Tonsillectomy Tips
As I’ve written, there was much that I did not know as I planned, experienced, and recovered from my own tonsillectomy. My Ear Nose and Throat doctor, (ENT), and his nurse gave me some general information about the surgery. We talked about how tonsillectomy surgery was performed, what the risks were, and what to expect after my adult tonsillectomy surgery.
In addition to this information, I tried to arm myself with as much information from other sources as I could. The internet is filled with medical information and advice. Some of it related to tonsillectomy. Some of it is accurate. Some of it is valuable to a person considering or recovering from tonsillectomy surgery. Most of it is not. Some of the scariest information I got was from my family and friends. Everyone seemed to have some horror story about an adult dying from tonsillectomy, or having a near-death experience from bleeding or anesthesia. As if I wasn’t nervous enough! Fear and anxiety are usually born of uncertainty The more we know about what to expect, the better we are able to execute a task without irrational fears.
I’ve read thousands and thousands of comments on the various pages of this website. One message is expressed again and a gain: Knowing what to expect helps enormously! This is your chance to do others a great service. Take your wisdom, born of personal experience, and help others. When you shine a light for others, you also light your own path.
For a live discussion about tonsillectomy and tonsillectomy recovery, join us in the Tonsillectomy Recovery Forum
The doctors, nurses, bloggers, publishers, family and friends all helped shape my expectations about what to expect before, during and after my tonsillectomy. None of it compares to the value of actually experiencing it. I learned more in the weeks before and after my adult tonsillectomy than I could have learned from years of research. This website is filled with over 50 pages of that wisdom.
If you are reading this, you probably have some experience yourself. How would you like to help someone who is trying to decide whether to have a tonsillectomy? Help someone planning or recovering from tonsillectomy surgery? By answering this one question, you may be able to save someone from a struggle you had:
IF I WAS PLANNING MY TONSILLECTOMY TODAY, THIS IS WHAT I WOULD DO DIFFERENTLY…
Hello fellow tonsillectomy patients!
I am 23 years old and had my tonsils out 7 days ago. Reading all kinds of horror stories online i wasn’t sure what to expect so I prepared for the worst. At one week I am still in a pretty severe amount of pain. My experience has not been very easy, but definately not as bad as some of the other horror stories ive heard. I try to eat about 30 mins after taking the meds so they have kicked in. I have been eating some kraft dinner, many many popsicles, and drinking vitamin water. I find having a popsicle before eating something else like KD helps to dull the pain a bit. My suggestions to anyone preparing for thier recovery would be to get tones of popsicles! lots of different kinds and flavours though. stay on top of the pain killers, get lots of books and movies, have a humidifier running 24/7, book 2 weeks off work (i only took 1 and now im having to find ppl to cover my shifts for this second week) and keep the fridge stocked with water, vitamin water, gatorade. Also a good idea to get some stool softeners from the pharmacy as the painkillers tend to plug you up, as well as some gravol cause they can also make you queezyy and have the added bonus of helping you sleep. As painful as this experience has been i do not regret it, because i know it will all be worth it in the long run. Short term pain for long term gain!
Hi I am 47 and on day 6 of my recovery process…..it is a process, isn’t it?!! As a child I had many many years of tonsillitus and strep….Dr. won’t not take them out. As I got older I developed crypts and stones….I had finally had it and decided BEFORE I found this awesome websit to go ahead and finally have them out. Funny I had been to 2 other ENT’s . in my life about these problems and no one ever said they were stones and this is how you get rid of them….or atleast try….Until dr. Rounds. But at 47 I was done….Just wanted them out. I feel like my story for my recovery so far has not been too involved….I hope it doesn’t get much worse than this. My Dr. did say 3 weeks before you will be feel better! And, let me tell you, Man this RX i’m taking is kicking my butt! I have done the same as others….. reduced the dose and I have been taking it every 2-4 hours as needed. I need to be in control…..I was not in control with that mix in me! I have started to take the liquid over the counter Tylenol as well.
My best friends right now are, ice packs, Jell-o and ice Chips. I’ll keep checking in as the days go on…. ,
I’m 44 and I have never felt this defeated before! I’m in excruciating pain and down 13 pounds since my surgery on Monday 🙁
careful. that rx probably also contains Tylenol. Too much very bad. Good luck!!! btw 47 is an awesome age
I can so relate. I am on day 12 and I am 55. It it is the most brutal surgery I’ve ever had. I still have scabs so some tenderness and pain in my throat. I’m glad your pain reliever worked for you. After day 8, I was on Lortab and didn’t the doctors notice this contains alcohol? At this point in your recovery, how are you feeling? Was it worth all this?
Surgery date was 6/21/12 so this makes today my day 8. I’m 23 yrs old. I’ve had constant problems with strep and tonsillitis since I was a kid and finally just got sick of being sick all the time so talked to my ent about a tonsillectomy, to which he agreed would be beneficial but warned me that the recovery was no easy process. So, I decided to look up information about other people’s recoveries. Needless to say, after reading some stories on here I freaked out (i actually called my mom and my fiancé crying my eyes out telling them I didn’t think I could go through with it anymore). Then I really thought hard about having 10-14 pretty bad days to have no more throat pain for the rest of my life and decided it was worth it. Before hand I decided to heed the advice of many people on here and bought the following items:
1. Ice packs (3 so I could rotate using them and always had a fresh one)
2. Bags of ice (to suck on)
3. Jello
4. Pudding
5. Gogurt
6. Instant mashed potatoes
7. Chicken broth
8. White board (no talking!)
9. Liquid acetomeniphen
I also read that many people had a hard time opening their mouths wide because of jaw pain do I bought a child’s tooth brush so it wouldn’t hurt to get a small tooth brush on my back teeth.
I was also very worried about BM’s because I already have problems in that area. So I decided to buy powdered fiber (Metamucil has a flavorless colorless powder you can put in practically anything, I even put it in plain water). It was a LIFESAVER!I was never constipated at all.
So now I’ve made it to day 8. Days 1 through 3 I really felt okay. Sure my throat was sore but it wasn’t anything I’d never experienced. It steadily got worse from there though. But it wasn’t anything I couldn’t handle. I made sure to have a glass of ice water next to me at all times (I tried powerade and Gatorade but both stung my throat a bit).
Days 3 and 4 I lived on chicken broth with soaked butter bread.
You must remember that as much as it hurts to eat, if you don’t eat then take your medicine sure it’s gonna take your pain away (for 10 mins) then your stomach is going to be upset for 2 hours. So always eat.
I would say day 6 was the worst for me… I was extremely tired on night 6 so when my alarm went off for my 3 am meds I turned it off and never got up to take them. Then I woke up at 6:45 (2:45 past my meds time) and literally was in literally the worst pain of my life (worse than the worst contractions I had with my first child). So, lesson here is NEVER miss a dose. EVER.
Day 7- my meds started to not be as potent so my dr suggested instead of taking 1 tbsp of lortab every 4 hours, take 1/2 tbsp every 2 hours. I’ve continued this to today and it has worked much better for me.
Now it’s day 8. Still taking 1/2 tbsp every 2 hrs and it’s been working well. My only problem has really been ear and jaw pain. It feels a lot like when your wisdom teeth come in. But the meds take care of it. Today I could also talk quite a bit more (this past week I spoke as little as possible). So, in my opinion… If you have been plagued with tonsillitis and strep throat your entire life then I would recommend having this procedure done. But, get yourself prepared not only with tangible things but also mentally. This is by far no walk in the park but I feel if you have educated and prepared yourself then you will do just fine.
I hope this was helpful and good luck!!
Hi, im on day 7 of recovery and it hasnt been to bad. I have a very low tolerance for pain and discomfort and i must say that this experience has been very managable. A definite must have is orange and lime sherbet…its very filling as well as soothing to the throat…along with drinking plenty of water i noticed that chewing gum helps relieve some of the stiffness in the jaw and it keeps your throat from becoming extremely dry as u sleep….just some things that have helped me!
Hi All,
If I were planning a tonsillectomy today, Here is what I would do. Many things I did, some I did not.
1. Read this site.
2. Take 3 weeks off of work.
3. Ask the doctor about thrush, and plan for the potential.
4. Take pain meds round the clock, every 4 hours, for at least a week.
5. Ask the doctor about pain med withdrawal.
6. Remember that days 5 – 10 are the pits, and it does get better.
7. Don’t talk a lot.
8. No matter how hungry you are, don’t try a lot of solid food on days 9 – 11.
9. Drink water, at least 1 glass an hour, round the clock.
10. Plan to have an emesis basin or cup around to spit phlegm in during week 2.
11. Ask the doctor about sublingual tonsils, and if those are a problem as well.
12. Have the tonsillectomy at 9, and not 39! 🙂
13. Have a support system. Being alone by day 4 plus lots of pain meds = fall risk.
14. Sleep upright for at least 2 weeks.
15. Have a humidifier and lots of gum.
16. Yawn a lot and stretch your mouth so you can tone the muscles.
17. You will have to relearn how to swallow. Take small sips and bites.
18. It’s normal to cry, a lot, on days 4 – 10.
19. When people say “it isn’t that bad” and “7 year olds are running around by now,” you must ignore it.
20. Remember how much better you’ll feel and that it is worth it.
Does it really end? Day 14 & still have excruciating pain. I’m functioning, but I am miserable. Age 47, in great shape, muscular, marathon runner. I’ve lost 12 pounds. Blew a clot on day 10, had it cauterized. No improvements at all the last 6 days. I never would have had it done had I known it would be this awful. I feel so defeated.
I agree 100% with this post. I would add an ice collar and stress the liquids. The surgery is bad. Going to the ER for dehydration is worse.