Planning and Recovering From Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
Let’s start with my own tonsillectomy recovery story. I wasn’t always this healthy. As a kid I ingested more penicillin than a corporate-raised chicken. I was in the doctor’s office several times each year with a sore throat. As the doctor or nurse peered into my mouth, the reaction was always the same: “Whoa, those are some big tonsils!” The diagnosis was usually tonsillitis, or strep throat. As the doctor wrote the prescription, he’d explain that years ago, tonsils like mine would have been removed, but, “these days,” we try to hang onto them. “These days,” were the 1970’s. I guess the tonsillectomy pendulum had swung back from the days when kids got their tonsils out because their brother was getting his out.
Aunt Kate’s reassurance helped, but I still wrote out some just-in-case instructions for my brother and hid them in my closet. I sheepishly told him where they were, just in case.
“This is temporary. You WILL feel better. Hang in there and stay hydrated!” -Greg Tooke
As an adult I continued to suffer from frequent bouts of tonsillitis. It seemed that I caught every bug that passed through my house or workplace. I guess those big ugly tonsils were a nice home for those nasties. It wasn’t until my 40’s that I also became aware that I suffered from something called, Obstructive Sleep Apnea -a condition in which a person stops breathing while asleep. I snored often and would awake abruptly, gulping in big breaths. I felt tired most days. After raising four babies, I had come to accept fatigue as a normal part of life! One day at a routine physical my doctor remarked about the number of episodes of strep throat and tonsillitis I’d had. We also talked about the sleep problems. While he didn’t formally diagnose obstructive sleep apnea, he suspected that I had it. He recommended a tonsillectomy, because of all the tonsil problems I’d had. As a bonus, I might find relief from the sleep apnea as well. If not, I’d undergo a sleep study. Forty four years old and father of four boys and a doctor finally said it: Those tonsils are doing you more harm than good! As much as I hated those tonsils, I was terrified at the thought of going under the knife. I started reading about tonsillectomy recovery on the internet and talking to friends. That didn’t help. “My cousin knew a guy who got a tonsillectomy and bled to death.” “At your age, tonsillectomy is dangerous.” When I met with the ear, nose and throat specialist, (an otolaryngologist), he told me that the risks are the same for an adult undergoing tonsillectomy surgery as for a child, but tonsillectomy recovery is longer and more painful. He was right about that!
Deciding to get a Tonsillectomy
I scheduled the surgery for the day after Thanksgiving. A traditional day of feasting in the United States. If it was to be my last meal, I planned to make it a good one! As it turned out, I was so nervous and scared that I could hardly eat on that day. I was recently divorced and had shared placement of my four boys. So many people counted on me that I began to question my decision. What if I died on the table? How reckless to leave behind a family, simply to avoid frequent tonsillitis? My aunt, a registered nurse reassured me about how simple the surgery was, and how far anesthesiology had come. I had nothing to worry about. Aunt Kate’s reassurance helped, but I still wrote out some just-in-case instructions for my brother and hid them in my closet. I sheepishly told him where they were, just in case
“My tonsils were like a 400 pound gorilla on my back. I don’t miss them at all. Ever.” -from the forum ________________________________________________________________________________
I took a week off from work, asked my ex wife to take care of the boys that week, and asked my uncle to drive me to and from the hospital. (a requirement with anesthesia) That was about all the tonsillectomy recovery preparation I did. I was about to learn a lot! Surgery went fine. I awoke in recovery with a serving of Jell-o in front of me. (“Jelly,” to my British friends) The nurse said that I had to finish it before I could check out. I swallowed it with great relish. It was divine! I called my uncle and we were out of there. I felt ok. I told him thanks and not to worry. I’d be fine. I believed this. Aside from a couple visits, I spent the next ten days alone in misery. The pain set in after about 24 hours. Streaming movies and television shows were my friends. Sleeping became my worst enemy. I’d wake up with my mouth dried out and my throat on fire. Oh my God. I was not prepared for this! I ran out of Popsicle’s on day three. I ran out of pain medicine on day five. The pain peaked on day seven. I broke down and cried in front of my brother on day eight- a combination of pain, drug induced depression, and sleep deprivation. Since then, I’ve read thousands of similar accounts on the tonsillectomy forum I created. It didn’t have to be so hard. If I’d known what I do now, I could have done so much to make my tonsillectomy recovery better. I hope to reach as many people as I can to help guide them through the tunnel. It has been my passion and taught me more about compassion and the amazing strength of the human spirit than any other life experience. When you shine a light for others, you also light your own path.
In the pages at follow, I’ll share tonsillectomy recovery tips with you that I learned from my tonsillectomy experience and years of coaching others through tonsillectomy and recovery.
41 y/o M 9 days post op 1 June, 2017. My dentist found excessive tonsil stones and one near my corroided artery in an X-ray while having a routine cleaning. I was referred to have it looked at and went to my ENT clinic. After all the scans and other make sure to have surgery exams I was instructed to have my tonsils removed a.s.a.p. My adolescent doctor told my parents to have them removed when I was young but it hadn’t happened by the time I was 15 so he said never mind to just leave them. Long story short I had the procedure and have been dealing with what I had to for the last 9 days at the age of 41. I feel I am out of the woods today. I decreased my oxycodone usage to as needed 2 days ago vs every 4 hours. Today I have not used any drug. My scabs started falling off day 7. They are almost gone. My diet consisted of soup and soggy ritz crackers since day 3. The first 2 days were hit and miss and I pretty much have lived and died by having consistent ice water available around the clock and keeping my mouth clean. I went to a manual toothbrush to not aggravate anything when in use. I cleaned my mouth after every time I had food. I also had a tonsil fire extinguisher (liquid lidocaine) spray bottle which numbs the pain on the point where sprayed. The oxycodone always burned in the crevices of my jaws at the joints and the throat. It has been an experience but granted having a high tolerance for pain it hasn’t been the worst. I had maybe 2 days of the worst pain (9-10) on days 6&7. 7 was the worst. Mornings are always the worst and you can hope for sleeping 3-4 hours. I waited to post because I knew my experience was going to be like my own. No one has the same circumstances but we can all draw something from each other. I started reading this forum about 3 days pre -op which gave me a lot of good insight. What I did learn is:
– consistently take medicine
– consistently keep your mouth clean
– you have to get rest by any means
– stay hydrated/ primarily iced water
– sugar laden products create phlegm and film
– no citrus
– take it easy
– minimum 10 days recovery
– I didn’t leave my house until day 7 bedroom day 3
– tonsil fire extinguisher was key to numb pain on the spot
To whomever started this blog and to all those sharing their stories on here…bless you. I’ve been reading everyone’s comments since I scheduled my tonsillectomy a month ago. On day 3 of recovery now and still hanging in there. It’s so comforting to see all of the positive commentary and the tips from everyone have been so helpful. Wish me luck as I know the worst of it is yet to come. Just wanted to thank everyone for all of the great advice – it’s definitely gotten me through so far.
Hi Cherelle! Thanks for the kind words. I started this blog so others could have a better tonsillectomy recovery than I did. I’m so glad that you e benefitted! Best of luck to you and please stay in touch.
Good luck!!
I’m a 28 y.o. Female & on day 3 of my recovery. The first day after surgery was cake – I kept thinking to myself how easy this recovery was going to be. I was eating apple sauce, popsicles, on day two I tried eggs, and plain noodles with oil, I felt great. Well, that didn’t last… last night my pain got worse so I decided to take a dose of prescribed oxy…well, I threw up shortly after taking it. Probably from lack of food in my stomach & the fact that I’ve never done well with narcotics. Ever since I threw up, I’ve been in excruciating pain, and it feels like everything in my mouth is swollen shut. I can no longer open my mouth to look at my throat, my uvula is so swollen that it makes me feel like I constantly have to gag. The nausea I’m having to deal with is awful. Swallowing is an absolute chore, and my ears are throbbing in pain. I’m home alone, as my fiancé has to work, and feel like I may not make it out of this recovery alive – dramatic as it may seem. I’m keeping ice on my swollen throat/neck, I’m drinking as much cold fluid as I can, and I’m taking pain meds every 4 hours or so…however I feel they’ve stopped working.
This is absolutely miserable, quite honestly the worst pain and discomfort I’ve ever had to deal with in my life. I can’t imagine it getting worse than this, and I’m afraid it will.
I just had my tonsillectomy and andenoidectomy today. I skipped my medicine once and I’m paying for it now. My uvula is swollen, I can’t swallow, and my throat is sooo swollen. Very uncomfortable. I can’t sleep and I have trouble breathing.
Hey how are you doing now? I’m 27 and on the same page..today is day 8 for me until when did you feel the pain?
Hey Karen, I’m on day 15 and I’m still not 100%. I would say the worst pain was between Days 3-8, day 9 was substantially better as far as pain is concerned…and it’s been getting better every day. The ear pain was bad for me on day 8 and then got marginally better every day after. I have a demanding job, so I went back to work 5 days earlier than I should have, and I’m paying the price with a sore throat that I can’t seem to get rid of. I took today off to rest, hydrate, and not use my voice.
My voice is still not back to sounding normal, I can still see scabs on the left side of my throat, and I’m still a little swollen too.
The recovery is definitely slow going – but I’m feeling so relieved that I’m finally able to eat REAL food…with the exception of anything rough, sharp, or dry. You’re almost out of the woods!! Stay rested, and hydrated, and don’t push yourself too hard once you start feeling better! Good luck!
Day 5 and I feel like dying can’t even swallow my own saliva never mind fluids?painkillers are making me really sickly and smacked out of my head developed chest infection too on two lots of antibiotics my neck is so swollen keeping ice pack on it,lost 9 pound in weight so far I’m classing this as the only bonus but whilst I’m not eating I’m going weaker and weaker
Hi Andrea, I found days 5-7 were the worst; you need to take your pain meds as prescribed. I found sucking on a cracker until it was melted and then taking pain meds helped with nausea. Your Doctor can also give you meds for nausea – ask for the one that melts on your tongue. Try broth or other liquids, too. Please check out the drop down menu at the top of this page, compiled by Greg, our forum host. Greg offers some amazingly helpful tools and strategies to kick T/A recovery in the ass! Good luck, and stay in touch. Jan
Day 6 and became very very poorly emergency admission to hospital with Sepsis never felt so ill in my life iv fluids iv antibiotics discharged on day 11 on oral antibiotics for 5 days. day 16 back to gp given another 7 days oral antibiotics as not healing
I am now on day 23 antibiotics finished still sore to swallow still have ear pain and all foods taste awful I can honestly say this has been the worst experience of my life and has made me very down will my taste ever resume normally?await 18th July for histology report.
I’m on day 5 of my recovery, and my ears are on fire. I can’t sleep. I can’t eat. I’m so sleep deprived, in pain, and literally can’t do anything. Someone, please tell me this was worth it. I don’t know if I am going to make it out of this.. ALIVE.
I get married in 3 weeks, and I am thinking this was a terrible idea. I’m off the pain medication due to it making me more sick. I take extra strength tylenol every 4 hours. I’m drinking a lot of water, even though it feels like I am swallowing rocks and razor blades at the same time.
I need some serious help.
Hi Abby, how are you feeling? Yes, its worth it. And you will be fine by your wedding day. Congratulations! Please check out the drop down menu at the top of this page. Greg, our forum host, has compiled wonderful, helpful information that works! Good luck, and enjoy your wedding. Stay in touch. Jan