Tonsillectomy Forum Archives 5

Jason L says:
December 4, 2011 at 4:29 pm

Thanks Danny! I forgot to mention that I had my uvula removed in the previous surgery, so here’s hoping my recovery fares a bit better than what I’ve been reading. I’m planning my diet to consist of smoothies and chipped ice. I’m hesitant to do the ice cream/milkshake route as I’m mildly lactose intolerant. Nothing too serious, but I’d rather not deal with any more mucus than necessary during this recovery.

I’m glad to see that people on this board were active days after their surgery. I was laid out for almost two weeks last time…..
Danny G says:
December 4, 2011 at 3:51 pm

Hey Jason. I found the liquid pain reliever (Hydrocodone APAP elixir) nicer to swallow (at first). After 4 days now the liquid kind of burns a little in the raw areas of my throat but it’s tolerable – just have something to chase it down ready. At this point I can swallow the antibiotic pill fairly easily so not sure if I really needed the liquid for that long.
jennifer says:
December 4, 2011 at 3:51 pm

Thanks guys this is the best recovering group. Its like a family here never alone. My kids are young and frustrated that i can’t talk. Homework is a super challange since my husbnad doesn’t do it. I did some shopping today and was so dizzy it knocked me right out. I will ry ice again but jello is not my friend at all. Ice cream 4 liter is now down to more like 2 in the last 2 days. This bits but got to think about the future positive. At least in on rest for 3 week and don’t have to talk to coworkers. Best of luck to the new guy.
Danny G says:
December 4, 2011 at 3:34 pm

Jennifer. My uvuala swelled quite a bit on the day after my surgery. At it’s maximum it got probably 3-4 times as big (and long) as normal. It kind of scared me a bit, and swallowing was a real challenge. What worked for me was sucking on ice chips and taking the prednisone, though I hear also benedryl works for the swelling. The ice may be an insult at first, but it does great at both numbing and reducing the swelling (just have to figure out how to hold the chips back far enough). The major swelling lasted for about 24 hours, and has gone down to about 1.5 times it’s normal size now. @Jackie L, my kids are grown, so that part thankfully hasn’t been an issue. I did sleep today for the longest stretch yet (5 hours), but woke with a really dry (and pissed off) throat. I think though it was worth it since I really needed the sleep. Starting to drink more room temperature drinks which appears now to cause less swallowing pain. I’m not going to put a lot of stock in needing warmer drinks, it’s just something I’m trying.
Jason L says:
December 4, 2011 at 3:24 pm

Hello all,

I’m a 35 yr male getting my tonsil removed this Thursday. I’m also getting my soft palette widened as well. I’m not looking forward to this one bit. I had my adenoids removed 10 years ago, and I fear the pain will be equal to what I experience then. Maybe worse since I am older. Thankfully this time around my Dr. is not prescribing pain pills, but rather liquid pain medication. I’ll update once these little bastards get removed.
eric welman says:
December 4, 2011 at 1:36 pm

@dresdeno yeah it is weird to experience however I dont snore which is odd because pre op I sounded like a rusty chainsaw. Today I still have pain swallowing however past two days I have been sleeping on my bed laying down. And today I actually had a good nights sleep for over 8 hours.
Jackie L says:
December 4, 2011 at 12:02 pm

Hi Jennifer, yes, what you are feeling is normal. The swollen uvula is typical. Do you have something for your upset stomach? Try not to take the pain meds on an empty stomach. Everybody’s experience of the pain is different but for me it ramped up on the 2nd day after surgery. I do fairly well during the day controlling it but nights are miserable. I wake up about every hour so am not getting a lot of sleep. Got a scrambled egg down today. So far I’m able to eat pudding, sherbet, jello, applesauce (but it tastes terrible), and chicken broth with small bits of noodles. Still can only drink water. I really can’t taste anything so have to go mostly by feel and texture.
Danny, I had just looked up the side effects of hydrocodone because the palms of my hands are itching, and it’s also for me wearing off 30 minutes early. We are all one day further down the road than we were yesterday so that is good news. I don’t know how those of you with children are managing, God bless you.
jennifer says:
December 4, 2011 at 4:35 am

Hey. I’m new at this these forums. I had a surgery done this past thursday and having trouble getting over the pain. My uvula is so swollen it makes me wana vomit even more. Any idea on this being normal?

Thanks jennifer
Danny G says:
December 3, 2011 at 10:43 pm

Hey Jackie. I have a wide splint over the top of my nose, and drain tubes (probably acting as splits) on the inner walls of the septum (both sides). I have purple bags under my eyes that start at the tear ducts and go directly under each eye. I’m afraid I’m starting to get a little tolerance to the hydrocodone (elixir) which always seems to last exactly 45 minutes less than I need it to. BUT, like Jadee, I get fairly itchy about 20 minutes after I take it, and it fades fairly rapidly. I’m feelin a bit of envy for those that can do the soups. So far, I have very limited range of temperatures that my throat allows (and it is UGLY back there). I can handle ice, cool tea, and warm scrambled eggs. I tried chloraseptic today for the first time with this, and frankly it didn’t feel as well as I had hoped. It’s taste (and I believe effect) also conflicted heavily with the dental rinse. I can feel swelling running down both sides of my neck now, and I believe those areas are putting pressure on my ears now. I can also feel a distinct thickness in my throat when I swallow like phlem that won’t move. Have I mentioned I’m not enjoying this experience?
dresdeno says:
December 3, 2011 at 10:00 pm

Two weeks post op, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yo F

Friday, I experienced EricW’s eerily pain free experience. Amazing how one day terrible discomfort while swallowing, then next, very mild discomfort. “raising arms up to Heaven saying Amen”!!!!!!

Went to ENT for first post op appointment yesterday with my list of questions; when will I be able to yawn comfortably again, when can I run, do I have a sinus infection, loose bowel ever go away, etc…. I was told to eat what is comfortable, I can run again, ear pain may last another month, yawning and tastes will come back over time. I go back in four weeks. No sinus infection, drainage is mucous from my body’s healing process. I am back on steroids to have mucous go away. One day of steroid and it is already better.

When I fall asleep, I wake myself up from my own snoring. Hopefully, this won’t linger once I am fully healed. For two mornings now my throat wasn’t dry to where I reached for water first thing. Oh yeah, I had a cup of hot coffee, yummy!!!! I ran in a local 5k this morning. Throat was not feeling the love as I breathed in the cold air, but my ears did fine which I worried each step would pound in my ears.

There is light at the end of my tunnel!!!
Jadee says:
December 3, 2011 at 9:50 pm

Today the pain was little more intense, probably a 6 of 10 scale. I decided to ice my jaw more, and chewed gum all day. This took my mind off the annoying pain. It’s day 5 and I was expecting some more pain to hit me. Kept busy by hanging out with the kids and cleaned the house and organized two of the kid’s rooms. So the nice thing is I’m productive, which I think has helped with pain management. Started eating some creamed soup, which was very good. Craving some pasta with marinara or alfredo, just not sure if I should pull the trigger. Going to try the mash potatoes tomorrow. Had mac n chz yesterday and today with chicken wild rice soup. The one plus side is, I’m losing weight like crazy lost 15 pounds in last five days. Might continue soup diet after everything and eat for lunch everyday. Enjoy reading everyone’s posts and happy healing. 33, m, surgery 11/29/11. Oh one annoying thing, vicodin never fails to make my body itchy, no hives, just and annoying itch.
dresdeno says:
December 3, 2011 at 9:38 pm

@Jadee
Once I finished my steroid medication, I had post nasal drip for days. I thought I was getting a sinus infection. I went to my 14 day post op appointment on Friday (12/2/11). ENT told me no infection, it was mucous from my body’s healing process. I never spit it out just let it flow down my throat. ENT put me on steroids again and since starting, mucous flow has decreased tremendously. Excessive mucous, with it pooling in my throat. It was awful.
Jackie L says:
December 3, 2011 at 6:56 pm

Hi Danny, that is what happened to me also, so am afraid to go to sleep, and when I do doze off, I start snoring, I suppose that is from all the swelling. I have to do nasal irrigation 4 times a day for the nose, boy is THAT fun! I wish I could blow too, think I would feel better but would probably start a hemorrhage. And yes, my tongue has a huge lump on the left side where I’m guessing they clamped it, it’s numb, can’t taste a single thing. Do you have splints in your nose? I’m living in fear of having those out on Wed. A friend brought over some potato soup, will see if I can get any of it down. Keep your chin up everyone, so glad we have this support board! Ellen, I’m just one day behind you. How are you feeling by now?
Danny G says:
December 3, 2011 at 1:11 pm

Holy CRAP!!! Pain and discomfort had been hovering at a steady 4. But, I fell asleep for a couple hours and apparently breathed through my mouth the whole time and shihola PAIN!!! It took the better part of 30 minutes of sucking on ice chips to get the tears out of my eyes. The pain has started radiating into my left ear but not unbearably at the moment. Jackie, I don’t know about you but my nose is just more nusance than pain. I REALLY want to blow it, but of course can’t for a couple weeks. Spraying saline in there seems to help, if it would just keep the drains clear. Still eating only a scrambled egg now and then just to keep something in my gut for the antibiotic and steroid. I have a peridonic mouth wash that I have to rinse and spit 4 times per day that feels like something between bleach and whiskey, but I’m guessing that is to prevent thrush. Found a new discomfort in my upper lip, which I’m guessing is part of the nose work, and have a closed sore growing on the side of my tongue that may be related to the tool they used to hold it out of the way (or it got pinched when putting in the ET tube). So many new adventures to explore here.
Deepak says:
December 3, 2011 at 9:23 am

I had one Tonsill removed 7 weeks back and the recovery post surgery has taken many ups and downs. Leave aside the pains and problem in eating / swallowing , I had a multiple symptoms of discomforts like Choking sensation in the throat , Sensation of Strep throat at times , Voice becoming husky and takes effort to speak loud at times, need to clear throat very frequently. I need to share these symptoms with others who had their Tonsills removed. Doctors tell me to take in my stride as it will take little more time to feel 100% fine.
Jackie L says:
December 3, 2011 at 6:38 am

Shuck everything I wrote yesterday out the door, HELL has moved in. Last night the pain upped itself several notches. My new routine: wake up due to pain, force down water, spray throat with chloreseptic to numb, run to kitchen to take pain med and antibiotic, curse my existence. Or at least the wisdom of having this done. Danny, I had the sinus surgery too. My nose is more swollen and hurts more than before. The steam machine & humidifier do help that part. I can breathe out of it some now so it’s definitely improving. I’m not looking at my throat today. Plan to try to get some cream of wheat down. Good luck everyone.
Danny G says:
December 2, 2011 at 10:15 pm

I am 48 y/o and on my 3rd day post op. I had both a tonsellectomy and open septoplasty. Day one was no real problem other than having my nose completely closed and having to mouth breathe. Day two got a little scarey when my uvula swelled to the size of a small finger literally dragging on the back of my tongue. This caused me a lot of issues swallowing. Sucking on ice chips and taking the zpack steroids seems to reduced the swelling to a tolerable size. My nose has now opened a bit allowing me to breathe some in my nose, but I’m still heavily mouth breathing and suffering some major dry mouth. My nerve endings also appear to be waking back up today, as it’s really the first pain I’ve had (level 4 of 10).I haven’t slept any more than 45 minutes at a time as I keep having to wake to drink something. I have been living on a steady flow of ice chips and iced tea as I’m having no problems drinking. Before today I hadn’t been able to tolerate even a pudding cup. For dinner this evening, I was able to actually eat some scrambled eggs without any pain which gives me hope.
Jackie L says:
December 2, 2011 at 3:31 pm

Ha, third day post op. I can’t keep track of the time or days!
Jackie L says:
December 2, 2011 at 3:29 pm

Second day post op for me. Pain is manageable, I keep the humidifier going, take my meds on time, drink, drink, drink, and rest. Because I had sinus surgery too, takes up a lot of the day tending to that. Lot’s of blood clots, either they get swallowed or they run out my nose, either way it’s gross but so far nothing to worry about. Still on the soft foods. Tv and iPad have helped keep my mind off things. Trying to get brave enough to brush my teeth.
Mae says:
December 2, 2011 at 2:30 pm

@Ellen

I did have a bleeding emergency and I was post op day 7. Nothing triggered it I was eating my usual liquid to puree foods as I was tolerating. It was just a tiny blood vessel that burst, but it did cause a lot of bleeding. There was no extra pain once it got going. It just happens, but I did not panic I just went over to the ER and they took good care of me. I did not have to go back under for cauterization. I hope this calms your nerves a little!
I am now post op day 14. With no other bleeding issues, though the doc did say you can bleed up to two weeks post op. Today almost no pain asides from yawning. I haven’t taken any pain medicine including Tylenol for past two days. I was cleared by my doctor and can eat anything I can tolerate. I am almost back to being able to eat anything, but not quite there yet. I also still have some scabbing left. Best of luck to the rest of you.
eric welman says:
December 2, 2011 at 12:59 pm

day 15, Video uploading as posting this, well as of right now only some minor pain when I swallow, had my post op yesterday and was cleared for everything I can eat anything I wanted again, though I now have to lose weight. I have a sleep study dec. 10th to which I should be better again. My ENT wants to know the results of this study, and so on. No real pain just tried a mock yawn and minimal irritation. I ate buffalo wings yesterday, a burger and a spicy chicken sandwhich from Chick-Fil-A. So yeah I am on the road to feeling better and I can breath better now too.
Here is the channel
http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87
Pamela says:
December 2, 2011 at 10:25 am

@Jadee I was told to avoid clearing my throat, or hacking; probably because it can pose a risk of bleeding. I just tried to spit as soon as i felt it in my throat
Jadee says:
December 2, 2011 at 8:18 am

33, M, surgery 11/29/11, I have a question for those that are further along in the healing process. So periodically I can feel a build up of post nasal drip in the back of my throat, it’s a habit to suck this through and then spit it out. I was wondering if others experience this and is there a risk of sucking the scabs off and creating a potential emergency room visit. Sitting down to some scrambled eggs this morning, and going to warm up a cup of tea with honey for my drink. Pain a little higher today, but not unbearable to this point. Just tired, slept only four hours again last night and woke up periodcially during that time. Might catch some zzzz’s later, but want to hang some blinds today and organize a few things. Look forward to responses. Thanks.
Jackie L says:
December 2, 2011 at 2:44 am

Hi All,
I’m 2 nd day post op. I had sinuses taken care of too. Was a 5 hour rtip home fro the hospital but I was loaded up with IV anti-nausea meeds and pain meds so I don’t remember the ride . The left side of my throat does not hurt at all, the right was the biggest tonsil and it’s letting me know it was there! I drank and drank ice water in the hospital plus popsicles, got a jello down before bed last night. So far, this is not worse than the awful strep which would get so painful I would need hydrocodone. Mono this past summer and 8 episodes of tonsillitis and strep over the last 2 years made me do this at my age. I’m in our small guest bedroom so the humidifier can run full blast, have a steamer that I have to use for my nose. Was also sent home with throat gargles for numbing but haven’t needed them yet. DR. uses a technique called the Colorado Needle Technique, he is a teaching doctor at a medical university, plus he only operates on adults. He’s also been through this himself so I think it truly depends upon technique and experience. I wish all of you the best as you recover, I’ll be back!
Ellen says:
December 1, 2011 at 10:37 pm

Hi all! I’m a 20 year old female. I had my tonsils out on the 29th of november, so if you count that as day 1 I am now just finishing up day 3. I have had pretty bad pain but the pain pills definitely take the edge off, so I am surviving. I try to drink when I can but it really hurts so I usually wait until my pain meds are at their peak and drink as much as possible then. I take my pain pills crushed in sherbet and I have had some room temp. broth with noodles and some mashed potatoes, but that is it. I think I’m doing pretty well so far but I am still deathly afraid of a bleeding emergency. I read that it usually happens after about a week and could take even longer… has anyone here had a bleeding emergency? do you think something triggered it? anything to help calm my nerves!! All I can find are stories online of people having scary bleeding experiences, and every time I take a sip of water or swallow some sherbet or a noodle and it hurts, I rush to make sure I’m not bleeding. I’m going to include a pic of how my tonsils look today:

please let me know if you can offer any advice!
dresdeno says:
December 1, 2011 at 8:28 pm

Day 13, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yF

Still have the burning in my throat off and on which is annoying. Still have the throb in both ears off and on too. The thing which is bothering me the most is post nasal drip. It is constant. I am beginning to think I am having a sinus issue now. Not wanting to take my allergy meds because of them drying me out, I did swallow a Mucinex this morning. Didn’t hurt a bit.

My two week follow-up is tomorrow morning. I cannot wait to hear what my ENT says about my healing. The color on my right side surgery site is looking more normal, but the left side still is grayish/white.

Still not sleeping well or more than a couple hours at a time. Which I could yawn.
Eric Welman says:
December 1, 2011 at 6:15 pm

It honestly depends on how you are feeling, yes I was cleared to eat what I want, drive, and work. As long as your healing she/he should say yes. I hope your cancer removal went smooth. I would hate to hear that someone on here had cancer. However keep in mind that on this forum I am relativily young. I am 23 yo (24 this december) she said I was healing beatufully lol so that being said she cleared me for everything took me off the Hydro and told me to start on the motrin. It will be about a week until I can lay down again, my nose is still swollen from surgery.
Jadee says:
December 1, 2011 at 2:18 pm

Thanks Renee Asmo, Well I went in for my cancer removal and got a little light headed since they are cutting and tugging and all I had was a popsicle this morning because I actually slept last night. I felt pretty bummed afterward because now I can’t use my left arm because of how many stitces I had. Eric, question about your post op appt, were you approved for rough foods. The day I return back to work, day 15 we are scheduled to attend a xmas party at a Mexican restaurant, and I’m already craving chips and salsa with fajitas. This is my goal, just wondering how feasible. Well I feel somewhat the same, been going 6 hours between pain meds and only using liquid vicodin, basically chucked the percocet because I don’t think it does anything for me. Well hoping to continue my recovery process on a positive note, hoping to have mac n chz later today. Hope everyone else is well. Take Care. 33,m, surgery date 11/29/11.
eric welman says:
December 1, 2011 at 12:46 pm

Day 14 (i guess I misscounted) Exactly 2 weeks ago today I had my tonsil’s removed and today is my post op day, I feel great not much pain except for swallowing, I tried laying down and it actually worked. Hopfully I will be cleared for driving and rough foods again. Oh by the way Post Op Video is now up, http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87 , I am hoping after my post op appointment today I can actually start living like a normal human being. Best of luck to all of you today, my healing is not quite yet done I still feel pain and so more video to come. I will also remain posting here to help new comers. Once again Thanks to everyone who supported me as I support all of you to a speedy recovery.
Lynn says:
December 1, 2011 at 12:07 pm

I am a 50 yr old female and had my tonsillectomy two weeks ago today. I found this website about a month before my surgery and used a lot of the suggestions to prepare beforehand. I think that preparation and a couple other things helped me get through the recovery fairly smoothly.

I usually have a very low pain tollernce and was terrified after reading all the posts regarding the pain. I think I was lucky because my Doctor said that I had small tonsils and very little bleeding during surgery.

Some of the suggestions that I found on here that helped were the humidifier, ice packs, and drinking ice water often. I did set my alarm for every two hours but for the first two or three nights I didn’t sleep very long at a time so I drank everytime I woke up. I also liked the slushy recipe. My Husband took a week off work to stay with me and take care of me. I ate a lot of protien like scrambled eggs and mac & cheese. I also went to Monarch weght loss clinic to purchase their protien fortified puddings and drinks – I used the drinks in my slushies – you can also use them to make jello. The other thing that helped tremendously was Cloraseptic Max throat lozenges. I belive I went through six boxes in the two weeks. I left the recliner about on day 10 but my husband raised the head of our bed with a couple phone books on each side and I slept with 3 pillows.

Thank you to all of you who have posted an given ideas to help with recovery. Good luck to all of you recovering and those of you who are preparing for your tonsillectomy.
William says:
December 1, 2011 at 8:18 am

Stumbled upon this website. I have huge tonsils and they been driving me nuts the past few years. Missed thanksgiving because I was sick again. December 29th these things are coming out.
reneeasmo says:
December 1, 2011 at 7:06 am

Good luck jadee..some here have been lucky with recovery and I hope u can be one of them. I also have four kids but thankfully have the best husband and family around so I’m able to handle my discomfort without any other obligations. Praying for your speedy recovery.
Jadee says:
November 30, 2011 at 10:18 pm

Well today was day two for me, amazingly, I’m not in too much pain, the main problem is I can’t sleep (3 hours in last 40). I have four kids, so that has kept me busy, and I’ve been cleaning around the house, taking kids to school, and tending to kid’s needs so far. I’ve heard the first two days aren’t that bad, but then it hits, so this could be the calm before the storm. I’m going to sit down to some chicken noodle soup, which I’ve been craving all day, had Panera’s yesterday after surgery and seemed to go okay. Well, I’m hoping that my condition continues because reading some’s stories, not sure I want to go through all that. To top it all off, during recovery process from surgery, I found out a mole I had removed is cancerous, so tomorrow, I get to go in and have more skin removed, deeper and wider tissue. Talk about adding injury to insult. Well look forward to discussing my journey on here.
eric welman says:
November 30, 2011 at 12:23 pm

Day 12 video is up now, still eriely no pain today I have to remain cautious though. alright here is the site
http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87
reneeasmo says:
November 30, 2011 at 11:35 am

Swallowing still difficult day 8 but my ears are excruciating. Been chewing gum. Applying heat to ears and ice to neck and meds but nothing seems to ease this. It’s like a screwdriver going through my ears and down my throat. Any suggestions please? I will try anything at this point.
Morgan says:
November 30, 2011 at 11:18 am

I am on day 14- I am doing much, much better. I just had a great ravioli w/ white sauce dish for lunch. It was heaven. I’m off of the pain med mostly- i had to take a teaspoon last night in the middle of the night- but other than that, the weak, tired feeling is leaving. I am starting to feel like my old self again. I can talk well, but my throat muscles do get sore if I talk for a bit. Yawning is still painful, but not as bad as it was. I was very lucky, the first few days were bad, but after that it was bearable. Just gets lots of rest and drink lots of water.
Eric Welman says:
November 30, 2011 at 11:12 am

Well its day 12 tommorow is my post op exam. Eriely I have no pain right now but I have not drank or ate anything yet becauase I just woke up. I have been eating pseudo normal things like pizza. Its been a long rode and its nice to have a place like cheers to come to, to cry about my problems thanks guys day 12 video about to come up I forgot to do a day 11 video
heather says:
November 30, 2011 at 10:32 am

@ Amy- Same boat as you, Wed is my 3 weeks. Next dr appt is Dec 6th. I had a terrible recovery. Pain was between 6-8 the entire time, and took 10 days to eat solid food without crying. My tast buds are still wonky…I can eat now, but nothing tastes good. It’s very frustrating 🙁 I will say that it was all of a sudden that I could eat and start being “normal.” Day 19, woke up and could swallow before drinking water. I was already back at work and it seemed like the end was in site. Didnt even take any pain meds. I hope there is no where to go but up now…I miss sushi!
Good luck everyone, Greg- thank you so much for this site. It truely helps to know I am not alone!
dresdeno says:
November 30, 2011 at 8:20 am

@ Jon H, continued healthy healing to you, been a pleasure.

Day 12, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yoF

Glad yesterday is a memory. The burning was awful at times and wouldn’t let up. Today I am back to my normal tolerable discomfort when swallowing.
Jon H says:
November 30, 2011 at 6:53 am

Post-op Day#14: Finally starting to feel like a human being again! I’m still very careful with what I eat though, and I still can’t yawn, or sneeze like a madman. This will most likely be my last post in here. Thanks a lot to dresedeno and eric w who were there during the worst! And thank you to Greg, the host, for the forum updates and the constant attention to posts. My pain never exceeded a 6, and I would advise everyone who is having this surgery to follow their instincts for the recovery. I’ve noticed how everyone in this forum says “you’ll need this”, or “you’ll need that”. Nothing is necessary except for fluids to keep you hydrated and pain medication. Fluids will especially help to avoid extra pain at night. Back to life! See you guys in the next surgery forum!!
Micki says:
November 29, 2011 at 6:51 pm

@dresdeno thank you for the support. Good to know I am not the only one that I having pain this far out. Hope yours gets better soon.
Dresdeno says:
November 29, 2011 at 5:34 pm

@Micki

My tonsillectomy was also on 11/18/11. I have had a fairly easy time compared to what I have been reading.

Something has changed, when I woke this morning. Burning in my throat which wouldn’t ease for over an hour. Felt like I had touched my throat to the inside of a hot oven door kind of burning. Off and on today I’ve noticed a slight throb in each ear. The burning throat came back at dinner time. I finally gave in and drank a dose of liquid acetaminophen three. Throat is easing off again.

I think it is just part of the healing process. I have a two week follow-up Friday morning and have a list of questions for my ENT. If you are too worried, ease your mind and call your ENT.

I am planning to take another dose of liquid acetaminophen three before bed tonight. Maybe I’ll get some sleep.
Micki says:
November 29, 2011 at 4:18 pm

Hello again. I had my surgery on 11/18 so today is my day 11. I had been making some progress pain wise but now I am in so much pain again. Ian supposed to be back at work but I just can’t make it without the pain meds. I have this constant stabbing pain in my ear and down deep in my throat. Has anyon gone through this? Have any of you experienced this kind of pain this far into recovery? Should I go back to the ENT to see if something is wrong?
Eric Welman says:
November 29, 2011 at 11:41 am

Day 11, 23yo date of surgery 11/17 woke up this morning on the couch with alot of pain in the back of my throat probaly due to dryness but I needed to ues my pain meds, I am now using my pain meds as needed rather then every four hours. Which is a good thing I guess. New Video coming in later today so stay updated. It is going to be in the next hour or so once again here is the site.
http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87
Vicky says:
November 29, 2011 at 2:58 am

Hi.
I’m a 35 year old mother of 2. My tonsillectomy is scheduled for the 8th of Desember and I am SCARED!!! After
reading a lot about recovery etc, I learnt that staying hydrated, getting nourishment in your body and carefully taking
your pain medication is vital for a speedy recovery. The only thing that still puzzles me is the following: WHEN should I start
eating coarse food to prevent scab formation???
Isabella says:
November 28, 2011 at 11:39 pm

Hey, I’m 17, and I had a tonsillectomy done nearly a week ago. Keep in mind, that I had very large tonsils and as a young child I had severe episodes of strep throat several times a year, to the point where my tonsils met in the back of my throat. This could be why the tonsillectomy did not seem that painful to me. But anyway, the first few days I slept a lot, due to the Hydrocodone, but did not experience pain above a 5. On day 3, the hydrocodone made me nauseated and I threw up all day. On Day 4, I got an excruciating headache. Basically, the pain meds have caused me a great deal of pain, and the nausea and the headache were ten times worse than the pain caused by the sore throat. Ironic much? On Day 5, I switched to Tylenol and today, I haven’t taken anything at all. My throat is mildly irritated, eating takes quite a while, but other than that, I feel great. But anyway, just wanted to share my experience and to encourage those who are worried about getting the procedure done. I read all of the horror stories and I worried for days. But it just felt like a mild to moderate case of tonsillitis, without the fever and body aches. I don’t know why I had such a good experience, but I feel so much better without my tonsils! Good luck to all!
eric welman says:
November 28, 2011 at 10:51 pm

ps @dresdeno I actually found alittle bit of bravery with food goes along way with these scabs. You have to remember post day 10 your almost ready to go back to work no more pain meds and expected to eat normal foods. So you need to ask yourself how bad that pain is and at what point is it acceptable to still be eating jello like there is nothing else in the house. I basically found alot of foods I was afraid to eat were actually not hurting as much as I thought when I put the mind of matter twist on it. You only as good as you feel you know. Plus yeah I need to talk to my ENT, It seems as though my Uvela is still swollen to the size of a thumb tack which i think is preventing me from laying down.
eric welman says:
November 28, 2011 at 10:46 pm

Well It is day 10 23yo surger 11/17 and I feel okay I tried going all day still after my pharmasist told me to wene off the pain meds, this worked to an extent but as of now I had a siering pain in my throat after a day of almost pain free besides yawning, gonna have some real mac and cheese for a change tommorow, (well not real but I mean the one in the box you make with butter and milk) Im freaking tired of easy mac and microwave mac, had tortellini with vodka sauce, that really felt good going down. I am gonna try eating some real food wednsday or tommorow I hope I dont go back to the ER lol and like always here is my website
http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87
Amy says:
November 28, 2011 at 10:18 pm

Hi there, well I am a 35 year old, Overall healthy, besides the cryptic tonsils that gave me tonsillitis on a regular basis, female who is 3 weeks post op tomorrow the 29th. I just have to chime in that my experience was excruciating! The day of the operation wasn’t too bad, but it went downhill fast from there. I don’t think I’m too much of a weanie…..I have two kids from natural childbirth and the tonsillectomy was much worse. Wound up in the ER three days later, throat swelled up, then two days after that threw up three times from the nausea that came from the meds, that shed a whole new light on the pain! Anyway, switched to children’s motrin of all things and had pretty good luck from that. Definitely agree with the cold packs on the outside of the throat, that helped a lot, also be careful with the medicine, hard to take on a empty stomach…makes you sick, but you can’t eat so it’s very hard. Throwing up after a tonsillectomy though is rough! Have an appt tomorrow for the earaches and throat pain still…is that normal?? So, I sound not so tough compared to the rest of you….overall just hope in the long run that this was worth it!!! 🙂
Dr Bing says:
November 28, 2011 at 8:30 pm

I hope that anybody that comes to this site wondering if this is the right thing to do. Yes!!! I am on day 11 and pain really never went above 6. My few best friends threw the procedure are as following. Water, if you do nothing else drink lots of water I’m talking I set my alarm through out the night every two hours for the first couple of days. Heating pad, I slept with it I traveled throught out thanksgiving family dinners with it I was ready to name it. Rest, I didn’t realize how much I needed it and didn’t care much for it I went to work the next day to help out and went shopping but felt very tired, take naps threw the day but make sure to sleep all night so it doesnt disrupt your schedule that much. I should also mention how I slept, i camped out the first few nights on my couch with pillows wraped around me sitting almost up so no mucus could form big helper. Foods to avoid, when picking baby food vanilla custard and banana were awesome but the berry burned the throat, sugar burns so anything sweet, no soda unless flat. Don’t be afraid to try things I made sure that I took my pain meds before eating anything mac cheese and mashed potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes, chicken broth, ramein noodles, jello, progressive soups. i at anything that had low soduim and blended the soups at begining. If oyu are a smoker the throat spray chriseptic was my best friend and did wait a day before trying that venture. Good Luck there is light at the end of the tunnel and so worth it!!!
Jackie L says:
November 28, 2011 at 8:25 pm

Hi All, have been reading this website for weeks in preparation for sinus surgery and tonsillectomy. J Walsch- I am also scheduled for this Wednesday at 1:30. I am 56. Maybe we can support each other through this since we will be on the same timeline. I have learned about many good ideas here to get through this ordeal and intend to try as many as I can. Had tonsillitis and strep 8 times in the last 2 years and mono this summer, time for these things to come out. Good luck to all of you, hang in there, everyone says it gets better and is worth it. Positive thoughts to you all. Will be back after Wednesday. As Tiny Tim says, God bless us everyone! Especially my poor husband who will have to put up with me.
dresdeno says:
November 28, 2011 at 8:16 pm

@ Micki,

YES, extra strength Tyelnol adult liquid or I’ve been buying the CVS store brand.
Micki says:
November 28, 2011 at 8:05 pm

Can you get that in liquid? I can only find kids?
Donna says:
November 28, 2011 at 7:40 pm

My 10 year old daughter had her tonsils and adenoids removed in April 2011. After the surgery we were told they were glad that they had been removed. Her tonsils had a lot of debris in them. The problem is that she has started complaining of a sore throat. This has been going on for about a month and half. I was hoping that someone may have had the same problem or know someone else who has had this happen to them.
dresdeno says:
November 28, 2011 at 7:26 pm

@Eric W,

Your throat looks a lot better than mine. Yours actually has some normal color back there. I sill have gray/whitish color on both sides.

I am the same as far as lying down, not there yet.
dresdeno says:
November 28, 2011 at 7:19 pm

Day 10, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yo F

I must be one of the luckiest tonsillectomy patients. I haven’t taken T3 since 12:00 a.m. on 11/24/11. IF I need to ease the burning while eating, I take OTC liquid acetaminophen. I’ve only taken this twice since 11/24/11.

I am cautious, to a point, with my food choices. Tonsillectomy diet gets old fast. What I am experiencing during this second week of recovery which I didn’t have the first week is a burning sensation while swallowing. It burns, but is tolerable. Still keeping food temps luke warm or cool. I haven’t lost any weight and unless a person just doesn’t eat, I really don’t see how one does lose weight while recovering unless they can’t keep food down. Definitely not a lot of nutritional value on this diet. I ate popcorn today. Yummy! I ate rotini and marinara sauce this evening. Burned like the dickens.

I am a runner and being idle is a downside to recovery. I am hoping to be running a race on Saturday. Anyone else looking forward to movement?

I am finished with the steroid and look forward to my “puffy” feeling going away.

Can’t yawn at all.

I am not sleeping well in bed. I moved the cool moist humidifier bedside my bed, tried different positions and still I am up all night. I am going to go back to the recliner until I can sleep restfully in bed.

Enough babbling
Tonsillectomy Recovery says:
November 28, 2011 at 7:06 pm

Hi Mickey- plain old Tylenol, (acetaminophen), is a pretty good pain killer. Just be careful not to take too much. Are you continuing to drink cold water?
-Greg
Micki says:
November 28, 2011 at 5:21 pm

Hey everyone. I am ten days post op, and I attempted to return to work today but I had to go home after lunch. I was in so much pain and was trying to get through the day without my pain because I clearly can’t take narcotic pain medication when I work, but it obviously didn’t work out so well. So here is my question, does anyone have any suggestions on how to manage pain without prescription pain meds? And I can’t even begin to swallow pills yet. Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated!
eric welman says:
November 28, 2011 at 4:21 pm

youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87
new video for day 10 now up, expierencing little to no pain except when swallowing and still not being able to lay down trying to wene myself off the pain meds and I was able to eat a grilled cheese sandwhich woohoo
Jon H says:
November 28, 2011 at 4:04 pm

Post-op Day#12: My surgery was on 11/16, no coblation, 31 y.o. male, taking Tylenol with Codeine. Today is the first day I haven’t used any medication. Feeling pretty good, actually. Still deathly afraid of eating anything remotely solid, and yawning is out of the question. OW!!! I scheduled my follow-up doctor appointment and requested him to sign a form stating I could go back to work on Day#14. I’ll be flying from Chicago to Boston on that day for work, so I’ll be jumping right back into things! My doctor told me I won’t be able to yawn normally until 4-6 weeks after the surgery. Wow. That’s a long time. He said the muscles contract after surgery and that I might experience a clicking sound when I attempt to yawn in the future as the muscles stretch. Apparently, that is completely normal though. Other news: Tylenol with Codeine causes constipation, so be careful guys. Lol. I’m going to check out Eric W’s new videos now. Good luck guys!!
Jon H says:
November 28, 2011 at 3:51 pm

Mmmmmmm, pizza… ;-(
Cailin says:
November 28, 2011 at 2:45 pm

Hi! I’m a 24yo F and had my tonsillectomy 11/23. I felt great the 23rd and the day after and even managed to eat some turkey and mashed potatoes for Thanksgiving. I went down hill from there though and haven’t eaten much since. I feel weak all day and I have gotten sick each night about the same time. My doctor prescribed me Zofran today though so hopefully that will help. It already has curbed my nausea today so fingers crossed. The pain hasnt been too bad for me (although I have been taking my pain meds every 4 hrs). The worst part which I didn’t expect was the being weak and feeling sick all the time. Hopefully that is past me now. All I want is a big pizza when I can eat again!
eric welman says:
November 28, 2011 at 2:32 pm

ps @ john h a word of warning when you drink beer, what your taking is an opy-id (sorry dont know how to spell) but it is dirived from opium which on the street is called poppys the reason why your not suppose to drink alchol is because there is a severly intenseified effect when mixed with drugs like hydro codin. Also given the addictive nature of drugs like these just be careful around them.
eric welman says:
November 28, 2011 at 2:28 pm

I cant actually believe i found this game, http://www.surgerysquad.com/surgeries/tonsillectomy-surgery/

its a virtual surgery lol somthing to pass the time with, day 10 video will be up soon for my day nine video
http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87 sorry i forgot the link last time
Greg says:
November 28, 2011 at 11:33 am

Hey gang! I’m working to improve the site and the forum with a new launch scheduled for December. Are there things you need in your journey which I could provide? Information that isn’t readily available? tools, widgets, games,…anything that would help ? Let me know. If you’d prefer, email me (gregtooke@hotmail.c0m)

Thank you- you are all in my heart
Lesley-Ann says:
November 28, 2011 at 6:03 am

Hi guys,

I am day 11 of recovery, back at work and almost feeling fantastic again, just missing my curry which will take another 10 days. My breathing has improved and my husband almost thought i was dead on Saturday morning and woke me up, because my snoring has also stopped. The pain is worth it and won’t last forever. I also think that this pain patch is what has made the big difference, so if you feel you can’t cope or just need a break from the pain, ask your doc about the patch. Good luck to all you guys out there, I know it’s not nice.
eric welman says:
November 28, 2011 at 5:49 am

Day 10, still major pain when I swallow when not using the pain meds and still having problems laying down. Interesting day 10 I actually upgraded to some solids I ate some bread sticks from olive garden along with some ravolies, I am going to make a day 10 video today, sorry about no day 8 or 9. I actually forgot cause my house was alittle busy. Still got healing todo so the videos will continue to go throughout the remainder of the week after this week tho its going to be every other day then once a week and continue that til im fully healed, Going to release a short video right now to summerize day 9, then later today around noonish release day 10. Also john sleeping on my side just re-dierects the pain and not solve anything, and yawning is the worst thing imaginable okay guys be posting real soon.
J_WASH says:
November 27, 2011 at 5:34 pm

hey peeps I am 44 & schedueled to have my tonsils taken out wensday ! what do I have to look foward to ! & please dont spare the details ! because I hate surprises ! & also whats the recovery time ?
Lisette says:
November 27, 2011 at 2:53 pm

Sorry about the least part of my previous comment. I’m on my phone, and for some reason, it wouldn’t let me keep editing my text once the comment window was full.
What I wanted to add is that now I’m worried because I told work I’d be able to come back on friday afternoon. I see patients, and I’ve had light cases booked in, but I’m worried I won’t feel up to it. In feel so crap now on day 6 in can’t even imagine it, or have some of started to improve more quickly from this point where it feels it couldn’t possibly be any worse? I would like to just ring up now and say I won’t be in, but patients don’t like being canceled, and my boss will be annoyed. Any advice?
Lisette says:
November 27, 2011 at 2:38 pm

Hi, I’m a 39yo and had my tonsillectomy on tuesday. So I’m on day 6. Must admit I thought everyone was exaggerating slightly how horrible this can be, but it’s incredibly intense. I cannot believe i had to battle to get prescription pain relief! I think my doctor should have his tonsils out. He sent me home saying to use whatever I normally do for pain (so over the counter pain meds – the strongest of which is paracetamol 500 mg + 15 mg codeine) and anti-inflammatories. I’m not sure what planet he is on. I did manage to get someone to prescribe me relief, which is good, because this morning the break through pain has still been 9/10.
i’m still needing 1 gm paracetamol and 60 mg 6 hourly and 5-10 mg oxycodone every 4 hours, just to cope. More I’m sorties because I thought I’d
Jon H says:
November 27, 2011 at 11:18 am

@mae – glad to hear it was nothing serious. That must have been scary!!
@dresedeno – no pain with beer! Despite the headache, I would gladly try it again. Lol.
@eric w – where did your videos go?!
@pamela – sorry to hear your doctor wasn’t any help! Also surprised you didn’t hear anything about ibuprofen. My doctor said I couldn’t have ibuprofen for 2 weeks prior to the surgery, and I’m not allowed to have any of it until a long time after the recovery. Ibuprofen causes your stomach to bleed more than acetaminophen (tylenol), and it increases the risk of your throat bleeding.
@kendra – cheer up! Sorry to hear about you throwing up. That must have been extremely miserable. Days 3-5 are the worst, so I think you should be in the clear. Just take it one day at a time and you’ll be alright.
@Pamela – that sounds horrible about your sore throat being worse than before the surgery. Yikes!! I hope that’s not the case for me or others. Maybe you just haven’t fully recovered? Everywhere else I read, people say it’s much better without the tonsils regarding sore throats and getting sick.
dresdeno says:
November 27, 2011 at 10:58 am

Day 9, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yo F

@Mae, thank goodness nothing more serious become of your bleeding. Thanks for sharing your recovery. I never tire of reading these posts.

@Eric W, I finally tried sleeping in my bed last night. I began at an almost upright position which became uncomfortable quickly. I decided to try lying flat as usual. Two things I noticed right away; my throat felt like it was closing up/dry, and snoring. I should have prepared by moving my cool moist humidifier beside my bed, but I was tired and lazy. I will try again tonight and see if that makes a difference. Sleeping on my side is a better choice for me right now while sleeping in a bed.

@Jon, I have been craving beer. Did it burn? I suffer from migraines so I am all too familiar with how headaches occur sometimes when they don’t at other times.

Yesterday afternoon, I decided to say crap on this bland diet and try some hot and sour soup. I let it cool off to a neutral temperature, added fried wontons to soften and ate away. Took a while, but I it was the most satisfying meal I’ve eaten in over a week. I worried the rest of the day if the spiciness would produce a bleed, but nothing. I may not tempt fate again before I am recovered more though.

Today while walking up and down the aisle of a local market I saw a can of boiled peanuts. (A southern U.S. treat.) I usually would only purchase the fresh variety at local markets, but since I cannot consume food with elevated temperature, I thought; slimy, protein, salt has to equal good. Yes, they were delicious. I am enjoying an iced coffee today.

There are a lot of gray/white spots all over the incision sites. Not sure when these will start to reduce. I look about once a day.

I am still enjoying banana popsicles. They have been a staple for me. Trying to keep up my hydration as it too has become old.
Jon H says:
November 27, 2011 at 10:31 am

@eric w – I also still have problems sleeping on my back. Have you tried sleeping on your side? That works for me. There was a huge football game yesterday: Michigan vs. Ohio State. I had taken some Tylenol with Codeine 4 hours earlier (each 20ml dose lasts 4-6 hrs and I usually feel it wear off after 4 hrs). Well, this is the biggest game of the year, and to picture myself not watching it with snacks and beer by my side was driving me crazy! In the fourth quarter, the game was really close, and it started to get really good. 5 hrs… no medication… Beer time! BIG mistake. OMG. I had the worst headache after that. But again, I think this depends on the person. Lol. There are times when I don’t have any medication and I’ll get severe headaches from drinking beer. There’s some sort of chemical unbalance in my body, I’m certain of it. Well, after that, I slept for a very long time. It was pretty much all I could do. Now, today is Post-op Day#11. Still some scabs in the back, but not too bad. Still pain with swallowing, but much better. Yawning is impossible, burping has gotten better. And you guys aren’t going to believe this, but I managed to eat a grilled cheese sandwich and a banana yesterday. If you try anything like this, just make sure you chew it into really small pieces and then swallow with a drink so it doesn’t scratch your throat. Well, that would be my advice at least!
eric welman says:
November 27, 2011 at 1:54 am

Day 9 summery, Sorry no video today, After the entire day the only pain i have left is swallowing stuff, I have graduated to things like Pasta with manara, and finally coke again, with ease these went down, however going down is the problem. The pain is intially okay so long as i have my pain meds in. What worries me however is that I still cant lay down, Every time I lay down I feel pressure in the upper rear of my throat and cant breathe. Is anyone else having problems laying down, I know the doc says to sleep sitting up, but honestly almost two weeks in I would like to start laying down soon. Plus i still have a lack of sleep due to the hydro but normally i have been able to find a rhythem of going to sleep at four and waking up to pain at like 9 10 or 11. however this day is a mass improvement from days 5-7.
Mae says:
November 26, 2011 at 11:26 pm

I am Day 8 post op. Procedure done 11/18/11

On Day 7, Thanksgiving night, I was routinely checking my throat and all of a sudden noticed that on my entire left side was covered with a large red blood clot. I’d have been recovering well with each day making a little progress than the last. Shortly after I started to taste blood and then few minutes after that I began to spit out moderate amounts of blood and could tell my left side had began to bleed continuously.
Mind you earlier I had eaten all soft foods which caused no irritation other than the usual uncomfortable feeling of swallowing.
My mother drove me to the ER where I was admitted overnight for observation. In the AM the covering MD came in and applied silver nitrate to the site which stopped my bleeding right away. I was relieved knowing I would not need to go back into surgery for cauterization. I was placed back on clears for a 24 hr period and released to go home.
Today I am doing much better and slowly advancing my diet as tolerated.
I just wanted to share this experience in case anyone comes across a similar experience. Do not be frightened if this does happen. I was told by my MD if you experience any frank bleeding that does not stop, go to the ER and that’s exactly what I did.
Another tip the nurse told me on post op day was any time you have surgery the most important time frames to watch are 7 minutes after, 7 hours after, and 7 days after. It was on my 7th day that I had this happen to me.
Mel says:
November 24, 2011 at 9:31 pm

Hi Guys, Im a 25 year old female from London, England (Hi!!) I am going for my pre op consultation tomorrow AND IM FLIPPIN TERRIFIED! I have had very bad tonsillitis ever since I was little….This year alone ive had it 16 times each lasting around a week. Finally been refered to a fantastic private surgeon (Mike Dilkes) in Spire Roding Hospital in London. He is one of the very few surgeons that perform laser tonsillectomys in the UK and my mum read about his fantastic works in the Daily Mail newspaper (good ole Mail!) He is the surgeon for Chelsea football team too (get me having a little boast!) I have done probably the worst thing poss and watched the YouTube videos of tonsillectomys and scared myself to death!
I really don’t like the look of the clamp they use to keep your mouth open, my jaw locks sometimes and am a little worried about it getting stuck. Plus i’ve heard horror stories about seriously bruised tongues! Does anyone know what pain meds I should ask for/will receive over here as we don’t have Tylenol over here in the UK.
Also I have Emetophobia – a massive phobia of sick, so is there anything I can ask for to make sure Im not throwing up when I come round and during my healing process?

Sorry about all the questions….its been “lovely” reading all of your experiences and gives me comfort that im not the first person on the planet to have this done.

Mel 🙂
gregtooke says:
November 24, 2011 at 8:04 pm

Today I am thankful for the community of fiends called Tonsillectomy Forum. You guys are amazing.
Christina says:
November 24, 2011 at 7:42 pm

In 1 week my ENT is going to make that big decision as to whether or not to take out my tonsils. I am 31 years old and have suffered from tonsilitis since I can remember. Since May this year, I have had tonsilitis several times and the swelling/pain last for at least 1 month. The ENT diagnosed me with “above average” tonsils for someone my age as well as crypic tonsils, and tonsils stones, not to mention the damage that has also been done to my vocal cords. I tried antibiotics for 1 of the 2 weeks, but they only made me feel worse, now I on an oral suspension antifungal that I’m supposed to swish with AND swallow! The oral suspension has a side effect of nausea and vomiting, but I get gagged just trying to swallow it! I hate to think of myself as a difficult patient, but these remedies the ENT is trying before surgery are NOT working. As much as I hate the idea of having my tonsils out and so close to Xmas, I would rather just get it over and done with. I also have already met my deductible on my insurance and want to get it done before the new year, IF my tonsils are going to have to come out.

I wish everyone well and a Happy Thanksgiving. Feel Better!

@Greg ~ Thank you so much for setting up the web site. You have given me so much more info and tricks than any doctor would ever do.
Jason says:
November 24, 2011 at 5:51 pm

I wanted to write this to give some hope to people who are about to go through with the surgery. Reading the horror stories on this website almost gave me a panic attack; I would read them every day and was really starting to get worried and questioned my decision to go through with it or not.

I’ve had extreme bouts of Strep Throat before (to the point where I couldn’t speak and swallowing felt like glass) – and think this falls along the same lines of pain.
I’m a 24 year old male in fairly good shape, exercise 3-5x per week and had the Coblation Tonsillectomy in the hopes that I would experience less of the side effects during recovery.

Absolute Recovery Items:
• Gatorade (went through about 3 of the 64 oz containers)
• Popsicles (standard cherry, orange, grape – used about 30-40ish)
• Frozen Peas (these are a godsend when you are having pain. Put one pack on each side of your neck – helps if you wrap them around your neck in an ACE Bandage)
• Ensure (three six packs)
• Ice Chips
• Mashed up soup (Matzoh Ball, Chicken Noodle, V8 Vegetable Soup) – made a small serving every couple hours
• Mashed Potatoes
• Mac & Cheese

Day 1 (Monday) – Day of Surgery (4/10 Pain)
• In the hospital around 7 AM, discharged around noon
• Woke up after surgery feeling very dehydrated and requested Ice Chips and painkillers, and anti-nausea medication immediately. I also requested an Ice Pack. Pain was about a 5 when I woke up
• After recovery, I went back into the Same Day Surgery area and requested more Ice Chips, popsicles, and a fresh Ice Pack. Pain returned an hour after the IV painkiller wore off, I was given Percocet and within 30 min, pain was down to a 1.
• Saw doctor before I left, he said my tonsils were very scarred from having Strep so many times – told me I only lost 5cc of blood during the surgery and that everything went great
• Went home and laid on the couch, making sure to set an alarm for every 4 hours for my Percocets. I took one every 4 hours.
• I ensured to constantly drink and eat popsicles, literally drinking every few minutes, making sure everything stayed hydrated. Also kept ice on my neck all day.
• In the evening I had some lukewarm chicken broth which was great, gave me some extra energy and was real food.
• Take the other recommendations here and make sure you wake up every 4 hours to continue your pain meds and drink more water. You will not really want to sleep too much anyway and will wake up in-between the four hour intervals. I also loved using Frozen Peas in-between my painkillers if I needed them, they were a God send and really helped bring down the pain immediately.
• Make sure your head is elevated at all times, sleep with extra pillows and keep yourself slightly propped up when laying down and watching TV

Day 2 (Tuesday) – 4/10 Pain
• Mornings/afternoons are definitely better than evenings
• I kept eating popsicles and drinking tons of fluids
• Tried mashed-up soup in the afternoon and wasn’t comfortable, but was really good to get somewhat solid foods in my system
• Also started drinking Ensure
• Can’t really talk due to swelling and pain – but constant ice on throat helps immensely

Day 3 (Wednesday) – 5/10 Pain
• Upgraded to mashed potatoes
• Woke up with a severe ear ache, went straight for popsicles and frozen peas – helped bring the pain down – just needed to relax
• Increased Percocets to 1.5
• Still can’t talk, but continuing frozen peas/ice on neck

Day 4 (Thursday) – 6/10 Pain
• Went to a follow-up and the doctor said everything was healing perfectly
• Prescribed 30mg of Prednisone, once every 3 days to reduce swelling – this helped me dramatically – gained ability to speak, softly but enough – better to not speak and let everything rest
• Also started laxatives, haven’t used the bathroom since Sunday and needed to make sure I got that under control
• Eating Mashed Potatoes and Soup on a regular basis

Day 5 (Friday) – 5/10 Pain
• Starting to sleep longer at night and more upright during the day
• Continuing soup, mashed potatoes (with gravy), popsicles, and Gatorade/Water

Day 6 (Saturday) – 4/10 Pain
• Not better, but not worse – this is supposed to be the worst part of the recovery (days 5 to 7) and I feel like I’m out of the woods for the most part. I can wait 5 or 6 hours before my next Percocet – however, I still need to wake up to take them in the night. I tried going all night without waking myself up and woke up in severe pain. Going to keep setting alarms to drink and take meds

Day 7 (Sunday) – Day 8 (Monday) 4/10 Pain
• Percocet every 4 hours, becoming more energized – still waking up in the middle of the night to take painkillers – I tried not setting an alarm one night and woke up in severe pain

Day 9 (Tuesday) 2/10 Pain
• Took one Percocet at 10 AM and did not take another until I went to bed, set alarm during night to continue pain meds
• Changed from Gatorade to Milk products (ice cream, etc) – felt very soothing and coated my throat. Oddly enough, water burns and is uncomfortable to drink
• Expanded diet to Mac & Cheese

Day 10 (Wednesday) – 1/10 Pain
• Only took Percocet at night, woke up once from pain and took another

Day 11 (Thursday) – 0/10 Pain (slight discomfort)
• First night of sleeping all through the night, no pain!
• Can speak mostly normally – somewhat muted
• Still on Mac & Cheese / Mashed Potatoes / Overcooked Pasta as main diet

Wishing everyone an easy and fast recovery! Have a great Thanksgiving 🙂
Tag says:
November 24, 2011 at 5:44 pm

Thanks to everyone that had helpful comments. I know the surgery will be painful, but I feel a bit more prepared now. I will definitely be checking in and I will be posting after my surgery. I know having this community will help a lot with my recovery.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
Sam says:
November 24, 2011 at 5:31 pm

I’m 18, and I just had my tonsils removed yesterday. I suffered from tonsillitis (thats what the docs believe it was at least) twice within the last two months and was hospitalized each time. They removed them yesterday, saying that they were very fat, infected, and covered in stones. I had my adenoids removed last year and that was hell but this is beyond brutal. I can’t even swallow Gatorade because that hurts my throat. All I can do is water, but just barely. Also, I don’t have a spleen so they said recovery time may be more for me. Can anyone give me encouraging thoughts on this or any tips on how to help make the swelling go down faster? I’ve been drinking cool water and have been putting icepacks on my throat.
Jon H says:
November 24, 2011 at 5:15 pm

@dresdeno: You’re lucky! 🙂 Must be pretty nice. I think you’re doctor must have been a pro. I’m still stuck eating yogurt, ice cream, and chicken noodle soup today. Decided to stay home today & not join the big family get-together. If I did, I would have gone crazy wanting to eat all the food and drink all the alcohol. Lol. Somehow, I don’t think Tylenol with Codeine would mix very well with alcohol… codeine is a narcotic! But, I definitely miss everyone’s company… Anyway, HAPPY THANKSGIVING everyone! This forum has been awfully quiet today.
dresdeno says:
November 24, 2011 at 2:26 pm

@ Jon
My right tonsil was very large. I am assuming the left was of normal size for my age as my ENT didn’t mention anything about it. I ate a good bit of holiday foods today, be very cautious. Wish I could have had my normal fare though. And a spirit or two.
Jon H says:
November 24, 2011 at 10:47 am

@Dresdeno: I can’t believe you don’t have any pain swallowing. Are you human?! Wow. Your doctor must have done a really good job, or your tonsils must have been really small.
dresdeno says:
November 24, 2011 at 10:16 am

Day 6, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yo F.

Last night during the evening hours I started having more and more throbbing in both ears. I noticed it was beginning to be uncomfortable to swallow. (Just like ENT instructed.) I am so glad I got a refill for T3 yesterday. I was up most of the night keeping hydrated, chewing gum and playing games. For me, I have to keep busy so my mind doesn’t dwell on the throbbing. I finally got some sleep this morning, but swallowing is definitely different now. The throbbing isn’t too painful, and I am hoping it never becomes that way.

Happy Turkey Day!!
Eric Welman says:
November 24, 2011 at 9:32 am

@tag hey I’m 23 and got my tonsil’s out on november 17th the pain it varies from person to person but I jokingly in my family have the worst pain tolerence. Just as long as you do things to keep your mind off the pain like this website and keep up with your meds you should be fine. I am on day 6 tommorrow will be a week after surgery. As far as suckiness today took the cake I had to take two early doses of the codin however the pain is not that bad you just dont sleep for awhile and keep yourself hydrated. Also netflix and friends are far better pain medcine then I’ll ever take. But it is not unbarable pain, its more like whenever you swallow its a really harsh sharp pain lasting the duration of the swallow and maybe some tounge numbness. The weird thing is I see alot from the same age group discomfort and sleep depervation over pain. I think it is because we are coming out of being adolcents into young adults and that its not as bad as a grown adult but not as easy as a child.
Also just an update, I am getting to the end of my youtube video series of my recovery, which I am surprised not more people are doing on this channel I do it to literally get my mind off everything and as a lasting memory of what has happened any way day 7 is is uploading as we speak and will be mostly on youtube as of typing this. Here is the link http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87
lesley-ann says:
November 24, 2011 at 4:43 am

just finished my first post op follow up and all seems to be healing now and scabs starting to come loose, that’s why i’ve been sore. Ent gave me a patch that offers total pain relief so let’s see when tht kicks in, some lozenges and new antibiotics and some other painkillers in between. He said monday will be the last day of pain, so excited… I see light. Going back in two weeks again for final follow up
lesley-ann says:
November 24, 2011 at 4:38 am

@elizabeth call your ent to make sure you’re fine, if you feel something might be wrong just ask, it’s better to play it safe and know all is well
Elizabeth says:
November 24, 2011 at 4:13 am

Hey, I’m 16 and I got my tonsils taken out 11/22. Everything has been just fine up to this point, with manageable pain. This morning, I woke up coughing. It literally feels like there is large mass blocking my throat. I think this is just swelling of the uvula? But it’s swelled up so much that I cannot breathe when my head is parallel to my feet. Is this normal? Tips?
Eric Welman says:
November 23, 2011 at 11:59 pm

@tag hey I’m 23 and got my tonsil’s out on november 17th the pain it varies from person to person but I jokingly in my family have the worst pain tolerence. Just as long as you do things to keep your mind off the pain like this website and keep up with your meds you should be fine. I am on day 6 tommorrow will be a week after surgery. As far as suckiness today took the cake I had to take two early doses of the codin however the pain is not that bad you just dont sleep for awhile and keep yourself hydrated. Also netflix and friends are far better pain medcine then I’ll ever take. But it is not unbarable pain, its more like whenever you swallow its a really harsh sharp pain lasting the duration of the swallow and maybe some tounge numbness. The weird thing is I see alot from the same age group discomfort and sleep depervation over pain. I think it is because we are coming out of being adolcents into young adults and that its not as bad as a grown adult but not as easy as a child.
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 11:06 pm

@ tag be strong, it’s two weeks of pain for a lifetime…. Lifetime of relief. People don’t get sick as often afterwards. When i booked my surgery i had pink eye, tonsillitis, sinusistis, a runny tummy and mouth ulcers at the same time… that’s how bad it could get. All the ongoing antibiotics can’t be good for us
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 11:01 pm

going to my ent in 3 hours for follow up. Will keep you guys posted, hopefully i get stronger meds!
Tag says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:44 pm

I am 21 and I am getting my tonsils out on December 19 because I have gotten strep about 5-6 times this year. Merry Christmas, huh?

I am so nervous. Whenever I read the pamphlets from my doctor, or even think about the surgery, I feel like I’m going to faint. The pain sounds absolutely horrible and I don’t have a high pain tolerance to begin with. All I’ve heard is how terrible the surgery is.

If someone could give me any reassurance, I would really appreciate it 🙁
dresdeno says:
November 23, 2011 at 9:30 pm

@ Leslie Ann
My follow-up is on my two week mark, 12/2/11.

As the day has gone by my nose has become runny, I am feeling pressure in my ears and some parts the back of my throat are staring to ache. Just took my first dose of T3 since 12 a.m.

I can still swallow without any pain, just the annoying things back there trying to gag the movement.

Still Day 5, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yo F
Rina says:
November 23, 2011 at 7:40 pm

Jon – mine doesn’t seem to be progressing the same as everyone else either. I had mine on the 17th and scabs have still not started to come off. The pain in my throat and ears are bearable – it’s the pain in my tongue which brings me to tears…. Does anyone know how to deal with this? T3′s and Percocet don’t even help anymore.
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 7:39 pm

hi jon h… Also hate the pain fo burping, yawning’s also not a great experience. If your throat’s turning pink, is that you recovering and scabs coming off. Just woke up with pains and meds starting to kick in. Why did no one say how sore burps and yawns are going to be? Coughing scares me the most, my ent said not to cough for 3 weeks or i could start bleeding, but i constantly get that ‘tickle’ on my chest, feel like i’ve dodged a bullet everytime a cough pops put and it doesn’t bleed. By rojnf about what day to ppl start feeling normal again in general?
Jon H says:
November 23, 2011 at 3:11 pm

Post-op Day #7: My surgery was on November 16th. I’m a 31yr. old male, and my doctor did not use the Coblator. I’m taking Tylenol w/ Codeine for the pain, along with Amoxicillin to keep infections away. The white areas in my throat are beginning to turn red, starting from the front and moving toward the back. Today, if I move my tongue to the left or right side of my mouth, there is a severe, sharp pain! It seems like everyone’s recovery from this surgery is completely different though. So far, I haven’t been really excited to reply to anyone’s posts saying “ME TOO!!!” with having the exact same experience. Other than the fact that it’s painful, which almost everyone can relate to, people are describing things completely differently. Like scabs falling off (what the heck are you guys eating to cause them to come off?), having to cough a lot, needing to drink TONS of liquids, etc. I suppose the reason I keep coming back here is to see if someone has the same problems as I do, but nobody ever does. I guess everyone’s different… The one thing I’m really disappointed about, however, is the fact that the white crap (scabs) in the back of my throat probably won’t go away for another week! I was hoping to at least be able to eat normally after 2 weeks, but I am doubtful now. So far, the worst pains for me in order from worst to moderate pain have been (1) swallowing at night and in the morning (2) burping, and (3) jaw & tongue pain. But, nothing has been extremely overbearingly painful… I mean, I read so many horror stories on the internet about the pain, but it’s really not that bad. The main thing is that it’s really, really, really AnNoYiNg.
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 1:08 pm

@dresdeno the first few days about 1 to 4 swallowed kind of okay, yesterday and today i got sore again. Having said that it’s still a bit better than i expected, as i prepared myself for the worst. Keep that positive attitude always makes a big difference! Can’t stop thinking of a lamb roti now. Wish me good luck for post op check up tomorrow! When r u going for yours?
dresdeno says:
November 23, 2011 at 12:46 pm

Still Day 5 PO, cobaltion tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yo F.

Wow, I feel so lucky. @ Leslie Ann & Louise; Were you ladies able to swallow comfortably any time so far? I don’t have any pain while swallowing. Just the nagging feeling of something stuck in my throat. I haven’t taken a pain pill since midnight, just extra-strength liquid Tylenol. I was prescribed Tylenol with codeine (T3), amoxicillin, steroid, and anti-nausea meds. The reason I stopped taking the T3 is I needed to see if I was in any pain which warranted T3 or if liquid Tylenol would be enough. So far, liquid Tylenol has been adequate. I am feeling a slight discomfort every so often in my ears. I was told to constantly drink or suck on ice, which I have been. It hasn’t left my side. I make sure I continue to do this throughout napping too. I also make sure to keep up with the gargling every two hours or as close to that schedule as I can.

For lunch I made tuna in olive oil, with lots of mayo and greek seasoning. It was so good. Some chewing was involved, but for the most part, it slid down my throat.
I hope you get some relief soon and I also hope my pain doesn’t become fierce.
Greg says:
November 23, 2011 at 11:43 am

Better???
Greg says:
November 23, 2011 at 11:38 am

Hey everyone. My heart goes out to all of you, especially those who normally celebrate Thanksgiving. Ugh! I had my tonsillectomy the day after Thanksgiving, 3 years ago. Looking from the other end of the tunnel, I can tell you: It WILL get better. Life without tonsils, for me, is SO MUCH BETTER! I used to get every virus that came down the pipe. I hardly ever get sick now. I don’t snore, (my wife appreciates this), and I sleep MUCH better.

Hang in there. I’m putting lots of time and energy into improving the main site, https://tonsillectomyrecovery.com , and the forum. Please feel free to let me know of problems or wishes.

Greg
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 11:05 am

what food are you eating? I’m doing alot of toast and scrambled eggs. Jelly also goes down okay and sweet potatoe’s been awesome, better thn normal mash. Ice creams and apple juice seems to thicken the saliva. Just took my meds and my two toddlers have just dcided to wrestle on the bed
Louise says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:42 am

im not even having a follow up! think i might give my doc a call tomorrow
Louise says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:41 am

@lesley-ann haa i agree!! Oh indian food would be GOOD!! Or any food. Im dribbling just thinking about being able to eat something tasty without chewing it for 5 minutes then preparing myself for another 5 minutes to swallow it!
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:39 am

hey guys wht did your ent’s say upon follow up. I know i’m posting alot it’s just so nice to finally chat and know that others feel the same
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:37 am

so longing for indian food
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:35 am

@louise with you on that they should rather sedate you and on iv till you’re in the clear and have thpse ‘ittle muscle machines to exercise your throat muscles whle you’re put!
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:31 am

@louise i’m hitting dy 7 tomorrow too, luckly it’s also the day of my check up. If you’re crippled with pin call the doc to be safe and see if you can’t get an appt just to make sure all is fine
Louise says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:28 am

hi lesley-ann, im taking an antibiotic and codeine every 4 hours and ibruprofen and paracetamol every 4 hours inbetween. i think it would have been nicer of them to keep me asleep till i was all better! I dont get a burning feeling when i swallow it feels like im stabbing a raw wound..ouch!!
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:26 am

@Emily I so sorry to hear you feel so lonely. Is there no way that you can get a friend or temp nanny in to help out? You houldn’t push yourself so hard physically. At least we will listen, hope that helps
Louise says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:22 am

Whyyy did nobody tell me how much pain i would be in after i had my tonsils out??
i am in agony, seriously close to saying its as bad as child birth! Help me 🙁 had them out a week ago today and the pain is getting worse everyday 🙁 i have to prepare myself every time i swallow – who knew u swallowed so often?!
My ears feel like they are going to burst 🙁 nothing seems to help!! what should i do??
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:21 am

thanks for this awesome forum btw nice to chat to other survivors. Ps are you guys also only on one pin killer and antibiotic? I’m taking pain killers every 4 hours insted of 8 hours. Thy prescribed myprodol 250mg as the painkiller
lesley-ann says:
November 23, 2011 at 10:18 am

hi, 30/f and on day 6 of recovery,had them out on the 17th. Hurting more as time goes on it seems, was so confident that i was a warrior princess till day 4 was over. How much longer before it starts getting better? Has nyone else had that burning stitch feeling by drnking water? Could that be the scabs coming off?
Eric Welman says:
November 23, 2011 at 8:26 am

Day 6; video is uploaded ( http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87 ) worst pain yet I take my codin a half an hour early leaving my to ramble on. The pain is the worst so far, with the wounds are starting to heal and the big scabs are weakening
dresdeno says:
November 23, 2011 at 7:54 am

Day 5 PO, coblation tonsillectomy 11/18/11, 50yo F
I continue to have very managable pain, it may be silly for me to write the word pain. Throbbing a little in my upper molars, tongue is sore, but the gaggling sensation I can’t even call pain, just annoying.
I was anxious throughout the night about waking up in severe pain, so I was even more diligent in keeping moisture in my mouth. I know I am getting to the end of the first week PO as my ENT told me I’d most likely have increased pain for 1-2 days. Worried to death about this pain.

This is the first morning I haven’t awoken starving. Dinner was awesome last night and the half gallon of ice cream I put a huge dent into before bed.

I continue to have a tickle in my throat which makes me want to cough. I am still feeling fullness in my ears, but no pain yet.

I am craving deviled eggs, I think I may be able to get one or three down my throat tomorrow.
gregtooke says:
November 23, 2011 at 7:45 am

Got it Jon- Sorry
Eric Welman says:
November 22, 2011 at 11:57 pm

In the bellow comment I meant to cite Olivia as being the one I am talking too.
Oh btw I never mentioned this but I am 24/m date of op was Nov. 17th and post op exam is december 1st
Eric Welman says:
November 22, 2011 at 11:55 pm

@emily first your in the age zone that you’ll have a quick recovery, now here is the news about your breath, right now you have scabs and scars in the back of your throat with alot of creavases, not to mention the drugs you take also a player in this. Just like tonsil stones if you dont watch what you eat food will get caught in the scars and the scabs and sit and rot there being the first sign of bad breath, also the fact of the matter is that you have scabbing and scaring in the rear of your mouth its just like if you fall and scrape your leg, new skin is forming and the old skin is decaying. Another problem could be related to the fact that your not being as health consicense as normal to take it easy on yourself, it is all normal to have bad breath, around day 5 tho I just recomend (if you are up to it) brushing the crud out of your teeth by using literally two go arounds with the tooth brush and tooth paste (no mouth wash trust me…ow) and taking a long long long shower you’ll feel good and so will your teeth and breath
Jon H says:
November 22, 2011 at 11:37 pm

@Greg — PLEASE, pretty please, fix your forum. It’s a major pain to scroll through more than a year’s worth of posts to leave a reply. The forum is difficult to use now, and it’s especially impossible to post something using an iPad. Even on a computer, it’s very difficult since you have to wait ages for the old posts to load first. It was much better before.
olivia taylaa says:
November 22, 2011 at 10:41 pm

hii…im 13 and i had my tonsallectomy 4 days ago and i haven’t really had any bad pain. I’ve mostly just been drinking powerade and apple juice. the only thing that i have eaten was some noodles and soup..even eating that i dont even eat it all. but my mom and sister have been staying a few feet away from me because my breath smells bad..why?! If anyone knows…when does that start to change..? if anyone know please let me know well..thanks everyone:)
Rina says:
November 22, 2011 at 10:26 pm

Sloane
I as well am experiencing more tongue pain than throat and ear pain. I have been since day 1 of my surgery. I am now on day 5 and the pain was the worst it has ever been – but only with my tongue. Turns out I am having an allergic reaction to my Antibiotic RX rather than thrush. I e-mailed my DR pics of my tongue and she said it wasn’t thrush and that sometimes you get a build up of that white stuff on your tongue since you aren’t eating and drinking as much as ususal. Usually eating keeps your tongue clean. That may be all you are experiencing. Just curious if you are taking any liquid meds which you may be having a reaction to in your mouth. I am discontinuing right now and hopefully it will feel better in the next couple of days. Good luck.
dresdeno says:
November 22, 2011 at 10:24 pm

@ Emily I
So sorry you feel alone through your healing process. You are ahead of my recovery, and so far, I’ve had no significant pain. I know any day I will be, so I keep taking meds on schedule. I don’t know if this is why I have been saved from all the pain or not. However, I need to call my ENT tomorrow for a refill because I don’t want to be in a holiday situation and needing meds with everything closed. Luckily for me, I am older with no children at home. I hope this eases for you quickly. Keep posting our recovery process, I know this site has been invaluable in my planning and recovery. Rest well tonight. This will pass soon.
Emily I says:
November 22, 2011 at 10:08 pm

I am 35/F and had my tonsillectomy on November 16. The first two days were so easy! I thought, aw heck, this is nothing! Then day 3 hit, and hit me like a ton of bricks. I’ve been staying on top of my pain meds the whole time, but it was like they stopped working. I called my ENT on Monday to find out if the level of pain I was experiencing was normal, and they were pretty much like, yeah, it is. I know they warned me about how bad it was going to be, but nothing prepares you for the reality of it.

I think the worst part for me has been the complete lack of family support. I have a husband and 3 kids and you’d think I was just deliberately inconveniencing them. I mean, how dare I not be able to do the dishes? I have still been the only one doing laundry. My youngest son has severe autism, and I still have to deal with him most of the time. The only thing I’m getting a break from is school, and that’s just because I can’t drive while I’m on narcotics. It really makes me mad that they all refuse to function without me. So instead of getting the rest I need, I’m spending my time doing chores, running errands, and trying to convince them to do anything around the house to help me, all the while being made to feel like I’m being selfish and unreasonable. I thought I had reached an understanding with them before surgery, I told them all how difficult it would be, how much pain I would be in, how much recovery time I would need and they were all like, oh yeah, we’ll help you. Yeah, until it came time to put their money where their mouth is!

Okay, I’m done bitching about my family. Thanks for anyone who listened, I just needed to get that off my chest!!
Sloane says:
November 22, 2011 at 9:14 pm

hey guys,

I just wanted to say THANK YOU to all of you and to Greg for creating this forum… I’m on day 6 today (I’m 23/F and had surgery 11/15) and I haven’t really gone online or googled anything about tonsillectomies until today because a) I’ve been too drugged out or asleep to coherently use a computer most of the time and b) I honestly didn’t really want to see gruesome pictures of what my own throat looks like right now because I was too scared!!

But today, after trying to swallow a piece of banana and having it get caught in my throat, which led to a coughing fit, which led to a piece of my right-side scab coming off and major pain to the point where I melted into a puddle and cried while my parents looked at me like I was being super dramatic and stupid — I found this site and it has been SO therapeutic and helpful to read what everyone else has written and know that I’m not alone and everyone else here is going through the exact same things. Reading through everyone’s comments has made me feel so much better… there have been so many times over the past week where I’ve wondered “is this normal or is something wrong with me?” and it’s such a relief to know that it’s not just me.

So, like I said, I’m on day 6 and was wondering… I’m still having a lot of trouble opening my mouth all the way (or anything more than like halfway) as if I have really bad jaw pain. Also, my tongue really hurts – not sure if this is referred pain like the ears are, or if it’s possibly from the doctor clamping down my tongue during surgery? But either way, I can’t stick it out very far or move it much… like whenever I try to look at my throat in the mirror, it’s pretty impossible because it hurts so much to open my mouth or stick out/depress my tongue at all.

Has anyone else felt this, and if so, when does it go away? Again, thanks for continuing to write about your experiences, it makes such a difference 🙂