Tonsillitis,Tonsil Stones, and Tonsillectomy Recovery
Tonsillectomy recovery can be a long dark tunnel. With all the anxiety leading up to tonsillectomy surgery, and all the challenges of recovering from a tonsillectomy, a patient can easily become overwhelmed. The best weapon a tonsillectomy patient can arm them self with is information. Knowledge is truly power. Going into surgery unprepared is the most common mistake made. Your doctor, while trained in treating tonsil problems like tonsillitis, strep throat, and tonsil stones is an excellent resource. If you and your doctor decide that a tonsillectomy is the right choice, your job is to arm yourself with the best information you can and, perhaps more importantly, tonsillectomy recovery. I’ve maintained a forum for patients recovering from the surgery for several years. Most patients report that their Doctor’s attention quickly wanes after discharge. Many people complain that after their tonsillectomy, their doctor was pretty hard to get a hold of. The key to successful planning is self advocacy. Planning for tonsillectomy must begin weeks before surgery. Get support from your health care provider, your job, your family, your friends, and other tonsillectomy patients. We’ve built an amazing community of adults considering, anticipating and experiencing tonsillectomy recovery.
Tonsillectomy for me was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. After a lifetime of chronic tonsillitis, strep throat, tonsil stones, and sleep apnea, a couple weeks of pain and anxiety were a small price to pay. Three years ago, when I finally made the decision, there wasn’t much support for patients considering a tonsillectomy or recovering from one. The internet was like an ugly landscape of random horror stories and snake oil salesmen with cures for tonsil stones, bad breath, and belly fat. I decided to create a one stop resource for adults considering or recovering from tonsillectomy.
Tonsillectomy Recovery Resources is a place you can research topics relating to tonsils and tonsillectomy. I’ve experienced and researched topics like tonsil stones, tonsillitis, strep throat, tonsillectomy methods, oral thrush, and tonsillectomy recovery time.
I learned a great deal about tonsillectomy as an adult. In particular, I learned that it would have been better to undergo the surgery as a child. Tonsillectomy recovery as an adult is much tougher. There are however numerous tonsillectomy recovery tips that can make the experience a little easier. Simple practices like drinking and drinking and drinking can have profound positive impact upon your tonsillectomy recovery.
Tonsillectomy recovery tips like chewing gum to alleviate referred ear pain are not obvious or intuitively logical, but can make all the difference when nothing else seems to help. I’ve collected, researched and shared many of these morsels of wisdom and published them all here in one place to help others.
Tonsillectomy recovery questions like yours may have already been asked and answered. Try searching the site using the Google search box at the right side of the page. Type in a term like, “tonsil stones, ” or, “tonsils,” and see what you find. Feel free to comment on most of the pages of the site. Open and active communication is what makes this community such a valuable resource for everyone considering tonsillectomy or in the middle of tonsillectomy recovery.
Relax and be yourself. Ask questions, share concerns, and offer support. It’s our community. Thank you for joining us!
-Greg Tooke
From Our Readers
Read what our Facebook friends had for advice to adults preparing for tonsillectomy:
I posted another question for our Face Book friends. This is a group of about 350 adults who have had a tonsillectomy within the past five years. It’s an amazing community of supportive and thoughtful adults without tonsils. 
I wanted to assemble a collection of tips for new patients who are planning tonsillectomy surgery- particularly adults since they have a more difficult recovery, but also because they would typically be the ones doing preparation for themselves or a child.
Tonsillectomy Recovery For Adults – How to Prepare
So here is the question:
If I could recommend one product to someone preparing for tonsillectomy it would be___________.
And here are the responses;
Grace- Water!
Mari Re- A snow cone maker-a must!!
Dayna – Humidifier!
Dee- Do a lot of good deeds before so when ur praying for relief he will help ya. Seriously. Water is great and a humidifier helped me greatly.
Shiva – Coma
Sarah -Ice chips… if morphine isn’t available
Katie-DONT DO IT!!!!!
Shannon – Toradol
Jean – Water, a recliner, and a humidifier.
Meghan- Percocet.
Misty – After pain meds it would be pudding for me.
Donna- water
Kate-Several big flexible ice packs–always keep one in the freezer so it’s ready to go whenever you need one.
Kierstin -If you live in the US sonic crushed ice saved my life ! You can purchase it in a bag like at the grocers, and it’s tiny enough to lodge between the back of your tongue and scabs, and just rough enough when you swallow it, it scratches the back of your throat just delicately enough to semi relieve irritated ears ! Seriously I cried for this ice over a few day period haha
Bethany -My brother-in-law owns an amazing gelato company. He made me the most delicious mango sorbet. Even when my throat hurt bad and I really didn’t want to eat before taking my meds, I could always get excited for some delicious sorbet
Jean -I would agree with the flexible ice packs! Ice was my life saver!
Karen -Cool mist humidifier
Vickie -Straws
Hollie – Liquid medications! Tablets just wouldn’t go down
Doug -water
Kiersten- Instant mashed potatoes! I know….gross but a lifesaver
Kiersten -Lol-I thought pain meds and water was a given!!!!
Jayne-Hard drugs!!
Diana – 2 weeks to recover
Rhiannon – Pop ice and a cool mist humidifier
William -A humidifier
Rosie – Jello, peaches, netflix, and hot bathes.
Christy-After pain meds, the magic mouthwash, mashed potatoes after you can somewhat eat. Go to an urgent care if you are starting to get dehydrated. I lost 14lbs in 7 days.
William -Magic mouthwash?
Tonsillectomy Resources Wow! Great stuff. Thanks everybody!
Brandi – Pain meds and Sonic ice chips – I think I would have died without both!
Chente-Pain meds.
Crista – Ice packs!
Chente -Also- Thought I would pass along something re: magic mouthwash just to make others aware so it doesn’t happen to them. At one point after using the wash and I swallowed to pass saliva, my mouth and throat were numb and the saliva just kinda sat in my throat and I couldn’t pass it and then I choked and started coughing really bad. That isn’t what you want to do after a tonsillectomy. So just be careful and swallow with caution!
Beth Ann – Ensure or Boost drinks
Jina -Humidifier, ice packs, crushed ice with water. Boost drinks in the beginning for energy.
Kitty – An alarm to remind the next med and note pad to write down the meds as taken. It was hard to remember in the middle of the night. Both help to keep meds on board and the pain at bay.
Christina -Ice and pain meds
Chente -Pain med journal!
Rachael – Pain reliever in liquid form.
Well it’s been a week since my surgery! I’ve stopped taking the pain meds. All they seem to do is make me tired, nauseas and constipated! The pain isn’t too bad today and I plan on going back to work tomorrow. I am a special needs teacher, so we will see if I last the entire day. I was pretty upset that I didn’t go back to work today, but I know that I can’t rush it…… Ice packs, slushies, jello, ice water, and mashed potatoes have been my diet. I am craving chicken and I can’t wait until I get tobeat food and it actually taste good.
40/f, 8 weeks post op. can’t believe my surgery was only two months ago. seems like it was years ago! and that’s a good thing. 🙂 hang in there all you in the thick of it right now. it gets better. MUCH better. i have no regrets at all (and just so you know, i had it rough–had a bleed, major pain, etc. and even some “delayed post op pain” a couple of weeks ago). my taste is back to normal, too. and, according to my husband, i have not snored once post op. also haven’t been sick. and no occasional stones. as bad as it was, the pain was worth the end result.
Juliet, when did your taste go back to normal? I am on day 26 and sweet things still have a slight sour taste to them…So frustrating!
at about five week, if i recall…
43 yr old female – tonsillectomy, adenoidectomy and sinus/turbinate cauderization
I had mine done on 3/14
Why do I feel awful in the morning, all day and then later in the day start to feel better, very well actually. All I want to do is sleep all day. I feel as though I am wiped out, sore and my throat is on fire.
I have been eating popsicles, mashed potatos, and pudding. Jello and scrambled eggs were difficult. I kept choking on them. I really liked Gatorade the first few days, but the past couple of day, iced water has been my favorite.
I still have the dissolvable packing in my nose – it’s dissolved some, but I cannot wait for it to be completely gone.
Looking for any and all advice! Thank you!
I’m 34 yr old female. I had my tonsils removed on Thursday, March 15th. The surgery was easy- quick and I felt okay all Thursday.
Now on day 4 I feel terrible. I’m taking Roxicet every 4 hours. It’s bearable when the medicine is kicked in. But at hour 3 everthing really hurts…throat, head, ears.
I have to admit, if I saw all the posts of people still having problems weeks afterwards I think I would have backed out. I have eatern pops, ice cream, sherbert. that’s it…and I’m hungry!
Hi Meghan, and welcome. Yes, I’m afraid that you’ve entered the tough part. Try drinking ensure to get some calories, Icing can help take a bit of the edge off your pain. KEEP DRINKING!
Hang in there. This is temporary.
Hey Meghan. I also had my tonsils out on Thursday, March 15th. Have you tried icing your throat? This has helped me greatly. I’m also taking Roxicet. I can hardly swallow it, makes me nauseated. Trying to back off the meds some. Drinking water like crazy. Have also found mashed potatoes with gravy somewhat easy to eat and satisfying. Hang in there.
Thanks for your replies.
Suzanne- ice packs have been my biggest savior. I have them on my throat constantly.
At the hospital they gave me an anti nausea patch which I could wear for 72 hours. I thought I was taking the Roxicet fine but when I removed the patch this morning I realized it was saving me from the Roxicet side effects!
At the moment I’m feeling pretty good. MUCH better than I was earlier today. I ate an egg!!!! lol Never thought I would be so happy over an egg 🙂
I don’t understand how other people are able to swallow the pills! Why can’t I swallow without aspirating it or it goes up my nose!!!! Is this happening to anyone else? I would love to be able to just pop some pain meds.
Hey! I see Thursday the 15th was a big day for tonsils! That’s when I had my surgery too! I have always been an over achiever, this is really kicking my a$$! Another night of staying up until I pass out from exhaustion!
I think you are doing great if you are still hungry!
Hey everyone,
I’m a 20/f who just had her tonsils (and adenoids) out on Tuesday. I was looking up info on the white/yellow membrane that forms on the wounds (I didn’t know what it was), and came across this forum. I think it’s really interesting (and unfortunate) that y’all are having so many side effects from the surgery! Mine went smoothly (in and out within 30 mins) and I was given a little bit of morphine before being discharged. My surgeon put me on Roxicet (and colace, since roxicet causes constipation), but right now I’m wishing he put me on something else. Roxicet makes me SO sick and nauseous that I can’t even take it anymore. I’ve been functioning for two days on absolutely NO pain medication. Talk about miserable. I tried to take some this morning and within 30 seconds of swallowing it, I puked it (and all of my food) back up. NOT FUN. I’ll probably be heading into the ER to get some fluids and have the docs change up my pain meds today. I’ve mostly been eating apple sauce, soup (NOT TOMATO), popsicles, smoothies (no seeds), and I even managed to eat some halibut filets and fries (while on my pain meds) the other day! Since I had that unfortunate puking episode this morning, I’m pretty sure I ripped my scab on the left side, and have been reduced to sucking the salt off of pretzels. I don’t even try to speak, and I’m not excited about this “7-11 day pain peak.” I seem to be feeling the “plugged up” ears, and oddly enough, when I chew, I feel kind of a clicking or squishy sound behind my right jaw/under my right ear. Weird? Anybody else experiencing that?
Dayle- I was on Roxicet too and it worked great for me! However, I knew how my tummy would react and also asked for a prescription for antinausea and I was fine! I did try taking the Roxicet by itself one time and within 20 mins was ready to puke!! I am on day 9 and have been off pain meds for 2 days. But my surgery wasn’t that bad and only had my tonsils out which were not swollen or infected (just got tired of the sore throats). Also make sure u are icing your neck! I had ice on my neck 24/7 for the first 2 days! And I didn’t have that feeling u are talk about.
Dayle, I have the same squishy/clicking feeling in my ears when I chew. I think this is normal. Annoying but nornal 🙂