My daily adult tonsillectomy recovery "blog"

I'm 35 and had my tonsils out a month ago. Honestly, it took almost four weeks for the pain to go away and not have to take any advil or vicodin. If any one were to ask i would say to feel normal it takes four weeks. After surgery i say watch out for day 3 or 4 that's when it gets bad.

I'm 15 and am going in for a tonsillectomy next week. I've heard that it's a lot less painful at this age. Any thoughts???

Im had my tonsils removed yesterday morning and I ate scrambled eggs a few hours later, today I ate chicken nuggets. I'm confused, according to all the posts I'm supposed to be in severe pain. I wasn't groggy after surgery, I have not vomited and I was up this morning cleaning my house. My husband has pampered me, and I really don't have to be up and about since I have my husband to assist me. I too was really nervous about having this procedure done but so far it hasn't been bad. Maybe the horrible pain won't start until the scabs start to fall off. I'll keep everyone posted.

I had my tonsils removed on Monday, December 22nd and I'm now on day five. The hardest part for me to deal with is the hunger. I'm 5'8" and was 135 pounds. I've since lost 8 pounds and I've really been eating a lot. I can't do the jello thing, the thought just grosses me out, so here are some ideas of what's been working for me.

1. Ice water and lots of it. It soothes your throat and keeps you hydrated. I find it much easier to swallow if I have a mouthful of ice water.
2. Cream of Wheat. Add extra water, make it soupy and add cold milk to cool it down. This is great in the morning before you take your meds and antibiotics.
3. Carnation Instant Breakfast Drink. Blend with some ice, a banana and milk for a smooth protein shake. You need to keep your energy level up.
3. Mashed sweet potatoes.
4. Carrots and peas from a can. Warm and add a table spoon of sugar. Mash up. Delicious.
5. Bread filling with gravy.
6. Yogurt.
7. Scrambled eggs.
8. BK milk shake. Very filling.

Hope this helps!

Good luck everyone and all the best for a speedy recovery! God Bless and Big Hugs!

:-D

Hi! I'm 36 and just had my tonsils taken out on 12-26-08. Getting ready to start on day 4. So far, things don't seem to have changed a lot. My throat still hurts quite a bit. Today seemed a little bit worse, but I think it was because I went longer without taking my pain meds. My doctor had said to do every 4 hours the first 2 days and then every 6 hours the next two days and then every 8 hours. I don't know, the every 4 hours seemed a little better to me. I think I might go back to that tomorrow (or at least 5 hours). I am having the worst time with not talking. I have a 12 year old and a 16 year old who don't mind their dad as well as me. They are both girls and very mouthy so my husband prefers for me to handle them. Kind of hard to do right now. I love my family, but I would really like to not talk to them right now. I woke up twice early this morning (once around 2am and once around 5am) gasping for air. I felt like I was choking but couldn't breathe. I grabbed my bottle of water beside the bed and just started drinking it and I was fine after that. The night before I had set an alarm to wake up every couple of hours to drink water, so maybe that is the difference. Well, getting ready to go to bed now so I hope I won't have that happen again. Anybody else experience the difficulty breathing?

I am 20 years old. I had my tonsils out yesterday on 12-29-08 and I too experienced difficulty breathing. I have phlem in my throat and the swelling in my uvula is making it difficult to swallow anything without choking. My pain medication burns going down and the only thing that helps is trying to dilute it a bit with ice water. Your difficulty breathing might be because of swelling. I was told to sleep sitting up to help with that.

i'm 15 and i had my tonsils out on the 26th. it's been HELL! i haven't eaten since. its day 5 and i wasn't able to eat anything today and barely drink. i keep spitting which is disgusting and day 3 my mouth had a absolutely horrible taste. im starting to feel it wasn't worth it because i've never been this miserable in my life... ever.

Hi Everyone,

I had my tonsils removed on 12/17/08 and I must say it was as bad as everyone said it would be if not worse. For the record I am an almost 37 year old mom of two children that I delivered via c-section. I also had a hernia repaired at 24 so i know a thing or two about pain.

My recovery was worse than average because I am allergic to percocet and Dr. Killpatient (not his real name but should be) perscribed tylenol with codeine post-op. While the codeine may work for many, my doc mistakenly perscribed 1/3 the typical dose and I never felt any relief. I cried and cried for three days until my hubby finally called the docs and told them I needed something stronger. YAY for Loratab (vicadin)!!! I learned of the incorrect dosage only after my vicadin bottle was sucked dry and I returned to my pharmacy and asked a few questions. I cannot WAIT to see Dr. Killpatient on Tue...

I highly recommend that anyone preparing for surgery stock up on popsicles, ensure, and any other low-cal protein shake you can get your hands on. Ice cream created too much mucus for me and I too ended up in the ER after hacking up blood clots. I am currently suffering from a horrible taste in my mouth but can finally eat really soft foods. Oh, I also had to avoid citrus foods like lemon sorbet and tomato soup as they burned like hell.

If you can, take at least two weeks off. As my doc explained you are going to feel like hell week one and a little less like hell week two. I am finally starting to feel human (minus the gross taste and now nausea) and am entering week three. I am off the vicadin and am now taking the codeine - 6 tsp instead of the originally-prescribed two per my pharmacist's instructions!

Good luck and skip the Tylenol!

I am 37 years old and had my tonsils removed late in the day on 16/1.

Having read all these blogs for weeks beforehand - and suffered headaches and nightmares accordingly - I prepared myself for the worse, and hoped for the best. I also did what so many on here did ... I reasoned. I took the most painful thing that had happened to me so far - childbirth, with nothing but gas - and concluded that a tonsillectomy would surely therefore be fine for me. That "the horror stories" would not be me. That I would be OK.

Fact is: everything did go OK .... and it was still hell. I did not die under the general anesthetic (yes, this still happens, more often than any of us would care to know about). I have made it to Day 10 without having to be rehospitalised for bleeding and then start all over again (again, this happens a lot with this op: I understand 1 in 20, worst case). But my recovery has nonetheless been hellish. And it's not yet over.

Day 1: Op day -- scary, but woke up fine. Worst part was the nausea from the general anaestetic. I vomited twice until the nurses gave me some anti-nausea in a drip. My blood pressure was also really low, so I felt faint if I dared even sit up. But I rated my pain a zero (denial?) and managed to eat a sandwich within hours of the operation

Day 2: I went private, so I had an overnight stay in hospital. Managed to eat a normal breakfast of toast and juice and some soft fruit. It all came straight back up again within the hour, so I needed more anti-nausea stuff into the veins. But my pain only reached a 1. My doctor popped in and I queried why I wasn't so sore -- was I going to be a lucky one? But unfortunately the doc warned that it isn't really supposed to hurt all that much until around day 3 until around day 10. I am nonetheless not too scared yet. However I do stick to plans of staying with my ex-husband for the first few nights. We have a 3 year old and I am without other family support. I can honestly say that with what was to come, I would never have made it without him. He is truly the best ex-husband a girl could wish for!

Day 3: I have been religiously taking Panadeine Forte every six hours and also an anti-inflammatory every 12 (but not nurofen, as this thins the blood). I've vomited a few times from all the meds, but I stick with it as the pain is rising. Pain has crept up to at least a 5 (I rated giving birth a 5) so it is bad, but not unbearably so. My ex is being great - ensuring that I eat properly (mashed potatoes, mashed brocoli, cut up lamb or chicken) and drink lots of iced water. My doc warned day 3 was the spike day and now I've made it. I am relieved and looking forward to recovering.


Day 4: The pain is worse, not better. Why? I feel as though I have swallowed razor blades. My ears are sore. I am crying. My pain is at least an 8.

Day 5: I am in hell. My pain is 10. I am so sore I cannot even cry. I am absolutely traumatised, in shock. I also feel nauseas from all the drugs. My throat is indescribably sore. It hurts to eat, to drink and to swallow - and yet I must persist with all 3. My ex has taken two days off work, without pay, to look after me. He has phoned the hospital and my doctor to check that this is normal. Sadly, they confirm it is. Some people do get off more lightly than others, but tonsillectomy is known as a very painful recovery. I only have 3 more days of pain relief prescribed!! My doctor sends some more immediately by post.

Day 6,7,8: These are the worst days. I cannot believe the pain! Pain in my throat, in my stomach, in my heart. I feel so broken inside and out. I look in the mirror and my eyes are that of a ghost. My ex says the scabs are starting to fall off and that is probably why it is hurting so much. I don't want to look. I am afraid that if I see, it will feel even worse, and I'm not sure just how possible that is. I force myself to swallow the pain relief that makes me feel sick - thank God the vomiting has stopped - and I force myself to continue to drink and eat, because if I don't, it hurts more. My daughter is asking me if I love her. She is confused by the zombie woman who is posing as her mother. My ex takes another day off and then moves into my place so he can go back to work and my daughter to nursery. His girlfriend is not impressed but this is how bad I am. He says he wouldn't leave anyone in such a state - he can't believe people are not kept in hospital on a morpheine drip after what he has seen in my throat - and stays on anyway. I am unbelievably grateful. I sleep most of the day. There are small windows where I feel normal. I watch a movie or two. But it is all just a tease - the pain always returns. And with a vengeance.

Day 9: today I woke up sore, but not as sore as these past days. I think the spike has finally hit and I am moving towards recovery. I hope it doesn't take too long, but I am afraid to hope again and be disappointed. I am just taking it moment by moment, trying to be brave and calm.

I am writing this because before this happened to me, I thought that only the nightmares got posted on the internet. I reasoned that anyone who had a 'normal' experience would not bother. For this op, the "nightmares" are the bleeders and the people who get infected, and my heart goes out to you all. I had a 'normal' experience and it has still been hell. Anyone who is about to undergo this op, please get the people who are going to help you read these blogs. They will need to understand that although this is minor surgery, it is likely to be major recovery. If you get off lightly, they can think you are a superhero. But if you suffer 'normally', you are going to need all the help you can get, and you will be feeling so fragile that what you do not need is anyone who is going to be dismissive of just how bad this is. And remember: adult tonsillectomy is not comparable to children getting their tonsils out. It's not that the littlies don't suffer, but fact is, we suffer more.

I'm not sure if this makes any sense. Apologies if it comes across as more rant than sage advice. Good luck to any of you out there - especially any other single parents. And I pray that all of you have someone to help you through this. Even if that help does come from an unlikely place, as I have just been ever so grateful to receive.

I had mine out about 9 days ago. Also had a septoplasty and turbinate reduction. Before surgery, and after reading this blog, I asked the doctor if there was a way to reduce the pain. He suggested doing an intracapsullar tonsil removal. Basically, he shaves the tonsils down to almost nothing, leaving the muscle tissue intact. There is a 3 percent chance that they wil regrow, but given my experience it is totally worth it.

The pain was bad, but it was very managable. Days 3, 4, and 5 were rough, but I was up, talking normally, and even eating soft foods. By day 7, I was back at work.

Now, day 9, the pain is 2/10, and only when I really swallow. Otherwise, there is minimal jaw pain.

As your doc if this is an option, I promise it's worth exploring.

I am 28 yo female. I had tonsils removed and turbinates reduced. I am on day 12 and still miserable. All I get to take is extra strength tylenol which does little. I can eat yogurt, jello and pudding with much pain swallowing and a few times tried fried rice just for some taste and it was very painful and took forever to eat. It looks like my scabs are still in place (white coating), so I'm still in fear of the bleeding when they come off. My mouth tastes aweful. I went back to work on day 11 and by mid day my neck is killing me. It still kills me to swallow. Still waking up at night from the pain. I knew this was going to be very painful (I read the posts), but this is more than I expected and taking forever to feel relief. I still have jaw pain and can't open my mouth all the way. It even hurts where my wisdoom teeth used to be. The back of my tongue still hurts and I still can't stick it out very far. I have had an appendectomy and 2 c-sections, and this pain is far, far worse. I was tired of getting infected tonsils, but am really questioning the surgery now. At least I could get prescriptions for the inflamed tonsils. I woke up last night at 3:30am (I went to sleep at 8 from feeling so much pain) was happy to sleep that I slept so long. Then i spent 1.5 hours wide awake praying for the pain to go away so I could sleep. I hoep other people have a better experience than mine so far. Take as much time off work as possible.

I have heard of folks getting steroids to reduce the swelling that occurs, particularly the uvula, after surgery. I did NOT receive this treatment. Anyone?
Thank you, Greg

I am 67 years old and I had my tonsillectomy three days ago as an outpatient. I had a growth on my right tonsil and I was very relieved to find out it was not cancerous.

I thought the first two days were bad but nothing compares to day three. My throat hursts so much I can barely swallow a spoonful of water. My tongue is swollen, my ears hurt and I can't sleep because everytime I swallow I wake up.

I am not sleeping in by bed because I feel like I'm choking when I do. Thank goodness I have my recliner! A friend told me sleeping on the stomach is the best way to go but I've never been able to sleep that way.

I have pain relief right after taking my Hydromorphone HCL - 2mg. Luckily, they are small tablets so I can get them down. My doctor prescribed one every four hours but after being in so much pain after 2 1/2 hrs., he said I could take one every three hours. I only have enough pills to last me six days so I hope the doctor refills it.

My doctor also said not to take an anti-inflammatory or drink through a straw as the sucking action could make you bleed.

I am eating Jello, chicken and beef broth and going through ice chips like crazy. God bless ice chips! But I don't think I'll be having Jello or broth for a long time after this is over. I tried applesauce and that was a mistake for me. I couldn't get it all down and it seemed to coat my tongue. The best thing I have to eat is orange and lime sherbet in a little Orange Hi C (like the old Howard Johnson Orange Freeze). I mush it all up together and it seems colder and goes down better than any other form of cold liquid.

I also have a DonJoy Iceman machine that I bought (rather than rent) when I had my rotator cuff surgery in Nov. What a blessing that has been. It has a split pad that I can fit on both sides of my throat at one time. I just have to have my husband fill it with ice and some water and I can turn it up as cold as I want. I put a doubled-over sheet between my throat and the pad so that I can leave it on longer. Between that and the ice chips, I am surviving, but barely.

I am not looking forward to the next week at all after reading everyone else's posts. Believe me, so far it has been every bit as bad as everyone predicted it would be. Good luck to everyone going through this.

Hi guys

I am on day 9 of recovery and I thought I should briefly share my experience with everyone. Firstly the docs really don't prepare you for the hell you have to go through over the next few weeks. I am still in so much pain that at times I feel like crying. My ears hurt so bad that sometimes I just drop everything and cover them, squeeze my eyes shut and stamp my feet - and I have a high pain tolerence!
My throat feels as if it has knives in it and it hurts to open my mouth. Since my surgery the only solid food I have eaten is one one occasion some weetabix and a couple of occasions some watermelon. Ice cream makes me sick and my throat gets full of mucas - gross. I have been drinking (painfully) nutrition drinks but have lost nearly a stone.
I couldnt speak for the first 4 days and now I sound like Barney from the Simpsons. So far I really regret having this done. I am desperate to eat normal food - pizza, chips, burgers, pasta, chocolate.....
I'll update but I don't think I'll be reporting any good news yet. :'(

check with your dr about the using straws idea - mine said NO STRAWS for 10 days at least as it creates negative pressure on the wound