Tonsillectomy - swollen uvula and scabs falling off

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just got mine removed.. I'm dying I'm quite sure.. how the heck are you guys swallowing toast and all these DELICACIES!..I can barely swallow water.. my uvula is the size of a babies head and my throat feels like glass is shaving it layer by layer.. the only thing that I was able to down was some broc & cheese it soothed..and hours later I paid for it.. no sleep that night..but now my throat feels like I have tonsilitis again.. and as for my ears.. they couldn't feel more clogged.. water makes me angry.. and I've been dry heaving ( vomiting water ! ) thats painful to my poor little throat.. what dO I do.. the icepack keeps spilling on me .. everynight.. Im not happy. my pills are humongous.. is this some type of torture.. why not give a syrup? and I'm running LOW on meds..

dthought · Newbie Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 2

I'm in day 5 of recovery, so I might be writing prematurely, but I felt it important to get a semi-positive post out there since there are so many horror stories.

I was terrified about this procedure - the first surgery of my life. I did tons of reading and sought out a doctor who would use the coblation method, since electocautery sounds like a nightmare due to the heat damage to the surrounding tissue.

My doc was great, as was my anesthesiologist who is at least as important in terms of how you'll feel afterwards! The anesthesiologist made sure to put anti-nausea meds into my mix, which is critical given that you don't want to vomit when you wake up and risk stressing your wounds. He also put a nice anti-anxiety med into my iv right before the surgery, which was much appreciated since I was so stressed out. When I woke up I felt parched, but not in any extreme pain. This went away as I started sucking on ice chips.

The pain increased throughout the first day, but never to any unbearable point. I was originally prescribed Lortab because it comes in liquid. I found that to be completely worthless. I switched off of that on day 1 and got a prescription for percocet, which I continue to take religiously. I crush it in homemade sugar free chocolate pudding which I make with soy milk (don't have dairy bc it will make the mucous more problematic). The percs may make you itchy, but that's solved with benadryl. Along the pain meds, make sure to get placed on a steroid pack! My uvula and throat were very swollen for the first two days, but were back to about normal soon after starting the steroids.

Food consumption is limited. This is annoying, but not really a problem. I survive fine off of pudding, popsicles made out of gatorade (no need for that syrupy junk), chicken broth, soy ice cream, applesauce, and lightly scrambled eggs. My drink of choice is icy light blue gatorade mixed with seltzer. This provides the right amount of flavor and electrolytes, along with just enough carbonation so that it doesn't burn but refreshes the throat by giving the sensation that the mucous is getting cleared out. Drink it contantly! I soon plan on trying some super fluffy matzo balls.

I'm nervous about the scabs falling off, but I'm sure it will be fine when it happens.

To sum up: 1) get the coblation method, not electrocautery because you don't want heat damage and excessive pain; 2) have a good anesthesiologist who will put the anti nausea stuff in your sleep mix; 3) take your percocet religiously; 4) stay hydrated; 5) get placed on steroids; 6) read the internet for information and help, but take everything you read, especially anecdotal stories, with a grain of salt.

BrynneB · Newbie Joined: 24 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

I just had my tonsils taken out yesterday. I had a few pretty bad hours last night but for the most part its been okay. I had tonsiliths and have had problems with my throat since I was literally a baby. I'm 19 now and finally had this done. I was pretty nervous. The worst part is my uvula is really really swollen. Its all white and evidently they cut the front of it a little because I woke up with a scratch there and it was bleeding. It hurts really bad. My lip and both sides of my tongue were also open and bloody. I saw someone else had matzo ball soup. It was the easiest thing so far that I've had to eat. I had soft eggs this morning but it was pretty painful. No one warned me about the swollen uvula. It was bigger than my thumb! Its gone down just a little and is still extremely painful. It wasnt the worst experience of my life but it was worse than I expected. The area where my tonsils were isnt even bothering me really. (My soup was hot and that definitely hurt that area so be careful..just let it cool some)

JFKMOM595 · Newbie Joined: 27 Jun 2008 Posts: 1

Hi, I had my tonsillectomy June 18 and I'm on my 10 days but the pain still there. I also sleep in our couch inclined otherwise I can't sleep at all. It's also hard to breath.
My uvula is swollen as well and to think after 3-4 days like the nurse said, the pain will lessen but I'm wrong because the 5th-7th days is the worst for me. I can eat or drink anything that it won't hurt. I called the doctor because I feel so weak from not taking anything but a small sip of water and ice chips but the nurse yet again told me that it will get better after the scabs fall off. Right now, I can eat or sip soup and thinking trying to eat noodle/ramen maybe it will go down without any pain.
Today, 12:23AM is my 10 days still can't sleep because of the pain (Yes, pain meds is working, I'm taking vicodine and anti-biotic). I'm so frustrated about this but nothing I can do just to wait to get better. Good Luck for those who will have future tonsillectomy!
I guess, it's worth it than having tonsillitis every month for the past 6 months. Laughing

Guest · Guest

I'm 17 and recently had my tonsils out. Currently I am on day 14 and am feeling much better. I started feeling better around day 10. Seems like a short time to wait but its not when you're uvula is swollen and you have to carry around a note pad and pen set. I went back to the hospital twice and then it started to get better. My only issue is I still have white scabs and redness and am hoping i'll fully be better by week 3. Yawning and sneezing are still killer though haha.

Lisa

Liza3 · Posted: 07/05/08 - 23:47 Post subject: Tonsills out YIKES!

I am 41 and am currently on day 13 of my recovery. I read some of these posts and I literally hurt from laughing. They are exactly what I have been going through myself. It has not been nearly as bad as what I expected however it has been bad enough. The days 6-8 I think were the worst so far but now I have a scab hanging down my throat and it is driving me nuts! I have been gagging for about two days and it is killing me. I hope this ends soon. This is a terrible thing to go through but you can get through it. Just hang in there thats all I know to do.

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I'm 18 years old and currently on day 4 post-op. Swallowing kills! Honestly, though, no pain I've experienced so far has been as bad as the pain I had earlier this year when I got a peritonsular abcess. So far, the surgery has been worth it. I have thick white "scabs" on the back of my throat, which are really gross. They make me feel like coughing and hacking, but I know I shouldn't. Bleeding is my biggest fear right now, so I've been drinking tons and tons of water, even when it hurts. The foods I've found most tolerable are pudding, smoothies, very buttered noodles, and Jell-O. Ice water is pretty much my life right now. I sound really stupid when I talk, so I try to avoid it when I can.

That's all I've got to report, for now! Compared to some of the posts I've read here, I've had it quite easy so far. Hopefully, I'll manage to escape the bleeding nastiness by drinking enough water. Also, I'm really hoping to not have horrible issues with the scabs coming off. All very glamorous Smile

Guest · Guest

im on day 4 and finding it gets easier as the day goes on as long as u keep taking the painkillers. mornings are the worst!!! the gross part is the mucus at the back of your throat feels like youre choking, cant breathe.

i am eating normal, had pizza today, definitely helps to eat normal, just eat right after painkillers when youre a bit numb!

ears hurt too, hoping this will stop soon?

Guest · Guest

I am 23 and on Day 8. I have had a fairly uncomplicated experience compared to everyone on this board.

Note**Pre-surgery make sure to tell your anesthesiologist to put tons of anti-nausoues medicine in your mix, it helped me.

I am on Lortab, a steroid, dramamine (for nauseous), extra strength tylenol(liquid), liquid benadryl (to make to sleep), antibiotic, too many!! I am finally done with the steroid pack today.

Day 1-2 I was so drugged up and needed the painkillers. Stay on top of the pain, take it every 3 1/2 hours. THis is a terrible time. I stayed in the hospital the first night. As much as it sucked, I think it was the right move.

Day 3-6 Were miserable! I just slept, took medicine and barely ate. Foods that were good for me were popsicles, jello and broth.

Day 7-8 I really turned a corner. I can finally start talking fairly normally, ran some errands, at the end of the day I needed the pain medicine, but it is slowly getting better. I ate pasta for my first time last night!

I have white stuff too. I am fairly scared for the scabs to start coming off. I haven't had any bleeding thankfully. I haven't had any sharp foods and I have had lots of water and tea. I feel like the white scabs are never going to go away and that I am never going to talk fully normally but I know it just takes time. This surgery required tons of patience! Can anyone tell me when you can go back to normal? I am seeing the doctor tomorrow for a follow up, I'll keep you posted.

mashed potatoes and ice cream were hard for me to eat, too mucusy!

Guest · Guest

I was expecting a fairly boring week of sore throats and ice cream, NOT this!

I'm 19 and on day 6 of my recovery. I started on liquid painkillers and antibiotics--and the antibiotics were disgusting! Not realizing that I wasn't allowed to swallow pills (the doctors said it could knock the scabs and loosen them too early), I begged my mom to order me pills instead. She did, and crushed them with apple sauce and gatorade.

The antibiotics weren't so bad mixed with gatorade--they didn't have much flavor so I'd just take the shot and then chug a few massive sips of straight gatorade--but the pain pills were horrible! I switched to Tylenol pills which tasted just as bad because the other painkillers were making me super nauseous. I ate after surgery, probably because I was still numb, but then didn't eat for four days and didn't drink nearly enough. Bad idea! All the meds on an empty stomach were horrible. Yesterday I had my mom pick up some tylenol in liquid form--the extra strength liquid for adults comes in cherry flavor. It doesn't taste like cherries but it isn't too bad. I also like it because it takes care of a lot of the swelling that causes ear pain.

I forced myself to eat--chicken broth, chocolate pudding, and really thin rice pudding work pretty well for me. I also tried some slim fast, which is amazing because it's the perfect consistency and has protein. I haven't been able to have popsicles because until yesterday I couldn't open my mouth wide enough to stick them in.

I didn't bleed during surgery, so my scabs aren't super bad, and I feel a lot of tickling in my throat like they're already loosening. It's a little freaky but now I've gotten used to it. Reading these forums has been a life saver, it helps knowing there are other people going through the same thing. I'm definitely not the worst out there--two of my friends had their tonsils out a few years ago and both of them were throwing up by the first day of recovery. Still, I can't wait to be back to normal--no pain, no swelling, no nausea, and no more meds!

Tonsillectomy - swollen uvula and scabs falling off

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