Tonsillectomy Advice...

[MJK]

I am having a tonsillectomy on Firday and am a little scared. I have heard some real horror stories about how bad the pain is. I am looking for feedback from people here who have had the procedure done. Anything that might reduce the pain, good things to eat...short and long term effects?

Any tips/advice would be very appreciated!

Thanks!

[Coys1882]

For me it was like having strep throat. Eat lots of ice cream.

[CaptainCrunch]

Its pretty minor surgery and nothing to worry about at all. When I got mine out, I woke up with a hideously sore throat, but that went away in a week or so. Ice cream is a bad idea because it coats your throat and you really don't feel like swallowing, think slushies


Ice chips helped a lot too.

You don't need any real pain killers for it, its not that bad.

When you wake up you will be really disoriented and a little nausiated.

[ken0042]

It's been 3 years since I had mine done. Yes, the pain was horrible but I survived. It's nice to no longer be sick 2-3 weeks per winter. A few key tips:
- Have a "last supper" the night before. It was 10 days before I could eat after my proceedure.
- During recovery drink as much water as you can. It speeds the healing so much.
- Have your doctor prescribe liquid codine. For my pain killers the solution that ended up working best was a shot of Vick's Cloroseptic to numb the area, shots of codine followed by tylenol.
- Make sure you have a stock of ice packs. I had to use ice around my throat for a few weeks after.
- Be sure you have somebody to drive you; and that you are getting it done close to home. They originaly wanted me to have the surgery in some town 4 hours away; but there was no way I could have done a 4 hour road trip for at least a week.

I'm sure I will think of more; but as I said as bad as it was I'd do it again.

Edit- how old are you? It's worse as you get older. I was 37; anybody who tells you it was nothing as a kid- there is a huge difference between a kid having it and an adult. Which is why they used to take them out on kids as the recovery is better.

[Sainters7]

Ya I had it done back when I was 13, don't sweat it too much. Pretty straightforward. I think comparing it to strep throat is pretty accurate.

Actually the first couple days it was so sore for me I couldn't even handle ice cream, plus I had too much blood in my throat still from the surgery so mixing the cream with it was causing me some problems (just hacking, nothing serious or anything). Pretty much just stuck to popsicles.

EDIT: Ya what CC said. I think the whole ice cream thing is a myth. Popsicles/slushies are where its at.

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by CaptainCrunch

Ice cream is a bad idea because it coats your throat and you really don't feel like swallowing, think slushies

Bike racks - 3:30

[Coys1882]

Originally Posted by Sainters7

EDIT: Ya what CC said. I think the whole ice cream thing is a myth. Popsicles/slushies are where its at.

How is it a myth if it worked for me? Just because you pussies couldn't handle it? Ice cream rocked for me.

[CaptainCrunch]

Originally Posted by Coys1882

Bike racks - 3:30

Huh?

rolls eyes

Fine, I'll need you to sign a waiver that your estate won't sue me for jamming your head on a street sign as a warning to others.

Its kinda my thing.

[ken0042]

Found my old thread on the subject:
http://forum.calgarypuck.com/showthread.php?t=61111

That was the other key thing- set your alarm to wake you up to take your pain killers. Otherwise the pain will be so bad that you will have trouble getting them down.

[Sainters7]

Maybe you've got an iron throat, I'm happy for ya. It made me hack like crazy, and especially that first day when you're nauseated like CC said (and throwing up blood a couple times...but don't let it scare you OP, its normal. Just leftover buildup from the surgery), having something rich & creamy like that wasn't a good idea.

Actually the nurse didn't even bring me ice cream like everyone told me she would. Just popsicles. When I inquired, she pretty much told me ice cream wasn't a good idea. Which was confirmed for me when I tried it a couple days later at home.

[Coys1882]

I'm just messing. It was served to me in the hospital and it was ace. Doesn't work for everyone I guess.

[hayduke's dad]

nice. having tonsils out tommorrow as well as nose reaming and straightening. wasn't worried but now not looking forward to it

[CaptainCrunch]

Yeah, popsicles are perfect for it, I melted a lot of ice cubes in my mouth, freezing gives you a lot of relief.

The worst excercise to be honest is brushing your teeth, because you instinctively swallow.

You really won't feel like eating at all for at least the first couple of days, but its important that you drink something that will suplement. In our day, we used beef or chicken broth cold.

Be prepared to spit for the first couple of days because there will be some slight bleeding which is normal, but chicks are impressed by guys who look like they're suffering from consumption.

[CaptainCrunch]

If you wake up with wood, it means the doctor molested you when you were out, don't worry about that, its part of the procedure, they need to check your junk pulse, at least thats what mine told me.

[MJK]

I currently live in Nunavut and have to fly to Winnipeg for surgery. I will be there for 10 days. I am 31 years old.

I am nervous but already you guys have helped. I am not as worried anymore, that's for sure! I think I will stay away from ice cream and just go with popcicles.

WHen will I be able to eat real food agin following surgery?

[ken0042]

I was onto soup by day 10, and other soft foods shortly after.

The other thing I did; before I went in I made up some mashed potatoes and bought KFC gravy; and froze it all. Then by day 10 I could have something that tased yummy but wasn't hard on my throat.

[CaptainCrunch]

Honestly, with the throat pain, I remember it took a week and all I wanted was soft foods.

eggs, cream of wheat etc.

[Cheese]

Its a piece of cake MJK. They actually kept me awake while they did mine. Like a dentists chair. Spit blood and all. I was so drugged they could have cut off my arm and ....wait a second here!
Throat was sore for a few days but good after that.

[Sainters7]

Ya, you definitely won't have much of an appetite. I'd say at least a week (if not a bit more) before you're eating normal foods again.

I still remember one night when I was recovering, my family had roast beef/mashed potatoes w/ gravy/yorkshires for dinner. My pops put it all in a blender and brought me up a glass full of brown sludge. I just looked at him like **** you.

[j_j]

It's surgery on your throat, so it is definitely not a walk in the park.

I had them done at 22. A few of us in the recovery room all had them done the same day and just about everyone had a different level of discomfort (vomiting was probably the worst reaction).

Worst part: Somehow I also caught mono while in the hospital (trust me, I wasn't in a kissing mood post-op). Within a week I ended up needing steriods to keep the throat swelling down.

And then a kick in the nuts: The damn things grew back a couple years later. They are basically full size again. So I still get sick just as often. You might want to mention you have heard it happens to the surgeon just to be sure that he gets them all (apparently if a small bit of tissue remains, there is a chance they can grow back)

Strangest thing: Before my tonsils/adnoids where removed, I could "capture" a sneeze to stop it if I had to and now it is impossible. I assume it has something to do with the adnoids closing off the access to your nasal passage.