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How long does it take to recover after tonsillectomy?
Tonsillectomy recovery time is unique for each patient. The recovery timeline for children is much shorter than for adults, with seemingly less pain. My own eight year old son was back to his old self in less than a week after his tonsils taken out. This may have fanned the flames of my unreasonable expectations of my own recovery time as an adult. His was fairly typical of a child his age. Children’s bodies heal faster than adults’ do.
Tonsillectomy Recovery Time
What to expect after tonsil surgery
The timeline for recovery for an adult is a different story. Age matters. In fact, it appears that the older an adult is at the time of their tonsillectomy, the longer the recovery is, in general. Based on my own adult tonsillectomy recovery, and the stories of thousands of my readers, I’d put the average adult tonsillectomy recovery time at approximately 10.43 days. Yes, I’m that good!
Humor aside, ten days seems to be pretty typical. I added the .43 because so many people, myself included, thought they had it licked and went back to work around day ten, only to find they weren’t quite ready. As scabs slough off in second week of recovery, many adults experience a bit of a pain relapse, just as they thought they were almost recovered. This is a really tough period for many. They’ve spent almost two weeks with minimal sleep, minimal nourishment, minimal activity, and lots of pain medicine. It can be downright depressing for adults recovering in this second week.
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I do hear from many adults whose recovery times are closer to a week – perhaps due to my good advice, perhaps due to genetics. It’s hard to say why some adults’ recovery timelines are shorter, and their experiences less traumatic. There are also cases that drag out further. If you’re one of a small minority that requires re-cauterization for bleeding, or don’t take the proper precautions, (many of these are outlined here and in my book), your tonsillectomy recovery time may be as much as three or four weeks. I want to make an important point here- one that I cannot overemphasis: Stay hydrated! Keep drinking fluids! Dehydration is the worst enemy of the tonsillectomy patient.
My advice: ask your employer, your family, your friends, and the rest of the world to give you two weeks for your adult tonsillectomy. You may surprise them, hopefully for the better.
Recovery is unique to each individual- sure. We know that recovery time for adults is longer, and maybe harder, than for children. I remember my own son bouncing back in less than a week! My own experience taught me that ten days off from a job that required lots of talking was a bit light. I generally advise two weeks. As I’ve said, most employers will let you come back early. That’s easier than asking for more time after the fact. I’ve read the accounts of thousands of tonsillectomy patients- most of them adults. I’ve learned that the time required varies. I wonder though, how many tonsillectomy patients never really post about their experience.
Are you one of those quiet ones lying in the weeds? I’d like to get a better feel for the average adult tonsillectomy recovery time. Please take a moment and share your own experience in recovering from tonsillectomy surgery. You can help us all!I’ve put together a collection of items that I think would be helpful, if not essential, to making tonsillectomy recovery a little more pleasant. Check out the Tonsillectomy General Store.
-Greg Tooke My short bio
I’m 23 and on day 11 of my tonsillectomy.
Day 1 (post op) i just remember being very thirsty and had very little pain which was probably from the anesthesia and pain meds they gave me after surgery.
Days 2-3 – moderate pain in my throat but the ear pain is what was really getting to me. My uvula and tongue were really swollen as well.(pain level 7/10)
Days 4-6 – complete blur. The pain in my ears was way worse than my throat.( Pain level 10/10)
Day 7-9 – huge turn around and started feeling much better. Still pain but nothing a little pain meds couldn’t fix 🙂 (pain level 6/10)
Day 10-11. Stopped my pain meds. Scabs are about 90% gone now and I still have swelling but it’s going down day by day. Still can’t eat very much but I am drinking water by the gallons. I will say I think my saving grace has been water. Every time I think of it I just take a sip. (Pain level 3/10)
I still don’t feel all that great and I am getting dizzy spells which is probably from the lack of food and the meds. I have my follow up appointment in a few days so hopefully he can tell me how he thinks it’s healing!
My best advice is to drink water, run a humidifier at night, buy a neck pillow, and just relax! Don’t push yourself and wind up going back to square one. Take it day by day and you will get through it. Wishing you all the best of luck!
I’m 16 and Im on day 5, after my operation they told me I have to eat scratchy stuff because it helps to get all the white stuff off. So the day I came back I ate crisps and crispy chocolate although it took me so long to eat it did help, I did that for two days. Day three I couldn’t even drink water it wasn’t because it was painful it was because it went the other way and felt like I was drowning, I still tried though as it’s more painful to let your throat dry up, I didn’t eat anything on day three or day four which was yesterday, It’s extremely painful to swallow now and I don’t want to talk.
Not eating makes you feel so much worse
I’m weak and dizzy and bright light hurts my eyes.
My jaw and my ears hurt a lot and my mouth tastes horrible
I have to admit reading all these bad articles makes me feel worse but it is different for everyone.
No one will have the same experience
Gargling salt water is disgusting and I refused to do it and it makes my throat hurt for a bit afterwards but at the end of the day it helps and make you feel so much better even if it’s only for a little bit.
Sneezing is horrible, I cried the first time I sneezed because it hurts so much but the pain will go away if u can’t help but do it.
My neck, back, head and shoulders hurt a lot, but as I said it is different for everyone and I haven’t helped myself but not eating.
People are writing about how horrible everything is and how bad their experience is and I’ve read hundreds of articles and put myself in a state about it
As I said I’m only on day five and I’m not looking forward to the next couple of days but I’m hoping it’s over soon
And I know it will help me in the long run
Just think positive no matter how hard it is to do so because that’s the last thing I’m doing
I wish everyone well.
Hi, I’m 17 and on day 3 of my recovery, not very far I know. But i can’t help but read up on the recovery time, but it keeps making me more nervous about it. I just need to know, how long until it’s completely healed. 100% healed. I can’t take the drink going up my nose, it’s beyond annoying, and food getting stuck on my throat.
This is Sarah
I’m 20 years old and I’m on day 7. I’ve been going through tremendous pain for the past 2 days; before that I thought I was feeling a little better. I have not been able to sleep at night and when I do I wake up sweating. It hurts to take my medication and sometimes when I do I have a coughing fit which was and is the most pain I’ve been through since i can imagine. It’s helping me reading everyone else’s stories and making me feel better and that I’m not a special case that feels this bad. Sometimes I cannot swallow and sit by the trashcan and just have to drewl. Does anyone else have to ever do that? I sometimes physically cannot get myself to swallow the pain is so bad. Sometimes to take the medicine I’ll drink hot coco with a spoon and slowly sip the hydro on the side. But i make sure the hot coco isn’t too hot at all. The lollipops they gave me, which are numbing lollipops, help me way more than I thought I did so I asked for a refill on those they didn’t seem to help at first then i realized they really were helpful are helpful I should say. Thanks for reading and sorry about my confusing wording
I had a really bad bleed on day 11 and had no one around to take me to hospital… I had no choice but to call am ambulance and then received a bill for $1,174. Moral of the story is make sure you have ambulance cover or are covered by your private health insurance in case you need to use them! I thankfully am covered with my private health, otherwise I’d have been really upset by this!
Bled a lot on Day 11? How old are you if you don’t mind me asking. I’m 31 and getting a tonsillectomy in 2 weeks
Hi Kristina, I’m 34. I’m not going to lie, the recovery is pretty awful but i am now out the other side and it is so worth it! Just keep your fluids up, rest and most of all don’t push yourself before you’re ready. Some days you might feel ok but be wary of taking this as a sign that you’re better until you really are. Good luck with it!
Thank you. I had it done yesterday & I was fine. Today not so much… throat, ears, jaw & neck all hurt. I slept a lot of the day and it has been very hard to drink and eat. I drank water and it went up through my nose. I have over 2 weeks off from work.. and I will be resting I just don’t want to bleed!!
Girl I understand. Did you lose your ability to taste?
32 years old, Day 9 post op. Still some discomfort, but have not taken the narcotics since day 7. They helped the pain, but made me VERY nauseous. I threw up several times in the first week, and that was awful! Day 7 seems to have been the peak of pain for me. I was sobbing, it was so horrible. I really hope that was the worst of it. Scabs are still present, but appear to be fading. The pain is mostly on one side now, sharp, and radiates to my ear. Ibuprofen is working well to take the edge off, and warm salt water gargles are my friend. I’ve been able to eat some solid foods, if I take small bites, chew very well, and follow with a (room temperature) drink. Also noteworthy, I haven’t pooped since before surgery, due to the pain meds. I’m drinking apple juice now, and a stool softener may be needed if I don’t go soon.
I started back to work on day 7. Although, I work at a desk, from home, and don’t do a lot of talking (besides to my cats). If I had a more strenuous job, I definitely would have stayed off through today, as originally planned for.
I’ll add an update if things change.
Did you lose your sense to taste?