I Hate Tonsils!

[lindsbeth112984]

I had mine out a few years ago (I think I was 25 or 26). It wasn't so bad, but I learned some things that I will share because maybe it will help you.

I discovered I had a mild intolerance to Morphine, which made me vomit when they gave it to me immediately following surgery for the pain, so, they switched to demerol for the first little while, after that it was morphine drip with a gravol drip at the same time lol. Throwing up after tonsil surgery=NOT COOL.

As I was waking up, I kept trying to clear my throat, because it felt like something was in it.. thats from the surgery and is normal lol, but if I had known about it ahead of time, I probably wouldn't have done it at all thus saving myself some pain later on..

The first few days felt like more of a "really painful lump in your throat/throat feeling" or having swollen glands...By the time I finally had surgery, I was so used to the mild version of that feeling because I had tonsillitis every few weeks recurring. Every time I got a cold, any virus, my tonsils went crazy and stayed like that for at least two weeks! It was like having a tonsilitis flare, but times 15. Pain pills/liquid helped. I ate liquid and or mushy everything.. soup (warm, not hot) was good, meal replacement drinks are helpful to keeping your calorie intake sufficient when you hardly feel like eating.

Some things I wish I had known when I left the hospital from my surgery:

Ask for a liquid codeine syrup prescription, in addition to your pain pills for later on, as it will be easier to take at first, and it really is hard to swallow pills in the first bit. I ended up in the ER because I couldn't swallow the pain pills and felt like I was dying, so the ER doc gave me the syrup scrip.. I wish I had known that from the start. They will not likely tell you this. I just knew to ask and insist!

Fibre, as was suggested already, really helps because a side effect of pain pills, plus not wanting to eat, is constipation. They have stool softener pills you can take, if regular fibre doesn't help. (Docusate Sodium capsules, they are available over the counter at pharmacies, no prescription needed. )

Drink as MUCH water as you can, and don't plan on doing anything for a week because you might not have the energy.

Audio books on my Ipod were my best friend, because daytime tv was so boring, and I didn't have to concentrate on anything, just listen and rest.

Prepare your foods ahead of time, keep them in single serve containers, so if you're looking after yourself it's easy to make the food fast, and then you're more likely to eat.

Those sore throat lozenges available in the pharmacy(chloroseptic or sucrets, have benzocaine in them, an oral anesthetic) and help with the soreness by slightly numbing the throat and mouth. At least they did mine, especially during the healing phase. They will probably not suggest this either, just advil and water, but again, I knew they would help and since I had some from all the times my tonsils were bad, they were available.
.

My doctor told me the second week shouldn't hurt so much if I drank enough, but that's when they're healing and I found it the worst! It was like bee stings, thousands of them where my tonsils used to be.

The important part during this phase is to drink water like there's no tomorrow.. It will still hurt, but heal faster and better. It keeps the scab (GROSS) moist and stings less. Which means, if you're having a rough time during this healing phase, set an alarm to have a drink every few hours when you're sleeping (if you are able to go back to sleep after that kind of thing) because the morning was the WORST. Taking advil at the last drink break of the night before I would wake helped A LOT with that... It was working before I woke up.

BUT....
THE GOOD NEWS!

I haven't had a major cold, cough or been sick like I used to be since I had them out. Minor cold here and there... very few and far between.

My biggest regret about the surgery?

not having insisted on a referral to an ENT sooner. I would get tonsilitis many times a year as a teen, (never as a child), and around 23-24 I would just get recurring bouts of it... At my first specialist appointment, the doctor thought I was lying, because as it happened I was in when I wasn't sick.. a rare occurence.. So he told me to come back when I was... Like clockwork, less than two weeks later I was back in there. They scheduled the surgery for a few months later. It did take quite a while. I had it done in Stratford, ON.

Thanks for all the great info!

[anastasia1009]

Even though my right side is partial growing back and I get tonsil stones now I am happy I got them out when I was older. When I get a cold I hardly get a sore throat but I do lose my voice a few times a year instead. I use to get sick every few months and raw red throat that would last for a few weeks plus green goo.
I can't remember the name of the stuff you can gargle with and its by prescription and its lime green and after the surgery numbs the throat. I had my done in Kitchener

[rngirl87]

I had my tonsils out 5 years ago, at 19. Before surgery, my tonsils used to touch as well, it was extremely hard to eat anything and I would wake up in a panic at night because I thought my tonsils were going to obstruct my airway. Anyway, no complications after surgery. I had no need for pain meds, just slept a lot and kept hydrated. Recovery was about a week until I was feeling strong enough to venture into public. It took a few weeks until my throat was completely healed and I didn't have any pain with swallowing/eating solids. I have had zero problems since. One of the best decisions I have made health-wise! I was lucky because my ENT was amazing. Took one look at my tonsils, and asked when I wanted them out! I even got to pick a convenient surgery date! Benefit of having a small-town doc!

[rngirl87]

Even though my right side is partial growing back and I get tonsil stones now I am happy I got them out when I was older.

UGH. That is not something I miss! Tonsiliths are the DEVIL!

[maribel]

Even though my right side is partial growing back and I get tonsil stones now I am happy I got them out when I was older. When I get a cold I hardly get a sore throat but I do lose my voice a few times a year instead. I use to get sick every few months and raw red throat that would last for a few weeks plus green goo.
I can't remember the name of the stuff you can gargle with and its by prescription and its lime green and after the surgery numbs the throat. I had my done in Kitchener

It's called Tantum. or Benzydamine liquid (generic name) It's great stuff for sore throats!