Recovering from tonsillectomy

[MargotMoon]

Had a tonsillectomy on Tuesday and I'm really struggling today, and know it's going to get worse based on everything I've been told/read!

I had it because of lifelong tonsil stones and the surgeon said he removed loads that were built up so that's a relief.

My uvula is really swollen and restricting my breathing so I'm find to difficult to sleep. I'm chewing crushed ice and sipping water, taking the painkillers and trying to eat (porridge, soup and toast mainly) but I have no appetite really.

If you can spare any sympathy or have tips on how to get through the next week I would be most pathetically grateful 😭

it's a horrible operation as an adult. My (adult) daughter had it and I've never seen her in so much pain!

I would check if the swelling in your throat is normal, especially if it is restricting your breathing

I recall calling the doctor with dd to ask if she could have something to help her sleep because she was finding it so difficult!

The nurse from the clinic rang me yesterday and I asked about it, she said it was normal. I've googled it (of course!) and it sounds pretty common, but could take up to a week to come down, think I've just got to ride it out....

Day 5 is the worst. Its bloody painful so steel yourself. But it starts to get better after that. I was pretty ok by day 10 and happily back at work by day 14.

Have you got good painkillers. I demanded stronger ones and was given liquid co-codamol. Couldn't have managed without that. The hospital discharged me with a bottle of calpol FFS.

@MajorCarolDanvers I am trying to mentally prepare myself! I've got codeine tablets (30mg) plus paracetamol and ibuprofen and my GP has said I can have some more codeine as they will run out on Saturday which will be Day 5 (assuming dap of the op is Day 1?)
I can't believe they only gave you calpol

I was watching a US medical programme and they were giving the tonsillectomy patients some hardcore painkillers when they were discharged! Dd also only got paracetamol!

Hope you feel better soon. It sounds like you're over the worst of it already.

Do you have any spray like difflam for your throat?
I find that really helped. Codeine just made me feel worse.
Make sure you take the painkillers which suit you best at regular intervals. Try to eat as normally as you can.
It's early days so no wonder you feel rough. I found it quite tiring too. So make sure you are getting rest if you need it.
Good luck, this time next week it will have improved a lot.

Yeah, you need difflam..spray and rinse.

You poor thing. But, you will feel better, and soon! Hang in there. My sister had some oramorph at home after hers. She said that o my took the edge off it! So if you need stronger painkillers, ask for them!

Yeah, they don't mess about in America, they dish out the good stuff at the drop of a hat. It's why there's such a huge problem with addiction to prescription drugs - they're too good!

I'll definitely get some Difflam spray - thanks 🙏

With DD at the hospital's suggestion we divided her daily painkiller allowance into 24 hours and set reminders on her phone. Going eight hours without pain relief was just too much for her so being woken at 2am was worth it.

A travel mug of warm salt water in the bathroom for frequent gargling, diflam spray also helped. DD was also given antibiotics for an infected uvula.

It's a horrible operation and takes time. Be kind to yourself.

Thanks for the difflam tip everyone, hoping that and the salt water gargle will stave off my breath smelling like a rat crawled into my stomach and died