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.
Have a big selection of soft food. Jellies, custard, mac & cheese, milk shakes, diet shakes (good nutrients in them) cordial, power drink (like power aid). Medicine, Pain stop, Panasonic, nurofen and pheregon (if he feels sick). Try to get liquid medicine. Make a place weready he can sleep sitting up, laying day causes swelling. Get some flexible ice packs for his neck. Hopefully cause his young he’ll heal quickly.
My husband who’s 56 just had the procedure 2 days ago. His doctor strongly recommended the liquid Tylenol, which you can find easily for children. The liquid dosage is equivalent to that of the tablet. My husband has to mix it with water and take is slowly using a syringe (pharmacies have these, often give for kids). His tongue is also still very swollen, and he’s had an awful time swallowing even water.
It’s so hard to see him suffer like this.
Ice pack your neck. Take ibuprofen every 4 hours – it reduces the sweeping in your throat. Keep ice on your neck 24 hours. Dry room temperate water, it just goes down easier. I feel so sorry for you. I’m on day 21 post surgery. Also if you can, get stronger pain meds as well. My throat still has scabs but I feel so much better now.
Hello to anybody who is reading this, I am a 15 year old girl and I have had tonsillitis 14 times during the past year. So my surgery is in a week today and it was reading here that I first heard about the tongue swelling. I have tried to prepare myself for the pain but I’m really quite dreading it. I just want to know if the swelling is common or just in certain cases? Thanks!
Hi everyone,
My name is Brittany I am 26 years old. I posted a few days before surgery about how I was nervous! But, here I am now got my tonsils removed on January 30th.. I am going into day 3.
Days 1 and 2 were bearable. I was able to drink water and juice, eat soups, mashed potatoes. The only problem I encountered was sleeping. I haven’t slept for more that 15-20 minutes at a time.
The pain medicine they gave me is 1-2 tablets of Percocet every 4-6 hours. I honestly cannot wait more than 4 hours for my pain medicine- if I wait or try to take only 1 pill the pain becomes rough so don’t skimp out on the pain medicine like I tried to.
Anyways…..I’m starting Day 3, my throat is really starting to hurt almost like it’s completely swollen shut! I am even having a hard time taking down water. It’s currently 1:30AM here in the US and I haven’t been able to sleep normally since I got out of surgery. I have to sleep sitting up and I wake up every 10 minutes needing water or feeling like I am choking on myself. From reading everyone else’s experiences I can only expect it to get worse before it gets better. It Is nice to have a support group on here where others know what I’m going through!
So here goes nothing… bring on day three!
Great attitude Brittany! Yes, today and tomorrow should be your sleeping days. Ask your doctor for stronger dose of percocet if you dont get better relief by tomorrow. Avoid mashed potatoes and other dairy products, sticks to the scab. Once the scab does come off, you will feel a whole lot better. That choking feeling is the swelling thats kicking in, then your ears will begin to hurt when swelling maxes out. Set your alarm every 4 hours, so you stay on top of the pain. Gallon of water a day, and if you cant drink that much, include popcycles and gargling with warm salty water, really helps. Wrap ice around your neck to bring down the swelling. Git a humidifier going? You are doing great!!
Thank you for your advice! I just gargled a little and feel better. The nausea was so bad this morning from being hungry – that was no fun. My throat is covered in a yellow coating – is that all scab? Set up my humidifier, so helpful!
Hi Brittany and Adina. Yes, the yellow coating that you see is the scab. It usually begins to fall off little by little starting around day 4 or 5. You usually will swallow it and won’t even know it. Others have reported coughing really hard and the scab coming out with a little bloody tinge to it. But once that scab goes, so will most of your pain. Keep gargling with warm salted water (drool it out, don’t spit.) kinda gross, but more comfortable that way. Try not to cough or yawn. How are your ears feeling? Keep up the good work, so proud of you. You are both in my thoughts and prayers, Janet
My ears are feeling a constant pressure in them. Sometimes I hear ringing in them too. My whole face, neck, and jaw are sore. Awful taste in my mouth constantly – so I am trying to gargle with salt water and alcohol free mouth wash. I’m trying not to over due it with medicine, but it’s hard not to with this sort of pain! I have been taking medicine every 4 hours.. going on day 4 today! Late nights/early mornings seem to be the worst for me. Happy to announce I got some sleep finally = yay! Can’t wait to start feeling better…..
Hey Janet – does it hurt when the scab falls off?
Got mine on the 30th too I’m still in a lot of pain but felt worse with the tonsils pretty much touching!
The doctor gave me liquid codeine and Tylenol up here in Canada.
My name is Lauren I am only 14 years old and I had my tonsils taken out and the pain is killing me I ache everywhere I hate the liquid medicine makes me feel sick can anyone tell me how I can get better and what to do as all I want to do is feel better and all I keep doing is feeling worse. I hardly can get to sleep this is the 2nd day from when I ahd the surgery done please tell me what I could do to make the pain go away.
Hi Lauren. I’ve shared quite a few tips to deal with the discomfort of tonsillectomy recovery on this site. I encourage you to look around. Here’s few of my favorite: https://tonsillectomyrecovery.com/gregs-top-tonsillectomy-recovery-tips/
Hang in there. You’re in for some rough days but remember: this is temporary. You will feel better!!
Did you you get my last message? About xanax?
My son is 8 and has had tonsillitis 10 times in the past 13 months … theyre being removed on Monday!! Any advice for me and him?
Rebecca,
Lots of water for him, make sure he takes the pain medication on schedule, humidifier so his throat wont be so dry, it helps keeping it moist. Just makes sure he doest not eat anything hard that will scrape his throat. I have heard in childrens the recovery is less painful than when is done to adults. Have a speedy recovery!
I’m 17, I got my tonsils out on the 27th of Jan, and am now in day 5. I’ve heard day 4/5 is usually the worst! I could eat soups on day 1 and 2, but other than that I feel really sick and I can’t swallow anything! It hurts just to drink water 🙁 I don’t feel as drained and tired today as I did the last couple of days, but my ears and throats are killing me!! Can people please tell me some tips that helped them? I want this to be over already hahah
Hey Crystal, you are experiencing the worst part, and you only have a few more days before you start feeling a whole lot better. The more water you drink, the faster it will heal. I hate water, so when i got my tonsils out i really struggled with drinking a gallon of water every day. Try popcycles or freeze your favorite juice. Ice packs on your neck helps too. Sleep upright, and keep humidifier going full blast, all day. Try not to yawn, and don’t blow your nose!! Argh. The best advice i can give you is to sleep as much as possible, only waking to take pain meds regularly and drink a bunch of water afterwards. This too shall pass, you’re almost thru the hardest part. I believe in you!! ♡♡
Crystal,
Cold compress has helped me. Also one tablet tylenol. I smashed it and put it on my applesause it works faster and also goes down smoother than trying to swallow the pill. Drinks lots of water as well. Good luck! Dont forget your humidifier.
Hey Crystal! I had my tonsils out the same day and today kills…I don’t know if you feel the scabs atm? I’d really say ice creams and just anything icy helps! Hope you get well soon 🙂