Normally headaches and/or fever signify dehydration. My surgery is on Friday. I should be back on here saturday or so to update.

Now that I think about it --- My ENT warned me that I'd probably run a fever for a few days, but not to worry about it. Probably where my headaches came from 'cuz I too was very very good about drinking water and chewing on ice chips

heddy.....please read my post before the last one, where i described what it felt like when i had dehydrated from suspected meningitis years ago. there most certainly is a headache. mine was debilitating. this headache could very well be a warning sign. i didnt have one with my tonsilectomy, and i havent read any of the other adult posts that did, but then we KNOW that we have to drink or there will be a quick trip to the hospital in our future. you're son cannot understand this. all he knows is that it hurts. try to make your son drink more, if you can. if all else fails, try bribing him. not with food, of course, cause if his throat hurts, that would be more like torture instead of reward. maybe something like tiny little "gifts", like matchbox cars if he's into them. make it like, "if you drink so and so cups of whatever today, you get a surprise at the end of the day" ..... you have to give him a REASON to drink... from a kids point of view. explaining what will happen if he DOESNT drink probably wont do much good at his age... that isnt going to motivate him. you have to go to his level....and a few days worth of cute, inexpensive, little "surprises" will most certainly do the trick... getting him to drink AND giving him something to cheer him through this difficult time all at once!!!! though i am no child expert, i have 2 teens and one in her 20's....so i had 5 yr olds at one time....whatever you do, i hope you can get him to drink more.... dehydration is painful as i described in an earlier post....iv's are painful....and seeing more doctors, after what he just went through, very traumatic. let us all know how this turns out.

oh yeah, one more thing, heddy. Now i dont know the CLINICAL amount a five year old should drink, it would also probably depend on if he's a big 5 or a little 5. However, i can tell you with certainty that SIPS are not enough. i personally wouldnt feel comfortable unless i could get a child that age to drink 4 of those Kool Aid Kool Bursts size bottles a day. i dont know what the ounces are on those things, but i would say four because my post op sheet my ent gave me said kids often get fevers....fluids are VERY necessary. i got a short lived, low grade fever, too. it passed within 24 hours. kids' fevers tend to last a few days my post op sheet said...gotta have those fluids. as i said, please keep us posted.

Thanks I have been making him drink. We made it a game....see who can drink the most....hey it works lol. Plus I don't drink as much as I should so he's helping me too. So far he hasn't complained of a headache and he has been eating more. That could change when the scabs fall off....I can hardly wait :rolleyes:

Oh yeah he is drinking gatorade in the 12 oz bottles.....he drinks 2 of those and about 3-4 juice boxes at 8.45 oz each.... I think a nurse mentioned(course it was about 1:30am) that he should take in 4-5 onces every hour.....seems alot but maybe not when your body goes thru a trauma like surgery.

I also had headaches, but they did go away once I was able to drink more and more, I recommend gatorade also, it wasnt carbonated so it was really easy to drink and got rid of that horrible taste in the back of my mouth every time I took a drink (but it always came back). I ran a 99-101 temp the first 5 days after surgery but never felt as if I was, Only when I was getting sick from the pain meds, the doctor told me not to worry unless I ever went over 101, and I never did. Today is about day 20, I feel no pain at all, and I am gaining all of my weight back!!!!! :)...
check back later....
Cori

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Hi all. I am on week 5 and I just went to the ENT because I still have a hole in the back of my throat. If it doesn't close up he is going to stitch it up in a month. Has this happened to anyone else? Also did anyone else go through anything "tramatic" while recovering? My Dad died on day 5 and the funeral was on day 11. I don't know if all the pain was multiplied because of the circumstances but it was unbearable for 20 days and then I got a cold which made my throat "kill" for 6 more days.
Thanks for letting me vent.

My Dad died on day 5 and the funeral was on day 11. I don't know if all the pain was multiplied because of the circumstances but it was unbearable for 20 days and then I got a cold which made my throat "kill" for 6 more days.
Thanks for letting me vent.

1. I am so sorry for your loss.

2. Stress, whether from grief or anything else makes anything seem to hurt more. Maybe because it also usually makes you not sleep as well?

3. Everyone needs to vent sometimes. That's what we're here for. :)

(As I was typing this, I just noticed I was humming 'Everybody Hurts' by REM, lol :rolleyes: )

ylikone
you are the first person I have seen on here that is anywhere near my age. I am considering a tonsillectomy buy am very afraid because of my age. My ENT says it isn't any riskier for an older person but I don't know if I believe him or not. Please keep me posted on your experience. I am a 37 (almost 38) year old female. Thanks.

Hey guys, about 24 hours till my surgery, and I've developed a horrible head cold!! I'm miserable beyond belief, and I can't wait to get these adenoids yanked so I have room to blow my nose. My tonsils are touching each other too! I knew I should have taken that surgery appt. that had opened up for today, instead of delaying this misery one more day!

Okay...so I am at 6 weeks AFTER surgery. Has anyone had anything weird go on with their throat? My Uuvula was huge after surgery and has totally shrunk down but now I have this extra tissue attatched to it and the side of my throat...and it keeps getting longer. Sound weird I know but I'm afraid I'm going to choke on it and I'm having trouble saying some words. Anyone else have this????

Dalania
I think if i was you i'd go and see my doctor to find out whats going on. It doesn't sound right to me. I am at 7 weeks after surgery and i don't have what you have. I still have a few problems of myself though. In the mornings my throat is always sore and very dry. Also i cannot drink very fast anymore cos when i do the liquid comes down my nose! Another thing i've noticed is that my tongue is bent! I don't know what the surgeon did to me cos it wasn't bent before the operation. Very embarrassing! Apart from those few things i am completely better. It has taken MUCH longer than expected though.

Hi Everyone! I am on day 7 and I was doing okay until the ear pain started on evening 5. Those of you who said the ear pain was worse were right!! Quesions for people... How long does the ear pain last? What are some things that can help alleviate the pain. All for now.

Laura,
Sorry you are having those problems!!! I haven't had any of that but my tongue was numb for a few weeks. And there are some words that I have trouble saying now... I have noticed that my allergies are worse since surgery. And sneezing is SO weird now!!!! I have actually been to the doctor and he said everything was still swollen. Yeah right!!! I'm going back tomorrow to tell him to fix it. I'm just hoping that I don't have to have surgery AGAIN!!! :rolleyes:

oh yes, the ear pain........... i got it around day 5 and it lasted for about 3 days.it gradually increases till it peaks at one point, making you feel like screaming, then eases off slowly, day by day it gets a bit better. those whole 3 or 4 days arent spent in the excruciating peak phase. some of the time its building, then peaking, then easing. it is awful though. and yet, its wonderful. it means you're almost better, and healing RIGHT ON SCHEDULE!!! day 10 is the magic day!! by then you should be feeling nearly 100% .... 90 at least. the ear pain is EXACTLY what you want to feel.....hard to believe, but true!!

Woohoo, had my tonsils taken out today! The pain so far is minimal... we'll see what the coming days bring.

ylikone
Glad to hear you are in minimal pain. Hopefully it will stay that way. I posted a message to you a couple of days ago. Just wanted to tell you again to keep us posted as to your progress. Thanks again. Good Luck.

Thanks Mazinn! I thought I was going crazy. Today is day 8, so I am hoping tomorrow will be a bit better. I found some ear plugs and they have seemed to help. Does anyone know when the scabs ususally come off? I think one of mine may have, I had no blood, but a place that was white is not longer there.

Cheryl, well I'm still doing extremely well, considering my tonsils where huge and touching... and I was in surgery for a little over an hour! But maybe I'm just lucky and don't respond to pain as much... I've only taken 2 (yes 2) codiene pills since I left hospital... and otherwise a lot of extra strength tylenol. Today I ate noodle soup for lunch and a cold-cut/pickle sandwich for dinner. Yes, it hurt a lot to swallow but I just winced and forced it. My doctor said to start eating as normally as you can as fast as you can. I am not worried about ripping the scarring, as I chew very well first and swallow each bite with a big swig of cold water. Things are going very well for me so far. But people keep saying the real pain comes in a few days... we'll see!

I had my surgery about 9 hours ago. I'm a little feverish, but i feel better now that i'm sitting up. I ate a piece of bread with butter, it seemed to help with some of the nasty feelings back there. So far, only feeling alot of swelling and phlegmy. We'll see what tomorrow brings.

It has been about 4 weeks since surgery, my ear pain is almost totally gone, except when I yawn. A lot of people told me that the ear pain would be gone by like day 10 or 11 and I was really dissapointed that mine took so long to start going away, so dont depend on day 10 for the pain to be gone, everyone is different!!!! My throat still gets a little sore and dry sometimes but its only usually when I wake up. I just have a question to anyone that might know..... When I sneeze It is really weird, I cant hold it in at all... and It hurts to sneeze, its just really different from how It used to feel. Im just wondering if anyone would know anything about that? Does it have to do with me getting my adenoids out also? Thanks to anyone who might be able to answer....
Talk to ya later....
Cori

ok, I'm up for the 8th time tonight, so I thought I would post. I developed a cold right before surgery, and I pretty much think that is the worst of this whole ordeal. I'm only taking pain medication to keep me sedated enough to not notice the snot factory in my throat. I think this is the beginning of day 4.
I had some ear pain off and on yesterday, but not too bad, yet. Oh yeah, My husband won't come near me because my breath is atrocious.

Cori18,

I sneeze weird now too!!!!!!!!!! I did not have my adenoids out so it must have something to do with just the tonsils! I have to have a kleenex now if I sneeze for sure!!!!!!!!!

Dalania

i have been reading everyone's messages, and i have a quick question my tonsil are large (actually my lest one is larger then my right) is that normal, my throat is a little sore i see the ent on wednesday and i am so scared he is going to tell me something really bad about my one tonsil, i am 26 and have never really been sick i guess what i am asking is it normal for one tonsil to be infected and for the other one not to be (i have no fever) just a little sore not even my throat kinda inner nose and roof of mouth.. any advise would ne great

yes, yes, yes!! i had the same exact problem!! my right tonsil was huge, the other one i couldnt even see, it was that small. i went to the ent, he said that the right one was just infected... and to leave it alone. however, i did some reading, and learned assymetrical tonsils(one bigger than the other) is not COMMON, but it can happen. it can also mean other things, like cancer...i couldnt just sit by and do nothing. i had to know. i had it removed. it was just grossly infected. so yes, one tonsil can get infected.

Yep, same thing happened here too, My right one was really infected, but my left wasnt as bad at all.... My recovery time was even prolonged because right side was so embedded and so infected, the hole where the tonsil was, was a lot larger and took longer for the scabs to come off and to totally heal, which sucked!!! But the left was just smaller and less infected so that side gave me no pain hardly at all throughout the entire recovery. The right side pain was terrible though.
anyway, talk to everyone later....
Cori

yea, when i looked at my throat after the surgery, i nearly fainted. the hole was HUGE!!! i couldnt believe my eyes. it looked like he cut out the whole right side of my throat out. i was expecting a little hole, not like this!! i thought he'd made some kind of dreadful mistake!! :rolleyes:

how long will it take for my tongue to be normal size? Its still so swollen I can't really get a good peek at the 'damage'.

Hey ya'll!
I'm new to this board and appreciate all the info. I have a question for anyone who can spare the time. I have been told by several doctors for the last 6 or 7 years to have my tonsils out, but I'm terrified and have been putting it off. My problem is chronic hypertrophic tonsils (really large, pitted tonsils that are always swollen, ya'll probably already know that.) I have sore throats like some of you describe, but only 2 or 3 times a year. My real problem is constant aching. My throat aches all the time, similar to the pain you feel when you cry a long time (does that make sense?). My ears also drain constantly and I wake up at night all the time. I'm just so tired of it and I am feeling physically drained and was wondering if anyone else has had these symptoms more than just the sore throats? I am 33 years old and a big chicken about being put to sleep for surgery! Thanks very much for any info you have and good luck to all.

shutterbug....hmm....my tongue didnt seem to swell ...though my uvula thingy did. made it hard for me to breathe.

hey jeff's girl.........i know what you mean about the surgery. i was totally terrified too. i mean, i guess i just didnt like the idea of not being able to breathe on my own and having an endotracheal tube shoved down my throat to do it for me. i had a nervous breakdown while waiting for the surgery. no, i mean REALLY had a nervous breakdown. they gave me some morphine in my iv and i remember one coherent thought..."i dont feel so nervous anymore". next thing i know, i'm coughing ferociously as they're pulling the tube out as im waking up. i dont know what surgery is like without the morphine, but that stuff is AWFUL .... i remember being in the recovery room, and the nurse kept saying "breathe, mary, breath". then i'd take a deep breath, then drift off...until next time she said 'breathe". funny thing is, i didnt wanna breathe, i just wanted to sleep....breathing took to much energy...too much effort. it took me at least 4 hours to even be able to sit up, and 3 hours after that to be well enough to leave the hospital. funny thing is, i saw people MUCH older than me in the recovery room who'd just had surgery, sitting up and chatting with their husbands.... then, i'd wake up, and they were gone ...all of them, except me. i was the last one there. i DO NOT reccomend the morphine. my entire first surgery experience may have been alot different if i hadnt had it. i had to have an oxygen mask on upon the removal of the tube, then the nurse had to keep encouraging me to breathe as my oxygen level kept dropping. not a good experience for a first surgery. i keep wondering if it would've been less scary and dangerous without the morphine........

hadnt had it. i had to have an oxygen mask on upon the removal of the tube, then the nurse had to keep encouraging me to breathe as my oxygen level kept dropping. not a good experience for a first surgery. i keep wondering if it would've been less scary and dangerous without the morphine........


I am 33 also and was having a bit of a panic attack right when they were starting to put me under. I remember saying "I'm dizzy but I'm not asleep yet... shouldn't I be asleep?"... then I was waking up with an oxygen mask. They kept me in recovery room for 2 hours and had to keep reminding me to breathe also, my stupid beeping alarm behind my head kept going off. I remember thinking, can't they just turn that damn thing off! Anyway, that was my first general aneasthetic experience... oh yeah, instead of being sleepy in the recovery, I was just anxious to get out so I struggled against the fatigue feeling. I just watched the row of people beside me in gurnies sleeping away... that was a REALLY boring 2 hours of waiting!


Oh, and by the way, this is the end of day 6 for me.... the pain has been a lot worse in the last few days than in the beginning, I've had a bit of fever on and off too, which really makes you feel like crapola. Things already seem to be starting to get better now though. Hopefully smooth sailing to full recovery from here!!

Yay, I lost my first scab!! It's the end of day 5 for me. I was reading scary surgery stories...and it reminded me of waking up after the T&A. Two nurses were standing over me arguing about where the CRASH CART was!!! i started bawling! I was like "did something happen, any large burnt rectangles on my chest?" My hospital was very 'in/out, don't wanna know you', which pisses me off. I never saw my doctor in the hospital, the anesthisiologists were pricks, and the nurses were giving me sprite and RED slushies. My post-op care sheet clearly said NO sodas or red fluids!!! I expected better care from such a large hospital. I skipped Lortab all day, just took tylenol instead. The ear pain is coming back, so its time for the heavy stuff (which also gives me vivid night terrors). I've tried chewing gum, but it just pisses my stomach off since I'm tricking in to thinking I'm eating something really good. I'm pretty happy as long as these 'skinny jeans' keep fitting me! night folks.

Hi! Totally new here! Got scheduled for surgery next Friday and kinda nervous. I have 2 little kids (4 yrs and 11 months) and I'm not sure how this is gonna go when I can't speak and don't feel well. My mom is coming to help and I think my husband will be able to take a day or two from work but it might be grim... Any suggestions?

Me again. I have an appointment scheduled with yet another doctor next week to see if he too will tell me to have my tonsils out and I'm ready to schedule it. What questions do you suggest I ask? I'm going to inquire about nausea meds (Zofran,Reglan,etc.) and pain meds but what else should I be sure to ask?? Also, did anyone have a really bad experience with nausea and vomiting after anesthesia, NOT due to pain meds. Did anyone have Zofran? Any info would be appreciated. :confused:

I was so worried about vomiting, and kept obsessing about it. I have yet to feel the slightest bit nauseous.
Gita-I have a 3 year old, and she's been pretty good about me not being able to talk. I just clap or snap my fingers to get her attention. I can use the 'evil eye' when she's really out of control, lol. Its been kind of fun to communicate in other ways.

jeffs girl.... as for feeling nausea, i was VERY sick when i woke up from the anesthesia. before surgery, i asked the nurse about it. she said they would give me something to keep the nausea down, but that it isnt 100%, and sometimes people throw up anyway.. and that it's necessary to vomit for some people. well, i decided then, if there's such a thing as mind over matter, then i would FORCE myself not to throw up. so, i felt so very very sick when i woke up... i just kept telling myself, i will NOT throw up. That nausea passes within a few hours. i made it through without vomiting. However, the pain medicine causes a great deal of sickness, which is why i REFUSED to take it. i survived on large doses of extra strength tylenol.
so, to sum it up, the nausea NOT due to the pain meds, lasts only a few hours after you wake up from anesthesia.

for all of you out there about to have this surgery:

ask your ENT about the bleeding. my ent said slight bleeding is normal and to slowly sip ice water. however, i read some websites that ENT's have put up that say ANY bleeding at all is an emergency ... luckily, i didnt have to deal with that at all, but i was terribly afraid of it as my ENT says you can bleed anytime until 2 weeks post op. i obsessed about it...even walked around with a white kleenex i slobbered into to see if there was any blood.

also ask about gum chewing. alot of ENTs reccomend it highly, as does mine. from personal experience, i too highly reccomend it. it does two important things, it creates saliva, which makes your throat hurt a bit less, and it exercises your throat and jaw muscles. i chewed for 5 days, then stopped. the next morning i woke up and my jaw felt like it had been wired shut. the muscles all stiffened up, and it was a bit scary since i could barely open my mouth enough to sip broth off a spoon. i promptly started chewing again, and the stiffness disappeared the next day.

GITA.. wow, with kids that young, it's gonna be an adventure. you will definately need your mom for a few days. my "kids" are 21, 19 & 13, and only two live at home still...so i dont have any personal advice for you. however, keep it mind that you will feel all these things: nausea ( perhaps vomiting), tired, feverish, sore throat, "blue" feelings, then the dreaded ear pain, you wont be eating much so you wont have much energy, and if you take the pain meds - YOU SHOULD NOT BE ALONE WITH THOSE KIDS. Those meds are powerful and there's no way you could properly supervise children that young under the effects of those drugs. It's just not safe. I have read previous posts of how those drugs affect people, plus i took roxicet when i had a severly infected tooth, so i CAN tell you this - anyone taking those pain meds (roxicet, percoset, lortab) cannot take care of small children. It's good your mom can help you, imagine how bad you'd feel if one of your kids got hurt while you were knocked out cold from the meds.

mmmkay, I posted earlier that i hadn't been nauseous yet, I take that back! I got by through the ear pains today by alternating tylenol and my lortab. well, that's alot of acetaminophin!! i think i'll be skipping a few doses to be on the safe side. its going to be a rough night. I've felt like vomiting for the past few hours and my stomach is in knots. Its not like I can eat some crackers and drink Sprite, eh?

Another question. How much weight should I expect to lose? I've heard between 10-20 lbs. I've already lost 10 in the last year due to my problem and I already have protruding bones. I'm not really wanting to lose more, although I know this is inevitable.

I lost about 10-15 pounds, which I gained back as soon as I started eating regular food again. Also, I hurled/vomited none stop for several hours 'cuz of the morphine drip. When it was all said and done, I figured I didn't have to worry about bleeding 'cuz nothing broke loose during that time.

Anybody in their 30's and having or had surgery. I'm feeling like I'm a bit old for this. I'll be 33 on Monday with surgery scheduled for next Friday...
:eek:

I was 34 when I had mine removed four years ago. I was scared to death -- mainly that I'd bleed and get grossed out. Yeah, it was major surgery and there was some pain involved as I recovered, but thinking back -- I wish I could've had it done a LOT sooner instead of wasting years dealing with those nasty things.

I took two weeks off from work. I made sure I drank lots and lots of water. And just tried to get some rest 'cuz sleeping was sporadic -- I'd wake up about every 2-3 hours 'cuz my throat'd feel gummy.

Hey, it's day 8 for me and I'm feeling pretty good now. Still have throat pain when swallowing, but that is all. No more tiredness, aching cheeks/ears/neck, or fever. I did have a bout of bleeding yesterday morning but that passed in about 15 minutes. So, I am 33y/old male and feel that today (day 8 after surgery) I am good enough to return to work (although I didn't yet). Unless the bleeding comes back, the throat pain isn't enough to REALLY bother me anymore, I consider my ordeal finished... YIPPPPEEEE!!!!

I survived tonsillectomy, you can too!! :D

Hey everyone! I thank God for this site & wish I would've found it before my surgery! I am 24 years old and had my tonsillectomy on Monday 9/27 now 4 days ago. I have had pretty much nothing but a tough time since it started.

I have been able to finally drink cold water for the last 24 hours or so. I have had alot of phlem which by far has been the most irritating. Today I have this "itchy" feeling in the back of my throat that makes my mouth and breath smell and taste horrible.

I haven't talked much since the surgery I simply haven't had the energy. Due to my lack of being able to swallow, I havent been taking either my pain medicine (tyelnol w/ codiene) or my amoxicillian, so I don't know if that is contributing to my pain or not. I will say that I wish I would've know about the alcohol-free verison of the Tyelnol w. codiene; which now that I can swallow a little would have been easier to handle.

Today I broke down crying mostly I think because I have not been sleeping well. I usually get a rough hour or two of sleep at a time with a lot of difficulty breathing from the phlem. I got alot of advice from this board about trying potato chips and chewing gum. I look forward to trying that on a better day.

I am sorry to all who don't like to read long posts, but I feel like you guys can relate, and when you havent talked for almost 5 days you feel the need to talk about anything! I would love any and all suggestions about recovery and would love to know how long it took for you to feel better. I have two weeks off from work which should do fine, I have the opt to take a few more if neccessary which I hope I don't have to use.

Okay after my crying session and now my post to other tosillectomy "survivors" <---sorry for the off humor joke :D.....I feel much better. I will keep you guys posted on how I am doing and feeling. God bless and have a great day! :angel: i

gita b........33 is old? :rolleyes: i had my surgery on august 28 of this year, at age 41. now, that's old. :eek:

Just wanted to post one more thought... after my surgery, i kept a journal. in the days following, i too had crying fits. i sobbed and wished i'd never had this hellish surgery. i wrote endlessly about what a mistake it was. but, like childbirth, you forget the discomfort... that's whats great about the human mind. when you're in discomfort, it seems like hell on earth, but when it's all over, you move on with your life and do those things you thought about while you were recovering. ... and the discomfort is just a not too pleasant memory. when i was recovering i made lists of things i wanted to do when i'm better.... example: i live on a famous civil war battlefield(probably THE most famous civil war battlefield) and yesterday my family & i went on a five hour hike through it.... next week we're planning on going horseback riding through the battlefield ( i hadnt been horseback riding since i was 8 yrs. old)... yea, this surgery is bad, but it passes.....

I agree, it does pass and when its over you get the best feeling of relief.... I know that it is hard to wait for, but when It comes you will say, wow, I cant believe I got that over with.... My experience was pretty easy, besides what the pain meds did to my body.... by making me go to the ER because of the horrible side effects... The only time I cried during the whole experience was when I got sick the first three days from the pain meds and was throwing up, It hurt so bad to throw up that I would start crying .... That was about the only times I got really upset, and when I was starving about the 5th day... But I only lost 7 pounds, I didnt totally stop eating like a lot of people do, I would eat broth and let the crackers soak so they would get really soft and that was good, I would eat little things throughout the day whenever I could and when my mom was around she made sure that i was eating ANYTHING possible.... anyway, if you have any questions ill be happy to answer them...
Cori
(if you have a blender), I got really sick of just water so I used my blender to grind up ice and mix it with flat sprite (or juice that did not have a lot of citrus) and eat it with a spoon... I recommend that, It tastes good and it feels good on your throat, if your throat allows cold things...

Hello all it's me Nailah again. Today is day # 6 and I am sore, but feeling alot less frustraded as I did the other day. I still have a lot of phlem, but I am able to finally drink and taste something other than water today which has resulted in a whopping 16 oz of APPLE JUICE!!! I won't be long today I just felt the urge to post how I am doing. I will offer one bit of advice try to close your mouth if you have to sneeze, I happen to come upon a sneeze out of nowhere and didn't have time to close my mouth and it felt like someone took a knife to my throat, needless to say very painfull. So we'll just call that a no-no :nono: well I hope you all have a great day in healing & God Bless!

What would you all recommend for food or drinks to have on hand after surgery? Any recommendations on pain killers or mouth washes or any tips would be great. Is it more comfortable to sit up or lie down afterwards (I'd like to have my room set up how I'll need it afterwards) Surgery is this Friday for me. Getting really nervous and want to be prepared!!

Before I had my surgery I stocked up on freezy pops, pudding -- ended up eating lots of broth with saltine crackers dipped in them. Really craved the salt. I also craved canned pears for some odd reason. Also, homemade pudding -- or at least the cook and serve stuff was great, too. Apple juice was okay, but as I started to heal, it kinda burned after I drank or ate anything.

Actually after awhile anything I drank or ate would burn -- and then I'd cry. But I realized that I felt much much better once the pain wore off, after eating -- about 20 minutes or so.

Anything really hot or carbonated was a horrible experience.

Sounds like I need to get more broth and crackers! People has posted that a humidifer was good anything else in the "recovery room" that is helpful?

Sitting up will be much better than trying to lay flat. Rest as much as you can. You might be like me and have a need to switch from hot to cold liquids. Some days cold water is best others warm tea. I do think that everyone is different I so far havent been able to eat at all even soft stuff. I have tried a scrambled egg, cheese, and various other things I will say that so far the only thing that I could eat a very small amount of is potato chips. By very small amnt I mean like a total of 5 or 6 chips total since the surgery. The only other "tip" I could offer you is to watch the Food Network. I know it sounds weird, but working on day # 8 without food I have had little or no hunger pains and I find myself watching various shows all day. I know it's strange but for me it works. Now don't get me wrong I have also spent way too much time thinking about everything I want to eat when I am well! Okay enough for now you're in my prayers and trust in God and everything will go just fine.

You gave me a really good idea I never thought of trying canned fruit. I am a die-hard fruit lover and never thought of the softness of canned fruit! THANK YOU! I swear if I can eat some canned peaches I am going to do a cartwheel or something!

i couldnt eat ANYTHING till day 8 post op... some people can, but it hurt too much for me. funny thing is, i had NO hunger pains and NO appetite. However, i do not reccomend not eating... good side was i lost 11 pounds in just 8 days, bad side was that i was so weak on day 9 that i shook as if i had cerebal palsy when i tried to stand. the weakness was truly overwhelming. so, eat...keep trying different things....just eat. on day 9 i made some of those lipton side dishes noodles in the packets...slid right down my throat like slimy worms.... :dizzy: but tasted like heaven!!! chicken broth with crackers mushed in worked ok....jello was ok but sooooo boring. pancakes didnt work for me, and i wouldnt have tried chips if you'd offered me a million bucks. carbonated drinks were out of the question till day 12, and i couldnt drink kool aid either for some unkown reason...dunno why, but it hurt...burned. so i drank tepid water...oh yummy!! :o cold stuff hurt, so did hot stuff...so i ate and drank everything tepid. i too wanted to have everything set up for post op, bought a new nightgown, new robe, fuzzy slippers AND 10 PACKS OF GUM!!!!! I HIGHLY RECCOMEND THE GUM...AND SO DO MOST ENTs.

going on day 12. I'm barely eating still, but i've found a few things that work. Taco bell refried beans are just mushy enough to get down. Mashed potatoes, with corn mixed in was heavenly! I still can't drink Coke, but Sprite works for me...odd. I still can't sleep without the humidifier on. My voice is almost back to normal. I haven't even taken tylenol in 2 days, and the ear pain is almost completely gone. I guess my only complaint is that I am having a bad craving for Chick-fil-a, and I know i could never choke down any chicken.

Do you have a cracker barrel near by? They got me through having my wisdom teeth removed... mashed potatoes.. corn bread... beans... mac and cheese..... mmmmmm I'm getting hungry typing this! :bouncing:

Has anyone had the laser surgery? I hear its less invasive than the cauterization surgery.... :confused: Im slated to have it done (the laser type) on Monday the 11th. Apparently there is only one type of machine to do that surgery in like 50 mile radius of where I live so Dr. Hottie (a fine speciman of a man) is having one delivered because he has three adult women who need to have this done...

I've stocked up on gum and am getting frozen pops this weekend -- any other suggestions?

Thanks,
Nooch

most of us here were unlucky enough to have to have the cut & burn method..ive heard the laser method is a "cake walk"... just a small blip on the radar screen of life. no blood, post op healing time DAYS shorter. well, gotta stop now, im gettin jealous..... :mad:

My doctor prefers suffering and endless pain, so I got mine done with a rusty spoon, i believe.

My doctor prefers suffering and endless pain, so I got mine done with a rusty spoon, i believe.

Wow -- then I guess I should be even happier that I got Dr. Hottie huh? Not only is he some eye candy for this 30 yr old widow -- but he's probably the only man Ill ever meet who's trying to save me some pain rather than causing it huh? :bouncing:

2 more days until i get a knife to my throat!!! after surgery are you warned to not eat very much because it will hurt so badly or because you can actually damage your throat? are there stitches that can pop or something? i'm so nervous...

I didn't have stitches. Just a big scabbed where they cauterized (burnt) the incision. I was told to eat whatever the heck I wanted -- But after the anesthesia wore off -- I didn't want to eat anything. Throat felt different and it hurt.

yep, same here. they tell you to eat whatever you CAN, just not red things, cuz it'll look like you're bleeding. If you have red tinged saliva, you and your dr. wanna know it's not jello you ate....so, to avoid any confusion, red things including drinks are out.
actually, after the surgery, you probably wont want to eat..... some of us didnt eat for over a week. NOT because you cant, but because you dont WANT to. Didnt have an appetite either. though i dont reccomend not eating, as i was so weak after not eating for over a week, that i couldnt even stand up. i shook like crazy, and the weakness was awful. so, try different foods, some work well for others, but may not for you. some people here ate chips, which was shocking cuz i couldnt even eat pancakes!! so, try different stuff till you find what causes the least discomfort...but do try to eat. AND DRINK LIKE YOU'VE NEVER DRUNK BEFORE!! Dehydration is a big risk with this surgery, and i suffered from it years ago, and it HURTS. imagine, every cell in your body SCREAMING for water............. :eek: IT'S THAT BAD!!

oh yea, GitaB.......... most of the ENTs dont do stitches anymore, now they burn the arteries closed. I know it sounds yucky, but MOST of us had little or no bleeding, which is well worth any yuckiness. In the old days, my ent said people regularly died from hemorrage with this surgery, as stitches just werent effective. they tore, or they take more time for the dr to put in, and while he's doing that during surgery, you're bleeding. this way, a quick burn, and the arteries are closed. less blood loss during surgery, and less of a chance they'll rip open afterwards. The only time people usually bleed is when the scabs fall off, and its supposedly a small amount. So small that IF i did bleed when the scabs came off, i didnt even notice. :bouncing:

my surgery was August 28th, and i well remember how nervous and scared i was. Unfortunately, i didnt find this board until days AFTER my surgery. i wish i would've found it sooner, it would've helped ease my pre surgery fears somewhat. so, i know exactly how you must be feeling. We're all here to answer any questions you may have about our personal experiences or about this surgery in general.... i'm glad you've found this board. i think it helps to read posts from people who've gone through the same thing you will be going through, and to hear their stories, the ups and downs, their advice, and most of all, that we all made it through. Some of us had an easier time than others, but we all made it or are making it through this......and at my 3 week checkup, my ent told me that it was healing normally, and that though the pain is gone, the healing process continues and could take months to be complete. Pain disappears slowly around day 10ish, the complete healing takes longer... somewhere around day 10, you should start feeling better, and wanting to eat more..... and gaining back all the weight you lost. :rolleyes: anyway, if you have any more questions, just ask. and post op, please let us know how you're doing when you feel up to it.

Can anyone compare the pain/recovery to an emergency c-section or sinus surgery where holes were punched and a deviated septum was repaired? Or what about extraction of impacted wisdom teeth??

Thanks, mazinn :)
We just got a new laptop at home so i'll be able to post from bed even! It wasn't purchased for that reason but i think it will come in handy.

Hey! I have another question for anyone who has time. I went to see a different ENT today, mainly for a second opinion. He recommended I have them out due to size and all, but he said he couldn't really say if having them removed would help the aching (not sore) throat and make it easier to swallow. I can feel one of my tonsils sitting on the back edge of my tongue all the time and when I swallow, I have to take it slow because it backs up into my nose since they're so big. Did anyone else gain relief from these symptoms after having them out? I have one ENT saying I'll definitely get relief and the other saying MAYBE I'll get relief. I'm just so scared to have them out and I keep thinking that maybe I'm doing the wrong thing, but I'm so exhausted all the time I feel like it will pay off in the the long run, right?? Any comments??? Please??? Thanks!! :confused:

i had one extremely fat tonsil that would cause me lots of trouble. first, it would get big, then shrink a bit, then get big again, and it was making it feel like i had a lump in my throat ALL the time. mine, too, was sitting right smack against my tongue.... i hated that feeling so much..i cannot say for sure, but i think it may have been so enlarged it pressed against my salivary glands or something cause i always had a painfully dry throat...ate cough drops like candy for some relief. now, i dont have that lump feeling, and i salivate like a mad dog :D i do still have a semi irritable throat(not sore exactly) which may be due to these viruses my daughter keeps bringing home from work. had a heck of a cold last week.... so, the jury's still out on whether the aching throat will be better, but i imagine it will. i'm very glad to have the lumpy feeling gone, and to have spit like normal people... :bouncing: who'd have thought anyone could get excited over saliva.

Can anyone compare the pain/recovery to an emergency c-section or sinus surgery where holes were punched and a deviated septum was repaired? Or what about extraction of impacted wisdom teeth??

Hi
To answer your question, unfortunately, in my case, this surgery was the worst i've ever had. I havn't had a c section but i've had a natural childbirth with ventouse after 19 hours of labour and impacted wisdom teeth removed. For the first week of recovery after my tonsillectomy i would have happily gone back to childbirth. I don't want to scare you and everybodys recovery is different(i got an infection after surgery aswell) but for a while you can't see any light at the end of the tunnel.
Saying all this, i'm now 10 weeks post op and i am ok. The only comment i can make is that in the mornings my throat is very dry and sore and it also feels as if i have a lump in the back of my throat. I think maybe that could be scar tissue?
Good luck. :)

My tonsils always felt full, heavy. And that nasty stuff would drain or drop out of them. I always had sinus headaches that would knock me for a loop -- make me dizzy and sick to my stomach and the next day my tonsils would feel even worse. Since I've had my tonsils out -- I rarely get headaches anymore. Went from taking sinus medication several times a day and purchasing by the bulk at the wholesale club to takin it once every month or so. Purchasing the stuff at the drugstore maybe once a year.

This was my first surgery, but the pain was much worse than I was expecting. I also gave birth without pain meds. I figured there was no way it could beat that, boy was I wrong! The pain is mostly manageable and once you make it through the first week, you'll start to feel like it's almost over. I promise it was worth it and I'm so glad I did it. You only have to get them out once!!

I just kept telling myself that it (the pain) wasn't going to last forever and that in a few months I'd forget all about it. Heck if my neighbor could go through bypass surgery, have his chest cracked open and rewired together -- I should be able to survive this. Didn't keep me from bawling my eyes out a few times 'cuz I felt sorry for myself. I too went through childbirth sans drugs.

;) Thank you Ratatosk! I appreciate the info and it helps me with my decision, although, I still may chicken out. I see my regular ENT on Monday and will probably go ahead and schedule it. I just get so tired of feeling them sit back there and ache. I hope it helps with my headaches too. I always feel like they come from my throat, sounds strange I know. Hopefully I can get this behind me and quit whining about it. Thanks!

I probably won't be on again until after surgery tomorrow. Thank you all for your support thus far!! I'll update you with my recovery when I can. For those of you who are praying types, I would appreciate some thoughts heavenward tomorrow and over the next few days.

Hey all day # 10 has by far been the best!!! I think this comes in large part from the fact that I got like 9 hours of sleep last night in one sitting. It was such a relief I can't even begin to describe it to you. Throat wise I have been trying to eat various things, mainly because of the rapid weight loss when I checked my weight yesterday I was down 20 lbs in 9 days....not good, so I decided to try and eat. I have found that bread is out of the question, for me it just get's kinda "gluey" I know that's not a word, but it's like as soon as I get it halfway down my throat it get's stuck and I have to get rid of it. I have been doing good with canned peaches, some pasta, and in a few minutes am going to try some tuna.

So far I think the weirdest thing for me is trying to "re-learn" how to swallow. I made the mistake of trying to guzzle water. I don't know what I was thinking I just knew I was mad thirsty, and I figured since I had the whole one sip at a time thing down to a science that I would try several in a row.....Well I got several in a row just some went down my throat, some went up my nose, and most went flying out of my mouth. Once I got over the initial pain I had no choice but to laugh at my stupidity. Just in case anyone else has a temperary laps of judgement, please don't try this at home! :jester:

Later all have a great night.

oh yeah, i had the swallowing phobia, too. i dunno, some things just kinda got ...stuck halfway down. bread is gluey, but even WORSE was pancakes...a definite no no. :eek: did anybody have a terrible cough from having that tube shoved down their throats? usually kids get it , so says my ENT. but i had an awful time ...coughing and even throat spasms...guess i have a little throat. anyhow, watch out for the "gluey" stuff.....and keep some water handy to help down anything that may get stuck.

Learning how to swallow was the worst -- especially when eating out or in public. 3 weeks after my surgery I had a luncheon meeting and I basically chewed very very slowly and took tiny bites 'cuz I was afraid I'd choke. And I was afraid if I drank anything, it'd shoot out my nose. My theory was that there's just all kinds of room back there now and you have to get used to it.

It is so comforting reading everyones posts. It is good to know that others are going through that same thing. I am on week 8 and still healing. I have a hole in the back of my throat and it looks like it will have to be stitched up....great more pain. Anyway I noticed that no one recommended an ice pack. I used one for the first 7 days constantly but was told later to use it for the first 3 days only and then use a heating pad after that. The heating pad really helps with the ear pain. Also I went back to the hospital the day after surgery because I couldn't keep any water down because I was gagging all the time. I have found personally that the more dehydrated you are the more painful the experience. I am so glad that I went back and got an IV for 3 hours...it was pure heaven!!! They also gave me something for the nausea which also helps you sleep at night :yawn: Also Italian ices are so much better than popcicles because you don't have to open your mouth so wide. One more thing...I bled (gushed blood) on the 7th day and I think it is because I ate one french fry and it cut off a scab. My ENT told be no solid foods for 10 days but I so missed regular food. I would also recommend rinsing with hydrogen peroxide...a [50/50] with water to keep everything clean back there and it also will slow down any bleeding. Good luck to all

Hi all! I survived the surgery yesterday. Really sore today but still able to eat only because of a determined spirit. Hurts like crazy. Drinking as much as possible... Still really weak, so this will be short. I'll write more when able...

This has been quite a ride so far. The worst part was when I was taking my medication and I was all alone in my room. The medicine went up my nose and I couldn't breathe and was choking. I couldn't make any noise to get someone to help me. I threw myself out of my chair and was crawling out of my room when my mom heard something and found me there gasping... so, my advice is have someone with you when you medicate and eat. That was a really frightening horrible experience.

Today doesn't seem to be worse than yesterday so I'm a little surprised by that. My jaw is stiffer today but it doesn't hurt more to swallow today that before. I decrease my hydrocodone by a 1/2 teaspoon and an still ok. I can't go past the 4 hour mark though.

Has anyone tried rinsing with salt-water? Seems like it might help all this slime to calm down.

What can I expect when the scabs come off? Will I know it for sure? And here is kind of a dumb question... I had surgery on Friday at 9am, so what day am I on now? Is this 3 or 4?

i am soooooo glad i had this surgery. i had mine done 2 months ago, and would do it again in an instant. my tonsils were massive, and i got tonsilitis a few times a year. i was up to 1000 mg of amoxicilin to try to get those things normal, but nothing worked, so out they went. no tonsils are fun, haha. thinking about having those gross things in my throat reminds me how bad i wanted them gone. recovery vary's, but for me, was 2.5 weeks of no solid food. pain scale for me, from 1 to 10, was prolly a 2 the entire recovery. if you've had strep or bad tonsilitis, then thats about what your gonna feel. i've had tonsilitis hurt more than the recovery, haha. the hardest part to deal with from surgery, was swelling. my uvula was ridiculous! i had to sleep sitting up for almost 2 weeks, because if i layed down, the huge uvula would swing back and i wouldn't be able to breath. good luck.

its all personal. i wouldn't go into this thinking it will be painfree, or very bad. take it day by day. cuz me, i had almost no pain, and some others have very bad pain. i drank water like crazy though. at least 10-15 bottles a day. the first 2 or 3 days, all i had was water and popcicles. after that, i was able to get pudding down, room temp broth, very soft mac and cheese, not hot. after a week, i moved to eggs and softer foods. mashed potatos are bad for me, cuz they are so sticky, that they would stick to my throat and hurt real bad. baby food is fun to have too, lol. cuz you taste all this good food like beef and veggies and all that, but ya don't even hafta chew, haha. plus that helps with vitamins and stuff.

Hello All.
I am a 39 female, and had my tonsils removed on August 10 th 2004, that is 20 months ago. It's the major pain I ever had. If someone told me what I had to go through I would have NEVER EVER do it again. Just after 10 days I could swallow smash foods!! Imagine the pain...
Now, October 12th I am still feeling bad. The thing is that it remained on my throat or tongue something that doesn't allow me to speak as before!! I pronounce some words that contain "o" for example in a very bad manner! I am not speaking as before the surgery and I am going crazy. I feel somthing in that area as tissue or something. The doctor told me it is not that but tissue tensioned, that maybe because of the tension after the surgery, the tissues remained in that way and he recommended taking something to reduce the inflammation. I took some medicines he prescribed me and a spray for the nose, but nothing happened!! he told me that if not, I will have to go to surgery again to ease that tension that remained in that part. I went to anoter doctor and he told me that no surgery was needed and he said that what I had was an allergy, specifically: "hipertrophy of tonsil of the tongue", and he prescribed me an antihistaminic for 10 days...now it is the day 7 I am taking it and the bothering is still there!
I am desperate and don't know what else to do...plus I search the web and I cannot find anything related to it, I bet it is because I don't know what to search for since I have no idea what I do have.
Can someone please help me relating some similar experiences or directing me to a website where I could ask some doctor about it?
Thank you so much for all your help-

Paola

interesting. i had my surgery on july 27, about the same time. and i also have a weird time saying words with "O" like hole, hold ect. i thought i was just a weirdo. i'll hafta ask my surgeron. i am seeing him in 2 days. but your not alone, i too have trouble with the "O" sounding words. kinda like they come out instead of hole its hhkoul right?

Question for anyone here... I had my tonsils out on 8/17 and I still have a rotten taste in my mouth. No matter what I do it won't go away. Brushing only masks it, gum is a joke... I have even tried using herbal mouthwashes and toothpaste (alcohol & suga free stuff). I still can't taste right because of this aweful taste in my mouth. I swear I cover my mouth when I talk to people, but most people I talk to say they don't notice bad breath. I brush my teeth up to six times a day, floss like crazy and chew gum when I can so others don't think I am slacking in the hygeine area, but it is rather annoying and embarassing.

I saw the ENT today and he said everything looks great. He said that sometimes your tongue suffers some damage. Has anyone else here experienced this? But if this is the case, then why do I have this aweful taste and when will it go away, if ever. I never had this kind of issue prior to surgery...

Thanks!!

i've also experienced some yuk breath after my surgery. been over 2 months. but, then again, i did quit smoking after surgery, and haven't started, so i'm used to have smokers breath, and now that i don't smoke, i think i realize bad breath more. i have a list of questions for my surgeon this friday, i'll keep you updated on what he thinks, and also about the "O" words. thats so annoying.

It took me MONTHS before I could drink coffee, probably well over a year before I could drink soda. Certain things just tasted off to me -- pizza, burgers -- like dirt or my throat still was sensitive and things burned.

It is 20 days for me now since my tonsillectomy and I am doing great! No swallowing pain or strangeness at all anymore. Scabbing is mostly gone. Only thing is that I still speak some words strangly, like my mouth has forgotten how to pronounce certain vowels properly or whatnot. Also, I often am getting liquid coming out of my nose if I swallow my drinks too fast. Anyway, I am not worried about it. I sleep much better at night now, and feel like I can breath better, so for the few weeks of tollerable pain that I had, the tonsillectomy was definitely worth it.

So, if there are people out there reading forums like this, remember that usually it's the people that HAVE difficulties that will come on and post about their experiences because they are looking for support. I would guess that a lot of people, like myself (at age 33 even), go through it with no difficulties, just inconvenience and a bit of pain. No big deal. I feel sorry for the people that really suffer with this.

I'm on day 5 now and still relying heavily on my pain medicine. Question about the appearance of my throat. It looks like it is covered is thick yellow gunky stuff... Is this normal? Even part of my little hangy thingie (which isn't very little right now) is partly covered in this stuff. What is it, how can I get it off? Is it terribly nasty when the scabs come off? Kinda nervous about it. Thanks Ylikone for your post, 15 days I should be in your shoes...

that yellow/white stuff are the scabs. do not do anything to try to get them off. you will cause severe problems. i had them on my very swollen uvula also. i dunno why, but they were there. drink water like crazy. thats the best thing you can do for yourself.

that yellow/white stuff are the scabs. do not do anything to try to get them off. you will cause severe problems. i had them on my very swollen uvula also. i dunno why, but they were there. drink water like crazy. thats the best thing you can do for yourself.
all of that is scabbing??? wow!! didn't realize my tonsils were that big... :eek:

i've been drinking tons of gatorade, water and broth. i've also forced myself to eat other things like soaked bread, crackers, baked beans, potatoes and corn, scrambled eggs and other slimy soft things. trying to avoid being terribly weak...

i just wish i could fast forward one week in time...

interesting. i had my surgery on july 27, about the same time. and i also have a weird time saying words with "O" like hole, hold ect. i thought i was just a weirdo. i'll hafta ask my surgeron. i am seeing him in 2 days. but your not alone, i too have trouble with the "O" sounding words. kinda like they come out instead of hole its hhkoul right?

Right Twisted II!!! i am going nuts, believe me. If I was an actress or singer I would have to sue the doctor!!!
Last doctor I saw he told me it was an "allergy" But the medicine he gave me did not have any effect on me.

Twisted II: please tell me what the doctor told you.
I will continue seeing other doctors...
Thanks for your post.

no problem, i'll let you know. it feels like the uvula is still swollen and thats whats causing the weird "O" words, but i can tell its not swollen anymore. very strange. i'll also ask a few friends i know that have recently had theirs out also.

Don't you feel as if the thing there swollen moves from its place? I mean at times I feel it in the right side, other days in the left, or down...
It's so weird...

How do the scabs come off? Is it all in one pieces or do they slowly just fall apart? I'm nearing the end of day 6 and everything looks the same still...

Hi GitaB!

I can't answer your question about scabs, but I was wondering how you are on day 6? Are you still in a lot of pain? I've been trying to watch your posts since I'm having mine out next Wednesday and I'm petrified. Let me know how you are progressing when you have the chance. I hope you are doing well. :)

the scabs will kinda dissolve off. you won't really notice "whoa, a piece just fell off!" but over a few weeks, you will see them dissolving slowly. you'll notice them looking pinker from thinning out, and eventually skin will show through. i still had some scab slush even after 3 weeks. don't rush it. faster they fall off, the more bleeding is possible. drink water. i can't emphasize that enough. it is by far the best thing you can do after this surgery no matter how bad it hurts.

jeff's girl ~ i wish that i could say that i'm well, but it has been more of a struggle for me than i anticipated. i'm still taking 4 tsp of hydrocodone every 4 hours and would like to take more. the ear pain is very intense after about 3 hours of taking medicine. i had one tonsil that the surgeon said was "recessed" so he really had to dig for it so that side (ear and throat) is especially sore. the other side that was more normal is quite good. i also had sinus surgery but that hasn't caused me any trouble. my doctor told me upfront that my throat/ears would hurt so much that i wouldn't notice the sinuses and he is definitely right! i've been drinking as much water as i can. about 1 hour after medication i try to slam down 20 plus ounces of water. i'm also doing popsicles and broth for fluids. i've been eating as normally as possible including corn, mashed potatoes, meatloaf, bread (dipped in broth), crackers (dipped in broth), jello, creamed chicken on biscuits among other things. it hurts but i went into this thing determined to not get dehydrated or terribly weak from not eating. i do have my moments in the middle of the nights when i'm waiting for time to pass to be able to medicate again and i think crazy thoughts, like something must have gone wrong, i'll have chronic pain in my ear forever and i'll lose my job and won't be able to support my family and other crazy twilight thoughts. i'm on day 7 now so i have to start turning the corner shortly. it is frustrating for me because i don't consider myself to be wimpy. i have a fairly high pain tolerance and have had surgeries before including a previous sinus surgery and wisdom teeth out, a c-section, i went through an ectopic pregnancy and some other physically challenging things but this has been the most physically intense. with a c-section, you don't have to breathe and eat through that opening... i just try to go hour by hour and am so thankful that i have my mom here to help and my sister is coming this afternoon also. it has been especially difficult since i have two small children (4 and almost 1). my husband has been watching the kids and mom has been feeding everyone and talking care of me. my husband returns to work today unfortunately... i'm so thankful i'm off until the 25th...

anyway, i'm hopeful in a few weeks i can post here and say that i'm so glad i did this surgery. right now it is difficult to keep focused on the ultimate outcome. it has taken lots of prayers, patience, tears and support to get this far.

just remember that everyone's experience is different. without that recessed tonsil, i think my recovery would have been much easier.

so what did the doctor tell you Twisted II?
This inflammation don't want to ease!!! I am so sad that I can't take it anymore.

holy ***** i totally forgot to ask. as soon as he walked in, he told me i was allegic to corn, which i eat all the time. then, i mentioned i saw another Dr for acid reflux, and he flipped out because hes heard about that guy, and warned me not to see him. sayin how the medical people in my area, would never associate with him and stuff. so my mind was all over the place. i'll be talking to him in the next few days, if not later today, and i'll be sure to ask him. ahhh, so much going on!

gitab..y'know, i read your one post right after you got surgery and all was going well, and i thought to myself "for now". with this surgery, for most people the problems gradually increase until days 4, 5 or 6.... those are the worst. 7 & 8 arent too great either. you seemed so optimistic early on, and i didnt have the heart to tell you the truth, plus, i had some hope that you would be one of those incredibly lucky few who say they breeze right through this. well, the GOOD NEWS is, you should start feeling like yourself by day 10 ish. day 10 USUALLY is some kind of turning point... you'll start to feel better. as for the scabs, FOR GOD'S SAKE, leave them there. if they come off too early, you will bleed. remember, those arteries they burn shut, are direct offshoots of your carotid artery, the main artery leading from your heart, you DO NOT want those things to bleed. :eek:

TO: the person whose id i cant remember who posted earlier and said her surgery was SOOOO easy:
i know there was one person who posted and said his or her surgery was a breeze, etc.... and i want you to know, that is NOT how it is for most of us. when i went for my 3 week check up, my ent told me there's still healing going on in there (even though the pain left on day 10)... he said it would be months till everything (arteries, ligament, tendons, muscles, nerves) completely heal. the pain ends around day 10, the healing continues.... he also told me this surgery is traumatic for the body and his exact words were "it's alot to go through". so, we are the "normal" ones, his or her surgery wasn't, and that person is so very lucky. I ALSO DO NOT FEEL LIKE I AM HERE CAUSE IT WAS SO AWFUL AND I NEED SUPPORT. i feel fantastic!! went hiking last week, going horseback riding monday.... i am here for the reason i feel that ALL of us a here... NOT for a pity party, but to share ideas, tips and advice, and for those of us who are all better - to answer questions. THATS WHY WE'RE ALL HERE .. that's why i still come back, even though i survived it and it's just a rather unpleasant memory. ... because the one thing i desperately needed before my surgery was information. and if i can help anyone else..... then it's my duty to do so. we're not trying to scare each other with horror stories, we're helping each other understand what is normal, what is not, and what to expect.

But...do you still have this swollen thing in your throat or not?
I don't even know the name of this so i could research it on the internet!
I am completely blacked out.

mazzin....you've only had your tonsils out ONCE just like everyone else. so lets not act like a tonsil expert ok? no one is saying "the surgery is a breeze, don't worry." we are telling how OURS went. mine was great, no pain, no nothing. did i EVER say this surgery was going to be a piece of cake for everyone? NOPE. did i EVER say that this is a blow off surgery, and its no big deal? NOPE. i've always given good advice on what to do, and always said that everyones different. thats all ANYONE can do. if you were such an expert on what the norm is, and what to expect, why were you here lookin for advice? give advice from your own experience, but don't tell me how to describe my recovery. it was easy, FOR ME.

twisted, you certainly are twisted. i have no idea what you're talking about. the post i was talking about was from YLIKEONE, or something like that.



honey, you dont need a tonsillectomy, you need a lobotomy!!!!!!!!! :bouncing: :bouncing: :bouncing:

lol, please no virtual agression!!!
we are here to discuss and find the truht about our tonsils and ex tonsils!!! lol

y'know, i just wanted to say to all you OTHER people out there that i really enjoyed the time i spent on this board, sharing stories and swapping advice, but i think it's a shame when people start having attitudes, cause that defeats the purpose of this board. TWISTED was NOT the post i was talking about...... the quote from ylikeone was:


So, if there are people out there reading forums like this, remember that usually it's the people that HAVE difficulties that will come on and post about their experiences because they are looking for support. I would guess that a lot of people, like myself (at age 33 even), go through it with no difficulties, just inconvenience and a bit of pain. No big deal. I feel sorry for the people that really suffer with this.[/QUOTE]


and, the problem i was trying to explain with this quote was that this person, ylikeone is basically saying that those of us who did NOT have great, spiritual awakenings from this glorifying experience DO NOT WANT PITY, AND FEELING SORRY FOR SOMEONE IS, IN FACT, PITY. ALSO, I PERSONALLY WASNT ON HERE LOOKING FOR SUPPORT, BUT IN FACT, FOR INFORMATION. now, i am only speaking for myself, but i do not need nor want pity. just some good old fashioned advice and information for people who've done this.

now, as for TWISTED, if he or she were man or woman enough, they would apologize for that very rude post, which i answered with a rude post, and i would also be willing to apologize. if not, oh well! HOWEVER, ANYONE WHO READS THE ABOVE QUOTE, WOULD HAVE TO AGREE, IT SOUNDS A BIT SANCTIMONIOUS. THE STUPIDLY AMAZIN PART IS THAT TWISTED, UNLESS I AM MISTAKEN, DID NOT WRITE THIS......... :rolleyes:

poala..did i get that right?? that thingy is a uvula... and mine did swell. ive read a couple of other posts from people who said there's swelled, too. one post i remember reading said there's was so bad that had to sleep sitting up. supposedly it slowly goes back to normal.. funny thing is, mine swelled more on my right side and that stupid thing was pushed the whole way over to my left side, it wasnt even in the middle anymore. :D oh, and sorry bout the little spat me and twisted got into. This board is about advice and info, not personal grievances. Let's all hope twisted agrees.

I just wanted to say THANKS :p to everyone who has taken the time to share their stories, good or bad, on the board. I have learned a great deal from everyone and even though my ENT is very informative, he hasn't had his tonsils out as an adult, so he can only give info about what he knows as a dr. and what his patients have related to him. I have worked in the medical field for the past 12 years, so I am fairly educated about procedures, meds, surgery, etc. but I still want to hear experiences from people who have been through it. I think we all know everyone has different recoveries, but it's nice to know what the extremes are and what to expect in general. I am scheduled for Wednesday and I am expecting the worst :( . I'd rather be prepared than unpleasantly surprised. Wish me luck and thank you Mazinn, Twisted, GitaB, Ratatosk and everyone else!!!

GitaB.
I hope you are feeling better. I am so sorry to hear things are going that well. Keep me posted when you can. :)

Jeff's Girl

Do you have any idea about the swollen throat that remains after the tonsils removal? How is that called? Does it have a name? Is it normal? How long would I have to bear it? Is it going to pass or not? One doctor told me that I need to go to surgery again, what can you sugest to me?
Thank you very much. :)

>Paola

Paola,

I'm not sure exactly what's swollen on you. Is it the uvula? Since I haven't had mine out yet, I can't personally relate yet. I do know a couple of people who had to have the uvula removed, but this was due to sleep apnea. I don't know that they had a swollen or enlarged uvula. I don't think they were having problems other than the sleep apnea. I'm really not sure how long the swelling lasts with this surgery and I'm sure it is different with each person. Any type of surgery can have prolonged swelling that is not considered abnormal. The tissues have been through major trauma and have to get back to normal and this can take months, but your doctor really needs to address this since he knows what the typical recovery time is. If he is suggesting more surgery, I would at least find another reputable ENT (or maybe two) and have them examine you too just to make sure they agree. Also, I don't know if you are into natural remedies but pineapple has an enzyme called bromelain that is supposed to be useful for reducing muscle and tissue inflammation. I have a friend that needed her tonsils out and found out about bromelain. She started eating fresh pineapple on a daily basis and she had no more problems. You can also take bromelain supplements if you don't want to eat pineapple. I tried it, but my tonsils are just too big and nothing seems to help, but it apparently helps for some people with inflammation and swelling. Of course, don't take my word for it. Look up bromelain on the internet and read up on it before you try it. I'm sorry I'm not of more help. I hope you can find something to relieve your problem.

thank you so much, jeff's girl. I like pineapple very much, I will try it :)
I feel as if everything there on my throat is swollen, one day is the right side, another the left, another the back of the tongue, but I don't feel the uvula swollen.

Paola,

If you try the pineapple, it has to be fresh, not canned. Apparently the enzyme is lost in the canning process so it won't do any good to eat preserved or canned pineapple. I love pineapple, too, so I just bought the fresh ones and cored and sliced them. It didn't seem to help but I sure didn't mind trying it since nothing beats a sweet fresh pineapple. ;)

Hello all..I am a 29 year old mom. Monday Oct 11 2004 I had my tonsills & adenoids removed. I also had a septoplasty for a deviated septum. I read up on the after effects on this site before surgery and I was scared to say the least. It definately was bad, but not as bad as I had imagined. Its much better seeing a light at the end of the tunnel, versus years and years of strep, sinus infections, endless antibiotics, and everyone thinking I am a hypochondriac. You guys know what I mean. I have Tylox for the pain, and it helps a bunch....Although I am very aware when its effects start to fade...haha....My ears hurt a little, but not as some of you have described. As soon as I awoke from surgery I felt pretty bad, but I ate breakfast the next morning, (eggs, applesauce) they kept me overnight, because I had so much done. Today is day 5 and I seem to be recovering ok....It is very important to try and eat.. doc said it would help the healing process and would help prevent so much bleeding later on. Thank god my husband has been off to help me, with the kids and to take care of me. He has been a real trooper and a life saver...I dont want to undermine the pain, bcz it is painful as an adult, but hopefully it will be all worth it in the end. Its been years and years of getting to this point, so I will keep everyone updated! :)

Colesmom~ I hope that your recovery continues so positively. Day 5 started ok with me and then gradually worsened. I'm up to day 9 now and the last few days have included increasing throat pain and unbelievable ear pain. Today is the first day that I'm stretching the time in between meds. I hope that you continue to improve so well, but if things get ugly over the next couple of days, you'll make it through. I'm looking forward to about a week from now. I should be quite good by then. Keep us posted on how you are doing!

GitaB~Thanks so much for your reply...Isnt it amazing how when your stuck at home in pain you just search for someone to understand your dismay...lol....I have been trying to space out my pain meds more and more..mornings are definately the hardest for me...Last night I actually slept through the whole night...I couldnt beileve it when I woke up at 630am! I was very happy about that...haha....My favorite thing to snack on from day one has been dry honeycomb...it sortof melts in your mouth, and helps the healing process....That doesnt mean it sure wasnt painful going down, but in the end I think it helped me....I have also loved my popsicles....a tried, and true favorite....This has definately been the hardest surgery I have endured....People just have no idea how hard this is on adults...and how long the recovery time is...So what all did you have done? Are you feeling any better today? I hope so..I know its hard...one day I just broke down crying, more from emotional stress than anything...its just so hard day after day...it wears on you, and it seems never ending....its a week today since my surgery, and I just hope I continue to improve..I actually felt ok after coming out of surgery, and got worse around day 2-3...I have had problems since my childhood, I was always sick with some sort of respiratory stuff, tonsillitis, or strep....but my parents couldnt ever get a doc to remove my tonsils for some reason...but after all I had this past year, they didnt have much choice...Im so glad...all this pain will be well worth it....Keep your head up and Im praying for you

Colesmom ~
I'm just really disappointed that I'm on day 10 and I'm not better than I am. It is certainly better than day 5 or 6 but I was working toward day 10 and I'm still in a bit of pain in my left ear. That side had a recessed tonsil and the doctor told me after surgery that there would be a bit of pain there because the tonsil was deep. He wasn't kidding. If my left side were like my right I'd be doing great. Plus, I still can't speak well. It sounds like like I've been crying really hard and that is kinda depressing. One week from today I return to work and I sure hope that a miracle occurs between now and then with my voice and my left ear. I was only able to space out my pain meds to 2.5 hours from 2 hours so that is a bummer too. I'm not a wimp either but this sure makes me feel like I'm the world's largest weenie. I've been setting my alarm over night to keep on top of the pain. I'd like to just try to sleep and see how I feel in the morning but I'm kinda of scared to do that too. I just don't know what I should do... I might call my doctor today because I'd like to try to just take extra strength tylenol instead of the hydrocodone but I'm not sure how to do that since the hydrocodone has acetemenophen in it too and too much of that can be really bad. Any suggestions anybody?? I'm trying not to get really bummed out and stay positive but I'm having trouble...

I don't think I really felt okay -- any improvement until day 12 or 13. I remember I had my surgery on a Tuesday and over the weekend before I was due to go back to work, I'd managed to eat a hamburger -- was finally able to sleep most of the night.

I went back to work after two weeks and I still couldn't really talk. I was hoarse. And I was tired. One of my tonsils was huge, too and the doc said there was a bigger hole on one side of the other. Basically I just wanted to be left alone -- not forced to talk. People kept visiting too see how I was doing and I couldn't talk and all I wanted to do was crawl in bed or sit outside on the deck where it was sunny and warm.

Ratatosk~
Boy can I relate to your post. I just wanna be left alone which doesn't happen with my two small kids... Thanks for helping me not feel so crazy...

Hi Folks,

My name is Elizabeth and I'm 29 years old. I had my tonsils out on October 14th and wished I had found this message board earlier. I am on day 5 and starving. I'm having a huge problem swallowing. Did any of you have to re-learn how to swallow? I find that if I don't keep my mouth open when I swallow, the fluid will go through my nose. Pretty right?! My tongue is still pretty swollen and bruised from the clamp so, I'm not sure if that's the reason why. The only thing I've had to eat is Jello. I've tried KFC mashed potatoes, pudding, baby food, Ensure drinks, I even tried a donut too. Nothing seems to go down easy. Actually I have to let the Jello hit the back of my throat and let the swallow reflex kick in. Is this what's supposed to happen? Needless to say I've lost 11 pounds in 5 days. Yeah that may sound great but I am sooooooo hungry. Plus I never realized how many commercials are about food!!

Overall, I feel fine. Tired because of the lack of food. My throat hurts when I try to talk or when the pain meds are wearing off. Does anyone have any similar symptoms? and can you give any advice on other things to try to eat? I was thinking macaroni elbows? Just to get something in my stomach.

Thanks! And if anyone would like to send me [ removed ] a response please do. I'm home for 3 weeks with nothing to do and of course, no one to talk to.

Elizabeth :wave:

~Hi all...So how is everyone today?..Day 8 for me and I am doing a little better every day....mornings are still pretty rough because I wake up in so much pain..but its not as bad as before....I am down to taking the tylox every 4-6 hrs just one capsule vs 2...those things made me dreadfully sleepy....I would take them right before I went to bed, and beileve me your body will let you know when you need more...you wont need the alarm...haha....your internal alarm will scream..wake up!!! Im dyin here...lol..but then you have to wait until they kick in again...but in a way Im glad I did so I could sort of learn to tolerate the pain a little more...just try and breath through it best you can...Try to eat anything you can...anything is better than nothing..I know it sux to swallow...beleive me do I ever know....especially the first few days bcz I had those tubes in my nose, and it hurt like hades to swallow.but doc had told me if I did what he said I would heal faster and I think he was right! just try to remember when you are eating that the pain is temporary and no pain no gain..as is "I have to deal with this crap alot longer If I dont eat" every time you swallow you are working the muscles you use to swallow and therefore helping them regain their original strenght..or at least that's what doc told me..I hope some of this is helping...If you cant force yourself to eat, drink lots and lots of water..you are still working the muscle and keeping yourself hydrated....It looks like the scabbinb in my throat is slowly becoming less and less....I guess that's a good thing..I have a dr appt 2morrow..so I will see what doc says...Im hoping everyone is doing better today than yesterday..that's about all you can hope for with this surgery...Also a good thing I feel has helped was purchasing a humidifier before my surgery..I have kept in running almost 24/7 and I really feel it has helped....keep you heads up guys.... :)

Hey all!
Going in for surgery early tomorrow morning. :( I'm expecting the worst and hoping for the best. I'm a nervous wreck. I wasn't this worried about giving birth! Well, I'm off to the store to stock up on frozen dinners for my family and soft, mushy things for me. :) Wish me luck and I hope everyone out there recovering is doing better today. Thanks for letting me vent.
js

Hi everyone. Day 6 and I am in worst pain than ever. Tried to eat mashed potatoes again last night. Boy am I paying for it. I've now learned don't eat anything with salt or else it will burn! Duh right? Anyway, I agree my humidifier has been a god send since I had the surgery. It too has been going non-stop. I have been trying to drink as much water as possible. As long as I'm awake, I take a couple of sips every ten minutes. This puts me at about 24 oz of water a day. I think I didn't get enough water yesterday and that's why I am in so much pain. It is really critical to get the water down. The more dehydrated you get, the worst the pain. But the worst the pain, the less you want to drink water. Viscious cycle....mind over matter at this point really. I am so surprised to see you guys are taking pills. My doc gave me a percocet elixir....but it burns like a you know what on the way down. I swear I'm like a two year old when I have to take it. But the burning lasts for a minute and I have relief for 5 hours. I really don't want to eat anything except Jello. What I really want is ice cream but, my doc said no dairy :nono: . Oh well fellow sufferers, chin up...We will definitely get through this. Hell it's a lot better than getting a cold/flu/strep everytime someone sneezed in the office. Ciao!

I would sit at the table with a tepid glass of water and follow each bite with a drink. I sorta mashed the food around with my tongue and guided it down my throat slowwwwly, so I wouldn't choke and gag. Would take me a lot longer to eat, but at least stuff didn't shoot out of my nose and the water seemed to help ease the discomfort.

hey jeff's girl!! best of luck ...everything should be going right...
:jester:

Had a scare this afternoon. :eek: I started to bleed....a lot. Just like that with no warning either. I went to see my doctor and what I thought was enough water intake wasn't.

For those of you recovering, it is crucial to get a lot of water. I thought 24 ounces was enough...try tripling that. My doc said 4 ounces every hour is minimum. Well I learned my lesson. Also should you start to bleed, have crushed ice ready and add a little bit of water....just so you can hold it against the back of your throat. This will cause the wound to contract and stop the bleeding. It's really scary but don't panic and call your doctor. They'll want to make sure everything is okay. And if the bleeding doesn't stop after 2-3 minutes...call your doctor and head to the emergency room.

Hope this helps you.

P.S. Good luck Jeff's Girl...you'll do fine!!

Hi everyone... did anyone else have withdrawal symptoms after getting off hydrocodone? I'm so weepy, keep yawning like crazy, my nose won't stop running and I feel so weak and unable to cope... I stopped the Hydrocodone this morning at 6:30 with only a 1 tsp dose. I had been doing one tsp every 2.5 hours over night so I just stopped this morning. The pain is manageable with tylenol but all of these other crazy symptoms are making me feel really nuts!! I called the doctor office and they thought I shouldn't have any trouble just switching to tylenol. I also talked to a pharmacist who agreed. But these other symptoms are so not like my personality. I looked it up online and I have typical withdrawal symtpoms that I guess can start after only 1 week of use. I'm so sensitive to medications, normally cold medication is too much for me so I shouldn't be surprised that a drug like this has its aftereffects.

Lizzbeth~ Thanks for your post. I think I'll go get something to drink now :)

LIZZBETH......did the doctor say why you started bleeding? was it because you werent drinking enough or is it just one of those things that would've happened no matter what.

Zahav...the bleeding was caused by my dehydration. When you don't drink enough, it makes the scabs dry too. When that happens they can split really easily. Similar to dry chapped lips can split and bleed. But out of those small splits can come a lot of blood. My throat was actually starting to feel better yesterday until the bleeding started. Then it was back to day one with a raw throat.

oh gee... :eek: i had my tonsillectomy a few months ago, so i'm all better now, but my ENT also said drink alot to keep your throat moist. He didnt explain about the scabs, though. If he had, i would've drunk six times more than i did. i was SO SO SO terrified of the bleeding. That is such great advice for those who are going through this surgery now. My ENT said about half or slightly less than half have a bleeding episode. that percentage would probably shrink a bit if more people knew why it's so important to keep that throat, and those scabs, moist. When mine came off i never noticed, though every few days i would have a sort of "relapse"... meaning my throat pain would be almost gone, then flare up slightly for a few hours to a day, then ease again. until the next time. I SUSPECT that when the pain flared up a scab had come off and i just hadnt noticed. maybe when i was sleeping, or eating........and the pain was from that new, tender skin being exposed for the first time. anyhow, great advice from LIZZBETH about those liquids....

Zahav, how are you feeling? Don you feel yout throat as before the surgery or not? As I said previously, my tonsils were removed on August 10th and I still feel an inflammation in the area. No pai, but something that doesn't let me speak correctly as before. That is, I cannot say correctly the letter "o" for example or words formed with that vocal. Twisted II in this board had the same problem. Are you experiencing something similar?
I already saw 2 doctors but no one is hitting the right diagnose not even cure for it. One said the tissues are tense, the other it is an allergy. Go figure. Maybe sugery again.
Thank you

Paola

Paola,
Hi, I had my surgery on the 4th August. I still feel 'something' in there all the time. Everytime i swallow i feel as if i've got a lump down there. I think it must be scar tissue? Also in the mornings my throat is very dry and the 'lump' feels bigger. Is it the same for you? I think really its still healing, even after all this time. It takes months to be back to 'normal'.

See??????!!!!!!!! Here we have another one! That's right, laura30...I thought I was the only one with that "thing" in there...it feels as tissue swollen...the "lump" as you call it, gets bigger after I do physical activity, running for wxample...it gets huge...sometimes I cannot even talk, I feel as if I could not breathe. But...does everyone remain with the same thing after surgery? I didn't read people here that had that thing there...did you see a doctor, laura30? how long would I have to suffer this? It gets smaller sometimes, sometimes bigger...seems no cure at all...

Paola
I havn't seen a doctor about my throat for weeks, only because i know what they would say. I asked my dentist though! He said it would be scar tissue, so i'll go along with that. I have to admit its not as obvious as it was. I'm not a very 'athletic' person, so i don't know what would happen if i ran. I know that it seems 'bigger' when my throat is dry, especially in the mornings. It doesn't have any effect on my speech though. I do think that it will eventually disappear if not get so small that you forget about it. Remember, it was only just over 2 months since we had our surgery. Its such a delicate part of your body that its bound to take time to heal. Also it gets used every minute of the day so it doesn't have time to just 'chill out'!

Hi all! Did anybody have a dry choking type cough starting around day 12? It scares me because it comes on really fast and I cough and cough and cough and it feels like my neck will pop open. I have a call into my ENT to see if I can use cough syrup or cough drops or something to make this stop.

Hey ya'll
Well, I survived the surgery and I'm home now. It wasn't as terrible as I had thought it would be. I didn't get nauseated at all, which was my biggest fear about this whole thing. The pain is bad, but controllable. I know this won't be the worst day though, so I'm not getting my hopes up, but I am relieved to have the surgery done. Thanks for letting me whine and ask questions. I'll check in later.
;)

Jeff's Girl,

Congrats! I'm glad you came out okay. Make sure you get lots of water. I'm like a pusher now :-) Drink..it will make you feel good. Even though you won't want to swallow, the water helps you heal faster. Plus you're going to feel like you've got huge globs of phlegm stuck all over the place. The water will help break it up...along with your humidifier. You'll get through this!!!

yea, like some of you have mentioned, i too have trouble speaking some words. i am homeschooling my 13 yr old son, and he gets such a kick out of this.... its become something of a game with us. i say a word wrong, he makes fun of me, then i tease him by saying he shouldnt make fun of handicapped people cuz i cant speak since my tonsils were ripped out. seriously, if i had a job outside the home, this would be a problem. do you think this is cuz of scar tissue? also, a family friend i hadnt seen for a while after surgery was TOTALLY shocked when she heard my voice for the first time afterwards. she said my voice sounded totally different. when i saw my ENT 3 weeks post op, he said that though the pain was gone, i would be in a state of ongoing healing for another month, maybe more.

Hey!

Yes, it's 3 am and I'm wide awake. The pain is not bad at all as long as I'm on my meds (so far) but the hydrocodone doesn't make me sleepy at all. It makes me feel like I could paint the house inside and out or something. Also, I've been drinking so much, I can't stay out of the bathroom! Did anyone else have problems with urinary retention after the anesthesia? It takes me forever to go to the bathroom and it still feels like I don't get everything out. TMI I know, but it's driving me crazy and I'm wondering how long it lasts. It supposedly a common problem after surgery, but I can't find anywhere where it says how long it lasts. I have drank like there's no tomorrow, so I'm staying very hydrated. Maybe that's why the pain is easy to keep under control. Of course, I'm not even on day 2 yet, so I know there are rougher days ahead but I'm trying to stay ahead on drinking so maybe I can get through them too. I hope everyone else is doing well and sleeping better than me! So long for now.
:yawn:

Oh, Zahav...so I am knowing more people here that have the same problem...
One doctor told me I have an hypertrophy of the tongue, that is tissue on theback of the tonguethat doesn't allow me to pronounce some words correctly. What I really don't understand is why after excerising hard the tissue back there grows...then after a while comes back to normal.
Same with me. I am stock market trader and if I had to see clients I would be f....up (sorry for the word :nono: ), or else find a new job...

Hi everyone. I am new to this board and I have read every single post and I am thrilled at the wealth of information I have found. But I think I am the oldest person on this board. I am 50 and if my insurance company approves it I will be having surgery the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.

I have to say I am terrified. I am a smoker and I also love my coffee. After surgery I am afraid of the pain and withdrawals from my two vices. Are there any other smokers or coffee lovers out there? If so, how did you get through this?

One more thing. Has anyone tried Ensure to keep nutrients in the body and if so does it help with the weakness? I HAVE to go back to work on Day 9 and I am very scared of that. I do escalated software support so I don't really have to talk too much but I do have to think clearly so I don't destroy a client's data.

Thanks so much for everyone that shares information. It is so appreciated. :angel:

You may feel so rotten you won't want to smoke. Seriously, I can't answer the smoking part, but I am a coffee addict and I didn't want to have ANYTHING to do with coffee. Made my stomach turn. I love my coffee hot and I suppose part of it was I couldn't handle hot stuff and it didn't taste all that great to me. Surgery does weird things to your sense of taste. Suppose if need be you cold drink tepid coffee :)

You may be able to go back to work -- my problem was I was just so tired, wiped out. I was good for an hour or so and then I needed to go take a cat nap. Other thing that was stressful was people asking me questions. Took a LOT of energy to try and talk and was so frustrating. As far as ensure, I didn't worry about nutrition 'cuz I knew once I started being able to eat, I'd be able to gain all that weight back. Although I did have DH take me to the DQ for icecream every afternoon.

dbaum-

I don't know about going back to work after day 9. I think the older you are the more recovery time you need. But you never know...everyone heals differently. As for the Ensure, I stocked up with it before my surgery. I tried one after...boy way too thick. Then I tried watering it down...bad move. Now I don't even want to smell it. To be honest...the Ensure and ice cream had a weird reaction in my mouth. I could taste both initially then I would have this awful (I mean really, really rank) after taste.

But try it and see. I usually kept Ensure in my desk at work in case I couldn't get lunch. I loved them...especially the chocolate because it tastes just like chocolate milk! For me not eating is the answer. That after taste is with me constantly...such a big turn off :yawn: I just can't wait until this is all over. I have been watching so much tv and I can't believe all the commercials about food I can't eat! It's driving me bonkers...lol.

DBAUM.. well, as far as i know, i guess i'm the closest to you in age, im 41. Ive been reading the posts of these younger people and it seems to me that age isnt what really makes a difference ..... people react differently, and heal at different rates no matter what age they are. I would say however, that since you and i arent spring chickens, it's very important to be healthy.. and i dont mean in regards to carbs, fat content and all that dieting stuff. I mean healthy in regards to your immune system.