post op tonsillectomy pain = excruciating

Tomorrow will be a week since I had my tonsillectomy and UUP( my uvula shaved) and I spent 3 1/2 hours in the ER this morning getting fluids.  Felt better after that but the pain from swallowing is killing me!!! I'm a nurse and expect pain, but like some of you have said the pain meds burn.  I called my Dr because a friend of mine was given lidocaine spray and didn't have any swallowing issures and my Dr doesn't do that, bummer!!! I feel as this procedure may be the death of me.  Cold liquids give me a brain freeze and makes my teeth hurt(out of nowhere) and my jaws hurt.  Heat hasn't helped my throat although when I've had something too cold to drink, heat packs have helped my jaw.  I cut back on my pain meds because they were causing hallucinations, real bad hallucinations.  This has to end soon or I'm gonna go crazy!!!

I am 21 just got my surgery yesterday morning september 27, 2012 at 7 they gave me a shot of morphine for my anxiety as this is my first surgery they roolled me into the operating room put the oxygen mask on mewhich then turned to a nailpolish smell which knocked me out within 10 seconds woke up in recovery room real chatty and high with a sore throat didn't feel too bad was taken home within 30 minutes. Was prescrided hyrdocodone with tylenol don't wana say its not working cos I'm not gona find out been taking 1to 2 every 4 hours depending on pain. Today is day 1 dredding day 4 which every1 seems to dislike lol overall not too bad oat meal hurt an couldn't eat mac an cheese took me 45 mins but I won lol

Hey guys, I'm getting my tonsils out a day after my birthday 12/13/12, and I'm super scared. However I have a dental exam the day after surgery the 14th and my teacher had no compassion for me whatsoever. Do you guys think I'd be able to just go take the exam and go home ?

Ha ha - no way Marisa, you need to take it easy and rest! Don't leave your bed. I had my tonsils out on 11/14 (today is 11/24) and days 1-3 are manageable, yet painful. Just have plenty of pain meds ready and gear up for days 4-8 (for me). Days 6 and 7 were probably my most painful - better definition is EXCRUTIATING.
I found myself getting a little too attached to pain meds, so I thought supplementing with some Ibuprofen and backing off the Tylenol and Hydrocodone would help, but did not think about the Ibuprofen thinning the blood. Because of that, I had a large scab fall off and I began hemmorageing last night and was rushed to hospital where my stomach was pumped from blood, had a blood transfusion, and had my tonsil recauterized in an emergency surgery. It was terrifying.
I only tell you this because you need to do EXACTLY what your doc says and don't push it. The odds of what happened to me are extremely rare, but they told me it could happen and it did.
Just take it easy, relax, enjoy lots of movies, books, and magazines and ensure you have somebody to take care of you. It will be fine. Even once you start feeling better - wait until your scabs are off until you resume any normal activities. Nothing to play around with.
And if you do bleed, trust me, it will look like the most blood you've ever seen, but you have to stay calm and keep your heart rate down. If you get ANY blood, gargle with ice water over and over and over until it stops. Even if the blood is pouring out - keep going as long as it takes to slow the bleeding. I lost about 1.5 liters of blood, which was alot, but am fine now!
Even with all that - it's still worth it and I hope you breeze right through it and have no problems. Good luck

I am a 14 year old girl from england and had my tonsils removed on the 7th of December 2012.

So far is it an uncomfortable pain, and it is difficult to swallow any foods or drinks, although I am trying to drink as much water as I can so that I don't get dehydrated.

I wake up in the night with much more pain, as the throat gets dry in the night, on this day I woke up at 3.00am in the morning with strong ear and head aches to add to my ever worsening throat pain.

I am taking 4 doses of paracetamol each day, and 3 doses of ibuprofen each day, the ibuprofen does help a lot  although it burns on the way down.

I stayed overnight at the hospital, and I was told by my doctors that I should eat and drink normally, and that eating rough foods will be good for me, although I am unsure of this method of healing. I have researched and eating rough food causes bleeding in many cases, something I am scared of.

I have eaten ice cream, custard, chicken soup, Jelly and small bits of cereal, and literally tiny pieces of bread and butter.

Counting down the day's till I will be able to eat normally with no pain, seeing all those KFC and McDonald's adverts is devastating!

I had a to tonsillectomy one week today. Ok so I have felt pain in my life but I was never prepared for this sort of pain. The morning of my op I did have a sore throat but the op went ahead. After the op in was painful but bareable, I was a bit sick with anaesthetic but the same day I was eating toast and drinking all sorts. Three days after the op was painful but was controlled with painkillers and I was eating breakfast lunch and dinner. Day four I took a major U turn, the pain was unbelievable, I had to get a antibiotic from the doctor as I had got the cold and had an infection, I also had to up the dosage of painkillers. I have cried constantly with the pain and have ate very little the last few days. I'm finding it very hard to drink even water, I have noticed a very small lump on the left area were the tonsil was removed, although it is extremely small if I eat or drink the pain from it is excruciating. I don't know what the lump is, any ideas? It almost looks like a small cyst but I'm unsure. Attending the doctor tomorrow as I can't cope with anymore pain. I actually dread to go to sleep as the pain is always so bad just when you wake up. When I recover, believe me I could take on the world. Loved reading everyone's feedback from their experiences.

I got a tonsillectomy in April 2011. I was 21 years old at the time and these forums on the internet really helped me. All i can say is drink plenty of fluid even though it hurts like hell! I drank so much pineapple juice (a natural antioxidant) during the first 10 days that I can no longer even smell the stuff without feeling a slight pain in my throat, even after 2 years . . .

My dad used to drive to McDonalds and bulk buy milkshakes and put them in the fridge for me. I am skinny as it is and I lost over 16 pounds after my tonsillectomy!! I looked so ill and gaunt, so I ended up microwaving hagen dazz ice cream and drinking it through a straw *yum*

I am now over 2 years on from the op and at the time I questioned if it was worth the unbearable pain . . . IT IS. I have only ever had tonsilitis again ONCE since the op (about 2 months ago now) - I was getting it once every 5-6 weeks - and so I can get on with a normal life. Tonsilitis used to put me out for days and days and sometimes I even ended up in the hospital because I was dehydrated. Don't have to go through any of that ever again now. The only negative about the whole thing (and it's a small complaint) is that Galaxy chocolate just doesn't taste the same! But that I can live with.

Once the scabs start to fall off and the excruiating pain in your ears whenever you breathe (yes, that does happen and it's horrid) starts to subside . . . you'll make a speedy recovery. It goes from HORRIBLE pain on about day 10 - to feeling wonderful on day 11 (well it did for me) and you'll never think about it again.

Enjoy the sympathy - the pain is unbearable at times so you've just got to reap the benefits - LOTS OF SYMPATHY.

 

 

I had a tonsillectomy I'm on post day 8 and I totally agree this has been the worst pain I've experienced. I drank plenty of fluids stayed on top of my medication but never seemed to help and the ear pain is on a different level. Thankfully my scabs are falling as they say and I still have a difficult time with swallowing but I'm just counting down the days until I feel NORMAL again. Thanks for the post makes me realize I'm not the only one suffering.

That's the best advice ever, thank you

22 year old man. I had my tonsillectomy this morning. First half of the day wasn't horrible but starting around 4:00 I began feeling miserable. First half of the day I was able to eat a Popsicle, bowl of chicken and rice and ice cream. But by the end of the day I couldn't talk anymore or swallow. Swallowing my medicine is a challenge and I wonder why I take it any ways.....it helps nothing. (Hydrocodone) I'm thinking I'll go back to the doctor tomorrow and get a stronger pain pill so I can at least drink water. Like the man above me said, he sees his wife trying to take care of him and bring food but you just want to sink back in the bed, lol I've been doing the same thing.

My doctor also prescribed me some lidocaine spray which works miracles but for only about 20 minutes. And you can only use it every 2 hrs. If your pain meds arent working well, try getting some of this spray. It helped me eat some and drink a lot of water when I used it for the first time an hour ago. As far as nausea, I only had a little after anesthesia but I took a melt-away zofran and was back to normal and haven't been nauseated since.

I am a 34 year old mother with a 4 year old. my daughter and I came to my parents home so they could care for her. Thank God we did. I am on day 7 and the pain in my ear has hit an all time high. I literally ball up in fetal position until it past. I have read everyone's stories but what I haven't read is people losing their sense of smell. not only can I not taste anything, I also lost about 70% of my smell. I'm feeling like I am the only one experiencing this. I would rather have 10 c-sections them go thru this again. My daughters 4th bday party is tomorrow and just the idea of getting up and having to smile and talk makes me nervous. I am scheduled to return to work Monday. I really need a miracle by then. If I don't return, I will have to take leave without pay which I just can't afford to do. My pain meds work great but leave me so drowsy, I won't be able to take them while at work. I am still looking for that light at the end of the tunnel. I pray it comes soon.

I'm am on day 9 and have lost 22 pounds, I attempt to eat about once a day but usually only manage to get a few bites down before the pain is unbearable. Water or any liquids are tough to drink because even when swallowing my spot it feels like razor blades going down my throat.

On day 7 post op today and feel completely c**p any advise people ??

OMG youre not alone I just got mine out yesterday and im in so much pain I feel like someone is playing a sick joke on me because no one ever said it was going to be this bad I'm in my hopsital bed its 2:30am and im just googleing things, just wanting to go home but now I've mentally prepared myself that it's not just going to get better over night so thankyou I can't even swallow the siliva in my throat this is so messed up