits, then putting it in the fridge for about an hour to get cool, helps a lot! My swelling went down almost instantly! It’s easy to chew and even easier to get down since its basically just water! It’s amazing.
I have been drinking lots of water and ice chips.