Hi, I'm 23 male and healthy and fit, although I have been a smoker for about 4 years (until now). I've suffered tonsillitis all my life, especially in the last few months where i've experienced some of the worse pain ever with tonsillitis. I had a tonsillectomy exactly two days ago and I've so relieved that I won't get tonsillitis again. The thing that suprises me, though, is the very little pain I've experienced so far after reading all the horrible stuff in this forum and hearing from my friends how terrible I will feel.

This morning my throat did hurt to swallow but it stopped after I had a 500mg paracetamol tablet before breakfast (along with antibiotics and anti-inflamatory tablets as instructed). I've been able to eat muesli, corn chips, stir fry with beef strips and veges, toast, lasange, bread, and muffins with hardly any pain at all. These are all the foods I usually eat, and it's what my doc recommended - to follow a normal diet following tonsillectomy ASAP.

I'm not smoking cigarettes because I think its a bad idea at the moment, and i'll try not to for at least two weeks. Talking hurts now and then, or if when I don't talk for a few hours. I can drink orange juice, apple juice, tomato juice, ... but I'm not touching alcohol for at least a few weeks. I can even have salty potato chips like I mentioned before, and it just feels a little tender, i'm just careful and slower when I swallow.

I feel good. I went for a slow 10 minute walk last night (after about a day) and for another one just about half an hour ago. I would take it easy doing physical stuff. I usually surf a few times a week and go for regular walks and play soccer now and then, but I felt a little weak going for a short walk last night and today, so, I wouldn't over do it...

Where my tonsils used to be (heheh, **** yeaH), there's this thick whitish layer which my doc said is completely normal. By the way, I stayed overnight at the hospital. He said that scabby stuff will start to break off after around 5 to 7 days, so he said expect the pain to get worse. Pain? I'm thinking, "What pain?"

In a nutshell, It's the second day after having my tonsils out and I'm eating and drinking things that I normally eat, besides alcoholic, highly acidic or spicy stuff. Talking hurts slightly and the pain is mainly noticeable in the morning and late at night, but otherwise its VERY TOLERABLE for me and I'm feeling okay! I'm going to take it easy physically and listen to my body from here... :)

Its the 3rd day now and still not bad, although when I woke up there was a bit more pain than usual, but only when I swallowed. This went away after taking two paracetamol tablets and having a normal breakfast (muesli with soy milk and a banana as well as a glass of apple juice). It was difficult to swallow the food down at first but I noticed a dramatic decrease in pain after about 10 minutes of having the food and painkillers. Generally I'm ok, but still kind of weak and a little uncoordinated because of the anti-inflammatory tablets. I'm resting at home and will for the rest of the weekend.

I've read a lot of the threads here and its horrible to know that so many people have to go through hell for weeks after getting a tonsillectomy. It's not always the case. A bit of hope for those considering tonsillectomy or wondering what to expect.

Thanks for the hope! I love hearing stories like yours! I've got my tonsillectomy scheduled, and I'm counting down the days! (its not til may though..) I can't wait to finally get rid of them and get on with my life! Hope you're still recovering easily! :cool:

I agree with Zero - I had my tonsillectomy a week ago and my recovery is going like his.

I have had some pain, mainly in the mornings - the rest of the time it's like a normal sore throat easily resolved with painkillers.

I notice Zero is from Australia and I am from UK. The big difference for us seems to be the consensus among the docs here and there to resume a normal diet straightaway.

In fact I wasn't allowed to leave hospital until I'd had 2 pieces of toast. My recovery is not unique over here. Most people report similar stories.

From reading these boards it seems to be a much tougher recovery in the states and I sympathize a lot.

I was told that my pain would be less if I ate the normal food because it uses the right muscles in the throat and that's been really true for me. Also I've drunk gallons of iced water and chewed gum between meals again on the advice of the surgeon. Also my scabs are pretty much gone and I barely noticed them coming off. Again I was told this is due to eating hard food. I have had no bleeding at all.

So anyone going in for this don't worry - not everyone has horrendous time and maybe give resuming a normal diet a chance even though it is hard at times. I'm convinced it's made my recovery so much easier. Good luck to anyone recovering or waiting for surgery.

Thanks foxy! I have definitely heard different stories everywhere.. I have done my research and and planning on drinking lots and lots of water no matter how much it hurts, it seems to be the best thing. And that's definitely a good point you make. I will definitely be eating as soon as I can! Hope you're still feeling great way over there! :wave:

It's the 8th day now and the worst pain is over, which can be controlled with the stronger painkillers that my doc gave me. Oxycodon. Its a real help and makes me feel nice and fuzzy. I have to stress the point of keeping on track with the painkillers around the 4th to the 7th day, taking your prescribed dosage every few hours (as also prescribed). For those days, it was hardest to swallow do your best to eat, it makes you feel so much better after a meal. At least, that's my experience. I'm optomistic from here. I think I should be okay to go out and dance and stuff in another weeks' time but I'll just take it day by day. :)

I have to warn that one of the days was pretty bad and that was the 6th day, exactly the day the doctor predicted. Take medication on that day. I'll say it again. Take medication. Its a life saver.

Another thing is, people talk of not having solid food for over a week, until they can handle it. That's ******** in my opinion. My doctor said, the sooner you maintain a normal diet, the sooner the wound will heal. He swears by cornchips, toast, and cooked meat and vegetables. As counter-intuitive as it may sound, he is right. A diet of milkshakes, jelly and yogurt and the like is useless. Eating solid food is ****ing agony at times, don't get me wrong. Surgically or not, that liquid-foods-only theory needs to be removed from our thinking when it comes to post-tonsillectomy recovery.

Annnyway, getting a tonsillectomy not all as bad as it's made out to be, from my experience. I reckon a lot of it has to do with the attitude you take.

Even better today.

The place where my tonsils used to be looks much healthier and clearly a lot of the scab has come off in the past few days because it looks pink underneath the white slough layer (which is very thin now), and also looks more healthy around the wound. Yes, I check everyday, and I have photographic evidence lol

I still took paracetamol tablets every four or five hours before I had meals today. I still feel dizzy from the anti-inflammatory tablets. One more day to go before I've finished my prescribed dose of anti-inflammatory and antibiotic tablets. Whaa I really want to have a cigarette, damnit!!!!

Well, I know its all downhill from here and it hasn't all been as bad as I thought it would be. :)

I'm feeling near normal now.

I still woke with a very mild feeling or soreness in my throat when I swallowed, but this soon went away after drinking some water and getting up to have a normal breakfast. The wound is still healing, of course, but I haven't felt the need to take any painkillers today, and neither did I since yesterday afternoon.

When I swallow and eat, it doesn't hurt, but the feeling is more like a noticeable tenderness, that's all. Without pain, I can skull down water, eat spicy food, eat any kind of solid food like very well-done steak, and I can walk more and stay awake longer without becoming exhausted. I still can't eat chocolate yet; the sugar stings.

I went to my friends house last night and I probably shouldn't have, but I had a few drinks which included two vodka with lemon lime & bitters, and a shot of 50% alc. schnapps. It all went down fine (and of course, I'd finished my antibiotics by then so there was no potentiation). Actually, it was very enjoyable! And being able to talk and see my friends was awesome.

I feel really lucky to have experienced such a smooth and rapid recovery.

I wanted to comment on the diet question. I don't know for sure but I am beginning to think that the prescribed diet might depend a lot on a persons age. When my doctor explained it to me, she said that as you get older your tonsils get deeper and that they get closer to your arteries and veins. Naturally, when they remove your tonsils they are then cutting/lasering (do you think thats a word?? Hehe) closer to those arteries and veins. She did not want me to eat anything the least bit rough because of the risk of bleeding. I'm 51 years old.

Age = less tissue between the surface and blood supply?

Hi Daisy'smom

To be honest over here in the UK patients have to eat rough foods regardless of age. I am in my late 30s and this is what I was advised. Eating straightaway cleans the wound site which reduces the chance of infection and it is infection which can seriously increase the chances of bleeding.

Whatever the reasoning, I have had a really straightforward recovery after eating proper food from day 1. Of course I chewed it really well and drank it with water. I didn't even slightly bleed once and I didn't even notice when my scabs came off.

Good luck with whatever you decide but honestly everyone I know of my age who had this procedure had great recovery with eating a normal diet.

Take care.

And totally back to normal.

I can eat anything, yawn as normal, without any tenderness or pain and the surgeon said a few days ago for my post-op approintment that I can go bungy jumping and do any kind of strenuous excercise that I want now.

My experience has been okay! Just some positive encouragement to those of you who are considering or anticipating tonsillectomy for chronic tonsillitis. Its worth it. Really. No more tonsillitis ever again! :wave:

Yeah! That is great - sounds like the whole experiance was pretty positive for you. Can I ask how long you were out of work? Just trying to get a picture as I am only 2 days post op.

Yeah! That is great - sounds like the whole experiance was pretty positive for you. Can I ask how long you were out of work? Just trying to get a picture as I am only 2 days post op.

Hey :) My ENT surgeon told me to take two weeks off work, so that's what I arranged. I think I could have actually started work again earlier than that, though. I reckon I could have taken 10 days off work and I'd be fine to go back.

I work in the retail industry, but part of my job involves heavy lifting, and didn't want the possible risk of bleeding or falling over at work because I'd spent a lot of time resting. So, just to be safe , I'd take at least two weeks off. Good luck with the rest of your recovery :)

im on day 9 and feeling pretty good... My sleeping seems to already have improved but i guess it could be placebo affect