Needsomehelp -- I agree that whatever pain associated with the procedure will, in the end, be MORE than worth it. I can't tell you how much better I feel. I was starting to wonder, prior to my surgery, if I had chronic fatigue syndrome since I felt low-level lousy on a chronic basis.

I wanted to mention to you that, prior to my surgery, when I was getting absolutely terrified, I spoke to a friend who had her tonsils out a while ago. She swore that she had suffered bouts of tonsillitis pain that were worse than the pain she suffered post-surgery (and she is not much of a stoic about these things). I also looked up some messages on various boards from people who experienced fairly easy recoveries. It may sound nuts, but I actually created a document consisting of these positive messages, and read and re-read them before going into surgery. I feel that it may have helped me to expect, and therefore have, an easy recovery. I also followed the recommendations on this board (drink constantly, chew gum, etc.) and found them to be invaluable.

Good luck to everyone up this week! I had mine done 4 weeks ago and things are going well. Healing up nicely I think.

Just think of the great life without those pesky tonsils!! :)

Oh yes, great life without them indeed. Get through the rough spots and then you're home free, full of energy and just feeling so much better.

Needsomehelp.... I am on post-op day 13 and I can honestly tell you I feel like I had an easy recovery. Yes the 1st 3-4 days I had pain, but if you take your meds on time you should be OK I was off meds by the 4th day! Drink alot and use the warm-mist humidifer, it really helps. True I couldn't swallow much, so I had a liquid diet for the 1st 10 days. Then on the 11th day, things started looking soooo much better, and finally I was able to eat solid food. I made sure I chewed about 40 times and had water right there. On the 12th day I was able to go out to the local diner and I had spinach pie and chicken noodle soup (notice the food is still somewhat soft, but tasty.) and I was in heaven. I even had my coffee (luke warm...) with the inside of a Dunkin Donut Coffee Cake muffin. My post-op visit was yesterday and he said I was healing wel.., but it could take 2-3 weeks before the scabs are all gone. But I only have MILD discomfort when I swallow which is truly bearable. Remember knowlege is power. This message board has helped me understand all that CAN take place. Doesn't necessarily mean that it will. I felt that the more I knew, the better I could deal. The only thing I can really add to everyones suggestions is to rest, rest, rest. I did not get off the couch for 12 days, and I truly believe that also helped very much. You'll be fine, and then you'll be able to help the "tonsil buddies" that come after you.....

Hi everyone! surgery @ 9:30am and i'm pretty nervous. mostly about the meds not being strong enough for post op....i've been on some pretty good stuff when i was really sick in the past and just hope the tylonol with codine will do it for me.

thanks for the reply tivi- glad your feeling good.
Hope everyone is doing well.

* on my way out to get the humidifier I had one from 2 years ago but my mom said to buy a new one b/c they can hold bacteria and with surgery you can't be to careful. They are cheap enough to not take a risk. Also going to pick up some babyfood and bubblegum, im thinking of investing in a snowcone machine that's onsale...i figured my daughter will like it and it would be a nice treat for me. :wave:

Hi there, I've just had my tonsils out and it's day 3. Not feeling too bad but have been reading about the pain to come. Just wondering about the "warm mist humidifier" that everyone has mentioned. I'm writing from New Zealand and not too sure what kind of machine it is? Is it expensive and is it just a room humidifier or some kind of mask? Any descriptions would be welcomed so I can get one before day 5 pain kicks in. Cheers Lisa :)

its just a regular humidifier but make sure it says "warm mist" on the box instead of cool mist b/c some are cold mist. the one i got is VICKS and it was pretty cheap about $25.

Just a couple questions: I was wondering what liquids worked best for everybody because i've heard from a few people that gatorade really stings and that milk products produce phlegm...for those who have had the surgery, what worked best for you? Also, when using the humidifier, did you pour any medicine in it or did you just run it with the water?

Jes523: Good Luck!! ;)

Hi Lis--The humidifier I got is was just a small one that sat on my night stand. The box said warm mist and was about $30.00

Scolby--We'er all different but what worked for me was Atkins Protein Shakes. The vanilla ones were the best. It also gave me nutrition. The only thing that I added to my humidifier was some humidifier water treatment. No medicine, just nice warm steam does the trick. :-)

I liked the shakes too. I liked the vanilla carnation instant breakfast. Atkins shakes? are those low carb? Carbs are good to keep up strength and wieght. Just a thought.

The Atkins shakes are low carb but they are full of vitamins and lots of protein. Very good for the body. At least that was my experience. :-) But, we are all different.

Hi all, Well i made it out!

I'm doing pretty good now its about 1 am and i had my surgery at 11:30am. Sleep is happing in about 2-3 hour intervals but is better then nothing. Staying ontop of the meds seems to be the trick.
My hospital exsperience was pretty bad, i woke up really confused from surgery and was crying and needed oxygen. The pain was unbelieveable and they said they couldn't give me anything then what they already had...(bull if you ask me.) So i found myself crying for about 4 hours staright wich prob. didn't help the situation. I also had a problem peeing....they tried to tell me that i had a urinary track that just came on out of no where...even though i peed right before the surgery and was fine and when i woke up was in a lot of urnary pain and discomfort.
I also woke up and was asking my nurse questions and i guess i asked her the same question 2times b/c like i said i was pretty confused and i didn't have my glasses on and im blind without them wich just added to the confusion and she actually said to me. " You already asked me that, now your just repeating yourself so lay down and go back to sleep." I felt really alone and unsupported. It was terrible.
I am completely under the impression and im sure some will agree that the hosptial staff have no idea what tonsillectomy is like for adults. Oh man it is so painful.
The doctor said mine where really bad, i had holes and craters and when he removed them they were ozzing puss (sorry gross) and in bad shape. He also actually gave me stiches b/c of the way the tonsil cavity was after and that this should make recovery easier on me b/c less scabbing with occur. So anyway im glad they are gone LOL!! yuck!
My favoite thing so far has been luke warm chicken broth it was very soothing. I'll keep you guys posted. thanks for everyone who was thinking of me.
Hope everyone is doing well.

Hi Jes--The surgery is over!!! You will be glad when it's all said and done. Just focus on healing, taking your meds, drinking lots and lots of fluids and chewing gum. It's true about hospital staff. Some of them become quite callous. But that's behind you and you're on your way to a healthier life.

Hi Everyone,

I have been visiting this site for months but never wrote anything. First off, let me say to Jes, I am sorry you were treated like that. It breaks my heart that no one was there to comfort you and the nurse was not being understanding. I hope you have a very quick recovery.

I just had my tonsils taken out on the 19th of May. It's been up and down...they gave me Tylenol 3 with Codeine and after I told them it was getting less and less effective, they gave me liquid Lortab. I had the scabs come out yesterday...it was the most disgusting thing...so glad that I was awake to spit them out.

I had a question. Does gargling with salt water help clean my throat? What exactly does it do? And was anyone else's tongue swollen after surgery? Mine is still slightly swollen and sore.

I was told not to gargle due to the bleeding risk. I don't know if swishing salt walter would help or not. Maybe someone else has some thoughts on that.

My tongue, in the very back, was a bit swollen and sore just for a couple of days. There are others on the board that had this problem much longer. I am sure you will get some helpful feedback.

Hi, Kimberley -- The scabs are pretty gross. I remember spitting a huge one out, but the others seemed to disappear on their own. I must have swallowed them without being aware of it.

My ENT told me to rinse (not gargle) with hydrogen peroxide mixed with water.

Jes -- I'm so sorry to hear about your awful experience in recovery. I was lucky enough to have kind, wonderful nurses who called me "honey" and kept asking me if I wanted more watered-down juice or Jello! It makes me very angry to hear about such things. If people don't care to provide compassion to people who need to be cared for, then they shouldn't be in the medical profession. It also sounds like you didn't receive any painkillers. I was on morphine immediately and really not in much pain at all.

Anyway, onward and upward. You are, as dbaum says, on the way to a much healthier life. The recovery, looking back on it, really passes very quickly, and once you start feeling better, you will just continue to improve.

Hi Jes,

Also so sorry to hear of your hospital experience...do yourself and others to follow you a favor when you feel well enough. My husband had a horrible experience with his nurses in one of his hospitalizations. We I got him home, I tucked him into bed then wrote the hospital administrator a 9 page letter about the different issues. Administrator contacted me right away with his apologies and thanked me for taking the time to write...he said they need others to do the same as I had done. Also send your doctor a copy of your letter...will help with his other patients. As others have said, don't concentrate on that aspect of your proceedure....concentrate on taking those pain meds on time! :) I felt that a load had been lifted off my shoulders after I wrote the letter though...even before I mailed it! :)

Let us know how you're doing....I'll have my tonsillectomy next Thursday....will have it done at a physician owned surgical center and will stay overnight. Husband crushed his finger and had surgery at the same center. They are soooo patient oriented, it's incredible! It seems like these physician owned surgical centers are picking the "cream of the crop" nurses from the hospitals.

Take care, and drink, drink, drink! ;)

Cathy

Hey Jes- Hope everything is going well...hope you're not too miserable right now. I'm glad you are out of the hospital! That sounded awful! Take care of yourself and get well!

I met my ENT today. He set the date for Tuesday, June 7th. He didn't say much. He just said that the surgery would take about 20 minutes...then he said "In the recovery room you'll wake up, go to the bathroom, eat a popsicle, then go home. You should only be there for an hour." ONE HOUR!?!? It has to be longer than that... anyway, that was basically all he said. Then he put me on a new antibiotic - Its my 4th one this month...I'll be happy when this is all over!

Cathy - good luck on Tuesday and take care! I'm up 5 days after you!

Okay, I feel like I am dying. This is post op day 5 and I thought I was getting better. Now 2 vicodin aren't even touching the pain. I am forcing myself to eat b/c I got sick from taking the vicodin on an empty somach. I ate some spaghetti and just chewed a million times. I had to literally cringe every time I swallowed, but at least I kept the vicodin down. Please tell me if it is supposed to hurt this bad. I am 32 and feel like this is the worst pain I've ever had. I had two c-sections and never used the narcotics -- just advil. I didn't imagine that this pain could be much worse. It's just terrible. I just needed to vent. I am sure you all have had the same experience, I just feel like my life is never going to be normal again.

Hi WP,

I am day 8 days post op, and this message board helped me alot. I was also feeling like I was getting better until like day 5...reading other people's previous messages here helped prepare me, let me tell you! I was thinking "but I feel so much better" then bam! it hurts. But like someone else was saying, it will turn around quickly. For me, it was only like that for a day or 2. The worst was first thing in the morning.

I feel a lot better now. I actually haven't been checking the clock ever so often to see if I can take my pain meds. I am also chewing gum. My docotor told me to do that, but I never did, until the Day 5 pain. I chewed the gum, and after about15 minutes to half an hour, it did feel a lot better.

I think they say the pain is from the scabs starting to come off. Mine came out and it was so disgusting, let me tell you.

Good luck!

Thanks, Kimberly. I just feel like I am WAY too dependent on the vicodin. My doctor told me initially to take it. But I keep thinking I should be off it. I guess I am comparing to my c-sections. The thing about tonsil surgery is it's in your mouth and if effects your eating, breathing, talking...I just woke up in so much pain all I can do it sit here an look at the computer until the meds kick in.

Hey WP,

The thing about pain meds is that if you wait until you just can't take it anymore to pop the meds, then they aren't as effective. I would just take it as prescribed for the first 10 days. Take it before the pain gets too much.
I am feeling a lot better, but I am still taking the meds. And chewing the gum really works.

I hope you start to feel better soon!

Williampaul -- Don't even give the pain meds a second thought. Take them before you think they pain will start up again. I was taking liquid Tylenol AND Percocet -- Tylenol as soon as I got up and then Percocet within 1/2 hour. I was taking something every 2 to 3 hours. You are NOT going to become a drug addict. You need the meds and you must take them. I empathize deeply with how you're feeling and I promise you that this severe pain will only last for a few days. Try using ice packs alternating with heating pads on your throat and ears -- it will help with the pain. Hang in there.

Hi Spa, you're right on the money. I took a lot of Percocet and had no problem when I ready to stop them. Heat really helped me as well as eating/drinking luke warm stuff.

Thanks everyone. This board has been wonderful. I called the doctor today and they said the same thing. Take the meds. She said if I don't take the meds I'll feel too sick to eat and drink. And if I don't eat and drink I won't get better. I think I am mostly just feeling guilty that I have made no contributions to my family this week. My kids are 5 and 2 and they just want their mommy to get better.

Hello all!
Hope everyone is doing good. I'm on post op day 3 right now and im doing better then yestorday. Yestorday i woke up in the morning vomiting up old blood that they think may have been left over from the surgery. Well i couldn't stop throwing up i took nausia meds and nothing would stop it. I ended up in the emergency room for about 3 hours getting fluids and pain meds and nausia meds. I felt a lot better when i left there but now im scared to take more pain meds b/c that could be what was making me sick. I'm really sore and hungry. I can't wait for this to be over... ughhh! thanks for everyones thoughts i'l post again soon. good luck to everyone! :(

Hi Jes. I am post op day 7 and I've only thrown up twice. Each time I take my meds I literally pray that I will not throw up. I just got off the phone with the Dr. as I was weeping telling him about my pain. He said I am almost over the hump, gee thanks. He said if I just can't handle it I can go to the ER for morphine. I just might. Hope you feel better soon. This sucks more than anything I've ever done.

Hi WP--Yes, you are almost past the worst. I was so much better on day 10 it was amazing. This does suck but the end result is so worth it. Have you tried heat on your ears and throat? It helped me a lot. It also helped to eat/drink luke warm things. It felt better.

Jes--What really help with my nausea was suppositories and the patch they give you for seasickness. I just left the patch behind my ear for 3 days and it really helped.

Yes i agree when you start to get better it happens fast. You wake up and each day gets better.

I am 5 weeks post op and feeling great. I think it was all worth it. No more tonsils!

Hello everyone,

I just spent the last hour or so looking through all of your posts. Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and offering your advice. I'm 23yrs old and on June 20th, I'll be having my tonsils removed. I have very large cryptic tonsils, I tend to get "tonsil stones" frequently and also have many bouts of severe sore throats. I received the go ahead from the ENT to have my tonsils removed and I'm looking forward to no more sore throats...post surgery recovery of course!

A couple questions for all of you...
Did you have tonsils and adenoids removed? During your very sore days what level of activity were you able to accomplish? I'm currently studying for the CPA exam and I'm scheduled to sit for an exam 12 days post surgery. I was hoping that I'd still have enough energy to study while lying in pain in bed. Also, 19 days post surgery I fly to Hawaii and 22 days post surgery I'll be getting married. Am I crazy to be scheduling this surgery so close to my wedding day? How much weight did you loose during your recovery? I want to make sure that I'll still fit into my wedding dress!

Thanks everyone...I look forward to chatting with you more during the coming days.

I am new here also but have been reading back through the posts. I am on post op day 5 and am experiencing ear pain in just my right ear. I am also just feeling yucky today. Glad to know what I am feeling is normal. I had to use the nausea patch again since I am was getting an upset stomach. I am bummed that this is going to be a long process. Glad you all are here.

Mellers--First of all I wish you good luck on your exam. You certainly have a busy couple of months coming up. Recovery is individual, but as long as the pain meds don't knock you out too bad, you should be able to study. As for traveling and so forth, that's really going to depend on how you recover. I went back to work on day 15 and I did not start to get my energy back until day 21. But, we are individuals so you may be just fine.

Tracy--Try some heat on your ears. It really helped me.

Another question...Besides finding myself a humidifier, stocking my fridge with atkins shakes, and buying gum in bulk, can you think of anything I could do pre-surgery to make things go smoothly?

Mellers--It sounds like you've done your homework and are well prepared. Just remember, the minute you get out of surgery, start drinking and don't stop. ;)

Hi everyone, this board has been a lifesaver.

My name is Erin and I'm 19-years-old. I just had a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy last Tuesday (May 24th). Since freshman year of college, I started getting tonsillitis/bacterial strep infections in my tonsils every semester. On top of that, I would frequently get sore throats. My ENT said that I was borderline for the surgery and I told him that I wanted it done! I'm on day 6 right now and although it's been complete hell, I'm so glad I did it and, as crazy as it sounds, would do it again if I knew what it would be like. My tonsils had control of my life! I was afraid of over-exertion because I dreaded getting sore throats. In the long run I know I'll be happy about this, haha!

Days 1 and 2 were pretty rough, then I felt some relief, but then I woke up crying on day 5 (yesterday). The throat and ear pain on top of the taste of the scabs, wasn't the greatest. This morning was also rough, but slightly less intense. Mornings, right when I wake up, is when it's the worst. Right after I get a dose of pain medication in, things are a lot more tolerable! For the first four days I constantly wore an ice pack. Hard to say if that brought much relief but I figured, why not. I also did not throw up once. I'm a huge baby when it comes to throwing up; it's such a huge fear of mine! I haven't thrown up since I was nine-years-old, so my 10-year record goes untouched!

What's bothered me the most is that my uvula was bruised during the cauterization and is very swollen. Whenever I try to talk, it feels like it gets caught in my throat. It also hurts opening up my throat to speak so my throat remains in a static position when I sound out different words. I've been struggling to speak a little bit at a time, and my voice resembles that of someone who is hearing impaired.

I've been living on ice cream, yogurt, Jell-o, pudding, oatmeal, and soup. I've been drinking water, Gatorade, and Hawaiian Punch. Just yesterday I had mashed up tuna fish with mayonnaise. This made me feel extremely nauseous. I guess I wasn't ready to move on to something like that after I've had such a light diet! I've lost six pounds (averaging a pound a day) and I've just been... bored.

I haven't been downstairs since the surgery about a week ago! My family's been of great assistance. The Hydrocodone (Vicodin) just makes me so dizzy and itchy and I've also had some hot flashes. Whenever I need something, I clap, or call the house line with my cell phone so that somebody knows to come upstairs. I've had friends come over to watch movies and TV with me and I type responses to them! I'm so glad I have a laptop!

Anyway, I apologize for the overly-long post. I'm just so grateful that this message board exists. It's nice to know that others are going through the exact same thing. I look forward to your responses!

Erin

I slept with the heating pad on my ear and the right side of my neck most of the night and also alternated with the ice pack. It has been really hard since I also had a turbinate reduction in my sinuses at the same time. As I was reading through all the experiences from people here I had a hard time putting my brain around how bad things could get on day 5. Now that I am at this point I can fully understand it and glad to know it is normal. I am drinking Carnation instant breakfast a lot and sucking on ice chips and drinking more water than I thought a body could take. It is just discouraging to feel this bad though.

Sparkly - the uvula being swollen is normal. I had the same feeling of choking on it. Mine felt a lot better after a week but when I talked i could still feel it for about 4 weeks. It kinda worried me. My ENT said its normal too. Not to worry. Now im week 5 and its back to normal so don't sweat it. It takes time. Dont talk if you dont have to. I wrote everything down for the frist few weeks unless I really had to talk.

jamesg -- thanks, that's interesting. My uvula is already starting to feel like it's returning to normal. But it still hurts to speak (shifting how wide the throat is opened to make different sounds). Did anyone else have this problem? I'm going on a trip in a week and a half and I'm terrified that it will still be awkward and painful when I'm speaking. :( I know it's different for everybody, but it would be so helpful if anyone could shed light on this. I'm a very vocal person so it's been horrible having to be so silent. ;)

Erin

My ENT gave me a high dose of steroids that I take every morning for the first week and it has helped my uvula swelling to go down to almost normal now. Talking hurts for me right now so I just really don't do a lot of it. Today I am just trying to make it through the pain and rest. I am eating some refried beans and they seem to be sliding down easy and being that they are only lukewarm it feels good. Nice to have something other than soup or an instant breakfast. My taste buds are still wonky which is bummer when I eat ice cream.

My ENT gave me oral steroids as well. It did help. However, I had a problem with the left side of my palate dropping some later on. It's still a bit dropped and the back of my throat feels like I have a hair ball back there. Kind of wierd. I'm going to see my ENT so we'll see what he says.

I can't believe through all of the research I've done on this surgery before I went through it- that i didn't find this site- i'm glad I have though because I have felt so alone and pathetic these past few days. I feel like i just take pain meds and try to sleep so i don't feel anything anymore. I'm so miserable and in so much pain. My surgery was thursday and its now monday.... I just had my tonsils removed because i kept getting really really bad strep throats (5 episodes since january) and I had a sleep study done and found out that i have severe sleep apnea and narcolepsy.

My sleep study was traumatic enough and as a college girl going through this- i felt like the biggest freak. None of my friends would sleep in the same room as me because i snored so loud and i couldn't get through the day without massive amounts of caffeine or drugs to naps to keep me awake. I became severely depressed and it seems like no amount of drugs seem to help me- i was to the point of suicide. Finally, I decided to see an ENT.
When i went there- the doctor saw my records of strep over the years and my sleep study and knew i should get them out. I didn't want to- but i knew it had to be done.
The day of my surgery- i was freaking out- and i tried to rip out my IV... that didn't work out too well- they sedated me and i fell asleep instantly with a big shot of demoral to wake up to. I was ok my first day- but i feel like its getting worse and worse. I feel the scars on the back of my throat- my ears are killing me.... luckily i'm not bleeding but i'm not doing much of anything. The doctor put me on oxycodone and tylenol with codeine. I'm sucking down the oxycodone like candy and passing out as much as i can and can barelly swallow the tylenol... I hate this.... i'm on my 4th day and the posts imply that its not going to get any better... i'm just trying to drink as much water as i can- but i'm not eating much- some oatmeal if i'm lucky... any other suggestions?

Ale--At least you have found this great resource. You sound pretty normal to me. Are you using a warm mist humidifier and chewing gum? It will help. If you do begin to get severe ear pain this is also normal. Heat to the area will help. Believe me, once you get through this you will feel so much better. Just hang on, make sure you are getting nutrtion and post any questions you may have.

Curling up all day with the heating pad on my right ear has been a God-send today! My ear pain is finally under control. My throat is very tight today so talking is no fun. I was able to eat some mac-n-cheese and yogurt which went down easy and has helped my tummy to feel better. I also have been sleeping off and on which helps also.

yea- i have found those smoothie things in a bottle like with yogurt to be helpful but i'm still not eating solid foods... i've been trying to take long warm showers to help my ears and heating up this special neck thing for my ears.... i do have a question though

my dad is having this art gallery opeing this weekend and he wants me to be there- i still can't talk and have to take pain meds every 2/3 hours and can't walk around too much... he says he just wants me to be there (and i want to go) but i know if i go- i'll get roped into having to move things and watch my little sisters- talk a lot- and i just don't think i'll be ready to do that... am i over reacting? my surgery was the 26th- thursday and the opening is this weekend the 4/5/6th of june.. what do you think??

thanks!

I would listen to your body and not push it. I have had to say no to a lot of stuff this weekend because I know it is what my body needs. My Hubby asked if I wanted to ride with him to his Sis's house to pick up our girls. As much as I would love to get out of the house I am just not up to it at all so I stayed home.

Hello all!
Well I'm on day 5 here and i had one of the worst experiences of my life today. I became very nauseous yesterday and spend most of the day in bed vomiting into a towel it was horrible. The doctor had prescribed something for nausea called, COMPAZINE i took this the night before and again last night and again this afternoon. About 3 hours after I took the 3rd dose my tongue started to swell up and it wouldn't go down. My mom gave me benedryl and nothing helped it. I was so mad b/c it was almost time for dinner and i had just started to beable to eat! I couldn't even swallow my own spit. My mom wanted me to call 911 b/c she was afraid my throat would swell closed. I refused and we just headed to the emergency room. In the car on the way there i started feeling my jaw pulling to one side really bad and my tongue was all the way swollen in the back of my mouth. My mom said she knew instantly it was a Tetni reaction...(tetni like tetanus.) (my moms a nurse) I got lock jaw and my tongue was hanging out of my mouth. i got rushed into the emergency room and hooked up to all these monitors and was given tons of benegryl and something else. The reaction stopped instantly but it was so scary. The doctors said it is very rare to have this kind of reaction and its very dangerous. fun huh? ughhhg.
other then that the pain has been manageable the last couple days but when i wake up from sleeping the pain is unbearable but i pop a couple extra strength Tylenol and keep an icepack on my throat and i do okay. This has been a horrible experience for me, i can't wait until its over!!!

Dbauml- i tried the suppositories and vomited right threw them that's why i ended up in the emergency the first time. I'm glad they worked for you, you have no idea how luck you are. puking is the worst.

williampaul-try to get a lot of rest. after i rest a lot i wake up feeling so much better and ice pops have been my life saver lately. and keep drinking.

Jes,

Yikes! So sorry to hear of your day! Know you must have been scared to death! Sounds like you're in good hands with your Mom...now all you have to do is listen to her! :) You really had a life and death situation going on there. But, there's always something good to come out of something bad, as the saying goes...think your "something good" is now you know you're allergic to compazine. Make sure you make that note in your purse and let EVERY doc know of the allergic reaction!

As I sit here with a nagging sore throat, I'm counting the days down to Thursday. Even with all of your trials and tribulations, you'll be a lot better off in the long run. Just be glad you didn't wait til you were 53 to have it done!

Take care and know you'll be better tomorrow...can't get much worse, huh?

Cathy

Jes- I'm so sorry to hear that! This must be just awful for you! I hope you do alot better tomorrow!

I'm still waiting to have the surgery done! This new medicine the DR prescribed is a little annoying. I have every possible side effect that it lists...dizziness, blurred vision, drowsiness (I fell asleep at work today...woops), etc...but no sore throat right now, thats a plus - that will come next week...

Dbaum - where can i find the - i think you said seasickness patches? I've looked but haven't been able to find them.

for those of you going to get this precedure done- make sure you have enough pain medication! i'm on my fifth day this mroning and already have to get more... so make sure you have enough or at least refills... just a tip... its 4:30 a.m and i am in soo much pain... my ears..my throat (i can feel the scabs coming off) it hurts to swallow... ugh i just want to cry right now.... sorry to scare those of you who have left to do this... i know it will be good in the long run... but it hurts like crazy now.... to everyone else- hang in there....!

Hiya.. Just a quick update, as I am 8 weeks post-op tomorrow.
Well, my soft palate and uvula never did go back up and one side's still lower than the other. I made an appointment to see my ENT, which isn't until June 13th, but I know what he'll say. He'll just say it's permanent and perhaps offer a uvula trimming operation, which AIN'T GONNA HAPPEN!! lol
Have been through enough throat surgery, thank you very much! The tonsillectomy was IT for me!
Have kind of got used to this now, I think, anyway. I barely notice the uvula on the back of the tongue now, and only get minor discomfort at times. If it was BAD, I'd do something about it.
I see you're still about, dbaum!! :) Good to see you're doing well now.. and James and Ariane and anyone else I have missed. Will probably post again after seeing the ENT anyway. Take care. xxx

Good luck to those of you currently going through misery and pain, I know everyone says the same, but it really DOES get better. You'll get through it.

Im making my surgery appt soon....I was thinking of doing it sometime around the 7th of july.....however, im planning on going to amsterdamn about a month later...should this be enough time to allow me to fly and not have to feel crappy while im there????

needsomehelpbad,

My tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy were one week ago (Tuesday, May 24th). I told the doctor ahead of time that I'm leaving for Europe on Thursday, June 9th. He said that that left me enough time to recover. Today is day 7 for me and I can feel myself slooowly getting better. Day 5 was a low point for me, then day 6 was a slight step up. Today is a clear improvement over day 6 and from this point on, things should look up. I think that any ENT would tell you that that's enough time. That's just my guess.

Erin

PS: I'm 19-years-old, so while I'm an adult and this surgery was complete hell for me, I'm still relatively young. Perhaps that makes somewhat of a difference.

Wow on the allergic reaction. Glad you got to the ER and they took care of you.

I forget who asked about the sea sickness patches, they are a prescription that you can get from your ENT. That is who prescribed mine.

I go for my one week checkup this afternoon. Things are getting a bit better. I was able to sleep through my 1am meds and I am now taking half a demerol with the liquid tylenol for the pain now. I am so ready to be over this hump. It is really hard since my Hubby went back to work and both my girls are now out of school for the summer. I talked to them this morning about how it hurts for me to talk and they need to listen to me the first time. Think that worked? Nope. My throat is so sore from having to repeat everything I say to them more than once.

Tracey I feel for you!! My kids made fun of me because I couldn't talk so I would clap my hands when I wanted their attention. You can imagine that my hands were pretty sore everyday! :)

Hi all,

I'm a 34-year old male and just had my tonsils out last Thursday (May 26). Even though I haven't had the best time of it, my only regret is that I didn't do it sooner. I can't wait to feel better -- and be tonsil-free! Once I got them diagnosed, I suddenly realized how many times over the last 20+ years I had suffered from tonsil problems without realizing I had something curable.

Anyway, for those of you who are about to get it done, I thought I might share a "Top 10" list of things you'll wish you had when you come out of the big O (Operation):

10. A HUMIDIFIER. Definitely get one. I don't think cold mist or warm mist makes much difference (I had cold and it was fine) but use one of them.

9. YOUR FAVORITE TV SERIES ON DVD. I still can't focus on a 2-hour movie and - even with cable - there's just nothing on at 3am. Every night.

8. ANTIBIOTICS. Make sure if your throat is bothering you now, that you take a course of antibiotics BEFORE your surgery. The last thing you want to do, strange as it may seem, is have surgery while you're actively infected. And speaking of antibiotics ...

7. ACIDOPHILUS. Get the liquid kind so you can take it with your antibiotics after surgery. It'll keep you from having trouble digesting while you're on antibiotics (if you have this problem).

6. NAPS. If your post-op is anything like mine, don't think of sleep as something you do at night. I sleep on and off all day (and night) because I still haven't been able to get more than an hour or so continuously. Maybe others have been luckier ...

5. THINNER CLOTHES. I'm on day 6 and have already lost over 12 lbs. I don't know if that would be good news to any of you, but I'd like to have a little more 'me' left over when this is all done.

4. ANYTHING-BUT-RED COLORED FOODS. If you throw up afterwards and see red, you won't be able to tell if it's the Jell-O or blood. Take it from someone who's had to guess.

3. YOUR OWN PERSONAL IV LINE. I pretty much made an appointment for 3-days post-op to go back to the ER and get an IV line in me -- and I'm glad I did. I couldn't swallow liquids the first two days and eating ice chips just wasn't keeping me hydrated enough. On Saturday, I "gave in" and had my wife drive me back to the ER. Got two bags full and felt MUCH better. And a good thing, too, because I wasn't back home for more than an hour before I threw up a scab and started bleeding (hemorrhaging) from my throat. If I hadn't had the extra fluids in me I might have been in real trouble.

2. FROZEN GREEN BEANS. Absolutely the best cold compress around. They refreeze quickly, never form a hard, solid block (the way normal ice does), and are "soft" enough when frozen that they won't hurt your throat. Grab a couple bags at the grocery store before your surgery date.

1. A LITTLE SELF-RESTRAINT. I couldn't help myself. I'm a big eater, so the thought of 10 days without solid food (my doc's orders) seemed like purgatory. As soon as the anaesthesia wore off in Recovery and I saw food, I decided to dig in. I think I ate like 8 of those little bowl things of orange and lime Jell-O and, needless to say, vomited most of the car-ride home. Not a good time to be heaving so keep the appetite in check.

----

Hope this helps! Good luck ... and you'll be glad you did it. Even with the pain and suffering, I already am.

Haas

Well I just got back from my one week post-op check-up. He said everything is healing so well and looks so good. He said that my referred ear pain should last only approx. 3-5 days. I am thrilled it is only on one side. He said my nose is still swollen from my turbinate reduction and so he gave me more steroid pills for that. He said he isn't afraid of bleeding right now but to still stay away from crunchy stuff for another week or two.

Hi all,
My name is Kathryn, and I too had my surgery on the 26th of May. I am 20 years old, and can only hope that when I have children, I am able to let them have the surgery when they are younger, and won't remember much. I can't say that I am enjoying myself too much, but I know that it is much needed. I had both my nose and my throat done at the same time, and I am just looking forward to the day that I no longer have pain. I am looking forward to hearing anything encouraging of what lies ahead. Thanks for the support! Kathryn

awww sweetie! i'm sorry i'm going through the same thing- i'm 21 but i only had my tonsils out- hang in there- what pain meds are you on? if you have aim- i'm under alethiasi on there if you want to talk during the day- i've been wicked bored lol- otherwise- just drink as much as you can- and sleep- talk toyou soon- hang in there
~maggie

Tracy,

Your post about your kids reminded me of my neighbor's childhood. Both of her parents were deaf. She and her 2 siblings really had a blast....knock down-drag out fights, tv blaring, swinging from ceiling fans, hollering and screaming all hours of the night...kids know how to take advantage of a bad situation, don't they! :)

Glad you got a good report today....will find out in the morning if I have my surgery Thursday of this week...or Thursday of next week. Blood tests might have discovered a slight clotting problem. Nothing like hanging in limbo.

Haas,

Thanks for the tip on the red jello....guess I'll go get another color tomorrow....and not drink the red Hawaiian Punch either, I suspose! I especially liked tip #5...always something good to come out of something bad. :bouncing:

Cathy

Got word this morning that there's no clotting problem after all and surgery is on for tomorrow at 8:30...will stay 23 hours after for pain control. Prescriptions already waiting on me include antibiodic, cortisone, numbing med, med to prevent thrush and pain reliever, of course. Nausea med also included in one of them... Guess this is what doc meant when he said they use a "concoction" of meds. I hope he wasn't kidding when he said to watch that first week carefully because I might feel too good and overdo with the concoction of meds I'll get.

Hoping for the best, but expecting the worst! :)

Cathy

Wow, I am on day 7 after my tonsillectomy. I am still hurting like a *****. I cannot believe how bad this is. I had a really good day on sunday which was day 4. I thought wow, I am getting better. Then day 5 came and I was in just about as much pain as I was the day after the surgery.

I never thought about putting a humidifier in my room for when I go to sleep. I have been sleeping right through the night though. When I wake up , its like hell. I can hardly even swallow. And whats with the bad taste in the mouth all the time. LIke its not gross enough that you have a huge pain in your throat lol.

I am starting to go about my daily routine again. I cant believe all the horror stories. LIke day 20 and some of you are still losing the scab and stuff. I was hopeing that since I am 19 that I would get better pretty fast but it isnt happening that way. I am starting to feel useless lol. I sit at home and do nothing. I am soo not used to this.

The worse thing for me is probably the pain in my toung. LIke I dont know what they did to me but it hurts like a *****. I cant even stick it out. HAHA. AND it hurts to talk and I am the most talkative person anyone will ever meet. Oh well. I am glad that there are other poeple out here with adult tonsillectomy's that are in pain to!!! Glad what I am feeling is normal!

Hey Everyone,
I was feeling pretty pathetic this morning (day 6 after surgery) and then i found this site and am happy to know that i'm not the only one!!! Anyhow I was wondering if any tonsil-less people out there could answer my questions. How long does it take to talk normally, I'm a server at a restertaunt and I'm suppose to work saturday, I think I'm going to call it off but I'm just curious how long will it take till I can communicate normally? Also how long till the swallowing pain goes away. I'm graduating college on June 11th and I want to eat nice steaks when everyone takes me out....i'm sick of the JELLO diet, though the weight loss is a bonus :) if anyone could let me know I would appreciate it. Hope everyone feels better. Oh and I found ibuprofin helps reduce the swelling alot if u can take pills. Thank you!

Tracy :)

Hi everyone. Sounds like everyone is moving right along, despite the misery. It does end. I am 7 weeks post op and now have something else to deal with. I really need to know if anyone has experienced this. Anyway, I just saw my ENT because I still had swelling on the left side and some white stuff. The back of my throat felt like I had something stuck back there. It was just wierd. Well, he took a look and said the white is infection but not from the tonsils. He said the redness he tracked up to my sinuses. He looked in there and saw some white stuff as well.

He said that happens sometimes with adults who have tonsillectomies. The first sign that I thought something was wrong was when the pallate area on the left seemed to drop a bit. Anyway, he wants me on antibiotics, Avelox, for 2 weeks and if that doesn't help he wants to do a CAT scan on my sinuses to see what's stuck up there. Then he's going to want to scope my sinues. Has anyone had this done?

I don't regret the tonsillectomy because they were very infected and now it seems it was aggravated by the dripping from the sinus. But, I can look forward to no more strep throat. I just have to get this fixed up. Any tips, hints or advice will be appreciated.

Thanks,

Deb

Hi all!
Day six is almost over, and then onto day seven. (At least with all this pain I can still count.) :o) I am supposed to see my ENT tomorrow for my week post op... I just hope he doesn't decide to stick anything down in my throat or get too frisky with my nose. Don't you hate that when you already feel mutilated by the doctors and then you go back for a check up and they feel they have to squeeze and prod all the sore spots just to "make sure" everything is alright. Sheesh. When I went in on the second day after my surgery to get the packing out of my nose, I thought I was going to pass out from all the stuff he took out of my head. The packing kept going and going and going. I felt like the only thing that didn't come out of my nose was a silver flute. :eek: Nice huh? Anywho, my day six hasn't been so bad. I have been put on Lortab Elixer and Amoxicillian for pain, and I am just hoping that my prescription will last through the pain. Ahh, one day, we will all feel better. I am going to get off of here so that I can pay bills-YAY! But, I noticed that someone said once they wake up their throat is like on fire. The only thing that I can say will help that, is if you try and stay hydrated through the night. I know it is hard, but if you have to wake up to go to the bathroom, try and drink a couple of gulps of water. It really helped me when I tried that last night. Also, I had my husband buy me a warm mist humidifier (like $25 at Wal-Mart) which added to my comfort level. Okay, off to pay bills. Happy swallowing everyone! Kathryn

Hi everyone!
One week post op here. I'm doing soooo much better. still taking the benedryl from the allergic reaction that was so lovely, but at least its helping me sleep. Spent yestorday morning vomiting again old blood and went to see my regular doctor b/c she's an old friend of the family. She gave me a shot of benedryl and i was doing much better, no more puking. She also gave me a different nausia med. that i didn't have a reaction to! Not taking any pain meds b/c i just can't stomach them and im not taking any chances. Was able to start really eating today but kept it very light. Pieda bread with strawberry jam inside has been good its very soft and small bites go down easy.
I've completely switched to warm tea and a heating pad instead of colds, the warms are much better at this stage.
The ear pain is even worst then the throut....is that possible? LOL
Anyway hope this keeps up im still resting a lot and keeping my food very light and careful. i've lost 5lbs...thats cool.
thanks to everyone, Hope you all are doing good, hang in there! and drink warm tea!! :wave:

HASSR- Love the top 10!! def. mad that my ENT didn't give me good pain meds. i've had to deal with a lot of the pain without it b/c the tylonol with codiene liquid is so gross i was gaging on it.
TRACY E- i feel your pain, i gave up on my 4year old today and just stoped talking and let her act like a wild animal. LOL
KRISTENLYNN-Mornings are the worst for me 2 i have a humidifier but its still bad i felt like i was going to die for about 20min this morning, but hit it with some warm tea and it really helps. Also a heating pad on the ear.

one more thing- i have a horrible taste in my mouth too! and sores on the sides of my tounge.... they are pussing all day and it's really disgusting- anyone else have this kinda thing????

Hi All,
Did anyone have really really chapped lips? My lips are so chapped they are just now healing. They bled they were so cracked and gross. :( I have had the bad taste in my mouth-I think that it is the anesthesia they use to put you down. I had an almost metallic taste in my mouth, and whenever I drank anything it tasted like it had soap in it. Ahh, just wanted to comment before I went on to bed. (Sorry if none of this makes sense, I just took some of my medicine) Take care and good night to everyone! Kathryn

The gross taste in your mouth in burnt skin from the cauderizing done in surgery :eek: . HAY I wouldn't even think of working on Sat. You are supposed to take it easy for the first 10 days so you won't bleed. I am also a server and I personally felt like I wasn't ready for 2.5 weeks. You need your energy back and the voice as well. My voice didn't get back to normal until about 2 weeks. Good luck to you all and know that there is light at the end of the tunnel :angel:

haynhelp -- I agree, not a good time to work. It's the end of day 8 for me and I'm still having difficulty speaking. I can speak just a few sentences normally before the back of my throat starts to feel tight and strained. Then I begin to sound as though I am hearing impaired. That's the connection everyone's been making, at least. Today I went to Wendy's and was so proud! I got a grilled chicken sandwich and french fries. I haven't moved on to any truly rough foods yet, though. For the most part I'm still eating cottage cheese and such but I needed a break! The sides of my tongue and the back of my throat are still sore, but today was my first day without using painkillers at all! Today, day 8, was the first day that things really started to look up. Days 5 - 7 were a setback, like my ENT said they would be, but I'm started to feel happier.

What's really bothering me now is that whenever I move around a lot I get so hot and sweaty! I literally stayed in bed for a week and the most exercise I got was typing and lifting the remote! I also lost 7.5 pounds. So I'm pretty weak and lethargic now and any action is killer. I'm going on vacation in eight days so I need to get myself together!

Thanks again to everyone for making me feel less lonely. It's been great reading posts from people having the same troubles.

Erin

Hi everyone.
I'm 32 and I will have my tonsils operation on 28th June. My Dr. said after the operation I will stay in the hospital for 2 or 3 days having drip-feed, until I can start taking liquid food and the pain is controlled without need for injection. I should be able to start taking solid food after the first week. The chance of bleeding after leaving the hospital is very slight as my Dr. said.
Wish me good luck.
I feel the tonsils are more annoying when I know I will have them removed soon. Wonder how I could stand them for so many years.

Well today is day 9 for me and I am feeling like a new person finally! I haven't had anything for pain other than tylenol for 2 days and my ear finally quit hurting. I am eating more normal food now and am getting my tastebuds back. I am feeling so much more encouraged now that I am seeing some progress. I am eating more normal food but still staying away from things with sharp edges like chips. The key for me has been drinking a ton all day and night. That is the only thing that has kept my throat from feeling like it is on fire. The swelling in my nose is going down and I am finding I can breathe better through there than I have ever been able too.

I don't remember who posted about getting the packing out of their nose, it is the worst! I had never had packing before and this time I just had it on the one side and I about passed out also. Yuck! Praying the rest of you get on the mend soon.

hi all,
Day eight, and im doing good. @ 4am this morning i awoke to some wicked pain in my ears but it didn't last long and today i did really well. i actually ate pizza!!! yummmm. ( it did take about 25-30min to eat but it was worth it! ) Still drinking warm tea a lot!!! it really helps!

Question: i still have big white scabs?? im on day eight... is that normal? im so glad i have this chatboard you guys are all great!!

Tracy- glad to hear you are doing good!! :)

Had any of you stayed in the hospital for nights after tonsillectomy?

to your question- i was in the hospital i think for like 4 hours and could go home- but i know other people that have stayed over b/c the doctor wanted to monitor them..

ok- i'm on day 7 and am still having crazy ear pain and can't swollow very well... i'm dying for some real food! but i've been taking a lot of my oxycodone- and i'm wonding if i can start getting off this by only taking 1 pill? or can i take like extra strength tylenol? (i would rather take ibuprofen- but doesn't that thin the blood??)
please let me know- b/c i don't want to becoem addicted to this stuff.... thanks:) i'm glad to hear that others are doing better- i hope i do soon!

Hello, all

I'm new to this forum and am on day 6 of my recovery. Mostly here for mutual support and to share information and questions I have with everyone. From what I gather, it looks as though things will get worse before they get better. Yesterday, I made the mistake of eating baked beans on an adventurous whim. It stung like hell and today I was back to ice cream.

On a side note, is anyone here a smoker? I have been for 8 years and this is the longest I've ever gone without a cigarette. Today, I was totally bored while my boyfriend worked, so I had my first. How bad is it to smoke during recovery? I've heard of people who lit up the same day of surgery.

Day 11 here and feeling like a human again. I do have a question that I am hoping someone can answer. For the first 8-9 days after having my tonsils out I was taking about 2 vicodin every three hours religiously. I stopped cold-turkey on day 9 because I didn't have any help with my kids and felt that I needed to be somewhat coherent. That night I broke out in terrible hives. And have also since had a SPLITTING headache. My head hurts so bad that I can't even sleep tonight. Do you think it's withdraw from the vicodin? I actually just took two vicodin because it's two a.m. and I really need some sleep -- and some relief from this headache. I don't want to become an addict, should I have tapered off? Let me know if you hae any input.

About the withdrawal? My guess is you are going through it. I'm a novice when it comes to the whole tonsil thing (i'm only on day 6), but I have had my experience with anitdepressants and mood elevators, etc. As with most drugs, there is a withdrawal period. It's like not having that ritualistic cup of coffee in the morning, which gives you a pounding headache by noon.
I'd say, talk to your doctor before changing things up. But yeah, weaning yourself off would probably be less harsh than cold turkey.
Feel Better

Hey everyone. I am scheduled to have my Tonsillectomy in 6 hours. AHHH. I am really not ready for this. I've had so many surgical procedures in the recent past. But this one is for some reason much more mindblowingly "real".
I need to just relax & deal. I know. See I do have a rational side. A side that has worked in the medical field for more years than I would like to admit. I am so tired of the "They do this everyday" speech. Anyone else ready to self-implode if you hear that one again???

Anyway, I am 32. I have "stones" as I read someone else did too. My chief complaint is being really sick all of the time. I am hoping this will end up being my miracle cure.

My husband had it done when he was 32 too. He had Apnea. So he lost his everything. It's like looking down a dark hole. So it will be hard for him to have sympathy I think. We'll see in 5 hours and 55 minutes.

Any words of wisom would be appreciated!!!

:confused: "fraidycat

WP,

Check with your doc on the hives...hives can mean an allergic reation to your meds. Doc will probably switch pain killers for you.

Cathy

day 9 does anyone still have scabs this far along?????

Fraidycat,

Sorry I didn't see your post earlier..am sure you have probably left for the hospital. I am 23 hours now after having mine out. I can already tell it's the best thing I ever did!

Until I took a pain pill during my last episode with strep I didn't realizine how much misery I was in constantly...day to day. Of course, I do have surgery pain, but can tell the difference in the surgery pain and the nagging (and sometimes just down right horrible) pain.

I also had tonsil stones from time to time all of my life...I'm 53...didn't realize what they were or where they were coming from. My doc said my tonsils, after he took them out, looked like swiss cheese because they had so many holes in them and when he squeezed them a lot of puss and other gunk came out. Doc told husband that I must have been in constant misery for many years, duh? I was EXTREMELY fortunate that my tonsils were being held in my throat with a very narrow membrane...Doc said that's what they see in children and that's what make children's recovery a lot easier than adults.

Take care and you'll be in my prayers.

Cathy

Jes,

My instruction sheet from my tonsillectomy said "The breath may smell bad for 8 to 10 days until the scabs come off." So your scabs are probably just right around the corner in coming off....also another bout with pain when the scabs come off.

Cathy

Uv,

It's a secret and don't tell anyone :), but I am a smoker also and lit up on the way home yesterday after the surgery...Just wanted to see if my throat was too sore to smoke...was hoping that my throat was going to be too sore to smoke...

I have smoked after tooth extractions as well.

Cathy

WP,
My husband was on Valium for back pain, and to ween him off of it, we cut the medicine into halves or fourths, (I can't remember which), and gave him half the pill for a day or two, and then a fourth of the pill for a day or two. I don't think that the withdrawal will be as bad if you do it slowly like that than if you just quit cold turkey. I am on Lortab for pain, and when I first started taking it, it made my whole body itch. I am on day 8 and my husband is going to start cutting down my dosage so that I can make a smooth transition. (Or hope to anyhow) Let me know if what I suggested works. Take Care everyone! Kathryn

P.S. I went to my post-op yesterday, and my ENT had a suction thing in the back of my tonsils getting a ugly blood clot out. He was thinking that he would have to recauterize the area that was bleeding out, but luckily I got the blood to stop coming out of the hole. It wasn't gushing, thank goodness... I was already paranoid going in there that he was going to prod and mush all the soft and sensitive spots in my mouth and nose. It wasn't all that bad. I really hope that I don't have to end up recauterizing anything. I am really really hoping that I don't have to worry about any of that. Just getting better. Sorry for venting everyone. Take Care! Kathryn

fraidycat - I had those terrible "stones" things too. Really gross and they started to get worse so I had my tonsils out 5 weeks ago. So nice to know I can never get those things again! My tonsils were getting to be more holes than tonsil! That kind of infection over and over again can't be good for the body.

It will be worth it keep that in mind.

Hey there! I have been reading this message board for a couple of days now looking at what you guys are experiencing and I just figured out how to sign on. (I'm computer illiterate! haha). Anyway, I am on day 22 and I am still a bit sore when I swallow and my soft pallette has also dropped a lot on one side but my uvula seems normal. I have a little bit of the white stuff still but not much, however, I still find breathing abnormal when I lay on my back. I would have to say it was not a wonderful experience and it was pretty much the same as what you guys have said. Although, I must say, my doctor told me absolutely NOTHING! He gave me no advice, didn't tell me about gum, didn't tell me about recover times, etc. Anyway, now that I'm getting closer to being healed, my main question is when I can start smoking again. I have had only two in the past couple of days but I am worried that this is really bad for me. I know smoking is bad period but I was just wondering if any of you were smokers and if it has had any affect on your healing, etc....
Hope you all are feeling well!!!!

Kyran,

The instructions on my dismissal sheet was no smoking for 24 hours after the proceedure. I'm a smoker and have been for a long time. And I smoked on the way home. If "two in the past couple of days" is all that you have smoked...you can easily quit now. I was hoping my throat would be too sore to smoke, but it wasn't.

Try some gum instead of the cigs...gum does wonders for your throat muscles and helps in healing, too.

Good luck!

Cathy

Hi Kryan,

I smoked the day I left the hospital. I knew it was totally stupid, but, I have been a smoker for a while, so, yeah...no excuses. I am just dumb. I smoked about 3-8 cigarettes per day from day one post op. I didn't have any problems whatsoever recovering, and I think my recovery time was quicker than average. The first 5 days, whenever I smoked a cigarette, I immediately went and gargled with salt water. Later I started gargling with hydrogen peroxide mixed with water, and I think that may have prevented me from getting any problems. I have read where some people say their doctor didn't recommend gargling, but I figured I could handle it.

Smoking is bad, but if you have been smoke free besides the 2 you had earlier, then you should try and quit.

Cathy,
Only 24 hours, really? I pretty much have quit but I do crave the odd one and I was just curious how it might affect me if I did have one. The ones I have had have not burned or bothered my throat at all, but I do notice I have very little suction ability. Did you find that? It feels so strange.

Kryan, Cathy, and Kim

I am also dealing with the whole smoking thing. I've only had one since the surgery (7 days now), and I noticed a weird sort of suction thing. It gave me a nic fix, but I must say it didn't taste as good as I remember. There was a weird ashy taste, reminiscent of my first cigarette experience.

I've been talking about quitting during the surgery, but my boyfriend didn't manage to and since we live together, it's really hard. Plus, I just get those cravings, especially during movies or tv when someone is smoking.
How are you all doing? Are you going to continue smoking, or are you going to quit? Like I said before, I'm 25 and have been smoking for 8 years. We want to quite before we have kids. Should I do it now, or continue to indulge?
-Alyssa

i smoke like 5 a day or so (less if i'm at home though- but more if i'm at school) and i had a puff of one like day 3 and it hurt like hell- i had one this morning though (day 8) and it didn't hurt as bad- i had that bad suction thing you were describing- i guess since the muscles are just weak... i plan on cutting down even more- but i rarelly smoke a LOT so hopefully i'll just taper off (wheni'm at school though- god sometimes i jsut NEED one- the drama and stress and classes really gets to me)

i got a job offer for doing admin work for the rest of the summer 8:30 to 4:30 weekdays- starting monday or so but i'm afraid that i won't have the energy... i feel like such a loser! i tried to clean a little today- and i don't eat much because it still hurts- and i got soo dizzy i had to sit down- i just decided to take a nap instead...

i'm getting really depressed about my recovery and i need to eat some real food and get out.... what about driving? My mom doesn't want me to drive on day 8- but i didn't take the oxycodone today just like 2 extra strength tylenol every 3-4 hours seemed to do ok (its mostly still pain in my ears and the burning in the back of my throat) sorry- i'm babbling lol
anyway- recap of the question- when did you all start driving post- op?
thanks again for the advice and support- i appreciate it

Alethiasi,
I drove the day after my surgery. Not far distances but to the movie store and stuff. I think it's okay as long you're not drowsy or anything but I didn't get too drowsy from my drugs. I don't smoke a whole lot either but I just didn't want to do something that might make me have to go through anymore pain. I took over two weeks off from my job but I work in a call centre talking all day long so I had to take a couple of extra days off. But I still don't feel completely back to my old self. I have low energy and my throat still feels weird when I swallow.

dbaum - Sorry to hear you got that infection going on. How are you doing now? Have the antibionics helped at all? Hopefully you're on the mend now. :)

No suction problem here while smoking...but I had tonsils connected with a very narrow membrane, just like a child's...so I was told my recovery is going to be quicker, just like a child's recovery...but that may also account for my suction ability as well. Sure I'm older than a lot of you...take my advice all...quit now and you'll have a double positive benefit....no more tonsils and no more smoking! :) And, as you are on pain killers it'll be easier with the nicotine withdrawal.

My post-op instructions say you "may ride in car" (not drive) on day 3....it didn't say anything about actually driving, but I'm not going to drive until I'm off the pain killers.
The day after surgery (today as a matter of fact) I did, however, drive a couple of houses down from us to bring husband to pick up a Jeep he bought from our neighbors. Made sure I was the only one on the road before I pulled out of driveway.

Take care all...
Cathy

Tips of the day:

1. Never look in your mouth on day 2.

2. Always let others look in your mouth on day 2. It provides much needed sympathy.

Hi Charlatan, Glad to see an old tonsil buddy still dropping in. The infection thing is so wierd and now I know why the pallate was dropping. It all makes sense now. The antibiotics I am on, Ketek, are kicking my behind. But, I'm hanging in there so they will work enough for the Doc to get a clear pic during the CAT scan. He says this no unusual but I wish I didn't have to go through it. Other than that, I'm doing pretty darn good. Just worried about sinus surgery and what it will entail.

Aren't you supposed to be coming across the pond to see BF? How's that going?

Hi Charlatan, Glad to see an old tonsil buddy still dropping in. The infection thing is so wierd and now I know why the pallate was dropping. It all makes sense now. The antibiotics I am on, Ketek, are kicking my behind. But, I'm hanging in there so they will work enough for the Doc to get a clear pic during the CAT scan. He says this no unusual but I wish I didn't have to go through it. Other than that, I'm doing pretty darn good. Just worried about sinus surgery and what it will entail.

Aren't you supposed to be coming across the pond to see BF? How's that going?

Aye, chook. Antibiotics can really make you feel lousy eh? Does the Dr think that your palate will go back up then? I hope you don't have to have the sinus surgery, but good luck with the CAT scan.. do you know when it is? Keep me updated with what's going on.

Yep, was meant to have gone over there in May, but my bf is currently working away a lot. He's up in San Francisco now, then over to Alabama for a few weeks and maybe then to Texas. So we want him to get all this work out of the way, then he can take some time off, to spend with me, in SoCal. Looking like it will be August now. lol

Jo

Tips of the day:

1. Never look in your mouth on day 2.

2. Always let others look in your mouth on day 2. It provides much needed sympathy.

Haha! I didn't dare look in mine for about the first 10 days! I kept getting others to look in for me, to "check for bleeding", but there wasn't any.. nor did I get any sympathy. :rolleyes:

Hi Charlatan, August will be here before you know it. By then you will have been back to see your ENT, if I remember correctly. You should be doing wonderfully by August.

I see my ENT on the 14th, but I am going to try and see him sooner since I'll be done with these antibiotics on the 7th. He'll schedule the CAT scan when I go back. I want it sooner than later. I do hope I don't have to have surgery but if I do, let's get it over with. Once this is all fixed up the pallate should go back up with no problem. Right now, I'm kind of lop-sided back there. LOL

I will keep you posted!

Hey everyone. Thanks for your replys Cathy & jamesg5000. I survived the first 24 hours. It really wasn't bad at all. I kept thinking that I had completely blown it out of porportion. But then the swelling really started around my uvula. It really changed my "this isn't so bad" opinion. The pain is doable. I can handle it SO FAR. But I am taking my meds like clockwork.

All my husband really said that the MD said was that my tonsils really needed to come out. Whatever that means. I was pretty sure of that prior to surgery. One of my nurses said Monday would start my bad days. I am so excited I can hardly wait. Isn't that a bit like someone telling you when you are going to run as fast as possible into a wall??? Ahh... the anticipation. Well, I may be tonsil free but my sarcasm is still intact!

I just knew losing them would make me look younger. I have been checking out my throat all day. It's not so bad. Not pretty... but not gross either.

I hope everyone is healing rapidly. Have a nice night.

'fraidycat

'fraidycat,

Glad to see you're back and tonsil free! :) Taking the meds "like clockwork" as you said you are doing, I feel, is certainly the key to have a tolerable recovery. And to be able to take the meds like clockwork means to stay on top of the nausea. My doc prescribed a demerol/phenegan type med combination. It does the trick for the nausea, but only takes the edge off of the pain. I asked for a Lortab 10 supplement and rotate them. So far, it's smooth sailing.

And, it does make you feel better to know that your doc said your tonsils really needed to come out, huh? My greatest fear about the surgery was the doc would talk to my family after and would say..."her tonsils weren't bad, but oh well"... But as with you, that wasn't the case. I think the older we get, the more our body talks to us and the more we begin to listen.

Take care and holler if you need anything! :)

Cathy

lol your posts have really gotten me through this really weird and painful time for me (not used to just sitting around sucking on ice chips lol) i'm on day 9 woo hoo and feeling really good- i'm swallowing great- eating semi solid foods and only taking extra strength tylenol for pain... i am talking kinda funny still- i sound like i'm from california with a speech impediment (that reference isn't very pc i know- but its the only way i can think to describe it! lol)
i'm just glad i'm talking! went out in public today for the first time and drove for a little bit- my best friend took me out to a bar too ( i didn't drink though - don't want to risk it yet... idk why lol)

i'm noticing my gums are swelling a little bit (maybe i couldn't brush my teeth very well since my tongue was so swollen... i still flossed and mouthwashed though.. hmm)
and my tongue has this weird greenish stuff on it.. whats up with that?? i tried to brush it off and it started to hurt so i stopped for now... is that normal? lol

some white stuff still hanging out in the back- i haven't looked at my throat until tonight- a little freaked out- noticed some white stuff.. (thats normal still right?)
meh- i'm goin gto start working on monday/ tuesday- i hope i'm up to- i get tired after a few hours of activity- so we'll see how it goes...
thank you all again for the advice etc etc
glad to see you all are doing better
~maggie
p.s. i'm serious about the tongue stuff- am i a freak? lol let me know!

Dbaum-I'm on Ketek too right now...I get all the side effects....yuck...I still haven't gotten the surgery but it's on Tuesday am I'm just starting to get really nervous...glad everyone is doing good. :)

Scolby--You'll do fine. I am sure you have read through the posts and have a collection of some great tips to help you get through the recovery. Ketek is rough. I've got 3 more days of it and then that's it, I hope. LOL

Just take a deep breath and remember the surgery will be worth it down the road. :-)

Tip of the Day:

When your pain control yesterday was wonderful, don't screw it up by trying to go on to a lesser dosage today, especially on day 3!

Cathy

Scolby,

Good luck tomorrow! And, as dbaum said, the surgery will definitely be worth it! Thursday afternoon (I had them out Thursday morning), I can remember saying that the surgery was already worth it. Yes, I had some surgery pain, but that awful constant dull and oftentimes severe and sharp pain from strep and tonsillitis was gone.....and I know after the surgery pain is gone I'll be in the best shape I've been in years! :)

I think that the bottom line secret to a comfortable tonsillectomy recovery is keeping the nausea under control. If you keep the nausea under control, then you can tolerate the pain meds which allow you to drink fluids so you won't get dehydrated which causes more pain. Just make sure your doc will give you something good for the nausea and you'll have it made! :)

And try to cherish the down time you'll have. I had back surgrery 5 years ago...couldn't do much for 6 weeks. It wasn't until the last 3 days of that 6 weeks that I became comfortable with not doing much, but I did manage to enjoy those last 3 days. This surgery......I went in to it with a mind set that I am going to enjoy the down time...and it's wonderful! :)

Let us know how you're doing tomorrow, k?

Cathy

So tomm. is day 14 and I am doing so much better. I still have some tightness in my throat but the pain is almost non-existent which is good. I am able to eat almost anything but here is my BIG problem, my tastebuds. Things still aren't really tasting right to me and in fact most everything tastes salty even when I have choc. ice cream. Anyone else deal with this? I am really getting frustrated when I go to eat and things are tasting so funky. I looked in my throat last night and the white parts are starting to fade and things are getting less red looking. It still hurts to use my tongue to get food that is stuck in my back teeth out but not as bad. I am paying the price today for doing too much yesterday including yelling at my nephews soccer game. My throat and voice are really sore today. Had to take a pain pill last night.

Tip of the Day:

It might be a good idea to have a stool softener on hand...maybe even an enema in case constipation becomes a real problem. Pain killers can cause constipation. I won't go into details, but trust me....it's a good idea! :)

Tracy,

Glad to see you are feeling better. Although I haven't lost any sense of taste, I have heard others do, but normally the taste comes back completely in a while.

Take care,
Cathy

Thanks Cathy and dbaum! I'm pretty nervous right now, but my surgery is early in the morning. It was scheduled for 11:15am, but they called and changed it to 8:15am, which is so much better b/c it gives me less time to think about it! My tonsils are bugging me right now so part of me is excited for the surgery (a small part) - I'm mostly just scared. Thanks for the tips and I will let you know how I'm doing as soon as I can.

Scolby,

The sooner the better in the am, I agree! :)

I went with no pain in my tonsils on the Tuesday before surgery Thursday for the first time years. But it only lasted for a couple of hours and came back with a vingence Wednesday..so I was more than ready to get them out that next day.

Try not to be scared...you won't know a thing..I'm sure you can ask for a "cocktail" (they put one goooood med in your iv) in pre-op if you want one. I was asked if I was nervous, and I really wasn't because surgery isn't completely new to me, but I accepted the cocktail anyway...whooooo weeeee! :)

Take care and we'll talk to ya soon!

Cathy

Good Luck Scolby. You'll do great and we'll be here when you get back.

Hey Cathy. I think I realized yesterday what everyone was talking about when they spoke of pain. I am so ashamed to admit I was thinking I was feeling a "Superwomanish". I hurt but felt it wasn't as bad as some of the other procedures I had tried. I don't feel like my Lortab Elixir is really helping. But I always hated "Frequent Flyers" in previous jobs. I don't want them to think I am a "Seeker" either. So my real dilemna is whether I try to just deal or ask for something else. Maybe by end of day today I can get the nerve to ask or let it go.

I am already getting pressure to return to work. I got several emails yesterday requesting things. One person even said she had her Tonsills removed at 5 & bounced right back so I should be able to be normal now. I don't know what I felt more. MAD or DISGUSTED! Like I mentioned before I am under the impression that everyone thinks this is an easy fix that should have healed by now. I am just not up to running a Marathon yet. From what I am reading this is normal. IS IT? Or am I just being a whiny baby?

Sorry to vent.

Have a nice day-
'fraidy

Fraidycat--You sound pretty normal to me. For an adult this procedure is major surgery. My ENT even told me that the recovery is long and can be very painful for adults. I had co-workers who thought I was overreacting but I just blew them off and contributed their comments to ignorance. You're doing fine, just keep on healing.

'fraidycat,

dbaum hit it on the nose....My ENT, anesthesiologist, hemotologist, and pre-op nurses confirmed that a tonsillectomy is a MAJOR surgery for an adult!

My doctor said I am very fortunate that my tonsils were connected to my throat with a very narrow membrane...just like a child's tonsils...and I probably will have an easier time of it than most adults.

Well....doc prescribed 50 mg demerol/nausea combination...the next morning I called bright and early and asked for Lortab 10 as the demerol took the edge off the pain but really didn't suffice....doc's office promptly called in Lortab 10....I have found that I have to take BOTH the demerol and Lortab for proper pain control....I can only imagine what other adults' pain must be like.

I have strict doctor's orders to lay on my bottom for the 1st 7 days, move very slowly for the next 7 days when the fun part comes with the scabs coming off...more pain and more pain pills....Although I work for myself, I don't think I would want an employee in my condition showing up at work.

Please call your doc ASAP to get something better for pain...you don't have to suffer...and doc won't know you need something more unless you holler.

Years ago, my two sons bounced back at age 2.....My granddaughter (age 4) just began to smile yesterday...2 weeks for her yesterday. I have ALWAYS heard this surgery is worse on an adult than it is a child.

Make that call you can rest comfortably...and don't open those e-mails until YOU are ready.

Take care,
Cathy

Hey everyone, I'm back! Surgery went well and when I woke up I heard the nurse say "That was a beautiful wake-up!" Who knows what that meant!? I woke up with no pain or nausea, but I was a little confused. Everyone was talking around me and staring at me... but then my mom gave me my ipod so I could just listen to music while in recovery which was nice. My throat is hurting on the right side right now but I'm not feeling sick. I've been drinking a ton of water and gatorade since I've been home and I keep having to go to the bathroom! Before the surgery they gave me lortab to keep me calm and then gave me Zofran for the Nausea (which I requested) while I was still under. Everyone there was extremely nice so the experience was good and once I woke up I stayed for only about an hour. I'm a little worried for the days to come, but atleast the wait for the surgery is over. Thanks for the support everyone and I will keep writing! :)

Good for you. You sound great. Just keep drinking!!!!

Way to go Scolby! Keep up the good work!

Cathy

I tried to take a nap today when I got home, but my snoring kept waking me up...so far I've gotten about 5 minutes of sleep. Did anyone else have this problem?

Hey Scolby...

Definitely had that problem....found I had to sleep sitting up as much as possible in the recliner the first few days. That's probably because everything is swollen a bit in the mouth?

Cathy

scolby - yup i snored a lot more for a month or so. My ENT said that will happen. Once the swelling goes down it will stop...mine did.

Sounds like you are doing well...good to hear!

Please help me get through this. The pain isn't bad right now, but my stomach is a little upset and I can't sleep. When I swallow I want to gag...I'm just so uncomfortable. Its 3:30am and I just feel like crap cause I'm hungry and so tired...sorry to vent...I know this is going to be worth it, but I'm so jealous of my family right now...pain free and sleeping...haha. :( Whoa! Okay, nevermind, the pain is bad...ouch...this sucks.

Hey Scolby....

You're gonna make it, I promise...just hang in there. I forgot to set clock for pain meds so I woke up quite uncomfortable too.... This does suck, but it will get better, it will get better, it will get better...:)

You might want to let out a couple of blood curdling screams...helps to wake up others in the house so you can get your dose of morning sympathy. :bouncing:

I've come to the conclusion that I'll sleep when I can....doc has me on cortizone (for the swelling) which hypes you up and, of course, pain pills which makes you sleepy. So I'm somewhere in between....sleep deprivation is what it's called! :)

Thanks Cathy, what scares me is that it gets worse from here...wow, looking forward to it...it really helps to know that others are going through it too though! yuck...the pain meds are doing nothing - I swear - or maybe they are, honestly who knows!?

Is there anyone out there reading this that had their surgery the same day as me (June 7) or really close to it? just wondering...

Scolby,

Call your doctor 1st thing this morning and tell the nurse you need something stronger for pain called in to your pharmacy. I had to the day after surgery....husband gave me one of his pain pills before I called the doc and wow....big difference. You have the right to have your pain manageable. You will definitely know the difference once you find the right med.

Cathy

Scolby--Do your best to keep something in your stomach so the pain meds won't make you nauseated. When my pain got really bad my Doc didn't change the meds he just upped the dosage. I was on 1 percocet every 4 hours, but he told me to take 1 1/2 every 4 hours. That really helped. I was also on steroids for the first week. He put me on methylprednisolone.

Are you using a warm mist humidifier?

All I am on is liquid tylenol - that's it...I was prescribed liquid lortab, but i'm terrified to take that because i really don't want to get sick...does drinking the atkins shakes really help with your stomach too? Cause If I drink one of those, then take the lortab, do you think that would be enough?? + the water of course

I'm using my warm mist humidifier and it seems to be helping

Scolby--The Atkins shakes did help and it gives your vitamins and protein. Try it. It's important to get the pain under control and take your meds as prescribed. Once the pain gets out of control it's hard to get it calmed down. If you become sick from the lortab contact your Doc. He gave me suppositories for nausea and also the patch for motion sickness to stay behind my ear for 3 days. What also helped me was eating flan. It's a thinner custard and was easier to get down.

Thanks dbaum. I will try that. I'm worried about getting sick, but this liquid tylenol doesn't seem to be doing anything. My ENT said that most of his adult patients just stick to the tylenol so they won't get sick, and my family doctor also recommended doing that. He got his out as an adult as well, so I just figured I would do the same...

Scolby,

My God, girl....no wonder you are in pain...liquid tylenol is not nearly enough for this surgery. You need to have suppositories on hand for your nausea. Some people can't stand the idea, but it definitely helps with nausea. Or, you might want to ask your doc for Meprozine 50-25 mg capsules. It is 50 mg of demerol AND 25 mg of nausea medicine. A small capsule and easy to swallow. I usually have nausea with pain meds but not this time...and I find I have to take both the Meprozine and Lortab. Scolby, hate to tell you but I'm on day 5 and the pain has gotten worse....it usually gets worse before it gets better. You need to stay on top of the pain from the beginning.

Can't believe your ENT said most of his adult patients just stick to the tylenol...that's barbaric to say the least!

Cathy

Ya, its not doing anything. I'm still on the liquid tylenol for right now. I can still swallow water and everything else fine, but I'm switching to lortab. My mom is buying a few atkins shakes and my dad has a relief wristband that sends real small impulses/shocks through you to control nausea. Supposedly it works well, so hopefully it will work with me! So ya, I'm doing good right now - the night was long, but my family is awake now and day 2 is starting! I really hope I don't get sick!! I feel like the biggest wuss right now...haha

Scolby -- My doctor gave me liquid Tylenol with codeine and Percocet. I also got over-the-counter liquid Tylenol. For the first several days or so, I only took the two varieties of Tylenol. When you awaken on Day 5, be prepared to have some serious throat pain. That's when I started taking the liquid Tylenol immediately upon waking, followed by a Percocet about 1/2 hour later. I took meds every 3 hours from days 5 to 7 or 8. Then things started to improve dramatically.

I am kind of amazed that your doctor would indicate that most adults get by just dandy with nothing more than liquid Tylenol. As the postings on this board indicate, something just a leetle bit stronger is definitely in order for an adult undergoing a tonsillectomy.

Hey everyone. I finally worked up the courage to take the lortab and wow! I'm feeling alot better already! Not only was I just taking over the counter liquid tylenol, but it was the childrens version...yeah, it did nothing.

spashop- i agree, I'm having a hard time believing that adults get by just on tylenol...glad to hear that once things start improving, they improve dramatically! I'm already looking forward to that day!!

dbaum - thanks soo much for mentioning the atkins protein shakes!! I was hesitant to try them at first because I've never liked the slim fast drinks...but I tried the vanilla atkins shake and I love it! It's a meal I look forward to and it's healthy! :)

Thanks everyone for supporting me and I hope everyone is doing well. I'll keep posting because I know things are going to get worse, but I'm enjoying my day now! just resting and drinking!

Scolby,

Bless your heart...and you were worrying that we would think you were a "wus". You have my vote for Woman of the Year in the Tonsillectomy Field for taking children's Tylenol as your only pain reliever for the first 24 hours! :bouncing:

Take care...better days are ahead!

Cathy

Scolby,
Definintely check with your doc to see if you can get something to manage the pain a bit more. I, myself, stuck to over the counter liquid Tylenol for the first day. It was the only thing that truly helped to numb the pain. I tried Tylenol with codeine along with that, but it wasn't strong enough. Finally, I went to Hycet which has a bit of Tylenol, but mostly codone, which helped to knock me out. That and the liquid Tylenol spaced out every few hours seemed to do the trick. I never had a problem with nausea though...

Watch out for too much tylenol, though. It can do a number on your stomach. Especially when it's empty.
I'm on day twelve and am feeling great compared to the first week. I must admit, the pain worsened a bit for me before it got better, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. Mostly just twinges of pain in my jaw and ears. Just stick with the meds.

I'm off the Tylenol now and just take my Hycet about every six hours or so. It' keeping me okay. I've been eating some nice solid foods (mostly mushy) since Friday when I had my post-op. When you get there, try white pizza especially if you can sneak some veggies on like spinach, bland burritos, mac n' cheese, tofu, etc. Those have helped me to make a smooth transition. I even started to drink luke warm coffee this weekend. And, as a smoker, I've regained some normalcy to my routine. I should have quit, but I didn't have the guts. Anyway, what I mean is, once you get to that hump, try to regain normalcy in your everyday routine. Go outside if you can. Feel normal. That's been the best thing for my recovery so far.
You're doing great.

keep up the good work everyone and get healthy!
-Alyssa :rolleyes:

Alyssa- It sounds like you are doing great! Thanks for the tips. What day did you start with the solids? I had some luke-warm/room temp soup last night, which tasted soo good since all i've been having is jell-o, popsicles, and shakes. I'm doing well on the lortab right now. I take it with a protein shake and some gatorade (nice mix right? ha!) and also wear a ReliefBand. So the nausea is under control.

Today is post op day 3 for me. I set my alarm at 1am to take my medicine, but slept right through it!! My snoring was probably louder than the alarm, so I probably need to turn it up a bit! haha... So I woke up at 3:30 and went to take my meds - It was a little harder to take because I was in more pain and before I drink the lortab I have to drink something, but I got it down fine. I think it would have been alot worse if it weren't for the humidifier in my room, so for those who are about to have the surgery, for sure get one!!!! Now I'm just drinking some more protein shake and water and waiting for it to kick in. :) I really appreciate all the support and wonderful tips I am receiving, so thanks everyone! ;)

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