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
Having mine out 8/1..
Best of luck Brittany!! I’m 2 days after you. Maybe you can update as you go. If you don’t mind are you in the “adult” range? As the younger folks seem to have an easier time with this.
Hi Brittany, how are you making out?
My surgery is on Friday 8/3. I’m a little nervous about the recovery but I’ve prepared with a lot of the suggestions many of you have given. I have a case of water, cool mist humidifier, book of puzzles, charging up my Nook, stool softeners, etc. If anyone can think of anything else I may need please let me know. I’m having tonsils out and I’m 36.
My daughter just had hers out on the 25th and the best thing so far is the snowcone maker I bought at Target. It really helps with swelling and there was a little bleeding today from a scab falling off and it helped to stop the bleeding. Best $29.00 I spent. Good luck and just sleep as much as possible.
You will want to sleep propped up. Either in your bed or on a couch or recliner. The swelling of the uvula (dangly thing hanging down from palate) is annoying and if you sleep flat it’s very hard to ignore it and you might feel gaggy. I’m 3 1/2 mos post op. I slept on my couch with extra pillows to keep me at an incline.
In the first week, ice packs around the neck really help to keep swelling under control. A couple bags of frozen peas or corn can do the trick. I also would suggest getting a large (20+) ounce bottle to fill with liquids to keep by you no matter where you’re resting. That way you don’t have to get up a lot to refill.
A lot of people don’t do this but some of us did: stay active. Yes, you’ll be wiped out and in pain but maintaining some of your regular activities really helps you feel normal and keys your body know you are not lethargic. I did some laundry, did some basic cooking, took care of my two cockatiels and tried to go for even a 10-15 light walk almost every day. Getting out and getting fresh air and sun really helps.
Keep reading suggestions on this forum and others’ experiences. Lots of good info. Good luck!
Thanks for the updates and suggestions!!! I’ll be putting everything to the test…i’m praying that I’m over preparing and it won’t be anything close to what I’m fearing!!! Just put my cool mist humidifier together, and i have my tissues (for tears), ice bag,ensure clear, water, tv pillow, etc.
Ok, I am so glad that I have come across this website BEFORE my surgery. I’m 42, with severe sleep apnea. My doctor has suggested the tonsillectomy to help. I’ve also been having issues with swallowing food (gets stuck in my windpipe). My surgery isn’t until Oct. but I figured I’d start doing the “recovery research” now. I was told that I would be off of work for 2-3 weeks. I’m a little afraid, but I know that getting this done is for the best (especially being single-snoring is NOT attractive). Well, I’m making light of the situation now, but I do know how serious this will be. I don’t know if I’m really ready, and after reading all of the posts, it puts me off a little more. Someone further up commented and said that they thought it would be like a “bad case of strep” but it’s much worse. I know when I had strep in the past, I felt like curling up in a corner somewhere. Until October, I will continue researching and preparing myself and my family for what is to come. Again, THANKS FOR THIS SITE!
I am 18 years old and I had my tonsils removed on July 24th, 2012. It’s been somewhat of a hard recovery for me since I’m a stubborn person. I don’t like doing what I’m told. I was wondering how long the uvula should be swollen for, because it’s been 5 days since my surgery and mine is still so swollen that it touches my tongue. What else should I be able to eat? Should I only eat cold food? Or can I eat warm food as well? I’ve been able to eat some potatoes. The last time my parents dealt with a tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy in our family, it was my brother and he was 4. Now he is 28. They don’t really remember how long it was that my brother took to recover, but then again he was a little kid when it happened. I’ve been trying to drink a lot of water and whenever I do, I have a nasty taste in the back of my throat even though I’ve been chewing gum and keeping lots of water down, I do not know if my surgery was done with the lazer, or the scalpel all I know is that my throat really hurts me when I wake up, and the only way I can get myself to fall asleep, is if I have the liquid hydrocodone that was prescribed to me, but it is almost out. Anything would be so helpful and greatly appreciated!
Hey, I’m 24 and 10 days post-op and I would recommend trying both warm and cool foods to see which ones you prefer.For the first few days, I would take a sip of ice cold water and hold it in the back of my mouth for a few seconds and then swallow-made it much more easier and with less pain. I would also recommend alternating between the narcotic pain meds and liquid tylenol to help make your pain meds last longer. At 10 days out, I would say that I’m 90% better. All I have is mild throat pain with some ear/jaw pain. I’ve also developed a raspy voice after day 8 (which might have been when my scabs fell off).As for the swelling, I still have some significant tongue swelling so I can’t see anything going on. I also stopped waking up with a painful dry mouth around day 8 as well, but before that point I would set my alarm according to my pain meds schedule and i would stay up for an hour until the pain meds kicked in and then I would go to sleep. Hope that helpsand hope you start feeling better soon!
im 21 and i just had my tonsils, adenoids, and billateral submucus resection turbinates all removed on one go on wednesday july 18th so im on day 9 post op today and as for myadenoids and billateral submucus resection turbinates i wont speak of them because i dont really get pain from them just my tonsils so here goes. thankfully the pain is not so bad right now only because yesterday when i went to go see my doctor he injected some kind of steroid shot straight into my right tricep, he said it would help with the swelling of my tounge.besided that he told me to buy something called chroloseptic which is a over the counter throat spray and also my new best friend lol from my drug store which is walgeens btw and it has worked miracles for the pain. i highly recommend anyone who has recently had this surgery or getting it soon to have this product with you at all times! when i say almost instant relief of pain i mean it! i was able to eat kfc chicken bites yesterday for the first time all thanks to that spray! thats the first real food ive ate since the surgery. my only downfall is not knowing about it sooner…..what pain i was in and probally still would be in without that.. not even the hydrocodone im taking and been taking have had such AMAZING RESULTS! thank god for that! pror to that days 1-8 were terrible, not really day 1 or 2 but come day 3……..excruciating pain every 2 hrs for almost a entire hr before i could take my medication again…thats right was taking hydrocodone 500mg liquid every 3 hrs but it only sheilds the torment of pain for about 2 hrs tops then i was on my own for the next….untill 10 min before the 3rd hr when i took my dose and waited about 10 for it to start kicking in.. i was barely able to drink anything cause it hurt so much but i still did just water and shakeology for my nutritein knowing i had to stay hydrated somewhat healthy,forget real food i tried eating mashed potatoes and small pieces of ham and it made my tounge swell up from the pain which was aslo dreadful. i stuck to that plan until just seeing my doctor yesterday and also lost 12 pounds to date since surgery. i know its cause i havent ate nothing so i was so happy when i took a shot at those chicken bites and managed to eat them all them almost pain free since also attempthing to eat some mac and cheese the day before with no results..it was way too painful and let me say that i do have a high tolerance for pain. other than that im also able to speak a little better than the entire last week which i had a really hard time trying to talk. i think alot of it has to do with the shot he gave me for swelling but as far as pain goes nothing has worked better than that chloroseptic spray. one spray and im able to chew, talk and swallow food or water with almost no pain. im still taking my medicine but changed the dosage times from every 3 hrs to every 5 to 6 hrs as i dont wanna damage my liver from too much acetaminophine. plus that chloroseptic spray lasts a while and i can use it every 2 hrs or as needed for pain. its helped so much and ive only been using it for a day. hope things keep going well for me as i gotta be back at work on augest 6th.
wow i wrote alot but hey ive got nothing else to do i been home all week long with very minimal sleep, also has to do with the pain but maybe ill start sleeping more with my new best friend lol (i mean the spray) who takes away the pain.
ill check back on here later today to hear more stories from you guys too, cool to know that were all going through the same thing.so we can support eachother cause we only know what were going through lol goodluck everyone itll all be better soon!
later
Just had my tonsils removed today. In so much pain, Gunna try this spray! Hopefully i can talk with this. Because as I am now, it hurts.
Ice packs on the jaw really help reduce the swelling during the day. If you get terrible ear pain at night, I also found ice packs on the jaw a Godsend. You know when they have work off (even with painkillers), as you wake up in agony. It did mean that I slept through 3 hours at a time, instead of waking up every hour for the first few days (before I tried the ice packs). I just put a load of ice cubes in 3 layers of sandwich bags, wrapped them in a tea towel and then slept on them. They sort of moulded to my face. Hope this helps. my story is that I first saw a ENT specialist when i was 6, but they were against taking my tonsils out then. It was also suggested as a good idea by doctors when I was 20’s and 30’s. I am now 45 and had enough after a whole year of tonsillitis (my mum died last year and my health went to pot – immunity went through the floor). I am on day 9, and really good. I can nearly eat normal food and sleep through the night. Ice packs have been my friend and as soon as I feel in pain, I use them even now. Good luck!
My doc would not allow me to use the clorispetic. It can cause you to bleed easier. Please check with your doctor before using it. Some people can use it fine, others can’t. Better to be safe than sorry.