Hi all. Can't tell you what these boards have meant to me over the last 24 hours or so.

I'm a 31 year old woman currently at day 5. I breezed through days 1-3. Yesterday I awoke with nauseau (5 on a sale of 1-10), an ear ache and a mild fever. The doctor said this was normal and related to the scabs pulling away. The nausea, he said, was most likely a result of scaling back on the pain meds when things were going really well.

I was awake through most of last night, very uncomfortable with this thick clear phlegm that is hard to swallow and makes me gag a little. I've been spitting that into a paper towel and disposing of it, just to make it easier to drink water. I've been eating pretzels when I can as well. Question 1: What is this stuff???

Today (day 5), I'm going back on the pain meds because now I BELIEVE people when they say that the first 2 to 3 days are a gimme.

I'm wondering how long it took the scabs to fall off? How did you alleviate this clear-phlegm stuff?

Thanks, in advance, for any guidance!

Your secretions thicken when you're dehydrated. Have you been drinking any milk products? That would explain it also. You may also just have some post-nasal drainage since it can irritate your sinuses as well.

My scabs started coming off days 7-10. It was pure hell, and I, too, was very nauseated. I'm on day 12, and so far I'm feeling pretty good. Still in pain, but nothing Tylenol can't fix. Swallowing is still difficult but getting easier every day.

Question though, why are you eating pretzels? That seems like it would hurt. Salt REALLY burned my wounds when the scabs came off. Pain would shoot all the way to my ears if I had any salt!

Ah, pretzels are one of my favorite things right now! That and toast. My ENT told me not to get started on that soft-foods habit. Some of them are great and I've been eating jello from time to time because it's soothing, but the harder foods (well-chewed, of course) slowly scrape down the scabs. This prevents that painful experience of the scabs falling off. And so far, I have to say he's right! I have very little pain at all. Yesterday, I had a burger and fries from Wendy's!

The first three days were so easy. In fact, I took the dog for a 1 mile walk on day 2. I did laundry, sealed the grout around our new tile in the bathroom and cleaned the kitchen. I started weening myself off the pain meds. That's what they think caused the nausea on day 4. So I went back on the pain meds (liquid hydorocodone every four hours and one 500 mg tylenol in between) and I started chewing gum, which cut that mucus feeling. The worst part is the constipation. I have a stool softener, but I'm afraid to take it, that it'll make me feel ill.

Your probably right about the dehydration. I hate water. I've been drinking Gatorade (despite being married to a Buckeye, Haha) but not as much as I should, I'm sure. It's definitely not dairy; I've avoided that.

I'll step up the fluids and see it that helps.

Thanks!

Yeah I ate "hard" foods too, but I just meant the SALT content would have hurt, not the actual food going down. I was eating unsalted chips and sandwiches on day 2 with no problems. But for some reason my throat kept closing up so I had to keep going back to the ER for IV steroids. Not sure what caused all my nausea and vomiting, but it was pure misery for about 3-4 days! I never did take the narcotics, maybe just once or twice. I've been sticking to extra strength Tylenol with no problems. I think my Celebrex helps too. This is now day 13, and I feel fine! Still have the sore throat, but not bad. I'm heading to Red Lobster right now for seafood, yummmmm! :)

I am so jealous! I want Red Lobster!!!

The scabs are thinner, they are mostly pink now. There's a spot at the top that's a little red, like it bled overnight. Surgery was a week ago today. The pain has increased a little but the nausea is mostly gone.

I'm supposed to go back to work tomorrow. I have an MD appointment today and I want him to look at my tongue... I don't have that closing-throat thing, but the base of my tongue is very sore, making it hard to swallow some of the things I could eat earlier. Maybe a steriod shot will help.

No pretzels right now. I was eating pretzel rods. Herr's brand. They aren't too salty. I'm on to slimfasts and maccaroni right now because of the bad scabbing feelings. I need to eat harder foods right now, but this tongue thing is preventing it. But I feel much better today than yesterday. Should be on to Red Lobster soon!