Tonsil Stones - My Tonsillectomy *21 Days After*

I just turned 25 and I'm also getting a Tonsilectomy at 7:30am today. Let me know how it went. Thanks!

I am so grateful to have stumbled across this, thank you so much for posting. I am 6 days post-op and was feeling so alone and at the end of my frayed rope. Rationally, I know I am not the first person to go through this. Duh. But to have concrete proof that I am not the only one is so reassuring. I was directed to eat only crunchy, rough foods like tortilla chips and toast. The rationale is that this prevents build-up at the wound site, the peeling-away of which is the cause of most post-op bleeding. This was not a problem for the first three days, when I was happily talking and munching away. "This isn't so bad," I told myself. I had no idea. Since yesterday, I cannot talk or even whisper. Upon waking, I am assailed by ear pain so bad I initially thought both eardrums had ruptured. Went to doc and he says everything looks fine, which is reassuring but at the same time I'm kind of wishing I could just put an end to my suffering. My kids are subsisting on supermarket-deli cooked chicken, toast and bananas. I'm glad they're big enough to understand that a) I need their co-operation and assistance while I'm recovering, and b) I'm feeling like s*** and it's kind of scary that I can't talk but that I'm really OK and they shouldn't worry.

From where I am this minute, it feels like things will always be this painful for ever and ever. I HATE THIS and really hope it will turn out to have been worth it.

This is funny! I just had mine 4 days ago and if you drink tons of water and take pain meds it's not that bad. Yes the mornings are tough but get up drink drink drink and take your meds as instructed and you will be fine. I'm peeing all the time but I'm staying hydrated. I too suffered for years with nasty tonsil stones and horrible breath and was debating having this done. Like he said even the second or third day with scabs in my throat the horrible taste is gone. I can't wait for next week!! What a confidence booster :) I feel free!! If you suffer from tonsil stones and are debating this surgery I recommend finding a good ENT and doing it. Drink a ton if ice water and take a trip to teavana and make plenty of iced teas. Take your meds as prescribed and be free!! What a great feeling!!

How long until you were able to talk? This is something I definitely need to see a professional about because it is 3:45AM and my throat is so sore because I have been trying to get all of this yuck out from my tonsils. It is terrible. The talking part would be otherwise not important to me, however I represent clients and talking is part of my daily routine. Unless I do extra work ahead of time and allow myself two light weeks of business and try to stick to paperwork.

I just turned 23, so I know this is going to be rough, but I just can't go on like this. I also notice that my left tonsil is significantly larger than my right and that is where I have most of the stones. Yuck. And like you said, no matter how clean you are - NOTHING makes it better. But you still feel like a gross person because somehow it is still happening.

Thanks for sharing.

Today marks one month since my tonsillectomy and it is only in the last 3 or 4 days that I feel like myself again. In regards to talking: Day 1 was my operation. Days 2 and 3 did not seem that bad; I was able to talk and eat without too much pain. Day 4 was a little worse, with moderate discomfort and irritation if I talked too much. But on day 5 I woke and was not able even to whisper. No sound at all for 3 DAYS. I had to carry a notepad and pencil. On day 9 I was able to whisper and to talk a bit, but for the next two weeks I was only able to talk for limited periods of time before my throat would get painful and swollen. It started with about 5-10 minutes of talking with a couple of hours' silence in between, slowly progressing to an hour or two of talking during the day and silence the rest of the time, to equal parts quiet and talking. You get the picture. It was sloooow. Count on at least a month of recovery time! If you talk to clients as part of your job, don't expect to be fully operational at work before 4 weeks. Seriously, I had no idea how brutal the recovery would be... don't underestimate how long you will need, or you are likely to be sorry. But I'm glad I did it!

I am 35 and dealing with the same situation! Can I get your ENT's contact info? I have been seeing an ENT for about 2 months now and he is having trouble getting preauthorization from my insurance company on this. Also, any other info you can provide on how you and your doctor got the insurance co to cover this would help a lot! Thanks :)

THANK YOU SO MUCH. i'm 17 and i've had bad breath for years and have tried everything i could to get rid of it but it wouldn't go away. i had heard of tonsil stones and looked for them but never found any- until today that is. i was brushing so far back in my mouth that i gagged consistently and could barely see because my eyes were watering so hard, and then i found disgusting tonsil stones. in a way, i'm relieved i finally found the source of my bad breath. but i cannot live with it anymore. my tonsils are huge and i currently have a sore throat; i think i'll find a doctor to take them out in no time (or so help me i will cut them out myself). thanks for sharing your story, it's giving me hope.

Tomorrow will be one week since my tonsillectomy for tonsil stones. This article is great. Thanks so much!

Thank you so much. I wish I would find your post earlier. It is my day #6 after my tonsils surgery and deviated septum at the same time. It is hell, but at least you gave me understanding that it is normal and will get better in one week.

Super forum! Having the surgery tomorrow... even tho now i am thoroughly freaked! ;) Just wanted to note that my mother-in-law visiting from eastern europe said they they do not use anesthesia for tonsil removal.. AAACCCKKK! ;) can u imagine... so i guess we have it pretty good here.. i plan on livin' it up with netflix, no responsibilities and oxycodone!! ^_^

Wow thank you so much! I've also tried everything and have had problems since middle school I think. I'm now a junior and though I don't have insurance, my mom is trying to get insurance for me this summer and I would pay what insurance doesn't cover instead of buying a car. The point is that I wasn't sure if it was worth the pain and cost of the surgery until now, especially since we are practically the same age! I'm so tired of this bullsh*t, and though no one comments on it except for my sister because she is blunt (she has them too, ironically), I know they are disgusting not only to me but to everyone around me. This article was basically my deciding factor between continuing to try "natural remedies" or just go get surgery. I honestly don't think it is as "drastic" as everyone says if you've dealt with this sh*t long enough. Thanks again for posting this, it was VERY VERY helpful. I don't care how painful it is, I can't wait to get them out! (:

At the 21 day mark were you pain free? I'm much older than you are and it was 21 days yesterday for me. I'm fine in that I can work, eat reasonably, etc., etc., but I still have pain when I swallow and feel like I have a lot of inflammation on the left side of my throat almost like there is a small balloon there (the left side had the larger amount of tissue to remove). I'm trying to figure out if that is normal or if I'm a slow healer. I didn't have stones but I had chronic infection / inflammation and a fear of tonsil cancer / lymphoma. I thank God that the pathology report showed no cancer.

Loved reading your post and at the same time I am sorry you had to go through all this crazy tonsil ordeal!! I do thank you for sharing!

I am on the 6th day of recovery...my story similar...mainly suffering from terrible fevers from constant infection! It came to the point where I felt like my whole body was toxic and it was taking over my life!

My recovery seems better than yours, in saying that your story is very common...they pain is not fun...it is not the nicest of operations.

When I discovered what a tonsil stone was for the first time I WAS SHOCKED and HORRIFFIED!!! I couldn’t believe this was the cause of my bad breath....and other peoples bad breath...and the fact that not many people had heard of tonsil stones??!?! Blew me away!

My Husband had always had tonsil stones as a child and even went to the ENT specialist. They never did anything much about it as he didn't suffer much at all from tonsillitis? For me....If I had a sore throat ...I knew I had stones for sure!

One thing I have noticed for sure....I am not suffering the chronic fatigue I was experiencing before the operation! By the end of my constant infections...I was so drained...actually fell borderline depressed. Now ....its like....the weight has been lifted? It’s not there anymore?! I do of course feel tired and drained due to being in post op and healing but it’s not the same horrible tiredness that I felt before.

It really is exciting and I am pro having tonsils removed. I can't wait to recover 100 percent ...I really don't think I will know myself!

Thank you for your post and I look forward to reading through everyone elses!

Blessings to you

x

I completely agree with your issues and just wanting them out! I had been dealing with the grossness of tonsil stones since I was young, the doctor refused to take them out at that time. Ugh..
I am now 34 and had enough, and for a female who cares about her image, bad breath made me very self conscious..
I went to several doctors last year and only one agreed to take them out! I dont know why they are so hesitant, tonsils are useless! Most people back in the day (my mothers age) got them out!

The day of my surgery was very pleasant as I had waiting for this forever! I live in Vancouver, Canada and our health care in my opinion is quality; if you have ever been to the Jim Pattison Outpatient Care and Surgery Centre you would understand why! First Class!
My surgery went extremely well, no worries at all. I woke up with a pain level of about 2 1/2. The nurse took care of that right away and my pain level completely disappeared, I was walking and talking in minutes! My husband took me to Dairy Queen for some plain soft ice cream and the rest of the evening was filled with TV watching and some luke warm chicken noodle soup!
Last night however my sleep was interrupted by a little bit of coughing, expected. Naturally this morning I am sore...
I think the dairy had something to do with the mucus in my mouth today, I will lay off the dairy now. Thank you!

Water, water, water! Yes! Fine by me, I am a water gal!
This is just day one, but my happiness far exceeds my pain and luckily I have drugs for that!
Gone are the tools that I have lodged down for years, and the crying from the madness of dealing with the tonsil stones daily~
Thank you for sharing,
C

Thanks to the OP for this fantastic post.  It really helped me make the decision to get the procedure for myself.  I'm 29, and I had my operation 18 days ago.  My experience was nowhere near as bad as yours, though.  I had no nausea, very little pain (due to heavy dosage of pain medication), and no trouble drinking liquids or eating light soup.  Even so, I couldn't eat any solid food for a full two weeks and I lost 20 pounds.  I'm still not at 100%, but I'm close.  I can eat pretty much anything at this point, and the pain is almost completely gone.  I've had tonsil stones since I was 18, and between the breath, the constant itch in the throat, and the insecurity it caused, I can't believe I waited this long to get my tonsillectomy.  Thanks again!