18 and having a tonsillectomy - Ear, Nose & Throat Message Board

alleycat · 11-26-2003, 10:56 AM

I turn 18 in less than a week and I am scheduled to have a tonsillectomy soon after. I have been told that its hardder for someone my age to have a tonsillectomy. Im wondering has anyone known someone or themselves had a tonsillectomy around this age. If so what should I expect and if you remember what did they use (Laszer of scapel) and what should I expect after surgery.

Timber · 11-26-2003, 10:58 AM

I don't know much about tonsillectomies, but happy 18th birthday! It's a big birthday! Have fun!

Ratatosk · 11-26-2003, 02:14 PM

I had my tonsils out three years ago. Regular surgery. Put something in my IV to make me relax -- I fell asleep. Woke up smiling, I guess. They monitored me for a few hours at the hospital. Made sure I wasn't bleeding. Sent me home with liquid codeine for the pain. My recovery wasn't all that bad. I took off work for two weeks.

Make sure you drink water constantly. I had a cup of ice to suck on and a glass of water. You need to stay hydrated or your throat'll get all sticky and your ears will start to hurt. Worst times for me was at night. I'd sleep for a couple hours at night and my throat would get dry. Keep a glass of water by the bedside and drink when you wake up.

You can eat whatever you want, although things will taste a lot different. Also, don't drink or eat anything too hot -- I ate a lot of luke warm broth with saltine crackers mushed up in it. Ate a lot of pudding, too. Soda -- bubbles = pain.

They cauterized the surgical area, so the back of my throat had a bunch of nasty looking scabs. Under NO circumstance should you look. Made me WEAK in the knees.

PerpleNerple · 11-26-2003, 05:35 PM

How funny is it that you ask? I am 23 years old and had my tonsillectomy at 830 this morning. Obviously I am feeling better than what I thought, because here I sit. I can share my experience with you though it is a short one so far. I have never had surgery before or been knocked out so I was very nervous. They gave me something in my IV to calm me down and it made me a little sleepy. I went into the OR, I remember the anesthesiologist talking to me about how everything was going to be fine yadda yadda, and then I was waking up. I was breathin kinda heavy cause I didnt realize what was going on at first, and my face itched a bit from the anesthesia. Within about 60 seconds though I was calm, they gave me pain meds, and anti-naseau meds and a drink of some kind of juice which felt very good. Throat has gotten progressively sorer since Ive been home but my pain med is not very strong. I have liquid Vicodin. Most ppl are prescribed Tylenol w/codeine or percocet....those make me sick so I requested something not as strong. I have been eating pudding since I got home, and just had some very finely mashed potatoes that were at room temp. The pudding feels good and is actually easier to swallow than the drinks Ive had (water and Gatorade). My throat feels a bit dry even though I have maintained drinking so thats my best advise to you drink as much as you can. It might hurt a bit, but not as much as a dry throat, ya know. Dont let ppl scare you, its not as bad as what I thought it would be, at all

catt143 · 11-27-2003, 03:28 PM

Thank you all for your posts. I am 33 years old and I am going to have my tonsils taken out on December 2nd. I am so scared because I have never had surgery being under anesthisia. I have 2 kids - one was a c-section but I was awake and had local anesthia! Anyhow, I am glad to read about the same fears and that it wasn't that bad! Alleycat - good luck. At least you are younger than me! I'll be thinking of you! Just one question for those who have been through the tonsilectomy - can you talk? Or is it whispering? –Kat