Tonsillectomy - swollen uvula and scabs falling off

smartblonde · Newbie Joined: 14 Mar 2007 Posts: 1

Hey everyone,
I am 18 and i had my tonsils out ten days ago after getting tonsilitis 5times in 3 months. My tonsils were bigger than walnuts! Anyways, yesterday the scabs began to fall off on my way to work and i gagged horribly on them. I had to leave work after about a half hour because i could not stop gagging. I then realized my uvula was extremely swollen - but my doctor had not warned me about this symptom. Has anyone else experienced this?
At this point it is so swollen that i cannot speak without gagging. I have said nothing for over 24 hours and i am walking around with a pen and paper so people don't think i am crazy. I also had to sleep sitting straight up last night because i kept waking up choking! I didn't sleep to say the least. Anyone have any ideas?

kellie · Newbie Joined: 07 Apr 2007 Posts: 2

I had a tonsillectomy on the 3rd April and I've experienced the same thing.
My jaw feels like it's about to fall off where the doc must have been a bit harsh with clamping it open. That's probably my biggest problem because it's preventing me from chewing. I've got a really scabby throat and an unnaturally large uvula. It's hard to swallow and I can't even speak without gagging.

I find the biggest relief is toast. It loosens the scabs at the back of the throat (but is really painful to eat) in the long run it does more good than harm. I've been looking around for people who have suffered with a swollen uvula as not many of my friends (who have had their tonsils out) had that. I'm getting a little worried as the rest of my throat is starting to heal, but the uvula isn't going down. I'm on pain killers called co-dydromol and boy do they relieve the pain for a good couple of hours!

I'm slowly on the mend, but the doc reckons it will be near 2 more weeks before I'm fully recovered.
Has anyone else experienced a swollen uvula and it's eventually gone back to normal?

Kellie

james80 · Newbie Joined: 19 Apr 2007 Posts: 5

hey i had my tonsils removed April 11th & my uvula is a quite swollen (again the doc didn't mention this) Whats slightly more worrying is that its a very deep purple colour! i'm guessing thats blood, which from a quick look round the internet doesn't sound life threatening.

havent suffered too much with scabs as i've been trying to eat normally since day 1. still looks a bit gross down there tho, & still have a bad taste in my mouth!

RobF · Posted: 04/23/07 - 02:35 Post subject: swollen uvula post-tonsillectomy

Hi, I had my tonsillectomy on 30th March and I've experienced the same type of thing - admittedly I'm 41 and things tend to be worse the older you get (and I can definately testify to that!).

I had to sleep sitting up but after about 2 weeks this eased for me. Over the last weekend (21-22 April) talking seems to have got a little better, though its far from perfect. I also had problems with what ever I drink dribbling out of my nose (if I had my head inclined downwards at all) ..... I suspect this is all connected to the uvula being swollen and not performing its tasks correctly.

But definately feel like I on the road to recovery now, all be it still a long way to go and just over 3 weeks since my op.

Good luck

Guest · Guest

I had my tonsils out on the 17th of April and I am finding it hard to eat, in fact I'm not really eating at all. All I am eating is ice lollies which are getting kind of boring now.Potatoes were a horrible experience as were toast and pizza and garlic bread and pasta!So I am very stuck in what to eat!If anyone has any ideas on what to eat please tell me, I'm soooo hungry.(ice lollies aren't very filling!) I also had a swollen uvula and I tried a tiny bit of yoghurt and I started to choke! So I know what you are all going through!My uvula is almost back to it's usual size now which is one good thing! I find a good drink is capri sun and ice lollies boring as they are, are extremely soothing!So I hoped that helps with some people and that you can help me!Hope you all start to feel better. Smile

Ehunter228 · Newbie Joined: 24 Apr 2007 Posts: 2

I had my tonsillectomy on 4/16/07 and I am 35. While the pain hasn't been too bad, the uvula and tongue have bothered me the most. Specially when it comes to sleeping. I have been sleeping on an incline for 8 days now. I have seen some improvement but not much. I keep drinking everything cold and I still use and ice pack on my neck. Ice has been my best friend, within the first 3 days I went through 7 pounds of ice. I must keep drinking my fluids or the pain begins. Just now started to eat toast, so we shall see if that helps. I did not eat ice cream, I ate sherbet instead. To avoid the phlegm, I already have enough problems breathing, I don't need any more. I hope that at some point my uvula will return to normal. For now I sound a bit weird when I talk.

Guest · Guest

Leave the scabs alone. I was 18 when I had my tonsils out and nobody told me what that white stuff was. I didn't like it so I stood in the mirror hacking til' they came off and then I went to bed and the next thing I know blood is gushing out of my mouth. I know they are nasty and make you feel like you have a throat full of goobers. BUT that needs to fall off on its own and slowly. NO TOAST. Nothing scratchy. It will scratch the scabs and then you will have trouble. BE patient. REST & DRINK. You will get bettter. Everyday will be better and better

Dreamland · Newbie Joined: 24 May 2007 Posts: 11

Guest · Guest

Hi all, I am 21 and I am presently on day 6 of the recovery from my tonsillectomy. I have to say the pain is extremely random. I"ll have a good day then a bad day then a good day. The nastiest thing has been the swollen uvula. I had no idea that would happen either, but apparently the doctor warned my parents about that. I've tried to not look at my throat since I dont want to irritate it. Eating has been tough, I've mainly stuck to Jell-O and Ice pops although yesterday and today I've been able to get some matzah ball soup down, and today...even some pasta. It's tough though, and chewing feels like an olympic sport. I've slept a LOT, i find that I barely have any energy to do anything. It was nice to come across this board and read about other people going through the same thing. I wish you all the best of luck. To those of you who are healed...how long did it take? right now i talk very strangely so i was wondering when i'll be able to talk normally and eat normally. thanks guys!

Guest · Guest

I have had a very painful recovery from having tonsils removed. It is very rough. My uvula is extremely swollen and I am on day 7. I am 18 years old. When will my uvula start to go back to normal? I am gagging it is so large.

Tonsillectomy - swollen uvula and scabs falling off

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