POST TONSILLECTOMY SURGERY AND ACUTE EAR ACHES

Hi there,
I had my tonsilectomy on the 11th. My tonsils were in a constant state of inflamation and were HUGE. I woke up in the recovery room knowing that they were gone as I could no longer feel them, with a sore throat to match. The pain itself wasnt that bad as it felt like I had tonsilitis and my 'attacks' had been so severe that they had started to mimic glandular fever and the post op feeling felt a bit less so I thought it wasnt so bad...

I was the first operation of the day and was in the theatre at around 09:30 and remember waking up around 10:45.

Throughout the day I remember speaking with the nurses while falling in and out of sleep. I was given morphine through a drip while I was in the recovery room and able to drink lukewarm water through a straw.

I managed to catch the tail end of the conversation with one of the nurses when it came to them getting my drugs pack ready to take home. The word Voltrol was mentioned. I pulled myself together to tell them to find another pain killer as Voltrol is too strong for me, so they downgraded to Ibuprofen 400mg. I was given that along with Co-drydamol (10mg codine 500 mg parcetamol) along with various high strenght kick ass antibiotics to take while at home.

I was advised to take the alternate the painkillers, i.e. 12:00 Ibuprofen, 15:00 Co-dydramol, 18:00 Ibuprofen to ensure a constant management of pain.

I was given TOAST to eat and encouraged to eat normally (but to stay away from hot off the stove foods) so that my throat muscles wouldnt sieze up. I was also encouraged to gargle regularly.

I went home that evening, and had some toast then on Saturday got adventurous and had some chips (fries to you people I come from England) then on Sunday...Hell opened up.

My throat healing brought a new level of pain, ice cream was now difficult to swallow, my face swelled up and the lymph systems where puffed up as well as the glands under my throat.

Then began the week of hell, it hurt to swallow my own saliva yet alone anything else, I became dehydrated and after taking half an hour to eat a piece of toast my face would pulse in response to the tourture.

My toungue was pulsing in pain and it ached like crazy when I had to swallow my 'painkillers' (the irony).

I brushed my teeth and would gargle delicately to help the throat. On Friday night (18th) I started coughing up blood, and so I went to the hospital. Thankfully I was told it was a 'scab' and the throat is healing nicely. I was given some Hydrogen Peroxide to gargle with (1 part to three parts water) and it seems to be helping.

I also have been using Difflam Spray, that stuff is great as it numbs the area at the local level.

The pain has been so severe at times and brought me to tears, I also didnt want to eat but would eat things just to keep the swollowing action going.

Yes it is a painful proceedure and one that makes you question all that is good, but Im happy I had it done, as I said the attacks of Tonsilitis I was getting was mimicking me, making me tired, lathargic, wanting to sleep.

The trade off is a worthwhile one, you just have to be prepared for the pain.

I had my tonsils out three days ago. The first night and the day after were a piece of cake and I figured it would be easy (apparently a frame of mind many of you have been in as well). Today is the worst pain. I woke up this morning in tears in so much pain. Everything above my neck hurts. I am on heavy duty antibiotics and percocets for the pain. Until today I didn't take the pain meds prescribed because it wasn't so bad...today I definitely needed them. I made the mistake yesterday of getting the flashlight and looking in my throat (gross!!!)

I only took a week off work, I hope it will be enough...it gives me 10 days from surgery to returning to work. From what people are saying I'm not sure I'll be ready to return after that. We'll see.

Hey! I had almost the same process as you did. I had tonsillectomy 6 days ago, and well other than a really awful moment where my pressure went down and I was extremely dizzy, the other freaky moment was yesterday, my day 5, when coughed phlegm with blood(red). I know I am not supposed to cough but I also have dry spots and I can´t help it. The only problem I see is my necessity to cough. Did it cause you complications? Did you cough red blood too(with phlem)...how did it all go after day 5? Thankyou.

Hi! my first days have been just like yours. I am scared that I feel the need to cough too much and nothing can help it. Yesterday (this morning) I even spit phlegm with blood (did this happen to you?). Did the coughing complicated your recuperation? How? How did it all end up? THANKYOU!

Well i love this message board. I had my tonsil's out 5 days ago May 17,05.. I am 34yrs and i was told horror stories from alot of people. I was amazed how great i felt when i got out of surgery. I was feeling good that night and the next day. But boy on day 3 it changed, i was sick to my stomach, all i wanted to do was sleep. My dr put me on lortab every 4 hrs., it does work for me. I have been living on popsicles,sherbet, ice water, applesauce, and yogurt, and oh yea cream o wheat. I was feeling pretty good yesterday and my family wanted barbaque chicken and hot dogs on the grill. so i attempted to eat a chopped up hot dog, HUGE mistake, wasnt ready for that one yet. got one piece down and that was that. Back to the soft liquid diet again. Today was a bad day, wasnt feeling well and did the sleep all day thing again. I looked in my throat this afternoon, and EWWWWW doesnt look pretty. It is all white and gray, i am not sure what all that is, but it doesnt look nice. I am off work until the 4th of June,i hope that is gonna be long enough, i work in a factory with alot of dust. Reading all the posting's here have helped me to know that i am not the only one that has went or is going to go thru this. I keep reading about scaps and them falling off, what am i supposed to be looking for, cause i dont know if i have them or not.

Hi everyone, I am 19 years old... I just had my tonsils out May 18th... I am on day 4 boy is it hell... the dr. has me on percs and at first they were doing the trick but then they made me sick on day 2 so i cut back to just one pill every four hours... well i have had to go back to two pills every four hours... the pain is just unbearable... i had mono 2 years ago and this isn't even comparable... i've been living off freezies, icecream, boost, KD (believe it or not), jello and pudding... i tried eatting ravioli tonight but that was a big mistake... the sauce was too spicy or something and started to sting... i was told by drs. i would be healed in a week hopefully i will be better by May 26th... but I may have to take another week or so off work... i also have this phelm cough but i can't spit out the phelm because it's stuck behind the back of my tongue... anyway best of luck with everyone elses post-operation journies....

Hey im Sam. 17. Had my tonsils out on the 18th so that would make me on day 6? correct?

IM IN SO MUCH PAIN IT IS UNBEARABLE. ive been reading through this for a while now and noticed alot of people saying they're getting ear ache. For me its mor my haw aching more than anything...i can barely open my mouth and am sick of having to wake up crying every few hours because the pain is too much. Im able to sleep through it mostly but when i wake im in agony.

Im taking 500mg co-codamol, nurofen and anadin extra and nothing is touching me! Ive tried to cheat and take them early so that theyre in my system ready for when the pain kicks in but its not good, i cant go an hour without having to take some form of pain killer.

please someone tell me it starts to get better sometime soon? because i seriously am losing the will to live. *sobs*

the scabs your referring too are the white bits at the back of your throat... you'll find that they dangle form the back of your mouth or you even spit bits up... i know i have and its not nice...



is it just me or does anyone else have the constant tast of like omlette in their mouth? or rotten egg?

ok well its the morning of day 7 now and touch wood! the pain is getting a little better!

GREAT TIPS FOR THOSE STRUGGLING TO DRINK. DO NOT DRINK WATER OR SQUASH AS IT WILL ABSOLUTELY KILL YOU!

TRY MILK! IT WORKS FOR ME...

Holy c**p! This is day 3 for me. I have this feeling that I have hanging stitches or something on the bottom of my pallet. My uvula or what ever it's called is so swollen that it looks like a teaspoon. Now I see these white gaping holes where I thought I saw stitches. My pain is so intense that I can’t swallow my own saliva let alone water. I'm 44 years old and feel like I'm going to die. Just to add to this...I was a wise guy and had both my deviated septums done as well. OUCH!!!!

ok well its not day 8 for me and im starting to swallow alot easier altho drinking still hurts... stick in there... it'l get better i know it dont feel like it but it has to lol

Well i posted on day 6, i am now on day 9 and WOW, what a remarkable difference. Yesterday i felt alot of my scabs working their way off, today most of them seem to be gone. It is not a nice feeling tho, and if you happen to catch it and swallow UGGGHHH not nice at all.. I actually ate a french bread pizza today that was great to finally be able to eat real food. I have not taken my perscription pain med at all today, i have only taken some motrin. I still have slight pain when i swallow, but no where near as intense as what it was a couple days ago. i have even upgraded to room temp. orange faygo soda. so things do get better. i even ventured out for the first time to the store today. I am hopeing to be able to eat at the memorial day barbaque, but i am not gonna push myself. i wish you all the best of luck, and hopefully this will make all of you feel better knowing things do get better.

I had my tonsillectomy on May 4th. This forum scared the c**p out of me. I literally went in thinking that this would be worse than anything else.

It ended up being the EASIEST thing. Of course there was pain but big deal. If I had a choice between the surgery and still having my tonsils it wouldn't take me more than half way through the question to say SURGERY!

Don't be scared if you're going in. The people who come on these forums are the ones with freak experiences. If you had a good experience why would you take the time to b***h about it here? :-P Good luck!

8-|

I HAVE BEEN READING ALL OF YOUR POSTS AND I FIND THEM RATHER HELPFUL, BUT I HAVE NOW GONE INTO STRESS MODE BECAUSE MY DAUGHTER WILL HAVE THIS PROCEDURE ON THE 31ST AND SHE IS NINE. YOU ALL ARE ADULTS AND I KNOW IT WILL PROBABLY BE WORST FOR HER

Well I had my tonsillectomy on May 24th, so I am Day 4 I suppose. After reading everyone's responses I am fearful for Day 5. What does it feel like when these scabs come off? Also, what else have people been drinking? I am soooo sick of Vitamin water but it's really all I can handle. I also had a little bit of chicken broth. I am so hungry but I feel like it will be forever before I can eat again because the pain is excrutiating!