Local Anesthetic Tonsillectomy

Aragneer

Hey, I'm 22 and have suffered from tonsillitis since I was 5. I have now been booked in to a private hospital to have them removed. However, when they phoned me they said I would be under local andsthetic, would be able to go back to work on Monday and would leave straight after the surgery??

Anybody ever heard of this? I booked a week off of work and uni anyway as my hospital is in Sligo and I am based in limerick so I want to be up with my parents in case anything happens.

Any information you may have would be fantastic, I am very worried and haven't had another call off of them to tell me what is happening !

Speedwell

It's not considered a difficult operation. I've had dental work take longer and require more recuperation.

Aragneer

Speedwell wrote: »

It's not considered a difficult operation. I've had dental work take longer and require more recuperation.

I know it is not, since it is called day surgery and is pretty common but others I have spoken to that had the procedure done in this hospital were under general anesthetic and I've never heard of it being done locally.

Dellnum

You are better off having a local anaesthetic than having a general anaesthetic and I am sure that you must be considered a straight forward case to be getting this, so my guess is that you have nothing to worry about but we tend to magnify things when we get nervous. Things have advanced in the medical field and that is probably why today they have perfected this op under local anaesthetic and there is no need for a general one. So don't worry, it is all under control.

It could also be that you will be sedated and know nothing about what is happening at the time so if I were you I would ring up the hospital and just ask them what exactly is meant by a local anaesthetic. They often sedate people for a local anaesthetic and this just means that you are put asleep but not as deeply as if you were having a general anaesthetic and I would say that this is what will happen with you.

This day next week you will be wondering what you were worried about.

Aragneer

Dellnum wrote: »

You are better off having a local anaesthetic than having a general anaesthetic and I am sure that you must be considered a straight forward case to be getting this, so my guess is that you have nothing to worry about but we tend to magnify things when we get nervous. Things have advanced in the medical field and that is probably why today they have perfected this op under local anaesthetic and there is no need for a general one. So don't worry, it is all under control.

It could also be that you will be sedated and know nothing about what is happening at the time so if I were you I would ring up the hospital and just ask them what exactly is meant by a local anaesthetic. They often sedate people for a local anaesthetic and this just means that you are put asleep but not as deeply as if you were having a general anaesthetic and I would say that this is what will happen with you.

This day next week you will be wondering what you were worried about.

Thank you for your lovely advice, it definitely calmed me until the hospital phoned postponing surgery till tomorrow, which will now be a general anaesthetic! So now to just worry about being put to sleep ha!

Thank you again though!

CailinGaillimh

Don't be worried about being in and out on the same day - when I had mine out that was the original plan! But I reacted to the anaesthetic in recovery so was kept over night.

You will need the week off work! I went back to college 3 days post op and I honestly thought I would die. Make sure they give you enough painkillers and try not to let your throat dry out post op!!

You'll be fine post op but take it easy, you've just had major surgery in your throat. Don't rush going back to work, the surgery takes a lot out of you!

Dellnum

The thing is that you won't feel anything with a general anaesthetic. We all have fears when it comes to a general anaesthetic, and you will be surprised to hear that I am having one myself on Monday and I have the usual nervousness but I know deep down that the hospital staff are extremely reassuring, kind and will put you at your ease. The minute you get the anaesthetic it will be like you wake up immediately and it will be over. Painkillers will be available for any discomfort and you will be thrilled the operation is over and you can say goodbye to sore throats. Take as long as you need to recover and don't worry, this is a simple operation. Do not compare yourself to anyone else as everyone is different and you will most probably fly through this. Best of luck.