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.
I am currently on my 5th day of recovery. It has not been as bad as people have said. There are points where i get annoyed with the pain and that I can’t eat. Also the pain meds they gave me are very hard on my stomach and because I have not eaten a real meal since last the Thursday before. When ever i move I feel sick. I am expecting to go back to work on day 8. I will say my experience is not as bad as what people say. As long as you drink plenty of cold water your throat should be fine and heal teh quickest.
I actually had a very positive experience! Before I had the tonsillectomy, I was reading a lot about the horrible recovery and on youtube there were a lot of scary videos too.
So I was expecting quite some pain, but it really turned out okay..
The day itself I hardly felt it (probably because I was on some really good pain meds).
Day 2 and 3 were more painful but still very bearable (I took painmeds every 4 to 6 hours), my pain never went above a 4/10 I think. Those were the only days that talking wasn’t very easy (I could still talk though, I just didn’t that much… From day 4 on talking wasn’t an issue anymore).
Day 4 and 5 the pain in my throat started getting better but my ears starting hurting quite a bit (maybe the most pain I had was a 6/10), but it was okay with the painmeds.
Now I’m on day 10 of the recovery and I haven’t used pain meds since day 7. So I haven’t had any pain since day 7 (not more than an uncomfortable feeling) and I’m honestly doing just fine.
I was quite tired until day 8 though. I don’t know why my recovery was so easy, I think it had to do with the fact that I was prepared for a lot of pain, so the pain I actually got didn’t seem too bad. Next to that I made sure I drank a LOT of water, so that my throat was never dry, and I tried to eat as much as I could (my doctor told me most patients have difficulties because they are generally quite weak and tired because they can’t seem to eat anything). The first four days I tried to eat everything in a more or less “liquid” form, after that I could eat almost everything.
So my advice would be, if you have problems with your tonsils, you should definitely get them out! And to recover well: sleep a lot, drink a lot and eat a lot (to quickly gain back your strength!) !
Florence: how much water would you say you drank? Close to the 64oz a day ideal? Despite the pain it is to swallow, I feel like I’m getting close (maybe 50 or so?) plus some apple sauce and whatnot. My throat only felt dry day 1 (I assume from anesthesia).
I’m here to encourage you! I thought I was dying there for awhile,omg! I’m 59 and had both tonsils out and ear tubes out in. So the excruciating ear pain that everyone feels with the tonsillectomy has been amplified.
Here are some calming, soothing items to consume: besides all the usual Popsicles and jello, there are Haagen Daaz sorbets in wonderful flavors such as raspberry, peach and mango ( my favorite). I use these to help with taking meds. Also, cantaloupe is divine as it is natural, flavorful and slippery. After my first post op visit 6 days post surgery, yesterday, I ordered a huge Starbucks blended (icy) mocha Frapp! Omg! Heavenly. I only ate half and popped the rest in the freezer for a wonderful treat today.
I got thrush! On the walls of my mouth, tongue and I my esophagus. So, I’m having to suck on lozenges type tablets for 30 minutes 4 times a day. The medicine is called Clotrimazole. The doctor couldn’t tell me why it developed. He said I hadn’t done anything wrong.
You notice, as stated in an earlier post,that the doctors are eager to give you all the meds you need? They realize what an excruciatingly painful surgery this is for adults- and the older you are, the harder it is. I am very sensitive to all pain meds and have to use Zofran with narcotics to prevent vomiting. But without narcotics, my doctor said I’d never make it through. Now, on day 7, I can use 1/2 narcotic at night and then Tylenol extra strength the rest of the time. This is controlling the horrific ear and tonsil pain. Sometimes I awake on the verge of tears, but the narcotics back it down. Don’t even consider going to bed without taking your meds or the pain will sneak up on you.
I’m here to encourage you, that it is going to get better. I’m feeling human again and the nurse said most people turn the bend at day 10. I still don’t like talking as it feels raspy and forced, so I avoid talking now. My job entails talking and listening and both are uncomfortable now. Hopefully by the weekend, I’ll be able to do both. If I feel I can, I’ll return to work on Monday, but if not, I’ll delay two more days.
Hang in there fellow tonsillectomy survivors! We shall overcome! Meanwhile be kind to yourselves and have a Starbucks!
Dude. I had my tonsils out on Friday, June 5. That day was awesome. Saturday…also awesome. I took my liquid pain meds as prescribed (maybe a bit over), but I was eating & drinking well. I also realize now I was delusional. Monday came along and I needed a refill of my meds. I should have become suspicious when the said “ok-come and pick it up”…that was a little too easy. I know why now. My tongue hurts when it moves. I can’t swallow. My ears are killing me and now I need another refill. If I want to talk I have to bend over with my face to the floor. But–on the good side– I can still drink and I have found the Hurricaine gel that’s used on infants works wonders! And cvs makes a cool thing called “peas”…just like the frozen kind, and they work wonderfully well.
Glad I read your page. My 8 year old son is on day seven and it seems to be worse.
I realize this could be normal.