I just had my tonsils removed on June 1. So, I am about on day 9. Still in a lot of pain, matter of fact I'd say it just got worse a few days ago.
I had the misfortune of having to call the dr. for more pain medication. I had a large bottle of liquid Lortab for the first week & took that every 4 hours around the clock, sometimes I would give in & go ahead at 3 1/2-3 3/4. Anyhow, I ran out & refilled it. Well that bottle was a bit smaller then the first. So, I just ran out today (my last dose few hours ago). I was able to get one more even smaller bottle of Lortab but not after getting a huge amount of suspicion on the part of the nurse. Who asked me was I drinking enough water. Yes, I honestly think that they believe that water will take away the pain??? Well I am drinking 64 oz. of plain water, eating ice chips, eating popsicles, eating foods that do have some texture in them. I am taking my vitamins as well. Next thing I was told was maybe it was time to switch me to regular tylenol. Now, regular tylenol has never really helped me even for small headaches. I have always used ibuprofen b/c it works best of all the otc meds for me. So, next thing I get is that I need to decrease my dose to every 6 hours. As it is I am getting maybe 3 hours tops of good pain relief & dealing with the other one hour before being ok to take more according the my Rx on the bottle. So, I do have one more "refill" albeit a small one & I am fretting big time, on top of still being in a good amount of pain (about 6-7 now not including the ear pain which I am finding intolerable except when lying down). The pain is bad enough to wake me up after about 4 hours like clockwork.
I am NOT a drug seeker. I have taken narcs before for dental problems as well as gallbladder surgery (which to me was far less painful then this) & even after using them for weeks around the clock I had no trouble coming off of it & I never craved it after going off it. I just felt such guilt & started balling after getting off the phone with her. It is not like I wanted to be in pain. Had I honestly known that I would be stuck possibly with very little relief in sight I'd probably have opted out of this.
If I could be taking ibuprofen I would be in a heartbeat. But, obviously can't do that b/c of the risk of bleeding. Why bother taking ordinary tylenol if it does not work for me. My dentist (I also had a root canal just a week before my surgery & it got infected & was painful) was very understanding & allowed me the pain relief.
I'm just really feeling depressed, stressed out, worried, you name it, oh yeah, still in pain but my scabs are finally falling off so is there hope in sight??
I hate to post this in case anyone pre op is reading. I don't want anyone to be afraid. I guess what I'd tell others is be prepared to have pain & be prepared & maybe discuss with the dr. ahead of time the plan for extended pain. I wish I had discussed it further with mine.

Vicky K.

I would demand a prescrip.. for Vicodin. I'm currently on that and it's working ok. I'm able to drink water and soft food. I started on Tylenol w/ Codeine but I think the Vicodin helps suppress coughs and is a little stronger.. Tonsils came out on June 6 so I'm on day 5 of the recovery..

well what is crazy is my handout from the hospital even said on it to not worry about needing to take medication, b/c the risk of becoming addicted is very low. It was so frustrating. I did write them a letter though.
Thankfully I'm now on day 10 & needing less meds. I am so glad I finally got around the corner! It still aches but not as badly.
I may ask them to at least Rx some tylenol #3 to finish off the pain & to have something on hand for the last couple of weeks of recovery.

thanks for the reply! I will look into getting some liquid tylenol. I still have 1/2 a bottle of the Lortab so am stretching that out as long as possible. I just got very upset that a nurse would say what she did right when I was in the peak of the pain. After the hospital handed out their sheet on how you need to not wait until your pain is at a bad stage before taking something she'd say I needed to "tough it out".

I believe that water is a good thing & I have been taking in about 80 ounces a day not including popsicles, broth from soups, etc. So, the water was not making a whole lot of difference in my pain levels. I can say I'm sure the water is a healthy thing but at certain points during this whole recovery thing I think nothing would have helped except steady pain meds. That time period when the scabs were starting to remove was the worst pain I had the whole time.
I am in a lot of pain now & will explain that in a new thread. Big adventure that I would not want to repeat :(

Vicky Kelly

I am at day 9 of my recovery. My "first" tonsils were removed at age 4 and now again at the ripe old age of 50! I guess they grew back or were never properly removed the first time around. I did not want to know in advance any of the specifics of the surgery because I knew it would scare me and I probably wouldn't have gone through with it. I was released from the hospital the same day. I wonder if this is normal procedure? The first couple of days were painful and I am limited on what pain meds I can take due to allergies. I was given 2 Darvocet N 100's every 4-6 hours. A Lidocaine numbing gel gargle to be used every 2 hours, prednisone steroids and the usual antibiotics. These seemed to work OK but when the time for more was near - I was ready! As the days went by, it seemed every day brought on a new or different pain. I was drinking enough water, popsicles, jello etc. I would try to add new and "exciting" foods to my menu of the above. Sherbet, baby foods, cream of whatever soups, cream of wheat cereal, mashed potatoes and lo and behold instant grits. OH did they seem to taste good! The junk at the back of my throat, which can be seen by looking into a mirror and shining a flashlight at the image of your open mouth, slowly sloughed off and I didn't notice any bleeding. There is still some back there, but not like it was. By the way, for me all the dead stuff tasted like old, rotting medicine. The way to get rid of that taste was by carefully chewing a "gentle" gum - nothing real strong flavored, or letting some pastel mints kind of melt in the mouth. The first few days of adding baby food seemed to be OK, but then I found that they burned my throat. I don't know if it was the ascorbic or citric acids in the foods, but watch out for that too. I tried a little piece of fresh watermelon yesterday and even that burned. OK - about day 6, I was beginning to get referred ear pain. My throat was still sore and it was hard to swallow, but nothing compared to this ear pain. Day 7, I had a call into the Dr. because something different HAD to happen. The Darvocets were not helping AT ALL!! I was pacing the floors, crying like a baby, holding my head, applying ice packs to the throat and face, and ready to find a gun. Finally heard back from the nurse who said that I could add liquid Motrin - 800mg according to package directions. You can only buy over-the-counter (OTC) 100-200mg liquid dose bottles. I am taking 4 tsps. every 4 hours along with my Darvocet N 100's. It is AMAZING how fast the Motrin works on the ear pain - within 5-10 minutes!! When it wears off - I definately know. I have lost 17 pounds these last 9 days and my stomach feels like it is gnawing at itself, I am SO hungry! Can't wait to sink my teeth into a large ole Pizza Hut Pan Pizza. This has been hard work for a 50 year old lady and what upsets me the most is that the Dr. was only going to remove one tonsil, but he decided to do both of them since he was there! I know I signed release forms, etc. for the surgery, but this just seems WRONG to make someone suffer like this. Anyone out there reading this, if you need to have the surgery - do it. But make sure you know what you are getting into. Make sure you have a responsible, loving, caring caregiver to help you. You will be on drugs and will need help with going to the store, keeping track of medicines and general pampering. I would not want to have to do this in a stressful situation - chaotic home life, young children underfoot, or a demanding work schedule. I don't know why kids handle this surgery so much better than adults do. I just want the ear pain to be gone!!!!! Will post more as I progress. Wish me luck!

Madam50 - You're almost there! I had ear pain from day 5 or 6 until about day 13 or 14. Then suddenly, it just stopped. My throat was still sore, but the ear pain was finally gone. I'm now on day 17 and the soreness is almost completely gone.

AMacho426 - Thanks - glad to hear that there is something to look forward to. Keep up the good work and keep us all updated.

Hi,
I am now at day 22 post surgery. The throat pain is MUCH better although not completely gone. The ear pain has left and that is a big help. I lost up to 20 pounds total, but now that I am pretty much eating everything again, I have gained back 10 of those pounds. For anyone going through this nasty recovery, just hang in there. I didn't think that I would ever feel good again, but the worst is now behind me and I do see an end to the pain and suffering. I believe my turning point came about day 13-14. The best advice I can give is to drink LOTS of fluids and this will keep your throat hydrated and makes swallowing tolerable - and that will help you to feel better. I never did have any bleeding that I knew of. The more that I ate, the more the nasty crud in the back of the throat came off. Just don't eat anything hard or "scratchy" until all of the crud leaves - I think that is why I never had any bleeding. I wish you all the best - if you need any advice, just ask!
~~~Madam 50

I'm 34 years old and having my tonsills taken out this Thursday (in 2 days). I have been a little nervous about the bleeding thing and a lot nervous about the pain thing. After reading the other posts, I reckon this ain't gonna be a cakewalk! I don't know yet what kind of meds I'll be taking or haven't been given any suggestions from the doc yet about popsicles or anything. I usually take Advil about 3 times a day and had to stop taking that about 2 weeks ago. So... any suggestions for the first few days???

Just don't eat anything hard or "scratchy" until all of the crud leaves - I think that is why I never had any bleeding.
~~~Madam 50

I was told to eat scratchy stuff to begin with - one of my first meals was toast!

I just read your post and know how you feel. I am 53 years old and had my tonsils out on the 15th of June. As I told someone the other day, the first 5 days were BAD, the next 5 five days were pure H---, and the next 5 days were bad again. I could handle the throat pain but the ear pain would drop me to the floor. Sorry, but it was really that bad for me. It wouldn't last long and it would happen just all of a sudden. I cried when it hit. My DH asked if it really hurt that bad because he knows I don't cry with pain. It is funny because one of my tonsils was very deep rooted and infected down into my neck but the other was just cryptic with infection. The "bad" tonsil never hurt! The scabs are still coming off but I went back to work after a week at home. The Dr's office wasn't crazy about giving me another prescription but they did, although for anly 15 pills (oxycodone). They really are not that great in my opinion. I only had to take about 5 of them and the pain was pretty manageable after that with over the counter stuff. I drank lots and lots of water and lukewarm chicken noodle soup. I think it really helped with a lot of the throat pain. I am anxious to see how I will feel in a couple of months. I would probably do it again but not sure.

Hello,
I am 25 and I am having my tonsils taken out Tuesday July 18 I am scared to death, I am worried about getting sick and busting stiches. How did they take urs out? Did they do laser or what? I know I am not crazy just concerd on how I am going to be after surgery? Another thing did they get you some med. to help calm you down.. I know it as " the happy med" Hope to hear from you soon. - Mamie

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,
I am 25 and I am having my tonsils taken out Tuesday July 18 I am scared to death, I am worried about getting sick and busting stiches. How did they take urs out? Did they do laser or what? I know I am not crazy just concerd on how I am going to be after surgery? Another thing did they get you some med. to help calm you down.. I know it as " the happy med" Hope to hear from you soon. - Mamie

I live in Huntsville, AL also:) Who is doing yours? I think mine were cauterized. The throat hurt but no worse that a bad case of tonsillitis. It just stays around for a little longer. The main thing is not to let the pain get in front of you. The liquid pain stuff wasn't too bad. I never had any success with the Lidicaine but I think that was me and not the medicine.I made sure I ate soft foods and drank an enormous amount of water. Lukewarm , definitely not cold. Cold or hot stuff really hurt! So did anything citrus in it! I started with water and tea but finally stayed with water. It did hurt to swallow but my throat hurt more if I let it get dry. I still have a little dryness in my throat but the scabs are still coming off. Almost all gone though. The top of your throat or mouth or whatever will be red and tender also. I would equate the ear pain with the same sensation as biting the back of your tongue really bad. Your tongue also hurts. But it doesn't last forever:) I am 53 and if i can come back to work ina week then you should do great!

Thank you for the replies! Any tidbits of info. are always helpful. So i had mine taken out yesterday. It went very well. I had the surgery at 7:30am and was actully home by 10:45 am! The pain was SO INTENSE when I first woke up, I couldn't believe it. The doc even told me afterwards "Everything went fine. Good thing they came out because you know Deb, they were just frankly gross". LOL. So after about 5 doses of Morphine, and--thank the good Lord--no bleeding trouble (which I was terrified about), I was sent home. I was given a BIG bottle of liquid Lortab. So I took the advice from ya'll and my doc and just had jello and barely warm chicken broth and ALOT of ice chips. I did kind of blow it in a sense because due to all the dope I hardly had any pain when I first got home and wouldn't shut up talking. I sure paid for that last night! Wow, was the pain intense!! I sure shut up real fast then! I couldn't sleep much last night. It hurts so bad to swallow that the saliva builds up and I actually feel like I'm drooling in my sleep. Everything is so dang swollen that it's kinda hard to lie down and breathe. I kept choking a lot and some crud is lurking around but it's too hard to cough up. Now I haven't had one spot of bleeding yet...is that something hiding around the corner to surprise me? Will the pain be worse in the next few days? Thanks for any advice and for listening to my Lortab-induced rambling. I'm due for another dose in 15 minutes, ;) , so I reckon I'll go have myself a Jello/popsicle/Lortab breakfast! :dizzy: P.S. About how long 'till I can try something like chicken noodle or chicken and rice soup?? Something with some sustanance. I am so hungry!!

Hey Debralynne,

I was home about 3 hours after surgery. I was in pain but since this is about my 9th surgery in 5 years I wasn't real surprised:)
I started with the soup on the second day or third day. I have to admit though, lukewarm Campbell's chicken noodle soup is nasty:p I got the Ramen noodles in the cup that you just add boiling water to. I let it sit for a while and then ate it. The noodles had just enough texture for the throat I think. The Campbell's soup in the can was almost too mushy. Anything cold hurt after the first day. No carbonated beverages or anything like that. Just water, a LOT of applesauce, scrambled eggs and soup. The eggs were not very good lukewarm either. The applesauce went down pretty well, but I don't care if I ever see another container of it in my lifetime. I bought the little six-packs you get at the store so I didn't have to refrigerate them. I didn't do as well with the jello or popcicles. I tried sherbert because it doesn't have milk in it but it was still too cold. Let's just say that I did not lose any weight. I kept a quart container of water by my bed at night and was constantly sipping from it during the night. I did not sleep well anyway. I would be watching movies at 2 and 3 o'clock in the morning sometimes. My DH loved that:) After about day 3 or 4 he started sleeping in another bedroom. Can't say I blame him. I had no bleeding, not even one little drop of blood. When you first look at your throat, it looks like "big"craters on each side and you are thinking that you are going to have these big holes on each side of your thoat but mine are just about healed now and they are even with the rest of my mouth or throat or whatever. I guess they have to heal from the inside out. The scabs are white and they will feel like you have something stuck or even a little bit of a scratchy feeling where your tonsils used to be. That feeling is the scabs trying to slough of. Drink LOTS of liquids. I could eat pretty much whatever I wanted after 14 days. I just made sure I chewed very, very well. I forgot. I also got Thrush of the mouth which is a yeast infection that you can get from the antibiotics. The yeast infection also went south. Ladies, you know what I mean:blob_fire The mouthwash they prescribe takes care of everything. Chewing gum helps tremendously, also. Sugarless bubble gum worked best for me. It helps with the jaw soreness and it makes a lot of saliva for you to swallow which is good for healing.

Hi Stagre,
I sure do appreciate all the info....thanks so much! The Top Ramen sure sounds like a good idea. I found that popsicles don't hurt as bad if I microwave them for about 6 seconds first. The lukewarm broth gets really old really fast, as is the jello...nasty stuff. I'm sure that if I ever see or eat jello or broth again when all this is over it will be much too soon. My mom came over yesterday with some plain and very mushy deviled egg salad. Just the eggs, trace amount of mustard, and a pinch of salt. I was actually able to get that down very slowly in the evening (no bread of course). Had quite a few bouts with pain yesterday afternoon & last night. I was chuckling at your recap of watching movies at 3am, your husband sleeping in the other room, etc. It's so true I couldn't sleep hardly at all last night again, had the TV going at 3am. My beau got a little annoyed - he got up and went to sleep in the spare room. He made me scrambled eggs this morning and those went down ok as long as they were kinda cool (yuck!) and in small chunks. I'm a little scared that solid food particles will get lodged in the vacant spots in my mouth now, you have any trouble with that? I also found that if I drink water too fast or in big sips it kinda goes up my nose. Interesting about the mouth infection. Yeah I was kinda thinking the antibiotics would give me the other dreaded yeast infection, LOL!:rolleyes: I can't really see to the back of my throat yet as my tongue is still swollen and has serious clamp marks on it, but I was able to see a little bit of white around the cavities so it sounds like it's the stuff you said was going to slough off. I did call my doctor yesterday and he called me in another bottle of the liquid Lortab as I will run out tonight. Yesterday I tried to go as long as I could without it and at 5-1/2 hours, I was not a happy gal to be around. So I'm finding if I take it religiously the every 4 hours then the pain stays under control. And it also helps to keep my mouth shut and not talk so much. I just don't want to wind up addicted to the stuff, I hear so many horror stories. The doc said I shouldn't as long as I take it just like the label says. I had just a bit of blood last night come out my nose, I figure it just must be some residual blood. By the way, thanks for the suggestion about the gum, very good idea. My goal today is to sleep for more than 2 hours in row. Did you have any trouble with your airflow while sleeping when you first had yours out? Anyhow, thanks again for all the tidbits. Every little bit helps. I reckon I better sign off before I start rambling on and on again. :wave:

I live in Huntsville, AL also:) Who is doing yours? I think mine were cauterized. The throat hurt but no worse that a bad case of tonsillitis. It just stays around for a little longer. The main thing is not to let the pain get in front of you. The liquid pain stuff wasn't too bad. I never had any success with the Lidicaine but I think that was me and not the medicine.I made sure I ate soft foods and drank an enormous amount of water. Lukewarm , definitely not cold. Cold or hot stuff really hurt! So did anything citrus in it! I started with water and tea but finally stayed with water. It did hurt to swallow but my throat hurt more if I let it get dry. I still have a little dryness in my throat but the scabs are still coming off. Almost all gone though. The top of your throat or mouth or whatever will be red and tender also. I would equate the ear pain with the same sensation as biting the back of your tongue really bad. Your tongue also hurts. But it doesn't last forever:) I am 53 and if i can come back to work ina week then you should do great!
Hey,
I am glad someone replied to me. I am so scared, of getting sick to my stomach... I have a very weak stomach and I dont want to be throwing up. did u get sick??? Dr. Mc Fadden is doing mine...

Hey I am so scared I cant help it, I am very easy to get sick to my stomach. I am scared of getting sick.. You asked who was doing my surgery Dr. Mc Fadden is doing mine. He is very nice. But, I am still scared to death.

HELP!!!! I am having a really tough time here. I have never been one to complain or whine much but oh my goodness this is some serious pain. I don't know what to do. I hurts so freakin' bad I feel like I'm gonna go crazy. Last night and today have been my worst yet. I have cried three times today. I have been taking 3 teaspoons of my liquid Lortab every 3 hours today. I know that's bad because it says every 4 hours but I don't know what else to do. I've been sipping water all day and a bit of jello. It hurts to talk, to just about do anything. The first two days weren't this bad. I am even starting to cry right now. Has it been this bad for everyone else?? Why is it worse now on the 3rd/4th day post-op? Will it get even more painful? :confused: When does it ease up a bit? My throat is screaming in pain. My ears- oh my God, just like knives in them. My tongue still hurts too and even my teeth/jaw! Argh! Right now I seriously wish I never had this done. It seems like it was easier being sick for a few days every month that this constant indescribable pain. Sorry to go on and on but I am so frustrated and just ...... GRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!! ............ it hurts so bad!!!!!!!!!.......... I don't know what to do or how to make it ease up.

:eek: I feel so badly for you because I know exactly what you're going through! I remember for me the pain was so bad, I didn't know what to do and I thought I would go crazy!

Please just keep taking your pain meds, use a lot of ice around your throat and use heat for your ears. Drink a ton of water to make sure your throat doesn't get dry. And try to sleep in more of a sitting up position, because that helps a little with the pain.

For me, the worst of the pain lasted until about day 6 or 7. It's a really weird kind of recovery, because you'll start feeling better but then you'll feel like crap again the next day. It's so weird.

But the ear pain starts getting really bad when the scabs come off. I remember that feeling like knives, and it sucks!! But the good news is that once you start feeling that ear pain, it only lasts about a day or 2 really intense and then it starts getting just a little better each day. And once the ear pain happens, it means you've turned the corner and you're going to be getting better each day.

I'm so sorry that you're in so much pain, and I know exactly how it feels. I had mine done in April. But I promise you it's going to get better and it's not going to hurt like this forever. Don't feel bad if you start taking the pain meds every 3 hours, because with the ear pain, it's all you can really do to help be able to eat.

Please post again soon and let us know how you're doing. It helps to post here to let others know what you're going through so you know you're not going through this alone. Some of us have been there and we know exactly what you're going through. Just know that everything that you are feeling is normal and to be expected, and it won't last forever.

I really hope you feel better soon! Keep us posted, ok?

Hi debralynne,

I am glad you are doing oaky. I was a litle nervous at first about stuff getting in the craters where my tonsils used to be but it didn't. I had a mouthwash that I had to gargle with several times a day also and think that got rid of a lot of stuff. I made my DH go to Taco Bell one night because refried beans suddenly stated sounding so good to me. Normally I can take them or leave them. I did have to let them cool down a little but they tasted good!!! The main thing is to keep pushing the liquids and gradually work up to semi-solid foods. I actually ate a can of Vienna sausages and they tasted so good. At that point I think I was ready to eat anything. I used to eat the sausages a long, long time ago but have gotten a little mre health conscious the last 15 years or so. The sausages are soft or you could try the baby food sausages. Not quite as "tasty' but they have the texture yoou need for chewing and swallowing. It has been 4 weeks and I feel great! Still have the scabs coming off but not very noticeable. Just hang in there and remember that the pain will not last forever. Good Luck!!

Hello,
Tomorrow is my surgery, I am scared to death of getting sick to my stomach and start throwin up. I have to be at the hospital at 10:00 and my surgery is 11:30, I am getting so nervous. PLease someone relpy to me ...

Tell the anestheseologist about getting sick. They give you something in your IV so you won't get nauseaus. I don't have a problem with it but the ENT doc should give you a prescription for Phenergan, also for at home. Take them. They will help you sleep if nothing else:) I was more scared about the pain afterwards than the surgery itself. In some ways it wasn't nearly as bad as everyone said. The only pain that rated a 10 in my case was the ear pain and that wasn't constant. It sort of snuck up on you. Remember that I am 53 and if I can get through it, then I know you can.

ty, so much for replying to me, I am so wrried :eek: arent u the one from huntsville? if so who did urs??

Hi Mamie,

Dr. Mark Hagood did mine.

stagre

hey,
I have heard of him. I think he did my brother in laws, im just so scared of getting sick....

Mamie, I replied to the post that you left on Friday called "Adult Tonsillectomy". You should read my reply because I gave you really good info.

And don't be so scared about being sick. I was too, but it was fine.

I am sorry I didnt see it.

Thank you so much for the advice, kind words, encouragement and sympathy. I have been feeling like such a baby, it helps hearing your experiences. Last night was rough, I cried once or twice again. I think I got a total of 3 hours sleep. Tonight I am going to try sleeping upright as you suggested... thank you for that!.... as I notice when I wake up the pain is even more intense. I haven't done a thing all day. All my focus, energy, and thoughts end up going to my ears and throat. I tried cleaning up the kitchen and even that seemed to aggravate it. I had to call the doctor for a refill this morning, I don't know yet if it has been done. I am scared he may think I am abusing it or whatever. I was hurting so bad earlier this afternoon that I even had to take a Percocet my mom had given me just in case. I felt bad taking it but it sure did dull the pain for a solid 4 hours! You mentioned it really hurts when the scabs come off... are the scabs that whitish/grey stuff where the surgery was done? I am finding water is a Godsend, even though it hurts to swallow sometimes. I tried to eat some chicken & rice soup today but that was a joke; plus, I was paranoid that some rice might get stuck in those cavities. I'm just gonna stick with water, broth, and jello for a while. You know it even hurts to talk. (I feel like such a complete whiner right now, sorry.). And people keep calling me to see how I'm feeling, which I know they mean well but it's everything I can do to force out the word hello! Well I don't want to keep complaining. I've just never felt so much pain and just down and frustrated in my life and am just trying to adjust handling it. Thank you SO MUCH, again, for your support and encouragement. Sure does mean a lot to hear from others who have been through it. P.S. Mamie: Good luck on your surgery tomorrow. You are gonna be just fine. I hardly got nauseaus at all and they gave me something anyway just in case I did. I was very nervous like you before I had mine done last week (Thurs.). The surgery itself was not at all as bad as I thought it would be. I had terrible anxiety beforehand but once I was at the hospital it went away.

Thank you so much, I am hoping it all goes well for me. I hope u get better soon... Maybe u will feel like ur self soon... I will try my best to get on here and let everyone know how i am doing. thank you again..

Much love,
mamie

I am sure it will all be fine. I will say a prayer for you that God help ease your nerves and that you don't get sick. I just know ur gonna be ok. I would let the docs and surgery nurses know about your fears and concerns so they can put your mind at ease. I am sure looking forward to when I feel like myself again! I talked to my doc an hour ago and he phones in more pain meds. He basically said to just keep riding the storm out. Oh yeah, when you are in recovery room make sure you tell them the exact degree of your pain so they can take care of it and keep you comfortable. Also, I found that with all the morphine and anesthesia in my system, I was feeling pretty good (considering) while in recovery and couldn't stop talking or looking around. The nurses and my friend kept telling me to shut up and close my eyes but I didn't and sure paid for it later. So just take it real easy. Best of luck, remember that you're gonna be fine, and as soon as you're up to it let us know how you're doing, k? Luv, Deb.

i'm a 36 year old male in good shape who had my left tonsil removed six days ago. there has been a lot of pain, i was/have been given a lot of drugs. specifically, i have:
- acetaminophen/codeine (liquid codeine)
- hydrocodone/acetaminophen (something even stronger, also liquid)

in sufficient quantities to take a tablespoon of one or the other almost every hour during waking hours for about two weeks. i went through the first batch fairly quickly, not caring about dosage but pain management (i got two bottles and clearence for three refills each). after the pharmacist make a comment that each fill should last four days (it was day 3), i marked out the dosages and have been more diligent about keeping track (although in general, if in pain, use them and don't ask, tell your doctor if you need more).

i had been having smoothies for breakfast for quite some time and so it was easy to continue to do so, although before i'd be done in 10 minutes and now it takes me all morning. the intial days it was just cold water and jello and chicken broth at room temperature. i am now onto more complex soups (cream of pea is a good one) and soft noodles (udon or soba, which is served cold usually).

i still haven't slept a night all the way through, but it is getting better. at first, i found that i had to position my head almost strait up because if i lied down flat (1) it hurt more, and (2) something would flap over somewhere in there and i couldn't exhale through my nose (very scary the first time it happened). during the night the pain medication wears off and you dehydrate so the mornings are always the worst. i don't try to eat (ie: sip my smoothie) first thing in the morning but just rehydrate and reduce the pain (double shot of pain killer). i feel i've progressed nicely, but reading a bunch of sites i understand that at the 7-10 day mark the scars/scabs/whatever begin to fall off and that can present new challenges. don't know about those yet.

strangely enough it was recommended that i chew gum, which at first seems like a ridiculus exercise but it does get the jaw warmed up allowing me to swallow better and i feel, 'progress'.

overall, the reason i had the procedure was because a 'mass' had been discovered in my left tonsil. i went in for a biopsy to test for cancer, and while i was under they got to take a closer look at the mass and decided that it was highly unlikely to be cancer, so they took out the whole tonsil. so while there is some pain to deal with, i'm feeling great because it was 'just an infection', and nothing more serious.

good luck to all and hang in there!

I keep telling people who've had the surgery to chew gum, because it helps a lot with the healing process. No one here on the board seems to believe me, but it's true! Because one of my biggest problems after the surgery was with yawning and sneezing - both of which hurt a LOT. But I kept chewing the gum and it helped heal all of that up faster. Anything that helps with saliva production and exercising those throat muscles is going to help, guys!!

Hey,
I am glad someone replied to me. I am so scared, of getting sick to my stomach... I have a very weak stomach and I dont want to be throwing up. did u get sick??? Dr. Mc Fadden is doing mine...

Wow you guys have been talkative! They do give you something to prevent nausea & vomitting. I was a bleeder 2 weeks post op & when they did the 2nd surgery they again gave me something to avoid any vomitting.

I know by now you are probably feeling better but I just wanted to answer this in case someone else might need the info. I say do NOT let them make you feel that way! Most docs these days will not worry about the very tiny risk of addiction (2-3%) & will go ahead & Rx what is needed. I had quite the ordeal though with the dr. & nurses all questioning my need for pain killers. Honestly I wonder now if maybe I had an underlying infection & should have insisted on being seen sooner in their office. B/c the left side is what continued to hurt the most well into week 2 & that is also the side that bled & had to be recauterized. That is also the side where he cleaned out the wax in my ear. Anyhow the pain was very bad but I am here to say it did get better! Even after my 2nd surgery it was only about a week after that that I could start to function normally. I came away sort of emotionally a mess though b/c one of the boys off of my son's baseball team had to be transported via ambulance to the hossy & I started to cry in public omg! LOL
It just reminded me of myself bleeding like crazy, being so scared & having them come to my house.
Be reminded that I am in the minority, most ppl do NOT bleed, many ppl don't have quite the pain that I did also.
I was told NO advil/ibuprofen. Reason for this is that it acts like aspirin & can cause you to bleed. Go figure I bled anyhow but I was not going to risk another bleed so I stayed away with it until about 6 weeks post op.
Also, scratchy stuff is a no no. I'm surprised that a few ppl have been told to eat scratchy foods.
Oh btw I came off the Lortab w/no withdrawel problems. The whole attitude that my doc office had re: addiction to me was ridiculous. I was NOT really enjoying my meds, oh that I could have enjoyed the little buzz lol but I was too busy feeling pain & trying to get relief lol @@

Thank you so much for the advice, kind words, encouragement and sympathy. I have been feeling like such a baby, it helps hearing your experiences. Last night was rough, I cried once or twice again. I think I got a total of 3 hours sleep. Tonight I am going to try sleeping upright as you suggested... thank you for that!.... as I notice when I wake up the pain is even more intense. I haven't done a thing all day. All my focus, energy, and thoughts end up going to my ears and throat. I tried cleaning up the kitchen and even that seemed to aggravate it. I had to call the doctor for a refill this morning, I don't know yet if it has been done. I am scared he may think I am abusing it or whatever. I was hurting so bad earlier this afternoon that I even had to take a Percocet my mom had given me just in case. I felt bad taking it but it sure did dull the pain for a solid 4 hours! You mentioned it really hurts when the scabs come off... are the scabs that whitish/grey stuff where the surgery was done? I am finding water is a Godsend, even though it hurts to swallow sometimes. I tried to eat some chicken & rice soup today but that was a joke; plus, I was paranoid that some rice might get stuck in those cavities. I'm just gonna stick with water, broth, and jello for a while. You know it even hurts to talk. (I feel like such a complete whiner right now, sorry.). And people keep calling me to see how I'm feeling, which I know they mean well but it's everything I can do to force out the word hello! Well I don't want to keep complaining. I've just never felt so much pain and just down and frustrated in my life and am just trying to adjust handling it. Thank you SO MUCH, again, for your support and encouragement. Sure does mean a lot to hear from others who have been through it. P.S. Mamie: Good luck on your surgery tomorrow. You are gonna be just fine. I hardly got nauseaus at all and they gave me something anyway just in case I did. I was very nervous like you before I had mine done last week (Thurs.). The surgery itself was not at all as bad as I thought it would be. I had terrible anxiety beforehand but once I was at the hospital it went away.

believe me I did everything I could to heal faster & relieve my pain! I did all the right things. Sometimes no matter what you do or try, while it might still be good for you, you will have continued pain. I drank all the water, took my vitamins religiously, ate popsicles & cold items, chewed on things like the gum.



I keep telling people who've had the surgery to chew gum, because it helps a lot with the healing process. No one here on the board seems to believe me, but it's true! Because one of my biggest problems after the surgery was with yawning and sneezing - both of which hurt a LOT. But I kept chewing the gum and it helped heal all of that up faster. Anything that helps with saliva production and exercising those throat muscles is going to help, guys!!

I thought I posted in this thread, but I can't seem to find it, so I'll post again.

On my 2nd day, I got sick and vomitted. And nothing happened. I thought my scabs were going to come off or I'd bleed, but I didn't. Just wanted to ease some people minds about the whole vomitting thing.

Again, thank you so much for the encouragement and advice. I am at day 11 now, doing a bit better. It is reassuring to hear others' experiences, as I don't not feel so much like a cry-baby or like my situation "must be worse than everyone else's, as this much pain just can't be normal", you know? I'm having a hell of a time with the ear pain, especially the left one. Friday night I was eating some chow-mein and oh my goodness it felt to good to eat some real food but by the 6th bite or so, good Lord was I in pain! I still ate like 4 or 5 more bites though, pratically on the verge of tears, because it tasted so good. I still have been having to sleep sitting up, hurts to swallow most the time, and I can sure tell when that liquid Lortab wears off. It doesn't seem to last long, only about 2-3 hours or so. When it gets REAL bad, my folks will give me a Percocet or two and that helps. Last night about midnight I had to go to the ER because the ear pain was unlike anything I'd ever experienced and nothing was helping. It's a 45 min. drive there, and once I got there the pain was undescribable. The ER doc was such a jerk, he had MAJOR attitude. He checked everything out and there was no bleeding or obvious signs of infection so he gave me a shot of Tordol (which is like a super strength Advil I guess) and an IV drip of antibiotic just in case. The Tordol didn't do a thing. He said he wouldn't give me anything else :confused: because my bloodwork came back fine. (Humorous side note: My brother is the one who took me and he is a 6'8", 250lb. machine gunner in the Marine Corps. When he saw how much pain I was in and that the doctor wasn't gonna do a thing about it, WOW... you should have the look in his eyes! :mad: Talk about being P.O.'ed! :mad: I had to talk him into staying calm and just letting it go!). So I got home at 5am, took a double dose of Lortab and called my doc when I woke up. Needless to say, he was not happy at all to hear about what happened. He phones in another bottle of Lortab, told me he was not worried to much about me getting addicted, and I am to see him on Friday. So I'm getting better, just not as fast as I'd like I guess. The ear pain just frustrates me so bad as it seems to consume every waking (even sleeping) moment. I'm kinda hoping that by Friday it will be a lot better, as that will be 14 days. Once again, thanks for listening to and putting up with my whining. As always, input, stories, and suggestions are much appreciated! :)

Hey Deb, I remember my ear pain stuck around for a while, too. Although maybe not as intensely as yours by day 11.....but maybe it did, I don't completely remember. My surgery was in April and I'm already having trouble remembering some details. Must be Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.

Anyway, I'm sorry to hear your ear pain is so severe. But your doc is right about the pain meds. Don't be worried about how much you're taking, because you need to take enough to not be in so much pain.

Also, I totally remember when I was soooooo hungry but couldn't eat a lot because of the ear pain. I'll never forget THAT feeling, because it made me cry a lot when I was starving but couldn't eat more than a few bites of anything.

You're still doing really well and I'm glad to hear that things are improving for you. Just remember that the process for recovery for THIS surgery is unlike any other. THIS surgery is one of those one-step forward, two-step back type things.

Hi Deb,

Just hang in there! It has been 5 weeks now since I had my tonsils removed. I told my husband last night that this was the first day that I didn't feel the scabs on the sides of my throat. I haven't looked at my throat for several days so I assume most of the scabs are gone. The ear pain was the worse for me. Just on my right side though. I honestly don't think anyone can imagine the pain unless they go through it. I could handle the sore throat but the ear pain was hell!!! I have had several surgeries but nothing hurt like the ear did. On the bright side though, the bad ear pain only lasted on and off for about 5 days. Seems like a long time but just keep telling yourself that it won't be forever. I think the reason pain meds don't help it is because it is the nerves that are going crazy. Not much helps nerve pain. I think they are the same nerves you hit when you bite the back of your tongue. That is what it felt like to me. It is just that when you bite your tongue, the pain doesn't last that long. The ear pain lasts a lot longer. I think they are the same nerves that the dentist deadens when he works on the back teeth because those same teeth would also hurt as much as the ear did. Sort of like a double whammy!! Let me know how you are doing.

stagre

Hi,
You have absolutely no idea how "happy" (not the best word...) I am to find that I'm not alone in this!!!!! I am 34 and had my tonsils taken out July
17th.
Now, I knew this wasn't going to be a walk in the park, but I had NO idea just how horrible I'd feel!!!!

I had my surgery done on an outpatient basis starting at about 8:30 that morning and I was released before 12:30pm. The first 3 days the ONLY thing I could keep down was water...so any pain meds or icky lukewarm chicken broth or popsicle I tried to get down...just came right back up. :rolleyes:
The liquid Lortab only lasts about 2 hours (as others have said) and I called the Doc's office 3 mornings in a row crying to see if they could switch me to something that would help control the pain!! Well, no luck there! Basically I was told that this IS much harder for an adult than it is for a child and that everything I was feeling was normal...OH JOY...
Well, after 3 days of throwing everything (except water) back up, I was able to keep down a couple of Edy's Frozen Fruit bars...let me just jump off on that tangent for a bit. I figured if I was going to have to eat popsicles for awhile, why not make them healthier for me than just popsicles! So 10 boxes of frozen fruit bars in the freezer, I thought I was all set!!! WRONG!!! They taste good and ARE healthier for you, but they aren't icy like popsicles and only make you feel like you have really thick gunk in your mouth to try to either swallow or spit out!! BLAH!!!
So, I had hubby go to the store and get me some regular old popsicles that seem to work a little better than the fruit bars, but I still haven't eaten many of them because they taste too sweet for me.
I've eaten more Jello in the past 9 days than I care to admit...anyone know a good Jello recipe????? :p But that is about the easiest thing to make slide down my throat.

The pain...well lets just say...if these tonsils ever grow back again...I'm NOT doing this again...(sorry, don't want to scare anyone away from the surgery). I would go through childbirth again in a heartbeat before I would go through this surgery again! I consider myself as having a high pain tolerance, and I hate taking meds of any kind unless I have to.I've been taking my Lortab religiously every 4 hours or so...but those 2 hours after it stops working is pure H---!!! The lidocaine works somewhat, but to me it just numbs my tongue and makes me talk funny more than anything else!!! I know, in the long run, I will probably be glad I did this when I have fewer sore throats and losses of my voice and losses of days at work because I have no voice!! (I got sick 6 times in 5 months this past Winter, losing my voice and lost 11 days of work having to call in sick). I'm a 9-1-1 dispatcher and if I don't have a voice, I can't work. Besides, doesn't sound good if YOU sound worse on the other end of the 9-1-1 call than the person that is calling you for help! :D

As others have stated, I'm no stranger to 2am, 3am, 4am...I've only been sleeping about 2 hours at a clip (for a good nap) and I'm starting to get very exhausted, and somewhat irritable! I'm sure everyone in the United States has heard my 8.5 on the Richter Scale stomach rumble at least once in the last 9 days!!

Oh...I know this is getting long-winded, but...I also have a 3 year old...and was told that I'm not allowed to pick her up for at least 10 days. Try explaining that to a 3 year old! Thank Goodness for Gramma and Bumpa (my parents) taking her for almost 5 days from day 1 of my surgery and now I've had the house to myself for the last 2 nights as hubby took the kids camping.

Is there an end in sight????? As I said at the start of my novel here...I'm just sooooooooooooooooooo glad to see I'm not alone in this. And I just happened upon this thread doing a Google search because I can't sleep!!! Imagine that!!!!
Here's hoping that we can all partake in our favorite foods soon!! (lost 8 lbs so far)

Hey,
I am glad someone replied to me. I am so scared, of getting sick to my stomach... I have a very weak stomach and I dont want to be throwing up. did u get sick??? Dr. Mc Fadden is doing mine...
I don't know if you've had your surgery yet...as I just discovered this message board about an hour ago...
I got sick for 3 days...and I HATE to get sick...but the advice the nurse gave me...is if you feel like you have to get sick, DON'T try to hold it back...just let it go... Trying to keep yourself from throwing up is worse than actually doing it!! Good luck!

i still haven't slept a night all the way through, but it is getting better. at first, i found that i had to position my head almost strait up because if i lied down flat (1) it hurt more, and (2) something would flap over somewhere in there and i couldn't exhale through my nose (very scary the first time it happened).


Sleeping sitting up is the ONLY way I've slept (even if it is only 2 hours at a time) for the past 8 almost 9 days!!!! I've had that strange scary something flap over in my throat, too, if I lean my head back too far and could breathe IN through my nose fine...but couldn't breathe out!!!! Fortunately, that happened to me in recovery and I expressed my concern (in a bit of a panic) to the nurse and she told me to make sure I sleep pretty much sitting up!!! The last time I looked in my mouth with the flashlight...my Uvula...the thing that hangs down in your throat was the size of a large marble!!!! No wonder we can't swallow and are in pain!!!!! I know its physically impossible to swallow the darn thing because its attached...but that's sure what it feels like is going to happen at times!:p

OK...so here I am up at 1:15 am again...or should I say STILL?????
Thought I was having a pretty decent day today...will be 10 days post-op on the 27th. Felt about 25% human most of the day (which is about 35% more human than I've felt since my surgery) and then started to feel crummy again this afternoon, and have been dealing with the pain since!!!!! Hope this stops soon????:dizzy:

Hey there gcloud,

I'm with ya on this. I had my tonsils out on the 19th. I've kept day 10 as the pie in the sky day to feel better and yet I sit here on day 10 feeling funky still. This surgery is a piece of cake (hmmm, I keep making food references) its the post op that is truly a trial of human dignity and resilience. I figured that I'm a master at handling sore throats but this is nothing like strep or tonsilitis.

My throat, and especially my uvula, are still so swollen that I am gagging on them. I woke up with some blood spots on the back of my throat and some renewed pain. I was happy that by day 6/7 I was off the heavy duty pain killers and taking only extra strength tylenol (the stomach pain and diarahea are just now starting to alleviate from all that) but today my fear is renewed that I am not yet through the darkest hour. I know I'm being dramatic, I'm not usually this much of a drama queen, but my goodness this is intense.

I have an anxiety problem that is exacerbating this post op period also. I tend to stay very active and busy as a way to let off and manage anxiety but I haven't been able to do that for the last 11 days so I keep having these terrible thoughts of not being able to make it through to the end. Yikes. I just want to order a pizza, and go swimming at the lake but I CAN'T and I'm scared I won't be able to ever again.

Well, you're in my thoughts and prayers and thanks to everyone who has contributed to this thread, it has been very helpful, now if you could just speed up time so I can get back to life. ;)

Humph.
Tough out the pain. Are you partying-down on your liquid Lortab? Get over it. Don't call here for drugs again.
This just really frosts my cookies.

I had my tonsils out when I was 23, and I have stated more than once that if someone offered me a million cash to do that again, I'd turn it down cold.

I've been through childbirth, eardrum rupturing swimmer's ear, hospital visiting migraines - and NOTHING has stuck in my memory like my tonsillectomy. Because I had chronic bacterial toxemia, my tonsils were poisoning me, it HAD to be done, and I had a fever and tonsillitis when it was done - I had run out of options.

Reading this post, I'm just really offput by the way doctors still expect their patients to tough their way through this miserable situation - in my opinion we should be sent home with morphine pumps.

I'm sorry for all of you, I truly am. I remember driving by a McDonalds and just pulling the car over and crying because I was so hungry, so tired of pain and so frustrated. Just cling to the fact that it ends in a couple of weeks, and that in about six months you'll be able to sneeze without holding your head on. And someday you'll be able to write to a forum like this and say, "I would do that again for a million cash."

Love to you all, Patsy Catsy

I had a tonsillectomy three days ago, and the in keeps getting worse. My ears are staring to kill me. I cant talk yet or eat. How long did it take you guys for the ear pain to go, and voice to come back?

Hey Zac,

I had my tonsils out about 6 weeks ago. My ear pain started about day 5, I think, and lasted for about 5 days. It wasn't constant but it was just about unbearable. Luckily it was only one sided. Just keep taking your pain meds. I don't think they help a lot with the ear pain because I think it is the nerves going to the ears but it you forget the throat pain for a while. A heating pad helped me some. It didn't take it away completely but it did help. My ear pain would always sneak up on me. I never knew when it was coming and how long it would last. Of course I don't think I ever quit talking either:jester: That was probably the cause of a lot of my pain. I know it sounds weird but drink LOTS and LOTS of water, even though it hurts and CHEW GUM. The gum helps a lot with the soreness of the jaws and helps produce the saliva needed for healing. Try to get bubblegum or something. As soon as it gets really difficult to chew, rest and then pop a new piece in. I went through a lot of packs of Trident and Extra sugarless gum. It really does help. I am still chewing it occassionally because I still have a few scabs left and my throat still gets extremely dry. Just hang in there and tell yourself that it will get better.

stagre

I'm into week 2 after my surgery and still pretty much feel like crud!!!!:dizzy: I'm supposed to go back to work today, but I don't know yet if I will, or if I'll take another sick day.

Doc gave me a work slip to be off of work til Aug. 7th??????????? But I don't know that I can handle another week at home yet!!!!! I'm going stir crazy!!

STILL not sleeping in my own bed!!!!!!!!!!!! Have had to sleep sitting up on the couch since Day 1 of my surgery and my Uvula is still swollen, so when I lay my head back or try to lay on my side, it just blocks my airway and I can't sleep that way!!!!

This really bites!!!:mad:

I slept in the recliner for about 3 or 4 days and then went to my bed but propped up. I know what you mean by the uvula being swollen. Don't try to blow your nose either. I went back to work after a week. I figured I could feel just as bad there as I could at home:) I am in a office by myself so I could sort of stay to myself. Everything will hurt for about 3 weeks and then it will just sort of quit or calm down tremendously. I still feel the scabs a little but they don't hurt, just a funny feeling where the tonsils used to be. I guess my biggest complaint after 6 weeks is what feels like a dry spot on my throat. As a matter of fact, it is about directly in line with the uvula. I am 53+ and if I can do it, I know you can:) Just hang in there. I really won't last forever.

Hang in there!! Week two is hard b/c you really are thinking you should feel so much better and you don't. I'm on day 13 now and had my follow up appointment. The doc explained to me that adults should expect a month long recovery, the first two weeks being really bad and then getting better from there. It still hurts when I swallow and my uvula is the size of Texas. I feel tired still but am finished with laying around convalesing. I ate cereal this morning and had moo shoo chicken last night. Eating more "scratchy" foods really helps clean up the scabs. I'd head to work, even if you can manage only half days, because it will make the time go by faster and that's the biggest hurdle to this surgery, being patient. Drink tons, I found that lemon Propel really helps, it burns a tinge at first then becomes very soothing. Keep an ice pack around your throat periodically and go for walks. I've been ensured that the pain will go away and it was tolerable for me by about day 10/11, now its sore and uncomfortable but I feel more energy and my mental state is much better. Keep haning in anyone going through this, you're all in my prayers.:angel:

Well I am on day 5 after my surgery. WOW I never thought I would experience such pain in my life. I didn't know it was possible. I had been told that I would have pain but it would be like a bad case of strep throat. Well I thought I was prepared. I had strep throat that lasted almost a month long back in May and began to lead to respiratory problems. So I thought recovery would be a piece of cake. The doctor had told me I should be fine in just about a week or so and would definitely feel better for my trip to Vegas 3 weeks later. Well now that it is getting closer I am scared I won't be better for my trip.

To let everyone else know I woke up out of surgery and I could talk. I felt something weird in my throat but I was generally ok. Sitting up and talking that night. I ate popsicles and even mashed potatoes. Well it has only gotten worse. Day 3, I woke up with a fever barely able to move out of bed. I had a little bit of ear pain but I slept most of the day. Day 4 I felt better, I thought I was on the road to recovery. Day 5 I woke up and thought I was dying. The ear pain I had today is indescribable and unbearable. It comes and goes too which is the worst part. Once it hits though tears just start to fall out of my eyes. I can't help but cry because the pain is so intense. No one told me I would have ear pain, but even if they had I don't think I could have prepared myself for this.

During this process I am staying with my parents so I can be taken care of. Well my mother being a nurse is scared I will get addicted to the pain killers. I am glad I found this site so she can read about it. I know I won't get addicited just the pain is so bad I need something to help just relax me. This whole process has started to really wear me down. I am getting so frustrated from being stuck inside the house. From being in pain and absolutely no one around me even beginning to understand it. From not being in my own bed. I can't sleep a full night sleep and waking up is the absolute worst. It scares me to know I have to face tomorrow because right now it looks as if it will only be worse.

Hey Luckyme2,

Please hang in there. You are not alone in your struggles. I suffered not only immense physical pain but also emotional. I'm on day 16 of my post op and I'm still aching in my throat and sore, BUT, it is soooooooooo much better to handle than the first 2 weeks. I went for my follow up at 2 weeks and still have about another 2 weeks of healing to do so no activity still except short walks. Very frustrating as I want to be out hiking and travelling while I have the summer.

Keep drinking as much ice water as you can. I started decreasing my intake around day 10 b/c I felt so much better but woke up on day 14 with blood so I'm back to tons of ice water and haven't noticed any blood, and I check everytime I go to the bathroom which is quite frequently.

All in all, I have hope that I will feel normal again whereas the first two weeks I had none. As your pain begins to decrease your mental space will get better too. This is a one step forward two steps back process and you just have to forge through it. It sucks, its miserable, but unfortunately, pretty darn normal for this surgery. You're getting close to significant improvement. Hang in! Sunshine

I know how you feel! I had my tonsils removed on the 1st of August, so that makes it day 4 for me. I'm still having pain that could even make a grown man cry(LOL-but I still try to have a positive attitude). I can't laugh or talk and it feels as if someone shoved a porcupine down my throat. I had a nurse from the surgery center chew me out for not sounding like I drank anything for the past few days(thanks to my mom and her huge mouth). I drank a lot more than she gives me credit for. Besides, it's not her going through that pain so why should she tell the truth?

With me, I took half the bottle of Lortab that they prescribed for me on the day of the surgery alone! I've found out that it feels better to drink really cold drinks, but it sure hurts taking the first few sips/bites.

As for night, I take sleeping pills(which I wasn't told that I couldn't take after the surgery) to get to sleep. When I get up, though, it hurts like H-E Double hockey sticks. Anyways, I feel as if the pain is improving, somewhat, from the day that I had surgery.

Anyways, what the nurse told you was rude and didn't need to be said. I also wish that doctors would be a little less suspicious of us patients. NOT ALL OF US ARE DRUG ADDICTS!!!!

Hi All,
Well....... I can finally say the grass is looking much greener. It's been 3 weeks now since my surgery and I thought I would NEVER reach this point!! Life is coming back to me! :) Still a few scabs in the back, kinda feels like there's something stuck in my throat like rice or something, and I feel like I'm attempting to cough up a hairball, lol. My ears have gotten better! The left one acts up a bit when I talk to much or stuff like that. When I went for my follow-up last week (this would be 2 weeks post-op), I was so frustrated because of the pain and it didn't seem to be healing fast enough. So I was moaning and groaning back and forth to my doctor when he finally said (very direct and forthcoming-ly), "Look Deb... I pulled your tongue out of your mouth, clamped it down and cut some of the inside of your throat out. You've had an injury, it's gonna take time to heal!" That shut me up real fast. Hence to say, that was also the end of the Lortab so I had to deal with it on my own. I do not think I will ever eat Jello or chicken broth again! For those of you that just had the surgery, I really sympathize with you on the hunger issue. That was very difficult. I lost 9 pounds, have gained back 5 of it. Last week some friends came up and we went out to dinner and being the jackass that I can be, I ordered a steak actually thinking I could eat it. I just started slow last weekend and can pretty much eat anything now. Water has been very good to me. I still keep some with me at all times, have to gargle a bit now and then. All in all, things are much better. I cannot thank you enough for all your suggestions and encouragement. It really helped reading everything knowing I was not alone. That first week and a half was literally a living hell and thank God I will never have to go through that again... because I wouldn't. If you're feeling frustrated and just, well, downright crappy, vent it here and ask questions! Everyone helped me through and I'd be happy to do the same for someone else. P.S. TAKE THAT PAIN MEDICINE!!! I was going through a bottle every 2-3 days initially. Sometimes I got some unfriendly looks and remarks and that really sucks. Some people who take it just looking to get loaded ruin it for those who truly need it. And with a tonsillectomy, you definitely need it... no doubt about it. We take it just hoping for even the smallest relief from the pain. You know your intentions, and if someone had a problem with it, so be it. They would be singing a very different tune if they were standing there in your shoes for even 30 seconds!

Hi All
Thank god for the internet because this HealthBoard is an amazing outlet for people with the same issues. Today is day 1 of my tonsillectomy of fact 9 hours post-op to be exact. Ive read this board from beginning to end and have gotten move insight on what to expect than any ENT could give. Thank you all for sharing your not so pleasant experiences. As a matter of fact im glad I didnt read this before my surgury or I probably would have been scared and backed out - well probably not because my years of suffering from strep throat and tonsillitis pretty much mandated the removal of them.

So my first few observations/thought id like to contribute which seems to be similar to all of you.
*SWOLLEN uvula the size of a fat marker. Its so big im getting the gagging effect every time it touches the back of my throat. Was very nervous about it at first but my doc assured me it would subside - he suggested getting a bottle of Benadryl so my wife is headed out to get me some right now. Ill repost the results of that as soon as I can.

*While Ice cream tastes really good it leaves a film in my throat and mouth that makes me want to spit all day. Im done with the ice cream

*ICE CUBES, ICE CUBES, ICE CUBES - one ice cube at a time resting at the back of my throat is paradise. It slowly melts and numbs the pain plus you are getting the neccessary hydration.

*Liquid Tylenol with codene and loritab - Works great for the first few hours but tends to were off rather fast. Im probably dosing more than I should but hey whatever works.

Thats pretty much it for now - again thank you everybody for taking the time to share your experiences. I feel like we are all in this together.

I just wanted to reply to everyone to write about my experience. I got my tonsils out about 2 and a half weeks ago, it will be 3 weeks this Tuesday. I was terrified to do it after reading all these posts and was expecting the worst. I still decided to go through with it because over the last year I have had a ton of infections and did not want to deal with that anymore. Anyway I had the surgery and it was not bad at all!!! It is definitely tolerable and if you have a good doctor and go to a good hospital then anyone can get through it. I never even took the pain medicine, I mean my throat hurt but it was not unbearable pain-I was able to survive on liquid tylenol. I was able to talk and to eat and drink day one. I mean obviously I was only able to eat soft foods for a couple of weeks, but I am telling you it is not that bad.
I am just so glad that I did it and I don't want anyone to be afraid to have it done!

Hi everyone,
I had my tonsils out on the 9th august, and just came across this thread when searching Google for 'severe ear pain after tonsillectomy'. I had my tonsillectomy done in the UK, so I have different medication, but everything else that has been said on here is so true, especially with regard to ear pain! I was in agony, and beginning to think I was getting an infection or something....but reading all the posts on here I'm very relieved to know that it's normal! Thanks so much for all the tips that have been posted by everyone, I'm sure they will come in handy! :) I wish everyone who is recovering from a tonsillectomy the very best, and hope that they are pain-free and back to normal activities soon! xxx

Hi London,
I am sorry to hear that you are having so much ear pain, it can be very irritating. Just remember that there is light at the end of the tunnel. ;) I am 34 days post-op now and doing great... no pain whatsoever. The pain in my left ear was so bad the first two weeks, it would literally drop me to the floor in tears. I even went to emergency room at about 10 days because I thought I had an infection because that much pain just didn't seem normal. You have my sympathies. But just keep in mind that "this too shall pass". This website sure helped me, knowing I wasn't alone. I assume you have some sort of decent pain medication...make sure and take that as scheduled. Drink A LOT of water, room temp is best. Jello, lukewarm broth are good, and sometimes a popsicle microwaved for 6 seconds or ice cream (just plain, no nuts or cholate chips or anything) microwaved for 8 seconds would sort-of help. This is weird, but I found that when my ear was hurting real bad, I would just sit quietly and barely stick the tip of my index finger in my ear (kinda like what you do when someone tells you to plug your ears, you know?), resting my jaw in the palm of my hand while putting a little pressure towards the back of my cheek. I know it sounds weird, :confused: , but it helped me a little bit. Chewing gum, but not for too long, helps as bit also. Other than that, just try to be patient, try to relax (I think I watched every DVD I have, probably twice!), don't skip your pain meds, and ride out the storm. If you get frustrated and it hurts so bad, don't be ashamed to cry. You gotta vent somehow. At day 12 to 14, you should be feeling better. I feel great now and am so glad I had it done. I haven't been sick for 6 weeks now, it's great; plus I stopped snoring! Hang in there, and let us know how you are doing. Good luck!

Thankyou for your kind words. I am now 12 days post-op and feeling so so much better! Thankfully the agonising pain in my ears only lasted 2 days....but my goodness were they long days! I am now feeling fine in myself, just in a bit of pain in my left ear and throat on the left side, but that seems to be getting better day by day. The pain is always worst first thing in the morning when I wake up, I guess because the throat has dried out overnight? I am now able to eat almost anything, although it is still a bit painful. Thankyou all so much for your tips, they have all really come in handy. The chewing gum advice I found to be really helpful especially, it loosened my jaw and relieved the pain quite well! Hope everyone is doing well :) and is pain-free! xxx

Ohhh boy does all of what you are saying sound all too familiar. This really does suck I am not going to lie and quite fankly I cannot wait till it is all over. I am at one day short of a week after my surgery and I am in horrible condition. I have not been on any pain killers since day two (I had liquid vicodin) and it made me sick. I havent really been able to keep down any medications. I didnt take any liquid childrens advil like my doctor told me to after it made me sick this morning. The only thing I am able to keep down is flat ginger ale because it settles my stomach. My ears also hurt as well. I did feel a little better and went for a rode in the car while my friend ran errands. I didnt experience much pain but I did tire out very fast. I have had no solid foods yet just popsicles and liquids. My biggest problem was throwing up, it hurt oh so bad! Even worse is the conjestion I have in my throat and how bad it is when I go to breathe in and it all comes up. I also have a lot of saliva that is very thick and it feels like I have to spit it out every 5 minutes. I would say that is the worst part of this whole thing.

As I was clearing my throat carefully, I noticed in my spit a little (just a dab) of bright red blood. I looked in my throat and I can see from the tonsilor bed (where the scabbing is) a reddish spot that looks like a blood spot that could be oozing, but I am not 100% sure.

It appears to be where my tonsil used to be. At what point should I get worried?

Thoughts?

Hi, I'm 22 and I had my Tonsils out 11 days ago. Worst pain I've ever had but each day is getting better. I don't know if anyone can help me but my doctor didnt give me any post answers... for example : when can i have soft drinks? I heard the carbonation is bad after surgery but when is it okay? when can i have wine? I normally have a half glass once a week for my heart. When can i use mouth wash...?? Just simple things werent explained. does anyone know from experience???? Thanks :)

I would call your doctor. I didnt have anything like that but everyone is different so it could be perfectly fine but its best to call and ask. There should be a a white matter where your tonsils use to be. That is protecting your tonsils and creating new skin. It will go away and then your scabs come off around the 7-12th day. Mine just came off today and im on day 11 and finally the white stuff is gone off of my tonsils. Hope this helps.

Believe me, you'll know when you can have soda pop. The first time I tried it when I was recovering...I guess about 1 week or so... I tried some Sprite and oh my goodness did it ever burn and hurt to gulp down. So I would try a sip every few days or so until I could drink it with no pain. If you're throat isn't ready for the carbonation, it will for sure let you know. If you pour it in a glass first it helps 'cause it breaks up some of the carbonation. As for wine, I had some about 3 weeks post op. I was just concerned about mixing the alcohol and the pain medicine. At this point, you should be fine. Just use your judgement, you know? The mouthwash question.....:D ...... I think I could be a bad one to ask about that. I was gargling with small amounts of Listerine about 3 times a day the 3rd day after my surgery. My doctor was pretty much speechless, said he wouldn't recommend it but if I was able to tolerate the burn and did it gently, then to go ahead. So I would say just use your best judgement once again. I reckon you should be better by now, most importantly just use common sense and listen to your body/throat. Good luck!:)

I am getting ready to have a tonsillectomy and it will be just before my 54th birthday. Luckily, I am in excellent health and my biggest worry is that I don't have much experience with pain or being sick. I was treated for fluid on my ear with three rounds of antibiotics, steroids, decongestants and anitihistamines with absolutely no change. My physician had told me to begin with that I had evidence of chronic infection in my tonsils. So when the aggressive treatment did not work, he said he had to put a tube in my ear to get the fluid off and my hearing restored, and he recommended getting rid of the source of the problem, my tonsils.

I am interested in how the recouperation of the people on this board progressed and if you had the coblation-assisted procedure or the electrocautery. I was told to plan to be off work a week but as with pregnancy, everyone wants to tell you their horror stories which have me wondering if that is enough. I have a VERY fast paced and stressful job. If I get to feeling bad I cannot just shut myself in my office and I do not have anyone who can cover for my last minute. The work does not wait and has to be covered. I must plan ahead.

Thanks for any help/advise you can lend. My surgery is Oct 13th.
Moospys50+

Vicki,
I am from Topeka and just post for the first time as I am getting ready for this surgery. Who is your Doc and could you reply to my posting?
Moospys50+

Hello I had my surgery on the 11 of Sept & I am 28. I strongly reccomend taking at least 2 weeks off. You will more than likely need it & it is better to be safe than sorry. As you have probably read the first couple of days are ok, days 3 thru 8 or 9 are pretty bad, & you will need a couple of days to get some strength back when you can finally eat again. Besides if you are moving around or lifting alot you are in danger of hemmroging <sp>. Please make sure that you have someone to look after you & make sure that everything is being taken care of. My friends & my brother were my lifesavers. I hope your surgery goes great & I wish you a great recovery & hope that you will be one of the lucky ones that do not experiance much pain. :angel:

Thanks, I did talk to my boss and go back to my doctors nurse and all support 2wks off. Was your procedure coblation-assisted? This uses radiowaves in a saline solution for the removal and it allows for a removal where there is a clean seperation between live and dead tissue. Damaged tissue is very minimal, thus faster healing and less pain, so they say :rolleyes:

I have not talked to anyone who has had this procedure but would like to.

Truthfully I am not sure the DR never said one way or the other & I did not know about different types before I went in. I went in for my post op appointment today & the DR was in & out & I did not have a chance to ask. However I do want to let you know that I have been able to tell the difference since day one. I had my tonsills & adnoids removed & something done to my turbinates. I used to not be able to breath thru my nose & would wake up several times throughout the night. I have been able to breath through my nose since day of surgery even with the packing in my nose. I am so grateful that this should help with cutting down on sickness as well. Don't let the posts scare you away from the surgery. It is bad but you will get through it & come out better in the end.:wave:

Hey Guys...

I'm new to this, I'm glad I found this board. However, I need some advice. I just got my tonsils removed yesterday...so I'm on day #2 speaking with you guys. I was wondering about using Shower Soothers to aid in the healing process? Has anyone tried them before? I know when I had bad colds it aided in my healing. Also I have a Vick Vaporizer in my room so I wouldn't get so stuffed with crud. Also my uvula is the size of the texas, any suggestions in reducing the size. It very difficult to talk as well, my doctor suggested I get some Sucrets to aid in the day to day. I heard Bendaryl was good for reducing the uvula size?? Can Zyrtec to the same? Does neckpain come with tonsil removal? My pharmacy gave me a generic version of Lortab...should I have requested the branded version. However, I'm taking that every 4 hours and also I'm on the pink antiboxic liquid.

atlguy1911,
Welcome, I hope that we can help you through this.

"I just got my tonsils removed yesterday...so I'm on day #2 speaking with you guys. I was wondering about using Shower Soothers to aid in the healing process? Has anyone tried them before? I know when I had bad colds it aided in my healing. Also I have a Vick Vaporizer in my room so I wouldn't get so stuffed with crud."
I have heard of the use of the vaporizer's and humidifiers before, but not the shower soothers. Immediately after surgery, you want cold... cold food, cold water, ice chips, and shakes, and smoothies.

"Also my uvula is the size of the texas, any suggestions in reducing the size. It very difficult to talk as well, my doctor suggested I get some Sucrets to aid in the day to day. I heard Bendaryl was good for reducing the uvula size?? Can Zyrtec to the same?"
Anti-histimines are also anti-inflammetories.. so yes zrytec will help with swelling as will cold food and ice.

"Does neckpain come with tonsil removal?"
Yes. They put your head at an odd angle for best visualization of the tonsils for extraction.

"My pharmacy gave me a generic version of Lortab...should I have requested the branded version. However, I'm taking that every 4 hours and also I'm on the pink antiboxic liquid."
I tend to take generics whenever possible, the only time I have encountered a difference is with tylenol.. the generic acetomenophen.

Also check out the post "LisaMP's guide.." and "KFen's Sept. 5th post" there is an aweful lot of good information in both..

Best wishies on a great recovery.
MG

Okay guys this is day #3 i have a temp of 99.7 and i have exceesive saliva...is this normal? My doctor just put me on steriods to reduce the swelling of the uvula...

Hi Atlguy,

I am 1 day behind you, so please keep posting so I'll know what is coming around the corner;).

"this is day #3 i have a temp of 99.7 and i have exceesive saliva...is this normal? My doctor just put me on steriods to reduce the swelling of the uvula..."

The temp is probably up due to the steroids your doc put you on & the fact that your body burns energy to heal. My doc told me not to worry about a fever unless it reached 101.5, then to call him.

I wish I had excessive saliva! The demerol has my mouth so dry, I feel like I've sucked on the sourest pickle ever! I am constantly chewing gum & drinking tea, but it's no help. The gum feels & tastes like rubber. The only relief I get is when I brush my teeth (at least once every 2 hours, my teeth are going to fall out due to OVER brushing!), but it is a short relief.

In the past 2 hours, my ears & jaw have really begun to aggravate me, not intense pain, just a constant ache.

I hope the steroids help the inflammation in your uvula. Mine feels like it is getting stuck every once in a while. I wake up feeling like I'm choking or I'm coughing.

This sucks, but we'll get through it!:wave:

~Heather

Hi Atlguy,

I am 1 day behind you, so please keep posting so I'll know what is coming around the corner;).

"this is day #3 i have a temp of 99.7 and i have exceesive saliva...is this normal? My doctor just put me on steriods to reduce the swelling of the uvula..."

The temp is probably up due to the steroids your doc put you on & the fact that your body burns energy to heal. My doc told me not to worry about a fever unless it reached 101.5, then to call him.

I wish I had excessive saliva! The demerol has my mouth so dry, I feel like I've sucked on the sourest pickle ever! I am constantly chewing gum & drinking tea, but it's no help. The gum feels & tastes like rubber. The only relief I get is when I brush my teeth (at least once every 2 hours, my teeth are going to fall out due to OVER brushing!), but it is a short relief.

In the past 2 hours, my ears & jaw have really begun to aggravate me, not intense pain, just a constant ache.

I hope the steroids help the inflammation in your uvula. Mine feels like it is getting stuck every once in a while. I wake up feeling like I'm choking or I'm coughing.

This sucks, but we'll get through it!:wave:

~Heather

Heather, welcome to the club. I up here breaking a sweat and stuff up here...with my serious sore throat and all. The back of my throat looks like it's coated with ice cream. What type of meds are you on? I'm starting to develop a cough.

Food Alert:

Today I had some baked chicken, soften steamed brochollii, and extra creamy mac and cheese. However, I was only able to take a couple of bites...however I was informed the faster I start eating regular food the quicker I heal.

Side Note, I think i'm coming down with a cold...got a naggin cough coming on now...my doctor told me get some old school sucrets...wow, I didn't know they still made those.

atlguy,

"The back of my throat looks like it's coated with ice cream."

The back of my throat is the same way, completely gross. I don't know how it is ever going to look like a real throat again! I thought DH was going to vomit just looking at it (at least my brothers think its cool :) ).

"What kind of meds are you on?"

I am taking the same thing you are I think every 3.5-4 hours (generic lortab liquid, right?), phenergan suppositories, Omnicef antibiotic, & a capsule with a mixture of demerol & phenergan for breakthrough pain (pain in between the regular lortab dosage). I've only had to take 2 of the demerol pills, one last night b/c I think I did too much yesterday, that lingering anesthesia & morphine made me feel like I was 10 feet tall & bulletproof....until it wore off:eek: .

I had to take another one this evening b/c my ears were starting to hurt between the doses of lortab. I've been fighting sleep ever since, really want to try to sleep tonight.

"I'm starting to develop a cough."

If I doze off, I'll wake up with a dry throat cough. Plus, I quit smoking before my surgery, so it is normal to have more of a cough right after you quit smoking----sucks.

"Today I had some baked chicken, soften steamed brochollii, and extra creamy mac and cheese. However, I was only able to take a couple of bites...however I was informed the faster I start eating regular food the quicker I heal."

I've been lucky, I've pretty much eaten what I wanted (except the grilled cheese sandwich DH wouldn't make me). Yesterday I had a Wendy's Frosty on the way home (almost lost that due to DH's heavy foot in traffic...sudden start--sudden stop, uggghh). I had mac/chz & applesauce when I got home, bowl of ice cream, another milkshake, and mashed potatoes for dinner. Today I've had an egg & cheese biscuit (with the crunchy part of the biscuit taken off), more mac/chz, mashed potatoes, carnation instant breakfast, a milkshake, chicken noodle soup, & applesauce. I think I'm trying to eat whatever I can before the scabs start coming off (DH swears I have the munchies from the meds :) ). My biggest thing is I've been drinking sweet tea nonstop. I had over 100 mls yesterday & today so far. Never thought I could drink so much, but I can definitely tell when I haven't had a sip in a while! Also, I try to chew at least 1 piece of gum an hour.

"Side Note, I think i'm coming down with a cold...got a naggin cough coming on now...my doctor told me get some old school sucrets...wow, I didn't know they still made those."

I hope you are not coming down with a cold, that would suck. Have you been coughing the whole time or is it sudden? It could be due to being intubated if you've had it the whole time, that's not uncommon. If it is sudden, it could be due to your throat being too dry. The sucrets would help suppress the cough AND moisten your throat.

We will make it through this. I know it is going to get worse, I just wish it would go ahead & come on so I can get it over with!!

Hey guys I had my surgery a little over 2 weeks ago. I thought I was coming down with something because of that cough & all the mucus. My Dr said it was from the anestetic <sp>. He told me that if I could swallow it I could take Musinex<sp>. However you guys seem to have more medicine than I had so I would check with your Dr. I only was given the generic loritab. By the way if you take a shot of apple juice & a shot of the loritab at the same time it cuts the taste & helps with the burning. I hated the taste & the burning of that nasty stuff. I could not eat unless it was right after taking the medicine & I could only swallow a couple of bites. Some of the things I was eating were mashed potoes & gravy, applesauce & maple & brownsugar oatmeal. It took me forever to be able to eat any food with substance & I could not eat anything really sweet or creamy it just burned my throat. I had my first cheeseburger & fries yesterday. It was heaven. Try putting a bag of ice on your throat it helps quite a bit & will help with the swelling.:wave:

Day #4 after the surgery....been able to hold my own so far...you guys would have been proud of me...last night I had a late night snack, a baked chicken leg!!! Progress huh?

Been trying to chug-a-lug water been having a terrible time with it...maybe it the reason why my temp keep going up and down.

Mom's made me some chicken and dumplings today as the soft dinner meal...and it was delicious! Nice change of pace. I think the scabs are starting to fall off because I feel some strange substance in my mouth (back of my mouth)....

Day #4 after the surgery....been able to hold my own so far...you guys would have been proud of me...last night I had a late night snack, a baked chicken leg!!! Progress huh?

Been trying to chug-a-lug water been having a terrible time with it...maybe it the reason why my temp keep going up and down.

Mom's made me some chicken and dumplings today as the soft dinner meal...and it was delicious! Nice change of pace. I think the scabs are starting to fall off because I feel some strange substance in my mouth (back of my mouth)....

Hey atlguy,

I'm glad to hear you are making progress. I feel like I've hit a brick wall today. The pain is worse & I haven't been able to eat as much today. I woke up last night @ 2:30 & was up the rest of the night. Something is giving me heartburn from H***, I think it may be the lortab, so I can't lie down to sleep. Dozed off this afternoon & missed a dose of medicine. When I woke up, I thought I was dying--couldn't open my mouth very wide, pain was VERY intense, it was a struggle to get the meds in....I will be setting my alarm from now on for med time.

I feel the same ickiness back there & keep swallowing some weird stuff.

Keep me updated...

Hey guys...I have a questions to when it comes to bathing and showering....during this time of recovery I was told NOT TO TAKE LONG HOT SHOWERS....what have been your experiences?

Atlguy,

You mean we are supposed to bathe?! Feel too bad for that...seriously, I've done fine in the shower, no shaving the legs, though. I don't want to lean my head over to do it & feel like the few marbles I have left will fall out:dizzy:

I wouldn't take too hot of a shower, the combination of the hot steam & the meds cause some people to pass out.

Have some of your scabs started to come off yet? Little chunks have been coming out when I gargle. I've been gargling with tap water and brushing my teeth about every 2 hours, I can't stand the sweet, nasty taste in my mouth, yuck.

When will this be over?!!

~Heather

Heather

know what you mean, coming up for day 6 and still just wishing the days past, if only i could sleep through it.

Reminds of when Ruby Wax said she wanted a jewish pain killer approach to birth, when asked what it was she said, knock me out at teh first sign of pain and wake me up when you are doing my hair. If only i coudl laugh!

oh i could just wish these days away. I am having multiple baths a day as i find it eases my throat, that and ice packs.

The pain really ramped up for me day 4 and 5. not loooking forward to tommorow. Not seeing teh scabs but when pain was bad have seen VERY pink spots whicyh i assume is the raw flesh afterwards

Dave

are you any of you guys on yahoo instant messanger? I would like to have a real time conversation via chatting....

i have both yahoo and msn messenger

I also have both....

how are you two are doing?

Okay guys, Day #9 and I'm feeling better and eating better. However, the only thing I can really eat is Ramen Noodles and warm Ginger Ale. :)

However, it seem my throat don't like anything cold these days. I still get those sharp pains as I swallow. However, I had a big set back yesterday when I decided to goto this all you can eat place and couldn't eat anything because once I got my mouth around the mash potatoes it because soooo sore I couldn't eat anything else but the soft serve sherbert ice cream. Strangely enough I was able to eat the Ramen noodles later ther evening. My doctor told me to start washing my mouth out with warm water and salt to aid in the healing. Of course I haven't tried that yet....because of the fear of the burning sensation. :)

Tonight, i'm thinking about making some tuna salad for me to eat...hmmm some good and healthly in the same breath.

Hi ATLguy

know what you mean, al my cravings are for the basic stuff like pasta, raw vegateables, fruit juices.

I had roasted chicken tonight, really moist, and it was like caviar. After so many rice puddings, miso soups, eggs, and all teh desert types it was pure bliss

day 10 coming up hoping soon i will hit that point I can start thinking about some of these things to eat again.

Dave

Has anyone tried crystal lite? I had some it's burn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! bad!
Orange-Pineapple flavor...