Tonsillectomy as an Adult

[Hemi-Cuda]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Thanks for all the advice guys, and especially thanks DA for letting me know that this current pain is all worth it.

I've tried all sorts of things but just can't seem to swallow anything again today. Yesterday was better and I actually had some Mr Noodles and Jello. Today I've tried a few times to eat a Mr Feezie and I just can't get it down. For the popsicle people, do you let it melt first or do you let yourself do a bit of a brain freeze to kill the pain?

Hemi- do you currently have issues with your tonsils? Because I'm 37 and have had issues every year for the last 10 years, and 2/3 of the time for the previous 10 years. It's only been the last few years where 1 batch of anti-biotics wasn't enough.

nope have never had any issues with my tonsils, so hopefully they can stay put. just from reading all this stuff i really want them to stay happy

no allergies, no medical conditions, never admitted into a hospital, haven't had the flu since i was a kid and i usually go every 2 years or so between colds. talking with my friends it's almost like there's something wrong with me since there's nothing wrong with me

[Eddie Bronze]

Originally Posted by ken0042

I was going to try drinking some milk next- what do you guys think? Will that go down loke the water or burn like the Sprite?

I wouldn't be able to say for sure but I would hazard a guess that it wouldn't hurt.

I burned my mouth something fierce on Friday. I've burned it before but never this bad. Continuously spitting out blood kind of bad. Drinking milk or water are about the only things I can handle right now.

Anyway man, hope that clears up for you soon.

[ken0042]

OK, anoher day and another new way I've found to hurt myself.

Been doing the setting of the alarm to keep up with the pain killers, but now the most intense pain I have ever faced is when I swallow anything, right in the back of my throat it feels like it is just raw, and the water going over it feels like acid. So it is somewhat ironic that I must inflict pain to take my pain killers.

I have an appointment with the doctor in the morning, so I just need to get through the night. Some questions for those who have faced this- let me know if these "work", "don't work" or fall under "Don't be stupid."

- Should I shoot something like Vicks Cloroseptic back there to numb the area?
- Should I try disolving the T3s in a small amount of ice cream and swallow it whole?
- Should I try to sooth the area first with ice cream, then water and pills?
- Or should I just go off the pain meds for now?

[Machiavelli]

Explain what you mean by "doing the setting of the alarm."

Also, why wouldn't you swallow the T3s whole before; hurt too much?
And why would you go off pain meds?

I'm confused...

[ken0042]

Set the alarm so that if I take 1 pill at 11:00pm, I am up to take the next one at 3:00am. Otherwise you get woken up by an incredible pain.

And I was swallowing the T3s all along. Now not only does that hurt, but so does water today.

And why would I go off them- well if it hurts more to take them...........

[Flames_Gimp]

two words: medical marijuana!

[Machiavelli]

Wow, don't want to rub it in but not even being able to drink water? Geez....have you tried warming it up a bit to make it a bit hotter than lukewarm? That might not be as painful.

If that doesn't work, crush up the T3s and take it in ice cream like you suggested; might have slightly decreased effectiveness but it won't be as excruciating as it sounds with water.

[Devils'Advocate]

Did you ask the doctor about liquid pain medication? That's what they gave me after my aforementioned hospital stay with tonsillitis.

But they did give me the T3s after the tonsillectomy so maybe there is a reason they won't give a liquid painkiller.

[redforever]

When my son had mono, he had an extremely sore throat, could not swallow at all and was getting very dehydrated, which spikes your fever. I don't know what it was, anyhow, we took him to emergency, and they spritzed something in the back of his throat to enable him to swallow. I don't know, local freezing?

[AC]

Originally Posted by ken0042

Been doing the setting of the alarm to keep up with the pain killers, but now the most intense pain I have ever faced is when I swallow anything, right in the back of my throat it feels like it is just raw, and the water going over it feels like acid. So it is somewhat ironic that I must inflict pain to take my pain killers.

- Should I shoot something like Vicks Cloroseptic back there to numb the area?
- Should I try disolving the T3s in a small amount of ice cream and swallow it whole?

I used chloroseptic now that I think about it. Did a great job of numbing the area. If you're having trouble, you may as well crush the pills and put them in ice-cream - seems like a better alternative to trying to take them whole.

Good to hear you're doing the alarm trick. The first few days, I didn't do that and I had to run upstairs in order to get my pills because the pain was so intense.

[Ford Prefect]

I don't know if this is an idea that might help or not, but I've heard of auctioneers taking something that numbs their throat when it gets sore so they continue auctioneering during a marathon sale. I can't remember if it's a spray or an elixir, but it sounded like it had a freezing effect for them. Are there any auctioneers on CP that know more about this?

[The Ditch]

I'm getting my tonsils removed, my soft palate shortened and my nose fixed (deviated septum from breaking it so many times) at the end of August. After reading about what it is like just to have the tonsils removed I'm not looking forward to how I am going to feel afterwards.

[Ford Prefect]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

I'm getting my tonsils removed, my soft palate shortened and my nose fixed (deviated septum from breaking it so many times) at the end of August. After reading about what it is like just to have the tonsils removed I'm not looking forward to how I am going to feel afterwards.

One word: morphine

[Shawnski]

Sorry to hear about the pain you have been going through Ken. Getting tonsils out as an adult isn't fun.

I had mine done as an adult too... for the SECOND time as they had grown back.

As with any other question in life, beer is the answer. Lots of calories, and a natural pain killer!

[ken0042]

Thanks AC. I used the chlorispeptic last night; it was enough to take the edge off so I could take my pill. Of course after talking to my doctor he told me not to do it again, but couldn't give me a medical reason not to. "I should just let it heal."

Ditch- they gave me morphine in the hospital. Not sure if that's normal or the fact that I was actually in tears over the pain. Just be sure to get an anti-nausia medicine too as morphine has the side effect of making you sick, and yeah, that didn't tickle when coming back up through fresh open wounds.

I really can't see why this is a day surgery type of thing. An extra full day in the hospital would have helped me heal better, with better care, and also being able to eat/drink through an IV would seriously help with the all important hyration issue. The fact that they say on the discharge info that they expect you to be able to eat mashed potatos shows they don't know the full extent of what most people experience.

One tip if anybody wants to push the stay, my buddy who picked me up got bored and read my chart to me. One of the comments was something like "patient may be discharged once he is able to stay awake for longer than an hour." So all you'd have to do is stick it out until around midnight pretending to keep falling asleep. At that point I would guess they'd be keeping you overnight.

[Mccree]

Originally Posted by ken0042

One tip if anybody wants to push the stay, my buddy who picked me up got bored and read my chart to me. One of the comments was something like "patient may be discharged once he is able to stay awake for longer than an hour." So all you'd have to do is stick it out until around midnight pretending to keep falling asleep. At that point I would guess they'd be keeping you overnight.

One problem with that is the Day Surgery Unit (at least at the Foothiils) is NOT open 24 hours so If you have to stay overnight they have to give you a bed somewhere else in the HOSPITAL as all the staff goes home at 10pm. You could be in a closet or in a ward room (4 beds) with 3 other patients that all snore and go the washroom every 5 minutes might not make for the best rest. But that might be better than going home and getting dehyrdated and getting more sick.

[The Ditch]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

I'm getting my tonsils removed, my soft palate shortened and my nose fixed (deviated septum from breaking it so many times) at the end of August. After reading about what it is like just to have the tonsils removed I'm not looking forward to how I am going to feel afterwards.

It's been two weeks since I got everything done. The pain was disgusting and the percoset I was prescribed did barely anything for the pain. I believe I have lost about 13 pounds all together and am finally starting to feel normal again, ate my first sandwich since the surgery.

I also had a blood clot explode one night and had to go to the ER because I was vomiting blood and the bleeding was out of control, spent about 12 hours in the ER. I'm glad I never have to do it again.

On a bad note, somehow I hurt my shoulder quite bad during my downtime and am about to leave to see the doctor, seems like it is a bad rotator cuff tear, I can't even sleep at night the pain is so bad, and there is no position I can put my arm in to lessen the pain. So a word to everyone just watch out after your surgeries it is quite easy to hurt yourself in a weakened state.

[Bobblehead]

Originally Posted by The Ditch

It's been two weeks since I got everything done. The pain was disgusting and the percoset I was prescribed did barely anything for the pain. I believe I have lost about 13 pounds all together and am finally starting to feel normal again, ate my first sandwich since the surgery.

I also had a blood clot explode one night and had to go to the ER because I was vomiting blood and the bleeding was out of control, spent about 12 hours in the ER. I'm glad I never have to do it again.

On a bad note, somehow I hurt my shoulder quite bad during my downtime and am about to leave to see the doctor, seems like it is a bad rotator cuff tear, I can't even sleep at night the pain is so bad, and there is no position I can put my arm in to lessen the pain. So a word to everyone just watch out after your surgeries it is quite easy to hurt yourself in a weakened state.

You mean debilitating pain, vomiting blood and out of control bleeding WASN'T the bad part! wow.

[The Ditch]

I think I'm more upset about this shoulder injury because I was supposed to start playing hockey and indoor soccer next week and now I can't, just bitter.

[ken0042]

Do you really think you have the energy for hockey, Ditch? If so then you are doing better than I was.

I was so weak for about a month that walking more than 100 metres would wear me out.