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
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Hi Guys! Day 9 here woot woot! I am still losing weight YIPPY down 14 lbs. It’s like I am losing a pound a day. I was worried yesterday because I really ate a lot. Eggs on toast, macarroni and hot dogs and tried to eat a cheesburger but it hit a place going down where I had just lost a scab and boy was that some serious PAIN. Made my body shake. So I stopped right there and had juice instead. My girlfriend is coming over today at 4 with her kids and bringing pina colada stuff. I will have to stop my pain pills around noon so that I can have one of those. Then we are all going out for mexican food. Soooo, not a good choise but I figure I can try their soup or just have some beans. How’s everyone else doing today? I slept 7 hrs wihtout a pain med and woke up feeling good! So glad this is all over.
Holly, how was your first day back at work? How was your weekend and how are you feeling?
Marla, I’m so glad to hear that you feel fully recovered! :-). It must feel fantastic to be pain free and breathing better and I’m glad for you that you can now sleep lying down! You went through more than many of us having the turbinate surgery too so kudos to you. Thank you for all the advice and support you’ve posted here, it’s helped me do much. Hug!
6 weeks post-op today (44 year old female) and I can honestly say that I totally feel like myself again. I had turbinate reduction as well as the tonsillectomy. I’d say it was somewhere between 4-5 weeks when my throat, tongue, sinuses, and energy level returned to normal. And I can sleep flat. Yay! The reason for my surgery was very large tonsils and turbinates that I believe were obstructing my airway. I’ve snored like a freight train my entire life. When I swallow now, I don’t feel like I’m swallowing these huge lumps and feeling pain in my neck. I no longer have sinus pressure and headaches when I breathe. Those first 10-14 days are horrible, but it is a small blip on the radar for a better quality of life. I’d do it again in an instant!
Beth, I had to laugh about you sweating during a light 15 min workout. I was the same way at first. I don’t sweat that much and I was sweating in the first few min of my workout. I thinks it’s the toxins and drugs sweating out of our systems. I just passed the 4 week mark and feel “normal” again. I road biked last night and ran on the treadmill today. Much easier to wake up in the mornings too.
Holly, so glad the steroids are helping you. Try not to push yourself to hard, your body is still healing. You still have 2 more days to go before you hit the 10 day mark which I think is a pretty important day. Not to say that you can’t bleed after 10 days but the 6-10 day mark are when your scabs come off and you don’t want to have problems when they do. good luck.
Beth, so glad you’re out of the woods and feeling much better.
Deide, thank you. Yes, I think the increased sweating is that (getting off meds) and also being off my workout routine for 2 weeks. It’s amazing how you have to build back up again after only being off for two weeks. 🙁 I’m glad you are doing great and back to your normal routine. It must feel so good! 🙂