oops that last line was supposed to read…”Now I am flipping out thinking I have thrush”…sorry
brittany says:
November 22, 2011 at 8:51 pm
I was wondering if anyone has had problems with their tongue?
I am day 6 post op. Last night I woke round 2am with this huge “thing” in my throat. I thought it better to try to spit it out. I think it may have been the scabs but not 100% sure as, the feeling grossed me out I was not about to turn on the bathroom light to see. Anyway finally got through that without “loosing my lunch”, but ever since my tounge and throat feels scratchy and weird. When I gently brushed my teeth today I noticed my tongue is sloughing what I am assuming is dead taste buds. I am not flipping out thinking I have thrush.
Could you please post if I am normal, weird, or need to call my doctor. Thank you so much!
Brittany
Jon H says:
November 22, 2011 at 7:44 pm
@Dresdno: I’ll have to try some egg drop soup. Tried to eat Mac & Cheese tonight. FAILED. Pain, pain, pain, pain. Not complaining,,, Not seeking pity,,, just extremely frustrated and disappointed right now.
Elizabeth says:
November 22, 2011 at 7:44 pm
I’m 22 years old and just got mine out today. It’s not that bad but I really want to clear the stuff out of my throat. How often should I wake myself up at night to drink water? Is tomorrow going to be worse than today?
This forum made me feel so much better going in-thanks so everyone who has posted!!
dresdno says:
November 22, 2011 at 5:42 pm
Still Day 4/ coblation tonsillectomy/50yo female
@JON H, I’ve had the same discomfort with burping.
Tonight we picked up egg drop soup and lo mein. Soup was so good, and the lo mein was too, I just had to chew the noodles well and pick out anything other than noodles.
I’ve been having the same minor throbbing on my upper molars off and on today.
I ventured out today to my daughters and napped on her sofa while she and her father worked on a project. I took all my meds and ice packs. Just in case I was caught out when it was med time or needed to ice my neck. This normally little feat was a big drain on my energy.
My throat has become more white than gray, and half of my uvula is too. I suspect the scabs will start shedding in the near future. I have had a tickle in my throat today too making me cough.
Hoping tonight will be a quiet one with naps and hydration.
Greg says:
November 22, 2011 at 4:11 pm
Hello everyone,
I want to take a moment to thank you all for sharing on the forum. I’ve been hosting this forum for three years now and it’s been quite a ride. During this time I’ve ventured into many different areas. It’s time to come home to my fellow tonsillectomy patients. I’ll be spending more time with you all and learning all I can, and sharing the wisdom I’ve gained.
I’m stripping the advertisements in order to make this place more comfortable for all of us. I’ll also be adding lots of new content to the site.
Feel free to connect with me here or through Face Book. I’ll be available for you.
Take care,
Greg Tooke,
Your host
Jon H says:
November 22, 2011 at 2:41 pm
Post-op Day #6: Things are starting to get better, which is great!! I’ll be venturing outside the house for the first time tonight since the surgery to pick up some more meds and to stock up on various soups, etc. I’ll also be following @LA24′s advice and will be picking up some spaghettios. Sounds like a really good food option, actually!! I had some chicken noodle soup today without any problems, and it was GOOD. I’m always really jealous whenever my wife or friends talk about eating out at various restaurants, etc. ARGH! I really wish I could eat a hamburger, a steak, or some pizza or something. Doctor said I can’t eat any of that stuff for 2 weeks after the surgery!! There goes Thanksgiving dinner. >:( One thing I’ve found particularly annoying throughout the recovery are the times when I have to burp. Can anyone else relate to this?! Especially at night or in the morning. OMG, it’s the most painful thing in the world. Starting around Day #4, the swelling around my uvula went down, so I’ve been able to sleep on my side again. For the first 3 days, it was so large I felt like I was going to choke on it. Breathing in through my nose wasn’t a problem, but every time I exhaled, I had Bernoulli’s effect going on. (Fast air stream = low pressure = vacuum causing uvula to close my throat). It was very annoying.
dresdno says:
November 22, 2011 at 9:55 am
Day 4, coblation tonsillectomy/female/50yo.
Woke up in the night coughing from gagging on something or may have been just dryness. The rest of the night I kept liquid down my throat. This was the first time I woke like this. The pain is tolerable and still hoping I never the get the severe ear pain I have read about. ENT told me the key to keeping the pain away is hydration. Chocolate kisses melt on my tongue and allow me a few moments of a not so awful tasting mouth. Moist humidifier has been non-stop, and I am still icing my neck. Staying on top of pain meds with help of alarms and Hubby. Keeping a journal too helps. Showers and getting dressed make me feel some what normal.
@Eric W, thanks for Day 5 video! Enjoy the visit from your friend. Don’t do too much.
mellywillie says:
November 22, 2011 at 8:29 am
Thanks for this site. I am 39 and had both by tonsils and uvula removed on Friday, Nov. 18, 2011. At first it felt just lik a sore throat. I didn’t have the severe pain that everyone told me I would have. But…for the past couple of nights (well mornings) anywhere from 2:30- 6:30, the pain hits. I have been sleeping upright in a lazyboy. I feel as if I have a throat full of stuff that I am not supposed to spit up. I haven’t had the bleeding scabs yet, but I am so afraid they are coming. It is very difficult to open my mouth all the way up. All I can see is green stuff. I think because I was able to talk more in the beginning and now I am in pain, my family thinks I am milking it.!! They have no idea.
Eric Welman says:
November 22, 2011 at 7:50 am
@muphyns you know thats a good idea, come to think of it I havent been taking a shower cause I have not been going anywhere (not to be nasty or anything)
*UPDATE* So it is day 5, and when I regained consiousness on my parents loveseat odly with my computer turned off and closed, It was a normal feeling instead of a dry raw pain, it was accompanied by a feeling of an obstruction in my throat, I would consider today being the worst day of it all. However this really doesnt suck my ENT said I would hate life and so far: I DO breath better, i can feel air at times hit spots in my mouth it didnt before and the added space ment more air ways; I DON”T snore as loud anymore, snoring is still around however somtimes my parents don’t even know im home when I am asleep. I am defintly looking forward to the next few days to report more improvements. ALSO VIDEO GOING UP AS SOON AS I AM DONE TYPING
http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87
PS the title is going to be day 5 i messed up the counting and thats why there is no 4 okay see you guys later
Muphyns says:
November 22, 2011 at 7:23 am
@Eric W. Don’t be afraid to use saline spray in your nose to keep that area moist. And of course a nice hot steamy shower to moisten up everything.
And, like almost everyone else recommends, try using a cool misting humidifier to keep your throat moist when you sleep.
Eric Welman says:
November 21, 2011 at 11:32 pm
Hey I just want to know from people who have had this done and people still recovering, first off lemme say that I know my doctor told me that sleep will be lost and that I will end up sleeping upright for awhile.
Periodiclly I try to guage my recovery by laying down and trying to nap normally, however doing so creats great stress in the back of my throat like everything is pulling and I completely lose use of my nose. I dont know how they got there but with some careful (and risky so dont try) investigating I pushed my toungne back to feel my nasal cavaty and found some scaring and bumps along the edge closing them. Now since then they are starting to heal but layind down is still bothersome. Also exhalling through my nose is very painful, it is pratically the main reason why I still use the pain meds. Anyone else having these probs
Jon H says:
November 21, 2011 at 9:43 pm
@eric welman – This is a great place to vent feelings about the pain! I love coming here to see what to expect, too. It’s definitely useful. I just want everyone to feel a little better knowing that this is not the end of the world and that everything will be much better in the end. My advice for everyone would be to drink some vitamins (Airborn works GREAT) to heal faster, and to use a humidifier at night. Also, make sure to get enough protein. Blending some cottage cheese is gross, but it provides a lot of protein and fills up your stomach quickly. Also, heavy whipping cream and butter will help with feeling hungry all the time due to their high fat content. I would highly recommend NOT coughing, and I would also recommend to avoid blowing your nose, gargling, etc. Hot showers are GREAT, but if you take long hot baths, it could be too much moisture, which could lead to bleeding.
Eric Welman says:
November 21, 2011 at 9:15 pm
@john h you do know that this is the reason why this forum is setup right, it is an oasis for people to relate to other people about their pain. Also I have used this forum to judge when it is safe to actually eat stuff. Now I agree with you that you know somtimes our heads may get the better of us and the pain can get bad, but you got to realize that some people do not have a high tolerence for pain. I try to provide people help why dont you tell people how you cope with the pain and how having a positive atitude provides a much better expierence.
Jon H says:
November 21, 2011 at 8:40 pm
Post-op Day #5: I had my surgery on November 16th, and the recovery hasn’t been nearly as bad as I thought. Sure, it’s been painful, but has it been significantly worse than any of the episodes I’ve had in the past?? NO. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve searched Google before for the causes of my throat pain. I had no answers, and it was REALLY annoying when sore throats kept coming back every month. I kept thinking it was caused by stress, food allergies, etc. etc.. I went to see MANY many doctors, even in multiple countries. Finally, an ENT specialist in Chicago suggested that I have my tonsils removed. So, is the pain from a tonsillectomy worth it? YES!!!! Let’s rejoice in the fact that nobody will have throat pains in the future. We can all be so much happier, too. So, let’s ALL stop complaining about this and be happy. I’m really tired of reading stories about how this is the worst pain in your life… worse than giving birth to a child….. blah blah blah. SHUT UP ALREADY! As far as updates with my recovery, I’ve noticed on Day #4 and #5 that white areas in my throat are becoming red on the edges, which means new skin is finally forming. YAY for recovery!! Come on everyone, let’s be happy and let’s stop moaning and bitching.
Erik N. says:
November 21, 2011 at 8:34 pm
Erik, 39 Colorado, My procedure will be scheduled for tomorrow I’m looking forward to it being sick 2-3 times a year sucks so hopefully this works plus I hear no more snoring..lol. I’m taking in all this advice, i’ve been on Vicodin and Antibiotics for a few days now even without my surgery happening yet. I’ll be on here alot the next 2 weeks. I’ve already bought a few things to eat and the Humidifier will be bought tonight. I will miss thanksgiving but I can cook that anytime mmmm pureed turkey…lol
dresdno says:
November 21, 2011 at 5:07 pm
@Eric W, yes, my ENT told me to not to try dairy until after day 2, and if I tolerated it keep trying more. I have jello made and waiting in the fridge, plus more in those little already made cups. Thanks for the mention of the spit cup, makes lots of sense.
Starting yesterday, when I move around my face gets flushed and feels very heated. I’ve taken my temperature, but it is normal. Does this happen to you?
Eric Welman says:
November 21, 2011 at 4:09 pm
@dresdeno thanks for the heads up i plan on uploading a video for the first two weeks, mash potatoes are good just make sure you have a shooter handy when the stuff gets stuck in your throat, question did your doctor warn against dairy as well? Also you surgery was a day after mine lol found that awesome. I suggest however you do the same just take your phone and take pictures the first hours of the operation are so far the most interesting to study because of how you go from what you are going to look like to having a cavern with stalagnites for a mouth lol. Keep up the good work. PS when your scabs start to fall which should be tommorow if you are on pace with me your gonna want a shit ton of jello and I agree also have a spit cup ready thats what I do, only reason is the fact that if you excuse yourself as much as you spit you’d do it like every 5 min.
dresdeno says:
November 21, 2011 at 1:00 pm
@SABRINA, Have you been in pain since the day of your surgery or did it start a few days later?
My pain has been manageable. I have been eating, but can only get down a limited amount each time I try. There have been times where I have been starving. Chicken or Beef stock helps, but doesn’t last long. I’ve eaten ramen noodles, mac & cheese, and instant mashed potatoes. This morning trying to get a handle on loose bowels, I ate a half of a container of greek yogurt. I surely didn’t have to worry about constipation like I thought I would have to. I hope you are able to get something substantial into your stomach. I am sure it will make you feel better. Banana popsicles are delicious. I am 50 years old, female. My surgery was on 11/1811, so I am on Day 3 of my recovery.
dresdeno says:
November 21, 2011 at 12:52 pm
@Heather, so sorry you are in so much pain with this recovery. I had my septum repaired in February, and it was nothing at all. I was back runnng in two weeks.
I wish I had advice for you, but since my surgery on 11/18/11, I’ve been able to swallow. It hasn’t always been pleasant, but it sure doesn’t make me cry. There is one spot on the right area which makes me sit up and take notice, kind of like your needle description. I have kept an ice wrap around my neck almost constantly since I was in the hospital. Also, I gargle religiously, drink continually, and stay on top of my pain meds.
I am so worried about the upcoming pain this week and how I will handle it.
I hope this gets better for you soon. My ENT told me the worse days would be 5-12. You are almost over the worse part and writing to tell about it. Thanks for your support on this site.
Sabrina says:
November 21, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Surgery Date: November 14, 2011
I am writing because I feel like my process is not taking the same amount of time as everyone else. I am on Day 7 and I am experiencing pretty hardcore ear pressure in both ears this morning. Typically the pain/pressure would only be felt in one ear or the other. I did sleep through my dose of meds this morning which made it worse. I take 2 Oxycodones every 5-6 hours. If I don’t take it the pain becomes intense and talking becomes harder.
I am terrified of eating ANYTHING. The only things I can eat and tolerate is Muscle Milk (crush my pills into shooters of it), Slurpees, some soups/broths, ice chips, and lots of fruit drinks. I tried and failed at Mashed Potatoes, Cream of Wheat, and other type products to the point that I am scared to try anything more.
I sound horrible, I sound like I have a major speech impediment, I have trouble sleeping and I try to remain as hydrated as possible. I really really am starting to feel depressed and my boyfriend I don’t think understands. Perhaps not eating anything really for so long isn’t helping but my uvula was swollen horribly for the longest time that I just could get anything, even had trouble with liquids to go down my throat.
This board is great to see/hear that other people are having the same issues. Please respond if you need someone to talk to..
dresdeno says:
November 21, 2011 at 12:44 pm
@ Eric W, the inside of my mouth looks just like yours. When you talked about allergies, I was like yes, I have post nasal drip right now too. Feeling a little throbbing today on the back of my tongue and the upper molars. It is Day 3 for me. I am not counting my surgery day as day 1 (11/18/11). Trying to get down some instant mashed potatoes. They sure do taste deliciously salty. Keep the videos coming.
heather says:
November 21, 2011 at 12:37 pm
ooopppsss.hit enter. Anyway….. I am on day 11. This has been a VERY difficult recovery. Today is the first day I can swallow my own saliva without crying. For the last 4 or 5 days, anythign I ate or drank, even water, passed an area on the left side of my throat that made it feel like someone was stabbing my throat with a needle. Called dr and he said to add Ibiprofin to my meds. I am already on liq Loratabs and percocet and anti biotic.
I am barely eating solids. Angel hair with marinara goes down ok, yogurt, rice and mashed potatos. My taste buds are shot 🙁 I go back to work Thursday, I am terrified. I still cant swallow well. I had NO idea 11 days later it would still be THIS bad 🙁 Reading I am not alone helps! I really felt alone, thanks for this site! Any advice people have would be helpful. Like I said, its day 11 and I am still over a 5 in pain and not eating real food and very uncomfortable 🙁 Thank you friends!
H
Heather says:
November 21, 2011 at 12:32 pm
I wish I had known about this site 10 days ago. My surgery was on Nov 9th at 10:30am. At the same time I had my tonsilectomy, I had a deviated septum fixed- nose rebroken and reset…so double whammy! However, the nose recovery is NOTHING
Eric Welman says:
November 21, 2011 at 12:28 pm
@dresdno not really not beyond what i have been feeling, well last night i was getting stomach aches (because of the diet im on) I havent had a bowl movement in days however alittle milk of magnesia cleared it right up. Btw Guys I put up a recovery blog on youtube, since sleep is sparse for me 2am to like 9am is the worst time for me cause no one is there to to keep your mind off the tonsils. The hydro makes me hyper and I normally remedy by taking long walks around the neighborhood (BUNDLED UP remember you have open wounds act like your sick). link is http://www.youtube.com/xxdrunkenxx87 i am currently uploading a couple of new videos, the point im trying to make is that i make use of my time by actually catologeing it
KC says:
November 21, 2011 at 11:53 am
Angela S:
Don’t be scared! You’ve had horrible experiences with your tonsils – be excited about life without ‘em 🙂 I’m about 17 days out of my recovery, and I can say with total confidence that it was NOT the worst pain I’ve experienced, nor was any day of the recovery unendurable (including 3 days when I couldn’t take the pain meds due to some “digestive issues”). It was fine. Yes, it hurts, but so does strep – if you really take care of yourself, stay on top of your medications, keep SUPER hydrated, and positive, it helps a lot. I only took the full dose of my pain meds for 1.5 days. I’ve had menstrual cramps worse than the post-surgical tonsillectomy pain I had. Have faith in your pain tolerance, it sure sounds like you’ve built up a good one 🙂
Muphyns says:
November 21, 2011 at 10:14 am
Thanks Pamela!
pamela says:
November 21, 2011 at 9:59 am
@Muphyns I’m now 32 days after surgery & I still can’t stiffle my sneeze, my scabs from what I saw did come out looking white & fleshy.
A tip for everyone still recovering, I saw somebody post a spray bottle with ice cold water bedside works well too & was recommended by her coworkers (nurses); I only wish I would’ve thought of that.
Shianne says:
November 20, 2011 at 7:21 pm
I had been sufferering from Tonsil stones to the point that they were becoming impacted. On 11/17/2011, I had a Tonsillectomy. I am on day three of recovery. I am on Hyrdrocodone. Like many, I am finding that the medicine will work for about three hours and will need another dose immediately. I am noticing that I am getting horrible migranes as soon the medicine wheres off. I think that this is a side effect due to the fact that I cannot eat and I am constantly taking this on an empty stomach.
Food: I am living on Ensure protein drinks, Vegetable broth, Won Ton Soup, Italian Ice, baby food, water and ice chips.
Sleep: Sleeping every three hours. I am snoring quite a bit, which adds to the dry mouth and the inconsistant duration of sleep.
Overall Pain: My body feels like it has the flu, however, the good news is that the pain is managable. I find that the throat pain does not throb. It only hurts when swallowing and after sleeping. The goal is to keep the throat moist. I always keep broth or water by my side. Little sips help. I find that warming vegetable broth for 1:15 is just enough to ease the pain. I take notice to when food starts to bother my throat. I will immediately drink water and follow up with an Italian Ice. Cold Ensure drinks seem to help me out as well. These drinks are thick and leave a temporary coating which I find soothing to the back of the throat.
Heating Pad: I am using a heating pad for my head and for the back of my neck. I am finding that the more I lay around, the stiffer I am getting. Make sure to stretch and take warm baths to help with the other aches and pains related to the stress of the surgery and recovery.
Keep positive. I know it’s easier said than done, but I try to relax, speek softly, and try to smile as much as I can. I know that there is a light at the end of the tunnel, so I keep the complaining to a minimum and focus on how each day I am getting better.
So far, it is very painful, but it is not as bad as I thought it would be. Just taking one day at a time.
Good luck everyone.
LA24 says:
November 20, 2011 at 6:42 pm
Hi! I thought I would chime in with my own tonsillectomy story, because I read so many of these stories before my own tonsillectomy about 11-12 days ago and it’s nice to hear from some people that it’s not SO bad 🙂 I’m a female, almost 25 who has had about six really terrible years with my tonsils; they were so large that even when I was totally healthy they almost touched; when I was sick they seemed to take up my whole throat. I struggled with strep and was constantly using a water pick or syringe to clean them to battle bad breath. It was time for them to go. It was a pretty lousy week, but even on my worst days I thought it was TOTALLY worth putting up with this one-time experience to get rid of my tonsils.
I had my surgery two Wednesdays ago at about 7am. I took liquid painkiller (hydracodone) every four hours pretty religiously through the next Wednesday, a FULL week. Generally, for the first two hours after taking a dose, my pain would feel pretty manageable; it felt like a bad case of strep and hurt when I swallowed, but if I was lying very still I was pretty comfortable. The third hour got a little worse and usually the fourth hour I felt pain event if I wasn’t swallowing, and I would watch tv to distract myself and wait for that last hour to pass before I could take another painkiller dose. I LIVED with a humidifier next to me (please please get one!). At night I would set an alarm every four hours to take painkillers, but I found that usually like clockwork the pain would wake me up after three hours and I slept on the couch for almost a week so that I could flip on the tv to distract myself.
I had two pretty bad days; the Friday two days after surgery I had been drinking a TON of water but hadn’t managed to eat anything, and taking medication on an empty stomach made me sick to my stomach. Throwing up after a tonsillectomy was pretty painful. It encouraged my to try my luck on eating pudding, and after that day I tried to make sure that I had something in my stomach before taking painkiller doses. Saturday and Sunday were actually pretty good days, but on Monday my pain increased again and I felt queasy all day again, but after reading story after story I’d expected that somewhere during the week the pain would come back again. Tuesday and Wednesday felt like business as usual. I had eaten some soup over the weekend (try blending bread into soup! It gives it more sustenance!) and some instant mashed potatoes, but I found my food hero in spaghettios. They actually went down a lot easier than mashed potatoes and it felt like I was eating something (I’d lost 12 pounds by then).
By Thursday, 8 days after the surgery, I was getting nervous because I was returning to work the following Monday and I was still in considerable pain, and on painkillers. I tried to make sure I was waiting at least 7 or 8 hours between taking painkillers so that I could wean off of them by the weekend.
I turned a corner really abruptly! On Friday morning at 1am I woke up in pain and took a dose of painkillers, but when I woke up hours later and hydrated my throat, I actually felt pretty ok. I managed to get through the day fine without anything at all. It’s now Sunday; my throat doesn’t feel normal, but I’d say it’s just a bit uncomfortable, not in pain. My surgeon has strict orders that adults don’t eat any solid foods until he clears them three weeks after their surgery, because in his experience people can have late complications from that and he likes to play it safe. So I’m afraid I’m stuck with mashed potatoes and whatever else is soft enough on Thanksgiving this week 🙂
All in all this was a lousy week, but it wasn’t as hellish as I had thought it might be. I would definitely do it again if I had to, but I’m glad my tonsils are gone for good. Keep calm, get a humidifier, take those painkillers, drink water, and keep a sense of humor. Soon you’ll be in the home stretch, too!
dresdno says:
November 20, 2011 at 6:31 pm
@eric w, any pain?
Eric Welman says:
November 20, 2011 at 6:06 pm
Day 4: Well this is defenitly scab day, i have been spitting up multi-colored flakes all day. I have gone 4 days now of nothing but streight jell-0. I know i have to take it easy on the food but I need the protein, and my teeth are starting to feel weird. So I am having some scrambled eggs. They are going down alrgiht but getting caught in the crevasases that my throat created after the tonsils were removed.
Rina says:
November 20, 2011 at 3:14 pm
I am 43 and had a tonsillectomy on Thursday (the 17th). I am taking percocet and T3′s for the pain. I use the T3′s through the day anywhere between every 3.5 and 4 hours. I use the percocet at night. I was expecting the worst and am actually somewhat relieved at my experience so far. I bought a cool mist humidifer and I have it on a chair right next to my bed all day and night going at medium speed. I truly believe that this has been a great help in controlling my pain as it is blowing on me all the time. I find when i first wake up my throat is fairly sore (about a 6) so I just go to the bathroom and beginning with warm water swish it around in my throat — I keep doing this for about 5 minutes getting a little colder as I go along and work up to a cold water gargle. I find this really helps. Then I have my pain med mixed in with some nice cold chocolate pudding, apple sauce or yogurt. Then I suck on ice chips until the meds kick in. This seems to work really well.
I’m drinking 1 protein shake a day broken down in to 2 servings — one first thing in the morning and one in the evening. Chicken broth with extra firm tofu cut up in to bite size pieces goes down quite well. I even had my husband puree the ribs and mashed potatoes with some broth the other night — wasn’t able to eat more than a few spoonfuls but it sure made me feel better 🙂
Yesterday and today I have started experiencing more ear pain and find using the wrap warmed up in the microwave really works to relieve the pain until the meds kick in.
I’m not gearing up for what I hear is the worst part of the recovery — scabs…. any further suggestions to get through this part would be greatly appreciated.
dresdno says:
November 20, 2011 at 12:27 pm
I am on day 2, having a tonsillectomy on 11/18/11. Counting surgery day as day 0. I am using liquid Tylenol 3 and extra strength liquid tylenol to control pain. I keep a iced neck wrap on at all times, gargle every two hours with warm salt water. I am also drinking or melting crushed ice constantly. This morning I have eaten a portion of mushy ramen noodles. Chew and chew some more. Then chew more. My Dr. doesn’t want me to try dairy products until after Day 2. Hopefully I will be able to tolerate dairy. Diarreah started late yesterday, and continues. Pain level is minimum, swallowing is painful, but so far tolerable. I am not looking forward to scab or ear pain. That part of this recovery scares me. Took a shower today. I talked a bit too much yesterday and I felt it. Recap, 50 year old female with coblation tonsillectomy.
Muphyns says:
November 20, 2011 at 11:02 am
@Chad. I have sleep apnea and I think having the Cpap machine with the humidifier has made all the difference with my tonsillectomy, keeping my throat nice and moist and not so painful. I can sleep at night fairly comfortable. Get one of the cool ones, not the hot steam guys. Hot moisture is too much for you right now.
Now, a scab question for All: when you get into the scab phase, what do they look like? I have kicked out a couple of things that look like tonsil stones (part of the reason I had the tonsillectomy) and I don’t know if those are it. I was under the impression they would be dry and scabby looking, not moist white flesh.
Also, a tip. I just sneezed and tried to stifle it. OMG did that hurt. Sneezed again and just let it go … not nearly as painful.
Any comments are appreciated.
Chad says:
November 20, 2011 at 10:18 am
I am 33 years old and today is the beginning of day 7 of the tonsillectomy recovery. I was lucky enough to have an additional procedure done as well…a UPPP. This is where the ENT cuts off the uvula as well as the tonsillectomy. I was recently diagnosed with moderate sleep apnea which was causing my right ventricle to enlarge. Instead of going on the CPAP machine for the rest of my life, my ENT felt that I would greatly benefit from the additional procedure which would stop the sleep apnea and allow my heart to return to normal. So far, the snoring has completely gone away much to the happiness of my wife. (Getting rid of the enlarged, constantly infected tonsills will be a big help as well)
This being said, it has been an up and down experience for me. Since the procedure I have lost about 10 lbs. Yesterday was the first day that I have done only Ibuprofen for the pain. As long as I drink fluids it works really well. The biggest problem I have is sleeping. I did take the bigger pain killers last night, to no avail. I woke up about every 45 minutes because my ears and head would hurt because my throat got so dry. I am thinking about buying a humidifier, but I am not sure how much that will actually help. (Any good advice on the use of a humidifier would be appreciated).
All in all, thus far, I am glad I had the procedure done – other than the pain and discomfort, and the relearning how to swallow without the uvula part. I am definitely ready for the earaches and headaches to go away as well. I was finally able to eat some solid food yesterday because the pain killers weren’t making me nautious. I ate most of a french dip sandwich from Arby’s because I could soak it and get it down quite easily.
I have been going through a lot of this blind, other than the information I am finding online. I volunteered to do this first because my wife gets her tonsills out on Dec. 5th. Hopefully, I don’t have anything to spectacular to post on here before then other than a continuously improving recovery! 🙂
Muphyns says:
November 20, 2011 at 8:31 am
@Pamela. I’m 42 and on Post Op Day Five. It sounds like you’re at least keeping your sense of humor about the whole thing. Try scrambled eggs. They have become my best friends. Protein is good for the healing. I have two every morning with a slice of buttered white bed — so delicious! And chew it until it’s paste before you swallow. If you feel like you’re up to other foods, try them. Just chew, chew, chew. I’ve had chicken noodle soup and spaghettio’s, even a small cheeseburger and fries. I’ve been getting tired of water an gatorade, so I’ve been drinking apple juice and crangrape. It feels good, and it also feels like it’s stripping some of the mucus off my tongue and tonsils.
I’m on Tylenol 3, which seems to be working for me. I’m at about a 4 on pain — annoying. I take it before bed, and that’s about it. I think I have some scabs cooking in the back, so that could get worse and I’m sure I’ll be taking more.
The antibiotics have been more annoying for me. Upset my stomach and give me diarrhea, which makes me feel weak and tired. I might take a short trip to the grocery store with the husband, just to get out of the house.
Going back to the doc tomorrow. Wish me luck, and I wish you all the best on whatever stage you’re on.
Katie C says:
November 20, 2011 at 3:17 am
Day 9!!!
People who just started this adventure: resort yourself to the fact that this will suck, but take it one day at a time and remember that all of the pain is temporary. And sorry to say, it will probably get worse before it gets better.
I can’t believe I made it this far. It has been the longest week ever. Mostly because I’m up all night. I slept for a solid 4 hours last night, first time since my surgery on Nov 11. BUT, i slept with my mouth wide open and woke up with a dry mouth and throat. When I woke up i knew it would be painful to swallow so I waited until i got to the bathroom, I poured a little water in my mouth and tried to swallow. WOW was it painful, like two pieces of sandpaper rubbing together. On a better note, the rest of the day was amazing. I was still having lots of pain before each does of medicine so the doctor told me that I could double my dose of Percocet. But I don’t have enough to get me through Monday business hours so I just started taking one dose every 3 hours instead of every 4. He said that it wasn’t dangerous for me to take that much that often so I’m cool with it. I can’t tell you what difference it made! I was more clear headed because I wasn’t in pain and I felt more like myself than since before my surgery. I went shopping! My legs hurt though from underuse 🙂 I was able to talk long enough for my throat to clear of things that were in there all week. And it didn’t hurt to do that because I’m catching the pain before it starts. DON’T BE AFRAID TO NOT BE IN PAIN. Talk to your doctor because you won’t feel better unless you have your pain under control. I still refuse to sleep through the night until I can eat. My meals for the day included a milkshake and a couple bites of instant mashed potatoes, its also the first food i’ve eaten since wednesday…. … what day is it today?
Erik N. says:
November 19, 2011 at 10:50 pm
I’m having trouble with my tonsils and just got done reading most of your posts all of you are very helpful. I just got back from Emergency with my perscriptions and still hoping these meds help but I’m ready for the inevitable. Dr gave me the week off but if I don’t get better then surgery by the end of the week. All of your posts are Scaring the H__L out of me lol but I know I can do this. I wanted to give some advice for some relief i’ve had. Nyquil in liquid form helped to releived some of the discomfort and ibuprophen Advil is what I had on hand worked very good. I’ll Keep you posted on my progress and going to buy a humidifier, broth, Jello, Eggs, Oatmeal, Cream of Wheat and Chewing Gum.
Eric Welman says:
November 19, 2011 at 10:38 pm
I am on day 3 going on 4, I havent been sleeping much due in part to the fact that my throat is extremely dry, and that the hydro condin makes me hyper. Is it normal that the pain meds makes me actually want to move about. I normally find my self bundled up walking around the neighborhood. sipping on somthing.
Jon H says:
November 19, 2011 at 9:58 pm
What is everyone taking for pain medication?? My doctor gave me Tylenol with Codeine, but it hardly kills the pain, so I’m beginning to get worried..
Dr Bing says:
November 19, 2011 at 8:43 pm
Well no post day 3 it mimiced day one and two. Had some company even though I slept on and off they helped entertain my daughter and husband, I didn’t leave the house even though I had plans too by the end of the day I was to exhausted. Day 4 (this morning) cried when I woke very sore and irratable didn’t want to drink or eat swelling worse this morning and slept threw pain med dose. I ate some soup after putting it threw the blender and cream of wheat for dinner (again cried). Talking was much more difficult today and ear pain and jaw pain really went up. I took a shower but other than that my heating pad and ice water are my best friends. The gum seems to fall apart in my mouth because the chewing hurts. My daughter wanted to see my throat she was very interested in it but my husband said that is something he can never unsee. I know I haven’t hit the worse so I am resting today, tomorrow, and Monday so I have energy to get threw the worse part. I haven’t read anything about smoking do any of you smoke, are you smoking, if not how are you passing the urge? Pain level day 3 about 3 pain level today 6. I do find that spraying my mouth every hour and half threw the night with water bottle and chroseptic spray is helping. I have resorted to cooking the meals just so I can smell everything. Scrambled eggs were a great treat today too but make sure you wait until the pain meds to take effect. Good night and good luck to everyone else in the boat or ready to board.
Micki says:
November 19, 2011 at 7:15 pm
This sucks. I’m day two and in so much pain. The pain Mesa don’t really do anything but make me sleepy. If I fight the sleep I begin to feel fizzy and gross. It’s so hard to breath and my uvula is so swollen my air closes on me when I sleep. Also my tounge is killing me. I don’t know what they did to me but my whole mouth is in pain. Ahhhhhh!
Jon H says:
November 19, 2011 at 5:05 pm
Post-op Day #3: Headache has gotten a lot worse!! Almost unbearable today. Refused to eat for most of the day, but finally managed to blend some cottage cheese with heavy whipping cream, strawberries and milk. I definitely needed the protein and the fat! Swallowing is still really difficult, but I can at least talk a little bit, which is nice… Definitely not looking forward to the time when these scabs start to come off.
pamela says:
November 19, 2011 at 4:46 pm
ok so i was able to eat mashed potatoes with butter.it was good. they were nice and warm so they felt good going down my throat. so i have added mashed potatoes to my diet of yogurt, sweet tea and wanton soup hope this help someone else!
pamela says:
November 19, 2011 at 3:35 pm
OMG! i am a 43 year old black female and i had my tonsils removed on 11/15/11. i would rather go through child birth! This has been the worst pain ever and i cant wait to get back to normal. nothing seems to help the meds just make me sleepy and everything hurts popsicles, hot tea, soup…everything hurts and makes me sick on my stomach! I can however eat yogurt and drink ice cold sweet tea and wanton soup thats about it. i cant imagine how much weight i have lost. i am terrified of food. When i think of something good to eat i quickly change my mind out of fear. I keep hearing that its gonna get better so i just wait for the day. today is day 4 so im really hungry and im gonna try my luck at some mashed potatoes! wish me luck and i will let you guys know how it goes
dresdno says:
November 19, 2011 at 11:32 am
I am 50 year female and had my tonsillectomy yesterday (11/18/11). My ENT used the coblation method. My right was very large and hurts worse than the left side. Mu uvula is swollen and makes it seem like have something hanging down my throat. I keep the cool mist humidifier going, been melting crushed ice on my tongue, eaten a few bites of apple sauce, chicken stock, chewing gum, and drinking something every half hour. Sleepin g in a recliner, keeping my neck iced all the time. I haven’t looked in my mouth yet. Not looking forward to the next painful week.
I am so happy to get such information from this site. I’ll check back regularly and see some of you had surgery around the same time as I did.
Muphyns says:
November 19, 2011 at 7:13 am
@Jenn. Wow! Sounds like you had a terrible day! My doc didn’t prescribe me any anti-nausea meds, but I had some left over from when I had a kidney stone last year. I take one each morning, before I eat or do any meds. Once my tummy feels a little more solid, I eat, then I take my liquid antibiotics. They are so gross and nasty, just the idea of them make me nauseous. The gargling always feels like a gamble too, so take it easy. Don’t forget the meds.
I am post op day four, and I’ve only been taking my codeine before bed, but once those scabs start coming off, I’m sure I’ll be hitting it every 4-6 hours.
Jenn says:
November 19, 2011 at 6:53 am
Yesterday, Day Two, I went to bed feeling so good I almost didnt take my dose of med for the first time. Luckily, my hubby talked me into it. This morning, Day Three, I woke up HURTING and took my med 30 min late and ate a popsicle and immediatly felt nausious. SO SCARED I was going to throw up! Sat in front of the toilet praying and thankfully it passed long enough for me to go grab the anti nausea med they gave me. Hadnt needed it up until now, but it sure worked! Now feeling VERY sleepy! Hoping it doesnt get worse…
Sandra says:
November 18, 2011 at 5:20 pm
Hi Everyone,
Just an update and a few words of advice to those who are pre-op. I had COBLATION on Sept 26th. On Oct 2nd, I bled out and had emergency surgery. I am doing well, still raw….bad earaches for the last two days…throat and ears itch occasionally…..throat is dry. Eating everything…spicy hurts. It took me one month to get back on my feet. The second surgery really set me back…the ability to eat, sleep, mental stress…you name it.
If you are doing COBLATION, please do your research. There is a good study that was done. Bleeding rates are atleast twice that of other methods. FYI, I have a friend who is a preofessional researcher and he has had a tonsillectomy and he says that there is no concrete studys on bleeding rates. Many ENT’s have stopped doing coblation. If I were to do this over, I would not do coblation. My ENT said the recovery would be less painful….yes, it was…but he also said there is a higher risk of bleeding. He wasn’t concerned, so I believed that this was the right method for me. Had I done my research, I would have asked for a different method as I am NOT a risk taker.
Not sure why my ears hurt but I hope its just the change of weather here in cold windy Chicago.
Best of luck to all of you.
Micki says:
November 18, 2011 at 3:58 pm
So I had my surgery at 10. When I woke up I had some struggles breathing, my lungs felt like I had just run a mile. So far the pain is ok but the swelling make me gag. It feels like I already have scabs ( know I dont but it just feels that way). I am going to try and sleep some more. I will keep an update on how it goes.
Angie says:
November 18, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Day 8: worst pain yet. Barely can eat liquids. Called dr. He said he’s not worried but believes the scabs are falling off. Water feels like glass in my throat. Very raw skin. Back in pain killers. Super tired of broth. I did some work emailing today and that was fine. In all honesty it hurts but not nearly as bad as I thought. Still on 1/4 dose of oxy as needed. I forced myself to eat soup and some mashed up eggs. Needed protein and vitamins. I’m ready to eat real foods!!!!! Oh and tired of the weird dreams!
Jon H says:
November 18, 2011 at 12:19 pm
Post-op Day #2: Severe pain in jaw now. Light headache. Eating baby food, ice cream and yogurt… The recovery process isn’t anywhere near as horrible as I thought it would be, but the discomfort is constantly there. My doctor didn’t use a Coblator since he’s had better success (less bleed rates) with standard caulterizing. I think he did a good job. The one major disappointment I have so far is that the Tylenol with Codeine I’m taking doesn’t kill pain nearly as well as I thought it would.
Azeem says:
November 18, 2011 at 11:32 am
Hello friends,
Please share with me if you have experienced the same.
I did my tonsillectomy on 4th of November and I was on pain med and antibiotic. But after 5 days I was having persistent cough and I went to see doctor, this time he prescribed another antibiotic named augmentin with a cough syrup named corex-d. Till today cough us the same but my throat is very much better but after continous cough throat hurts. Now it’s almost a week with this cough and past 3 nights I couldn’t sleep well.
If you have experienced this kind of cough after the tonsillectomy or any advice please advice, I will greatly appreciate.
Thanks a lot
Azeem
lisa c. says:
November 18, 2011 at 10:55 am
Post Op Day 8
A week done and gone, hopefully the worst part too! Days 6 & & were by far the worst so far. Usually overnights for me was never any worse than during the day but on those days I woke up with severe pain in my ears, throat and jaw. My scabs have started falling off (I think) since around day 5. Who knows how long this will take. I just checked the back of my throat (I can FINALLY open my mouth wide enough to look back there!) and its still completely covered with scabs. This morning when I woke up it hadn’t been as bad as the past two days and when it came time to take my pain medicine I wasn’t in as much pain as I have been, but was still in pain. I don’t know if this means that the worst is behind me or what. Every time I think I’ve had “the worst day yet” another one seems to appear and is worse than the one before.
I’ve been trying to eat about 30 minutes after I take the Lortab, that’s when its least painful. I still cannot eat a whole lot but I’m slowly getting there.
The good points are that my uvula is not AS swollen as it was, I’m slowly starting to be able to eat a little more at a time, the scabs started falling off a few days ago.
The bad points are that I still have a lot of pain in the throat, ears and jaw (especially overnights), my throat is still completely covered with scabs and I’m worried that I wont be able to go back to work on Monday. I was scheduled to go back this past Thursday but had to tell work I wont be ready until Monday.
P.S. I can feel a scab in the back of my throat but it wont come off, it feels like its just lingering there and it’s super irritating!
Jules says:
November 18, 2011 at 9:18 am
Hi, guys. My surgery was in the early morning, so I’m counting that as day 1. I’m on day 10. The pain is getting better, but I definitely need the pain medicine still. I’ve already gone through two refills, though, and I’m really afraid my doctor isn’t going to prescribe me any more after this. I have about enough medicine to get me to part of the way through day 12. Is that when people typically stop taking the medicine? I really can’t run out, because my body has built up an amazing resistance to advil/tylenol because of my superhuman menstrual cramps. (As someone who has a kid, I’m allowed to say that they hurt as bad as being in labor!!!) How long before I won’t need the pain medicine? I’m trying really hard to take it every five or six hours instead of four, but I end up in so much pain that the medicine then doesn’t do much for it.
To anyone about to get the surgery done– It’s going to hurt. A LOT. Without a doubt, it will be the most miserable two weeks of your life. I would 100% rather give birth again than deal with this surgery. However, no more strep! No more sore throats! No more tonsil stones! Just keep thinking about how great life is going to be when this is all over!
Jen says:
November 18, 2011 at 8:52 am
Angela, if you don’t mind me asking… What’s the date of your surgery?? I’m having mine on the 5th and it would be great to have someone going through this with me (if you know what I mean 😛 ). Your history with your tonsils sounds pretty similar to mine.
I’ll be 38 on the 30th of this month.
Muphyns says:
November 18, 2011 at 7:56 am
@Angie. I sounds like you’re trying to do too much at once, Girl. You need to take two solid weeks for yourself. I know the other stuff is weighing on you, and when you’re down and sick all you can do is dwell. But focus on being well and solid. Then, you can tackle the other stuff.
I’m on day three. Throat feels pretty good, but I’m lucky that I have Apnea and wear a CPAP with a humidifier. I think that’s done me a load of good.
Going to have to take it easy and not get cocky today. Enjoying my two scrambled eggs again and a piece of buttered bread with apple juice. Eggs seem to keep the nausea away, but I still feel very weak and tired. Only taking the codeine at bed time, Tylenol seems to handle this mid-morning headache I’ve been getting, but I’m sure once the scabs start to come off, I’ll be drinking the codeine straight from the bottle.
Thanks to everyone for suggesting keeping an RX diary. That has been a huge help.
Keep on keeping on Everybody, and Happy Friday.
Jenn says:
November 17, 2011 at 10:40 pm
Just had my tonsillectomy at 8 this morning. Been taking my meds like clockwork and drinking CONSTANTLY. At first the gatorade stung (the salt I think), so I just stuck to icewater and apparently my bladder hadnt woken up for several hours, cause I felt like I was going to pop. Only trickes when I tried to pee!! this afternoon I tried the gatorade again and it was fine, so I’ve been drinking that too. Had two boxes of jello through-out the day! Its 10:30pm and I am scared to sleep, because of what everyone has been saying!! 🙁 But I know I need my sleep! May try setting my alarm to get up and drink everyhour. The Dr told my hubby he nicked my uvula with the tool, so its pretty swollen and Im worried its going to block of my airway if I lay down. Thinking the recliner may be in order…
Thanks for the site and for all the good sharing! I will post things that I think may be of help, as I heal. Good luck to you all! 🙂
Dr Bing says:
November 17, 2011 at 10:37 pm
Day 2 well lets just say not going to bed until almost 5 am really put me out of wack today. I sleep about 3 hours at a time with the alarm breaking threw to remind me to drink water. Well water is a bit hard to swallow thank goodness chicken broth is on sale because of Thanksgiving around the corner. I drink the low sodium so I dont have any extra water weight to worry about. The doctor called to check on me I feel like all is going well. I showered and went to community meeting for half hour then off to grocery store (think I over did it a bit). I enjoyed cooking dinner for the rest of the family I licked the potatoe just to have something with taste in it they laughed at me. My stomach has growled all day long plenty of jello and broth and water. Tomorrow I have only plans to relax and a few visitors to check up on me. It hurts to swallow my spit while I’m awake but manage to do it sleeping? humidifier running non stop and have three glasses of fluid next to me at all times to kinda switch flavors. I am not pushing any thing but liquid down any time soon. I coughed earlier and spit up blood clot but did not taste anything in my throat but now the right side seems to feel better. Yesterday I was able to open my mouth today I can’t look past my tongue. Well good luck to the people who are scheduled soon. Thank goodness for text messages it really saves from having to talk. Pain level today between 2-5….on to day 3 fingers crossed!!! Btw Not cockey just optomistic about whole situtation
Ashley T says:
November 17, 2011 at 9:38 pm
Angela S., It has been 18 months since I had my tonsillectomy. I had strep throat/tonsillitis/some throat infection 8 times in one year. It was insane really. And as much pain as all of that total was (including the kissing tonsils), the leaking ovarian cyst I had about 9 months later was the worst pain that I have ever felt.
And to everyone: They will give you some strong pain meds. At least for the first week try to keep them in your system as often as possible and then ween yourself off to tylenol. The first day and a half, I barely took my pain meds. I have a high tolerance for pain but that also kept me from drinking water. That is the biggy. DRINK WATER. All the time. Wake up in the middle of the night a couple of times and get that water down. Start with ice water and around day 6 or so (when the scabs start to come off really) switch to room temp. I had a bleeding issue on day 11 because I hadn’t drank enough water initially to keep the scabs moist.
Also invest in a cool air humidifier. Mine was about $25 at Walmart and the filters are $4.41 (just bought a new one tonight). Run that bad boy 24 hours til you are recovered/released by your doctor. It makes waking up in the middle of the night so much easier because you throat is still getting some moisture.
Something that my grandfather recommended to me: oatmeal (I love TJ’s cinnamon apple). He had his done at 30 and lived off it. It has healing properties in it. Just to don’t get it too hot, let it cool for 5 min first. The fiber in it helps counteract a certain side affect of antibiotics. I should know I had four straight months of taking a round of antibiotics before the surgery.
Other than that I got creative with what I ate (my mom would drive me to restaurants). Snow crab legs were the best. A lot of work for how weak I was but worth it. I liked grilled sea scallops cut into tiny pieces. Rock Bottom has the best cheese mashed potatoes.
Good Luck to anyone considering or heading towards the surgery. You won’t regret it. I promise.
Jon H says:
November 17, 2011 at 9:16 pm
Just had my tonsils out yesterday. 31 yr. old male. On my first recovery day. Immediately after the surgery, I had trouble breathing with my uvula being so swollen and my tongue started to hurt. They gave me some morphine, which relaxed me significantly. Then the pain started to go to my jaws next, and I could feel a slight headache coming on, so I got some more morphine. Finally headed home and started to feel nautious from all the anesthesia wearing off. Thankfully didn’t puke! Ate some yogurt and tried some Tylenol w/ codeine before sleeping. Day 2 – throat is dry and painful and still can’t sleep on my side due to extremely large hanging uvula. Nothing SEVERE yet, but my doctor told me the 3rd and 4th days tend to be the worst.
pamela says:
November 17, 2011 at 7:53 pm
@Micki have a last supper tonight, something good.
Micki says:
November 17, 2011 at 6:34 pm
Tomorrow is my tonsillectomy. Any last words of advice?
Angela S. says:
November 17, 2011 at 5:41 pm
* Oops, I meant 4th round since August. I’m currently on Amox. again..
jakewatson says:
November 17, 2011 at 5:35 pm
Thanks carly and KC
your comments have really, helped got a meeting with my GP next week.
time to get the ball rolling and end the misery!
🙂
Angela S. says:
November 17, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Hello
I’m a 33-year-old woman getting ready to get my tonsils out in a couple weeks and I’m scared sh*tless. I started having trouble with my tonsils more and more over the last few years. I’d get some pretty bad tonsil infections at least two or 3 times a year but antibiotics always cleared them up. Now I’m currently on my 3rd round of antibiotics since August. I took amoxicillin for the first bout then, and thought I was fine, but the infection came back within a couple weeks and I got a Z-pack. It barely touched my tonsillitis. So then I went on a 20 day course of doxycycline, which bought me almost a month before they got bad again. Last time my uvula got very swollen and my ENT agreed it was time.
I’ve heard how painful it is. I am trying to be hopeful in that it won’t be as painful as I’m afraid of. I’ve had several painful surgeries and conditions, including oral surgery for an impacted tooth, wisdom teeth, nose job, c-section, and surgery to remove some endometriosis scarring. I’ve had endometriosis and ovarian cyst pain so bad I would almost pass out. In fact, most “painful conditions” I’ve had have been a lot worse than any surgery I’ve ever had. I’m hoping these experiences will prepare me for the pain somehow and make it not so horrible! LOL!
Katie C says:
November 17, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Post-op day 7
I missed a dose of pain meds during the night. I woke up an hour and twenty minutes after my scheduled dose and I just started crying. I tried to shovel ice down my throat until I realized that I missed a dose. After I took medicine I slept for almost 4 more hours, missing another dose! I did not learn my lesson today.
I DID learned that if I get up during the day and go into the living room and sit upright or move around, the medicine works better and I feel better longer, it lasts almost to the next dose.
Agreeing with Lisa C, a heating pad on my neck and about 20 minutes of letting the medicine set in works the best.
Also, my dad took some time last night and rubbed my neck, he put hard pressure just behind the jaw and up and down my neck and then right in front of my ears. It actually hurt to have it rubbed but if you do it for 5-10 minutes after taking medicine, ear pain is gone. Unfortunately I don’t have dad in the middle of the night.
I talked to my boss today and she wants me back at work but understands that I need to continue to recover. I think endless days of LOST and quippy facebook status updates is certainly recovery don’t you?
lisa c. says:
November 17, 2011 at 2:44 pm
Post Op Day 7
I woke up with the worst pain so far this morning. I don’t know if it’s because I slept a lot last night and didnt drink much, but wow! What I’ve been finding to work best is to take my pain med and hold a warm sock filled with rice up to my ears. The Lortab kicks in within 20 minutes and the heat has been working wonders for my ear pain and even helps the jaw pain. I was able to open my mouth far enough to see the back of my throat last night, it’s still covered with scabs…who knows how long those will take to fall off.
The upsides so far are that the pain medicine hasn’t been making me feel as tired, it still helps me sleep, but I’m not loopy from it, the warm compresses help my ear and jaw pain, I’ve been eating 30 minutes after I take the pain med since that’s when it hurts least. I still don’t eat very much, but it’s more than I had been getting in me. My uvula doesn’t appear or feel to be as swollen as it was either, so that’s nice.
The downside is that the pain is still horrible, I have a throat full of scabs that have yet to fall off, the pain medicine wears off after 2 hours and my tongue is covered with a thick white coating. I’m not sure how to tell the difference between the normal white coating and thrush.
I was supposed to go back to work today but had to email them and let them know I’ll still need to be off today and tomorrow. That plus the weekend gives me an extra 4 days, so that’ll be 10 days off work since my surgery…I hope I’ll be fine to go back on Monday!
KC says:
November 17, 2011 at 1:08 pm
All,
Just wanted to post a quick update on my recovery – day 14 or so, and feeling pretty up-to-speed. I posted a big list of all the things that worked well in my recovery a few pages back (all of which I would HIGHLY recommend, particularly the med log and drinking liquids throughout the night), and those definitely still stand today. I’ve been eating soft foods a LOT, throughout, and I think it helped with keeping the nausea down and energy up, as well as wearing the scabs away slowly. Keeping ridiculously hydrated and constantly sucking on a glass of gatorade-water was also key 🙂
I credit a lot of my recovery to having a fabulous, experienced surgeon. But the tips from the forum are super important – they prepare you for the various “stages” of recovery, so that when it gets worse, you’re ready. Thank you everyone for all your advice and support!
@25: I’m so sorry your surgeon only recommended a week! That’s no good. I’m glad it’s working okay for you though, and you get some serious badass points for working a week after a tonsillectomy. Impressive as heck.
JakeWatson: Don’t be scared – it was so worth it, and wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought. Since I was expecting horrible unendurable pain, every day that I hurt I realized that it was totally not even the worst thing I’ve experienced, and since I knew what to expect, it wasn’t scary either. It’s 2 weeks of crap for a lifetime of tonsil-free happiness 🙂
Thanks again everyone – and last bit of advice is, once you start feeling better you may be tempted to push it. Be sure to take it easy for at least a week after you start feeling better, continue to eat soft-ish foods, avoid public places since your immune system is weakened, and very carefully wean off your pain meds. And keep up the liquids!
All the best 🙂
Carly says:
November 17, 2011 at 12:38 pm
DAY #8
Just had my post op appointment and Dr. Carder says I’m doing super. He also gave quite the description of my nasty tonsils he removed…how relieving it will be to never choke on post nasal drip or cough up a tonsil stone again!! I’ve also been given the all clear for Thanksgiving dinner so it’s a holiday miracle. Hang in there all!!
@JAKEWATSON I completely understand. I’m just 5 years older and it SUCKS. I will not lie to you. But I have struggled with tonsillitis, tonsil stones, and tonsil complications from chronic sinus infections and the pain you feel and the time you waste getting sick isn’t worth backing out of this. You’ll persevere. For me the third day was the WORST. I told my doctor that the anesthesiologist should have put me in a two week coma. And honestly whoever tells you that you can eat all the ice cream you want the day after should be shot. And I wouldn’t recommend watching the South Park episode when Cartman gets his tonsils out. But those things aside, it’s maybe a few days of pain (with pain killers and lots of sleep) and two weeks of discomfort, which if you have chronic tonsillitis you already have, and then you’re golden. Just think on it, ask us questions, and be brave. It ain’t fun, but it’s going to be worth it.
Angie says:
November 17, 2011 at 10:39 am
Day 7: not a good day. Depressed. I didn’t get the job I really wanted and last night I talked way too much and this morning am miserable. I’m not on pain killers during the day and am thinking of taking myself to get my new glasses so I can see! I’m having difficulty eating applesauce but the gum is helping. Just hungry. I’m dying for a calzone. My dad tried making me chicken soup but the corn kept getting stuck in the back of my throat and I couldn’t move my tongue to get it out. Today I am letting myself have a pity party. I might try baking for the joy an giving myself a pedicure. Then that’s it. No more sour face! I was thinking of going to the mall for an hour this weekend. What do you all think! I need to get out and make progress… Join the living… Need something to do this weekend.
Muphyns says:
November 17, 2011 at 7:17 am
Day Two.
Work up feeling like I was coming down with the flu. I was cold, achy. Got up at 4 a.m. and took my antibiotics and put drops in for my right ear which now has a tube. Couldn’t stand the smell of myself anymore, so I took some press ‘n seal wrap, wrapped it around my ear and tied it up with a hairband, twice around. It worked. Ear was dry as a bone. I feel so much better to have washed off the anesthesia smell and general stink. Flu feeling gone somewhat.
I can feel my guts moving around and I was prepared for awful diarrhea, but it wasn’t too bad. I’ll try to get some more food in me today so maybe the diarrhea won’t be so bad. Maybe a scrambled egg. I’m also nauseated, so we’ll see how that works.
Sorry if I’m providing TMI. Hope everyone is doing okay in whatever stage you’re in.
Dr Bing says:
November 16, 2011 at 8:33 pm
Well I had my procedure at 8:30 am and was home and on the couch by 11am. The morning was full of opps. I droped my urine sample before the surgery (tmi sorry) I wake up and bite my tongue and it began bleeding, I was a little groggy but that wore off within the hour. Came home to take my first dose of pain meds and almost dropped bottle and lost some meds down the sink. I have drank water, flat ginger ale, chicken broth, and ate jello and sherbert ( be sure to drink water afterwards to get the thick film off so you dont cough I read that in previous post and works great). I fell alseep and started to snore, it scared me so bad I jumped up and scared my husband out of his seat. As for the day a lot of awkward events. As for the procedure it went smooth and filled up on plenty of fluids if day 1 is one of the better days. I’m scared to fall asleep but prepard alarm is set every hour to drink something and the humidifier is running on high. I have chewing gum next to me and ready, I ate a piece earlier and it really helps with the swallowing. I have set up camp on the couch so I can sleep upright to help with swelling and any drainage that make occur. I am nervous for tomorrow but so far so good, I am ready and eager to heal. I am not rushing any part of this so I can heal only once. I am taking it slow and steady and am glad that I took off almost two weeks to heal. Good luck to anyone reading this, and read all the post here they really get you prepared for what to expect. The chiroseptic spray is my best friend so far (do not buy generic it has alcohol), pain level 2-4
Lisa says:
November 16, 2011 at 8:27 pm
I meant to give a hint that might help with taking the pain meds. If you are on the liquid meds you know how TERRIBLE they taste. Well, dilute it with water. It helps sooo much. That thick stuff is hard to swallow anyway.
Lisa says:
November 16, 2011 at 7:59 pm
It’s been a few days since I have posted. My surgery was November 7 so I am 9 days into this. I have lost 11 lbs. due to my inability to eat and feel really weak. Last night I had a major scare. I woke up feeling like I was choking and went to the sink and spit up two huge gobs of bright red blood. I got a flashlight out and noticed that the back of my throat was where the blood was coming. I gargled ice cold water for probably 10 minutes and it finally stopped. I had already woke up my husband to tell him to get ready for a hospital trip. I was at the sink barely able to hold myself up due to the weakness of not eating and the blood. NOT a good experience. Today I have felt like warm drinks was what I needed the most and it seemed to help. When I try to drink ice cold water now it really hurts. I have still been putting heating pads on both of my ears because they still really hurt and tonight it feels like my throat is still as raw as the day after, the only difference being the swelling has gone down. I’m really hoping that soon I will be back to normal again.
Muphyns says:
November 16, 2011 at 3:22 pm
Katie, what day are you on?
Katie C says:
November 16, 2011 at 1:59 pm
last night was for sure my worst night. I can feel my scabs tearing off and hanging in the back of my throat. I was able to sleep for a whole 2 hours at a time but when I woke up the pain was excruciating. I am committed to only liquids and chopped ice today. Italian Ice has served to be my best friend, it slides down my throat perfectly with barely any swallowing.
Good luck to those about to begin this journey! I know i’m far from being finished!
jakewatson says:
November 16, 2011 at 12:47 pm
@ Angie
thank you thats really put my mind at rest 🙂 this forum has given me some really helpful tips on how to prepare for when i come home and lay in bed for weeks haha, gonna get a mini fridge and stock it with all things ice cold next to my bed.
time off uni is a difficult one, i tend to get the full brunt of it during winter, so may have the tonsillectomy early summer, when i’m home for a good 3 months, give me time to recover.
thanks again.
Angie says:
November 16, 2011 at 9:15 am
Lisa- some of mine fell off yesterday, I think. Oh the pain of coughing it up! Then my throat was raw for a few hours. Today I woke up feeling better than yesterday. Sleeping is hard. I can’t seem to fall asleep and didn’t take naps yesterday at all. I had roasted chicken last night for dinner. And it wet down well. Mainly my tongue feels swollen in the back which hurts. My ear pain is only temporary, like when I yawn. They popped yesterday in the shower and it was heavenly. I was only on Advil yesterday. Oxy at night.
@jake- do it! The pain isn’t fun but it’s not as bad as I feared. Keep hydrated! And gum has been my best friend. I’m so glad they are gone. The dr said they were gross… So I say if u have time off school do it! And increase your texting plan! I literally texted my mother from one couch to the next on the worst days. I did have a white board but was too lazy to get it! Remember it’s only temporary!
Muphyns says:
November 16, 2011 at 8:43 am
Good morning Folks!
Today is Day One post op. Yesterday, I was so groggy and out of it, it made me angry and anxious.
Happy to be a bit more clear headed today.
Pain is about a 4, annoying. I’m afraid to open my mouth because it feels like my throat has been sewn shut. I’ve had some liquids, tried applesauce, but again, when I swallowed, I feel like everything was getting caught up in my sutures.
I brushed my teeth gently and spit out a large bloody “oyster.” I hope that’s normal. I haven’t eaten them in years! Haha!
Going to try the saline gargle in a bit, hopefully get some more fluids in me and another applesauce.
I had a tube put in my right ear at the same time — lost hearing due to fluid back there. It’s weird to be able to hear again, and when I swallow, the ear makes this horrible squeak-pop. Just another reason I don’t want to drink or swallow.
lisa c. says:
November 16, 2011 at 7:57 am
Post Op Day 6
The past two nights I think the scabs have been falling off in the middle of the night. My throat and ear pain has gotten worse during those times, my throat gets very ticklish and there’s a gross taste in my throat like rotten eggs (gross, I know!). So I’m hoping those are the scabs coming off, if so, that should mean a rapid recovery any day now…right? I hope so!
jakewatson says:
November 16, 2011 at 7:36 am
i am 19 years old and get tonsillitus all the time! when i dont have it im left with cratered lumps.
i’m a student and i struggle to go to uni for the majority of time between late october and christmas, because i constantly struggle with it.
my doctor told me to look into a tonsillectomy and that he would arrange a few meetings and then make a decision.
i desperately want my tonsils gone, but i’m going to be honest i’m unbelievably scared of the recovery stage.
i guess i’m fishing for optimistic comments, has it changed your life that dramatically?
i’m a healthy active person, but tonsillitus makes me feel weak and inferior.
Tonsillectomy Recovery says:
November 16, 2011 at 7:05 am
Best of luck Dr. Bing!
Dr bing says:
November 15, 2011 at 8:22 pm
Well it’s the night before my procedure. I am 31 years old and am as nervous as a child would be. I think I ate everything that wasn’t nailed down today. I have had some strange cravings over the last week, most of them I gave into. So my meds are filled my laundry finished, dishes cleaned and a counter full of items I can have to get me threw the first couple of days. I think I may rethink some of my options by day four or five because of boredom. I have throat chiroseptic spray( ok’ed by the Dr) and sherbet (great idea from another person on here) and some other soft goodies. I am scheduled for 8am at the Office and to be home and vegging on the couch by 11am. I will try to post everyday how things go. I have fingers crossed and prayers in hand. I also have scheduled different friends and relatives to drop in to visit. I have already explained they will gossip I will listen and thats it. I have a meeting for the community Thursday night and awards banquet Friday we will see how long if at all I show. Before any questions about my name…I BING EVERYTHING and is a nickname I have been called for about a year now!!! Hey that’s how I found this site. Wish me luck and a speedy recovery and will drop by once a day to vent or post good news!!! Good luck to anyone else that is scheduled soon too.
hailey says:
November 15, 2011 at 3:53 pm
Day eight of my recovery process. Things are looking up!!! My mood has definitely improved and I feel ready to go out in the world again! But, my throat is still pretty sore and I’m not eating solids. Today I found something great to eat, though. Acorn squash prepared with butter and light brown sugar. After done baking I mashed them like potatoes. I have to say, its really delicious for anyone wanting something other than the norm. And its great for this time of year!
The only part that is still horrible is sleeping at night, because I always wake up with a really dry throat.
Looking forward to normalcy soon, I’m thinking day eleven. Hang in there all, hope you’re staying on top of your recoveries.
lisa c. says:
November 15, 2011 at 2:08 pm
Thanks Kathryn! The pain seems the same today. I think I had a little piece of scab come up earlier (it was white with black stuff on it..gross I know). I swallow liquid ok but still having trouble eating more than 1 applesauce cup at most. Is it normal that I’m still this swollen and having trouble swallowing food? I’m SO hungry and weak from lack of food! My mom got me some Ensure shakes she’s gonna drop off for me tonight so I can at least get some nutrients in me.
Katie C says:
November 15, 2011 at 11:33 am
post op day 5 for me. I had a pretty bad night, AGAIN. I woke up at 5 am and was completely disoriented. I forgot why my throat hurt, what it meant to have to use the bathroom and when I saw my mom in the hallway, I had no idea who she was. My mom said its an effect of the Percocet in my system. I don’t want to need it but I am in so much pain when I don’t so I refuse to wean any time soon. The ear pain has started pretty badly today and I kept having dreams that my scabs were coming off. I know that numbing my throat will make it feel better, but its definitely a temporary fix. Any other suggestions?
Kathryn says:
November 15, 2011 at 10:58 am
Lisa C-
Wean off when you feel comfortable. If you’re still having a lot of pain, I wouldn’t wean just yet. It’s still pretty early for you, I think. And you’ll need them when your scabs start coming off. I really only started to wean off Sunday/Monday (I’m Day 13 now), but I have a low tolerance for pain. I am taking a regular dose in when I wake up (pain is at it worst then), and then a very small dose about 20-30 minutes before meals. I have been taking a regular dose before bed also to help me sleep. Otherwise I use Tylenol throughout the day for pain.
lisa c. says:
November 15, 2011 at 9:45 am
Thanks everyone for the replies. Today is post op day 5. Last night I posted that I was in a lot of pain with the ears and jaw etc. When I went to sleep I kept having a tickling feeling in my throat and kept coughing. I don’t have any taste, but I could tell there was something back there that wouldve had a strong taste had I been able to taste it. Maybe it was a scab? Ironically enough I actually slept very well last night. I set my alarm for every 4 hours to take my Lortab, I slept through the alarm by a half hour and wasn’t in worse pain than I thought I’d be. I was also in such a deep sleep that I forgot all about my sore throat until I woke up later on to get a drink. This morning the pain in my throat feels the same as it has been been the past few days. I’m praying that I’ll be better by Thanksgiving so I can eat something substantial! I don’t have a scale and can’t tell if I lost any weight yet, so my moms gonna drop one off for me tonight. I drink water and gatorade all day and eat maybe 2 applesauce cups and 1 jello cup, if that.
When did you guys start weaning off your pain meds? I feel like a lot of people have weaned off of theirs by now but I still can’t imagine taking tylenol in place of Lortab yet.
Angie says:
November 15, 2011 at 8:15 am
Day 5: worst night yet. Woke up with worst pain and sweaty. Cried till the meds kicked in. The nurse told us that I would have a setback. I sure hope this is it. Last night I enjoyed some extremely over cooked Mac and cheese! Delicious. I’m finally back at my house and on my own. Today will be a sleeping no talking day. At least the DVR is stocked!
@carly- I am right there with you on the food! Killer. I feel your pain- being tired makes me yawn- yawning makes me scream!! Well as much as I can scream. We will eat Indian food soon and taste it and enjoy it( repeat after me!) feel better!
Carly says:
November 15, 2011 at 5:13 am
Day #6
Lisa I am right there with you. My week “anniversary” will be tomorrow. Man would I kill to recover for Thanksgiving, not to mention my actual two year anniversary with my boyfriend…
Anyways could not sleep for the life of me tonight despite two Percocet (taken six hours apart per doctor’s order). I have a horrible “vortex” sensation like my cheeks are caving in, and my tongue feels heavy, sore, and out of place in my mouth. Ears are hurting too. Worst of all tonight while taking the laxative (required by my ENT since a side effect of Percocet is constipation – and yes it is a common, unpleasant side effect) one of the pills actually lodged itself into the tonsil “socket”/wound. I nearly passed out dislodging it. This surgery isn’t for the faint of heart. I’m 23, in good health, and exercise at least four times a week. Stay strong everyone.
Oh, and I had to watch my dad eat Indian food in front of me (one of my favorites) while I barely choked down Ramen noodles. Le sigh…I could really use a hamburger about now.
Brittany says:
November 14, 2011 at 10:16 pm
I am having my surgery this Wednesday. I work with a lot of nurses and have gotten (what I feel) are some great tips. None of which I have seen posted yet. I keep seeing “pain with swallowing” posted. My sister-in-law and a couple of nurses told me to get spray bottles from the store and fill them with cold water or watered down Kool-Aid and just sit and mist the back of your throat. Throat stays moist, body stays hydrated. I bought 4 bottles tonight so I can rotate them in and out of the fridge. Keep your good tips coming I am going to need them. 🙂
Pamela says:
November 14, 2011 at 9:45 pm
@Lisa C. I’m on day 25 and I think my uvula is still slightly swollen, and as far as swallowing I think it was around days 15-20 it got easier each day, but I was really pushing solid foods because I wanted to be done with soups and liquids. I got the same way with tooth and ear pain, also had a few emotional downs which I later realized was a side affect of my pain meds. It sounds like the scabs are probably forming, and unfortunately the pain (in my opinion) gets worse when the scabs fall off.
I found taking small sips of luke warm water helped at that point; I’m sorry you’re having so much pain.
Wishing everybody a speedy recovery
pamela says:
November 14, 2011 at 9:17 pm
@Hailey I don’t have “pain”, just weird feeling; @ my 2wk checkup my uvula was still swollen so I figure that’s what it is. Also it hurts to raise my voice over loud music, yelling kids, etc.
Other than that the only other annoyance I have is that my taste buds r still not up to pre-surgery state.
lisa c. says:
November 14, 2011 at 7:56 pm
I’m on post op day 4. For most of the day it felt like yesterday, but within the past two hours my jaw pain has gotten worse and it feels stiff, I have more ear pain and I even get toothaches. I can honestly say that it has brought me to tears now. My throat still hurts so much I can’t even open it all the way to see how it looks back there. My uvula is still extremely swollen. I take 15 ml of Lortab every 4 hours. When my pain got worse yesterday the doctor said I can take 20 ml of Lortab every 4 hours. I tried a 20 ml dose and it made me feel even more strange, I got a feeling of panic like I was going to have a panic attack and was even more lethargic than the 15 ml makes me, so I want to avoid that. I know I’m only on day 4 but I feel so hopeless. It doesn’t help that I’m a single mom and have to take care of a 1 year old on top of this. I took him to daycare today but if I feel this way tomorrow I don’t even see how I’ll make it to his daycare.
How long will my uvula be swollen for? Could I be getting to the stage where the scabs are formed and ready to come off, or is the pain gonna be even worse than this? I’ve been doing everything the doctors and everyone else recommends but nothing is helping _(
AT25 says:
November 14, 2011 at 6:24 pm
Thanks KC. I guess I do kinda expect to be better by now. My doctor said 1 week off of work would be fine. Plus, I don’t have any more vacation or sick time left for this year and I don’t want to start borrowing from next year.
I’m on day 10 and survived a day at work. Had to talk (not very loudly or articulately) which was slightly painful and stretched my throat a lot. I sneezed twice today which was suuuuuper painful because it popped my ears and hurt my throat. I definitely would recommend taking a full 2 weeks off. My coworkers tried, but I still ended up taking a lot of phone calls. Plus I had to watch them all eat their delicious solid food lunches. I have to say that I’m impressed with how fast my pain level has gone down but that my ability to eat has not improved. Still on cream of wheat and apple sauce.
I decided to go off the Roxicet yesterday to make sure I could survive today with just Tylenol. The pain is manageable, basically it only hurts when I swallow. I can especially feel it in my right ear. I also have the sensation that I have something stuck at the back of my tongue on the right side but I’m thinking it must just be something that is irritated. I also haven’t really experienced the scabs coming off that I’ve notice. They seem thinner around the edge but still to be in force inside where my tonsils used to be.
I’m a bit nervous because since I went off the Roxicet, I have felt really depressed. To the point where I cried for a couple hours yesterday and have felt on the verge of tears all day today. Then I also found that I couldn’t sleep without it so I lay awake crying. And I spent most of the day yawning, which does not feel good. I also seem to have some post-nasal drip and have painful coughing spells. Back to life without pain meds is no fun and I hope I get over this whole withdrawal depression fast because it really freaks me out.
Kathryn says:
November 14, 2011 at 2:57 pm
Day 12:
I really feel like I’ve turned a corner! My scabs are mostly confined to the pockets where my tonsils once were, although I do still have two or three on my soft palate and uvula. The swelling in my uvula has gone down significantly. My scabs came off of my soft palate and uvula very gradually, and at one point I had a really nasty piece just dangling off of my uvula. This felt very strange, and while I was eating made me feel as if I still had food stuck in my throat. I only coughed up scabs on a few occasions, and I think I must have swallowed most of them. I only noticed swallowing a scab on one occasion, and it gave me a very icky feeling.
My pain is a lot better. Mornings are still a little rough because I wake up dry. I haven’t needed to wake myself up to medicate, just to take sips of water. I’ve been able to alternate my Lortab elixir with Tylenol for successful pain management. My throat doesn’t feel as raw now, and it doesn’t sting as much when I eat or drink. It’s still a little sore, but definitely not as bad compared to what it felt like last week. I’ve been eating regular food without difficulty, although I think I have been pushing it a little bit because the back of my tongue feels sore at times from all of the chewing. I am still staying away from spicy, acidic and very hot foods. Today is also the first day I have not had significant ear pain– just a twinge here and there– and I haven’t needed my ice pack today so far.
It’s amazing how much better I feel compared to a few days ago. Friday I drove down to NJ with my fiance and I felt miserable. By Sunday I was feeling better, and I woke up today feeling a heck of a lot better. I’ve been able to do some chores around the house and it feels great to finally start being active again. So hang in there everyone!! You won’t feel miserable forever!!
lisa c. says:
November 14, 2011 at 1:08 pm
Today is post op day # 4. I feel the same as I did yesterday. I can’t do without the Lortab but all it does is make me sleep. I took my son to daycare today so I could get some rest. I still can’t open my mouth far enough to see down the back of my throat, so I’m guessing it’s still very swollen back there. Does anyone have any ideas of when the swelling starts to go down? I sip on cold drinks all day, eat ice chips and hold frozen peas on my neck and throat. I want to do something productive around the house, even if it’s just putting the clean laundry away but I’m so lethargic from the Lortab..blah. Eating hasnt gotten any better for me, I can swallow jello, applesauce etc but nothing else yet. I only requested 5 days off of work plus the 2 weekend days. I’m scheduled to go back this Thursday but I’m thinking it may have to wait until next Monday, that would have given me 11 days off total. Twice yesterday I coughed up some brown stuff. (gross, I know)..i dont know if it was phlegm or a scab. I get ear pain here and there but it hasnt been too bad. I put uncooked rice in a sock and I heat that up whenever the ear pain starts to come on, within a couple minutes of using the heat sock the pain is gone.
So my questions are around what day does the swelling go down and swallowing becomes easier?
Angie says:
November 14, 2011 at 9:11 am
Day 4: woke up with pain before the meds wore off. Therefore I didn’t sleep well. Showered and made some scrambled eggs. I’m so bored of all this liquid food. My tongue doesn’t hurt but the general pain in the back of my throat makes movin my tongue a pain. Honestly the gum chewing is helping a lot. I too am curious to know how the scab falls off. Right now I feel like I have strep and a giant tonsil stone in my throat. My ears don’t hurt unless Im not chewing gum. I might go to the grocery store later for some fresh air and exercise. The pain was my biggest fear but it isn’t as bad as some posts I read (I think men wrote them!). It’s not fun but I keep thinking it could be worse. At least I can get out of bed etc. Thanks to all who post. It’s encouraging!
Katie C says:
November 14, 2011 at 7:43 am
Ok so I’ve been keeping up with everyone elses posts i think its about time I posted as well. Waking up this morning is day 4 of recovery for me.
The surgery itself was a breeze. Other than my tearful reaction to my anesthesia the hospital was so great and they gave me slushy’s as soon as I woke up (VERY HELPFUL). My day 1 was surgery day because it was first thing in the morning. I had an amazing day 1. I was eating instant mashed potatoes, jello, slushy’s and broth by night time. I think the coblation technique is what helped my day 1 be so successful
My over nights have been awful, I didn’t realize how often I would have to wake up to drink water. Even though my alarm was set for every 2 hours, I was up every hour for sips of water and still woke up first thing in the morning with a dry mouth. We bought a stronger humidifier the second day.
***********************************My mom has perfected the art of slushy making. Just put a cup of water and a cup of sugar in a pot and allow the sugar to melt, add that to a food errator filled with ice that has been crushed, not too much sugar though, it doesn’t feel good on the throat. Then add kool-aide to taste and mix. I found that slushy’s go down the easiest and numb my throat the best the next best thing was luigi’s italian ice (not lemon too sour). Last night we added a powder laxative because I’m on percocet but I didn’t taste it at all. Slushy’s without the sugar or kool-aide are great for overnights bc the ice doesn’t melt.
Day 3 was a bad feeling day, the doc gave me an antibiotic and I had forgotten to take a dose, that wasn’t smart. Do what the doc says! But by the end of the day I was eating puree’d sweet potatoes and I even slightly puree’d some easy mac. Yesterday was also the first day that I had really bad breath. I’m really nervous about the scabs coming off.
As far as my meds are concerned. I’ve been taking my Percocet crushed in apple sauce. I only put it in the first spoonful and then down the rest of the cup to get rid of the taste. It makes it easy to swallow, esp in the middle of the night. We packed a cooler by my bed with apple sauce, Italian ice, a cup of ice water, a slushy and ice packs. Having all this accessible allows me to get back to sleep immediately after I take my meds. Which has been helpful because I haven’t been getting much sleep yet.
I’ll keep you all updated on the rest of my week!! My goal is to be able to eat the soft things on Thanksgiving next week!
Good luck!
Lisa says:
November 14, 2011 at 6:11 am
By the way, Lisa, I don’t know why they would be so concerned at this point at weaning you off your Lortab. If you are in pain, take it. Worry about that when the time comes that you will WANT to be off the pain meds because you will want to be up and going and not lying on the couch/bed feeling like yuk!
Lisa says:
November 14, 2011 at 6:09 am
One week ago today had my tonsillectomy. I posted last night but overnight had horrible ear pain in both ears. I have taken more pain meds and have had a heating pad on my ears which seems to help some. Getting up this morning my throat was almost as sore as it was on day 2. UGH….I’m ready to be better and stay that way. I was hoping to be able to eat a nice Thanksgiving meal but I’m wondering now if that is going to happen. Oh, and by the way, my bday is next Tuesday, my son’s is tomorrow and my son’s wisdom teeth are being surgically removed on Friday. When it rains, it pours. Just hope I get enough strength and feel well enough to enjoy the birthdays, can help my son with his surgery and enjoy Thanksgiving. Sorry to be so negative. I’m really trying to be positive, just a bad morning.
hailey says:
November 13, 2011 at 10:37 pm
@Pamela, I am now getting really bad ear pains, something I thought id get lucky about and not have! I feel like heat actually helps more than ice packs during this stage. I am really nervous about the scabs coming off. I don’t know if they will come off n one piece or in pieces and I’ve heard horrible stories about it. I hope they come off gradually…are you still in pain after 23 days of recovery?
@angie I totally agree with you on the food commercials! I keep seeing ones about subway and pizzahut its driving me crazy. I try to look on the brightside as this will make that first normal meal so amazing! My sister promised shed take me to a buffet once I’m better and that’s definitely something to look forward to.
Hang in there everbody!
Micki says:
November 13, 2011 at 8:10 pm
I am preparing for my surgery on Friday the 18th. I am pretty nervous because I have heard it can be really challenging. I am glad I have this site to refer to and all of you that are in the same boat. Wish me luck and I will be praying for a speedy recovery for all of you!
Danielle 25 y/o 6 months post op! says:
November 13, 2011 at 5:15 pm
Hello everyone, hope you’re well and not in too much pain!
Just decided to check in, I haven’t posted here in a long while. I’m a bit further on in my recovery.. it’s nearly 6 months since I had my tonsils out and I would just like to share a little of my experiences.
I think what I’ve read is true that it can take up to a year for your throat to fully recover from the operation. I regularly get pain and a tightening sensation in the back of my throat but they’re the only indications that I’ve had a tonsillectomy now. Up until about 4 months post op I had a feeling of something stuck at the back left of my tongue, a constant bad taste in my mouth and if I cried… (sorry if TMI!) a disgusting drainage into one side of my mouth. Happy to report these have gone completely now!
My soft palate around the uvula is VERY low now, so much that I can’t see the back of my throat without pushing my tongue down…my uvula is tiny, it looks pretty weird. Might try to see an ENT and make sure that’s all normal!
I lost 15 lbs in my 2-3 week recovery and I’ve managed to keep it off, though I was quite overweight before I had my tonsils removed.
@Lisa, my tongue pain was awful! It was only on one side but my goodness I was sure the doctor had accidentally butchered part of my tongue it felt that bad. The pain probably subsided for me around day 11 or 12, and when I finally managed to eat again some foods still burned on that side. For a long time after the op (a few months) I felt like something was stuck back there, but as I said above that’s no longer an issue! I guess it just took a little while longer to heal?
You are approaching the time when the scabs start to come off, for some it’s a lot earlier but for me it was later on. I think they gradually thinned as I didn’t really notice them coming off like some people do, where they cough up white/yellow chunks! I’d get a tickle in my throat, cough then have a tiny amount of bleeding and I assume that was them coming away. The ear pain is very bad when the scabs come off, I think applying heat helps a lot of people ease the pain, but I kept ice packs on almost constantly for the two weeks to minimise swelling and reduce the pain and risk of bleeding.
As for feeling normal again…. everyone’s different. It took me about a month before I was eating solid food comfortably. I can’t describe how wonderful it was to be eating pizza after a month of broth, jello and pudding! I vowed to never take solid food for granted again, lol.
Hope I’ve helped you all a little, when I was recovering I really enjoyed (although enviously lol) reading experiences from people further down the recovery journey! Well now I’m looking at having all my wisdom teeth removed and according to my hubby who’s had it done…. another 2 weeks of terrible pain and eating liquid foods. Gotta love my luck! 😉
Take care everyone, thinking of you! (sorry for the essay!)
lisa says:
November 13, 2011 at 4:26 pm
Hi Lisa, I am on post op day 3 now. Today was the worst for me so far. To answer your question, my tongue is numb in the right corner near the tip, so I can only taste with the left side of my tongue..and even then it doesn’t taste like much. My doctor never gave me instructions on how to wean myself from the pain med, so when is that supposed to happen? I’m in so much pain I can’t imagine weaning off it the Lortab already..as much as I hate the Lortab! The right side of my throat hurts way worse than the left side. It sounds like things got better for you after day 3, I hope its the same for me as well!
Lisa says:
November 13, 2011 at 4:06 pm
Hello all…glad to have this site. I had my tonsillectomy on Monday, November 7, so I am on my 6th day. Here are my days so far and how I’ve done…
Day 1, Surgery Day: Really out of it because of the meds, slept all day and most of the night. Really dreading trying to take even small sips of water because of the huge amount of mucous in my throat. Very hard to swallow. Took Lortab elixir and Phenergan suppositories every 4 hours.
Day 2: Kept up with the Lortab and Phenergan. Sleeping a lot but noticed that I would wake myself up a lot because of my snoring, almost like a gargle because of the thick mucous that wouldn’t come up or go down. Throat very sore, ulvula very swollen, probably triple it’s normal size. Again taking small sips of water. No food today and no food yesterday or any kind.
Day 3: Last night woke up with vomiting. Dreaded taking the Lortab because of the extreme burn to the back of my throat and only have one Phenergan suppository left. UGH…….don’t know why they didn’t prescribe but 3 with one refill (and the pharmacy requires 48 hours before a refill can be picked up…military). In the morning I honestly thought I was dieing. I felt dehydrated, had the most horrific headache that I had ever had and slight ear pain in both ears, not to mention the throat being extremely sore. Went back to the doctor to be sure everything was ok and they gave me another prescription of Phenergan, thank goodness and I took it to another pharmacy beside the military hospital to get filled. No food again today, tried to drink a lot of ice cold water. Still a lot of thick mucous in my throat.
Day 4: Today was better. Throat pain was better, uvula not quite as swollen. Had a lot better night last night. Thinking things are getting better. The enormous mucous in the back of my throat seems to be getting thinner and a lot less of. Drank plenty of ice water. No pain meds or Phenergan today. One unusual thing was that my low back ached almost the whole day. Not sure why this is happening.
Day 5: Today was my best day so far. First day out of the house by myself. I’m actually hungry now and am thinking about what all I would love to eat. I went to Long John Silvers and got a chicken strip and fish and managed to get a couple of bites of fish down and a bite of chicken (without the crust), then went to McDonalds and ate 1/2 cup of ice cream, got a milkshake and a diet coke (neither one I could drink because my taste buds are still messed up and it was sickening to me). It seems like the more salty things taste the best but sweet things had a terrible taste. Not sure why this is happening. Drank a lot of water but toward the end of the day, early evening my ears started hurting really bad. No pain meds today but took a Phenergan at bedtime to help me sleep.
Day 6: Woke up feeling pretty good. Throat is still very sore to swallow. The white “scabs” on the back of my throat look really disgusting. My uvula isn’t swollen very much at all now. My tongue is very “sore” at the very back. That is a little weird I think. Ate 1 scrambled egg all day….that’s it. Drank plenty of water though. By the end of the day my ears were killing me. I took my Lortab and a Phenergan and was able to sleep all night, great feeling.
Sunday, Day 7: Woke up feeling decent, tried to eat which was a wrong move. It made my throat hurt really bad. My ears starting aching (both of them) like I had an ear infection. It was pretty extreme so I have taken Lortab with Phenergan and put a heating pad on both of my ears. This has helped tremendously. So, here I am Day 7 counting the day of surgery. Tomorrow will be a week. I’m really wanting to get my taste back and be able to swallow well enough to eat regular foods. For the most part, the only things that I have eaten since last Sunday night are 1/2 cup of ice cream, 1 egg, a bite of chicken and fish. I’m not sure how much weight I have lost but I feel like it is at least 5 pounds.
Does anyone have any comments on their tongue being sore in the very back and also on their taste being completely messed up? Also, how can you tell when the scabs start coming off? How long do the earaches last and when do you feel like eating pretty feel normal?
Hope I haven’t bored anyone too much.
Angie says:
November 13, 2011 at 3:29 pm
I am taking a children’s dose of Motrin. It’s the only liquid we could find. My mothers a nurse so she’s keeping an eye on me. I haven’t had any blood. I am having some trouble getting sleep. I took a short nap and am up chewing gum. It’s helpful, but not a cure for the ear pain. I’m hoping some sleep tonight will help. I do need to drink more. That’s for sure! But its not as bad as I had imagined just not fun! Especially when the majority of my body feels rested! And my horrible football team didn’t help make me feel better! 🙂 trying to be positive!!!
Courtney C says:
November 13, 2011 at 2:36 pm
Oh lisa, my heart goes out to you. Normally I don’t have help with my daughter either, it’s horrible being sick and having to take care of kids. I lucked out this time and was able to plan it so she’d be with her dad for the first 8 days of recovery. You’ve probably already done things like this but I’d try and make one room unbelievably kid safe and just park your butts in there. That way in case the medicine makes you doze in and out, you know everything will be ok. And even though I was really against tv (until recently, I just couldn’t keep up with my own ideals) now might be the time to forget about it and put on some fun kid shows for your little one. And even if there’s no one to help, maybe you could find someone to pick up some new, attention getting toys that will provide some more distraction time. Good luck with everything!
lisa says:
November 13, 2011 at 10:38 am
Today is post op day # 3 for me. Days 1 & 2 were manageable with the Lortab. Last night though the pain intensified and the Lortab did nothing. Right now I take 15 ml or Lortab every 4 hours. It makes me drowsy, dizzy and out of it… I really don’t like it. Since the pain got worse I had my mom call the doctor. He said I can try 20 ml or Lortab every 4 hours. I tried that and it was horrible! It helped manage the pain the same as the 15 ml but made me super lethargic and really anxious, almost like I was gonna have a panic attack or something. The pain is mostly on the right side of my throat. My jaw is still killing me as well. I have slight ear pain here and there but I put rice in a sock and warm it up, that helps the ear pain. I’ve been keeping frozen peas on my jaw and neck. I guess all I can do is ride it out. It doesn’t help that I’m a single mother of a 1 year old boy and have very limited help with him anytime but especially now after my surgery.
Courtney C says:
November 13, 2011 at 9:56 am
Angie – Did your doctor tell you to use Motrin? Some dr’s believe you shouldn’t use any NSAIDs because if you were to bleed it’d be harder to control, I think it’s that they thin the blood. Some dr’s do say it’s ok though, I just wanted to mention just in case.
Angie says:
November 13, 2011 at 9:20 am
I’m on day 3, yesterday I felt great from the neck down! Woke up this morning feeling pretty exhausted. I too kept waking up trying to swollow. I’m mixing a very low dose oxy with some Motrin. The pain while on this cocktail is manageable. No fever which has helped me feel much better than expected. But these food commercials are killing me (thought about purée-ing a whopper!). I made chicken broth with orzo yesterday. That was delicious. I definitely need to drink more but V8 fusion isn’t yummy and I seem to only like ginger ale. I am a 32 year old woman and am staying with my mother, a nurse. I was hoping to go home today but who knows now! The good thing is that my throat itches a bit which tells me it’s healing. Here’s hoping the day gets better!
Pamela says:
November 12, 2011 at 7:33 pm
@Hailey sorry to hear about the pain when u turn ur head, I had the same problem, and somewhat still do whenever I yawn. Nothing helped me there, but to sleep it off or drown it with the pain meds, but all the other pain I had (mostly my ears) took main stage. oh and btw i’m 23 days after tonsillectomy
Sarah says:
November 12, 2011 at 6:36 pm
Blah! Day 3 stinks today my ears have been warm feeling and hurting like crazy. The pain radiates from my collarbone to my ears. The burning sensation in my throat is worse today which means I haven’t eaten much. I was hungry but when I think about the burning involved my hunger goes away. I miss food lol. Ice packs are still helping and so is the humidifier. Which I fell asleep this afternoon without it on and I woke up so dry and in pain. That will not happen again. Oh and thank goodness for pain killers.
hailey says:
November 12, 2011 at 5:08 pm
Wish I would have found this site earlier! Very cool.I am on day six of recovery from my tonsillectomy.I was
Told it would be easy, and it definitely is not. I have been feeling pretty horrible. I haven’t had any blood but instead a lot of white, chunky residue coming up. Gross but true. Does this mean the scabs are coming off? Also, whenever I turn my head to look in a different direction, it feels like my throat is tearing. Any tips on how to help this? Hope everyone is getting through okay.
pamela says:
November 12, 2011 at 4:51 pm
@KC for the pain when scabs r coming off ur doing the rt thing by switching to lukewarm temps, but I found using the medicine cup for taking tiny sips helped me a lot
Courtney C says:
November 12, 2011 at 1:13 pm
Kathryn – I tried the icepack thing but even with a cover over it it was still too cold. My hands tend to be pretty cold and holding them on my head makes it feel so much better, it’s just a shame it doesn’t last long. I’m starting to wonder if the headaches are really from the pain medicine though. It feels like a tension headache, the pain is mostly around my temples but it also feels like a sinus headache cause i feel a lot of pressure in my sinuses. I wonder if the surgery could have affected something like that. I tried sudafed but it didn’t make a difference. And I’ve taken pain medication on a lot of different occasions and never once had this reaction. I’ve pretty much cut it all out and just so I’m not tempted, after this weekend I’m gonna leave the medicine with my boyfriend after I go home. Then I’ll be able to figure out once and for all if it’s the medicine causing the headaches.
KC says:
November 12, 2011 at 12:50 pm
Forgot to ask:
Has anyone in here had a sort of itchy/burny/pressure feeling in their mouth? It’s on the roof of my mouth, back of my tongue…I don’t have a white coating on my tongue or anything, but hoping it’s not the dreaded Thrush?
Also: for those who are going through/went through their scabs coming off – any tips for the pain during this part? My pain meds don’t really touch it, and though the ice packs help a little bit, it’s still pretty painful. If it’s just “grin and bear it” advice, I’m ok with that too 🙂
KC says:
November 12, 2011 at 12:47 pm
AT25: No wonder you’re frustrated – it seems like you’re expecting to be better already? Most people take about 2 weeks to feel up to speed. I’m on day 9 and not talking yet – hurts too much. I tried talking yesterday and my pain spiked like crazy! Don’t talk until your voice can handle it 🙂
Did your doctor only give you 10 days off work? If so, you may want to call and request at few more days at least – 2 weeks is the minimum my doctor suggested. As for cold stuff hurting – that happened for me around day 6, and I read on here it’s pretty common. I’ve switched to lukewarm/room temperature water and food, and it’s helped. Your ears hurt because your throat/mouth/ear/jaw are all pretty interconnected – when I get the ear pain, I put a warm compress on rag on my ear and it really helps.
My pain has definitely increased over the last few days, because the scabs are starting to come off. There’s not much pain meds can do for that, since it’s basically just raw skin exposed, which hurts. I’m just treating these days as a sign that I’m rounding the corner – most people start to feel better around day 10. Hang in there, you’re close 🙂
Sarah says:
November 12, 2011 at 12:11 am
Day 2: today I experienced a bit more pain than yesterday. But as long as I kept up with my pain meds it still wasn’t as bad as I’d thought. I did have a bad moment with instant mashed potatoes. They are not my friend yet. Not nearly cold or thin enough for my throat. That was the worst pain experienced yet (I know it’s only day 2) my throat is still very swollen and I coughed up some old blood. I was told it was ok. It wasn’t a bunch so I’m not worried. My whole throat is sore all the way down my neck, I guess it’s because of the tubes during surgery. I was running a very low grade fever this afternoon but it didnt last long. Well that’s about it. I hope that I can eat something besides jello and Popsicles tomorrow. My tummy would really like something that lasted longer than 10 minutes.
AT25 says:
November 11, 2011 at 1:40 pm
I’m on day 7 after a tonsillectomy/adenoidectomy. I really wish I had discovered this forum sooner. My doctor didn’t tell me much about recovery, just to relax, drink lots of fluids and eat soft things. Day 1 was awesome and I was thinking everyone was crazy if they thought this hurt. Then the meds from the hospital wore off and I wish I had taken it a bit easier that first day. Day 2 I learned the hard way to eat before taking pain meds. Vomiting is certainly the worst thing I have experienced so far. I completely recommend getting the nausea patch before the surgery. My anesthesia nurse gave it to me and it was awesome. But don’t forget to ask for some anti-nausea meds from the doctor as well. The patch I had only lasted 3 days so day 4 I ended up throwing up again. I think the fear of puking my throat out and bleeding is much worse than the immediate pain in my throat from throwing up. Since then I’ve had no major problems and have learned to savor the first 2 hours after taking the Roxicet by eating and drinking then trying to nap or distract myself as it wears off. My prescription said to take it every 6 hours. I suffered through this for 3 days with the pain coming back after 4 hours. Finally I called and she told me it was every 4 hours. Do not be afraid to call and question your doctor. Not an overly comforting thought, but they make mistakes too. I was also really bored for the first 4 days. Games and movies tended to make me motion sick/nauseous and I couldn’t focus enough to read so I spent a lot of time just staring at the wall or napping. Now, I can’t stop watching cooking shows online. I may just be tormenting myself.
I’m scheduled to go back to work in 3 days and I’m dreading it. The pain at night is still pretty terrible and I’m almost out of the Roxicet the doctor prescribed me. I’ve been waking up to drink periodically throughout the night, have a humidifier by my bed and continue my meds throughout the night. None of it seems to help.
Other than the continuing pain, what I am most worried about is my voice. I can’t enunciate or add much volume to my voice right now due to the swelling (stupid uvula) and continued numbness in part of my tongue. Is anyone else experiencing any problems with their voice? Also, any recommendations for OTC pain medication?
I’m also struggling with the fluids, when I swallow, my right ear starts throbbing and I cannot ingest anything cold. Pretty much been limited to lukewarm broth, cream of wheat and water. I tried some mashed potatoes and poached eggs which also went down ok but took a lot of effort. Applesauce has been ok if I heat that slightly as well. Has anyone else had this kind of reaction to the cold? I guess I just want to know that I’m not crazy. It still freaks me out that when I swallow, the holes in the back of my throat seem to be all messed up. Food/water can’t decide if they want to go up into my nose or down towards my stomach so they do both.
Is the yellow-mucousy looking stuff at the back of my throat the scab?
I can’t wait until the day when I get to decide what I want for my first solid meal!
KC says:
November 11, 2011 at 9:46 am
Day 8!
Courtney: headaches can be a side effect of your meds. It could be jaw pain too – are you grinding/clenching your teeth? If you are, a warm-pack on your jaw (keep it off your neck though) helped me.
Sara: some folks say the first few days are awful, and for some it’s the easiest. It seems for most, the first few days are easiest, the next are a bit worse, and days 6+ are more painful while the scabs start to loosen. If you plan for it getting worse, when it doesn’t you’ll be pleasantly surprised! 🙂
So my Day 8 update will just consist of what tips have worked the best for me. That’s what has been the most valuable for me on here – support and advice!
1) LOTS of water – ice water, room temp when the cold hurts. I mix in a little gatorade when I get sick of water, or when I need the calories.
2) Ice packs on yer neck – I have several to rotate out, used them heavily for the first 4 days, and still do sometimes to help when pain hits. The squishy gel ones are awesome, and some come with a cloth sleeve to put them in – very helpful! Be sure to take them off every now and then, for at least 30 minutes.
3) This is a little TMI, but: Laxative routine. Narcotic pain medications can constipate, which is no fun. Be sure to talk to your doc first before adding any medications to your routine. You’ll want to get the right kind, on the right schedule. Mild doses of Miralax and Colace have worked very well for me.
4) Have your doc prescribe some anti-nausea meds, just in case.
5) Keep a medicine log – write down the date, time, name, and dosage of each med every time you take it. This is REALLY important, since when you’re doped up it can be easy to forget when your last dose was, especially when taking multiple medications.
6) Lots of soft foods. I’ve been eating frequently throughout the days, albeit slowly, and it has helped tremendously. I eat something (even if it’s just broth) before every pain med dose, and this has helped a lot with the nausea. Avoid dairy and anything acidic, like tomatoes, citrus, or sodas.
7) Have a caretaker for at least the first week. If you have children/pets/high maintenance spouse/etc, arrange for someone else to care for them for at least a week or two.
8) Warm showers/baths. This sounds silly, but the warm mist is great for you throat and your sinuses, and getting clean makes me feel better in general.
9) Attitude matters. A lot. Staying positive and hopeful has boosted my normally wimpy pain tolerance to a pretty tolerable level. It will hurt, but working on some mental stuff to get past it helps SO much. I made the house as “happy” as possible – clean, quiet, and set up with all my meds/foods/ice packs/blankets/movies/etc in easy-to-reach places. I got some awesome-smelling soap and bath fizzies from Lush to use just for these few weeks as a sort of “special occasion”, and no matter how sh&t I felt, put my favorite lotion and face cream on every day. I have a stack of all my favorite and cozy clothes, and grab something from that every day. I’m focusing on how excited I am that I did this, and how great this will be for my life, and man does that help 🙂
10) Keep yer mouth closed! Avoid talking, and breathe through your nose whenever you can. I wore one of those medical paper face-masks to bed when my nose was stuffed up to try and keep my mouth-breathing a little more humid, and that seemed to help.
10.5) On that note, get a little hand-held dry-erase board and a few markers. I use it to communicate in lieu of talking, and it’s way easier and less wasteful than going through notepads. I got one for $6 at the grocery store.
11) And lastly: wake up at intervals in the night to take your pain meds and drink water. This way you can avoid that awful “morning pain” that folks get when they wake up after 8 hours of no meds/liquids. Has helped me a lot.
That’s it! Scabs are starting to come off, but gently, and just little swirls of occasional blood. Looking forward to solid food and normalcy soon 🙂
15 comments
I am now in the recovery stage my pain has been very bad and am taking my meds every 2 hours. I am only 14 though and I had my surgery last Friday I went to the doctors complaining about pain they did nothing. Some reason I threw up yesterday and have had a bowl next to me which I am now using as a spit bowl. I can only eat jelly and also found the acid in fruit hurts like a bitch, the drink aloe from aloe Vera helps a lot.
hi everyone! Would just like to say thanks for all the posts on here has helped me through this hard time!! I am now on day 7 and for the first time in 5 days am actually feel good! The best advice to give is to eat a normal diet! I’m from the uk and here they make you eat toast before you can even go home! Sounds harst but it works I have been eating toast, crisps and normal food since day one. I will admit it has been hard and has really hurt at times but now on day 7 my scabs are nearly all off and I’m only taking my painkillers first thing in the morning an before I go to bed. The worst thing I have found is the jaw, mouth and ear pain! Use chewing gum it’s like a little miracle and really helps. Hope I’ve helped and good luck to everyone who has had or having the surgery.
I hd my tonsillectomy done on Tuesday and so far theworst thing that I have gone through is the headaches that come from not eating properly. Its not that my throat hurst to much to swallow but my tongue is too sore to even let me drink water..I wanna eat so bad I’m so hungry. Does anyone know how long my tongue will be like this..
Today is day 2, almost day 3. I finally gave up on taking children’s tylenol as it was not helping the pain enough. I went and got my prescription pain meds which is T3/codeine. I have to take 1-2 every 4 hours but it only seems to last about 2 hours of pain relief. I have been eating soup, mash potatoes and some yoghurt. The pain is still getting worse and worse and this honestly feels terrible and like it’s never going to end. My ears are starting to ache a terrible amount and my mouth tastes horrible. And when I swallow it feels like the liquid is going up my nose. NOT a good feeling. I just really needed to complain a little. Reading everyone else’s experiences is making me feel a little bit better. But I still haven’t even hit the worst yet ..
i, I am a 26 yrs of age (female) and am recovering from having my tonsils removed. First of all it is such a comfort reading everyone’s experiences. It has truly helped me with my recovery. I am currently on day 12 (including surgery day) I had my op on monday 5th march 2012, stayed overnight in hospital, due t o the anaesthetic from the op i didn’t have too much pain on the first 2 days. As soon as that wore off I experienced a lot of pain from days 3 through to days 8 i was in extreme pain, only having a break 2 hrs at a time due to the meds. I ended up back at hospital on day 8 as my body could not take it anymore, i stayed at the hospital until we found the pain medicine that actually worked & subsided the pain so my body could rest. In the end i was taking 2 X panadine forte & 2x nurofen every 6 hours ( i had to take an anti-nausea tablets prior to taking the panadine forte) As soon as I started taking this pain medicine I started to improve, the pain subsided significantly, the Nurofen helped keep the swelling to a minimum & my body was able to rest & repair itself. Each day the pain has subsided & I have been able to take longer periods between meds. Today I am on day 12 and I am able to eat without having too much pain when swallowing, I have even managed not too take any strong pain meds =) All I Can say is HANG ON THERE GUYS!! It does get better, the most important thing is to make sure you have the right pain meds for your body, I can not stress this enough!!! I also used ice packs, heat bags ( for my ears) & a vaporiser for nightt ime so my mouth didn’t dry out too much. Well I hope this helped. Good luck & remember there is light at the end of the tunnel =0)
I am now in the recovery stage my pain has been very bad and am taking my meds every 2 hours. I am only 14 though and I had my surgery last Friday I went to the doctors complaining about pain they did nothing. Some reason I threw up yesterday and have had a bowl next to me which I am now using as a spit bowl. I can only eat jelly and also found the acid in fruit hurts like a bitch, the drink aloe from aloe Vera helps a lot.
I hope this is helpfull info
hi everyone! Would just like to say thanks for all the posts on here has helped me through this hard time!! I am now on day 7 and for the first time in 5 days am actually feel good! The best advice to give is to eat a normal diet! I’m from the uk and here they make you eat toast before you can even go home! Sounds harst but it works I have been eating toast, crisps and normal food since day one. I will admit it has been hard and has really hurt at times but now on day 7 my scabs are nearly all off and I’m only taking my painkillers first thing in the morning an before I go to bed. The worst thing I have found is the jaw, mouth and ear pain! Use chewing gum it’s like a little miracle and really helps. Hope I’ve helped and good luck to everyone who has had or having the surgery.
I hd my tonsillectomy done on Tuesday and so far theworst thing that I have gone through is the headaches that come from not eating properly. Its not that my throat hurst to much to swallow but my tongue is too sore to even let me drink water..I wanna eat so bad I’m so hungry. Does anyone know how long my tongue will be like this..
Today is day 2, almost day 3. I finally gave up on taking children’s tylenol as it was not helping the pain enough. I went and got my prescription pain meds which is T3/codeine. I have to take 1-2 every 4 hours but it only seems to last about 2 hours of pain relief. I have been eating soup, mash potatoes and some yoghurt. The pain is still getting worse and worse and this honestly feels terrible and like it’s never going to end. My ears are starting to ache a terrible amount and my mouth tastes horrible. And when I swallow it feels like the liquid is going up my nose. NOT a good feeling. I just really needed to complain a little. Reading everyone else’s experiences is making me feel a little bit better. But I still haven’t even hit the worst yet ..
i, I am a 26 yrs of age (female) and am recovering from having my tonsils removed. First of all it is such a comfort reading everyone’s experiences. It has truly helped me with my recovery. I am currently on day 12 (including surgery day) I had my op on monday 5th march 2012, stayed overnight in hospital, due t o the anaesthetic from the op i didn’t have too much pain on the first 2 days. As soon as that wore off I experienced a lot of pain from days 3 through to days 8 i was in extreme pain, only having a break 2 hrs at a time due to the meds. I ended up back at hospital on day 8 as my body could not take it anymore, i stayed at the hospital until we found the pain medicine that actually worked & subsided the pain so my body could rest. In the end i was taking 2 X panadine forte & 2x nurofen every 6 hours ( i had to take an anti-nausea tablets prior to taking the panadine forte) As soon as I started taking this pain medicine I started to improve, the pain subsided significantly, the Nurofen helped keep the swelling to a minimum & my body was able to rest & repair itself. Each day the pain has subsided & I have been able to take longer periods between meds. Today I am on day 12 and I am able to eat without having too much pain when swallowing, I have even managed not too take any strong pain meds =) All I Can say is HANG ON THERE GUYS!! It does get better, the most important thing is to make sure you have the right pain meds for your body, I can not stress this enough!!! I also used ice packs, heat bags ( for my ears) & a vaporiser for nightt ime so my mouth didn’t dry out too much. Well I hope this helped. Good luck & remember there is light at the end of the tunnel =0)