Tonsillectomy in adults - question about recovery....

Betsie_xr3i

it will effect everyone differently i had mine out on the 10th sept and like you i am 24 and it was my first ever operation, i was grand after the operation for the forst 2 days then the pain really hit me, i wont lie to you i was in agony, i went beck to my own doc as the pain killers they gave me in the hospital were not strong enough i got stronger ones off him which made me very stupid but they really helped, i was also told i would be out of work for 2 weeks but i was only left back to work thursday this week so if your not feeling up to it take exta time off work i know i really needed it, and also what i found a life saver during recover was not icecream it was mr freezes they were the only thing that i eat for 5/6 days, any other questions feel free to ask, best of luck with your operation you will be ok

LegacyUser

wow... this board is totally different from any other board I have read. My doctor told me to expect alot of pain and that I would have to be on heavy pain killers because of my age. He also said I would be out for a minimum of 2 weeks. Every other board I have read about recovery in adults for a tonsillectomy 95% said it was the worst experience ever. Most said they just couldn't wait to see the light at the end of the tunnel. It really shocks me at the difference between this board and the other ones. I hope my sugery goes as wonderfully as most of yours has.

LegacyUser

I would just like to thank everyone on here for sharing their own experiences with their tonsilectomies. I am 7 days post op and the pain recently got much worse this morning. I was feeling great for the past couple days but today I began experiencing pain in the ears and an increased pain in the throat. I was relieved to read that others had similar experiences and that it was the result of my scabs falling off. This is my first surgery so the recovery has been rather frightening for me although so far it has gone rather well. I thank you all for sharing your kind words or wisdom.

deisemum

That's what happened to me, pain peaked a week after operation.

Just a word of caution, 6 weeks after I had my tonsils removed I indulged in some alcohol. Apparently the new covering where my tonsils were was still thin and the alcohol affected it and I ended up with haemorraging and a very bad painful infection.

Frelance

I had mine out about 8 months ago.I was 19 years old at the time. Everything went fine and my recovery period was very short, a few days max. It wasnt very painful and i didnt take any painkillers. I guess its different for everyone but i wouldnt worry about it.

im sure you'l be fine. one thing to watch out for is coughing. I ended up back in A & E as it started bleeding a week after i got home.
good luck with everything btw.

MrsMcSteamy

Hi all,

I got my tonsils out last June and i'm 23. My doc said that the 7-10 days would be the hardest and you would be most vunerable around these dates. I too got my tonsils out on the National Treatment Purchase Fund. I have to say though i honestly dont regret getting them out as i haven't had a sore throat since, and i was prone to 5 or 6 bad bouts during a year.

Anyway back to my operation, an hour after getting my op i was up sitting in bed and starving. Had been fasting since the night before and didnt get back to my room til nearly 8 that night. So i ate 2 bowls of cereal and two slices of toast. I thought this was great no problems, it hurt a little to swallow but i expected this especially just after surgery.

I had taken two wks off work as recommended prior to surgery. I got my tonsils out on a saturday and was discharged the next day (sunday). Anyway was doing great all week, was taking my anti-inflammitory tablets but rarely needed the pain meds as was feeling fine, apart from being bored from being stuck indoors

So the following saturday night after my operation, in bed around half 2 i got a weird taste in my mouth and got up and went to the bathroom, spat into the sink and i was spitting up bright red blood. As per instructions i got leaving the hospital they said if it was dark blood you were just spitting up blood that had gone into your stomach during surgery, but if it was bright red you had to go to A&E. So late night dash to hospital, head stuck in a basin. Had to have cotton wool balls with some liquid on them pressed onto the scars where my tonsils used to be !!! Not a pleasant experience, i was gagging !!! Had to stay in hospital for three days. Got home all was fine until the following sunday again.

Was out with a few friends, sipping water in my local, and started to bleed again. Went back to A&E, done same procedure as before but to no joy, it didnt work. Had to go for emergency surgery at like 12.30 at night. Was kept in for a further 4 days. Thank god however had no more bleeds.

Looks like i was one of the 1 in a 100 who experience complications after surgery. However i just wanted to share this with people not to scare them or anything to but just to show another aspect. But as i said above i have no regrets having the surgery and would do so again, thats if my tonsils ever grow back :D:D

LegacyUser

I had mine taken out about 10 days ago. I am seventeen years old. I had a horrible time, itspainful and your very tired from medication. You basically have no appitite. After a while the painkillers dont work as well and you are really in pain. You have to constantly drink water, about every 5 minutes to keep your scabs wet. If they dry up, you can bleed and potentially die if bleeding doesnt stop. I had this happen, on my 6th day, a scab opened and my mouth was flooded with blood and was coming out of my nose, i went to the emergency room and had to get an emer. surgury where hey went in and re cautorized my throat and the vein that had bee opened. Now i am trying to drink as much as possible and so it doesnt happen again ( because there a chance it could again).

eskimo

Unregistered wrote: »

I had mine taken out about 10 days ago. I am seventeen years old. I had a horrible time, itspainful and your very tired from medication. You basically have no appitite. After a while the painkillers dont work as well and you are really in pain. You have to constantly drink water, about every 5 minutes to keep your scabs wet. If they dry up, you can bleed and potentially die if bleeding doesnt stop. I had this happen, on my 6th day, a scab opened and my mouth was flooded with blood and was coming out of my nose, i went to the emergency room and had to get an emer. surgury where hey went in and re cautorized my throat and the vein that had bee opened. Now i am trying to drink as much as possible and so it doesnt happen again ( because there a chance it could again).

I had post-op bleeding three times. In total (including initial operation) I spent thirteen nights in hospital. 3 nights then 2 nights then 3 again and finally 5 nights over the space of three weeks. The third and final post-op bleed was the heaviest, I woke up with blood pumping out of my mouth.

HOWEVER, there is nothing to worry about. IF YOU GET A POST-OP BLEED, just go straight to the hospital. You will be fine. It is NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT!!

If you get a post-op bleed while you are sleeping, you will wake up!! Your body will wake you up because you will start to cough it up! So there is nothing to worry about!!

DO BE ON ALERT for the three weeks following the operation for bleeding. If you bleed, it's not the end of the world. You will probably have to spend another few nights in hospital - that was the hardest part of it for me!! But don't be afraid or worried; there is no need.

For me, despite having three post-op bleeds, they performed no surgery on me at all, which at the time I was getting more and more pissed off about because I just wanted them to fix it finally once and for all. Instead they just chose to keep me in hospital and monitor me.

Regards pain, I was pretty okay for the first week, eating at every given moment!! And then about 8 days afterwards, the pain really got worse!! I was crying with the pain, and I've a high pain threshold!! But it made me stronger in the long-run so I was happy to go through it to be honest.

Everyone's case is different. Whatever your own case is, just deal with it as best you can, and it'll all be over within a month at most.

I've never heard of anyone who regretted having their tonsils out!! It's 150% worth it.

eskimo

MrsMcSteamy wrote: »

But as i said above i have no regrets having the surgery and would do so again, thats if my tonsils ever grow back :D:D

When I had mine out, a man in the same ward as me who was in his late 50s told me he had his tonsils out when he was about 8 or 9, and they grew back!!! My face when he told me: :eek:

I haven't really researched how common and/or possible this even is. But I hope it doesn't happen to anyone here!!

eskimo

Sorry can I also just say, regarding the post-op medication....

I'm guessing most people are put on the same... Painkillers + anti-inflammatories + anti-biotics... That's what I was on anyway. Painkillers were called Tylex and anti-inflamms were Difene I think (??)

Anyway one night before going to bed I took all three together, and that night I had the craziest, most vivid, real-feeling and terrifying hallucinations!!! It was ****ing horrible. I woke up the next day thinking I had gone crazy so I spent the day online Googling psychiatric conditions to see which one I had!! (as ya do!) And then some time in the evening I remembered that I had taken all those tablets together just before going to bed!!! I was SOOO relieved then that I wasn't going crazy lol.

So just to anyone else on similar meds. Obviously all tablets and all combinations of meds affect everyone differently. Just wanted to share my own story. Has it happened to anyone else??

LegacyUser

It is Sunday at 2:30 and I got my tonsills taken out Friday at 2:30, so it has been exactly 2 days. I am in desperate need of some ciggarette, (I am 17 and have smoked for 7 years) and I thought I could just quit, but it's hard enough dealing with the tonsil pain PLUS the withdrawl pain. So I have decided that today I will try a drag off a ciggarette, see how that feels. Maybe tomorrow two drags, and so on. I have heard some pretty scary stories though, what do you think?

Zaph

I suggest you get some nicotine patches to get you through the cravings without risking damaging your throat. You never know, you might end up off the cigarettes completely, which would be an added bonus imo.

LegacyUser

Hi all,
just wanted to add my 2 cents, since I have the tonsillectomy about 3 years ago, at the age of 32.
was admitted in the hospital the same morning (day of my birthday btw) was assigned a bed and spoke with some doctors that wanted to know the usual things.
was then guided to the operating table, and greeted by 2 surgeons (they wished me a happy birthday too!). thats the last thing i remember.
When I woke up I was in my bed, high as a kite (niiiiice :P) and kept flying for a couple hours. Not much pain at all, only some discomfort really.
A couple hours later I was starving and asked the nurses for something to eat.. they kinda looked at me weird, but brought me toasts and jam. I didnt think I could actually swallow, but I did! no big pain. you do have to pay attention though as the stitches are still soft.
Spent the night in the hospital. The morning after I was out smoking as usual, again no pain just a bit tender. Went home and did more or less the usual. In less than a week I was good as new, though I did take 2 weeks off from work as I was worried it would have taken that long.
Never had a sore throat since!
Maybe I was just expecting much worse, but was actually a quite enjoyable experience.
HOpe everything works out for you
N

Bonnylass

eskimo wrote: »

I had post-op bleeding three times. In total (including initial operation) I spent thirteen nights in hospital. 3 nights then 2 nights then 3 again and finally 5 nights over the space of three weeks. The third and final post-op bleed was the heaviest, I woke up with blood pumping out of my mouth.

HOWEVER, there is nothing to worry about. IF YOU GET A POST-OP BLEED, just go straight to the hospital. You will be fine. It is NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT!!

If you get a post-op bleed while you are sleeping, you will wake up!! Your body will wake you up because you will start to cough it up! So there is nothing to worry about!!

DO BE ON ALERT for the three weeks following the operation for bleeding. If you bleed, it's not the end of the world. You will probably have to spend another few nights in hospital - that was the hardest part of it for me!! But don't be afraid or worried; there is no need.

For me, despite having three post-op bleeds, they performed no surgery on me at all, which at the time I was getting more and more pissed off about because I just wanted them to fix it finally once and for all. Instead they just chose to keep me in hospital and monitor me.

Regards pain, I was pretty okay for the first week, eating at every given moment!! And then about 8 days afterwards, the pain really got worse!! I was crying with the pain, and I've a high pain threshold!! But it made me stronger in the long-run so I was happy to go through it to be honest.

Everyone's case is different. Whatever your own case is, just deal with it as best you can, and it'll all be over within a month at most.

I've never heard of anyone who regretted having their tonsils out!! It's 150% worth it.

You have no idea how relieved i am to read your post...i know that sounds strange after what you went through, but iv had the same problem with my 15 yr old son to date he has had four post-op bleeds and they have done nothing for him at all except silver nitrate dabs. Im going out of my mind with worry that he'll eventually just bleed to death, dramatic i kno, but uv experienced this so you know what its like. I think the problem is though that my son had his op up north under the National Treatment Purchase Fund, and had to be treated down here for the bleeds, i dont think they wanted to know to be honest. Its not my sons fault the HSE is too crammed to see to everyone down here, and he NEEDED the op.

But you hav put my mind at ease. Today is day 16 (last bleed day 12) so im really hoping that is the end of it!! Thanks again for a little bit of reassurance and sensible attitude to it, its more than i got from the docs!

deisemum

I don't regret having had my tonsils out, my general health improved so much. Only occasionally get sort throats but that is usually due to post nasal drip as I have chronic sinusitus.

LegacyUser

eskimo wrote: »

So all round it seems to be better news than I expected! Cheers for all your stories!

I don't smoke so that won't bother me. For the past two years I have suffered from god-awful bouts of tonsillitis (sometimes as often as every three weeks) that have me house-bound generally for 7 days at a time. It's bloody annoying! But I'm used to it now so I think I'll manage the tonsillectomy recovery no bother!



I appreciate the in-depth info!

Had mine out last november

eskimo

Bonnylass wrote: »

You have no idea how relieved i am to read your post...i know that sounds strange after what you went through, but iv had the same problem with my 15 yr old son to date he has had four post-op bleeds and they have done nothing for him at all except silver nitrate dabs. Im going out of my mind with worry that he'll eventually just bleed to death, dramatic i kno, but uv experienced this so you know what its like. I think the problem is though that my son had his op up north under the National Treatment Purchase Fund, and had to be treated down here for the bleeds, i dont think they wanted to know to be honest. Its not my sons fault the HSE is too crammed to see to everyone down here, and he NEEDED the op.

But you hav put my mind at ease. Today is day 16 (last bleed day 12) so im really hoping that is the end of it!! Thanks again for a little bit of reassurance and sensible attitude to it, its more than i got from the docs!

I'm very glad you feel better after reading my post :-) I hope your son is fully better soon.

I know what you mean in many ways. The doctors kept telling me "If you have post-op bleed go straight to the A&E no matter how little blood there is." BUT... every time I did bleed and went to A&E I got the sense they saw me as an inconvenience to their day!! And to be honest, I felt like that too. I was lying on a trolley in a corridor for hours and hours, and I was watching and hearing people all around me who were in real pain and distress and agony and I kept thinking to myself, "This is ridiculous. Why am I taking up this space!?"

But I felt like SCREAMING at the doctors: "YOU TOLD ME TO COME HERE!!!" which they did, over and over, so it was their decision, not mine. And in fact they treated post-operative bleeding quite intensely. They deemed it grounds to be kept in hospital and monitored for 3 nights, and finally 5 nights. So it is something they want to take seriously and monitor.

However it's just a precaution. Don't let it scare you. Sorry to hear your son had so many bleeds! I know how he feels. As I said, for me the worst was having to spend so long in hospital when technically I was absolutely fine. I was so fine in fact that the final post-op bleed didn't even leave a wound!! The vein just opened up, bled, and closed again!!

So no it's nothing to worry about. It's just that you need to be on alert for and aware of any bleeding. Of course, just like anything else, if it's left untreated it will eventually cause problems. But if more bleeding happens, you won't leave it untreated, you will bring your son to the hospital, and therefore it will NOT cause him any problems, so don't worry anymore :-)

Best of luck with the rest of the recovery.

Sniipe

27 Male
Had my tonsils out last year. Bons Secours Hospital Galway.
Was there 1 night. The meds worked perfectly, but during the night I had an allergic reaction to the pain killers... which if I knew about I wouldn't have opted for.
It was given to me during the operation in the rear end...
Its not natural, and lets just say that they have changed their policy since then... Oh the horror of being connected to a drip and trying to shower at 4am!! I laugh now when I think of it.
I was given tough love by the nurses and I ate what I was given even tho it hurt so much, but it was all worth it to get out early.
Don't know the name of the suppository, but the other meds that worked were Difene and I think some other one beginning with D... Difflam?
I get sick about 90% less of the time now.
[edit] I had read up about post op bleeds, thank god I didn't suffer from them, sounds terrible [/edit]

LegacyUser

I'm 17 and had my tonsils out just under a month ago and i still feel something when i swallow. I found it extremely painful for the first week and a half but it did get infected. I also lost 1 stone in weight in the first week. If all goes well 2 weeks should be plenty of time to recover and return to work.

allandanyways

Had them out just over a year ago and can honestly say it was the best thing I ever did. I was getting chronic, I mean absolutley brutal tonsilitis that would have me out of school/work/college/holidays for two weeks, three weeks...was ruining my life.

It took me ages to get over the op, the scabs got infected because I didn't rinse them often enough cos salt water makes me vomit and that was the last thing I wanted to happen on top of the scabs, was stupid cos I coulda just used mouthwash but meh, when yer in pain you don't think of these kinda things. Anyway, rinse rinse rinse with salt water or mouthwash or that green stuff for throats can't remember what it's called, and if you're in any doubt about your level of pain ring your GP and get him to have a look at you.

Honestly though, I'd rather have my tonsils out twice over than have another bout of tonsilitis, it really is so worth it. Best of luck to everyone

airscotty

It is 1 week to the day since i had my tonsils out. Im 21:) 1st day and night were extremely painful and i remember my 1st sip of water was'nt present! Mine slightly bleed in the 1st night and i stayed in hospital for 48hrs and was glad i did because they can give you stronger pain killers. Physically you're back on your feet in say 48hrs or less though you do get tired easily. last night was the first time since the op that i slept the whole night through, usually i wake at about 6-7 and have 2 gargle n take another painkiller. Iv lost half a stone since the op because i dont feel like eating that mush because every swallow is usually a bit sore. I find taking painkiller lil b4 meal makes it easier to eat!....Now just to see how the nxt week goes n how quick i can get back to normal...Im estimating 6 days!

Blisterman

Christ. I'm getting my tonsils removed in a few weeks, and I assumed until 5 minutes ago, that it was an easy in-out operation. Sore throat for a few days, and you're grand.

I really shouldn't have read this thread. I'm not looking forward to this at all now.

eskimo

Blisterman wrote: »

Christ. I'm getting my tonsils removed in a few weeks, and I assumed until 5 minutes ago, that it was an easy in-out operation. Sore throat for a few days, and you're grand.

I really shouldn't have read this thread. I'm not looking forward to this at all now.

It might sound daunting, but when you're actually going through it it's really not that bad.

It can be kinda painful at times, but nothing you can't handle!

It's really not that bad, honestly.

xXfeefa!!Xx

Im 19 and got my tonsills out 10/11 days ago but im still really sore on just one side of my throat,Im still taking paracetemol every few hours so the pains not too bad,its worst in the morning and evening.Feels like a stinging sensation.I got a few mouth ulcers on my tongue too but they only lasted about 2 days,just wondering if all this is normal?Any one else have the same experience this long after the surgery??....im jus fed up at this stage....:( sad panda.....

valpuk

I had mine out 2 1/2 yrs ago.

I suffered from tonsilitis from when i was 4 until when i fought to get the tonsils out when i was 21.
I got tonsilitis every 2nd month and if i felt my tonsils were swollen in the morning i couldnt predict that i would have a chest infection by that night and tbh i was always right.
I suffered terrible with them and sorry to have to tell you this but i suffered when i got them out.
i went to see a hse doc in july to get the go ahead from him to be put on the public list. the following feb i had still heard nothin and i was still getting sick and forking out alot of money on med's etc. I contacted the NPTF who you should contact if u are on a waiting list for longer than 3 months.
I rang them on a fri evening and got a phone call sat morning to say that i would have an operation within the week.
I went into hospital at 9 am, was brought to my room at about 10.30 and then i was called for my operation at 2pm. I woke up that evening to a woman who was tryin to get my to eat dry corn flakes (yuck!) I was told that i wouldnt b allowed leave hospital and it would prob take longer to heal, so i ate them.
I suffered from vertigo aswell so i had to return to doc to get perscription for that.

Anyways i have absolutly NO pain threshold so if i would say i was in pain if i sneezed :-)

When i compare the pain i was in for all those yrs compared to the pain of removing them then i would say that the op was a doddle !

hshortt

I'd mine out at 33 and it hurt like hell. I frequently felt a panic from not being able to breathe after the operation. Discharged after three days, re-admitted two days later due to bleeding and infections, discharged again after two more days, readmitted AGAIN after three more days with infections. Off work for five weeks.

But no infections since!

Weidii

I'm getting mine out on Monday. I was just recently in hospital with quinsy and I'm still so relieved that the pain of that is gone that I'm honestly not looking foreward to getting the tonsils out at all. I guess I'll just have to grin and bare it!

Novella

I had my tonsils out when I was like 15 or 16, stayed in hospital for one night, ate a packet of Salt & Vinegar crisps about three hours after the operation and all in all, found it no more painful than a regular sore throat!
Heard recovery is harder if you're older though but don't know if that's true!

Weidii

Weidii wrote: »

I'm getting mine out on Monday. I was just recently in hospital with quinsy and I'm still so relieved that the pain of that is gone that I'm honestly not looking foreward to getting the tonsils out at all. I guess I'll just have to grin and bare it!

Ok lads and lassies, got the bad boys taken out yesterday and it wasn't as bad as I was expcting. They shot me up with morphine as soon as I woke up, but since then I've only had solpadene and it ain't too painful 'til I'm eating or talking. Speaking of which, lunch just came so I better go and make an effort to eat it!

weemcd

To anyone getting them taken out, or planning to - don't worry it is no more painful than a regular bout of tonsillitis, you might slow down for 2 weeks but after that you feel grand again.

I'm 21 in 2 weeks and I had mine out almost 3 years ago to the day, and I have never looked back since getting them out, touch wood. I don't suffer from any form of sore throats now, used to be a complete pain every couple of weeks for me.

grin and bare it and you won't look back.

think of it as your last ever bout of tonsillitis, would you happily accept that to be free for the rest of your days?