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
Has anyone lost their taste? I didn’t know this was a side effect I’m 13 days post surgery
I had my surgery on Wednesday, August 7th. Due to breastfeeding I cannot take the pain medications, Abram trying to deal with the pain, with only Tylenol. I am able to eat soft foods, but only once a day, as it is very painful. Cold foods are not helping much, and the broth I have been drinking only helps when it is really hot. Any tips? I have to e at, for my daughter, but it is really really hard. Also any tips to help me sleep?
You should not be having anything at a hot temperature that can promote bleeding. It should say that on the post-op instructions you got from the hospital. Try jello, instant pudding, or the microwavable cups of mac&cheese.
You can take Tylenol with codeine when breast feeding. Check with your Dr. Angel hair pasta with butter seemed to go down easy.
I had my surgery on Monday in the late afternoon. I am 35 y.o female with 3 children and a career. Not to mention a student as well. I thought I was doing okay, until last night. I had a rough night of pain. I tried to go an entire day without pain meds (and just use Aleve) but did decided to take the prescribed pain meds at bed time to help me sleep. I still woke up in the worst pain I have had since I have been home. Usually the pain was only when I swallow, but this pain was constant, starting at my ears all the way down my throat. I was planning to go back to work on Monday and I just don’t think that is possible. I can see that some of the scabs are gone and there is a lot of redness. Is the pain worse when the scabs/white coating comes off?
My 18 yo son is on day 9 of his recovery from a tonsillectomy. Please tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel! He was making some progress the past 2 days eating soft foods (noodles, cottage cheese) and was fine but seemed to have a relapse last night. I think maybe his scabs may be coming off as he was spitting out some blood and in extreme pain. I had him gargle with ice water and chew some ice chips which seemed to help. When I looked in his throat there are still large white scabs back there-they don’t seem to be shrinking! I can’t convince him to sip on water. He is still taking hydrocod-acetamin plus liquid motrin to help relieve the pain.I think he’s getting depressed-very tired and in pain. He has to leave for his freshman year of college in 12 days and I am hoping he is healed by then. It seems like this is the never ending story….any suggestions or words of encouragement are welcome.
Well I’m 21 and when i had some blood comming up i needed my stomach pumped because it was all building up black blood in there, I would have him get checked out.
Following up from my post on August 7 (8.13am) things took a turn for the worst for. That evening, I was lying in bed at around 11pm and suddently was aware of a flow of warm liquid down my throat. I got up and went to the bathroom and spat out a mouthful of blood. The blood kept coming at an alarming rate. My wife phoned 999 (i.e. 911) immediately and got some ice in a towelw which i put round my neck to cool the tonsil beds down. The blood kept flowing at a frightening rate and I was very scared as I sat waiting for the ambulance. It took about 10 minutes to arrive and I was rushed to hospital. I was put on a drip as my blood pressure plummeted to 70/30 (I had gone into shock). After being stabilised i was taken to ENT dept and kept in for 36 hours until I was let out again yesterday. On doing some research of my own it seems I was in a very dangerous situation and was lucky to get treated within 30 minutes of the haemorrhage occurring. Last nigth (after being released from hospital) I was very worried it would happen again, but it is now 1.22 pm here in scotland and I am feeling not too bad. The pain in the tonsil beds is still bad though. It seems there is something like a 5% chance of having a bleeding episode after the tonsillectomy, but if it does happen it is important to dial 911 straight away as the blood loss can result in shock which if not treated quickly can lead to cardiac arrest. I am slightly traumatised by the events of wednesday night but still don;t regret getting the operation.