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
Hi Jacqueline! I feel the same way. Yesterday I was so tired I made a mental note to buy one of those energy drinks on my lunch hr today. It didn’t help that there was good tv on last night until 11pm. Real Housewives of New Jersey and Bethanny Ever After. I really should have just gone to bed. 🙂 I will pay for it today around 1. I have some vitamin B here at my desk that I have been taking but it doesn’t sem to be helping. My right ear still hurts and my ENT said it was still “retracted” and would heal soon. I took my last percocet yesterday when I got home from work. I still have vicoden so I will probably take some of that today when I get home. It’s a long hard road…that is for sure. Thank God I found this message board!
Today was my first day back at work. At first I felt great but by half way my shift I was getting super tired. I don’t feel much pain anymore unless I’m talking to much. I’m glad that I’m getting closer to being 100% good. If it wasn’t for this site I don’t think I would have made it. My ENT although he was very well recommended wasn’t much help. He wasn’t even there after my surgery. I want to thank you all so much especially Holly for being such great supporters. I don’t think I would have made it so well without reading all your great posts. I wish all the newbies, lol, a smooth recovery and I wish everyone the best that life can bring. Thank you all so much for everything 🙂
And I also wanted to thank Beth for all the wonderful advice and always caring so much about others 🙂
Jacqueline, thank you so much for your kind comment. Everyone here has helped me so much. I really feel for anyone having to go through this, and want to lend a supportive ear. I know others have made this comment and you are right – we have all got each other through this. I truly don’t know what I would have done without having everyone here to ‘talk’ to and vent with. 🙂
And I agree with you, I think most of the ENT’s don’t really prepare any of us for how bad it really can get. My ENT is a great guy and I’ve been ‘seeing’ him (LOL) for over 15 years but he told me I’d have a really bad throat for a few weeks. He did say it would be very rough but really did not go into a lot of specifics. It takes a site like this, where we can all share the nitty gritty of the experience, to help get through all this.
Jacqueline, I’m trying to remember if you are about a month out now in your healing? I think everyone has had that experience of going back to work and being wiped out. I work part time and still felt that way. I hope you’re getting plenty of rest and that you have some flexibility to possibly leave early on a given day if it is simply too exhausting.
Take care and I hope you continue to feel great as the summer rolls around! 🙂
I’m on my 3rd week. I don’t take the Percocet anymore and ever since I stopped my hands have gotten twitchy which I hope goes away soon. I work 8-5 mon-fri doing billing and collections for a doctors office. My job requires a heavy amount of talking and by 3pm I was not feeling so well. I hope after a week of getting back into my normal routine I will be fine.
Beth: MiraLAX is my secret remedy. Anytime I thought I was going to long I would take a dose of that and viola’ I would get some action. 🙂 Worked like a charm.
I do notice that today I am extermely tired. I wonder if it has somehting to do with my first day with no pain meds. I feel like I could lay down and instantly fall asleep. I would love a nap right now. I just took some vitamin B hoping that would perk me up a bit.
Holly, I was taking a stool softener AND Miralax and barely squeaking anything out (laugh!). I have a crazy stomach anyway so I guess, all in all, it was best that I stopped it. I’m glad you were able to combat that issue and be able to stay on the Percocet as it really is enormously helpful isn’t it? I still have half a bottle left! Yes, you may feel some mild transitional feelings being off the Percocet – I’ve read others reporting that. Just be gentle with yourself and get a very good night’s rest! 🙂
Michelle, Sorry you’re in so much pain. It doesn’t have to be that bad. Do call your ENT and see about getting some new drugs. Ask if you can take children’s ibuprofen too. Some doctors allow it and some do not. Mine did and it helped keep the swelling down. Are you icing your neck, sleeping with a humidifier and drinking water every 2 hours? Good luck and let us know what your Doc says.
Michelle: Call your ENT. There is no reason you should have to suffer. Ask for stronger pain meds. Are you still on the steriods? If not, ask for some of those too. My ENT gave me about 5 days worth of steriods on Day 7 and it was like a miracle drug. I just stopped taking my percocets yesterday Day 18. Do Ice on your neck and call your ENT ASAP. Tylonel is not going to cut it. I feel so bad for you. Day 4-8 were my absolute worst days! It does get better.