Adult Tonsillectomy & Adenoidectomy Surgery - Part III is continued here.

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Boy is this one popular topic. I hope everyone finds their way and we meet up again. It's too close to surgery be losing touch with you guys now. :bouncing:

I found it!

I really don't know why Doctors cant be honest and tell their paitents the truth about the pain and the recovery. My ENT told me to expect to be out of commission for 2 weeks, and he was right on the money. The first week is horrible, but gets better with tiny baby steps every day. It has been 16 days for me since my surguery, and I still wake up every morning with a very stiiff and sore throat. I still use my vaporizor every night and find I can't open my mouth all the way to yawn. Day 6 after my surguery was THE WORST day of my life, but I made it thru. The only advice I can give anyone is to drink as much as you can...I was in so much pain even drinking water hurt and I did not push it...and I wound up in the ER! Even if its just baby sips, drink! My ENT told me not to worry about eating, and just to drink as much as possible. I forced myself to drink a Boost or Ensure every morning,,that helped a lot too..Helps to drink or eat 30 minutes after taking your pain meds too!

I feel for all you new guys going in for surgery soon....Good luck!

Sashapy--I must have missed your trip to the ER? What happened? Was it caused by not drinking enough? That must have been frightening.

To the person worried about the lymph-nodes I had the same problem because of the tonsil problems and my ENT told me that they (the nodes) take a long time to shrink after an infection and said the sometimes it will take months to go down. As for the pain after you wake up after the surgery it isn't that bad at all seeing that you are on morphine!!! For me the worst came on the next day because I was totally dehydrated. Charleton you are soooooo lucky that you get to be in the hospital hooked up to and IV for a couple days. That really helps keeping you hydrated. :angel:

Damaja--Yes being on an IV is very good. Unfortunately we get sent home after a couple of hours and we must begin to drink constantly and immediately. Geez, I hope I can get through this.

Hey there, found my way to the new thread. I am still in freak out mode. I also will be sent home the same day, I actually wish I was staying overnight.

Damaja - Thanks for that, I guess we are lucky in a way to be kept in overnight. Also, thanks for the info about the lymph nodes. After the operation isdone, I guess it really will be a long road to recovery and time that patience will be needed. Have you just recently had your operation then? I cannot remember.

dbaum - don't worry. I am the World's biggest wimp, when it comes to this pending operation, so if I can do it, you can. Honest! Actually, whilst at the hospital a couple of months ago, I saw a lady waiting to be picked up to leave the hospital, who had just had her tonsils out the previous day. She was fine! I asked her loads of questions and she was talking to me (albeit, in a whisper) and she opened her mouth to show me the scabs. (Ewww! is all I can say.) But she said she woke up, no bleeding, and asked for some water to drink. She said 3 others were on the ward with her, who had their tonsils out too, the same day, and they were fine too, no bleeding, and were itching to go home.
She did, however, tell me that no one ate their toast!

Charlatan--I am a big chicken about all of this. But, I guess we just have to suck it up and get it over with and then complain and whine to everyone on this board. :p

Hey, I think I am the biggest chicken and unfortunately I'm the first of us three that has to go in :eek:

I stayed up half the night thinking about whether I really want to do this to myself. Again. Today the idea of swallowing problems from the surgery is what is getting to me, because I already have swallowing problems. But that's related to the tonsils to begin with, isn't it? :confused:

Oh I didn't realize you were the first to go. What is your date?

Charlatan, what's yours?

Mine's April 12

Mine is the 5th. They're supposed to call me tomorrow and let me know what time it will be and when to get there. They told me they do it by age, and the oldest one having surgery that day goes first. So they said I will probably be the first one for the day. Joy. Have to drive to a clinic an hour and a half away to be butchered first thing in the morning, can't wait.

Hey, I think I am the biggest chicken and unfortunately I'm the first of us three that has to go in :eek: :

Then you're no chicken, you're a guinea pig! :)

I'm sure we'll all be fine. Just make sure we all come back on here, as soon as we feel able to post.

Ariane--I hope you have someone driving you home after this is over. I can't imagine you will be able to drive very well.

My Mom will be driving me home. She's pretty much the only one that doesn't think I'm being a hypochondriac over all of this, so I am very grateful she will be going with me and staying with me for a few days. Thank goodness for Moms :)

You're right, Moms are the best. My Mom would be here but she's going on a cruise but she's coming down to stay with me afterwards. So, I'll be in week 3 of recovery when she comes down. At least I'll be able to talk to her somewhat. I will probably be working from home part of that week. I have 2 weeks off thank goodness. :bouncing:

Yeah, seems a long way to your hospital there, Ariane, but at least you have your mum on side for you.
My mum had her tonsils out when she was 19, but back then,they automatically kept you in hospital for 10 days. She said that, for the most part, she was just bored and wanted to leave and the pain wasn't that bad. They didn't do cauterization then, so she just had stitches. Because she doesn't recall the whole thing being a big deal, she thinks I'm being a big baby now.
*Divorces mother* :rolleyes:

PS - I have to switch off now, to try and fit a new power supply unit in my PC, and since I have no idea whatsoever what I'm doing, I'll probably bugger it up and you won't see me again for a while. lol

He said he could do it at my local hospital but he would prefer to do it at this clinic instead because it uses ultrasound. He says it will leave less scarring and cause less pain. So I decided it would be worth it for one trip, my followups will be in his office closer to my home. I'm sure I'll be pretty out of it on the way home so it probably won't be too bad.

It sounds like I'm having the coblation procedure, but I don't know much about it. What type are you all having?

I asked my ENT about coblation because the recovery is supposed to be easier. He told me he does not use it because sometimes it does not get all of the tonsil tissue and they can grow back. He also thinks the risk of bleeding is a bit higher. But, he may be saying that because he prefers the method I am having.

I am having electrocautery. :eek:

I'm having the same as dbaum. I did ask the ENT bloke about other methods, as I read that coblation is meant to be less painful, but he said there's no actual proof of this being true and that they only do electrocautery.

dbaum, I take it you will get stitches, too?

Charlatan--Actually my ENT just cauterizes the area. He didn't mention stitches but I have my pre-op appointment on the 6th so I'll have all the details for you. ;) I would think if the tonsils are huge, and he has to really go deep to get them out, that he would uses some stitches.

Have you heard from BF yet?

You know what? i would ask him for stitches too, just to be on the safe side :eek:

So you go for your pre-op when I'm in getting the suckers out. Aww.
Yeah, I've heard from him. He's currently working his backside off, trying to get this job done so he can get on his flight on sunday. Bless him. Will know more tomorrow.

Wow dbaum, I didn't know that. My ENT just kind of blew right by the bleeding stuff with a 'only happens to 1 in 100' statement. Now I'm even more scared. Not so much about the bleeding, I'll face that if/when it happens. But about them growing back! :eek: I wouldn't want to go through this a second time for anything! :(

Charlatan--Your BF must be a real sweety to go through this and be there with you so you can whine. :-)

Ariane--Don't get to upset about what I said. This is coming from my ENT who does not like to do coblation. You know some of that is coming from him justifying his method of choice.

And my doc prolly told me cauterization is best, just cos that's all he can do! LOL!
Actually a 1% chance of bleeding ain't bad, if that's right, cos I got told 5% chance, for cauterization. 1% needing to go back to theatre for re-stitching.

Ya think us 3 are soon gonna fill up this thread??

Yep I think we pretty much own this thread. :D We've just started. Just wait until we really start whining and moaning.

I'm just glad this forum is here. It's the best!!!

Hey y'all :D

We sure are moving right along with the posts! That's a good thing. The more mutual support the better.

I had the bovie/electrocautery method and had no bleeding afterward. I wouldn't ASK for stitches--your doc will use them if needed, but they make recovery a little harder...and they do nothing to decrease your chance of bleeding. I had my tonsils out when I was 8, (remember that I'm 67 now) but they grew back and became a real problem developing a crypt that filled up with really yukky gunk that would leak out and cause horrible breath as well as causing reflux. When the doc removed the tonsilar tissue he sent it to the lab and it was filled with fungal and bacterial matter. I had a chronic infection for years before they figured out what was causing it. When they grow back they don't look like the tonsils that you had before.

Just remember to keep hydrated--drink and drink some more! Keep sipping all day long and use your humidifiers when you sleep. You WILL sleep with your mouth falling open--partly because you are drugged with pain meds, and partly because your throat and uvula will be swollen. This will pass and you will have a much easier time breathing while sleeping.

Charlatan, we are sending good thoughts that your boyfriend will make it to be with you post surgery. :)

I'll be here when you 3 go in for your procedure. Ask anything and I'll help in any way I can. Just don't run away when they are ready to take you into the operating room! :eek:

Just don't run away when they are ready to take you into the operating room! :eek:

I can almost see myself doing that. I am waffling quite a bit, sometimes I want to back out and other times I would do it tomorrow if I could. Yesterday was my last day of the liquid antibiotic and I still can't taste anything. And now my sore throat has come back and I have a fever, and I'm as tired as always. If my strep returns will the ENT still operate or will he cancel it?

I can almost see myself doing that. I am waffling quite a bit, sometimes I want to back out and other times I would do it tomorrow if I could. Yesterday was my last day of the liquid antibiotic and I still can't taste anything. And now my sore throat has come back and I have a fever, and I'm as tired as always. If my strep returns will the ENT still operate or will he cancel it?
If you are running a fever it is doubtful that the surgery will happen. Call your doctor first thing in the morning to see if there is something else that he can order for you that might be more effective for your situation. May not be strep--

Hi Shipsbelle, thanks for the answer! I will call the doc tomorrow. It isn't a high fever, and it comes and goes but I feel like I'm burning up all the time and then when I take my temperature it's only a low fever or none at all sometimes.

How did you keep yourself entertained while you were recovering and not able to do much? I'm trying to think of things I can do while I'm not in the worst pain stages but don't feel like being up and around either. I don't have a laptop, so the computer won't be much distraction. At this point I'm thinking of stocking up on a few movies and books.

Also, how affected was your sense of taste from the surgery and for how long has it been/was it like that?

Hi Ariane05 :D

Keeping myself busy-- hummmm. Well, you won't be staying in bed--there is no need for that. You can go on the computer, watch movies or TV or read. Reading while you are taking the pain meds is hard to do--can't concentrate or remember what I read!

You'll doze off a lot for the first couple of days, then your wake/sleep schedule should start to be more normal. DO try to wean yourself off the pain meds as soon as possible. Usually by the third day they stop working anyway. Tylenol is usually effective.

You can resume your normal activities (not sports or going to the gym) as soon as you feel like it. In fact, you don't want to get into the "invalid" mode and mope around the house. Sure, your throat will hurt, but it's been hurting for a long time before the surgery, right? This is a different kind of hurt, but it is an evolving kind of pain that doesn't stay the same every day. You will be getting better, then the next day you might feel worse--it's the nature of this healing process as your tissues regenerate and the cauterized skin sloughs off.

Anesthetic can affect your taste...doesn't matter what kind of surgery you have. In my case, things tasted differently, but I could still taste. I didn't have a terrible taste in my mouth after the surgery like some have reported on this thread. You need to brush your teeth and gently swish warm water in your mouth. DO NOT gargle! That can cause the scabs to come off before they are ready and could cause bleeding. Food tasts perfectly normal now, 3 months after the surgery. I have no after effects at all. :)

Hello - was there a posting party?

I'm on day 8 of recovery -

Sashappy – I agree about the PAIN – the evening of the 7th day was the worst – I got no sleeep… NO sleep – most of the scabs were coming off and it was the first time I realized the pain of this procedure. I was reduced to eating ice chips againg and sipping water. I'm telling you the pain meds didn't stand a chance - Everything hurt! I don't mean to scare you three that are heading into it, but God bless each of you.

On the flip side - at about 7am , with no sleep, the pain was gone! Completely gone! I was able to eat chicken & veggy soup for lunch and a nice salad and soup for dinner. I ended up working a full 8hr day and was able to go out shopping in the evening. Also, My voice returned to me today for a short while, but it was nice to talk!

Damaja – Good point on staying hydrated – I had to stay the night after surgery hooked to Ivs and let me tell you how overhydrated they kept me. I could hardly sleep - my bladder was filling like a ballon on a faucet! So - Enjoy your hospital stay...

Ariane--If you are like me the surgery will go on. I have had a low grade fever for a few years and in the past year I have a constant high white blood count. The Avelox (antibiotic) my ENT gave me didn't touch it. The WBC is still high that's why he pushed up the date for surgery. Originally I had scheduled this for June but as soon as he saw the test results he told me to push it up. So, here I am. :eek:

Shipsbelle--I really don't want to go through the pain, however I want to feel better so I will tough it up and get on with this. I will be interested in see what the pathology results are for these nasty things. :-) Even though you are over your surgery it is so very, very sweet that you still stop by and check in on us.

Charlatan--I'm keeping my fingers crossed about BF

I do have a question--How soon, immediately after surgery should you start drinking and chewing gum? Should I be doing this in the car on the way home and then never stop?

Ahh.. thanks for your posts, everyone. It all helps.
I asked my doc about infection before the operation and he told me that they'll still go ahead with it, unless it's really bad and the tonsils are covered in pus, or whatever. So I guess it should be alright, unless it's real bad.

I'm worried about the throat swelling thing now. lol! Does it swell much? Only, docs have always told me I naturally have a tiny throat anyway. =(
Hope I'll breathe OK afterwards.
Crikey, I'm nervous now. You must be, too, Ariane. How you doing?

Alright Charlatan it's time for you to find your "happy place" and take some nice, deep breaths. Relax, relax, relax, relax. At least try. ;) We're all going to be fine!!!

Hehe! I am trying, dbaum, believe me! I'll relax a bit more, when the BF says he's boarding that plane for London, I think. I keep shaking with nerves now. Belly's doing somersaults. :rolleyes:
Got some diazepam to take the day and night before THE day, anyway. Hopefully that'll keep me calm enough til I get into the hospital and maybe they can gimme summat there to calm me, too. Sheesh.. wish I were a kid again. Ignorance is bliss.
I'll try and post positive stuff afterwards, on the run up to the 12th, then we all can feel free to moan, grizzle and whine and it will be too late for anyone to back out then.

LOL--You are going be just fine, I just know it Charlatan. It's April Fool's Day and we are no fools. We are doing what we need to do to feel better. At least that's what I keep telling myself. :bouncing:

I have to go to work but I will still try to pop in and see how everyone is doing.

Where did everybody go? Don't tell me you ran for the hills and left me here. :eek:

Hi there, I'm glad you are so upbeat today dbaum :) I just called the clinic and got the time of my operation and it will be first thing in the morning like I expected.

I am getting more nervous somehow, I haven't eaten anything today and I barely ate yesterday. I called my doctor about the sore throat and low fever this morning and the fact I'm having some ear pain again, but he said unless it gets very bad the surgery will still happen.

Charlatan I do hope your boyfriend will make it, I don't think you should be alone for the first several days so I really hope he can make it!

Ariane--You're going to do fine. Please eat because pretty soon you won't be able to. At least you have an early morning appt. I don't know exactly what my time is, but I do know they take kids and babies first.

We're all here for you and you will feel so much better this time next month. As for the fever and stuff, I always have that. That's the big reason for this surgery. The antibiotics just don't work any more.

Hang on, take a deep breath. Or better yet--treat yourself to a new pair of pajamas and slippers and then go out and eat your favorite food. :bouncing:

Ariane, have you eaten yet?? It doesn't have to be huge great meals, snacking is a good idea. You will need all the strength you can get, come next week.
You WILL be fine... as dbaum said, imagine how great you'll feel this time next month! :cool:
I think going through all this will make us all stronger people. And, of course, we're all going through it together, and can help each other out via the boards when we feel really bad.

Try and look beyond April. No more sickness!! YAY!!!!!!

I think my BF is coming, afterall. Will see how much work he gets completed after today,though.

Oh Charlatan I do hope BF will be there. Will you have time to have a small celebration before you have your surgery?

Oh that's wonderful, I'm so glad he will probably make it there to help you out and be with you through this Charlatan. Keep us posted when you know for sure.

I haven't eaten yet, no. I still can't taste anything from that horrible liquid antibiotic and it's kind of ruined a lot of plans I had to eat all my favorites all I could all weekend, so I'm kind of indifferent to food right now.

I think my biggest fear today (yep it changes every day now) is that the tonsils will grow back. I'm just a bundle of nerves, I think I'll be begging them to knock me out as fast as possible Tuesday morning before I have a chance to run away.

Ariane, please do something to take your mind off of this. Do you enjoy shopping or even just window shopping? Treat yourself to something special, you are worth it. Treat yourself like a queen!!!

Ahh.. ear pain. I have that most of the time, on and off. Any throat pain will radiate to the ears. Blimey, how nice it will be to finally be rid of all this!!!!
My BF phoned just a couple of hours ago. He said, "I've just clinched a $50,000 job, and so won't be coming. Yer on yer own for the surgery."
I said, "Hmmm... lemme check my calendar.. yup.. April 1st." HAHAHAHA!!!
I don't know what the chances are of the tonsils ever growing back, Ariane, and even IF they do, it could be 50 years away, and they might only grow back very tiny. I know yer scared. I'm pooping my pants, I tell thee!!!!! I don't think it's really even hit me yet. It won't do, until I am actually inside that hospital.

Thanks so much for your concern dbaum. I will be ok, I will eat something soon. I'm so glad I found these boards, it is sooooo helpful to read the old posts and see what to expect and what others have been through, and to know that others are going through what we are going through. I can't quite put it into words adequately but it's been a tremendous comfort.

I am sure all of our surgeries will go fine and we will feel much better in a few weeks. I know this logically, but I am still nervous :) I am a little depressed about the timing of it all. My birthday is in a couple of weeks and I am supposed to start a class on the 11th and it looks like that isn't going to happen now. I know there really isn't a good time to go through a surgery like this though, but it's disappointing all the same, if that makes sense.

You're right there's never a good time. But just think how good you will feel afterwards. After my surgery I have a roofer coming out to fix some shingles that have gotten blown lose. It was the earliest appointment I could get. They will be out on day 7 after surgery. That should be real fun.

I know what you mean about this board. It is just awesome and very active so you will always find someone to chat with.

You hang on, my friend, we'll be here!!!

Hi everyone! Day 12 here. It's going great and getting better every day. I still have a little soreness in the mornings but it quickly goes away. There are times when I feel like there is something stuck in my throat which I assume is the scabs coming off. A lot has come off but I still have quite a bit back there. I'm also trying to figure out what it's going to look like back there when it's all healed. It looks so strange to me after seeing only tonsils for so many years.

Dbaum, I think it was you that asked if you should drink right away after surgery and I say yes. If you are like I was you will be dying for a drink. After not having anything from midnight on I was soooo thirsty when I woke up. They did make me wait about a half hour though. I think I drank 3 small cups of ice water, then I took a cup of ice with me for the trip home.

Hi Mom22--We sure needed to hear from someone like you today. There are 3 very nervous people on this board right now. But, to hear you are doing well on day 12 is wonderful news.

What are you able to eat now? Also, how soon did you start chewing gum?

Thanks for the info on the water. I'll start immediately and never stop. :D

Hi Mom22.. So happy that you're doing just fine. The scabs are taking a long while to come off though, hey? But you're almost there now!

Well I just popped out to the shop to buy chewing gum. Juicy Fruit, to be precise. I see it contains aspartame, which ain't a good thing.

Hopefully Ariane has gone to eat some food. I've a HUGE box of Goldfish crackers in front of me, am willing to share.

Hi Mom22--We sure needed to hear from someone like you today. There are 3 very nervous people on this board right now. But, to hear you are doing well on day 12 is wonderful news.

What are you able to eat now? Also, how soon did you start chewing gum?

Thanks for the info on the water. I'll start immediately and never stop. :D

I know what it's like to be so nervous before the surgery. It doesn't do any good to worry though! Try to stay positive. It's good to be prepared but it really wasn't as bad as I expected it to be. I was feeling pretty good by the afternoon of day 4. I was expecting to be in bed and in terrible pain for two weeks. I know it's different for everyone but hopefully you all will have a similar story after your surgeries.

I believe that water intake helps tremendously. It was very hard at first but I forced myself. It is true that the more you swallow the less it hurts.

Gum--I tried some on day 4 but I really didn't like the way it felt in my mouth.

As for eating I could probably eat pretty much anything right now but my doctor said nothing scratchy for 2 weeks so I'm being cautious. I just make sure I chew everything really well.

You are wise to not eat anything other than soft foods until after all scabs come off, otherwise, there is a high risk of bleeding.

In america, are you automatically sent home on a course of antibiotics?

Don't know about everyone else but my ENT does give liquid antibiotics for this surgery.

Mom22--Thanks for the tips and I am so glad you are doing so well. How long do you think it takes for the scabs to completely fall off?

The risk of bleeding does scare me.

Thanks for replying to me, dbaum. Yer a trouper. I think I see why we are told to eat scratchy foods now. We don't go home with antibiotics. The longer the scabs are there, the higher the risk of infection, caused by them, which causes the secondary bleeding. By eating scratchy foods, we are helping to get rid of the scabs and debris back there, thus keeping the sockets clean, thus no infection and bleeding. I got it now... I've spent days trying to figure it out.

Charlatan--You may be right, just be careful and take it easy. How's BF doing?

'Elloo!! I haven't heard from him, since his lil April Fool prank on the phone earlier on. I daren't ring him either, cos I know how busy he'll be today, trying to get everything wrapped up. I feel dead guilty now. I did tell him he should slow down and stay there next week, instead. but he said no, cos he'll never hear the end of it from me, if he does that! Haha! You men have us all sussed out. ;)

So anyway, I've made a decision. If I'm not coming home with antirobotics, then I'll try soft foods for 3 or 4 days, then try my best to eat summat crunchier. Toast!!!!!!! The toast comes back on the menu! Haha!

How are you doing, dbaum? You alright?
:)

Charlatan--Sounds like you have a plan. That's great!

I'm doing OK but one thing I've noticed over the past few weeks is my voice, from these darn tonsils. The longer I talk I start getting hoarse. Geez, I hope that goes away after surgery. Did anyone else have that problem before surgery and did surgery help it?

Charlatan, I say I'm OK but you know what's going to happen when I am just a couple of days away from surgery. I'll be a bundle of nerves. Thank goodness for great folks on this board.

In america, are you automatically sent home on a course of antibiotics?
I was sent home with liquid antibiotic. I'm pretty sure my doctor said he gives it to everyone.

Mom22--Thanks for the tips and I am so glad you are doing so well. How long do you think it takes for the scabs to completely fall off?

The risk of bleeding does scare me.

You are welcome. If you have any more questions please feel free to ask.

I'm not sure how long it will take for the scabs to fall off. At the rate it's going I think at least another 5 days or so. I can't tell it's there except when a piece is coming off.

The risk of bleeding was my major concern also. But I think I'm going to make it without any and I'm sure you will too.

Evening everyone, hope everyone is doing well! I ate and I am feeling better. Dbaum, can't speak for after the surgery obviously, but when I talk for awhile I go hoarse as well. I hope that clears up after surgery too.

I have a strange question. Is it hard to brush your teeth the first few days after the surgery? Just wondering if it's even possible to do, I've read some people don't even want to open their mouths to drink at first.

Ariane - It is not easy to brush your teeth. I think I went four days before i could get in and jently brush my teeth. I'm on day 9 now and I'm back to brushing without pain - still can't brush my tounge and rooftop too well, though, but I also had surgery on my uvula/pallete.

Anyway, day 9 update - All seems to be getting back to normal. I ache the most during early morning (3-7am), but am reasonably pain free the rest of the day. I was able to eat a breadstick toaday... so toast is around the corner : )

Mom22 and LoneMountain--It is certainly good to hear folks doing much better.

Thanks for the info about the scabs and brushing teeth. I did wonder about how I was going to brush my teeth. Speaking on that same line, how did you deal with the minty toothpaste?

Ariane--So glad you ate and are feeling better. Just think, you go in on the 5th so you'll be feeling better before Charlatan or I will. ;)

Thanks for the info about the scabs and brushing teeth. I did wonder about how I was going to brush my teeth. Speaking on that same line, how did you deal with the minty toothpaste?
Brushing teeth question:
Buy a small childs tooth brush, soft bristles, of course. The tissues that will be touched by the toothpaste are not the ones that are raw from the surgery. Use a very small amount on your tooth brush and start by brushing the outside surface of your teeth with your mouth closed. (you can get the small toothbrush between your lips and the teeth) Then gently open your mouth, and brush the surfaces that you can reach without pain. When you are finished take a sip of water and just gently move it around your mouth to rinse. Lean over the basin and just let the water run out of your mouth. Messy, I know! You won't believe how much better you will feel after brushing! If you can only do the outside the first time, that's OK. Next time you will be able to do more.

Every few minutes, when you think of it, practice opening and closing your mouth...a little bit more each time. This is a really big help in getting the full function of your jaw/mouth back.

I tried to chew gum the first day post op, but couldn't. But the 2nd day post op I managed to start with my first piece. Take it slow and easy when you chew. You will be amazed at how much this little activity helps!

You guys are doing very well! This board has been a teriffic help to so many people. I'm glad I found it right before my surgery. I don't know if any of you have looked up the past threads--numbers one thru three--but there is a wealth of info there as well. Different folks with different experiences.

Have a nice week end :wave:

Thanks Shipsbelle, you have been a tremendous help. I have searched back through the old threads and they are wonderful. I was scheduled to have my surgery last November and then due to an unexpected emergency I had to cancel it. So, I was haunting the board back then. Great folks back then and great folks now. Just knowing this board exists and there are folks willing to share and listen to the whining makes me feels tons better.

Thanks for the info about brushing your teeth. I'll get a baby toothbrush today. :-)

Shipsbelle gave great info on teeth brushing. It does feel so much better after. I used my regular toothbrush and it worked fine. I also scraped my tongue because there was such a thick white coating on there. The only thing that bothered me about the toothpaste was the sore on the side of my tongue from where it was clamped. It was very painful.

Hey all.
Just caught up reading the teeth brushing posts. I don't think I'll be too bothered for a day or two, personally. If I can brush them though, it will be a bonus.
Hope everyone's alright today. dbaum, you are not permitted to do a runner! lol
Looks like my BF will make his flight tomorrow, afterall. So that's one thing sorted out, at least. My throat is murdering me today. I haven't checked it for weeks now, but had a wee look today and see that the tonsils are more inflamed than they were, see no pus though. Does anyone else see streaks of blood on the tonsils? Or at the back of the throat? I have it. Sometimes get a taste of blood too.

Charlatan--Good news about BF. That's got to make you feel so much better. As for the blood, I have not had that. Oh, and don't worry I'm not going to do a "runner."

Good to hear, dbaum. Haha! I can't do a runner now either, not now I know he's coming over. Ariane, hope yer still around and are eating today. :)

Charlatan--I think BF would be really, really upset if you pulled a runner right now. :-) Are you going to do something special before you have your surgery?

I haven't done much except clean a bit and took my humidifier apart and cleaned it real good. I'm also going to try a couple varities of baby food to see which one is less nasty. :D

Ewww.. the nasty baby food. I don't think I'll end up eating much of that. I hear the apple and banana flavour is acceptable though.
I don't think there'll be much time for me and BF to do anything special. Will have to make up for it when I've recovered and can go over to be with him.
Actually, thanks for mentioning humidifiers.. I haven't taken mine out of the box to check it actually works, yet.
ARG!!! The dreaded surgery day is getting here WAY too quickly!

Yeah, I'm not looking forward to the baby food but I am looking for all ways to make sure I get enough protein to heal faster. At least that's my logic right now.

Good news you'll be able to go back with BF when you've recovered. That's got to be exciting.

Baby food?? ug...I suggest adding some salt to make it taste better! I survived on vanilla Boost every morning, no matter how much it hurt..it has about 300 calories and lots of vitamins and all that good stuff. I drank it room temp, since cold things really bothered me around day 5. My Dr stressed not to worry about eating...just drink as much as possible. I could not chew gum either, cause it did feel really weird.

As far as brushing teeth go, I was afraid to do it for the first 2 days...then I had to! What is that gross white coating on the tounge?? YUK!

It has been over 2 weeks for me now, and I actually went out for the first time last night and drank beer! Felt a bit weird...but I enjoyed it and loved being out in the world again!

LuckyJerk!! You still around??? Just wondering how you are doing!

Sashaspy--So you finally got your beer. Good for you and I'll be it felt good to get outside. :-) I know the baby food won't taste great but it will give me some nutrition. I would be aftaid the Vanilla Boost would be too thick, because I had thought about Ensure but figured it would be way too thick. I'm thinking, probably for the first couple of days I'll only be able to do water, juice, broth and maybe Jello. Correct me if I'm wrong! Congrats on getting outside and feeling better. :-)

Hey everyone, thanks a lot for the replies on the teeth brushing! I was wondering how to start doing it. I think I can live with skipping it a day or two, I'm sure it feels wonderful when you can do it though!

Did you test out any types of baby food dbaum? Got any tips for us? :)

I don't think you will be able to stomach the baby food! Have you tasted it? My children refused it as babies! I don't even think it has much nutrition. The Boost is not very thick. I didn't have any problem swallowing it but I couldn't keep it down. I don't know if it was because of the anesthesia making me sick or the pain med. or just the Boost itself. How about trying some of those drinkable yogurts? I also had a lot of cream of chicken soup (I didn't eat the chicken pieces at first though). It tasted so good to me. You can mash banana yourself too. Better than from a jar.

Ariane--I just picked up a couple of the Gerber2 meat and veggie combos. I will test them out tomorrow. Just the thought is kind of gross but I figure I better find out now. :) I'll let you know which one is the least nasty.:D

Heheh, I think I'm with Charlatan on this one. About the only ones I think I'd be able to stand might be the fruits. I'm not sure what I'm going to start off with yet, I'm going to stock up on supplies tomorrow.

I managed to get some cleaning done today finally. It's been hard to find the energy to do it but I'm determined to get some things done before the surgery. Charlatan and dbaum, I think we're going to be so happy with the benefits when this is all over with, we'll wish we'd done it years ago! I have a good feeling about it today, we're all going to do fine.

I did find the Carb Control Smoothies by Dannon are thinner than normal ones and very tasty I will be getting some of those as well. The Carb Control Yogurt is very thin as well. I will check out and try one of the Vanilla Boost and see how it goes.

I sure appreciate all the last minute tips. I'll be finalizing the good ol' shopping list pretty darn soon so I want to make sure I get everything I can think of. :D

Ariane--Yep, it's going to be so worth it. It will be tough, I'm sure, but we'll all be happy campers when it's over!!!

This board has been such a wonderful source of information and support. I'm so glad I found it before the surgery.

I have been reading the older threads, and I have another question for those of you that've recently had your surgeries. How long did you have to sleep sitting up? Does your back and neck get sore from not being able to lay down for so long? I've already picked out where I'm going to sit and sleep at, sure am going to miss my comfy bed though :)

Do you have lots of pillows you can prop yourself up with? That's what I did and didn't have any neck or back pain. Then again I usually sleep propped up anyway so maybe I'm just used to it.

Hi dbaum- You are right about only being able to do water, juice and broth for the first few days. just remember, NO citrus juices! .Jello was good too. After a few days I could not stand anything cold, so that is when I started the Boost. It is kind of thick, but went down pretty well. Believe me, you won't be feeling hungry at all! All you will want to do is take your pain meds and lay in bed and try to sleep...or watch movies That is what I did the first week...even at night I would wake up evey 3 hours to take my pain meds, I needed them that bad. I don't want to scare you guys, but I am just telling it like it is...it's gonna hurt and you will feel miserable. Just take your pain meds, drink water with baby sips and rest!

My ENT warned me to not be the tough guy and try to tough out the pain. He told me to take the pain meds because if I didn't the pain would get so bad that the meds would not help. So, I am going to take my meds for awhile. :-)

I thought about the sleeping situation and here's what I've decided. For day time I have a nice sofa with a recliner built in but when reclined your head will be back too far. So I bought one of the neck pillows that kind of wrap around you neck. They're good on planes so if you sleep reclined it will hold you head up and keep it from falling from side to side. I hope my description makes sense. :-) For my bed I am just going to try piling up my pillows and giving it a go. I'll have the TV remote within reach and my lap top. I should be able to keep myself amused. I'll also be able to check in with all of you guys. :-)

I really do like the Carb Control yogurt and smoothies by Danon. They are quite a bit thinner than the regular stuff and tasty. I think I will try those after the first few days along with the Boost.

OK I did it. I tried some baby food products and results are surprising.

Here's what I tried:

Gerber Apple/Strawberry/Banana -- Very Good!
Gerber Banana Juice Medley -- Very Good
Gerber 2 Vegetable Beef -- Not Too Bad, a bit bland but still OK.
Gerber 2 Vegetable Chicken -- Not Too Bad--more bland than the beef. I prefer the beef and veggies a bit more.

So, overall not too bad and the nutrients are too bad either. I will add these along with some stuff like the Vanilla Boost. :bouncing:

G'day. Ariane, glad to see yer feeling more positive about this now. It can only be a good thing. I've not really had chance to think about wednesday. I've been kept so busy.
Yeah, dbaum, I guessed the fruity flavoured baby food would be more tolerable. Just eat whatever you fancy and whatever is swallowable and you'll be fine. :)
Dayum! Tuesday soon be here, then Wednesday, then dbaum - yer the last of The Tonsil Trio to go in. We'll ALL do juz fine!!! :angel:

LOL, the Tonsil Trio that's a good name for us.

I think we are all well-prepared and ready to get on with this and get back to normal. :-)

Hang on because we're in for a bumpy ride.

Thanks for letting us know the results of your taste test dbaum :) I might pick up some of the fruit ones. I still haven't gone out to get my supplies, been busy cleaning all day.

Yep Charlatan, I feel pretty good about it now. I've been keeping busy and not letting myself get worked up about it. I really want to stop feeling well... just plain crappy all the time... so I just have to tough it out.

I like the Tonsil Trio name! It'll be surgery day for each of us before we know it. Hard to believe mine is the day after tomorrow. I think at this point I just want to get it over with. I still can't taste anything, so plans to go to my favorite restaurant with the family were scrapped. Just means we'll have to have a bigger party after. Is it normal for the liquid antibiotics to nuke your tastebuds for this long after you've finished taking them?

Never noticed antibiotics nuking your tastebuds, but we are all different. :D

Once this is over, Ariane, you will be able to party on your favorite foods with your favorite friends and not feel so yucky! That's what I'm looking forward to. :)

Hi Everyone,

It's been quite a few days since my first and only post on this board.

I was feeling quite sorry for myself in that post but am feeling a bit better now.

Don't any of you let anybody tell you that you are whiners....because until they have been through it, they cannot possibly know what it's like!!!!(It's horrible)...but it gets better!

I think day 15 or 16 was the turning point for me. Have very little pain now and am eating everything I want now.(day 19). Still have quite a bit of taste loss but hoping it will come back.

If anyone was has experienced this or have heard of anyone having this problem, could you please let me know.....really frustrating!

Anyway, I hope that everyone that has gone through it will heal very quickly and everyone that is going to have it done is not stressing too much!!!!

Just remember....everyone is different.....take the time to heal no matter what anyone says....lots of rest and fluids!!!!

I wish everyone the best of luck and please do let me know about the taste loss.

Thanks!!!

Thanks to everyone for the advice about the tonsillectomy. I have decided to go through with the tonsillectomy. I am really sick again. My throat feels like it is swelling shut and it almost feels like i have something caught in the back of my thoat. So i cant wait till april 25th to have it done so hopefully i wont suffer anymore. I am just going to make sure I talk to the ent about pain killer options and nausea ahead of time. I find comfort int he fact that people are glad they had it done. Good luck to everyone who is scheduled to have theirs out before me. Ill keep in touch. bye! oh i also warned my manager ahead of time that i will probably be more than a week, and since i take care of severely disabled adults and there is alot of stress and lifting involved ill need more time before i go back. so thanks for the advice on asking for more than a week off. take care all

Hi everybody, just checking in on you guys. I will be four weeks post op on Tuesday, I still have a tiny bit of soreness but for the most part am back to normal. I don't regret getting it done, just glad I'm already through it! Hang in there, I've been keeping up with you all. Have any of you asked the doctor about the steriod pack. My uvula was so swollen on day 3 that i called the doc and they gave me a steriod pack, I really believe it helped the swelling go down. It was nasty to take cause I chewed it, was afraid to swallow it hole even though it was tiny, the antibiotics and pain med were all liquid. I don't know about the baby food guys, I just can't imagine trying to get that stuff down, I threw up on day 2 after only gatorade and clear broth, and had a hard time eating pudding, jello was great and I would try and eat jello, even in the middle of the night so my vicodin wouldn't be on an empty stomach and risk vomiting again. You really won't feel THAT hungry and weak from lack of nourishment to need to eat the baby food, but if you want to more power do you! Just eat what you can and in no time you'll be on regular food. Good luck to all. Beverly :)

Ey-up lads n' lasses.
Forgetful - I haven't been there yet but my doc did mention taste loss or things tasting weird and he said it's temporary, only sometimes being permanent. I'd wait a bit, then go back and see the doc if it doesn't show signs of improvement. At least you're feeling better now and also Bev. Oh, I never did ask about steroids for the uvula.. was going to tough it out first and see if I feel I need them. I KNOW mine's going to really swell up HUGE though, because it's already slightly swollen, so I know they're just going to mess it about so much that it swells more.

Ariane.. this will be my last post before you go in for surgery tomorrow. All the best of British luck to you (and any other nation you require). I will be thinking of you. Please come back ASAP and have a good whine, ok? :) Remember.. positive thoughts! Think nice happy thoughts of white fluffy clouds and little lambs, prancing and skipping in meadows! (Aww!). :wave:

Oh yuck. I have a P.S. and it's not pleasant... I am dreading waking up inthe mornings, following surgery, because every morning I seem to be hacking up loads of phlegm! Ewww!!! I stopped smoking 8 months ago, so it isn't that. could post nasal drip be the cause? I don't suppose having a tonsillectomy will help with this. Anyway, will be sleeping propped up on pillows afterwards, so maybe that will ease it.

Bye for now. Will be back on the board tomorrow.

Charlatan--Congrats on stopping smoking. That must have been very hard. How did you do it and stay stopped? Either way, good for you!

Everyone--So many of you stopped by to say Hi and let us know how you are doing and I thank you for that. It's always good to hear from folks once they have "reached the other side." :D.

Ariane--Tomorrow you will be in my thoughts and I wish you a speedy procedure and an easy recovery. When you are able, let us know how you are doing. We will be here waiting for you. :angel:

Good morning everyone. Wow I can't believe tomorrow is it for me. This time tomorrow it will be over with. Believe it or not I'm still not freaking out like I was a few days ago. I'm sure tomorrow will be a different story. I have a bad sore throat this morning, and I just want all of this to go away.

I will get on when I can tomorrow, even if it's just to say that I'm still alive but heading straight for painkillers and sleep :)

Bev, like Charlatan I thoght I'd wait and see how bad the swelling is first before I ask about a steroid pack. I have a feeling that I really don't know what I'm in for and everything I'm planning on doing will go out the window once I wake up tomorrow :)

Thank you so much for the thoughts and good wishes guys. I will be back to cheer you on before you go in and I will be thinking of you tomorrow while I am trying not to run out of pre-op. Soon we'll be posting to this thread like crazy sharing our misery instead of just our fear about what's to come. Not sure that's better, but hey it will help get us through it.

We're rooting you on Ariane. :bouncing: I am sure some our plans will not work out exactly as we think, but we'll be here, all together, sharing and woes and our successes.

Bev. What is this steroid pack. I have never heard of that before

I have a few questions about the actual procedure that I can't find answers to anywhere.

How do you breathe during the surgery? I know they clamp your tongue (ugh I'm dreading that) but how do make sure you breathe ok during it? I've read a couple things that say they might intubate you, but I can't find anything conclusive on that.

My other question is do they do the surgery on an operating table or are you in a dentist type chair? Think I'd rather wake up sitting up than lying down on a gurney if everything is going to swell as much as I think it is. I hope I don't have a panic attack from everything being so swollen and feeling like I can't get any air.

From what I have read they do clamp your mouth in a couple of locations. Also, this is kind of gross, but I have read that they run a tube down your nose and out your throat they tie it off and this hold the upper palate up and out of the way. I don't know about intubation. But all of that is taken off before you wake up. I have panic attacks when I feel like I can't breathe or stuff is around my face, so I understand what you are feeling. Make sure the anesthesiologist is aware of your anxiety and make certain to tell them to remove everything from your face except the oxygen canula.

The surgery is performed on an operating table. I have never heard or read anything different. Once you wake up you can request they raise your head.

That's about all I know. ;)

Hi Ariane, Wishing you the best tomorrow and I hope you have a quick recovery. They put a tube in your throat for breathing. They put it in after you are out and take it out before you wake up. You'll never know it was there. Yes it does get done on the operating table. I woke up laying down but they raised it shortly after.

When I had mine done about 5 years ago I was soooo terrified 'cuz I'd never had surgery or general anesthesia. When I went to pre-op, they stuck an IV in my arm and put something in it to calm me -- I fell asleep and when I woke up I was in a hospital room, feeling no pain. Woke up well rested. They also paint the back of your throat with a local anethesia that lasts about a day.

Was it hard to breath right after surgery?

ariane...best of luck on your surgery... Im sure everything will be fine. I hope you have a speedy recovery. take care and im sure we will see you on here soon. bye

Didn't have any problems with breathing at all. Later on I had to get used to swallowing all over again and dealing with what felt like excess saliva. If anything, I could breathe better 'cuz I had a lot more room in my throat. My tonsils were HUGE!

Sunsetskater--Just remember, you're going to do well too!!! We'll be here cheering you on!

Hello Everyone,

Today, it has been 14 days since I have this surgery. It was a little complicated for me because I also had my uvula removed, the tonsillectomy, and a septoplasty meaning a surgery to repair a deviated septum in my nose. I had the surgery done on March 22. This is my first day back to work. I am in so much pain as I am writing this to you. My doctor told me that I could do all procedures on the same day and that recovery would be 10 to 15 days. Well I am in day 14 and I am still in pain. Since the surgery I have lost so much weight because I have not been able to eat. My doctor stated that this is normal. I don't mind losing weight since I am already trying to lose, however, with this procedure, I am constantly with a sore throat. It feels like if someone had scraped all the insides of my throat. The day the packing came out of my nose, I passed out. So far I have passed out 4 times after surgery. The pain is unbearable. I would force myself to swallow the liquid pain medication and liquid antibiotic.

To be honest, I dont know if I would do this again. :nono: I know that once I recover, I will be able to breathe normally through my nose and will not have so many tonsil infections. I hope this is soon.

If anyone has any words of encouragement, please share them with me.

In pain,

E.

Hi E, I don't know what to say as I am not familiar with the other two procedures you had. But, just know we are here to support each other and help to just listen. Sometimes if someone is there to just listen it helps. I do feel bad you are in so much pain and I really do hope, once all is said and done you will feel better and appreciate having all of that done.

Please drop in and let us know how you are doing.

Ariane--Good Luck!!!!! You're going to do great and we'll be here waiting for you when you get back.

Thanks for the answers on how the procedure is done, wow it sounds scary :eek: But at least they put the tube in your nose and remove it without you knowing about it. Is it very sore afterwards? I was worried it'd be hard to breathe with everything swollen like that, thanks I think I will tell the anesthesia guy that I need something for anxiety.

The clinic called me awhile ago and said the first surgery of the day is going to take about half as long as they expected and they're moving my surgery up an hour... so that won't be fun. Looks like we'll be leaving here to head to the clinic around 5:30 am :rolleyes:

I am starting to get a bit nervous again, but I'm still on a cleaning rampage and trying to keep myself distracted.

Hang on Ariane, it'll be over before you know it. I just got my time confirmed and I'll be under the gun next Tuesday at 9:15. I have to arrive at 7am.

Yikes that's a long time to be in pre-op. That's one of the worst parts, all the waiting around with nothing but time to think about what's going to happen and worry.

Hi Everyone,

Just a little note for pcosgirl79....Day 15 or 16 was the magic day....from day 1 to 14 I was in so much pain and felt like total crap. The very next day it was like a miracle.

Hang in there....it will get better!!!!

thanks for the support dbaum!..im really sorry your in so much pain E. are you still on pain killers at this point? I hope you feel better really soon. Good luck again Ariane. I almost wish I had an earlier appointment. My surgery isnt until 2pm...im supposed to get there at 1:15pm...and i cant eat after midnight the night before..so ill be super hungry and probably ready to run away lol...plus wont the pain meds make you through up without any food in your system..do you get pain meds right after surgery? well tty all soon.bye

Ariane, Just popping in to see how you are doing. Let us know how everything went just as soon as you have the energy to type. :)

Hello All,

Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. Today is Day 15. I feel a little bit better, however, I still have the sore throat. I have been sucking on throat lozenges like sucrets and they make me feel a little better.

I hope that everyone is well. Today I was able to have chicken soup with veggies and eat them all. The only thing is that I have to cut everything into tiny pieces and chew very well. I get so full quickly from eating so slow.

Last night I snored again. One of the reasons I had this surgery is to stop snoring. This morning my throat ached alot. I think its from the snoring. I would like to know from people that had this surgery if the snoring will stop completely.

Keep me in your thoughts,

E.

Well I didn't run screaming out of the pre-op but I entertained some thoughts of it for awhile. The surgery they were in such a hurry for me to get there for was delayed. I got there at 7 and they didn't take me in until 9:15, a half hour after the time my surgery was originally supposed to be and over an hour after the time they told me they were going to do it yesterday. When they finally did take me back to the operating room though everything happened really fast. I had someone at my head, people on each arm, and some by my feet all talking to me at once and giving me directions that I couldn't keep up with. Then the good stuff went in my arm and I was out before I knew it.

Next thing I knew I was waking up. It wasn't as bad as I was expecting. I could breathe just fine and I didn't have any nausea. They did give me something for that and anxiety in the IV. I didn't get to see my tonsils but the people in recovery said they were huge, and the doctor told my Mom the same thing. I have some really huge holes in the back of my throat, I was quite surprised at how much is gone.

Been home a few hours now and just got up from a pretty challenging nap. I couldn't get the pillows to work in my bed so I had to sleep in the recliner. The pain is pretty bad right now but the liquid painkillers really make the liquid antibiotics look like some tasty candy. I managed to have a little ice cream before I took the nap, but really all I want is water. I had some with me on the way home, more when I got home, I kept waking up and drinking it, and i have some with me now. It hurts to swallow it, really really bad, but it hurts more to swallow without a drink.

I'll post more in a bit, going to go try to get some medicine in me. I have a fever of 101 right now and I don't think I got enough liquids while I was asleep. Charlatan I'll be thinking of you tomorrow, you can do it! Dbaum it will be so worth it for all of us in the end, I just have to keep telling myself that.

Good to hear from you Ariane. You did great! Just keep drinking and drinking and drinking. Don't forget about the gum to help keep your jaw loose. Rest and keep us posted when you can. We are here for your.

Charlatan, you're up next! You'll do great and our thoughts are with you.

Hey PCOSgirl79!

I'm day 16 post-op from my surgery. Not as extensive as yours though. My husband tells me that I'm still snoring (I snore sleeping on my back, sides or stomach), so maybe it hasn't worked for me. But that's not the only reason why I had this done. I have a friend that had a tonsillectomy and his uvula removed, and he told me that he no longer snores. Maybe it varies by person? I still have some ear pain, the scabs haven't completely fallen off, my throat hurts still, it's tiring to talk, and it's painful to yawn. I'm still eating softer foods, and the more I push myself to eat, the more sore I am. I do notice that my throat is most sore in the morning after I've woken up. So I take it that you have PCOS? I do too. Are you taking metformin? I was scared and didn't take it until into the second week of recovery (my surgeon told me to take it the next day!). The metformin went down suprisingly well, for a pill it's size.

Anyhow, I hope you're feeling better!

Charlatan I really hope everything goes well tomorrow. I know you'll be in the hospital for a few days but please let us know how you are when you get home. I was pleasantly surprised with how good I felt when I woke up, I was so scared I wouldn't be able to breathe and I didn't have any problem with that. I haven't thrown up even once, which was another one of my concerns. I'm very glad to have it over with. Just keep drinking even when you don't want to, it really does ease the pain somewhat. Don't be afraid to take the painkillers or lean on the BF for help either. I'll be thinking of you and cheering you on in spirit tomorrow :bouncing:

My son (who is 5) said to me the other day "Mommy, you don't make those funny noises at night anymore"...so it seems my snoring has stopped! My throat still feels sore a bit, more so since I ate pizza the other day. I think I need to go back to softer foods for a while.

Cutsy and PCOS--I don't know about the snoring but I was just thinking that maybe it will take time and all the swelling needs to go down and the scabs fall off before you notice any difference. I would give it some time.

Ariane, I hope you are still in good spirits today. I know you are going to be just fine. Don't forget--DRINK,DRINK and DRINK some more :) Oh, as a thought I am going to be making slushees using ice and Diet V 8 Splash. Don't know if you like that type of thing but I thought I would share my idea with you. I'll be using the Berry Blend.

Charlatan--Hang on it's almost over! You are going to great. BF is there and you'll be back home before you know it. We're here cheering you on!

Today is my pre-op so I will have all the details and get one last chance to ask any questions.

Ariane, I hope you are still in good spirits today. I know you are going to be just fine. Don't forget--DRINK,DRINK and DRINK some more :) Oh, as a thought I am going to be making slushees using ice and Diet V 8 Splash. Don't know if you like that type of thing but I thought I would share my idea with you. I'll be using the Berry Blend.

Charlatan--Hang on it's almost over! You are going to great. BF is there and you'll be back home before you know it. We're here cheering you on!

Today is my pre-op so I will have all the details and get one last chance to ask any questions.
Hello all :D
Good to hear the positive report Ariane! Keep thinking how great it will be in another couple of weeks!!

dbaum, the V8 Splash slushees are good! I don't remember if I mentioned that in any of my previous posts. I also used the Berry Blend and I put some low fat vanilla frozen yogurt in it--yumm.

Unlike some of the previous folks who have posted here, I didn't lose any weight. I'm at my ideal weight and maintained it by getting the proper (as proper as you can get under the circumstances!) nutrition. If all you have is broth and water you will lose, but your recovery will be slower because of the lack of nutrients in your body. This is not the time to deliberately try to lose weight.

Keep a positive attitude and remember to laugh often :jester:

Hi Shipsbelle--Thanks for the idea with the Diet V 8 Splash. I too am at my ideal weight and don't really want to lose any more. I also have a different issue to deal with. I am diabetic so I have to be very careful with what I eat. I did find out baby food jumps my blood sugar too high. So, I will be using the V8 Splash for most of my liquid intake and some beef and veggie soup strained. I figure there will be some nutrients in that broth as oppposed to just drinking boullion.

It will be an adventure, that's for sure.

Hi Shipsbelle--Thanks for the idea with the Diet V 8 Splash. I too am at my ideal weight and don't really want to lose any more. I also have a different issue to deal with. I am diabetic so I have to be very careful with what I eat. I did find out baby food jumps my blood sugar too high. So, I will be using the V8 Splash for most of my liquid intake and some beef and veggie soup strained. I figure there will be some nutrients in that broth as oppposed to just drinking boullion.

It will be an adventure, that's for sure.
Hey dbaum :D

I suggest that you put the soup in a blender with a little more water and you will be able to drink it and get all the value of the soup, including much needed dietary fiber. Too bad the baby food didn't work for you. Was it just the fruit? Or did the meat & veggie combos also elevate your blood sugar?

Shipsbelle--Even the meat and veggie mixes did not do well. It's only because they have so many fast-acting carb veggies like carrots. That's OK, there's always other options.

That's a great idea about the soup. I will do that for sure. I want all the vitamins I can get. I know my blood sugars will go up some and I accept that, but I don't want them to go crazy. :-)

On the start of day 2 here and still doing ok I think. I do keep making the mistake of sleeping too long and letting the painkillers wear off, this is very very bad. But sleeping feels good :) I managed to have some pudding last night but I mainly stuck to water, tea, and ice cream. I am also at my ideal weight but I don't really want anything but soft cold things right now so if I lose a few pounds I'll just have fun gaining em back later. I had a little nausea last night but I didn't throw up, and I'm glad because my throat is so sore I don't want to have to do that on top of it.

I keep seeing a little bleeding at the back of my throat. I thought I wasn't supposed to have any bleeding at all, but it seems like a few spots just bleed slightly for a short time and then stop. Other than that I'm just trying to take it one hour at a time and keep drinking and keep swallowing.

dbaum, sorry to hear that the baby food won't work out for you. The icee thing sounds like a very good idea though, wish I'd thought to get one. I have popsicles but I'm not in a mood to try to chew yet, might try one later today. Ice sounds good right about now.

Ariane--Sounds like you are doing pretty good. As for the sporadic bleeding you might want to try and hold some ice in your mouth to the back of your throat or maybe an ice collar. Don't know if that will help.

I have popsicles but I'm not in a mood to try to chew yet, might try one later today. Ice sounds good right about now.
Hey Ariane :D
I'm happy to hear that you are doing well. The tiny blood spots are nothing to worry about. The ice collar is a good idea for the first few days. You wil know when warm is better.

Take the popsicle out of the freezer and put it in a bowl. Let it thaw a little then mush it to a slushee consistancy and eat it with a spoon. Worked for me!

You will be the "standard" by which the other 2 in the "Tonsil Trio" guage their progress. :)

Looking to hear from Charlatan soon! Glad BF is there with her.

LOL, yes we are watching you Ariane and making note of your progress. :)

Thanks for the tips about the popsicles, Shipsbelle. That's good to know.

hey everyone! Good to hear you are doing okay ariane. Good luck on your pre-op dbaum.i hope all goes well....what exactly is the pre-op anyways..im not sure i have one set yet. was anyones tonsils really swollen before they got them out..mine are never swollen even when i have tonsolitis..i just have large crypts with white spotting..i wonder if that will effect the surgery. well tty all later. bye

Sunsetskater--One of my tonsils is very swollen and just ugly looking. I don't know if there will be any difference in the surgery.

Pre-op was just a bunch of paper work, routine physical and going over the procedure and all the do's and don'ts. I'll post more details tomorrow. I'm on-call this week for work and am really busy. We're going to do fine!!!

Ariane--Hope things are going well and you feel like updating us real soon. :)

Charlatan--I know we won't hear from you for a little bit but my thoughts are with you and look forward to hearing from you.

Hi dbaum, glad your pre-op seemed to go well. Did you get bloodwork done?

I'm having a pretty rocky day. I have to keep taking the full dosage of the Lortab everytime it starts to wear off and it's making me pretty loopy, and quite nauseous as well. And it's not even helping the pain all that much. I'm already tired of drinking things constantly. And I miss food. I had jello and ice cream today but it's not taking away the hunger. I did have some gum and that feels weird but it does help me to swallow. So I'm just hanging in there, trying to fight the nausea and get through the pain.

I hope everything went well for Charlatan today, I've been thinking about her. One more of the Tonsil Trio to go now. ;)

Ariane--Even though you're having a rocky day you do sound positive and that's important. As for blood work I did not have any done. I brought in my last set of results from March. Keep drinking!!! :) Glad the gum helps you swallow that's important. I think once you start drinking warm stuff that may help the hunger. Not sure, but I think warm stuff eases hunger pangs.

Just real quick. The advice I received from the nurse was right in line with all the tips we have received on this board. She also told me not to have anything red for the first 48 hours and no dairy products for the first 48 hours. She told me this was going to be painful and once I start trying solid foods I should eat like a toddler and have very tiny, tiny bites. She also told me to be a couch potato for the first week. No lifting, pushing, pulling, bending, housework, or yardwork. I think that will be fine. :)

Oh, Ariane how did the swallowing of the jello work?

My surgery time has been changed. Now I have to be there at 5:30am and the procedure will be at 7:15. I should be home by lunch time

Actually I think the Tonsil Trio has become the Tonsil Foursome. Sunsetskater, aren't you scheduled this month?

Hmm that's very interesting. Why nothing red and no dairy for the first 48 hours?

The jello I had was red, it was raspberry. It wasn't as easy as ice cream or pudding but it wasn't too hard to swallow. But it did sting a whole lot afterwards, maybe cause it's red? Not in a hurry to try that again.

I have to take tiny tiny bites of everything and tiny sips of everything. It was a little hard to get used to at first and I would try to take a larger sip like normal and try to choke myself. Few times of doing that and now I'm becoming a sipping pro :) It's strange, it's only day 2 and feels like it's been 2 weeks. Been a very long day and a half.

Wow getting there at 5:30 will be rough. BUT, on the bright side that will be better because you will have to stop eating and drinking at midnight and won't have that long to wait.

hey ariane and dbaum. I am scheduled for april25th at 1pm. i have my pre-op on the 18th. Hang in there Ariane. I cant imagine the pain your going through and the anticipation is driving me nuts. By the time im going in for the tonsilletomy you should be almost fully recovered. Dbaum what day is your surgery again? I bet your not supposed to have anything red because it resembles blood, not sure about dairy..i know it gives me more of an upset stomache when i have a sinus infection. One question...is it recommended that you have someone with you for the first day or so in case of any hemoraging or other emergencies? because i dont really have anyone to stay with me , but a four month old puppy..who is really lovable but she gets into everything so im sure she will end up staying with my fiance...who is a manager and has a hard time getting off work. take care all and ttys bye =)

Ariane--Sounds like you are hanging in there. The reason no red for two days is if there is bleeding you will need to know it. If you start vomiting and you've had red jello there's now way to tell the difference between the jello and blood. The reason no dairy is due to the excessive mucous it produces. So I was told to stay away from it. Also, you will be taking tiny bites and tiny sips for quite awhile. My nurse said you have to eat and drink toddler sized. Hang in there you're doing great!

Sunsetsakter--You are scheduled for surgery the day I go back to work. I am scheduled for Tuesday, April 12. Yes, my Doc and the surgery center insist that someone stay with you for the first 24 hours. The reason is you will still be under the influence of the anesthesia and not completely responsible for your actions. You will need someone to make sure you drink and take your pain meds and of course watch out for signs of problems. Is it possible for your fiance to work from home for a couple of days?

We are now the Tonsil Foursome!!!

Charlatan--I hope you are doing well. We miss you but we know you will post when you are able.

Hey everybody. That makes sense about the red jello. I am still seeing some bleeding spots once in awhile and I'm sure it's blood as I haven't had any more jello since the one time. Just starting out on day 3 and it's getting worse. I'm having some unbearable pain now and the painkiller isn't helping. Been having it on and off since last night. I'm only able to sleep about an hour and a half at a time before the pain wakes me up. I keep taking the painkiller every 4 hours, but it's making me extremely nauseous. Trying to hang in there, I know days 2 and 3 are supposed to be bad. Trying to figure out what to do. Can't sleep like this. Stomach can't take more painkiller right now.

Ariane--It's true pain killers will get your stomach especially when you are not eating. I don't know if it will help but Pheneragn suppositories will help nausea. You're Doc should be able to prescribe them for you. This is the worst part and then you'll start to feel better. But, then you'll have some more bad days when the scabs start falling off. For the bleeding put ice on your neck and the nurse told me to drink ice water as cold as you can stand it and keep drinking it for about 20 minutes. She said that should take care of any small bleeding problem.

One quick question. What kind of pudding were you able to eat yesterday?

Keep us posted and don't forget to drink!!! :)

Hopefully we'll hear from Charlatan today.

dbaum, I've been having the vanilla pudding packs by Swiss Miss. I normally prefer chocolate pudding but I read on here that chocolate stings so I just stuck with vanilla. It's going down pretty easy, but water and ice cream are by far the easiest things for me to swallow still.

I am managing the pain a bit better right now, I was able to take a good nap this morning and got down a full dose of the painkiller when I got up and I'm doing ok with it so far. I hope tomorrow is better.

Charlatan I hope you are doing well and I hope we hear from you soon.

Ariane, Good for you! That is great news! I guess in a day or two you will start wanting warmer liquids. That will be good so you can at least have a bit of soup. I'll remember the pudding packs and pick some up this weekend.

It's good to hear you are feeling a bit better.

Get some rest and we'll be here when you get back.

I just got back from my ENT appointment - I'm having a tonsillectomy on the 20th!

I'm so excited to get rid on these skanky, stony things! The doctor didn't even try to talk me out of getting it done. I just walked in, told him I've been dealing with them my whole life, I'm sick of picking crap out of them, I'm sick of getting sick all the time, and I want them out. He checked me out and then asked me, "so, when do you want to sign up?"

So add me to the list of peeps who are going to be in excruciating pain this month. ;)

Hi Sugarbeth. Wow the Tonsil Trio became the Tonsil Foursome and now what would you say we are, the Tonsil Quints? Just a thought.

Hop on board we can always use the company

I'm baaaaaaaaack!!
Hello people. Just been catching up on the posts - I've missed a fair bit - but just got home from the hospital today.
I'll bore you with the story so far.. I woke up after surgery with an oxygen mask on. It then struck me that I'd actually had this awful surgery done and then went into a bit of a panic attack. No biggie.. just shaking like a leaf. The nurses thought it was cos I was cold, but I couldn't speak to tell them I wasn't. D'oh! Anyway, got wheeled up on to a ward. My dear beloved BF is the most wonderful man I know. He remained at the hospital for 12 hours solid, yesterday, to be there for me, only leaving when it was kicking out time. Awww! Last night, I ate a bit of ice cream. Water tasted of blood and was icky. Then the nurses made me eat a cracker with butter on. Took me 3 hours to do this! Today I ate cornflakes for brekkie and for lunch I ate creamed potatoes, tuna pasta salad and then some sponge cake with custard on, for dessert. Remember they make us eat a normal diet here, after a tonsillectomy. I got home today and ate some french fries, chicken curry, rice, garden peas and fish! lol! (Only small portions of everything). To be honest, I find that drinking is more painful than eating. I have been instructed not to miss any painkiller dosage, as the pain will get worse before it gets bertter and I have to be prepared for it. It's only really painful when I swallow.. other times I easily forget I've had it done. Yesterday I was talking a lil bit but today I cannot at all... too painful. Have ear discomfort and a headache constantly. Oh, suffered in pain all night in hospital last night from a sore neck and shoulder. They think it's from when they operated.. as they have you hanging off the end of the table, so to tilt the head right back, to get in the throat properly. If I get any bleeding whatsoever, I'm to go back to the ER. So, that's me then.
Ariane, I'm so pleased you are OK. I was thinking of you on the 5th and whilst I was in the hospital yesterday. It's going to be a bumpy ride, alright, but we can do it!!
dbaum, you will do fine next week. Damn early time you have to be there, though. Crikey!
Catch up with you all in a bit. Thank you for not forgetting about me! Keep well. :)

Wow Charlatan sounds like you are doing great! I'll bet it's because BF is there. :)

Did you see we have increased our ranks. What was 3 is now 5. Five of us having this done this month!!!

Good to hear from you and I am so glad you are doing well and sound upbeat. What you are saying makes me less afraid of food. :)

Charlatan, it sounds like you had a great start on your recovery. I hope that I can have a similar experience!

How long is everyone staying in the hospital? I was told that I would be booted out the same day. They also mentioned that it's only a 20 minute procedure on the surgery schedule - is it that fast for everybody?

What are the typical painkillers used for after surgery? I'm going to ask for the breastfeeding-friendly ones, but I was curious about what the usual ones were. I was told that I'd also get a steroid shot at some point. Since I have a nursing babe, I imagine that I'll have to pump and dump for the first day, but I'm hoping to be able to nurse after that - depends on what they give me.

sugarbeth--If you are in the U.S. you will have this procedure as an outpatient. Charlatan is in the UK and they keep folks overnight. I was told my procedure would be about 30 minutes and then out the door after a couple of hours in recovery.

The pain killers I will be getting is Percocet. I will also have liquid antibiotics. I am asking for Phenergan suppositories for nausea. Also, I am asking the anthesiologist for Zofran during the procedure. This fights nausea as well.

I was not told anything about steroids. However I read on this board about a steroid pack for swelling but I don't know anything about it.

That's all I know right now :)

:(

I had my tonsils out about 8 days ago and I can't sleep for anything! I fall asleep at night for about 2 hours and then I wake up with the worst pain in my ears and throat. Im extremely tired and nothing seems to help. I take 2 Vicodins every 4 hours and it doesn't even take all the pain away. I JUST WANT TO SLEEEEEEEEEP! :yawn: I also can't wait to eat a decent meal. I've lost 10 lbs so far in 7 days. When did the turn around point come for everyone? IM so scared I will end up like some of these people who can't eat even after 2 weeks.

I had steroids inserted in my IV right before I was wheeled away into the OR. They give them to you to help reduce swelling and inflammation. To tell you the truth I didn't feel much of a difference. Oh and Dbaum be really careful with percocet. I took that the first 3 days and on the 4th day i threw up like 8 times from the percocet. They had to switch my medication to vicodin. Horrible experience :(

KSKG143--Thanks for the tip. I know it can be rough stuff so I am going to try, as soon as I can, to switch between Percocet and liquid Tylenol.

hey everyone..its seems like alot of people are joining! Ariane im glad to see you are hanging in there! dbaum..so your surgery is coming up soon..seems like i was one of the first on here and the last for the tonsillectomy! I just want it done with. Charlatan i cant believe you are already eating what you are! thats amazing...do you all get different pain meds then us? By the way i love the u.k i visited there afew times and everyone was great i miss my pen pals there! you all are strong!hey sugarbeth..i have nasty tonsil stones too..which is a major reason i want them out..i have such large crypts that i have white spots on my tonsils all the time.i knock em off and they are back in a day.kckg143..im so sorry you cant sleep and are in a lot of pain. i also hope you dont lose much more weight..thats not healthy! i dont know what pain killers i will be using..probably find out at my pre-op... i just know that almost every antiboitic and pain killer make me sick.i have a weak stomache.im so afraid about this!!!! ttya later. Im so glad i found this site..you all are great and support from people going through it or will soon helps.. my fiance thinks its not a big deal..he doesnt undestand why i am afaid! thanks everyone. bye! =)

sugarbeth..what are the steroid shots for? are you ashmatic? the only time ive had steroids was for ashma. i also really hope that you have someone that will be helping you around te clock esp since you have a little one =) bye!

Geez..all I got after my surgery was Tylenol with codeine! I was given liquid Vicoden but it made me throw up, so I did not take it. As for the turn-around day, it seems the 7th or 8th day is THE WORST...so anytime after that will be much better! It's been 3 weeks for me, and I still have some pain when I swallow and I am a bit hoarse..but I finally got my energy back and I can eat normally again. I feel for you guys, hang in there!!!

Hi everyone, I am on day 7 right now and had a question, have any of you had any problems with numbness in your tongue or a metallic taste in your mouth?

I Everyone, Its BevS, from several threads back, I had my four week post op today, everything was great. It still hurts some when I yawn and still feels "bumpy" but I have healed great, and the good news is my 5 year old has a cold and guess what! For the first time EVER I don't have a sore throat!!!!! I did tell the doctor today that I was SO glad I had it done, I DO NOT regret it, best decision I made in a long time, however, if he had asked me that on Day 8 it might have been a different answer. So, to all of you who have had a tonsillectomy recently, hang in there, it DOES get better, and those of you considering it, JUST DO IT!!! You will take it one day at a time and then boom- before you know it, its been a month and you are well!!!! Hope all goes well, I'll try to check in occasionally so if anybody has any questions feel free to ask, I know these boards were TREMENDOUS for me both before and after, and most importantly, in making my decision. I didn't even know those things were called tonsil stones - and I'm 47 tomorrow!!! I just called them white junk on my tonsils. Good luck everybody! Bev

gizzy_oh: My tounge was swollen and numb too...and that gross metalic taste lasted a while. I don't know what that is from,but it was a pain. I know day 7 was the worst for me, I hope you are doing ok!

Hi everyone. Charlatan I am soooo glad you are back. I can totally see it taking 3 hours to eat a cracker right after surgery, gosh that sounds like torture. I was shaking when I woke up from the anesthesia too and they gave me a blanket thinking I was cold.

I tried some chicken broth this afternoon but it was too bland so I didn't have much of it. This evening I had mashed potatoes and some hamburger with some gravy on it. It was very very mushy but the hamburger was hard to swallow and I looked in the mirror and noticed I was bleeding slightly so I stopped. I wanted that food so badly.

I am having a horrible time managing sleep and pain. I am so tired all the time and it seems like everytime I settle down to go to sleep it's almost time to get up and take more of the painkiller. About 45 minutes ago I just woke up - had had no intention on falling asleep, and I was almost 3 hours past the time for the next painkiller dose. I had tears rolling down my face as I tried to swallow the stuff and it felt like my throat must be bleeding a ton but it's only bleeding slightly again. I managed to get a full dose down but it has only taken the edge off. I so hope things start to improve soon.

Charlatan I really envy you being able to eat so much already. Keep us updated when you can.

Hi everyone. It's so good that you post-op guys stop by to tell us how good your are doing. It really helps get through this. I know the road is bumpy but I suspect, that in a few days Ariane will be doing so much better. I'm jealous of Charlatan and all that food:) Maybe they give stronger pain medication.

I am so happy there are so many success stories to read. Yes, it's bad for several days but the long term benefits are the best!

Thanks to everyone on this board. Ariane and Charlatan don't give up and keep us posted on how you are doing. We're all in this boat together.

I'm going shopping today to stock up. Today is my last day at work for 2 weeks. I am on call over the weekend but then that's it!

2 days post-op.
Oh dbaum, I'm afraid today things have worsened for me. It's just taken me 30 mins to just take my pain meds!!! I can't swallow! =( 4 days to go then, dbaum.. we'll all be here for you afterwards, don't worry. This board definitely helps.

Ariane ... do you flinch your whole body when you go to swallow, cos of the pain? I look a total dork whenever I swallow. Just tried eating a cheeseburger. Just broke off bits of bread and nibbled, that's all I could manage. Might try some soup soon. I want to be eating hard things, but right now, I just want to get ANYTHING inside, cos I'm starving. Yesterday was definitely a good day, since I ate so well. but I don't think curry was a great idea.

Sunsetskater, hi, how are you? I didn't get any strong pain meds. Just paracetamol (acetaminophen) and diclofenac suppositories. At the chemist, OTC, I bought some pills that are paracetamol + codeine, but even they don't help.

Water tastes sweet to me. Have a yucky taste in my throat and smell up my nose. I don't know if it's cos of the scabs, or if it's bile or puke or summat. It doesn't taste like rotting flesh though, as I expected the scabs to taste.

My BF brought me over some Vicks NyQuil with him (I don't think we get it in the UK) and I just took 5ml last night and that helped me sleep! Only for 5 hours though, then woke up in pain.

I'm sorry, there's more people posting on here now and I'm confused as to who's currently recovering and who's about to have the surgery, but hi anyway and I hope everyone keeps posting and sharing their experiences and has a good recovery. Thank gawd for this board! It is true that no one understands how bad it is once you're an adult. I mean, I'm 2 days post-op and my mother just said, "You're 2 days after the operation now, so you should be feeling better." HAHAHAHAHA!!!!! I couldn't speak though, so just rolled my eyes, shook my head and walked off!

Ariane, what's the latest with you? Are you finding it more painful now, too?

We all just have to keep reminding ourselves... no pain, no gain!!

By the way, dbaum, my BF just said that Percocet is a very strong, good painkiller, but also VERY addictive. Is there summat else you can take, too, so as to alternate pain meds, in case you get addicted?

Charlatan--Sounds like you're going to be eating the foods that we are told to eat. :-) Take it easy and keep drinking. Don't forget to chew some gum. Your BF is right about the Percocet. I plan to take it regularly for a couple of days and then start alternating between the Percocet and Liquid Tylenol. I have had Percocet for a different surgery and as soon as I can slow down on the doses I do. No addiction going on here. :)

Thank goodness BF is there. He must be a real sweety!

Ariane--How's it going? I do hope today is a bit better. :)

I can't say it enough--Thank goodness for this board!!!

Yeah, I hope Ariane posts soon again and is ok.
My BF is terrific, but I think it's all catching up with him now and he's zonked out on the bed.

I have a question for those of you that have been through this... I know this gets worse between days 5 - 8 typically, but for how long does this "worst" period last for? I hope it's only a day or two.

Just ate some cookies and going to make some soup up now. Stomach is busy grumbling away. Oh and drinking goes up my nose a bit, upon swallowing, but I knew this might happen.

I forgot about the water up the nose thing. My Doc told me about that and he said it's because the upper palate has to get used to coming down lower now that the tonsils are gone. He also said if you practice saying the word "kick" it will help strengthen the upper palate.

Aww ok dbaum, thanks. But I can't speak today. Are we supposed to be talking throughout recovery, to help get the throat muscles working properly again? I know that when I swallow food, that often feels like it sticks in the throat, but that's cos the throat muscles aren't up to much.

Also, I would like to ask anyone who knows, about mouthwashes. I've been ordered to keep good mouth hygiene, so is it ok to swish Listerine about in the mouth? I won't gargle it, just rinse and spit out. :confused:

I was told no mouthwash but to brush my teeth with a baby toothbrush. Charlatan, as for speaking you will probably not get above a whisper. But if you say "kick" without really saying it your tongue and palate will still go through the motions. Does that make sense??? Food will stick in your throat if it's too thick. That's why we are told to stay away from dairy and just do clear liquids or very thin stuff. Sounds like you need to make yourself a nice big slushee :)

Hi everyone. Today is much worse. I haven't had the painkiller in 12 hours now, I can't keep anything down. My mom just rushed off to get me the naueas suppository, if it doesn't help I think I may have to go to the hospital soon. I'm in total agony and I'm so scared.

Oh my goodness Ariane! What has your Doctor suggested? I do hope the suppositories work for you.

He told my mom to get me the suppository as fast as possible. I'm in a