Adult Tonsillectomy

Hey Sunshine,

It seems crazy, but I'm currently on day 9 - and so much better than day 8!!!!  I actually slept through the night for the first time last night, and my hubby made shepherds pie for lunch today (just the mince & potato, not pastry).  It was such a good idea becuase I've also been living on yoghurt and ice chips for the last week or so. 

The pain is definitely improving too - I haven't even had one panadol yet and it's nearly 3pm.  Sure, it still twinges every now and then, but my face doesn't feel like it's going to explode so I'm enjoying the drug-free day.  I also talk (gently) for the first time without getting sore every three seconds - not really up to screaming at children yet, but getting there.

I have a guilty food secret - the best sweet to eat is a Milky Way!!!!  I don't know if you have them where you are, but its like a mars bar without the caramel - that will stop you from losing weight for sure :-)

I have to go back to work on Monday, so this was perfect timing. Hopefully you are also feeling the improvements by the hour :-)

 

 

Hey all,

 

I'm now 6 days post op. Was having some pretty rough days up until today. I woke up with a terrible earache but that was resolved quickly when I took my meds. Also, I had a severe hypoglycemic attack, with the shakes and sweats and hot flashes, it was terrifying. And I was home alone. Luckily my friend came to save me, after she gave me medicine I chugged a sprite which probably wasn't the best approach to drinking it. And then I forced myself to eat half of an easy mac. For future reference, don't let your blood sugar get too low! I know it's incredibly hard to force feed yourself but it isn't worth it. I also found Ensure to go down quite easily without the milky feeling in your throat like ice cream can give you. I also found that Halls Cough Drops aren't too bad, they do a fair amount of numbing. I like the Strawberry kind. I also had a septoplasty at the same time as my tonsils so maybe that's why I've felt so shitty for this long, I just keep looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. 

Potato7 you were so right. The morning of day 9 was hard but by the afternoon I was starting to feel more myself and could talk some more!

I'm now on day 14 and haven't taken any pain meds since yesterday morning which is a massive improvement!

I am so jealous you can eat Milky Ways! I can't eat any chocolate because it tastes so bad to me? This is reason enough to feel very sorry for myself. Im just hoping the proper taste will come back soon :s



I hope you have managed work okay! I can talk much better but still hurts to shout at the dog or yawn. Can't believe how fast recovery is speeding up now.

Thanks for your reply. Hope you are back to yourself soon!

Hi Leisha I'm 56 soon to be 57 years old and am thinking about having my tonsils out after the holidays can you tell me how it all worked out for you? I'm nervous about it but at the same time sick and tired of being sick and tired with these tonsils that have given me problems since I was a kid

Kevin, I am 43 years old and had my tonsils out and a patial uvalectomy, their I said it:-0)... what an experience to say the least it had to be an act of Almighty God that I found this site, because the encourgement and knowing that others understand your condition and pain was a great part of my healing process. But I give the greatest on earth thanks to my wife and mother and children who were there for me. I credit my Dr who didnt lie to me about what my experience would be like. his own words were "you are going to be mad at me for about 8to 10 days" I wasnt mad because he was upfront with me, everything that i read in the previous post was everything almost to the letter of my own experience. If anyone is planning on having this surgery educate, educate,educate..... Oh did I say educate, yourself on the things you will need after this procedure and the support system. Drink lots of water, and Gatorades at the temperatures that you can stand and trust me they will vary from time to time day to day hour to hour. Visitors may not be the next best thing for you until you are sure that you can ask for forgiveness later of the feelings that you are going to hurt and you will hurt them so allow someone else to manage them for you. Whatever your thoughts or moral judgments of others who take pain medications you will find to be some of your closes friends, the only rules that apply here is follow the Dr's orders and the instuctions of the medications and the caregivers these are to make your recovery process as bearable as possible. You will try many different foods that may not give you the satifaction as you would have hoped but please try what you can, stay far away from seasonings that are salt based or pepper based these are not good choices, a teaspoon of honey will bring a little comfort to your throat. If you like comedy that will be good help at times but nothing that will generate deep laughs. Let patience have its perfect work!!!

hi! I am having my tonsils out in june..is 2 weeks off from work realistic? my job is high stress

Hey, Im 20 yo female. Just got my tonsils out 3 days ago.  Most important thing is to DRINK DRINK DRINK!!!  Luke warm water is the best.  Don't sleep more than 2 hours at a time. Set an alarm and take at least one drink and go back to sleep. I am doing great! Ate mac and cheese today.  I was really nervous reading all of these but it actually isn't too bad. I am taking 500mg Hydrocodone every 6 hours now, works really well! Do not even Try to sleep like you normally do.  Sleep in a recliner or a couch.  Make sure your head is propped up.  Even if you're feeling good, take it easy!  I tried to walk around the house today and ended up almost passing out.  So just keep drinking and resting and you'll get through it!  Also, Sugarless gum and Ricola sugar free herb throat drops, I put one in before I sleep but if you think you'll choke on it don't do it! Baby food! Apple cinnamon oatmeal is actually really good. I know it sounds super ridiculous but you WILL get hungry and it is nutritious and yummy.  I've also been drinking Pedialite when I get bored of water. Oyster crackers! Suck on these or chew them up and swallow with water before meds or have baby food before meds.  If you don't you will get sick!  

I had my surgery at 7am and was home by noon.  The first day I drank an entire Liter of Pedialite and 4-5 big glasses of water.  You will be sleepy for most of the day so sleep 2 hours, wake up and drink as much as you can, take meds if its time and then sleep some more.  Continue this because it's going to make the next few days A LOT BETTER!!!

TIPS TO START RIGHT AFTER SURGERY

*DRINK AS MUCH AS YOU CAN AS OFTEN AS YOU CAN

-Water or G2, normal gatorade will hurt. 

*No citrus or dairy for the first 3-4 days

*Wake up every 2 hours to drink or it will hurt when you wake up!

*Ask for a back up prescription of stronger meds if you only get tylenol

*Sleep in a recliner or elevated with tons of pillows

*I have my room closed with a humidifyer

*Eat at least something small before you take meds

*Rest up the whole 10+ days, you will be surprisingly weak. It will hit you

*If you're worried about being nauseous tell the anesthetic guy and they can give you extra stuff while you're out

 

FUN FACTS FROM MY SURGERY

*They wheeled me into the OR and when I felt the drugs putting me under I said "Oh guys i'm leaving now, bye!"

*I guess I kept saying the same things every 10 minutes when I woke up

*I had 7 blankets on me when I woke up?

*I asked if we were still in the state where I live when I was wheeled out

*Hardest decision was between ice chips or water

 

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE!!!

20 female. I got my tonsils removed yesterday. lets just say I feel like death. I been awake for 24 hours. I can't sleep and I think because when I start to fall asleep I start to snore (which I never do) probably from the swelling. I am on tylonal with codine and an antibiotic. I plan on calling my doctor in the morning for an anti nausea and are about the sleeping. I'm not too sure this pain medicine is working correctly. I was told the worst of days are yet to come. I'm not too thrilled. if I had to go back 3 days id NEVER agree to this surgery. my tonsils were inflammed for 2 years off and on but not too much pain. I also got tonsillitis as a child a lot. I could kick my doctor for not doing this long ago. sound is very painful. to top it all off 7 hours before my surgery I woke up to menstruation. lucky me.

forget the codine ,it'll bined you up and im telling you the last thing you want to do is when you cant go toilet is forcefull pushing! use a different painkiller that doesn't and make sure you take them at the proper intervals even if you have to wake up to take them,pain relieve has to take time to be in your system. Make sure you eat as normal food as you did before, this is so important, it'll hurt but it will defo help you to recover quicker. around 5 to 9 days isnt nice but full recovery isnt far away. Gargle with luke warm salt water as often as you can, try not to look at them in the mirror, itll freak you out a bit. Had mine out in february and reading some of the comments made me very wary which wasn't needed, scare mongering doesn't help. ive not thort of them for the last few months now, totally healed and no more infections. best thing i did without doubt. Hope this helps, 

Martyn. 

Stumbled across this a year after you wrote it. I've been very lucky and have had great doctors who took me through the healing process and over prepared me before the procedure. In saying that, the pain is so excruciating that at 3am when I have woken up and high fived myself for managing 20mins sleep, it's comforting to read these posts and see that other people have been through the same thing. I'm 31 and it's morning of day 10.

Thank you so much for this post!!! What you describe is very accurate and true. I'm day 9 post opp and am just starting to feel slightly better. Still weak and sore, but able to actually function now. The pain is unreal in all aspects, if given a choice again I would never do it. It is true what you say about those around you trying to help. They get frustrated because they don't understand what is going on and don't see how traumatic this can be. I ended up in er again on day three from throwing up and dehydration. The er dr minimilised it and said I was being a baby. This made the person with me think I was being silly too. Your post is great for patients as well as tosw around them. Thank you!!!

I had my tonsils out May 10th. No scabs have come off yet and today is the first day that I have been able to consume more than water or soup. I tried sherbert a few days ago and that was a horrible idea. It burned! Today I have had 2 of the equate weight loss shakes for the nutrients. Not the best thing but they taste so good. I also ate a few pieces of watermelon. Since i haven't eaten for the past 3 days anything I eat tastes like heaven. I am still having ear pain, but i ave discovered if I chew some Sonic ice that the pain starts to go away!! I am hoping that the worst of the pain is over, but I have read some posts that say when the scabs come off that the pain is worse:(. I am hoping to start feeling better soon or at least have more days like today. Today is the only good day I've had since surgery. Everyday I have regretted the decision to have a tonsillectomy, but I know it will be with it in the long run. I hope everyone else is doing good or as good as possible with their recoveries.