:eek: :eek: I am having a tonsillectomy on July 13th, about two weeks away and I am scared to death!!!! I want to cancel or postpone the surgery. I am not big into taking medications, especially the liquid Oxycontin that my ENT prescribed. I have never had surgery before and I am scared of the pain I will be in after. If someone could offer some advice, things I might need to make it easier. Most of all, I am scared of the swelling and choking feeling. I have a panic disorder and feel like I might freak out if I think I am choking. Why don't they just remove the uvula instead of dealing with the swelling? Thank you guys so much, I just need a little courage.

Jennifer

I'm having my surgery on July 19th so about a week after you... we can go through it together. Well almost.. hehe you can help me out by telling me how your recovery is going...But I wouldn't worry too much, of course I'm saying that now and when it gets alittle closer to my turn I'll probably get more scared!! But just remember the older you get the harder the recovery is, so I would do it now! hehe
Amanda :wave:

I'm having my surgery on July 19th so about a week after you... we can go through it together. Well almost.. hehe you can help me out by telling me how your recovery is going...But I wouldn't worry too much, of course I'm saying that now and when it gets alittle closer to my turn I'll probably get more scared!! But just remember the older you get the harder the recovery is, so I would do it now! hehe
Amanda :wave:

Amanda,
I will tell you how my recovery is going, hopefully it will help you with yours! I just called my ENT to see if I could go in sooner, the wait is killing me!:wave:

I know what you mean!! The wait is killing me too!! I keep counting down the days and im at like 25!! It seems like it's taking forever, but I guess as soon as we know it, it'll be our time!!
Amanda :)

I know what you mean!! The wait is killing me too!! I keep counting down the days and im at like 25!! It seems like it's taking forever, but I guess as soon as we know it, it'll be our time!!
Amanda :)

:yawn: Looks like I have to wait. The ENT said he couldn't get me in sooner. How old are you?

Sorry to hear that you couldn't get in sooner....that sucks!!! hehe Anyway I am 23 and you??

I turned 34 in May. Much older! I am sure you will be fine, you have age on your side!

Hi Amanda and Jennifer.... I had my tonsillectomy & septoplasty last Friday. I was taking a statistics class this summer, and scheduled surgery the day after my final. I was afraid of having too much time to worry about surgery.

Funny thing... I was not nervous at all. This has been my first surgery, and I was very calm about it all.... I'm wondering if it's because I've wanted this surgery for a long time, and kept putting it off??? I'm 46, and should have had this done years ago.

Try to keep yourself busy, and the time will pass quickly. I'm on day 6 of recovery, and I'm so glad that I FINALLY had it done. :) Although... stats and surgery - not a fun summer so far - ha!

Wow! You are doing well. Day six? That is suppose to be one of the worst days. I plan on drinking a lot of water to help with the pain. Because of my bouts with strep, I know how awful being dehydrated can make you feel! What have you been doing for the pain? I am not planing on taking the Oxycontin my Dr prescribed, it just seems a little too strong! I would be in rehab after I recovered :)

Just for reference, I am twenty.

Today is day 8 of recovery for me...

I got real scared while getting all the surgery prepping done (my anesthesiology nurse was not a fun person). Suddenly though, I was awake, and the surgery had been completed.

I was supposed to leave around noon, but had to stay until three due to low oxygen level. The worst experience in the hospital though was after being IV fed water for 3 hours I really had to use the restroom, but because the nurse was checking up on me from time to time, and had left the buzzer thing out of reach, I had no way of getting their attention. Yelling after a tonsilectomy is a bad idea, but I did it anyway. It wasn't very loud, but I managed to get their attention, and they unhooked me from everything, so i could finally get relief.

I have hardly eaten anything in this last week though. I think day three was the first day I felt at all hungry, and I ate a yogurt cup. Day 4 and 5 I started getting my appetite back, and ate 2 things each day. I haven't really been hungry though, I don't notice it as much with the dizzyness from meds (percoset)

As far as liquids go they say you should drink enough as to where you have to urinate every 8 hours. Doing that was not hard for me. Maybe it was because the surgery was coupled with a septoplasty to fix my deviated septum, forcing me to breathe with my mouth. Because of the constant mouth breathing, my throat dries up fairly easily, so I drank as much as I possibly could.

I am not looking forward to this last week, as this is when the scab is supposed to come off. It hasn't really hurt or anything, I'd just rather not get tuck going back to the hospital because my scab gets scratched open. I am pretty sure it won't open up though.

One bad thing is the excess of mucus in your throat. I was told to sleep on a recliner so that the mucus would go down my throat instead of into my lungs, so that's what I've been doing. It has been causing me to need to cough a lot, and one nurse told me it was good to cough, but it is very irritating to the skin. So what I do is I open my mouth wide, and breathe out through my mouth. this usually clears my throat with little to no pain.

I am looking forward to next week though, and at least once a day now I wonder as to what I will eat the day I decide to eat normally. I am very much looking forward to that.

A very last note would be to not make plans though. I had been hoping I'd be up to doing stuff, but the meds have me pretty weak. The 2 hour trip to the doctor and store (for more supplies) yesterday wore me out pretty bad.

Sounds like you are pretty tough. I wish I was! I am just scared of the pain and swelling. What if your throat swells so much you can't breath?

Jennifer... I'm taking Hydrocodone w/ Tylenol. For the first week, I'm taking it on time around the clock. I've read that it's important to keep the pain under control. After it reaches a certain threshold, it's hard to bring it back down. I'm not concerned about rehab - no, no, no. ha! I may start cutting the dosage next week... I'll wait and see.

Avid.... I was amazed at how surgery went, too. I was chatting with the OR nurse one moment and woke up in recovery the next. Sorry you had wait so long before being released.

I'm dealing with the same thing you are.... because of the septoplasty, I can't breathe through my nose just yet and my throat dries out when I fall asleep. That is SO painful. I dread taking the first few swallows - it's the worst part so far.

Jennifer and Amanda... you may not have a problem with that at all since you're not having work done to your nose.

Yes, I'm waiting to see what next week and scabbing brings.... You guys may have read my other posts that mention my son (I forget what I post where).... he had the same surgery as you and I, Avid. On day 10 of recovery he began to bleed uncontrollably. We ended up in the ER.

He later told me that he ate a piece of graham cracker that scratched his throat. Poor guy... big, starving teenager just wanted something solid to eat for a change. I wouldn't wish that on anyone. We don't want that to happen to us!! My doctor told me that it only happens in about 1% of patients.

Avid, I'll look for more of your posts since you're a couple of days ahead of me.... and girls... you'll be just fine. This message board is filled with great information.

Lady99,
Thank you for your words of encouragement, I cannot even begin to tell you how much they mean to me. I really need to relax, I have been so stressed about this surgery. Your words help. Thank you.

Jennifer.... glad to help. You can also use this time to gather things you will be needing after surgery. You may want to begin getting some food items and reading materials. Personally, I don't think I could focus on a book right now, but magazines have been helpful. Renting movies has been helpful, too. Using this time productively may help you from becoming nervous.

You may have read it already....... LisaMP's Guide to Adult Tonsillectomy contains some great information. I gave a copy of it to my husband to help him realize what I might be experiencing.

Yes, I gave a copy of that to my partner. Her guide was full of good information. I think I have everything but food. Again, I really appreciate your help.

Day 9 now, and so far the most painful day... this is the first day that the percoset didn't make me feel almost normal.

I'm hoping this is the peak of it though, as I have plans for this Saturday, and it'd be really nice if I felt up to doing them.

A couple things i wish I would have thought of are books and movies. This has been keeping me up late into the night (often I am awake until 3 AM) and there is nothing I can really do when it gets this late except try to sleep, but sleep rarely comes at night.

So I'm supposed to go back to work on what would be day 6 post op but hmm i'm wondering if I should talk my boss into letting me stay out a few more days afterwards!!
Amanda:confused:

Sorry I'm posting once again but I forgot to ask... Do you lose your voice after this surgery or can you still talk??? Just wondering because I'm a manager at an apartment complex and I just want to know if I'll be able to talk afterwards....
Amanda:rolleyes:

Amanda - I never lost my voice after the surgery. I was raspy for the first week, and my voice would get very "tired" for most of the second, but I'm at the end of the second week and I'd say my voice is nearly 100% even though I'm not healed yet.

Amanda - About going back to work. I'd take two full weeks if at all possible. I know it can be hard to do that, but even at nearly two weeks I'm easily tired out just by going to the store for half an hour. Everyone is different, but I was pretty fit before the surgery (played tennis 3X/week). If you can't take the time off, I'd try to really keep up the calorie count in the first week so you don't lose too much weight. I was unable to do that because I couldn't tolerate my pain meds. Also, if you're younger than me (35) you will probably bounce back more quickly, but if you're thin the calorie deprivation can really knock you down.

A few pre-tonsillectomy tips:

- Stock your freezer with popsicles. They can help you stay hydrated. I like Minute Maid Fruit Juicees. You may also want to have some Jello or pudding on hand, and some soup. If you're by yourself most of the day, get the ready-to-eat (or microwave) stuff, because you won't want to prepare even a simple Jello package. I also drank a lot of "Boost" (similar to Ensure) the first week.
- Grab a six-pack of yogurt (with live cultures) in case you have problems with thrush. That's not terribly common, I don't think, but I had a little of it after my doc switched my antibiotic. It went away quickly, but taking antibiotics plus eating sugary foods plus decreased saliva (from pain medications) can bring it on, so a little prevention won't hurt anything.
- Stock up on videos and magazines. I'm an avid reader but didn't have the attention span or the energy to invest in "real" reading.
- Set up a place to crash when you get home. I lived on the couch for more than a week because it was the best place to sleep in a half-reclined position and I didn't want to be waking my husband up all the time. Go ahead and plug in your laptop adapter (if you use one) in the vicinity because you'll be using out of boredom of nothing else.
- Get some chewing gum for after the surgery; it helps keep your swallowing function going. I found it surprisingly comfortable to chew.
- Get a pack of 1-qt freezer bags for making ice bags. I nested two of them and would drape them across my throat. That wasn't mandated by my doctor, but it helped me feel better. I have the round blue ice bags, but the shape just wasn't working for me.
- If you don't have an icemaker, get a couple of bags of ice for your freezer. I needed it for ice bags and drinks, and to have on hand in case of bleeding. At 13 days post-op I haven't had any bleeding, however.

If I think of anything else I will add it here!

Amanda, I lost my voice. My throat was just too painful to talk, and when I did talk it was all "blobby"

I wouldn't be surprised though if this was mostly due to having the septoplasty also because the day I got my splints out of my nose I could talk much better than previously.

How did everyone do with the anesthesia?

Yes, I would definitely speak to your boss. From everything I have read about the surgery (I haven't had mine yet!) you need the whole 14 days in order to recover. ;:D

Did anyone have a whole lot of swelling? That seems to be my biggest fear right now. I am having my tonsillectomy next Friday, the 13th. I am concerned about my throat swelling, making it difficult to breath.:(

I didn't have too much swelling... breathing was never really much of a problem (after the initial 3 hours where they had me hooked up to oxygen)

as for the anesthesia, I figure it went normal with me. They load you up on anti-nausea drugs, and it's a good thing they do because that stuff will make you sick. The first two or three days I was very worried I'd throw up.

Hello Jennifer in replying to your post I had my tonsilectomy and I took my pain pills prn and drink ensure and ate soft foods and rinse mouth and brush my teeth after eating . which kept me from swelling and I recoverd in 10 days.

How did everyone do with the anesthesia?I am normally pretty quick to hurl, but I didn't have any trouble with the anesthesia.

I didn't have any problems with the anesthesia or with being able to breathe after surgery. Also, I would hate to think about going back to work any earlier than 2 weeks post-op. Even though my throat should be feeling OK... I don't think my energy level will be where it should.

Hello Jennifer in replying to your post I had my tonsilectomy and I took my pain pills prn and drink ensure and ate soft foods and rinse mouth and brush my teeth after eating . which kept me from swelling and I recoverd in 10 days.

I'VE BEEN WONDERING... DOES IT HURT WHEN YOU BRUSH YOUR TEETH AFTERWARDS??? DO THE DOCS TELL YOU TO WAIT A CERTAIN LENGTH OF TIME BEFORE BRUSHING AND USING MOUTH WASH?? JUST CURIOUS
AMANDA:rolleyes:

Amanda.... my doctor never mentioned brushing as being a problem. I've been brushing (carefully) since the day of surgery. The hardest part is spitting... or trying to. I've never been a graceful spitter - ha!

yeah, spitting isn't fun... I had to learn to do it because as long as I'm conscious I can't bring myself to swallow the scab, so I have been spitting it out... (man this is a disgusting post surgery)

I'm going today without painkillers, and I think I've become slightly addicted to them... The pain seems somehow worse when I dont take them, but I know I still feel the same amount of pain. I don't exactly know how to explain it, I just felt safer eating while on the meds.

I think that is the one thing that I am most not looking forward to is when my scabs start falling off...EKK!!! So what I have been reading from everyone is that when your scabs do start to fall off then that's when you really can't take eating/drinking anything cold right??? And is that how you know that they are starting to fall off or can you feel them doing that?? Sorry for all the q's I'm just trying to prepare myself for what's to come...
Amanda

How did everyone do with the anesthesia?


Honestly, i was terrified of the anesthesia but all that worrying was not worth it at all...Don't be shy in telling them how nervous you are they can give you drugs to relax you. :dizzy: I said "bowchickawowow" to a male nurse minutes after they gave me the IV with the relaxing medication..where i was crying the night before and all that morning...haha. Dont dwell on that seriously!

As for after the surgery...that is not as fun as the anesthesia. I had my surgery on June 28 so its been about four days...today is NOT fun but i know it will get better eventually. Be prepared for Ear/Throat pain. I'm pretty worried about my scabs as well, I think I'm going to start a post about that in a few minutes I'd really like to hear about it too.

Hey everyone.....I've really enjoyed reading your posts! They have been very helpful......Im scheduled for surgery on Tuesday, July 3. I go for my pre0p July 2. I am 27 and still scared to death!
I've had one surgery before (gallbladder) and I was soo nervous that I was crying....they gave me medicine (twice) to calm me down.....the surgery took only 15 minutes and over 2 hours for me to wake up.....so Im kinda scared about the anesthesia but reading the posts on here made me feel better (that Im not the only one nervous!!)
Well I guess I need to get some rest while I can!

The pain seems somehow worse when I dont take them, but I know I still feel the same amount of pain. I don't exactly know how to explain it, I just felt safer eating while on the meds.I know exactly what you mean. I think my "heavy duty" painkillers just made me care less about the pain, and sleep more, but they didn't dull the pain any more than the rapid-release Tylenol I started taking when I decided the other meds were too nauseating for me.

So what I have been reading from everyone is that when your scabs do start to fall off then that's when you really can't take eating/drinking anything cold right??? And is thoat hw you know that they are starting to fall off or can you feel them doing that?? Sorry for all the q's I'm just trying to prepare myself for what's to come...
Amanda

well for the first thing... I was never told to stop drinking cold stuff until I found that on here, so I kept drinking cold stuff, and thinking it was just citric acid in the drinks causing the pain (which was minuscule compared to all the other pain I've been going through)

as for when your scabs will fall off, I was told that scabs basically work in 7 day cycles, so it would be a week after my surgery. They say its typically falling off between days 7-10.

another note is that you should really try to keep your breathing regular, as yawning is very painful.

Hey everyone.....I've really enjoyed reading your posts! They have been very helpful......Im scheduled for surgery on Tuesday, July 3. I go for my pre0p July 2. I am 27 and still scared to death!
I've had one surgery before (gallbladder) and I was soo nervous that I was crying....they gave me medicine (twice) to calm me down.....the surgery took only 15 minutes and over 2 hours for me to wake up.....so Im kinda scared about the anesthesia but reading the posts on here made me feel better (that Im not the only one nervous!!)
Well I guess I need to get some rest while I can!

Hey Sweetiee... I've had my gallbladder taken out too... so I think we need to start a missing your gallbladder and tonsils club!! hehe I wish my surgery could be tomorrow!! It's killing me to have to wait.... only 17 more days for me!!! hehe You'll have to let us know how everything went!
Amanda :)

:confused: Does anyone smoke? And if so, can you smoke after surgery?
Jennifer

Hey, good luck tomorrow, mine isn't until the 13th... maybe we can help each other through this! :) Don't worry, I am sure everything will be great. Try and relax and tell yourself that you will be so much healthier after the surgery.

:confused: Does anyone smoke? And if so, can you smoke after surgery?
Jennifer

I don't smoke, but my parents do, and they aren't allowed to smoke in the house while I'm recovering (doctor's orders)

so yeah, you will probably be advised not to... I'd imagine you wouldn't be able to anyway as you aren't supposed to use straws even, so actually taking a drag would be hard on you even without the smoke.

:) Hey everyone!

Well.......I survived!! The surgery went as smooth as clockwork! I was in the hospital at six, had my surgery at eight, woke up on the way to recovery room and got to come home by noon!
I've been nodding off here and there, but find it hard to sleep. I am tylenol 3 with codeine and amoxicillin. Im due for my next dose in about an hour and I will try to sleep again in the recliner.
I dont think my tounge is swollen, but I feel this stuff at the back of my throat......kinda mucusy......I have a weak stomach, so I am unable to look back there just yet.
My throat really hurt this afternoon and evening, and I've tried drinking as much as possible. So far I've drank about a pint of water, 6oz of pedialyte, and almost one whole popsicle. And right now, it's soar but not unbearable......I just wish I could sleep!
My stomach is growling heehee! But Im really not concerned about eating, because I could stand to lose weight anyway. I just wish I could drink more. I have visited the bathroom more today then I have in a week! lol
Well, I know things will probably get worse before it gets better, I just wanted to check in while I had the strength too!
Good luck to everyone!

I had mine taken out in April. Best advice, keep hydrated, drink plenty of water, tepid/room temperature went down easiest for me. When I started getting the INTENSE ear pain, a heating pad helped alot. I also found drinking ice cream freezes (the slush ones w/ice cream) the first few days helped. Other good things to consider eating popsicles, applesauce, puddings and jello, mashed potatoes (cooled not hot), soup broth, and scrambled eggs. For me the first week was the worst, by the start of the second week I had cut back on the painkillers to half-doses for another 2-3 days. It took abut 3 1/2 weeks for me to get my energy level back and I lost 10 lbs which wouldn't have been bad but I lost 12 lbs in the months before surgery due to constant throat infections.
My energy level has returned to a higher level than what it was. I sleep so much better now too. At times I feel like I have something stuck on the right side of my throat, not painful just annoying. Once you have it done and are on the mend, you won't regret it.
Good luck

Thank you so much! Your reply made me decide not to cancel my surgery!

Hey Jennifer!! So 4 more days to go... I'm excited for you! hehe I swear it seems like I've been waiting forever to get mine taken out... I'm excited for friday as well because I have my preop appt. I'm not looking forward to any part after the surgery but I'm deffinantly ready for them to get taken out.... I've been getting alot of tonsil stones and it is SOOO annoying!! But I wish the best for you and you'll deffinantly have to keep in touch afterwards! Have you been stocking up on stuff yet?? My freezer is full of popsicles! It's been hard to tell my 2 and 4 year olds that they can't have the popsicles b/c their for mommy!! haha I read your post about smoking and for some reason it reminded me of a video I saw on ******* where this guy when he got home from having a tonsilectomy took shots of vodka afterwards!!! I don't think he was thinking to clearly!! Sorry that was random but I couldn't believe someone would be so stupid!! Well I'm back off to work!!
Amanda :)

Amanda,
Thank you for the encouraging words, I am scared as hell! Yes, I stocked up on things I will need today at the grocery store. All I have left on my list is a humidifier and a PS3 game to keep me busy. I will let you know how everything goes.

Jennifer

I am having my surgery this Friday which is in less than two days. I am scared about the swelling making it difficult to breath, then in turn having a panic attack. Did you have a lot of swelling?

Jennifer, I pretty much had no swelling. I'm sure the doctors will do whatever they can to accomodate you. They have been nothing but helpful for me, and while I got very scared hearing worst case scenarios from some of the nurses, some of the worst case stuff has happened for me, and they made sure I got through it. It wasn't easy, but it isn't that hard, and looking back, I do think it is something I could go through again.

Good luck tomorrow, I hope your surgery goes well.

Jennifer,

I just wanted to wish you luck and a speedy recovery! I know all people react different to different sugeries, but I don't think I ever had problems with swelling either. I won't lie......it hurt REALLY bad, but I'm on day 9 today, and I have felt better each day since day 7.... so it will be ok!
The best thing I can tell you is drink as much water as possible........even when it hurts.....because that's what makes it better , and the more you drink water, the quicker you'll recover. Just keep checking the boards, because I dont think I could have made it through without getting online and reading and re-reading people's posts after I had my surgery!
Good Luck to you!

Thank you so much! I am down to 8 hours until surgery. I will post as soon as I can. Again, thank you for your help :)

Jennifer I will deffinantly be thinking about you tomorrow!! GOOD LUCK!!
Amanda

Amanda,
Thank you so much! I will let you know how it goes. How are you doing?

Well I'm off to my pre op appointment. I can't wait to hear how your doing Jennifer!!

I am sooooo dopped up! The surgery went well, I can hardly type though. The meds are a little much. The pain is no that bad yet. I know you will be fine. I am so glad I went through with it. I know it will get worse before it gets better but I am already glad I did it.

I am sooooo dopped up! The surgery went well, I can hardly type though. The meds are a little much. The pain is no that bad yet. I know you will be fine. I am so glad I went through with it. I know it will get worse before it gets better but I am already glad I did it. I'm so happy for you that you've gone through with it. I can tell you that 9 days post-op, I'm very happy that I've done it. I was feeling so much better by day 7 and I really attribute that to eating as much as I could, drinking plenty of water (even though both hurt) and keeping on top of my pain medication. These boards are also a great source of comfort for the bad days. You go girl! :D

P.S. How's your uvula?

I think the one thing I'm most nervous about is getting the IV!! :eek: I'm such a baby when it comes to needles even though I've had them plenty of times and have had 2 epiderals!! hehe I know these next few days are going to go so SLOW because I want to get it done and over with SOOO BAD!! :dizzy:
Amanda

My uvula is about three times the normal size. My Dr. originally prescribed me Oxyfast Elixir (which is very strong) so I asked him to give me Tylenol with codeine as well. I have only taken the Tylenol with codeine because I do not want to feel doped up again. What pain meds did you take and did they work? I am drinking all my water and have had applesauce and two home made smoothies already today.

Amanda,

I completley understand.....I'm a big ole chicken when it comes to needles! In fact, when I had my gallbladder out, about 6 years ago (I was 20 or 21), I was getting ready, getting my gown on and such and was crying the whole time.......they had to give me medicine TWICE just to calm me down to put the IV in LOL. I figured I would be like that when I had my tonsils out, but suprisingly , I did just fine. I dont know how lol.
And the only time I shed a tear was when they were wheeling me down the hall, and we reached the point where my family had to leave......so all in all I think I did really good this time haha.
You will do fine too :)

My uvula is about three times the normal size. My Dr. originally prescribed me Oxyfast Elixir (which is very strong) so I asked him to give me Tylenol with codeine as well. I have only taken the Tylenol with codeine because I do not want to feel doped up again. What pain meds did you take and did they work? I am drinking all my water and have had applesauce and two home made smoothies already today.I was initially prescribed codeine but it was not strong enough so I got a prescription for Tramadol but that didn't really work either but did take the edge off my anxiety. Then I discovered Voltaren (an anti-inflammatory) which enabled me to eat and drink with minimal pain, which is why I think I've recovered so well. Keep your Oxyfast Elixir though - you will probably need it, especially at night and between days 4 - 9 when the pain will be at its worst (ask your doctor if it's ok to alternate between the Oxyfast and Tylenol). The anti-inflammtory, without a doubt, was my saviour on Day 6 when the pain was unbearable for me.

Do they have that drug in the U.S.? Have you taken the Oxyfast before and if so did you find it spaced you out or made it difficult to breathe? I am somewhat scared because the Morphine they gave me in recovery made me forget to breathe, not a good feeling!

dont worry about the iv.. it was the best part.. and knowing you are staying hydrated and that it is making you feel better helps too... just be prepared to go to the bathroom every hour if you stay overnight, which i would advise staying so they can facilitate the first night, but dont kid yourself.. the first night is by far the easiest.. .. i have a few questoins for those who have allready been thru this hell.. i am 25 on day 6.. i have a horrible thick white layer over my tongue and i have yet to be able to see the back of my thraot to notice if i have any scabs... the pain is tolerable, only because i am staying super hydrated and taking my pain meds regularly, but i am really scared about the scabs coming off.. what do i expect?? and what were some tips to drooling at night? i cant seem to control, it only started day 4 of post op..
but for those wating to have the surgery i keep hearing the pain is worth it, but sheeeesh, i can handle pain for a few days but for 10? or 2 weeks? really? a few of my own tips are drink plenty! they tell you that, but JUST DO IT! and brush your teeth as soon as you can tolerate opening your mouth that wide.. the breath around day 3-4 is soooo disgusting. also i have one of those pillows that wrap around your neck for the airplane. it has saved my life, allowing me to sit up comfortably and if i dose off my head has support.. good luck to all of you..

i have a horrible thick white layer over my tongue .. If it doesn't come off then you probably have thrush which is a yeast infection of the mouth..... If it doesn't go away you will probably want to go back to the doc to get medicine to make it go away..
Amanda

dont worry about the iv.. it was the best part.. and knowing you are staying hydrated and that it is making you feel better helps too... just be prepared to go to the bathroom every hour if you stay overnight, which i would advise staying so they can facilitate the first night, but dont kid yourself.. the first night is by far the easiest.. .. i have a few questoins for those who have allready been thru this hell.. i am 25 on day 6.. i have a horrible thick white layer over my tongue and i have yet to be able to see the back of my thraot to notice if i have any scabs... the pain is tolerable, only because i am staying super hydrated and taking my pain meds regularly, but i am really scared about the scabs coming off.. what do i expect?? and what were some tips to drooling at night? i cant seem to control, it only started day 4 of post op..
but for those wating to have the surgery i keep hearing the pain is worth it, but sheeeesh, i can handle pain for a few days but for 10? or 2 weeks? really? a few of my own tips are drink plenty! they tell you that, but JUST DO IT! and brush your teeth as soon as you can tolerate opening your mouth that wide.. the breath around day 3-4 is soooo disgusting. also i have one of those pillows that wrap around your neck for the airplane. it has saved my life, allowing me to sit up comfortably and if i dose off my head has support.. good luck to all of you..

I agree with Amanda, it was probably thrush. You should see you doctor, eat a lot of yogurt and stay away from sugary foods. Go with the Lite Yogurt. Keep us posted.

My son had thrush soon after he was born and that was a pain to deal with!! I remember it hurting him to suck on the bottle and just giving him the medicine was a nightmare!! I really hope I don't get it!!! EKK :dizzy:

Just stay away from a lot of sugar. You won't get it. I have been brushing three times or more a day and using a tounge scraper.

So I went and bought a tonge tooth brush yesterday to make sure I don't get thrush... hope it works!!
Amanda:p

Help. I am hurting today more than yesterday. I have only taken the Tylenol 3, I haven't taken the percocet yet. Maybe it is time too! I am scared it will make me feel doped up. Water is hard to get down today. I do believe chewing gum works though... I chewed a piece last night in order to finish drinking my water and it worked. I know you will be fine, you will be so happy when its over Amanda, trust me. Even though this hurts, I am so glad its over :)

Hi. I'm 52 and had my tonsils removed on April 11th. As an older person, I was nervous about recovery but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be, and I was able to return to work 1.5 weeks later (doc to stay home 2 weeks.) The worst was the swollen uvula (1 inch wide and who knows how long!) but it eventually went back to normal size after a month or so but it sure made sleeping difficult as I had to do so upright. The important thing is to take your percocets BEFORE the pain starts - don't wait. I took mine every 4-6 hours the first few days, then slowly weaned myself to once every 8-10 hours. Drink lots of fluids and if you can eat, do so. I lost 12 pounds but have since regained 6 and hope to keep it there :-) Reading the message boards helped tremendously but it also contributed to my fear because people only post the hardship, and not the positives. You'll be fine!

Hey Jennifer I hope you are hanging in there ok today!! I just was curious... how is your voice?? Did you lose it or can you talk fine?? Let me know!! Again I hope your doing good..
Amanda :)

I am doing okay. My voice has sounded a little weird and has come and go. How are you doing? How soon do the scabs come off? I am having a hard time getting the amount of water I need to drink down today, it hurts to swallow. Any suggestions?

Chew gum. It's supposed to help, and it has helped me somewhat after the fact. Days 7-10 the scabs are supposed to fall off and the pain will start coming back a little bit.

It's been nearly a month for me now and my throat still has a bit of discomfort. Whenever I tell anyone they ask when my next appointment is, which has me worried becuase I'm supposed to be done.

You are done. They don't know what they are talking about!