Tonsils & surgery (tonsillectomy) - Ear, Nose & Throat Message Board

luciansava · 11-22-2003, 04:30 PM

Hello,

I'm Lucian, 26 y/o, male.

I am considering having my tonsils out (tonsillectomy) pretty soon. I read mostly all of the other posts in here in regards to this kind of surgery, but I failed to find any messages that would describe a bit the pain that you have to go through during the actual surgery, and less the post-operator pain. I understood that the pain that would come after the surgery may be something that you wouldn't forget for some time.

But is it possible that you people that had this surgery tell me if there was big pain during the actual surgery? How was it compared to the post-op pain? Any advices on how to take the surgery easier, overall?

Were you put under partial (throat) or general anesthesia?

Also, I know there are two major ways to get the tonsils out:

1. traditional surgery (they use a cutter)
2. laser surgery

No doubt the first one is more painful, but I've heard that for some reasons it's a better option than the second one.

Do you know anything about this?

Thank you very much,

Lucian

Ms Harriet · 11-22-2003, 05:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by luciansava

Hello,

I'm Lucian, 26 y/o, male.

I am considering having my tonsils out (tonsillectomy) pretty soon. I read mostly all of the other posts in here in regards to this kind of surgery, but I failed to find any messages that would describe a bit the pain that you have to go through during the actual surgery, and less the post-operator pain. I understood that the pain that would come after the surgery may be something that you wouldn't forget for some time.

But is it possible that you people that had this surgery tell me if there was big pain during the actual surgery? How was it compared to the post-op pain? Any advices on how to take the surgery easier, overall?

Also, I know there are two major ways to get the tonsils out:

1. traditional surgery (they use a cutter)
2. laser surgery

No doubt the first one is more painful, but I've heard that for some reasons it's a better option than the second one.

Do you know anything about this?

Thank you very much,

Lucian

I got mine out last february. well as for the pain during the actual surgery-you dont feel it youre knocked out. i had the laser one done and it was alright. it hurt a lot less than i was expecting it would. as for how to take the surgery better-drink water! drink drink drink lots of water . stay away from things like orange juice, orange popsicles-basically anything citrus(inculding mangos OUCH) as they burn and it hurts worse than a gunshot i swear. when ur taking your pills(T3s prolly) put the pill between 2 spoons and crush it up until its like fine fine powder. put it on ur tounge and swallow with a gulp of water. this makes it a billion times easier to take and the pain killers work faster. DONT

put the powder into juice or anything like that because then you have to swallow a lot of liquid to get the medicine and while it might taste better, it hurts a lot more.

overall id say go for it cause you'll feel a lot better after you do and this is comming form a girl who had golf ball sized tonsils for 4 years(i talked really funny lol)

good luck

robe91 · 11-22-2003, 06:14 PM

I just had my tonsils out this past Tuesday 11/18. You will be knocked out during the procedure and feel nothing, as long as you are getting general anesthesia. As far as waking up, I was in a lot of pain right away, but as everyone else says just drink water. They will also load you up with morphine (or something else) right away and you will feel better.

As far as the types of surgery, I am not sure what I had...but I had the traditional method that removes ALL of the tonsills. There is a new procedure which is not a laser, but somekind of heat mechinism that is supposed to be very quick recovery. However, for my problem, this method would not work because it only takes off the outer part of the tonsil and not the bed. I am on about day 5 and am in lots of pain not to lie, but its on and off and its tollerable.

I have seen lots of people telling of how to crush up pain pills. I got Roxicet...which is liquied percocet and dont see why doctors wouldnt prescribe this. I got this along with a rinse, liquid nausea relief, and liquid antibiotics. Make sure you ask fo rthis becasue it is alot easier!

Good luck!

NotatallHappy · 11-24-2003, 07:14 AM

Hi! I was put under general anestheia for my surgery and you feel nothing at all and remember nothing at all. My biggest advice for this surgery would be to stay hydrated both before and immediatly after the surgery. My tonsils were cut out and they the throat/tonsil area is cauterized (that means burned) to stop the bleeding and form scabs--no stitches. Good luck!

NotHappy is happy again

Ratatosk · 11-24-2003, 09:14 AM

I was under general anesthesia for mine and even before they put me under, they put something in my iv to relax me -- which basically put me to sleep. Woke up feeling no pain. Actually no pain for most of the day because my ENT painted my throat with anesthesia.