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
My older teenage son had a tonsillectomy on Tues Aug. 6, and still is in intense pain & we haven’t heard his normal voice back yet. I guess his experience hasn’t been horrific as these go, but what concerns me is guilt that my wife and I recommended this, especially me, and I feel I was completely misled about it by the (excellent) university health services to which we go (and then –again, excellent — hospital).
He is in pain, low-energy — can’t even read, which he loves –, discouraged, and we even miss his normal voice. Because I had a tonsillectomy when I was in the First Grade, I thought I knew about tonsillectomies, and told our son it would be fine to do, on that basis.
After two preoperative consultations with the surgeon with our son, I told the surgeon and our son that I’d had one, and they were simple and easy and quick to recover from, and was never contradicted by the surgeon; was never told that childhood and post-pubescent/teen/adult tonsillectomies were completely different. No one. Then when the surgeon gave our son and us the list of possible complications, it was completely belittled, and he was encouraged to sign without reading it, adding to our sense that it was like my own 1st-grade tonsillectomy.
Then in the hospital, batteries of nurses, anesthesiologists, finally the surgeon, came, and I repeated to Ian in front of them that I’d had a tonsillectomy in the first grade and it wasn’t so bad; quick and easy recovery, and wasn’t contradicted again. When our son and we looked at the final consent form to sign, again the long list of details about recovery and possible complications were completely belittled and he was discouraged from reading it, we were told that crossing the street involved more risks, etc., once again bolstering our family’s sense which I expressed in their presence to our son that it would be like my early childhood tonsillectomy.
Waiting in the hospital with the IV tube in his arm, the procedure started an hour late, and our son complained that this would delay his time for finishing his school-assigned summer reading that afternoon. It was as if there would be any chance in hell that he would be reading that afternoon whatever time it started, or even or the next few days, but no one contradicted him, and I feel we were completely misled in validating his concern about the delay. We weren’t deliberately deceiving him; we were deceived that he and I and my wife and all of us could use my first-grade experience as a model–a totally false one.
I feel like we betrayed him, even if not deliberately, as he suffers and unable to do much of anything 5 days later, and we realize it will take many more days–maybe even to hear his real voice again. I find myself worrying that we never will. While waiting in the hospital for surgery to begin, I kept up cheerful patter with our slightly nervous son, telling him over and over that this used to be a completely universal procedure when I was growing up, it was like a “fad” in my childhood, and it was completely routine and when I was a boy performed countless times for nearly everyone. I didn’t realize I was telling absolute lies — so they weren’t deliberate, and therefore not really lies, but I feel like we were completely misled from the beginning, since after all teen and adult tonsillectomies have never been universal and are so totally different from early childhood ones– and again about which we had no idea.
I’m sure in the initial consultations I told our son it used to be a universal procedure, when talking about my own, in the presence of the surgeon, and again there was no explanatory or denying voice saying– “No, this is actually completely different from when it was performed on young children.” It was on the basis of believing it was just like my 1st-grade procedure that we decided it was an obvious choice to to go ahead and let it be done– so uninformed and allowed to remain misinformed we were– and I feel like we didn’t do enough research ourselves, and so let our adolescent down. But I also andd mainly feel like we were misled, and the whole recovery matter as a process profoundly different from that o a childhood tonsillectomy was whitewashed over from the very outset, including as a factor to be weighed in our decision that he have it done — that the whole recovery issue was minimized by repeatedly allowing my analogy to stay uncontested between my childhood and his adolescent tonsillectomies — from the very beginning.
And I am worried about him and–actually very upset by all his. Why isn’t the difference between the two tonsillectomies the watchword of any provider-patient (and his parents) discussion, especially since so many parents did have them as children, and they were in that experience of so many parents completely minor and in a past era — but for children, and with no distinction drawn between children and adolescents/adults — complacently viewed as formerly simple and universal.
I am so worried and upset.
That is really unfortunate to hear. I can completely understand your outrage over the way the doctor handled it. I’m on day 5 of my tonsillectomy and I really can speak to how painful it is. I am a classical singer and the idea of having anything done to my throat was terrifying. I have done a lot of research, and you can at least find comfort in the fact that while it is very miserable now, the pain does end and your son’s voice will be back. I do believe it was wildly irresponsible of the doctor to not warn you up front. My doctor stated that this would probably be the most painful thing I will ever go through in my adult life from day one. If I were you I would lodge a complaint with the medical board in your area over this. That kind of treatment is beyond understanding.
Also, Just know that you and your son are not going through this alone. Our thoughts and prayers are with you all. And if he wants to talk about what he is going through I know I will be happy to talk to him on this forum. 🙂
My tonsillectomy is scheduled for Aug 7…2 days from now. I think I’ll be a big baby, but I know the pain will be for the greater cause. I’ve been on antibiotics more than not for the past year and a half. I have tonsillitis or strep every month. The flare-ups are unpredictable other than when I over-exert myself with hard excercise or stress from school. Btw, I’m a 28 yo female trying to squeeze the surgery in before my fall school semester starts back up Aug 20…approx 2 weeks recovery time. I hope this wil be enough time. I have arranged to take off from all other activites until then (other than motherhood of course). Although I do have great family support. I am grateful to have stumbled across this site prior to prepare myself and relate. Thanks all for sharing.
2 weeks is more than enough time-barring any complications of course. Force yourself to drink and eat anything you can, even if it hurts. I had 10 days to recover before going back to work but I think I would’ve felt better sooner if I started earlier.
While it is good to eat during the recovery you do need to be careful. Something rough can scrape your scabs causing more irritation or even a tonsil bleed. Be careful while going through this. Its better to take it slow and not risk complications.
Matt, of course people need to be careful about rough or sharp foods but i agree with Ashley. Swallowing is essential, be it water, pudding, juice, whatever. Some people feel so much pain they don’t even want to swallow their own spit. It’s mind over matter. My doctor as well as some others’ doctors on this site, said that swallowing frequently helps recovery along. Avoiding it will not.
Hi All,
I been going through some rough time. I got mine removed on 31st July in St James, London
They gave me co-codamol and Diclofenac. Made me have upset tummy and drowsy a lot. So stopped taking that and moved to paracetamol as the GP also gave me penicillin to take since the back of the throat has been very red.
Still cant eat properly. I get sharp pain after eating anything regardless how soft the food is.
Last night I slept with normal pillow and my neck was stuck with all the dirts and slimey stuff that would be in my mouth. Learnt my lesson not to do that no more.
Morning is the worse time ever! I can’t believe they say after 48 hours you should be able to get back to your normal life. Its coming to 7 days and the pain hasnt gone for me. Guess I will need to take another week off.
Has anyone else gone through this and how long did it take for them to recover?
When did this sharp pain stop?
I dont do voice calling job but the pain after swallowing and eating does lead to rest of at least 20 mins. Also realised that when paracetamol wears out then the pain gets harsh on the throat when swallowing
thanks in advance
I’m the same, nearly at the two week mark and i still struggle eating alot of the food. Certain things area no-no like chocolate and surprisingly ice cream as it causes horrible stinging. My advice is vegetables – well cooked and take meds about an hour before with alot of water. Might also want to look into diiflam spray
Thank you from the old lady. Actually it’s no family support not no family So am hanging onto everyone’s kind words and am going out on a horse for a few hours tomorrow so am having a good week.
Hi, I am a 54-year old female, who just got her tonsils removed 8/1/2012. Also at the same time, my dr corrected a deviated septum in my nose, and did turbinate reductions surgery in my nose as well. I always had problems with my tonsils from a child and had numerous bouts of strep throat and always had tonsil stones. Just recently I was diagnosed with sleep apnea as well. Well, for weeks I read all the blogs about the pain, and really got myself prepared for it. My husband purchased a cool mist humidifier for me, jello, ice pops, bottled water, applesauce and gatorade. Day one, I was still under the influence of the anesthesia – got home around 7:30 pm. Thursday 8/2 and Friday 8/3 I am in moderate pain, but I am able to tolerate it. Even though it hurts, I am trying to drink liquids as much as possible, and you must take your pain meds regularly. Today – 8/4, I ate some watermelon – I cut it up real small, and it was sooooooooo great! I also don’t have much taste, but hope it returns eventually. I felt sorry for the 70-year old woman, who said she has no family to support her, as my husband has been GREAT, making me rest, and getting up with me during the night while I take my meds to make sure I’m OK. I am also not working at the time, which enables me to rest without worrying about going back to work. I can’t stress enough the importance of getting the cool mist humidifier, it has really helped. I will come back to post my progress and check on everyone else as well. Take care, and remember, everyone said it will eventually get better!