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Original poster

Tonsillectomy as an adult - how bad is recovery?

215 replies

HermioneKipper · 17/08/2023 15:42

I’m going to have my tonsils out shortly after lots of horrible episodes of Tonsillitis as an adult. I was hospitalised last time.

Ive been thinking that if I can cope with Tonsillitis then surely I can cope with having them out?! But even the consultant told me that the recovery is awful.

Is it really horrific? Think I need to be prepared for the level of pain 😭

I’m 39

OP posts:
Ilikeviognier · 22/09/2023 18:31

@Swizzylyons1 thanks. I’ll follow your suggestions re food and prepping stuff. I have Monday off work anyway and my op is Tuesday 🙈. Just finished work now for I presume 2 weeks. Getting scared now. I think I might stuff my face and get drunk this weekend. 😳🤣

Peekingovertheparapet · 23/09/2023 06:57

Definitely plan on more like a 3-4 week recovery for a teacher. My child had his out on 1st December last year and we made the collective decision with school that he wouldn’t return until January after the first couple of weeks and the amount of illness in school. He wasn’t ready and there was covid, noro, everything else. Just wasn’t worth it.

their cover responsibility is not your problem, focus on getting better.

Swizzylyons1 · 23/09/2023 10:30

Ilikeviognier · 22/09/2023 18:31

@Swizzylyons1 thanks. I’ll follow your suggestions re food and prepping stuff. I have Monday off work anyway and my op is Tuesday 🙈. Just finished work now for I presume 2 weeks. Getting scared now. I think I might stuff my face and get drunk this weekend. 😳🤣

Def enjoy a drink and try and forget about it this weekend. Will be thinking of you on Tuesday.

Plan some nice things to watch/read whilst you are forced into rest. Yes you will be feeling poorly but give yourself permission to rest and that is quite nice!

Some tele I have enjoyed:

Apple Tv - Bad Sisters, Hijack
BBC - World on Fire, Henpocalypse (very silly!)

xx

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Swizzylyons1 · 23/09/2023 10:34

Peekingovertheparapet · 23/09/2023 06:57

Definitely plan on more like a 3-4 week recovery for a teacher. My child had his out on 1st December last year and we made the collective decision with school that he wouldn’t return until January after the first couple of weeks and the amount of illness in school. He wasn’t ready and there was covid, noro, everything else. Just wasn’t worth it.

their cover responsibility is not your problem, focus on getting better.

Really reassuring to hear. Still wiped out after getting kids to school in the morning let alone teaching on top of that.

Doc has signed me off until 2nd Oct now so another week to recover and I am grateful as like you say the whole school is a Covid festival right now! Xx

Ilikeviognier · 24/09/2023 14:24

@Swizzylyons1 thanks! Another tv recommendation for you - The Morning Show (Apple TV). I’m hooked and plan to plough through it next week if I can!

Glad you got signed off a bit longer - sounds like you def need it being a teacher!

Swizzylyons1 · 26/09/2023 07:54

Good luck today @Ilikeviognier Will be thinking of you xx

Ilikeviognier · 26/09/2023 08:28

@Swizzylyons1 thankyou.

Ilikeviognier · 27/09/2023 08:56

I’m back. Was kicked out at 8pm last night. They wouldn’t give me any hardcore drugs like morphine though so am I have at the mo I s Cocodamol and ibuprofen. Couldn’t swallow tablets so I have liquid for now. Managed a few bites of sandwich and some cereal at Home.

overnight not too bad. Had to sleep upright as feel like something is stuck in throat.

so not sure what happens next- is this going to get progressively worse next few days or does it vary for individuals?

Original poster
HermioneKipper · 27/09/2023 09:40

Glad to hear you’re home!

oh the stuck in the throat feeling is awful isn’t it. That’ll be the swollen uvula. Mine went down after about 3 days I think. You could ask the GP for steroids if it’s really awful.

it seems to vary on recovery. I found the first bit unpleasant but others have fared much better.

Thinking of you, hope you can get some rest. Keep on top of the drugs and try and drink as much as you can as the dry mouth/throat makes the pain worse

OP posts:
Swizzylyons1 · 27/09/2023 10:22

Glad to hear you are home @Ilikeviognier. I found the first few days definitely the hardest. The first day was surreal as still feeling the effects of anesthetic and big pain relief so more spaced and uncomfortable rather than pain.

As @HermioneKipper said, keep
up with the pain relief. You want to try and take ibuprofen in between the cocodamol sol you always are topped up of you can! Try and eat something before ibuprofen even if it’s a little slurp of soup/noodles to keep your tummy from being too unsettled on all the medication.

I found being propped up def helped as you will be swollen for a while. That will go down. Also, if they haven’t given you difflam mouth wash then def try and get some to gargle and keep up with that to keep away from infection.

Rest up and hope you feel a bit brighter soon. Xx

Swizzylyons1 · 27/09/2023 10:24

Also lots and lots of water. I found my throat so incredibly dry at night but drink through the pain as you don’t want to get dehydrated xx

Ilikeviognier · 27/09/2023 14:55

Thanks both! Following all the advice. Have been on the kids ibuprofen today as I can’t face the big pills. I also have the mouthwash so been using that. Taking it one day at a time x

Ilikeviognier · 28/09/2023 17:30

Spoke too soon yesterday- feel worse today. Throat is worse and I have a really disgusting taste in my mouth too. Any words of wisdom @HermioneKipper @Swizzylyons1

Ilikeviognier · 28/09/2023 17:33

Also the cocodamol is doing its job re constipation 🙈. Any tips on dealing with that?

Original poster
HermioneKipper · 28/09/2023 20:00

Oh no you poor thing. Brush your teeth as often as you can bear and use the difflam throat rinse. But the horrible taste is unfortunately a horrible side effect.

Movicol for the constipation.

Poor you, sending good thoughts

OP posts:
rosiejug · 28/09/2023 20:17

Has anyone had laser removal? I have tonsilitis at the moment and constantly unwell, get heavy periods - not sure why that is linked?

Ilikeviognier · 28/09/2023 20:28

@rosiejug i asked the consultant about laser removal and he said it’s not a common method in this country.

if you’re looking to get them removed be warned that you’ve got to have tonsillitis a ridiculous number of times in a year to Have it done on the nhs. I’ve just Had mine out privately (could have gone nhs but the wait list is too long).

Ilikeviognier · 28/09/2023 20:29

@HermioneKipper thanks. Urgh I’d just like to bypass the next week or two if I could.

Swizzylyons1 · 28/09/2023 22:54

Ilikeviognier · 28/09/2023 17:30

Spoke too soon yesterday- feel worse today. Throat is worse and I have a really disgusting taste in my mouth too. Any words of wisdom @HermioneKipper @Swizzylyons1

Felt like the horrid taste was going to last forever - it didn’t thankfully. Stick to very plain tasting foods as it will ruin all your fond food associations otherwise!

I found things tasted sulphurous (if that was possible!) It will pass.

Good shout with Movicol for constipation. They gave me senna but it did nothing. Only thing that fixed me was when I suffered a day without cocodamol and switch to plain old paracetamol/ibuprofen. That was after 5 days.

Slowly does it. Xx

Ilikeviognier · 29/09/2023 08:46

@Swizzylyons1 thanks. I may have to do that although I don’t think I’m brave enough to ditch the Cocodamol yet 🙈. Feeling bad again today/ throat is killing/awful taste in mouth. Gross.

Swizzylyons1 · 29/09/2023 11:18

Oh god - def don’t ditch the cocodamol yet. Yesterday was the first day I didn’t take any painkillers…That was day 17!

Day 5 I took cocodamol in morning but not at night. I went back on it the next day but the brief break allowed my body to resume its normal functions! Hahaha.

Hope you feel better soon. Lots of sleep if you can xx

Ilikeviognier · 30/09/2023 09:17

@Swizzylyons1 what to do? Took constipation stuff yesterday - nothing. Am now on day 4 ….do I need to ditch the Cocodamol ?( the pain is pretty bad though and I’m not clear if I can face doing that!)🙈

Swizzylyons1 · 30/09/2023 15:04

It will happen - try not to stress. Def keep up with the stuff for constipation as it will make it easier when you can go!

Keep up with cocodamol if you are still in pain. I ended up just taking it at night as my pain was worse then.

vipersnest1 · 30/09/2023 20:37

@Ilikeviognier, glycerine suppositories. Not elegant, but effective.

Ilikeviognier · 30/09/2023 22:45

Thankyou. Tbh I’m in bloody agony now with my throat. These painkillers aren’t doing enough. Reckon the GP will give me something better than ibuprofen or Cocodamol? I do have some tramadol but My brother gave it to me and am not sure if I should take it!